George Clooney’s Irish roots are discovered in Kilkenny village

His ancestor Nicholas Clooney fled the Great Famine in 1847

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George Clooney's Irish roots traced to Kilkenny

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George Clooney’s Irish ancestor  and his ancestral home has been discovered after an extensive search in Ireland.

The Hollywood actor’s roots have been traced to a derelict house in County Kilkenny where a Nicholas Clooney from the hamlet of Windgap left for Kentucky and the New World in 1847 at age 18. He was born in 1829.

The discovery was made by a local amateur genealogist after Clooney stated he was coming to Ireland in April to research his roots according to the Irish Examiner newspaper .

Nicholas Clooney was his great-great grandfather  and his baptismal cert has been found.by  Gabriel Murray, a  Kilkenny filmmaker .
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He discovered the Nicholas Cooney baptismal cert after an exhaustive trawl through newly computerized records.

It showed that Nicholas Clooney was baptised in Windgap church on July 23, 1829, and was from Knockeen, Tullahought.

He also  discovered he still has cousins living in the area , Peter Purcell and his son, Paul.
Peter Purcell described  how his ancestors, the Clooneys, had left  overnight for Kentucky around 1847, the worst year of the Famine.

Now the relatives are hoping to organize a welcome home for Clooney when he comes in April and to invite Clooneys from all over Ireland to the local community center and  Power’s the local bar.

Clooney has said he will come to Ireland in April and embark on a Harley Davidson tour of the country and to meet with Bono. 

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