Found in two books
O'Beirne Though the pronunciation of this name is very similar to O"Byrne
there is no connection between the two sects. O'Beirne belongs almost
exclusively to Connacht. One branch, allied to the McDermott's and the
other leading Roscommon families, Tir Briuin na Sinna between Elphin and
Jamestown on the County Roscommon side of the river Shannon, and they
appear as such in the "Composition Book of Connacht 1585" : and in 1850
there was still an O'Beirne of Dangan-I-Beirn in that territory. The
other branch possessed territory in the adjoining County of Mayo north of
Balinrobe. At the present time O'Beirnes are chiefly found in Counties
Roscommon and Leitrim.
While no O'Beirne has left a lasting mark on the history of Ireland
several distinguished themselves in the service of France in the
eighteenth century. The sept has produced one or two interesting
characters who may be mentioned here. Thomas Lewis O'BEIRNE 1748-1823
though reared a Catholic (his brother was a parish Priest in County
Meath) became Protestant Bishop of Meath in 1789; and Henry O"Beirne Born
1851 an Irish emigrant, was well known in America on account of his
writings about the Texas Indians, among whom he settled permanently.
(The above Henry is our ancestor Henry)???
I feel that Henry may not be the father. June 1999 I found an Edmund
O'BEIRNE in Elphin County Marriage Bonds who married Maria LYSTER 1815.
This could be the father as one of his sons named one of the children
with a middle name of LYSTER.