Rosie O’Donnell Uncovers Her Family's Heartbreaking Past

Summary by Krater

Rosie O'Donnell traces her maternal family history, discovering that her great-grandfather's first wife, Ann, died in an explosion caused by a lamp when their infant child survived unharmed.

From the video

Answers: Who are Rosie O'Donnell's ancestors on her mother's side?

• genealogy research
• Irish immigration to North America
• census records
• parish baptismal records
• the Irish Potato Famine
• workhouse records

What it concludes

• Rosie O'Donnell's maternal great-grandfather was Daniel Murtha, born in Jersey City in 1894 to Kathryn McKenna and Daniel Murtha.
• Daniel Murtha's parents were Michael Murtha and Ellen Murtha, who were born in Canada and Ireland respectively.
• Michael Murtha's parents were Andrew Murtagh and Ann Doyle, who emigrated from Ireland to Canada.
• Andrew and Ann Murtagh's first daughter, Eliza, and son, Daniel, were born in Ireland, while Michael, George, and Ellen were born in Canada.
• Andrew Murtagh and his family were assisted in emigrating from Ireland to Canada by the Poor Law Union during the potato famine.
• Michael Murtha's first wife, Ann, died tragically in 1881 at 392 Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn from injuries after their infant child accidentally pulled an oil lamp over.