Journal of the Genealogical Society of Ireland (Vol. 12, 2011)

Genealogical Society of Ireland Vol 12

Journal

2011

Cumann Geinealais na hÉireann 2011

Cumann Geinealais na hÉireann

2011

Genealogical Society of Ireland

Genealogical Society of Ireland Cumann Geinealais na hÉireann

ISSN 1393-936X

Vol 12

Journal

2011

Cover Photo by Adrian J. Martyn shows the 13th/14th century doorway and exterior of Kilconickny church, Loughrea, Co. Galway. Kilconickny means ―church of the Conmaicne‖ a population group found in early medieval Ireland, as well as elsewhere in what in now County Galway. The most westward group, the Conmaicne Mara, gave their name to Connemara. See article on Tombstone inscriptions from this church and that of nearby Lickerrig on page 20.

All rights reserved. No part of this Journal may be reproduced or utilised in any way or means, electronic or mechanical, including photography, filming, recording, video recording, photocopying or by any storage or retrieval system, or shall not by way of trade or otherwise be lent, resold or otherwise circulated in any form or binding or cover other than that in which it is published without the prior permission, in writing, from the publisher Genealogical Society of Ireland.

Views expressed in the Journal are not necessarily those of the editor or of the Genealogical Society of Ireland Ltd.

Published by Genealogical Society of Ireland Ltd, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

Price €7.50 GSI member €7 Postage €1.50 to Ireland - €3.00 elsewhere

2

Genealogical Society of Ireland

Vol 12

Journal

2011

Contents

Page

Flanagans Halligans and Byrnes - My Ancestors from County Louth Tombstone Inscriptions of Kilconickny and Lickerrig, Co. Galway Pedigree of the Fallons of Turloughmore, Co. Galway Francis Duffy from Ballybay to Australia - A Policeman's Biography The Gauls of Rathasker Road, Naas Logues of Stillorgan and ‗The Kings Speech‘ The Last Word - Irish Wills and Testamentary Records An Emigrant‘s Story - Eight Years in New York James Lynch, Carnamoyle, Co. Donegal, Ireland Lawless of Connacht Miscellaneous Information from the Irish Year Book 1921 The Saundersons of Farranseer, Co. Cavan

Liam Clare Adrian James & Noreen (McLoughlin) Martyn Paul McNulty Roisin Lafferty

22

James Durney Michael Nelson Caroline McCall Barry Kennerk Dana Lynch, Phil & Anna Tiebout Reisman Adrian James Martyn

51 56 60 68 84

Billy Saunderson

Cumann Geinealais na hÉireann 2011

3

4

25 40

89 105 107

FLANAGANS HALLIGANS AND BYRNES MY ANCESTORS FROM COUNTY LOUTH Liam Clare The Louth branch of the family bears the surnames Flanagan, Halligan and Byrne.

The Byrnes (Ó Broin, descendant of Bran or Broen, King of Leinster, who died in 1052), are said to have arrived in Killanny, County Louth from Wicklow around AD 1600, and by about 1850, were found scattered throughout the county. Indeed there are Byrnes scattered throughout Ireland. By contrast, the Louth Flanagans, (Ó Flanagáin, descendant of the ruddy-faced man), were in the 1850s, concentrated in the Drogheda/Ardee area, overflowing the Meath border only as far as Slane to the west and just across the river Boyne to the South. There are of course other Flanagan septs elsewhere in the country, as well as a few Flanagans around Dundalk. The name Halligan (Ó hAileagáin, descendant of Aileagán), has been recorded as early as AD 1042. By the 1850s, the Halligans in Louth were even more concentrated than were the Flanagans, being located in the adjoining parishes of Tullyallen and Monasterboice, but not in the nearby town of Drogheda. They were also found in the same overflow area of east Meath where the Flanagans were found. In addition there was a separate group of Halligans around Armagh city.1 The homes of my three identifiable ancestral county Louth families were in the townlands of Coolfore and Begrath in Tullyallen parish, and, a generation previously, at Corduggan in Monasterboice parish.

All are within a threekilometre radius of each other, all are located within the narrow triangle formed by the Drogheda to Collon Road, the M1 motorway north of Drogheda, and the Collon to Monasterboice Road. The land of Tullyallen is flat and fertile and mainly a tillage area, which gradually rises from the River Boyne and its tributary the River Mattock, northwards to the small hill of Coolfore. North of Coolfore is another plain stretching beyond Monasterboice. The two parishes today are within easy commuting distance of Drogheda, some three kilometres to the south-east, and they are dotted with houses. The village of Tullyallen is now essentially a settlement of modern buildings.

State records of births, marriages and deaths in Ireland, are comprehensive only from 1864; it is often possible, however, to go back a further fifty years through church records of baptisms and marriages. Very often, these were poorly written, and are available in the public domain through the National Library by way of poorly-copied microfilms. Occasionally, gravestone inscriptions can trace individuals back to the late 1700s. From earlier times, no records remain.

4

Property owners have left records behind. In the case of the Flanagan family, we are fortunate that around 1945, James Flanagan responded to a newspaper advertisement seeking heirs of a Denis Carpenter from Rathbran, County Louth, who died in New York in February 1945. Denis‘s mother was one of the Flanagans of Cordoogan. ‗Uncle Jim‘ traced her family members by correspondence and by travelling the roads of south County Louth, but he does not appear to have secured any of the ‗Carpenter legacy‘. His notes still exist and are incorporated into this history. Exact dates are not always included in the text; these, if known, are listed in the endnotes. The story starts with the first of the two identifiable generations of County Louth Flanagans.

THE FLANAGANS OF CORDOOGAN, MONASTERBOICE

On Tuesday, 8 February 1820, thirty-one-year-old Peter Flanagan of Cordoogan, my great-great-great-grandfather, came to the small thatched chapel of Tenure, (Tinure), near the ancient monastic site of Monasterboice, to marry Margaret Byrne of Carricknane, near Begrath. The Flanagans may have had a long-term family connection with Monasterboice parish and specifically Timullen village, because a family letter in 1945, stated that Peter ‗was the last burial‘ - presumably the last Flanagan family burial - in the ancient monastic cemetery. There were also indications in James Flanagan‘s correspondence that the family had originated at Timullen where they had occupied at least one field.2 Peter and Margaret planned to set up home on a rented farm of six acres, in the townland of Cordoogan, near the village of Timullen. This holding was on one of the parcels of land which was shortly to be purchased by William Drummond Delap to form his country ‗seat‘ at Monasterboice House.3 Peter and Margaret soon began their family, and their first-born son, Denis, was brought back to Tenure for his christening after the New Year in 1821. But they had to wait for five years for their next surviving child, Margaret (Madge), who arrived in 1826, three more years for Mary, and four more for Catherine, (Kitty), who was born in 1833. A second son Peter arrived in 1837.4

5

Peter Senior‘s grandson, yet another Peter Flanagan, wrote in 1945: ‗and I believe there was another daughter [at Cordoogan], practically a dummy, older than father. I would be about three years when she died, [i.e. in 1868], but she died before our grandfather. I never knew her name‘. This handicapped daughter may have been born during the gap in the arrival of their known children between 1821 and 1826, or in the 1830-34 period for which there are no local baptismal records.5 Denis, Margaret (Madge), Mary and Catherine (Kitty) all got married while living here at ‗Flanagan‘s field‘, Cordoogan. They had mixed fortunes and a share of tragedy and tears.

Sixteen-year-old Margaret otherwise Martha, or Madge, was the first to leave home in 1842, when she married Philip Brennan aged thirty-three, and settled at Knockaleva, Dunleer. They eventually had a comfortable living from twentyfour acres. They had five sons and one daughter. Philip died in 1881, and Margaret in 1904.6 Three of their children emigrated. James, the eldest, born in 1843, died in Omaha, Nebraska, at the age of eighty-six or eighty-seven. The next son Peter, born during the famine, also died in Omaha, at the age of thirty-nine in the year 1884. He had visited Ireland after living for eight or nine years in America, and appeared to be in good health during that visit. However, he died shortly after he returned to Omaha. And Thomas, the baby of the family, born in 1859, died in Singapore in 1903, aged thirty-eight. Like Peter, he had returned home - from Singapore - having been abroad for eleven and a half years; he stayed at home for twelve months and then returned, apparently in good health. He hoped to qualify for his pension after another three-and-a-half years, but died soon after his return. Their third son Matthew, born in 1847, remained at home in County Louth and was seventy-five when he died in Dublin on 13 September 1921. He was buried at Dromin, Dunleer. The next child, the only daughter, Marcella, born in 1852, married John King of Dromin, Dunleer in 1888 and in 1919, was also buried at Dromin cemetery. Finally, Philip, born in 1859 died at Cloonboney, Mohill, County Leitrim in 1933.7 In 1848, in the aftermath of the famine, Mary, then twenty-six, married Henry Callan, aged thirty-seven, at Tenure church. They settled on a ten-acre farm at Mosstown, Dunleer and had a family of six boys and four girls. Mary died aged fifty-four in 1886 and Henry died in 1898 at the age of eighty-nine. Only one of their family seems to have emigrated; Peter their second son died at Hamilton Avenue, New York in 1939, aged eighty. Most of the others married locally. The eldest son Patrick married and lived with his family on the farm.

He died in 1911 at the age of fifty-nine.8

6

The four girls also married local men, but three of them died within ten years of their marriage. In 1871, when their eldest daughter Alice was twenty-one, she married Matthew Landy, but died a year after her marriage. Their third eldest daughter, Mary, married Thomas Byrne of Mosstown when she was thirty, but she died aged only thirty-nine, and her husband seems to have re-married.

Their youngest girl, Catherine, married John Moore in Drogheda but died four years later aged only twenty-nine. However, the second eldest daughter, Margaret, had married Daniel Lynch of Philipstown, and lived there with her husband and nine children.9 Thomas died at Chord Road Drogheda in 1942, and Denis was residing at Tullyesker in 1946. Henry died at St Patrick‘s Nursing Home, Baldoyle in 1935, and Philip in Grangegorman Mental Hospital in 1931.10 The third daughter of Peter and Margaret, Catherine or Kitty, waited another nine years — until 1857 — before marrying Patrick Carpenter of Rathbranbeg, Collon. She was then twenty-four and he was aged forty-eight. His sister lived in the house until she died in 1886. The couple had six boys and two girls: Thomas, Margaret, Mary Anne, Patrick (Junior), Peter, Denis, James and John. Patrick died aged sixty-two in 1881, but Kitty lived on at Rathbranbeg until 1919, when she died aged eighty-six. Sadly, the family scattered. Only the eldest son Thomas, aged forty, and daughter, Mary Anne, aged thirty-five, both unmarried, were living at home with Catherine in 1901, and they were still there, ten years older, at the 1911 census. Thomas died in the Meath Infirmary, Navan, and Mary Anne died in the Mental Hospital Mullingar, within a week of each other in May 1935. The other six children all died in New York.11 The eldest son Denis finally took the plunge at the age of thirty-seven in 1858, marrying Anne Kelly of Dunleer. They appear to have had only one child, Peter (known as ‗Butler‘ Flanagan?), born in 1860. Peter lived on the farm, at Philipstown, Mosstown; he married in turn, and had a family of at least eight children – so that branch of the family survived. Denis died in 1887 aged sixtysix years.12 Peter‘s wife Margaret, died, apparently sometime after 1849, from which date there are no burial records. There is no indication of what happened to their handicapped daughter, particularly after her mother had died and her siblings had left home. It appears that the two Peters, father and son, were living alone at Cordoogan in 1858.13 Meanwhile William Drummond Delap, who later changed his name to Dunlop, had acquired the lands around Cordoogan, Coolfore, Timullen and Monasterboice, in the 1830s to develop a ‗country seat‘.

He had built Monasterboice House and carried out ‗improvements‘ to the lands of the estate. He decided to reorganise the land holdings of the small-holders, during which operation he added the Flanagan land to that of neighbour James 7

Nugent, and in the process he rebuilt their house before transferring it to Nugent. The two Peters were moved from Cordoogan to a new house which was built for them on the other - the south side - of Coolfore Hill at ‗the Rocks‘, or ‗Colvey Hill‘ in Coolfore townland.14 Peter Senior died there on 5 February, 1873, aged eighty-four, of ‗old age‘. He had ‗no medical attendant‘. 15 THE HALLIGANS OF BEGRATH, TULLYALLEN Begrath was once a large village. There was a local tradition that the establishment of a fair at the village was being considered at one time. Most likely, the village was adversely affected by the development of landed estates in the area, particularly in the 1700s, as these tended to disperse the population from the medieval nucleated settlements to the fringes of farms and to poor quality roadside plots, causing the old settlements to decay and disappear. In addition, the Begrath of around 1800, appears to have been a village composed of houses with very little land attached, many of whose occupants were weavers.

The local home weavers lost their occupations when the linen industry in Drogheda lost out in the competition with the linen towns of the North. In 1835 there were about twenty buildings left in the ‗village‘. To-day each side of one end of ‗The Bog Road‘ on which the village stood, is lined with modern bungalows and there is only one older house along the Northern road frontage. This was the Halligan home according to a local, Mr Peter Downey, speaking in 1979, but it appears to have been occupied from at least 1850 on, by close relatives of ‗our‘ Halligans (by Michael, Catherine and Thomas in succession), rather than by our direct ancestors. There is no sign along the road of the former village of Begrath, though there may be remains at the rear of a house fronting the south-side of the road.16 The name Begrath is also applied to a large townland of 521 acres in Tullyallen parish. The parish was, and is, mainly a tillage area. The main crops grown there in the nineteenth century were barley, wheat, oats, turnips, potatoes, vegetables and flax. 17 Now there are many once-off houses occupied by daily commuters to Drogheda.

THE FAMILIES OF JOHN HALLIGAN SENIOR AND JOHN JUNIOR

8

John Halligan and his wife Jane, my great-great-great grandparents, were living with their family on a farm in Begrath until 1837, when Jane died at the age of sixty-six as shown on the gravestone (left).

They had at least one son John, and he married Catherine Byrne sometime in the late 1830s.18 John and Catherine had at least four children, all girls, Jane born in 1839, Mary born 1840, Catherine born in 1843 and Elizabeth born in 1845.19 Did the girls‘ mother die young after 1845 as there were no further additions to the family? There is no record of her death and no inscribed gravestone.

The farm on which they lived in 1854, consisted of eighteen acres, made up of four separate parcels of land and a vacant house, which was eventually demolished. Had this small house been occupied previously by John Senior and Jane? A John Halligan also occupied a house directly across the road from this old house, in the group of buildings which occupied the site of the old village of Begrath. And a Michael Halligan occupied yet a third house nearby which still stands and was also said to have been occupied later by John‘s family. Their landlord, was Sir Vincent K.H. Whitshed Bart.20 The Halligans would have been rather more prosperous than the Flanagans of Cordoogan as they had three times the amount of land; yet interestingly, this did not preclude their intermarrying with the Flanagans.

Jane, the eldest girl, married Peter Flanagan in November 1862, and went to live with him and his father at their home at ‗The Rocks‘, in Coolfore. The future of her sister Mary‘s career has not been researched, while Elizabeth may have married a farmer from Begrath named Edward Reilly in April 1868. 21 Her other 9

sister Catherine married her cousin Michael Sullivan, on 8th April 1870, having got a church dispensation to do so. He said that he was twenty-eight years old; she said that she was twenty-three. Actually they were thirty and twenty-seven.

His mother was Marcella Halligan. Catherine continued to live on the family farm and her husband took over its formal occupancy, around the time that they married. Catherine died on 5th February 1896. She had been suffering from a gastric ulcer for two years and died when it became perforated. Six children were still living at home with their father in 1901. Michael died on 4 August 1916 of mitral regurgitation, (heart valve trouble), aged seventy-six.22 The house in which the family lived in 1901, was a stone building with a slated roof, with four rooms and three windows in front. They had a stable, two cow houses, a piggery and a shed in their farm-yard.23 The new house at Coolfore was one of two built by Dunlop; the other one was rented to Patrick Flanagan also from Timullen, who may or may not have been a relative.24 It was a stone, thatched, single story house of four rooms, and in 1901 it was claimed that there were two stables, three cow houses, a pig house, a fowl house and a shed attached. This may have been inaccurate, because only one stable, one cow house, one calf house, a piggery and a fowl house were recorded in 1911. The date of construction of the two houses is known: in May 1858, the walls and roof timbers had been erected, but they had not yet been thatched - and there is evidence that they were replacement buildings rather than completely new constructions.25 They were close to Victoria Drummond Gate, and closer still to Drummond Tower, both ‗follies‘ built in 1858 for - and named after - William Delap‘s mother, Victoria Drummond Delap.26 Apparently William Drummond Delap had taken an interest in Peter Junior, and at the time of the move to Coolfore, he was serving his time as a carpenter‘s apprentice in Drogheda. He was known later in life as ‗Petie the carpenter‘.

He was employed as ‗house carpenter‘ in Monasterboice House, but it was said locally that he would have done other casual carpentry, such as making wheels for carts. He had his own horse and cart.27 In 1979, an elderly local man, Mr Tommy Carolan who supplied much local knowledge, described his own early days in the area – just before the Flanagan family left the area – which gives some idea of the local lifestyle in the 1890s.

Tommy‘s own father, also a carpenter, worked from 6.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. for big farmers and for the Dunlops, and also built wheels and carts – which would earn £3-10s-0d. when sold. His father built the altar in Ardee church and would walk the nine miles (13 km) to Ardee each Monday morning to start his weeks‘ work.28 Tommy himself worked similar hours while farming. In winter they would start ploughing in the dark, using a furrow ploughed the previous day as a guide. ‗We were like slaves‘, he said ‗They wouldn‘t give us a cup of 10

tea‘. The children would have porridge before going to school, and buttermilk.

Bread would be baked on an open fire in a ‗Dutch oven‘, a large pot which would contain the bread and be covered over with the coal. When a ship would arrive in Drogheda with Whitehaven coal, people went to the docks with their carts and queued up at 5.00 a.m.29 Match-making was common. The fathers would discuss property matters, inspecting land and stock, and the new couples‘ house.30 Alongside his house at Coolfore, Petie had a small piece of land, nearly five acres in extent – slightly less than he had had back in Cordoogan. Between 1879 and 1885, he secured an additional six adjoining acres. This included a quarry or a sandpit, but it was hilltop land. He cultivated gardens near the house, but let out the upper two fields at the corner, which were still known in 1979 as ‗the carpenter‘s fields‘.31

Peter married Jane Halligan, one of a family of girls from nearby Begrath. He was twenty-five years old and she was twenty-three. They had a family of nine: John (‗Johnny‘) (born 1864), Peter (‗Pete‘) (1865), Thomas (‗Tommy‘) (1867), Margaret (‗Maggie‘) (1869), Denis (1871), Catherine (‗Katie‘) (1873), Jane (1875), James (‗Jim‘) (1877), and the youngest Patrick (1879). Two days after Patrick was born, his mother Jane died, aged thirty-nine. The medical ‗cause of death‘ on her death certificate was ‗phthisis‘ or tuberculosis, from which she had suffered for three years, and ‗uterine haemorrhage‘, lasting six hours.32 The children attended school in Tullyallen, and from a very young age, had to walk two or three kilometres in each direction each day in all weathers. ‗Petie the carpenter‘ held the Coolfore land until 1898, when he moved out.

By then the family was scattered. He apparently went to live with some of his family members in No. 8 Emor Street in Dublin, in a red-brick housing area off the South Circular Road. It was first rented by sons Denis and John, around 1893. It was a two-storey, terraced house with seven rooms, an outside toilet, and a back garden, built about 1870, just as piped water and sewerage were becoming the norm in urban areas. Later, Thomas was named as the rated occupier. In common with many families at the time, they kept one or two 11

boarders, normally country people, who had come to work in the city. They also had a domestic servant. Peter died on 12 March 1921 aged eighty-four, of ‗bronchial catarrh and cardiac failure‘, and was buried at Coolfore. He left a not inconsiderable estate [for that time] of £145.33 JOHN J FLANAGAN, LATER OF SALLINS.

John Joseph, or ‗Johnnie‘, was encouraged in his education by Dunlop, and he got a job in Guinness‘s Brewery. He may have lived for a while in No. 8 Emor Street, but later, as family tradition has it, he owned a hotel in Sallins. This tradition may be incorrect. He had two canal barges, which he used to carry lime along the Grand Canal to Dolphins Barn; they would then travel empty to the docks and collect coal for Sallins.34 In 1896, while living at Corbally, Newbridge, he came to the church in Kill, County Kildare, to marry Annie Sullivan, aged eighteen, of Sallins County Kildare, daughter of David Sullivan, a retired RIC constable and a book seller.

She came to live at Corbally. At the time of his marriage he described himself as a clerk; in the 1901 census he was called a canal agent, though he still lived at Corbally, some distance from the canal. Annie had her first child Mary Josephine, later called Mary Frances or Molly, in 1899. She had Francis Joseph in April 1903 or 1904, and Dermott in 1907, just a few months before she died on 3 April 1907 aged only twenty-eight, of pneumonia after an illness which lasted only four days. In 1911, John was bringing up the children with the help of a housekeeper. In the same year he was elected unopposed to the Naas No.1 Rural District Council, but local newspapers rarely referred to him.

He was, however, listed as contributing generously to the school extension/chapel building fund. John was appointed sub-postmaster at Sallins post office on 21 January 1903, while retaining his coal business. He lived at the post-office. Later in life he was described as having no other business except the post office.35 John died on 12 August 1938 and Sallins post office was taken over by his son Frank, who had previously been a deliverer and auxiliary postman. Frank held the position until February 1971. He died in November 1988.36 12

John and Frank are both buried at St Corban‘s cemetery Naas, where the family grave also contains the remains of Annie, daughter Mary Frances (Molly) McCann, and daughter-in-law Mary, (Mae).37 PETER THE THIRD, OF WIGAN AND MANCHESTER

Peter Junior, ‗Pete‘, came to Dublin, where he lived for a time in No. 8 Emor Street, working as Secretary of the Irish Racing Association, until he emigrated.

He left Ireland after 1901 and went to live at No. 68 Market Street, Wigan, from where in October 1904, he married Catherine, ‗Kate‘ Bate, daughter of Joseph Bate, a coal miner who lived at No. 40 Elephant Lane, St Helen‘s. The wedding took place at Saint Austin‘s church, St Helen‘s, ‗according to the rights and ceremonies of the Roman Catholic church‘. He was thirty-nine and she was seventeen years old, although the ages they gave for the marriage certificate were thirty-five and twenty years respectively. He was then described as a ‗horse-racing clerk‘.38 In 1911, they lived with their four-year-old daughter Margaret Eileen at No.187 Gidlow Lane, Wigan. This was a long, wide, road on the northern edge of Wigan.

He was then described as ‗Trotting Racing Handicapper and Secretary‘. At the time, ‗trotting‘ on a specially constructed track was the preferred sport of those local people who considered themselves somewhat above - in social terms - the followers of football. Peter and Catherine eventually settled at No.15 Montgomery Road, Longsight, Manchester. Peter died there on 22 April 1946, and Catherine died almost exactly a year later on 7 April 1947.

At the time of Catherine‘s death, Peter was described as a company secretary. My mother, Jenny Clare, kept in touch with his daughter Mrs Eileen Higgins. And I remember her visiting us in Bray. She came by herself so she may not have had any children. The registry of births, marriages and deaths in Manchester, records the marriage of a Margaret E Flanagan to a John J Higgins at Saint Robert‘s Catholic church in Longsight in 1938.39 This appears to have been the marriage of Peter and Catherine Flanagan‘s daughter.40

13

EMOR STREET Thomas was living in Emor Street in 1911, at which time he was described as ‗Foreman General Labourer‘. He lived there for the rest of his life. He worked for a long time as roads foreman or overseer in Dublin Corporation and died on 1 December 1938, in St Kevin‘s Hospital of ‗cancer of the floor of the mouth‘ and cardiac failure. He was unmarried.41 Two sisters, Maggie and Jane, lived in Emor Street, but do not appear to have had any occupations. They were described as ‗housekeepers‘ in 1901. Jane died of phthisis (tuberculosis), in the North Dublin Lunatic Asylum on 25 January 1910 aged only thirty-five. Maggie was listed as having no occupation in 1911 and despite the fact that she lived at home, and apparently was the family housekeeper, they also had a live-in domestic servant in 1911. She never married, and died there on 3 December 1935 from heart disease and cerebral haemorrhage.42 DENIS OF DRUMCONDRA

Denis also lived in ‗No.8‘, but in January 1901 had married Catherine Magee, daughter of Hugh Magee, a publican and restaurateur in John Street, Omagh, County Tyrone. They went to live in No. 14 Carlingford Terrace, now No. 71 Carlingford Road, Drumcondra. He may have been helped in house-searching

by Katie who had already moved to Carlingford Terrace after her marriage in 1896. He was described then as a ‗civil servant, sorting clerk and telegraphist‘, but was later listed as an overseer in the Dublin Postal District. He continued to live around the growing suburb of Drumcondra, moving to No. 13 Millmount Avenue before 1911 with his growing family, by then consisting of son John Joseph aged nine, Eileen Mary aged six and Catherine Elizabeth aged one. He moved out of Millmount around 1913 and appears again at No.5 Lower Drumcondra Road around 1917, where he died on 20 October 1922 aged fiftyone. His wife Catherine later moved to reside with an unmarried daughter at No. 6 Arran Road off Home Farm Road, and she died, aged sixty-two on 9 October 1936.43

14

JAMES OF BALBRIGGAN

James, ‗Uncle Jim‘ to us, was the man who made the record of the family births, marriages and deaths referred to earlier. He was born at Coolfore on 15 May 1877, and joined the Post Office as ‗Auxiliary Sorting Clerk‘ in August 1894.

He became a ‗Sorting Clerk and Telephonist‘ in 1897, and received further promotion to Post Office Assistant Grade A‘ on New Year‘s Day in 1924. He retired on 21 February 1930, under a scheme for former staff members of the British Post Office under a provision of ‗The Treaty‘ establishing the Irish state.

He was aged fifty-three at the time.44 He married Annie Tierney who had been living in ‗digs‘ at No. 4 Ovoca Road, at the end of Emor Street, on 15 July 1921, and they had two girls, Jenny and Mary. Annie was the daughter of John Tierney, a cattle dealer of Coolfore.45 In later life they lived at Fancourt, Balbriggan, one of four three-storey houses perched in isolation on an exposed headland, but now incorporated into a suburban estate. James died on 15 March 1957 and Annie died on 23 October 1968. Jenny married Brendan Morgan, who worked in a shop in Wicklow town and they had five children. Brendan died on 4 March 1994 and Jenny on 23 January 2009. Mary became a pharmacist. She married Arthur Cahill. He died after a number of years - on 29 June 1963 - and Mary later married Tommy Dillon of Arklow. They lived in Arklow and after Tommy died, and following a period living in an apartment, she went to live with her daughter, Clare O‘Neill. James, Annie, Arthur, Brendan and Jane are all buried in Ss Peter and Paul Cemetery, Balbriggan.46 PATRICK OF DUBLIN THEN GLASGOW Patrick, the youngest, was ‗a bit of a wanderer‘. He never knew his mother, as she had died just two days after he was born. He was immediately sent to ‗Aunt Kitty‘ Carpenter, Petie‘s sister, at Rathbranbeg to be nursed for three years, before rejoining the family where he was brought up by his sisters and brothers. After the other family members had moved out of Coolfore, he may have remained living in the area, because a Patrick Flanagan was living-in at the presbytery of Tullyallen and working as a ‗farm servant‘ in 1901. The parish 15

owned a farm at that time. In 1911, he was living at No. 8 Emor Street and working as a ‗provision shop assistant‘. He soon moved to Glasgow where he ‗lodged in a common lodgings‘ at No.16 Centre Street, Tradeston, in the centre of Glasgow and worked on the Glasgow docks. He died on 9 January 1915 as a result of a fall on a ship. The police found a letter on his body from Peter in Manchester, which identified him, and they arranged his burial from the Royal infirmary, Glasgow to Lambs Hill cemetery, Glasgow. He never married.47 KATIE, MY GRANDMOTHER

Katie also came to No. 8 Emor Street where she lived until she married Hugh McCarthy at Saint Kevin‘s Church Harrington Street on 5 August 1896.48 They moved to Carlingford Terrace for a few years but then returned to live at No.1 Emor Street. [Their story will be written up elsewhere.]

When Thomas died at the end of 1938, the family‘s occupation of No. 8 Emor Street came to an end after forty-five years.49 The photo (left) shows Catherine, or Katie as she was known, looking very elegant but the relevance of the scroll or certificate she is holding is unknown.

16

BITS AND PIECES – A FEW MISCELLANEOUS FAMILY MEMORIES. Apart from corresponding with Eileen Higgins in Manchester, my mother kept in touch with two Flanagan cousins, Katie and Annie Flanagan, who may either have been sisters or cousins of each other. Katie, who was unmarried, worked in the lingerie department of Lees‘ in Bray. When shopping with my mother in Lees, Katie would always greet us warmly. She was always very friendly and during the war she once got into trouble for selling a pair of stockings to a woman without receiving ‗ration coupons‘. Annie Flanagan may have had a shop in Ardee. Katie used talk about ‗going to the country‘ when she was going home.50 Unfortunately I never thought of writing down the stories about the Flanagans and their life in County Louth, which my grandmother Katie and my mother told us as children. One intriguing character was ‗Black Jack Flanagan‘ who used to call regularly to No. 8 Emor Street, but we do not now know who he was. And there was the story of a family member entering a shop in England [in Manchester ?] and getting into conversation with the assistant, to discover that one had an uncle and the other an aunt in Emor Street Dublin. They turned out to be Hugh and Katie McCarthy, (née Flanagan), my grandparents.

There was a parrot in No.8, which squawked ‗pretty Polly‘ and other phrases, but one day a visiting brother brought it out on his shoulder into the back garden, and it flew away, never to be seen again. One of the few stories from her childhood that I remember Katie talking about, was how the boys and the girls were in adjoining rooms in the local school, and whenever their teacher was absent, the girls used to watch the boys through a hole in the dividing door.

Katie often spoke about the landlords and the evictions, although her own family was never evicted, but we were too young to take any great notice of the story.51 EIGHTY YEARS OF STRUGGLE FOR PROGRESS The family has been traced over three generations; during this time they gradually advanced economically. In the 1820s and 1830s, Peter Flanagan of Cordoogan raised a family of at least six children on the produce of six acres, the rent for which was earned by unskilled agricultural work. This labour, however, probably earned him some additional cash and payments in kind.

Across the hill in Begrath, things were more comfortable economically, as the Halligan family were renting nearly twenty acres. The next generation of Flanagans, living at Coolfore, had moved up the economic ladder, as Peter was a tradesman who worked at the local ‗big house‘, and had additional time to 17

spare to earn income from other sources as well as having six acres on which to grow crops. Some of Peter‘s children seem to have bridged the boundary between manual and white-collar work, and all had chosen urban living over rural life.

During the seventy or so years during which they can be traced in County Louth, they witnessed the end of the penal laws; they experienced the everpresent stress of high rents and insecure ‗tenancies-at-will‘, which culminated in the tension of the land wars; they lived through the cholera epidemic, as well as the perennial endemic diseases of the pre-antibiotic age - which robbed them prematurely of family members who met early deaths; they suffered the trauma of the great famine and the subsequent depopulation of the area which left behind a community of empty homes and lonely, demoralised people. They survived to see the dawn of popular democracy which would gradually transfer political power from the propertied elite to the general populous, and effect a change of priorities in national policy-making; they also benefitted from a gradual improvement in life-style made possible by a century of progress in industry, innovation in technology and increasing national wealth. The context in which the Flanagans, Halligans and Byrnes lived their lives, is dealt with in detail in the companion booklet, The Flanagans, Halligans and Byrnes: the way they lived in Louth.

NOTES This article was based on the second of two booklets produced for circulation among my descendants. It traces the history of one branch of my forbears – a group of families who lived in County Louth during the nineteenth century.

In its original form it contains a full family tree, maps of homesteads and illustrations which, because of constraints of space, have been removed from this article. The first, contextual, booklet described the social and economic conditions of people of similar status to our family, living in the adjoining parishes of Monasterboice and Tullyallen. Starting with the question of how our ancestors fared as two armies totalling 50,000 soldiers, tramped along the area‘s ridges and boreens on their way to do battle at Oldbridgetown in 1690, it then described local living conditions and how they evolved during the 1800s, as well as the perennial fear of disease and ‗the cholera‘, the great famine, the Fenian period, landlordism, the land war and evictions (which caused immense stress within the community), events from Oiche na Gaoithe Móire to the coming of the railway age, and finally local folk memories.

18

Abbreviations in reference notes b. = born/baptized; m. = married; d. = died. BMD = Registry of births, marriages and deaths. C01 = 1901 census. C11 = 1911 census. GV = Griffiths Valuation. JCLAHS = Journal of County Louth Arch. and Hist. Society JF = James Flanagan‘s (b. 1877), notes and correspondence.

PRT = Parish Records, Tullyallen. TAB = Tithe Applotment Books, National Archives. VO = Valuation Office cancelled books.

1. Patrick Kirwan, ‗The Byrnes of County Louth‘ in JCLAHS, Vol II, No.1, (1908), pp 45-9; Paul J. Burns, The Clan O‘Byrne of Leinster, AD 400-1700, (Tiverton, 2001); GV, Louth surnames; Edward McLysaght, Irish Families, More Irish Families and Surnames of Ireland (various dates).

2. JF – Peter and Margaret m. Tenure, 8 Feb.1820; Gravestone Tullyallen - refers to Byrnes of Carricknane; JF – last Flanagan burial in Monasterboice was Peter, no date; JF and GV – Timullen.

3. TAB, GV and VO Cordoogan ; T.M.Keenan, ‗Townland Survey of County Louth – Monasterboice‘ in JCLAHS, Vol 11, No. 1 (1945) - Monasterboice House.

4. JF – Denis b. Tenure 3 Jan. 1821; JF - Margaret b. Tenure 19 Mar. 1826; JF - Mary b. Tenure, 4 April 1829; JF – Catherine probably b. in 1833, (Monasterboice parish records missing); JF – Peter b. 14 July 1837.

5. JF- letter from Peter in Manchester, 1945.

6. JF – Margaret m. Philip Brennan, Tenure, 30 Jan. 1842; GV – farm at Newtown Knockaleva; JF – family size. JF – Philip d. 11 Feb. 1891, aged 80; JF – Margaret d.

24 September 1904, also aged 80.

7. JF – James, b. 27 Nov. 1843, died Omaha, aged 86 or 87; Peter, b. 30 June 1845, also d. in Omaha, 25 Dec. 1884, aged 39; Thomas, b. 20 Dec. 1864, d. 11 Jan. 1903 at Singapore; JF – Matthew, b. 28 June 1847, d. 13 Sept. 1921 (death unregistered); JF Marcella, b. 12 June 1852, m. John King, 8 Feb. 1888, d. 2 Feb. 1919 at Dromin; JF Philip, b. 19 Mar. 1859, d. 7 Mar.1933. JF – family correspondence and gravestone, Dromin.

8. JF – Mary m. Henry, 6 Feb. 1848, Tenure, Mary d. 16 Nov. 1886, Henry d. 10 Jan. 1898; GV, Mosstown – farm; JF – Peter b. 3 Mar. 1859, d. Hamilton Ave New York, 12 Mar. 1939; JF – Patrick‘s date b. not known, d. 6 Sept. 1911, Mosstown aged 59.

9. FJ - Alice, b. 29 January 1850, m. Matthew at Dunleer, 25 May 1871, died 6 April 1872. JF – Mary, b. 1 May 1856, m. Thomas Byrne of Mosstown, Dunleer, 8 Mar. 1886, d. 23 Oct. 1897; C01 – Thomas remarried?; JF - Catherine b. 5 Sep. 1867, (incorrect? – 1869?) m. John Moore, 5 July 1892, St Peter‘s Drogheda, d. 29 Feb. 1896; Margaret, b. 10 Dec. 1853, m. Daniel Lynch, Philipstown, 28 May 1878; C01 size of family.

10. JF – Thomas, b. 15 Oct. 1862, d. 10 Mar. 1942; JF – Denis, b. 23 April 1867, residing Tullyesker, Drogheda, 1946; Henry, b. 24 Feb. 1865, d. 14 Dec. 1935; Philip, b. 8 July 1873, d. 7 April 1931.

11. JF- Catherine m. Patrick Snr, 26 Nov. 1857 [Ref. to Heronstown, parish of Lobinstown, County Meath]. Thomas b. 25 Oct. 1858, d. 24 May 1935, Meath Infirmary, Navan; Margaret, b. 29 Sept. 1860, d. 15 Mar. 1920 in New York; Mary 19

Anne, b. 15 Dec. 1862, d. 17 May 1935; Patrick, b. 24 April 1865, d. 22 July 1925, New York; Peter, b. 24 April 1867, d. 23 June 1941, St Anthony‘s Hospital, Woodhaven, Queens, New York; Denis b. 6 Oct. 1869, d. 5 Feb. 1945, Roosevelt Hospital New York, buried at Silver Mount cemetery Staten Island; James b. 24 June 1872, d. 25 April 1924, New York; John b. 1 April 1875, d. 28 Feb. 1944, Little Sisters of the Poor, Springfield Boulevard, Queens Village, New York. Patrick, James and John Carpenter buried together, Calvary Cemetery, New York. FJ – Margaret Carpenter, sister of Patrick Snr), lived on in his family home and died, 16 Nov., 1886.

12. JF – Denis m. Ann, 10 Feb. 1858, Dunleer, d. 25 May 1887, Philipstown, Dunleer; Peter b. 11 April 1860, d. 1 Oct. 1935, Philipstown; C01 family of eight.

13. JF – correspondence.

14. T.M. Keenan, ‗Townland Survey of County Louth – Monasterboice‘ in JCLAHS, Vol 11, No. 1 (1945) - Monasterboice House; VO - land at Cordoogan; JF Correspondence.

15. BMD - death cert.

16. Local tradition; F.H.A. Aalen, et al, Atlas of the Irish Rural Landscape (Cork, 1997); John Arwel Edwards, ‗The landless in mid-nineteenth century County Louth‘ in JCLAHS, Vol XVI, No. 2, (1966); National Archive, O.S. Fair Plans, E 117.1, 1835; Interview,Peter Downey, Begrath, Aug. 1978; VO; Google Earth map viewed Oct. 2010.

17. Letter 10 Sep. 2010 from Oliver Dillon of The Square, Blackrock, Co Louth to Liam Downey of Beech Park Grove, Foxrock.

18. Halligan Tombstone Tullyallen; PRT for baptisms of their children, no marriage records exist from Jan. 1834 to Mar. 1837.

19. PRT – Jane b. 16 May 1839; Mary b. Nov. 1840; Catherine b. 12 Jan. 1843; Elizabeth b. 10 Aug. 1845.

20. GV – Begrath.

21. JF – Flanagan/Halligan marriage, Tullyallen, 20 Nov. 1862. Elizabeth Halligan, a twenty-year-old daughter of a John Halligan married an Edward Reilly, aged 24, son of another Edward, 23 April 1868 and there was an Edward Reilly in Begrath in Griffiths.

22. PRT – marriage and baptism details; VO Begrath; BMD death certs; C01; gravestone, Tullyallen 23. C01.

24. VO Coolfore.

25. C01 and C11, forms B1 and B2, for Matthew Tierney of Coolfore, who succeeded Peter Flanagan in the house; VO, cancelled books for 1858 etc.; National Archives, Fair Plans, E 117 1.

26. T.M. Keenan, ‗Townland survey of County Louth –Cordoogan‘ in JCLAHS, Vol XI, No. 1, (1945); Mark Bence-Jones, Burke‘s guide to country houses, Vol 1, Ireland (London, 1978).

27. Per Dermot McCarthy, son of Catherine (1873-1946), Mr Tommy Carolan, Coolfore, August 1979.

28. Per Tommy Carolan.

29. Per Tommy Carolan.

20

30. Per Tommy Carolan.

31. VO, Coolfore; per Tommy Carolan.

32. JF – m. 20 Nov. 1862; John b. 1 June 1864, d. 13 Aug. 1938; Peter b. 25 Aug. 1865, d. 22 April 1946; Thomas b. 8 June 1867, d. 1 Dec. 1938; Margaret b. 1 May 1869, d. 3 Dec. 1935; Denis b. 3 Feb. 1871, d. 20 Oct. 1922; Catherine b. 1 Feb. 1873, m. 5 Aug. 1896; Jane b. 11 Jan. 1875, d. 25 Jan. 1910; James b. 15 May 1877; Patrick, b. 16 May 1879, d. 9 Jan. 1915. BMD – Jane, d. 20 May, 1879.

33. VO, Emor Street; C01; C11; Thoms Directories; BMD - Peter‘s death 12 Mar. 1921; Probate of Peter‘s estate.

34. Family tradition per Dermot McCarthy.

35. BMD – m. 20 April 1896; C01 for Corbally and Sallins; BMD – d. 23 April 1907; C11 for Sallins; Reports in Kildare Observer; staff records, An Post.

36. Sunday Independent, 14 Aug. 1938; staff records, An Post; gravestone, St Corban‘s cemetery, Naas.

37. Tombstone, St Corban‘s cemetery, Naas. Mary Francis d. 17 June 1949, Mary d.

20 April 1984, Frank d. 22 Nov. 1988.

38. C01; UK-BMD – m. Prescot Lancashire, 6 Oct. 1904.

39. UK-C11; JF – Peter‘s death; UK-BMD – birth and death certs for Catherine; personal memory - visit of Eileen.

40. Search, Lancashire BMD web-site on 21 Nov. 2010 showed this marriage as 1938 at Manchester – ref. 39/2/48.

41. C11; JF; Family tradition per Dermot McCarthy - occupation; BMD – death cert 3 Dec. 1938, Dublin, South.

42. C01; C11; BMD – death certs.

43. BMD - marriage cert, 28 Jan. 1901, Omagh, death certs 20 Oct. 1922 and 9 Oct. 1936; C01; C11; JF; Thoms Directories; Omagh Directories; Catherine‘s In Memoriam card.

44. JF - date of birth; Staff records of An Post.

45. Personal memory of information received when a child compared with census records for Coolfore and BMD marriage cert.

46. Census 1911; JF; information from Moira Fitzpatrick, Bray; gravestone, Balbriggan.

47. Family tradition per Dermot McCarthy; JF – letter from Pete Flanagan in Manchester; C01; C11.

48. Family knowledge.

49. Thoms Directories; VO. 50. Personal memory; Moira Fitzpatrick‘s memory.

51. Personal memory; Moira Fitzpatrick‘s memory

Editor‟s note - Liam Clare is the author of a number of books including ‗Victorian Bray: A Town Adapts to Changing Times‘ (Maynooth Studies in Irish Local History) published by Irish Academic Press, 1998. ‗Enclosing the Commons - Dalkey, the Sugar Loaves and Bray, 1820-70‘ published by Four Courts Press, 2004. ‗The Bray and Enniskerry Railway‘ published by Nonsuch Publishing, 2007.

21

TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTIONS OF KILCONICKNY AND LICKERRIG, COUNTY GALWAY ADRIAN JAMES MARTYN & NOREEN (MCLOUGHLIN) MARTYN The parishes of Kilconickny and Lickerrig are beside each other in central south Galway, spanning much of the area between the town of Loughrea and the village of Craughwell1. Both churches have been out of use since the mid-19th century and are in ruins, with the attendant cemeteries in a similarly dilapidated state. They can only be reached by driving a long boreen and via the yard of a private farm.

Both churches contain inscribed slabs within the church, though since each structure is heavily covered in ivy, care must be taken in case of wall collapse.

Text in italics indicates word-for-word renderings of the tombstone inscriptions, as best as could be understood. Text in normal type gives the information taken from inscriptions where it was very difficult to decipher the complete text or where they contained a great deal of invocations to God and posterity.

Kilconickny and Lickerrig were surveyed on 1st June 2008 and 28th September 2008 respectively. I must thank my mother, Noreen Martyn nee McLoughlin for assisting me in both places.

Kilconickny: Church interior "Erected by Michael Forde in loving memory of his father, Patrick Forde, who died 6th January 1914 aged 69."

Kilconickny: Church exterior.

"Erected by Winifred Fahy in loving memory of her father Ferdinand Hynes died 7th March 1887 aged 80 years. Her mother Mary Hynes died 10th August 1890 aged 82 years. Also her husband Pat Fahy died 16th May 1891 aged 40 years."

Bridget Plower died 27 July 188(2?7?) aged 87. Erected by her husband Michael and son Peter Plower.

"Pray for the soul of Wenny Burke who died April the (17th?) 1779."

1

The co-ordinates of each church and cemetery are R57/18 on Discovery Series 52 (Kilconickny) and M54/21 on Discovery Series 46 (Lickerrig).

On a slab some six to ten feet directly behind the tomb of Wenny Burke is the following inscription: "Erected by Patrick Burke in memory of his father Thomas Burke who died January ..3 1792 aged 81." (possibly 86 or 87?)

"Erected by Mrs. Lally in loving memory of her beloved son Michl. Lally died (...) March 1800 aged 31. A.D. MDCCCXXXV." Erected by "Edmond Glinane"2 in memory of his father "Daniel Glinane died age 8?" and his mother "Bridget Glinane alias Kilkelly" died September 1791 aged 84.

Erected by Peter Lally in memory of his father Peter Lally who died 28th October 1802 aged 55.

"Erected by Mrs. Anne Lally alias Dugan ... " (three illegible lines) "... Michael Lally of Cahernaman" died December 1818 aged 60.

Lickerrig: Church interior.

"Jas Keogh died 78". This is incised on mortar on the wall directly opposite the church door, in what would appear to be late 18th century script.

"This stone placed (by?) Michl. Burke of St. Clerins (in) memory of (Peter?)

Burke who dep. this life Feb. 19 1823 aged ?? and wife (Catherine?) Burke died (Nov?) (22?) 1822 afed (73?)."

Lickerrig: exterior: "In Spe.....es. .P.ectionis Pray for the Soul of Father Dominck Burke Pastor of Lickerick and K'Lo..... Canon of the Chapter of Clo(n)Fert who got me made for him and his successor. Rests the year 1734 and died the same year the elleuenth of Ivly. Reqviscat.In.Pace. Amen." "K'Lo.." may stand for Kilconickny, which lies due east of Lickerrig.

"Thomas Donoghoe of Athenry who died the 26th Dec. 1873 aged 59. Erected by his wife Honoria Donoghoe."

"This ..." (some six to ten words illegible) "...Bridget Fallon who died Nov. (20?) 1795 aged 43 ..." Three subsequent lines illegible. Decoration at bottom 2

nowadays Glennon 23

quarter of tombstone was of a hammer and tongs – the tools of a blacksmith.

"Erected by William Donogue in memory of his mother Mary Donoghoe who died 10th September 1859 aged 44 years. Hanoria Fahy died 26th March 1883 aged 32 years. John Donoghoe died 3rd July 1885 aged 74. Hugh Donoghoe died 10th December 1902 aged 82 years." At top of slab there is a raised relief of a sleeping lamb and at the extreme lower right corner there is the design of a plough.

"Erected by Dermot Ryder in memory of his beloved mother Anne Ryder died April 13th 1890 aged 67 years. Also his father Patrick Ryder died February 20th 1890 aged 87 years."

"In memory of Pat Moran died 7th Jan. 1886 aged 75 years. R.I.P. Erected by his wife Mary Moran."

000000000000000

Join the Genealogical Society of Ireland           

Monthly Newsletter - "Ireland's Genealogical Gazette" Monthly lecture on a topic of genealogical interest Monthly informal morning meeting - coffee with genealogy Society website - www.familyhistory.ie & Facebook page Society archive of 8000 items, still growing Journal on genealogy and related subjects Broadband hotspot for online research and collaboration Lobbying and representation on genealogy-related matters Linkage with like-minded members Publication and sale of books, registers, lists Linkage with other genealogy organisations - members of the Federation of Family History Societies (FFHS)

See back cover for address

24

PEDIGREE OF THE FALLONS OF TURLOUGHMORE, CO GALWAY Paul McNulty

Figure 1: Arms of the Fallon sept. The shield is described as a greyhound holding between the forepaws a tilting gold spear pointing left.1 Figure 2: East view (about 1957) of Deerpark Lodge, Monard, Turloughmore, ancestral home of the Fallons from about 1830 to 1974.

Introduction Fallon is a Gaelic surname derived from Ó Fallamhain (possibly from Fallún meaning ruler2) and is also known as O‘Fallon (Figure 1) and Falloon. They are a sept of the Ui Máine (O‘Kelly) located close to the Galway-Roscommon border. The first documented record of the Fallon name was that of Murrough O‘Fallon, the High Constable of Connaught, who was slain at Moyrein (Co Leitrim) in 1252.3 The Fallons were also recorded as a respectable family in the city of Galway as early as the 15th century.4 In 1855, there were 226 Fallon households in Roscommon and 157 in Galway out of 700 Fallon households nationwide.5 The Galwegian origin of my Fallon ancestry is well established. My late mother, Kathleen McNulty of Tuam, Co Galway, was the daughter of Thomas McHugh of Belmont, Tuam and Mary Fallon of Turloughmore (Figure 2). My grandmother, Mary Fallon, was the daughter of John Fallon, the son of James, 1

Edward MacLysaght, Irish Families: Their Names, Arms and Origins, Dublin, 1957, p 138,139 and Plate XI. 2 Seán De Bhulbh, Sloinnte uile Éireann-All Ireland Surnames, Limerick, 2002.

3 John O‘Donovan, Annals of Ireland by the Four Masters, 7 volumes, Dublin 1851, http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100005A/, Annal M1252.11, p 347.

4 James Hardiman, The history of the town and county of the town of Galway, Dublin 1820, p 20, 21.

5 Irish Ancestors, http://www.ireland.com/ancestor/index.htm.

25

who was the son of John (Appendix 1). John Fallon (1799?-1827) came to live in Turloughmore in the early 19th century reportedly from east or southeast Galway. My purpose is to explore the origin of his family and its subsequent evolution with emphasis on 19th century family members including those who emigrated. Genealogical sources used included family, church, property and emigrant records, memorial inscriptions, and wills and deeds.

The Family of John Fallon (1799?-1827) Little is known of the family of my great-great-great grandfather, John Fallon, except that he had seven brothers and at least one sister.6 One of his brothers was Bishop Patrick Fallon (1805-1879). Another brother, Rev Thomas Fallon, was a parish priest in the parish of Ballinakill (c 1833-1839), south Galway. He may have been the Rev Thomas Fallon who witnessed a baptism in Cappatagle on 5 July 1810 possibly to celebrate his ordination on 16 June 1810. 7 He had entered St Patrick‘s College, Maynooth in 1803 at the age of about seventeen.

His approximate date of birth was 1786 making him about nineteen years older than his episcopal brother. He had a sister who was reportedly a nun in Mount Anville Convent, Dublin. Neither Maria Fallon (1826-1869) nor Mary Fallon (1852-?), daughter of Robert Fallon, who entered the Sacred Heart order, could have been a sister of Bishop Fallon due to their younger age.8 A reported relative, Bishop John Derry (1811-1870) of Clonfert, was born in Moore, Co Roscommon.

Origin of the Fallons in east or southeast Galway John Fallon (1799?-1827) reportedly came to Turloughmore from east or southeast Galway. His younger brother, Bishop Patrick Fallon (1805-1879) was reportedly born in the parish of Fahy in southeast Galway near Eyrecourt.9 However, no Fallons (or variants) have been recorded in that parish in the Tithe Applotment survey of 1826 or in Griffith‘s Valuation in the 1850s. More recent evidence suggests that Bishop Fallon was born in a townland of Fahy either in the civil parish of Clonkeen or Killallaghten, both near Kilconnell, about ten 6

Mary Kate Fallon, Turloughmore, Co Galway, Details of the Fallon ancestry recorded by my late aunt, Eva (nee McHugh) Landy, 18 Maunsells Park, Galway about 1985 and by Mary (nee Walsh) Fallon, Monard, Turloughmore, 2006.

7 Baptisms and Marriages 1809-1827 Cappatagle Parish, Galway, National Library of Ireland, Microfilm P 2431; Patrick J. Hamell, Maynooth students and ordinations index, 1795-1895, about 1982, 199 p, Birr, Co Offaly.

8 Niamh McDonnell, Archivist, Mount Anville Convent, Dublin 14, proarchives@eircom.net, 31 January 2008.

9 Coen, Rev Martin, ‗Patrick Fallon-Last Bishop of Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora 1805-1879‘ The Journal of Clare-Dal gCais, 7, 1984, p 25, 27, 29-31, 33-35; Bernard J. Canning, Bishops of Ireland, 1870-1987, Paisley, 1987, p 362-363.

26

kilometers west of Ballinasloe. Strangely, no Fallons have been recorded in either townland even though Fallons were present in adjoining townlands.10 The more promising townland was that of Cappaveha, Killallaghten in which James, Laurence and the late Owen Fallon (61y) were recorded in a unique church census in 1801-1806. It may be that James Fallon was the father of John as John‘s eldest son is also James following the father to grandson naming pattern (Appendices 1 and 2). It has been suggested that John Fallon‘s mother may have been one of the Caulfield relatives of Bishop Derry. 11 The Fallons of Cappaveha featured prominently in church records (1809-1827) including the baptism of three of the children of John Fallon and Mary Cullinane, namely James (1818) in Cappaveha; and Julia (1820) and Martin (1822) both in the nearby townland of Woodberry, Killallaghten.12 The baptismal record for James Fallon was: 2 April 1818, Cappaveha, Bp. James Fallon, P. John and Mary Cullinane, Sp. Martin Cullinane and Catherine Burke (Bp=Baptised, P=Parents, Sp=Sponsors).

These baptismal records provide the first documentary evidence that the origin of the Fallons of Turloughmore was the townland of Cappaveha in the parish of Killallaghten, Kilconnell, Ballinasloe.

By 1826, Fallon occupiers in the parish of Killallaghten were Barney (Cappaveha, 63 acres), Bernard (Lissyvolane, 85; Woodberry, 51), Connor (Killaghmore, 5) and John (Loughawnavague, less than one acre).13 Thus, Barney Fallon and Bernard Fallon Esq were the only substantial land occupiers in the parish of Killallaghten in 1826. Their association with the townlands of Cappaveha and Woodberry suggest a kinship with John Fallon. By 1853, all Fallons appear to have dispersed not only from Cappaveha but also from the parish of Killallaghten.14. The only Galwegian properties in 1855 bearing the names of Barney and/or Bernard Fallon were in the eastern parish of Kilcloony (Bernard Fallon) and in the southern parish of Ballinakill (Barney Fallon).

10

Inhabitants of Killallaghten 1801-1806, Cappatagle, National Library of Ireland, Microfilm P 2431; Tithe Applotment, Parish of Killallaghten, Galway, 1826, Microfilm 40/11/76; Griffiths Valuation 1847-1864, Clonkeen Parish, Galway, http://www.originsnetwork.com/.

11 Rev Declan Kelly CC, Archivist, Clonfert Diocese, Loughrea, 28 January 2008.

12 Baptisms and Marriages 1809-1827 Cappatagle Parish, Galway, National Library of Ireland, Microfilm P2431.

13 Tithe Applotment, Parish of Killallaghten, Galway, 1826, National Archives, Microfilm 40/11/76.

14 Valuation House Books. Parish of Killallaghten, Galway, National Archives, Microfilm 51008; Griffiths Valuation – Killallaghten.

27

Establishment of the Fallons in Turloughmore It appears that the Fallons moved to Turloughmore shortly after 1822 as baptismal records were not found in Killallaghten for their two remaining daughters, Catherine and Winifred. John Fallon had married Mary Cullinane around 1817 probably in her home townland of Claregalway. Early church records in the 1820s are not available for the parishes of Lackagh, Athenry (including Turloughmore) and Claregalway. Thus, the details of their marriage and the two later baptisms are not known.

Having moved to Turloughmore circa 1823, John and Mary (nee Cullinane) Fallon secured a tenancy to 116 acres of Grade 3 land in the townland of Derrymaclaughna, Turloughmore (Figure 3). This land may have originated from the Cullinanes who were extensive land occupiers in the area. Terence and Helena (nee French nee Burke) O‘Neill of Deerpark Lodge leased land including the Deerpark of Derrymacloughney to Martin and Thomas Cullinane of Claregalway in 1825.15 Shortly afterwards, Thomas Cullinane of Claregalway sold his interest in those lands to Patrick Cullinane of the townland of Waterview (now Ballybrone), Turloughmore for £500 in 1829.16 That deed included land leases to each of the residents of Monard listed in the Tithe Applotment survey, namely, Patt Conway, John O‘Brien and Margaret (Peggy) Gilloway (Figure 3). No other Fallon was recorded in Turloughmore in the Tithe Applotment survey suggesting that John Fallon was the founding father of the Fallons of Turloughmore. John Fallon died young (1827/28 or 38y) and is buried in the Cullinane family grave in Claregalway. 17 The memorial inscription reads: Lord have mercy on the soul of John Fallon who depd this life April the 12 th 1827 aged 38 years erected by his wife Mary Fallon.18 His age at death of 38 years is at variance with that reported by the late Mary Kate Fallon (28y) and by the Galway Family History Society West (58y). Other Cullinanes buried in Claregalway include Patrick (d. 1794), John (d. 1794), 15

O‘Neill and others to Cullinane and others, Registry of Deeds, Book 811/p 319, Memorial 546854, 1825.

16 Cullinane of Claregalway to Cullinane of Waterview, Registry of Deeds, Dublin, Book 850, p 204, Memorial 568704, 1829; Patrick Cullinane, Tuam Herald, 30 October 1852, National Library of Ireland; Patrick Cullinane in Liz Blackmore et al (Editors) In their own words : the parish of Lackagh - Turloughmore and its people Lackagh Museum Committee, Turloughmore, Galway, 2001 p 227, 237.

17 Mary (nee Walsh) Fallon, Deerpark Lodge, Monard-Private communication 2006.

18 Claregalway (Abbey): Irish Genealogical Research Society Tombstone Inscriptions: Genealogical Advisory Service Room, National Library of Ireland, Vol 1, p 199, 2001; John Fallon, d. 17? April 1827/58?y, plot 57, Mary Murray, Galway Family History Society West, Galway, November, 2007.

28

William (d. 1817/35y, plot 56), Martin (d.1827/43y, plot 55) and Patrick (d.1838/28y) none of whom have an age profile likely to qualify as the father of Mary Fallon as she was born around 1802. However, she may be a relative of both Martin (plot 55) and William Cullinane (plot 56) as they are buried in graves adjoining the grave of her husband (plot 57). There does not appear to be any record of her burial either in Claregalway or in Lackagh graveyards.

Move to Deerpark Lodge, Monard, Turloughmore Following her husband‘s death in 1827, my great-great-great grandmother, Mary (nee Cullinane) Fallon, raised five young children and ran a large farm while still in her mid-twenties. Presumably, the Cullinane family rallied to her support. They may have arranged for the land tenancy to be moved from Derrymaclaughna to a smaller holding in the adjoining townland of Monard such as the 40½ acres leased to Patt Conway and others in 1827 as there was no other farm of comparable size there (Figure 3). At a later stage, she remarried to a Mr Shaughnessy who fathered one or two girls with her.

In 1839, during the night of the big wind, a house in the townland of Monard was knocked down belonging to an old man named Cullinane and the field in which the house was situated, Páirc Cullain, was called after him.19 He may have been Mary Fallon‘s father or other relative who came to live nearby to support her after the demise of her first husband.

Meanwhile, her eldest son, James Fallon married and fathered a son, John, in 1845 before emigrating to the USA. John Fallon was brought up by his aunt, Julia (nee Fallon) Morris, who occupied a farm in Derrymaclaughna.

Subsequently, Mary Fallon may have asked her youngest son, Martin Fallon, to run the 40½ acre Deerpark farm at Monard as he is recorded as its occupier in 1855.20 Martin Fallon also leased land in the townlands of Ballynasheeoge (40 acres), Island (28) and Lackaghmore (60). He may not have had time to manage the Deerpark farm at Monard as his mother later assumed the tenancy. After she passed away, the tenancy passed to her grandson, John Fallon, in 1871 who had married Anne O‘Brien in 1868, the daughter of Charles O‘Brien of Ballinderry and Mary Fahy of Barnaderg, Galway.21

19

Lackagh Parish History Committee, Co Galway The Parish of Lackagh Turloughmore, 1990, p 213.

20 Griffith's Valuation 1847-1864, http://www.originsnetwork.com/help/sitemap.aspx.

21 Mannion, Tony, 1989, Nolans Anbally - O'Brien's Ballinderry - Eight Generations (Northeast Galway), p 42 and 69 of 85 pages; 6 Blackthorn Park, Galway.

29

19th Century Emigration Before the famine, Mary Fallon‘s second husband, Mr Shaughnessy, emigrated to Australia reportedly to join the Gold Rush which commenced in 1851.22 His wife was recorded as the Widow Mary Shaughnessy in 1845 in Ireland suggesting he had passed away prior to that time.23 Thus, he must have emigrated between 1827 and 1845 as he would have married after the demise of her first husband in 1827. Scrutiny of emigrant records to Australia revealed that a Patrick Shaughnessy arrived in Sydney in 1834 and a Morris Shaughnessy in Port Phillip (southeast Australia) in 1841.24 A Patrick Shaughnessy aged 45 died in 1844 in New South Wales, the province in which the Gold Rush commenced.25 Among the Shaughnessys who arrived in Tasmania prior to 1845 were Michael (1841), John (1843) and William (1844).26 Shaughnessys cited on the Ireland-Australia transportation database included Miles (1836, Meath), William (1839/30y, Mayo and Roscommon) and Michael (1841/30y, Roscommon).27 No Shaughnessy was recorded in the 1841 census in New South Wales and only one Shaughnessy (Michael) was recorded in the 1842 census in Tasmania.28 Not knowing the forename of Mr Shaughnessy makes it difficult to establish if any of the foregoing emigrant Shaughnessys might have been the second husband of Mary Fallon. Even if the forename was known, the lack of marriage and baptismal records in Turloughmore prior to 1841 makes it difficult to establish if Mr Shaughnessy came from a local family or from further afield.

Thus, widening the search to include the surname, O‘Shaughnessy, would be unlikely to yield a positive result.

During the famine, Mary Fallon‘s eldest son, James Fallon, emigrated to the USA about 1846 presumably accompanied by his wife, Catherine Culkeen, as their only surviving Irish born child, John, was reared by his aunt, Julia Morris in Turloughmore. Scrutiny of USA census records revealed that a James and Catherine Fallon were recorded in New York (1860), Cincinnati (1880), Jersey City (1880) and Mississippi (1880).29 However, none of the profiles matched 22

The Australian Gold Rush, http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/goldrush/.

Valuation House Books, Monard, Lackagh, Co Galway, 1845, National Archives, Microfilm 50980.

24 Search for Shaughnessy, http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/indexes/quicksearch.aspx,.

25 NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au.

26 Index to Tasmanian Convicts, http://portal.archives.tas.gov.au/menu.aspx?search=11.

27 Ireland-Australia transportation records (1791-1853), http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy/transportation.html.

28 Index to 1841 Census, http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/indexes/searchform.aspx; Index to census records 1837 – 1857, http://portal.archives.tas.gov.au/menu.aspx?search=10.

29 Historical Records, http://www.ancestry.com.

23

30

any of my ancestors. The death notices for James Fallon in New York in 1870 and 1900 were less useful as they provided insufficient evidence for determination of ancestry. After his mother died in 1869, James Fallon returned to Ireland as indicated by his signature on a receipt for £30 due to him from his mother‘s will (Figure 4). It is assumed that he returned to the USA even though the three James Fallons who departed from Ireland to New York in 1869 were too young to correspond to my great-great grandfather.30 A James J and Catherine Fallon were recorded as sponsors at the baptism of Patrick, the son of John Fallon and Anne O‘Brien, in 1879 suggesting that they may have returned again from the USA as there were no other immediate relatives bearing those names at that time (Appendix 3).31 While the emigrant details of James Fallon and Mr Shaughnessy are shrouded in mystery, those of Patrick Fallon (1879-1970/91y) and Julia Kerins (18601933/73y) are better known. Patrick‘s marriage in 1912 to Mary Kate Dollard and his demise in 1970 both in New South Wales are indexed on-line and the certificates may be purchased.32 In similar fashion, on-line sources have been used to illuminate the emigration of Julia Kerins, the daughter of Thomas Kearney and Catherine Fallon (c 1825-1884). She departed for Montana, USA with her children after the demise of her husband, Owen Kerins, in 1897. She passed away in 193333 which may concur with a 1933 entry for a Julia Kearnes on the Montana Death Index, 1907-2002.34 The 1910 census records a Julia Kearns/44y in Silver Bow, Butte, Montana with seven of her eight children, Tom 25/y; Julia 23, Patrick 22; Joseph 21; Kate 19; Martin 18 and John 17. A Julia Kearns was recorded in the 1930 census for Montana aged 61 years which underestimates her age by nine years.

Recent Family History The evolution of the Fallons of Turloughmore is reasonably well documented in the 20th century using conventional family history sources. Tracing the ownership of the Fallon farms at Monard and Derrymaclaughna in the 20 th century has been informative using registered deeds, property valuation records

30

Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, NY, 1820-1897, Micro-publication M237, Rolls # 1-675, National Archives, Washington, D.C. http://www.ancestry.com/.

31 Baptisms and Marriages 1853-1880, Lackagh parish, Galway, National Library of Ireland Microfilm P4220.

32 Connie Fallon (granddaughter, Patrick Fallon), Swindon, letter to Emer Fallon, Turloughmore, about 2002; Marriage, Birth and Death records, http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/familyHistory/search.htm.

33 Mary Walsh Fallon, Turloughmore, Co Galway, private communication, 2006.

34 Search for Julia Kerins b. Galway, 1860 and d. Montana, 1933, http://www.ancestry.com/.

31

and the will of my great grandfather, John Fallon.35 He willed the bulk of his estate to his son, Michael, while making special provision for his eldest son, James. It appears that James Fallon was an eccentric who may have been a war correspondent during the Boer War (1899-1902) or World War One (19141918). The experience may have traumatised him and prompted his father, John Fallon, to make special provision in his will. James Fallon signed his 1942 will with a mark. His solicitor, William J V Comerford of Tuam, claimed that he was unable to write from physical debility.36 Whether this debility was related to his war experience is not known.

My granduncle, Michael Fallon, assumed ownership of the Deerpark farm after his father, John Fallon, passed away in 1934. His second wife, Winifred Grealish, assumed ownership in 1967 after Michael had passed away. She passed it on to her son, Thomas Fallon, the present co-owner (with his wife, Mary Walsh) in 1973 (Figure 5).

Conclusion Further progress has been made in documenting the pedigree of the Fallons of Turloughmore using appropriate genealogical sources.

Examination of a unique church census in the parish of Killallaghten, Kilconnell, Ballinasloe in 1801-1806 revealed the presence of a James Fallon in the townland of Cappaveha suggesting that he may be the father of my great-great-great grandfather, John Fallon (1789-1827/38y).

The ordination of my great-great-great granduncle, Rev. Thomas Fallon (1786 -?), in 1810 appears to have been celebrated shortly afterwards at a baptism in the townland of Cappatagle, parish of Killallaghten. Early baptismal records for James (1818), Julia (1820) and Martin (1822) Fallon provide the first documentary evidence that the origin of the Fallons of Turloughmore was the townland of Cappaveha. Strangely, by 1855, all land-occupying Fallons appear to have dispersed not only out of Cappaveha but also out of the parish of Killallaghten.

35

Congested Districts Board to residents of Monard and others, 1917, Book 52, Memorial 55, and Monard-John Fallon to Michael Fallon & others, 1911 Book 35, Memorial 254, p 899, Registry of Deeds, Dublin; Property valuation, Deerpark Electoral Division, Galway, 18592000, Valuation Office, Dublin; Will of John Fallon, Monard Turloughmore, Wills Admons 1932, National Archives, Dublin.

36 Will of James Fallon, Monard, Turloughmore, Wills Admons 1948, National Archives, Dublin, p 235.

32

The subsequent evolution of the Fallons in Turloughmore has now been well documented using conventional genealogical sources. However, the documentation of early 19th century emigrants is less satisfactory reflecting a shortfall of family records and the relatively poor quality of 19 th century records in Australia and the USA. Some additional information is given below. _________________________________

Figure 3: The first documentary evidence of Fallon residency in Turloughmore, Co Galway is shown by the fourth line entry for Mrs Fallon (116 acres of Grade 3 land, Tithe payable ÂŁ2.18.0) in the townland of Derrymacloughlin (now Derrymaclaughna) in the Tithe Applotment survey, 1825-1828, in the old parish of Derrymacloughney (now part of the parish of Athenry), Co Galway.

33

Appendix 1: Selected Descendants of James? Fallon, Kilconnell, Ballinasloe, Co Galway (Only those descendants cited in this essay are included. The position of a child in a family is indicated by a Roman numeral where known.)

Generation One 1. James? Fallon. He married ? Caulfield?.

Children: i? Thomas Fallon (Rev), b. 1786? in Cappaveha? Kilconnell.

2. ? John Fallon I, b. 1799? Cappaveha? d. 12 Apr 1827/28?y vii? Patrick Fallon (Bishop), b. 1805 in Cappaveha? Kilconnell, d.

13 May 1879 in Mount Argus, Dublin.

Generation Two 2. John Fallon, b. 1799? in Cappaveha?, Ballinasloe, d. 12 Apr 1827/28?y in Derrymaclaughna, m. Mary Cullinane, c 1818, b. c 1802 in Claregalway, d.

12 Feb 1869/64y in Deerpark Lodge.

3. i. James Fallon, b.1818.

4. ii. Julia Fallon, b. 1820.

5. iii. Martin Fallon, b. 1822.

6. iv? Catherine Fallon, b. c 1824. v? Winifred Fallon, b. c 1826, m. ??? McCormack? b. near Headford.

Generation Three 3. James Fallon, b. 1818 in Cappaveha, Kilconnell, d. in USA? He married Catherine Culkeen, 5 March 1843 in Lackagh, Galway, b. c 1823 in Grange East, Turloughmore.

7. ii. John Fallon, b. 1845.

4. Julia Fallon, b. 1820 in Woodberry, Kilconnell, d. c 1885, m. John Morris, 16 Jan 1842 in Derrymaclaughna, Turloughmore, b. c 1819 in Rathfee, Turloughmore, d. 8 Sept 1852/33y.

5. Martin Fallon, b. 1822 in Woodberry, Kilconnell, d. 21 Apr 1892/71y, m.

Anne Boyle, b. in Galway.

9. viii. John Joseph (Josie) Fallon, b. 1869.

6. Catherine Fallon, b. c 1824 in Derrymaclaughna, d. 24 Nov 1884/59y in Lackagh, m. Thomas Kearney, 14 Aug 1847 in Deerpark, b. c 1817 in Lackagh, d. 12 Sep 1878/61y in Carranoneen, Turloughmore.

34

10. vi. Julia Kearney, bp. 22 June 1860, d. 1933 in Montana, USA, m.

Owen Kerins, 1897.

Generation Four 7. John Fallon, b. 1845 in Monard, d. 28 May 1932/87?y, m. Anne O'Brien, 26 Sept 1868 in Cummer, Co Galway, b. c 1845 in Brockagh ?, Co Galway, d.

22 Jan 1917/73y.

13. i. Catherine Fallon, b. 1869 (see marriage number 9).

14. v. Michael Fallon, b. c 1875.

15. vii. Patrick Fallon, b. 1879 17. ix. Mary Fallon, b. 23 Sept 1883.

9. John Joseph (Josie) Fallon, b. 1869 in Barnaboy, Turloughmore, d. 22 Feb 1940/71y, m. Catherine Fallon, 2 Nov 1893 in Lackagh, b. 1869 in Monard, d. c 1940/c 71y in Derrymaclaughna?, Turloughmore. viii. Mary Kate (Maisie) Fallon, b. c 1912, d. 15 July 1987/75y in Barnaboy.

Generation Five 14. Michael Fallon, b. c 1875 in Monard, d. 28 Apr 1964/89?y in Monard, m.

(2) Winifred Grealish, 3 Nov 1927 in Lackagh, b. 9 Dec 1903 in Lisheenavalla, Lackagh, d. 27 April 1983.

20. v. Thomas Fallon.

15. Patrick Fallon, b. 1879 in Monard, d. 1970 in Penrith, NSW, Australia. He married Mary Kate Dollard, 1912 in Narrabri, NSW, b. c 1894 in Dublin, d. c 1953 in Dublin.

17. Mary Fallon, b. 23 Sept 1883 in Monard, d. 2 Aug 1950/66y in Galway, m.

Thomas McHugh, 7 Jan 1909 in RC Church, Athenry, b. 1 Oct 1877 in Belmont, Tuam, d. 9 May 1957/79y in Tuam.

23. iv. Kathleen M McHugh b. 9 August 1914.

Generation Six 20. Thomas Fallon, b. in Monard. He married Mary Walsh in Tooreen, Partry, Co Mayo, b. in Tooreen, (daughter of Michael Walsh and Bridget Malone).

23. Kathleen M McHugh, b. 9 Aug 1914 in Tuam, d. 24 July 2000/85y in Dun Laoghaire, m. T Bernard McNulty, 3 Sep 1935 in Dublin, b. 25 Jan 1897 in 15 Warrington Place, Dublin 2, d. 19 Oct 1960/63y.

28. ii. Paul Bernard McNulty.

35

Appendix 2: Partial pedigree of the Fallons who settled in Monard, Turloughmore. (All surnames are Fallon unless otherwise indicated)

36

Appendix 3: A Selection of Fallon Baptisms in the Parish of Lackagh, Turloughmore, Co Galway, 1842-47, 1848-1880 (Most parents are cited in this essay; Microfilm P4220 National Library of Ireland) Baptism 18 May 1844 18 May 1844 6 July 1845 26 June 1853 ? January 1857 17 June 1860 26 Jan 1865 24 Aug 1870 2 May 1879 1879 6 Feb 1881

Infant John

Father James Fallon Patt John Morris John James Fallon Francis James Fallon39 John Martin Fallon Julia Thomas Kearney Honoria Martin Fallon Elizabeth Martin Fallon William Thomas Greaney Patrick John Fallon Patrick Thomas Greaney

Mother Catherine Culkeen Mrs Morris, Rafe?37 M? Culkeen Honor Culkeen Anne Boyle Catherine Fallon Anne Boyle Anne Boyle Sarah Fallon Anne O‘Brien Sarah Fallon

37

Witness 1 Mark Culkeen Morgan Morris Martin Fallon Mary Cullinane John Fallon40 Pat Kearney John Fallon Henry Fallon42 John Fallon James J Fallon44 Michael Moran

Witness 2 Honor Culkeen Mrs Shaughnessy38 Catherine Fallon

Winifred Fallon Sarah Fallon41 Kate Fallon43 Sarah Greaney Catherine Fallon Honor Fallon45

Mrs Morris Rafe? was presumably Julia Fallon (1820-c 1885), Monard as she was married to John Morris, Rathfee (Rafe) according to church records and Mary Walsh.

38 Mrs Shaughnessy is presumably Mary (nee Cullinane) Fallon, the mother of Mrs Morris (Julia Fallon) 39 A mysterious entry as James Fallon had emigrated and was married to Catherine and not Honor Culkeen. I am not aware of any other James Fallon in Turloughmore in 1853.

40 May be a cousin from outside Turloughmore as John Fallon (1845-1932/87y) was only eleven.

41 Sarah Fallon may be a cousin who married Thomas Greaney outside the parish of Lackagh in 1878 42 May be a cousin from outside Turloughmore as Henry Fallon (1858-1902/44y) was only 11y old.

43 Kate Fallon may be Catherine Culkeen or a sister of Sarah Fallon.

44 James J and Catherine Fallon may have stayed at home after their return from the USA in 1869 or made multiple visits to Ireland from the USA. 45 Honor Fallon may be Honor Culkeen, or a sister of Sarah Fallon or the 16y old daughter of Martin and Anne Fallon.

37

Figure 4: Receipt signed by James Fallon (bp.1818), on 7 April 1869 (note the USA style date, 4/7/69) witnessed by his brother Martin Fallon acknowledging receipt of ÂŁ30 from his son John Fallon (d.1932/87?y) as willed to him by his mother, Mary (nee Cullinane nee Fallon) Shaughnessy (d.1869).

Figure 5: Confirmation photo (1988) of Thomas Fallon (2nd from right) with his family (from left) Kevin, Michael, Conor, Thomas, Emer, Mary (nee Walsh), Anita, Thomas and Catriona (Catherine).

38

Acknowledgements The author gratefully acknowledges: Tom and Mary Fallon, Deerpark, Monard, Turloughmore for access to family documents and photographs; Ann Marie McHugh Cleere, 16 Beechmount Road, Galway and Jack Landy, 18 Maunsells Park, Galway for access to Eva (nee McHugh) Landy‘s family history archive; Rev Declan Kelly, Archivist, Diocese of Clonfert, Co Galway for information on Rev Thomas Fallon and Bishop Patrick Fallon; Frank Kearney, Beechmount House, Turloughmore for access to Fallon-Kearney documents; Niamh McDonnell, Archivist, for information on Fallon nuns at Mount Anville, Dublin; Sean Murphy MA for guidance in genealogical methodology.

Editor‟s note : After retiring as Professor of Biosystems Engineering at University College, Dublin, Paul McNulty, PhD., completed courses in Genealogy and Creative Writing. He was founder and first editor of The Anvil (engineering student magazine), 1964-1965 and has written on historical issues – see ‗The genealogy of the Anglo-Norman Lynches who settled in Galway‘, Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society, 2010, vol 62. He also has written two historical novels which were entered in the ABNA competitions and a further novel will be submitted to the 2012 competition. He is also an avid letter writer to newspapers on food and environmental topics with follow-on articles and radio/TV interviews.

00000000000000000000000000

Articles wanted Readers are invited to submit articles or listings of genealogical interest for future publication. These can be sent to Brendan Hall at jbhall@indigo.ie or to George O‘Reilly at ghore@eircom.net or directly to the General Secretary.

The Editors will be happy to assist in the creation of an article and provide any advice required.

Please note that the editors reserves the right to include, exclude or alter any material submitted to the Journal.

39

FRANCIS DUFFY FROM BALLYBAY TO AUSTRALIA A POLICEMAN'S BIOGRAPHY Roisin Lafferty None of my siblings knows exactly how the Duffy family of Ednanay, Ballybay and my McArdle family of Lattonfaskey, (in the same area) were related but we knew we were "cousins".

When my grandaunt Mary McArdle arrived in Sydney in 1868, she listed her contacts in NSW as ―cousins" Patrick and Francis Duffy. At the time of this discovery I had no intention of searching for Duffys. I did, however, begin a search for Mary McArdle's executor in 1908, Daniel Byrne1, by placing a query on Genforum on the Net. An immediate reply informed me that Byrne was a brother-in-law of policeman Francis Duffy. Fuelled by this information, I began the Duffy research. Without the assistance of myriads of people I would never have located the story.

Francis Duffy was born in County Monaghan, Ireland in 1831 in the townland of Ednanay just south of Ballybay town. He was probably the second son of Hugh Duffy and Margaret Cowan, and one of a family of at least nine children.

Hugh Duffy was a schoolmaster in nearby Laragh School (Ballybay) who earned an annual salary of £122, which supplemented his farming income.

These Duffys were natives of the area; they were Roman Catholic parishioners of nearby Ballintra (pronounced locally Ballintraugh) and were known locally as ―The Masters‖ in order to distinguish them from many other Duffy families.

Hugh leased his farm from Leslie who owned much of the surrounding countryside and lived in Ballybay House, close to the town.

Local history fills some gaps in the Duffy family history. In 1831, the population of the combined rural and urban areas of Ballybay was 11,423. The surrounding countryside was intersected with a good deal of bog and marsh, hills, numerous small lakes with picturesque streams and glens. Bleach-greens with the villas of the proprietors, the neat farm houses, better tillage and the comfortable state of the cottagers added to the appearance of the district.

Extensive mills in the Crieve locality gave employment to many in the area.

Ballybay town was well built and laid out with clean, orderly streets. It contained a fair proportion of good houses together with several new two story 1 See "Who was Daniel Byrne" in the Journal of the Genealogical Society of Ireland, Winter, Vol. 3 No .4, 2002

40

slated houses, a public library, a market house and a police station. The establishment of the weekly market selling numbers of linen webs and a large quantity of flax together with surplus farm produce from the area brought considerable improvements to the town and surrounding area. Fairs held four st th nd times a year; on 1 January, the Thursday before Easter, 5 July, and 2 October and were well attended for the sale and purchase of horses, horned cattle and pigs. All religions were represented with houses of worship, including two Roman Catholic chapels, one in Ballybay and one in Ballintruagh (Ballintra). In spite of all its progress neither a banking office nor a public conveyance existed in Ballybay at that time.

Francis Duffy was educated by his father, while in his free time he assisted on the farm. By local standards a child who had a good education was privileged.

In the early half of the nineteenth century few employment opportunities presented themselves for an educated young man. Sporadic employment was available in the local flax mills at Crieve or three miles further south at Laragh Spinning mills. The effects of the famine in this area were a little less severe because so many depended on the flax industry for a livelihood. Following the attempted Irish Rising of 1848 an appeal was made for recruits to join the Irish Constabulary. While the police were hated, the job was tempting as it provided money, food and accommodation at a time when famine was widespread.

The Irish Constabulary register2 shows that Francis Duffy enlisted in Dublin on 13th November, 1849. He was recruit No. 13475, 19 years old, a fine fellow of five foot ten and one eighth inches tall, single, male and a labourer by occupation. Head Constable Trimble recommended him. Slater's Directory (1846) shows that Trimble was stationed in Ballybay. It was the duty of the head constable of each area to keep a list of young eligible police recruits and approve of a candidate's application. Hughie ―The Master‖ Duffy and his family were regarded as decent respectable citizens.

Joining the constabulary was a serious matter and the general rules and conditions give some insight into the character of any young man thinking of making a career for himself in the force. To be eligible3 a young man who presented himself would be"expected be of good character for honesty, sobriety and fidelity, of superior activity, five feet nine inches in height, unmarried or a widower without a family, not subject to fits or any bodily infirmity, between 19 and 27 years of age, in sound health, and never been to jail‖ 2 Garda Museum, Dublin Castle.

3 O'Herlihy, J. (1997) The Royal Irish Constabulary, A short history and Genealogical guide.

41

Further conditions stipulated that the candidate had to be ―capable of reading, without hesitation, any printed or written document and able to write in a legible hand. He had to have £2 for the purchase of necessities (until he got his first pay), four linen shirts, a suit of plain clothes and a hat which at all times formed part of his necessities. Finally he had to take an oath of allegiance to the English monarch and was forbidden to be a member of any political society other than the Freemasons.‖ A prospective candidate was sent by the commandant at the police depot in Phoenix Park to present himself for approval before the surgeon of the force. If the interview was satisfactory, he was appointed on probation for a month. If not found eligible by then, the candidate would be discharged.

Obviously young Duffy satisfied all the necessary requirements. Three and a half months after enlisting his training was completed and on 1 st April, 1850, he was assigned to Galway East. In the absence of further documentation we can only suspect that his daily duties included searching for hidden arms, checking on illicit poteen distilling, or/and attending evictions.

Promotion came quickly and six months later, on 1st November, 1850 he became P.I.S. The R.I.C. records that he was back in the Dublin depot, "on reserve" by 4th February, 1852. While on reserve, officers received an extra allowance and had a chance to develop their skills. It may have been at this time that Duffy began to train as a mounted policeman. During his sojourn in the Police Depot he acted as "drill inspector‖.

Many of his colleagues in the force were resigning to emigrate, influenced by the news of high wages from America and Australia. The gold find in Australia lured many of the policemen in Victoria away from their duties and English and Irish newspapers of the time advertised for police recruits in Australia.

42

On 5th June, 1854, Duffy followed the example of many of his colleagues and resigned "to emigrate".

Regular sailings between Dublin/Kingstown and Liverpool meant easy access to the large vessels departing for far away destinations. The Freemans' Journal of 7th June 1854 showed the timetable for The City of Dublin Steam Packet Company.

Just four days after his resignation, on 9th June, 1854, the young ex-policeman sailed from Liverpool (England) aboard the "John and Lucy" on her way from Glasgow (Scotland) to Port Philip, Australia. Listed as an unassisted passenger bound for Victoria, Duffy was one of the 494 passengers aboard. Besides passengers, the ship was carrying a cargo of books and lime. ―Immigration 4 Records to Victoria from British Ports (1852-1869)‖ for Unassisted Passengers th indicate that Francis Duffy arrived at Port Philip, Melbourne on 24 September 1854. The journey took 3 months.

Duffy wasted no time on his arrival and quickly succeeded in using his skills to obtain immediate employment in the police superintendent's office in Port Philip. Later he spent some time on duty in Ballarat, an area where there was constant trouble with the mine workers. He remained as a policeman in Victoria for a few years5 but for some unidentified reason he had moved North to Sydney by 1858. There he joined the mounted police. In general, many of those who enlisted in the NSW police in those days, were Irishmen and exmembers of the "Irish Constabulary".

The Justice & Police Museum in Sydney has only a limited amount of police records on card file from the 19th century. Francis Duffy's card shows he was recruit No 571 enlisting as a Mounted Constable with the NSW Mounted Police on 8th November, 1858. He was stationed in Sydney. th

On the 12 May, 1860, Francis Duffy and Margaret Byrne were married in St. Mary's Cathedral, Sydney . Both had an address in Crown Street in the city. The official record of the marriage shows that both the bride and groom were Irish Constable Duffy was then 28 years old while his bride Margaret Byrne was 24 year old, a housekeeper and daughter of farmer Luke Byrne of County 6

4 The British Shipping Passenger List for 1852-1869can be found at : http://proarchives.imagineering.com.au/index_search.asp?searchid=23. The actual immigrant register reference is B076006 and is only available in Libraries and institutions.

5 Information obtained from his obituary in the "Maitland Weekly Mercury" 7th September , 1895 6 Vital records office, Sydney, NSW 43

Wicklow. Duffy had sponsored Margaret Byrne's passage to Sydney in 1860 who, although she was from county Wicklow, had been living in Dublin prior to emigrating. The couple may have known each other while Duffy was stationed at the Police headquarters in Dublin, or perhaps she was related to one of his work colleagues. th

Marriage meant promotion to sergeant on 15 July, 1860. Subsequent to the birth of their first child, Alice M. Duffy, in Sydney (1861) and with the passing of the New (Australian) Police Act, (March 1862), Duffy was promoted to senior sergeant and transferred with his wife and daughter to Braidwood. With this new promotion he was put in charge of the barracks and the jail. Braidwood was both busy and dangerous. There were several gold fields in the vicinity and the gold was lodged in Braidwood bank on its way from the diggings.

Bushrangers were plentiful and robberies or attempted robberies were the daily routine.

Duffy remained in Braidwood until 1868. Although it was a time of great sadness for the family, he experienced many exciting adventures and incidents during his time there.

O'Sullivan's historical novel, The Bloodiest Bushrangers7 (p. 20) recalls that: "one Tuesday night in April 1862, Inspector Walker, Sergeant Duffy and Constable Geelan rode out to Ballalaba serve warrants on bushrangers Clarke and Connell. The young men escaped, but before the police returned to Braidwood, old man Clarke, who was well known for his hospitality entertained them with tea, bread and honey".

Elsewhere in the same novel we get an insight into Duffy's daily routine in Braidwood barracks: "…A regular mess was established at that barracks and at nine-thirty each night Duffy had to check on the men and tell them to put the lights out. Between 10 p.m. and midnight he would check the barracks and at six next morning he had to assign duties and distribute ammunition, as the police in the Braidwood district, unlike the police elsewhere, were issued with a plentiful supply" Police life in Braidwood, at the time, though exciting, was extremely dangerous.

An extract from Derrincourt's diaries published as ―Old Convict Days‖8 (p.

318-9) shows that Derrincourt's daughter (who was a neighbour's nursemaid but 7 O'Sullivan, J (1974) The Bloodiest Bushrangers, London, Hale and Co. 8 Derrincourt,W. Old Convicts days Penguin Colonial Facsimiles ISBN 0 14 0700.40 4 44

was on temporary loan to the Duffy family to take care of their son), may have saved his life by her quick action (about 1864).

"Miss Derrincourt, acted bravely, when she was nursemaid to the family of Sergeant Duffy, Superintendent of police in Braidwood. Duffy was supervising the inmates of the gaol while they endeavoured to uproot a big stump. He went to assist them, placing his gun on the ground, and was immediately rushed by a prisoner who tried to grab the gun. Miss Derrincourt witnessed the fight as she carried the baby to visit his father.

She placed the baby on the ground, caught up the gun by the barrel and brought the stock down with all her strength on the prisoner's head. She probably saved Duffy's life".

There were other dangerous escapades too. The Sydney Morning Herald dated Tuesday 18th May, 1869 reported an attempted robbery at the Braidwood Bank where Duffy was the hero! Sergeant Duffy reported: ―I am in charge of the police station at Braidwood; on Sunday last between 8 and 9 o'clock, I was walking into Wallace Street, Braidwood, in company with constable Dacey and Mr Finegan, Dominational(sic) school teacher; when nearly opposite the Joint Stock Bank I heard three pistol shots fired in quick succession in the rear of the bank, and immediately heard screams and a shout. After hearing the shout I said "run to the rear the bank is attacked". I ran round the bank corner and came in view of the bank gate. I saw two men running from it very fast; I cried out "stop those men" as I thought I saw someone standing at a little distance and immediately two or three shots were fired. I was quite close to the two men running past me. On entering the street from the green my foot slipped and I fell. On getting up I found the prisoner Horne lying a short distance off and constable Dacey having a hold of him; a bystander struck a match and I took from a belt worn by prisoner Horne the knife produced; I also saw falling from the person of Horne the mask or false beard I now produce; one of the bystanders handed me the revolver I now produce, No. 6207; on examination I found one chamber discharged; it is in the same condition as I got it ; the mouth is filled with clay as if it had fallen; I asked Mr Finegan to run to the bank as I thought Mr Gillham was shot; I placed the prisoner in the lock-up; it was the two men who were running from the bank who fired the shots; I am quite sure the shots were fired at me; on returning to the bank I found a white hat and a book in the yard; prisoner was dressed as he now is but had no boots on.‖

45

St. Bede's Catholic Church, Braidwood holds the record of baptism for three Duffy children: Hugh Francis Margaret Elizabeth

baptised baptised baptised

th

20 August 1863 th 30 November 1865 st 21 May 1868

The year 1868 was eventful and tragic for the Duffys who lost two of their children -little five year old Hugh Francis died in September while his threeth year-old sister Margaret died a month later on 26 October. These two siblings are buried in Braidwood Roman Catholic cemetery. A headstone marks their grave but a visitor to the area in 2001 reported that its neglected appearance indicates that no one ever visits.

Transferred from Baidwood to the Eastern District in 1867, the Duffy family remained there until 28th September, 1874. Nerrigundah was the next posting, followed by Burke where Duffy was stationed until 1882. His final posting was st to West Maitland. Promoted to first class sub- inspector on the 1 January 1883, he attained the rank of inspector in 1893. In West Maitland he held the office of inspector police, inspector of dairies, of powder magazines, and was licensing inspector of the Maitland district. He was connected with the police force in NSW for 35 years.

As an officer, Duffy was punctilious in the discharge of his duty and was held in high esteem by his superior officers and those over whom he had control. He was never overbearing, but courteous, genial, generous, and good-natured at all times and always had the respect and admiration of the general public. His experience at home in Ireland, combined with that in the early days of the colonies when gold-digging and bush ranging created excitement and dangers (which are now unknown), enabled him to handle difficult cases successfully, and to carry out his duties with marked ability, shrewdness and tact.

Not only was he a police officer in NSW but he maintained a close relationship with Ireland. He sponsored the passage of wife-to-be Margaret, his three brothers, Patrick, Hugh and Peter, his sister Margaret and his cousin Mary McArdle of Lattonfaskey. Indeed, he may have sponsored many other passages, records of which have not been located.

The "Maitland Weekly Mercury" 7th September, 1895 regretted "to announce the demise of Mr. Francis Duffy Inspector of Police at Maitland�.

46

The death occurred at his residence, Sempill Street, West Maitland at 7o'clock on Monday evening. Mr. Duffy was said to have been a man of robust health until he had an attack of influenza accompanied by a racking cough. Two weeks later he had improved enough to insist on doing duty at the Town Hall on the night of St. John's Ball, when it rained for some hours. He got a relapse and was compelled to take to his bed. A fortnight later, he developed inflammation of the lungs, became unconscious and died of pneumonia. Dr. Power was in attendance during the early stages of Mr. Duffy's illness, and on Friday prior to his death, Dr. Luddell and nurse Sr. Mary Ursuline of the Lewisham Hospital, were in attendance, doing everything possible to relieve his suffering.

The funeral, which was very largely attended, took place at 3 o'clock on Wednesday afternoon. Over 60 vehicles joined in the procession. The hearse was preceded by 11 mounted men, including senior sergeant Forrest, (East Maitland), Moylan (Singleton), Sergeants Thompson (Patterson), and Coghlan (Wallsend). Twenty members of the Newcastle police on foot marched under command of Sergeants Thompson and Hickey; and eleven men belonging to the West Maitland district under Sergeant Oxley, sub-inspector Lynch of Newcastle, Sergeant Grennan and a large number of friends and the general public were present to testify their sympathy and respect.

The coffin of polished cedar, with solid silver mountings, was covered with wreaths. Many beautiful floral tributes and ornate wreaths were received by the family from numerous friends, including St John's Cathedral choir and work colleagues in the West Maitland and Newcastle district police. The funeral cortège moved from the deceased gentleman's residence "Oaklands" in Sempill Street to St. John's Cathedral where the deceased gentleman had been a devout attendant. Mr King played the organ and prayers for the dead were read by the Rev. Fr. Roche. The procession then wended its mournful way to the cemetery, where the burial service was completed by the Rev. Father Roche, M.F. McAuliffe, and P.V. Dwyer. The funeral arrangements were admirably conducted by Messrs. Bussell, Homan and Co. The remains of the late inspector were interred in the Roman Catholic cemetery at Campbell's Hill.

So ended the eventful life of a great man who devoted his life to to his adopted country but never forgot his place of birth.

The deceased gentleman was survived by his widow Margaret and one daughter Jenny, she being the talented organist of St. John's Cathedral.

47

th

Duffy's eldest daughter, Alice M. had remained single and had died on 6 January 1893 in Sempill Hill, West Maitland and was laid to rest in Campbell's Hill cemetery.

His widow, Margaret (Byrne) DUFFY, died in West Maitland in 1908 aged 76.

She is buried with her husband and daughter in Campbells' Hill cemetery. The surviving daughter Elizabeth (also known as Jenny) married John R.H. McClean in 1888 at West Maitland. Their children9 were: Emma born 1899, John, born 1901, Jeanne, born 1903 and Mary born 1905. John McClean died in 1944 and Elizabeth Duffy McClean in 1940.

Other Duffy relatives in Australia Patrick Duffy, born 1843 in Ednanay, arrived in Sydney accompanied by his sister Margaret in 1864, his passage being sponsored by his brother Francis.

Sydney police records show Patrick Duffy enlisted with "The Foot Police" on th May 26 , 1864. He was listed as recruit No. 1461 who was single, 21 years of age and five foot ten and a half inches in height, with blue eyes; dark brown hair and a fresh complexion. Brief details from police records show that he was transferred to Metropolitan (Sydney) police 9th June 1864. His marriage to Ellen Reilly took place in 1888. He resided in Parkes. One daughter named Margaret was born to this marriage in 1889 but no record was found for any other children born to Patrick and Ellen.

Patrick was promoted to 1st Class constable but for some reason reduced back to ordinary constable again in 1882. No further duty areas are available, but the details correspond with his brother Francis's obituary 1895 which mentions a brother in the police (at Parkes, a NSW country town). Discharged from the force on superannuation 30th Sept, 1897 (possibly because of ill health), Patrick died in 1899 at Parramatta Hospital. He is buried in the Roman Catholic cemetery, Waverley. His wife Ellen Duffy, survived until 1927. No details have been located regarding their daughter Margaret.

Hugh Duffy was probably the youngest son of the Hugh and Margaret Duffy of th Ednanay who arrived in Sydney on 13 April 1869 aboard the 'Queen of the Colonies'. Aged 24, the ship's register shows him to be a Roman Catholic, single, a farm labourer, a native of Ballintroe, Monaghan, Ireland (probably Ballintra but the entry on the register is badly written). He, too, was literate and had a brother Patrick Duffy in the Sydney Police. By this time his father Hugh Duffy was dead but his mother was living at Ballintroe, Co. Monaghan.

9

Data obtained from the Vital Records Index of NSW compiled by the LDS church.

48

th

Hugh, died from "exhaustion" at the Sacred Heart Hospice Sydney, on 26 January, 1895. His death certificate states that he was unmarried and "about 25 years" in the Australian colonies. His brother Patrick Duffy of Parkes registered his death. Hugh Duffy was laid to rest in Rookwood Roman Catholic Cemetery th on 28 January, 1896 in the presence of J O'Carroll, Roman Catholic (we presume that was the priest), W.H. Kirby and R.F. Johnston. The funeral undertaker was Elizabeth Kirby.

PETER DUFFY, aged 38, arrived in New South Wales in 1881 on the 'Glamis'.

NSW Death registers shows Peter died in 1889, (parents Hugh and Margaret Duffy) with no further details of his burial place.

MARGARET DUFFY10, a 24 year old dressmaker arrived in Sydney in 1864, accompanied by her brother Patrick, their passage sponsored by their brother Francis. No details of her early years in NSW are available. In 1869, she married police constable Daniel Byrne (a native of County Laois, Ireland) and colleague of her brother Francis. Byrne achieved several awards for the capture of bushrangers. Following their marriage in 1869, Daniel and Margaret transferred to Bombala. According to the Greville's Directory Daniel Byrne, was a police sergeant in Bombala in 1872. Their four children were all born in Bombala: Ada F.(b.1872), Margaret Mary (b. 1874), John Francis (b. 1876).

John Francis was said to have been studying for the priesthood but died in Young aged 20 years in 1896. Charles Peter (b. 1879) married Elizabeth May Farrar at Cowra in 1903. He was said to have a farm named Wilgah. Their two daughters became nuns and were alive in the early 1990s. On retirement Daniel and Margaret returned to Sydney and lived at Glover St, Mosman. Margaret th died 24 October 1925 and is buried with her husband, in Lot 79, Section ―G‖ Gore Hill cemetery, Sydney.

DUFFYS who remained in Ireland There is only scant information for the Duffys who remained in Ireland. Retired schoolmaster Hugh Duffy died July 19th, 1865, age 8011, his wife Margaret survived until April 10th, 1889 age 88 years and both are buried in Ballintra cemetery (Ballybay parish) with their sons, John (died May 28 th, 1919)) and James (died March 3rd, 1919). It is thought that a son named Thomas may have been to Australia too. There is no mention of him in the 1901 Census but in 1911 he is listed as a relative in the Mohan (Moen) household in Ballybay town, See "Who was Daniel Byrne" in the Genealogical Society of Ireland Journal, Winter, Vol. 3, No .4, 2002) 11 Murnane, (1999) At the Ford of the Birches, page 73, Ballintra gravestone inscriptions 10

49

when, in fact, he was Elizabeth Mohan‘s brother. Aged 64, he was described as a mineral water agent. According to locals the Black and Tans set fire to Mohan‘s house in Ballybay on January 12th 1921. Thomas Duffy made his escape through a back window but received bad burns to his head. He later put in a claim for a £500 bond, an overcoat and a walking cane which had been destroyed in the fire. To the best of our knowledge Thomas died in a Monaghan hospital June 17th, 1923 and is buried in the family grave at Ballintra. Elizabeth (Lizzie) married John Mohan (Moen) on February 7th, 1874. The Mohan family owned a butcher shop in Ballybay town. Elizabeth died after 1921. Many descendants of her ten children live in the area.

I am grateful to the following for their assistance with my research:       

 

Frieda Carroll, Rochestown Park, Dun Laoghaire, a dedicated and keen genealogical enthusiast.

Joyce Tunstead who provided details of the online New South Wales Vital records.

The Sydney Police Museum who supplied data relating to both Francis and Patrick Duffy.

Pat McGee, The Garda Museum, Dublin Castle.

Braidwood Historical Society - the archivist looked up the births of the three Duffy children and checked for a gravestone in the local cemetery.

West Maitland Librarian located and mailed Francis Duffy's obituary.

Bob Neilson, a retired journalist, of Sydney made several trips to libraries, visited Rookwood cemetery and has to be commended for his dedication in retrieving documents and information for my project.

John McGrath of Hardey Road, Perth, WA., located the Duffys on the ship's register.

Peadar Murnane, Local historian and author, Main Street, Ballybay, Co. Monaghan.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The Society has moved into its new home at An Daonchartlann at the Carlisle Pier, Dún Laoghaire Harbour. It provides office space, workspace, space for research, for courses and for storage. It was officially opened on 8 th Nov 2010 by the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Culture, Mary Hanafin, TD. The Society is grateful to the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company for making the premises available to the Society for An Daonchartlann. Members are encouraged to visit and use the Society's Archive by appointment with our Director of Archive Services. The Society's Archive is open every Wednesday without appointment. Check out the GSI website for details.

50

THE GAULS OF RATHASKER ROAD, NAAS James Durney In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries there were several families with the surname Gaul living in Naas. However, when Kathleen Gaul, of Caragh Road, Naas, married Jim Durney, of Pairc Mhuire, Newbridge, on 26 December 1958, the once popular surname disappeared completely from the annals of Naas.

Kathleen Gaul was the last namesake of the Gaul‘s, who had lived at Rathasker Road since the 1800s.

The first recorded Gaul in Naas was, according to the Griffith Valuation of 1848-64, a Michael Gaul living at Naas East, which included Rathasker Road.

The Gauls were living in a cottage on the Rathasker Road at least in the 1890s, as the records from St. Corban‘s Cemetery note when Ellen Gaul, Rathasker Road, age 50, died on 12 October 1897. She was the wife of Edward Gaul, a railway miles man. Edward died, age 76, on May 27 1909, while he was living at Railway View, Naas. Mary Gaul, ‗wife of a labourer,‘ died on 8 February 1898. She was 102 years old and had been born in 1796. Her passing was noted by the Leinster Leader on 12 December 1898 ―A Naas centenarian died on Tuesday last. Mrs. Mary Gaul, who resided at Rathasker Road, has gone to her long account, after an existence of 102 years. The old lady enjoyed good health up to a short period before her demise.‖ Mary was the mother of Edward and Bill Gaul. Edward and Bill Gaul were popular men in the locality. Bill was a noted Gael and supporter of the Gaelic League. In June 1902 Bill Gaul was present at a packed meeting to establish a branch of the Gaelic League in Sallins. The meeting in the National School was addressed by Mr. C. Hournihane, a teacher and fluent Gaelic speaker. He gave an outline of the movement‘s programme, which consisted of the acquirement of Gaelic as the national language; the teaching of Irish history, music, singing and dancing and the promotion of Irish culture. Mr. Hournihane after an address in Irish gave a rendition of ‗John O‘Dwyer of the Glens,‘ which was followed

by Mr. Lacey‘s rendering of ‗Molly Bawn.‘ Bill Gaul brought down the house by his singing of the ever popular, ‗Eileen Alannah.‘ More singing and dancing followed. The meeting culminated in the formation of a committee.

In a list of subscribers towards the building of the mortuary chapel at Naas Cemetery, printed in the Kildare Observer on 8 December 1906, Edward Gaul, Rathasker Road, donated 5 shillings, quite a large sum at the time. Edward‘s son, Patrick Gaul (22) married Margaret Higgins (34), a widow, in 1897.

51

Maggie had three children at the time: John (9), Thomas (8), and Christopher (6). Patrick and Maggie‘s first child, Ellen, was born on 24 December 1897.

They would have four more children: Edward, or Ned, born 1899; William (1901); Maggie (1904); Katie (1905). Patrick Gaul (44), a railway labourer, died on March 24 1919 in Naas Infirmary. Maggie was left with a young family and Ned and William, or Bill, began working early as railway labourers then hired car drivers.

During the Civil War Bill Gaul was held up by anti-Treaty IRA men on the Naas to Dublin road and his cargo of yeast, bound for Carlow, confiscated. Bill and four friends from Naas attended the All-Ireland final on September 1928, at which Kildare defeated Cavan by a point. It was Kildare‘s first and last time – so far – to win the Sam Maguire trophy. On the way home the car Bill was driving was in a collision with a motorbike and sidecar, in which the female passenger was concussed. Bill and all his passengers were unhurt and the injured female made a complete recovery. Two months later, on 18 November 1928 Bill Gaul died of short illness at a young age, 27. The Kildare Observer noted that ―Much regret was felt in Naas and district at the death of Wm. Gaul, motor owner, Naas, which occurred of an illness of only two days, on Sunday 18th November. The funeral took place on Monday, 19th November to the New Cemetery, Naas, and was very largely attended.‖ Bill Gaul left a young wife, Mabel, and son Liam, born in 1926. As the last male with the Gaul name Liam left Naas to work in Dublin, where he married and raised a family and ran a successful business, Shelton Stores, in Kimmage.

He returned to Naas regularly to attend the Punchestown Race Festival. Liam was a man of simple tastes who enjoyed a game of cards or a game of snooker and the odd bet on a horse. Liam Gaul died in Our Lady‘s Hospice, Harold‘s Cross, Dublin, on 3 October 1991 and was buried in St. Corban‘s Cemetery, Naas. His wife, Ellen Dwyer, died in 2000, age 66, and although she was a Dublin native, she was also buried in St. Corban‘s.

Liam‘s son, Kevin, continues the Gaul name, alas not in Naas, but in Dublin. Liam‘s obituary said ―He was a very popular shopkeeper who was particularly noted for his courtesy and gentle manner… The burial was to Mr. Gaul‘s native Naas where a huge local attendance joined the Dublin cortege.‖ Katie, the youngest of the Gaul girls, was 26 and single, when she died on March 7 1930. Popular sisters Ellen and Maggie Gaul enjoyed the Naas social scene: they attended dances in the Town Hall where they met with British Army officers and Black and Tans – who seemed to be ‗quite decent;‘ Ellen even met

52

a German officer, an internee on the Curragh, who she exchanged letters with.

The sisters were fans of cinema musicals – ‗South Pacific‘ and ‗Hello Dolly,‘ being personal favourites. Ellen rarely drank, while Maggie loved a nip of whiskey or a bottle of stout. When she moved to Newhall, Maggie cycled in to Swan Dowling‘s for a tipple, dropped in to her sister for a cup of tea, and then cycled back to her home.

During the Second World War Rose Gaul, who had married and settled in Liverpool, sent her son, Eddie Cannon, over to Ireland to escape the Blitz.

Liverpool had suffered severely from German bombing in May 1941 and many residents with family ties in Ireland sent them across the Irish Sea to stay with relatives. Liverpool, Bootle and Wirral were the most heavily bombed areas of the United Kingdom outside London, due to their importance to the British war effort. The British government was desperate to hide from the Germans just how much damage they had wreaked on the ports and so reports on the bombing of the area were kept low-key. Over 4,000 residents lost their lives during the blitz, dwarfing the number of casualties sustained in other bombed industrial areas such as Birmingham and Coventry. This death toll was second only to London. Eddie Cannon stayed with the Gaul‘s of Rathasker for most of the war.

One of the first things Eddie remembered was the local Garda sergeant calling to the house to tell Ellen Gaul to enrol him for school.

In 1922 Edward, or Ned Gaul, car driver, was employed temporarily at Naas Hospital as an ambulance driver, at £4.00 per week. Ned built up a small profitable business as a car driver and regularly plied his trade to and from Lawlor‘s Hotel, where he met and courted a young girl, Kathleen Ryan, from Fethard, Co. Tipperary. Kathleen Ryan was the daughter of James Ryan, a Tipperary farmer. Kathleen had come to Naas to work for Mrs. Lawlor at the Nas Na Riogh Hotel. Ned Gaul and Kathleen Ryan married on 16 February 1938 in the Church of Our Lady and St. David, Naas. Ned was 34, while his bride was ten years younger. The bridesmaid was Kathleen‘s sister, Ellen Ryan, who gave her address as the Curragh. The couple‘s married life was short – Kathleen died on the 28 December 1940, at her home on Rathasker Road from acute bronchitis, giving birth to her daughter, Kathleen.

Her obituary in the Leinster Leader of 4 January 1941 said Kathleen Gaul was ―A very quiet and unassuming girl, she was liked by everyone, and her death at such an early age has aroused sincere sympathy amongst all classes.‖

53

Ned Gaul‘s mother, Maggie, died some years later, at the age of 85. She was known affectionately as ‗Granny‘ Gaul. The Leinster Leader of 6 November 1948 recorded that ―Deceased was a member of one of the oldest and most highly respected families in town, and was extremely popular with everyone, rich and poor alike. A very kindly old lady, she was noted for her characteristic good humour and good nature. A zealous Catholic all her life, she was a faithful adherent to her religion, and while her strength remained attended regularly and consistently to her religious duties.‖ Ned Gaul was associated with many leading sports figures in the racing game.

He is pictured in a photograph of the presentation of prizes for the Traders Cup at the first official race meeting at Naas racecourse on 19 June 1924. (A copy hangs in Fletchers Pub, North Main Street, Naas.) He was also pictured behind the Governor-General of the state congratulating Mr. H. H. Beasley, who at the age of 71, had just won the Maiden Plate, at Punchestown, in 1923, on his horse, Pride of Arras. Ned was also involved with greyhound coursing. He owned a number of dogs and some of them performed well on the track. Edward ‗Ned‘ Gaul, Rathasker Road, died in Naas Hospital on July 11 1951, age 51, after being in failing health for a considerable time. His obituary in the Leinster Leader stated his death ―… removes a very well-known and popular personality who had been associated with the social and sporting life of the town for many years…

He was very popular with everyone and his demise at a comparatively early age is sincerely regretted.‖ Ellen Gaul married Michael Mahon, a widower with two children, and moved to New Row, Naas. They had no children. Ellen and Mickey Mahon lived in the last occupied house on New Row, which was facing demolition, and were rehoused at 14 Caragh Road, Naas, in early 1958. Mickey Mahon worked in Odlums Canal Mill. He died in 1963; Ellen died on 25 December 1979, at 11 Sarto Park, Naas. She was 81 the day before having being born on 24 December 1897. Maggie Gaul married John Byrne, a native of Wicklow. They had one daughter, Margaret, or Rita, who married another Naas native, Bernard Wheeler. (Rita Wheeler, nee Byrne, died on 2 May 2010, age 66.) John Byrne worked in Scotland during WWI and served in the National Army during the Civil War. Maggie and John Byrne moved to Newhall, Naas,around 1958.

John Byrne died in 1984; Maggie died on 25 January 1985, age 81. Kathleen Durney, nee Gaul, died on 10 November 1989, age 48. She was the last of the Gaul‘s of Rathasker Road, Naas.

54

Photo, taken at Rathasker Road, Naas, c.1940s, shows standing L to R: Kathleen Alcock, Maggie Gaul. Sitting L to R: Liam Gaul, Margaret 'Granny' Gaul, Bill Gaul.

Editor‟s note : James Durney is the author of 'The Mob: the history of Irish Gangsters in America‘ (1999) ‗Far From the Short Grass‘ (2000) the story of Kildare men in two world wars ‗On the One Road‘ (2001) about political unrest in Kildare 1913-1994 ‗The Volunteer‘ (2004) about the uniforms, weapons and history of the IRA 1913-1997 ‗The Far Side of the World‘ (2005) about Irish servicemen in Korea 1950-1954 ‗In the Shadow of the Kings‘ (2007) about social housing in Naas 1898-1984 ‗Vietnam : The Irish Experience‘ (2009) assesses the role of the Irish in this war. ‗A bridge, a town, a people. Social housing in Newbridge 1900-96.‘ (2009) ‗The Civil War in Kildare‘. (to be published 2011)

These are available from bookshops or from the author who can be contacted directly at - info@jamesdurney.com 000000000000

55

LOGUES OF STILLORGAN AND „THE KINGS SPEECH‟ Michael Nelson (The foregoing information has been garnered from a wide range of internet sources, linked as necessary by reasonable assumptions. While the main thrust of the story is correct, the finer details may not be 100% precise, as some sources of information had slightly contradictory information. Corrections and additional information welcome to: nelson@eircom.net ) The name Logue has had frequency in Scotland and Northern Ireland (particularly Donegal and Derry) since the 16th century. Probably descended from that clan was one George Logue who married an Eleanor Butler (or was it Brennan?) about 1800. Records show that George became headmaster at an endowed school attached to an Alms House near Clane, Co. Kildare around 1813. The school had a history of poor standards and low academic performance before George Logue was appointed, but problems continued and George Logue closed the school. Shortly afterwards, George became a tutor in Dublin, and it is thought that it was about this time that his family came to reside in Stillorgan, where he may already have had connections, as there were already Logues in the area at the time.

George and Eleanor had 5 children: Waith (?), Mary-Ann (b c1813), Edward (b c1815), Eleanor (b c1818), and Susana (b c 1823).

Mary-Ann married in the late 1830s to a James Young from near Kells, Co. Meath. Meanwhile, like many Irish who emigrated during the ravages of the famine in the 1840s, Eleanor Jnr. (Ellen) emigrated to Australia and was married c1847 to a Dr. James Dickson in Melbourne. It is believed that their father George died in the 1840s, after which his son Edward, together with George‘s widow Eleanor, also emigrated to Australia, arriving in Adelaide in July 1850. Later in the 1850s they were joined by the remaining daughter, Susana. The extended Logue family were now settled in an area between Adelaide and Melbourne.

In 1852, Edward Logue married a Sarah Wiggins, and about this time he set up a brewery in Kent, Adelaide, - the ‗Kent Town Brewery‘; (not to be confused with the ‗Old Kent Brewery‘ in Sydney). Edward and Sarah had 5 children: Ellen (1852 – 1921), George (1856 – 1902), William (1860 - ?), Annie (1863 1935, and Sarah (1865 – 1942).

In 1860, Edward brought in a partner to his brewery business, Edwin Thomas Smith (an MP and Mayor of Adelaide - later to be knighted). Unfortunately, 56

Edward died in 1865, and Smith continued to run the brewery in partnership with Edward‘s widow Sarah. In 1888, the South Australian Brewing Company Ltd. was formed through the merger of the Kent Town Brewery, the West End Brewery and Rounsevell & Simms (a wine and spirit merchant). It is thought this ended the Logue connection with the brewing industry, although Edward‘s son George worked for some time as an accountant with the brewery before he became a licensed publican.

George, married a Lavinia Rankin in the late 1870s. They had 4 children: Lionel (1880 – 1953), Herbert (1883 – 1954), Eveline (1885 - ?), and Myra (1887 – 1978).

Their eldest child Lionel, after leaving school, studied elocution in the University of Adelaide, and music at their conservatory, around the turn of the century. He adopted both the art and eloquence of precise pronunciation so well that he became an assistant tutor to his mentor after giving a public recital in 1902 to good acclaim (review in the Adelaide Advertiser, 20 March 1902) ‗Mr. Logue looks young, but he possesses a clear, powerful voice and a graceful stage presence. He evidenced in his selections considerable dramatic talent – scarcely mature at present, however - and an artistic appreciation of characters he impersonated and of stories he was telling‘.

A curiosity is that after leaving University about 1904 Lionel went to work at the gold mines being developed some 350 miles East of Perth in Western Australia. The area around Kalgoorlie had experienced a gold rush in the 1880s which drew many pioneers into the region at the end of the 19 th century. The reasons for this move by Lionel are not known, as his father George Logue had died in 1902 leaving his mother Lavinia to look after her other 3 children, the eldest of whom, Herbert, was scarcely out of his teens.

However Lionel came to settle in Perth, where in 1907 he married a young German lady – Myrtle Gruenert, whom he had met at a musical evening in Freemantle. They had 3 boys, Laurie, Anthony, and Valentine.

In 1911, Lionel and Myrtle made an around-the-world trip visiting America (where they were entertained by Dr. Woodrow Wilson - later to become US President), and returning via Britain and France. While in Britain in 1911, the couple was to witness the Coronation Parade for King George V. Lionel had expressed the biblical view that a prophet is never recognized in his own land, and was keen to return to and live in London. However with the outbreak of WW1 and having a young family, the London ambition had to be postponed.

57

At this time, Lionel was teaching elocution and acting in Perth, and was also giving speech recitals, reading classics at public performances. Lionel‘s Irish parentage was of the Church of Ireland (Protestant) tradition. However he had been educated at a Methodist School in Adelaide, and was married in an Anglican Church in Perth, but meanwhile had become a Christian Scientist (and a Freemason). This introduced Lionel to the concept of ‗spiritual‘ healing, and he came to see elocution as a speech therapy, and developed his skills on the healing of speech defects and impediments. This skill and focus was bolstered when he treated soldiers returning to Perth after WW1 who were suffering from speech defects due to gas inhalation and shell-shock.

By 1920, Lionel Logue had established himself as a passionate and professional ‗Speech Therapist‘ of some repute, despite being essentially self-taught.

His desire for London however had not faded, but it was not until 1924 that he, with his wife Myrtle, and their 3 boys left Perth for London, never to return. He set up consulting rooms in London‘s prestigious medical region of Harley Street, where he practiced as a speech therapist. His reputation gradually spread.

Meanwhile at this time King George V was on the throne in England. His eldest son, Edward the Prince of Wales (known as ‗David‘) was expected to succeed the King. David‘s younger brother Albert (‗Bert‘) was the Duke of York. Albert had experienced public embarrassment delivering a public speech on behalf of his father (King George V) because of his pronounced stammer; thought to have been brought about by his father‘s intolerance and the ridicule of his siblings.

Albert‘s wife, Elizabeth, (later the ‗Queen Mother‘) had become aware of Lionel Logue‘s reputation, and encouraged her husband to consult him. It is understood that Elizabeth initially attended many of Albert‘s consultations with Lionel.

In January 1936, King George V died and was succeeded by his son, the new King Edward VIII. However the new King was to abdicate the throne in December 1936 to marry American divorcee Mrs. Wallace Simpson. Albert, the Duke of York was to succeed his brother as King George VI, which suddenly escalated the need for a cure for his profound stammer.

Lionel coached the Duke for the formal language of his coronation. To encourage him, Lionel was present at the Westminster Abbey coronation in May 1937. Likewise, he was again with the new King George VI that evening when making his coronation radio broadcast to the nation.

58

Meanwhile, political unrest was rising in Europe. In September 1939, Britain declared war on Germany. Lionel Logue again coached King George VI, and was present when at the outbreak of war the peoples of Britain and beyond listened to the Kings Speech: ―At this grave time … ‖ … and the rest is history … ________________________________________________________________         

The 'slow, measured pace' which he had afforded the King's diction proved effective in His Majesty's wartime broadcasts and speeches.

Lionel was a founder (1935) of the British Society of Speech Therapists.

He was a founding fellow (1944) of the College of Speech Therapists.

A Freemason, he was speech therapist to the Royal Masonic School, Bushey.

He retained his love of music and the theatre, and enjoyed walking and gardening.

During World War II his practice shrank and he acted as an air-raid warden three nights a week.

Elevated to C.V.O. in 1944, Lionel was with the King for the V.E.-Day broadcast on 8 May 1945.

His wife Myrtle died in 1945, after which Logue took up spiritualism.

In February 1952, after the death of King George VI, Queen Elizabeth (the ‗Queen Mother‘), wrote to Lionel Logue, thanking him for his contribution to her husband‘s success – she stated –

Dear Mr. Logue, I am so grateful for your very kind letter, and very much touched by what you write – I am indeed sorry to hear that you have been so ill, so it was most kind of you to make the effort to write to me.

I think that I know perhaps better than anyone just how much you helped the King, not only with his speech, but through that his whole life, and outlook on life. I shall always be deeply grateful to you for all you did for him. He was such a splendid person, and I don‘t believe that he thought of himself at all – I did so hope that he might have been allowed a few years of comparative peace after the many anguished years he has had to battle through so bravely. But it was not to be.

I do hope that you will soon be better and with my heartfelt thanks, I am yours very sincerely, Elizabeth R. 

Lionel Logue died on 12 April 1953 in London and was cremated. He was survived by his 3 sons.

59

THE LAST WORD – IRISH WILLS AND TESTAMENTARY RECORDS Caroline McCall The modern will has its origins in Roman law. Following the Norman Conquest of Ireland in 1169, wills became more common and legal effect was given to them. Even in those days, the freedom of a testator to dispose of his estate as he wished was limited. From the 13th century onwards some provision had to be made for the testator‘s spouse and children. The Statute of Wills (Ireland) Act 1634 required wills of real property to be in writing. In 1695 the Statute of Frauds provided that the writing should be signed by the Testator or by some person in his presence and attested in his presence by three or more credible witnesses.

From the 12th Century right up to the 19th Century, Wills were administered by the Church and after the Reformation in the 16 th Century this meant the Established Church of Ireland. There were two ways a will could be administered by the church. The first was through a Diocesan or Consistorial Court - if all of a deceased persons‘ property was in one Diocese. However, if a person had property worth more than £5 in a second Diocese, then the will had to be proven in the Prerogative Court, which in Ireland, meant Armagh.

The 1857 Probate Act transferred testamentary jurisdiction to the Court of Probate and eleven District Registries. As responsibility for Probate no longer lay with the Diocesan and Prerogative Courts, many of their records were then lodged with the Public Records Office in Dublin where they were transcribed into Will and Grant Books and alphabetical indexes were compiled. As many of you will all be aware, many of these records were tragically destroyed in the burning of the Four Courts during the Civil War in 1922.

Wills made by women were usually made by spinsters or widows until after 1882 when the Married Women‘s Property Act came into force. Before this date, property belonging to a woman automatically became her husbands. This led to a situation where instead of leaving a married woman a property outright, she would be left the annual income from the rental of a property. This gave her a little financial independence. Wills made by spinsters or widows can be a treasure trove for a genealogist because they generally contain numerous details of nephews, nieces, etc.

Inventories Household inventories were often taken for probate purposes following the death of a property owner. These inventories, or lists of chattels, were lodged 60

with the Prerogative or Consistorial Courts. Some of these are incredibly detailed as the contents of each room, and their condition, were listed. Where they do survive, inventories can give us great insight into how people lived, and their social position.

Some people were not content to wait for others to make an inventory after their death, and incorporated it as part of their will. In one charming example from 1749, Demetrius Crowley of Cadiz in the Kingdom of Spain was travelling back to his native Ireland ‗seeking an improvement in his health‘. He embarked on the Ellinora heading for Cork, made his will en route, and appointed a fellow passenger, John Fogarty, as his executor. Demetrius must have been quite a dashing figure of a man. His inventory includes fourteen ruffled shirts, three pairs of silk stockings, a pair of velvet breeches and a pair of silver shoe and garter buckles. He left everything to his wife Mary Crowley and his son Peter, both still living in Cadiz.

Perhaps one of the strangest bequests which I have encountered, is contained in the will of Edward Verdon dated 1766. A transcript of this will is held in the National Archives of Ireland. Edward Verdon was a planter and slave owner, living in St. Mary‘s parish in Jamaica. Irish emigration to the Caribbean had been going on for at least twenty years before Oliver Cromwell's government began to use the West Indies as a dumping ground and penal colony. The victims of Cromwellian transportation ranged from political and military prisoners to anyone who might burden the public purse: orphans, widows and the unemployed. Apart from forced emigration, some went as adventurers, to make their fortunes and others went as indentured servants. Once established, freemen invested their earnings the same way the big planters did - by buying slaves.

But being the owner of slaves did not appear to sit well in Edward‘s conscience.

In his will he went to great lengths to ensure that his mulatto woman Nancy was manumised or legally set free as soon as possible after his death. He also left three Negro women slaves, Princess, Mimba and Florinda to his sister Olivia Jackson and his nieces Sarah and Olivia Jackson. If the bequests failed for any reason, Princess, Mimba and Florinda were to become part of his residuary estate and go to John Verdon, his nephew.

Soldiers‟ Wills In the Probate Office we sometimes see a generic type of will which is issued to members of the defence forces - especially those who are being sent on active service abroad. Because of the nature of their profession and especially in times of war, it isn‘t possible for soldiers and sailors to execute formal wills. Special

61

legislation dealing with the rights of a mariner at sea or a soldier on military service to make an informal will was enacted in 1865 and 1914.

Locating Probate Records The Will, if judged to be valid, is held for a period of twenty years in the Probate Office or District Registry where it was proven and after that it is deposited with the National Archives in Bishop Street, Dublin. Once proven, it becomes a matter of public record and it is possible for anyone to obtain a copy of wills from the Principal Registry in the High Court or one of the fourteen District Registries around the country. There is a small fee for the copy.

You should normally expect to find the Probate record within the first year or two after the date of death, and, if you have not found it within three, you can usually assume that Probate wasn't necessary. However, in a small number of cases, Probate is granted many years after the person in question died. The reasons for this are complex. Some people have a marked reluctance to sort out an estate when someone dies, especially if they are the principal beneficiary. In the High Court Probate Office, we regularly get cases where a property is being sold but no Probate has been extracted since the 1920s! The families simply continued to live on the property, and let the next generation worry about the paperwork.

A Grant of Probate or Administration is usually necessary in order to Assent or Transfer property from one person to another, where the original owner is now deceased. If you don't find a probate record within the first few years of a death, then take a tip from the professionals - the next most likely time to search is the year in which their principal heir(s) died. This is because the unadministered estate is most likely to come to light at that time.

Sources for Older Wills Trinity College Library, Dublin contains some older medieval and Tudor wills.

The Genealogical Office, Kildare Street, Dublin has a collection of mainly pre 1800 wills, and Betham‘s Sketch Pedigrees.

Some wills were lodged in the Registry of Deeds, Henrietta Street.

An Index to approximately 55O Cloyne Wills from 1547 to 1628 was printed in the Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society in 1895.

Calendar of Ormond Deeds, 1172-1603 There are also some surviving fifteenth century wills in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.

62

Prerogative and Consistorial Records If the subject of your research died before 1858, the situation was somewhat different. Before then, testamentary jurisdiction lay with the Established Protestant Church of Ireland. Church Courts probated wills, or in the case of those who died intestate, issued grants of administration to the next of kin.

Consistorial Courts were held in each Diocese, but if the deceased held property worth more than ÂŁ5 or held property in more than one diocese, then the will or administration had to issue from the Prerogative Court of Armagh. This can lead to situations where a person of modest means, having property on the border of two dioceses could end up having his will proven in the Prerogative Court rather than the local Diocesan Court.

The Court of the Archbishop of Armagh was the Supreme Court with regard to administration of estates. From 1622 the Archbishop had the power to appoint a commissary to act as a judge in his place. Up to the year 1816 Court was often held in the private residence of the judge. The Court later moved to Henrietta Street in Dublin, and finally all records were unfortunately transferred to the Public Records Office in the middle of the 19th Century.

The Indexes to the Prerogative wills from 1536-1857 are available in the National Archives. Some of the indexes have been published. Of these the most important are Vicar's Index to Prerogative Wills, 1536-1810 (containing approximately 35,000 records) and the Indexes to Dublin Grant Books and Wills, 1270-1800 and 1800-1858. Genealogical abstracts of almost all of the pre-1800 Prerogative wills are available in the National Archives. These were done by the noted genealogist Sir William Betham. (Indexed in Vicar's Index, the Indexes to Dublin Grants). In addition, he also made abstracts of almost 5000 of pre 1802 administration grants.

Diocesan or Consistorial Wills For Diocesan or Consistorial wills the picture is quite bleak. Their survival rate is unfortunately even lower than that of Prerogative wills. Sir William Betham made abstracts of almost all of the Kildare wills proved in the Kildare Diocesan Court before 1827 and the "Index to Wills of the Diocese of Kildare" reprinted from the Journal of the Kildare Archaeological Society, IV, no. 6, (1905).

Indexes of some of the Consistorial wills have also been published by Phillimore of London.

Other sources for pre 1858 wills Inland Revenue Registers of wills and administrations, 1828-1839 containing abstracts of wills and administrations for 1828-1839 (indexed in separate volumes which cover the period 1828-1879; for the years 1840-1857 these

63

indexes give details which do not appear in the general indexes referred to above).

Charitable Donations and Bequests will extract books containing abstracts of wills which made charitable bequests, 1800-1961. These are worth a look at.

There are broadly four main classes of charitable bequests in Ireland: Religion, Education, Poverty and Medicine – so a bequest of money for the saying of masses would be considered charitable and may appear in the index. Similarly donation of one‘s body to science is also charitable.

Miscellaneous Copies and abstracts of wills and administrations for the period both before and after 1858 are indexed in the main Testamentary Card Index in the Reading Room of the National Archives.

Grant books indexes in eight volumes for the years 1811-1834 and 1835-1858 (accession 999/611). All of these are to be found in the National Archives Post 1858 Records As we have already discussed, the Probate Act of 1857 transferred testamentary jurisdiction to the Civil Court of Probate and the District Registries and this remains the position today. Control of Probate record-keeping also passed from the Church to the state in 1858, at which point the records were printed in one Calendar index per year. These indexes are a summary of all Grants of Probate and Administration for Ireland which issued during a given year. Despite the fire in 1922, many copy wills, transcripts of wills and abstracts, including all of the Calendars have survived. These may be viewed in the Reading Room of the National Archives. There is also a consolidated index for the period 1858-1877.

Bear in mind that up to 1917 the Calendars cover the whole of Ireland, but since 1918 they cover only the twenty-six counties. Indexes covering the six counties of Northern Ireland since 1918 are in PRONI. As we can see, the first step in your search for wills should be the National Archives. Volumes of Will books which survived the fire in 1922 as well as copies of wills donated by families and solicitors these are indexed in its card catalogue of individual wills. It also holds an Abstract to Prerogative wills, including brief genealogical abstracts prepared by Sir William Betham covering the period 1536 to 1800. The indexes to Consistorial Wills survived but some are damaged. There is also a yearly Calendar of Wills and Administrations from 1858.

There are several other collections of abstracts and all may be found on card indexes in the search room of the NAI –

64

Crossle Abstracts – mainly 17th and 18th wills, much of the material from the North West of Ireland.

Jennings Collection – mainly Waterford Wills – much of which has been published in the Journal of the Waterford and South-East of Ireland Archaeological Society 1913, 1914, 1915 and 1920.

An index to Irish Wills between 1484 and 1858 has also been published by Enneclan and is available on CD-ROM. Apart from the National Archives, some other sources of copies and abstracts of wills are The Genealogical Office (indexed in Analecta Hibernica vol. 17 1949) PRONI Registry of Deeds, Henrietta Street (These have been abstracted in three volumes published by the Irish Manuscripts Commission) The National Library of Ireland has a large collection of wills and they also have a card index to thousands of wills contained in the records of the Irish Land Commission. Unfortunately, the actual records of the Land Commission are not accessible.

Representative Church Body Library Trinity College Dublin Irish genealogical Research Society (London) The Royal Irish Academy The Prerogative Court of Canterbury Bear in mind that where property was held in multiple jurisdictions, it may have been necessary to prove a will in Ireland and in England. So when seeking wills, think about where your ancestor may have had property, or where he might have become entitled to property on the death of another person.

Intestacy If this article could be described as ‗Where there‘s a will, there‘s a relative, then the subject of Intestacy could be called ‗Where there‘s no will there‘s an argument.‘ A person who dies without making a valid will is deemed to have died intestate. When this happens, it is up to his next of kin to administer his estate. Very often it is the surviving spouse or children who have to extract a grant of administration. Where a person is a bachelor or spinster, then this task falls to his parents, if they have survived, or to his brothers or sisters if the parents have predeceased.

The order of entitlement to apply to administer the estate of an intestate devolves from the Succession Act, which came into force in 1967. Entitlement to administer the estate is fixed at his date of death. In order to extract a grant of 65

administration the relative must have an ‗interest‘ in the estate, or in other words, they must benefit from it. Shares of an intestate estate depend on the degree of relationship of the nearest next of kin. It is always worthwhile to get a copy of a grant of administration intestate. In some cases it may be a distant relative who has extracted administration and the grant contains a clearing off clause which is very useful for a family tree.

What happens when there are no relatives and a person dies leaving property?

Sometimes people die, perhaps estranged from their families, and it is not known if they had any relatives or not. In these circumstances advertisements are usually placed in newspapers seeking information on any living next of kin.

Ultimately, a representative of the Chief State Solicitors office on behalf of the Attorney General extracts a grant in order to wind up their affairs. The proceeds then go to the State. All is not lost however as the money may be refunded if a relative turns up at a later stage.

Why may someone not inherit?

Section 120 of the succession Act precludes a person from taking a share in an estate of a person where they have murdered that person. However, the person must be convicted and not just a suspect. Of course it is not necessary to murder the testator to be cut out of his will. In times past, a hint of scandal was enough to deprive you of your inheritance. It‘s rare to find surviving court papers for a contentious probate case before 1922, but if you do – you are going to find out more about your ancestors than you ever wanted to know.

By his will, Hector Vandeleur1, His Majesty‘s Lieutenant for the County of Clare, left everything to his wife Charlotte, and his son Alexander, but absolutely nothing to his only daughter Grace. Grace contested the will and asserted that undue influence had somehow been used against her and then the fur really began to fly. Charlotte and Alexander alleged that Grace was ‗of abandoned character, a thief, with the reputation of a woman of the town… that she had lived in immoral relation with her now husband before marriage …that she had disgraced the family by marrying a compromised man, a thief and a scoundrel, a man not fit to marry … by reason of his orgies and scandalous conduct … who had been publicly expelled from a London club …that he was an impostor and adventurer who sought to marry … to obtain money to pay his debts and was blackmailing her family.‘

1

NAI 66

And if that wasn‘t enough, they also alleged that her husband was guilty of ‗disreputable acts‘ and referred to ‗his alleged proceedings at Chalsey Manor … with one Lord Byron and one Arthur Lambton‘ Hector Vandeleur was just continuing the age old Irish tradition of trying to control his womenfolk‘s behaviour after he had passed away - a tradition, which continued up to the advent of the Succession Act in 1967. Before then, it wasn‘t uncommon for a husband to leave his wife the right to live in her own home as can be seen from this example where a man left his wife ‗the exclusive use of the room over the parlour in said dwelling house with the furniture and effects in said room and free passage thereto and therefrom for herself and her friends; one quart of new milk daily to be delivered at said room as required by my said wife; one stone of table potatoes weekly and half a pound of butter weekly said potatoes and butter to be delivered at said room as required by my said wife; sufficient well saved turf for fuel to be delivered as required by her; and an annuity of £5 payable quarterly‘ If a will is a very formal document, it is also a very personal one. Being in contemplation of one‘s own death has a habit of concentrating the mind and bringing to the forefront what is most important to us. A Will can give us an insight into our ancestors that no other official document can.

Editors Note: Caroline McCall is a genealogist who specialises in probate matters. Together with her husband Seoirse, she runs a small company called Irish Ancestries. She may be contacted at www.irish-ancestries.com OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO References to quite peculiar weather in the Irish Annals (Chronicum Scotorum, edited by William Hennessy, London 1866): A.D. 689 714 875

898

Bloody rain fell in Lagenia (Leinster).

It rained a shower of honey upon Othan Bec (Inishowen), a shower of Silver upon Othan Mór, and a shower of blood on the Foss of Laighen (Leinster).

It rained a shower of blood, which was found in lumps of gore and blood on the plains of Ciannachta (south Louth), at Dumha-na-nDaisi especially. Great wind and lightning.

A shower of blood was shed on Ard-Ciannachta.

67

AN EMIGRANT‟S STORY - EIGHT YEARS IN NEW YORK (1868 – 1876) Barry Kennerk In 1867, my great-great grandparents, Cornelius (Con) and his wife Eliza Kennerk took a room at 6 Mark Street, south of Dublin‘s River Liffey. Their parish church was St. Andrew‘s in Westland Row, where Eliza was herself baptised. Just a year previously, they had lived in Con‘s family home in 55 Upper Wellington Street. Although their desire to strike out on their own is understandable, their choice was not wholly their own since the landlord there decided to sell the house after Con senior‘s death and it remained vacant for a number of years until 1869.

Conditions in Mark Street were dire. In better times, the area had housed some of Dublin‘s wealthier citizens. No. 6 was once home to Elizabeth Phepoe, trustee to a Mary Browne, who claimed £1 16s 10d in compensation following the closure of the Cuffe Street Savings Bank.1 By way of contrast, neither the Kennerks nor their neighbours could afford to save money at home, let alone deposit it in a bank. By the late 1860s, the street had denigrated to a slum and was regularly flooded by the Liffey at high tide.

According to some family sources, Con was a nationalist. A republic was proclaimed by the Irish Revolutionary Brotherhood (IRB) on 4 March 1867 and the following night, several outbreaks of insurrection took place throughout the country, notably at Tallaght in Dublin and in Limerick, Tipperary, Sligo and Louth. Very little went according to plan however and the rebels were all dispersed by police and British army units. The reasons for the failure of the rebellion were not hard to find. There was a heavy snowstorm on the night of the rising which caused chaos and disrupted communications between the various Fenian groups. The insurgents were also poorly armed and very few had any experience about how to wage war.

Despite the fact that they were a secret oath-bound society, the IRB‘s plans were betrayed to the authorities prior to the rising and to compound matters, several Fenian leaders such as Jeremiah O‘Donovan Rossa had been arrested in 1865. According to a family legend, Con Kennerk had his own part to play in the drama. Gerard Kennerk recalls his father William telling him that his great grandfather shot a policeman at a docks or a port. Despite extensive research, 1

Return relating to Cuffe Street savings bank Dublin (Online parliamentary papers, EPPI, http://www-lib.soton.ac.uk/ Accessed June 2009).

68

just one incident matches these details – the shooting of Constable Patrick Keena and Sergeant Stephen Kelly in the early hours of 31 October 1867.2 Among the English Kennerks it is said that when faced with the gunman, the policeman shouted; ‗You Yankee son of a bitch‘ – understandable since Dublin was awash (at least in the minds of the authorities) with demobbed Confederate soldiers, fresh from the American Civil War and ready to unite the people in armed rebellion.3 It is probable that any supposed Fenian would have been branded a ‗Yankee‘ and it may be of some significance that the injured Sergeant Kelly lived just a few doors away from Con Kennerk in Mark Street.

Although Con may have harboured a desire to get away to the States, he could not carry out this plan until the summer of 1868. According to alleged no. 1 of the Invincibles, P.J. Tynan, the wife of the gunman went into labour on the night of the police shooting – around the same time that Con‘s wife was due to give birth to their first child Michael. He was born just over a month later on Thursday 5 December 1867. Was there any significance in this? Had Tynan got the pregnancy story right but made a simple miscalculation about the dates?

On Monday 9 December 18674, Con and Eliza attended a baptismal ceremony with Con‘s brother Michael and sister-in-law Esther in St. Andrew‘s Church Westland Row – a building that reverberated with the rumble of nearby trains.

In those days, the children of tenement dwellers were baptised in the small side chapel off the main church where the wealthier Catholics from Merrion Square prayed. During Mass, the latter took their places in pews on the right hand side of the church. Poorer people took their places on the left.

Overseeing the proceedings was Father Robert Meyler, curate at St. Andrew‘s for thirteen years.5 That day, he baptised eighteen other children. Michael Kennerk (who had gone to New York in 1866) was glad, no doubt to be in Dublin to stand as godfather for his young nephew. Two months before his departure, he opened an account in Manhattan‘s Emigrant‘s Savings Bank – something that was normally done on behalf of family members still in Ireland.

He and William may have intended to help their brothers Con, John and mother Bridget to join them in America.

2

Acting Superintendent Ryan to Magistrate O‘Donnel, 31 Oct. 1867 (N.A.I. CSORP 1867/19343).

3 Interview with Ged Kennerk (20 Mar 2006).

4 Parish Register of St. Andrew‘s, Westland Row (P.6605-6610).

5 Fr Robert Meyler was a curate at St. Andrew‘s from 1854-73. He became Parish Priest of Rathfarnham in 1876 and remained there until he died on 25th August 1894. He had been given the titles of Preb Rathmichael in 1885 and Preb Tassagard in 1886 when he was created a Canon.

69

The early months of the New Year were uneventful enough but then Con started to miss union payments at the Ancient Guild of Incorporated Brick & Stonelayers‘ Trade Union, Cuffe Street. A sporadic entry appears on 16 September 1867 but the next is not until 17 February 1868 when payment of a half crown is noted.6 Thereafter, his dues were regular until April – the month when the Prince of Wales‘ yacht landed in Dublin. The city was festooned with bunting and triumphal arches and a special fleet and train were provided. On 21st, the prince attended a review of troops under the command of the Duke of Cambridge in the Phoenix Park. The Brooklyn Eagle for that date noted that ‗Fenian curses may be deep, but they are not loud‘.

In the meantime, Michael Kennerk returned to New York where he rejoined his brother William. Both men shared a house with another emigrant named Patrick Fallon at 7 Laight Street, six doors away from the Turkish Baths. The baths were the first of their kind in Manhattan and the Kennerks might certainly have taken use of this amenity, wages permitting.

Michael had made his first journey to New York on the Aleppo in May 1866.

William followed in August of the following year, buying passage on the Tarifa with his friend Patrick. Con followed suit in June 1868 and his record for the Ancient Guild of Incorporated Brick & Stonelayers‘ Trade Union stops abruptly after that month. The omission of his name from a roll call of members at the Annual meeting in 1869 completes the story. A resolution proposed that: ―Arrangements be made for the Annual Meeting to be held on Easter Monday morning 29th March, 1869. That said meeting to be summoned for half past six o‘clock in the morning of that day, and that the Secretary do call the roll of the Trade omitting the names of all such members who may have emigrated to America, or be absent in England or the country parts of Ireland.‖ There was to be a fine of 5s if a member didn‘t answer to their name. The final roll call revealed that between 1863 and 1869, 47 members of the guild had departed for America. Included in these were the four Kennerk brothers. 46 others, including Con‘s father were deceased, 18 were absent in England and 63 had their names erased.

In 1868, a special meeting was held by the guild to consider a resolution adopted by the Trades of Dublin, proposing to call a public demonstration in favour of unconditional amnesty for those members who were undergoing penal

6

Income and Expenditure Book of the Ancient Guild of Incorporated Brick & Stonecutters, 1863-73 (NAI 1097/2/3).

70

servitude on the basis of their supposed Fenianism. Presumably it was this type of incarceration that Con Kennerk had escaped.

At the beginning of June 1868, Con, his brother John and their mother left for New York on the City of Washington.7 Faced with the imminent departure of her sons, Bridget would probably have been left destitute in Dublin had she remained behind. They travelled first to Liverpool but did not delay there. The ship‘s manifest shows that all three embarked with some two hundred and forty other steerage passengers – the least expensive passage to be had. Twenty-one cabin people boarded, including one Lady Sharpe and her retinue whose fare ran to $100 each but the captain was prepared to accept gold in lieu. The bulk of the passengers (almost 560) hailed from Sweden, thus giving the Kennerks‘ their first cosmopolitan experience.

Commanded by the 31-year-old Captain Henry Tibbits, the City of Washington, which belonged to the Inman line, was on a tight schedule. She had arrived at Queenstown from New York on Sunday 30 May 1868 where she disembarked 37 cabin passengers and $9,379 in specimen freight. Now, she was en route again to Cork. After just a day at sea, the steamer pulled into Queenstown Harbour to pick up the remaining one hundred passengers. No doubt, the Kennerks like all those who had gone before them took a long look at the ‗Holy Ground‘ they were leaving behind.

Once at sea, the ship looked like a strange cross between a sailing vessel and steam boat. With three rigged masts, it had a single funnel and travelled at a rate of 10 knots per hour. There were four decks in all. As he passed ten miles west of Kinsale, Con perhaps cast a thought to the wife and child that he was leaving behind in Ireland.

Inman Ship, City of Washington 7

Passenger lists of vessels arriving at New York, 1868 (NARA, M237 Roll nos. 95-580).

71

Captain Tibbits was no stranger to his ship. In 1861, the year that he obtained his master‘s certificate, he served as its mate – a post in that he filled until 1863.

Afterwards, he served as captain aboard a succession of vessels including the City of Cork, the Etna and the City of New York.8 Between 1855 and 1856, the City of Washington was chartered to France as a Crimean War Transport. By 1868, she had been refitted with new boilers after 63 round trips of the North Atlantic. She made seven such trips each year and surviving papers provide the following fascinating insight about her cargo. She was ―Laden with a general cargo, part of which consisted of about 300 tons of steel rails and 700 boxes of tin…the ship‘s complement of men was ninety-six, inclusive of firemen, stewards &c.‖9 The journey was not without incident. A year-old Swedish child called Christiana Nilson died during the voyage. Her funeral at sea must have been both poignant and heartbreaking, not least due to the size of the little wooden coffin as it was consigned to the wide Atlantic swell. One wonders whether Con might have cast a thought to his wife who would be travelling with their infant son later that year.

On 21 June 1868, the ship passed over the Grand Banks of Newfoundland.

Although the Kennerks had to travel in steerage, the brevity of the voyage entailed a far lesser degree of discomfort than that experienced by their father‘s relatives just a generation earlier. On the morning of 22 June, the black funnel with its white stripe passed through the narrows – the passageway between Staten Island and Brooklyn. As the ship dropped anchor near the Staten Island shore, the scene must have been similar to that witnessed by the Fenian leader Jeremiah O‘Donovan Rossa in 1863 ―I found myself on board the City of Edinburgh steamer, steaming into the harbour of New York. She stopped while the quarantine doctor came on board to make examinations as to the state of her health…Gazing around from the deck of the ship, the scenery was grand – the hills of Staten Island looking as gay and green as the hills of Ireland.‖10 According to an Irish Times report, the City of Washington was joined at six o‘clock that evening by Inman Royal Mail steamer, the City of Paris.11 TransAtlantic shipping was extremely busy.

8

Lloyd‘s Captains‘ Registers, 1851-1948 (London, 1991). www.theshipslist.com/ships/Wrecks/wreckcityofwash1873.html (Accessed Nov. 2004).

10 Diarmuid O‘Donovan Rossa, Rossa‘s Recollections 1838-1898 (Shannon, 1972), p.378.

11 Irish Times, Monday 22nd June 1868.

9

72

A Federal Government Act of 29 April 1863 dictated that those vessels arriving in the port of New York from countries with ongoing communicable diseases needed to have their passengers screened. This was particularly relevant for ships of Irish origin due to the country‘s cholera outbreak during the second half of 1866. The City of Washington was instructed to drop anchor in the Lower Bay, less than two miles offshore. From there, sick passengers were removed to Swinburne Island, while those who had been in contact with them were held on Hoffman Island for a period of incubation.

After the quarantine check, the ship was allowed to proceed up the bay, where it anchored at the tip of Manhattan near Castle Garden. Originally used as a fort, Castle Garden had operated as a receiving centre for immigrants since 1855.

This helped to protect the new arrivals from the depredations of the boardinghouse ‗runners‘ and other unscrupulous characters who cried their pitch along the docks of the East and Hudson rivers. Before the receiving centre had been set up, new arrivals were liable to be robbed almost as soon as they stepped onto dry land.

Once a customs inspector had checked their luggage, the Kennerks, accompanied by a landing agent were taken from the vessel in a barge to the Castle Garden Pier. There, another round of examinations began, overseen by a medical officer. Afterwards, they were escorted to the rotunda – a large hall in the centre of the depot. Con, John and their mother Bridget provided details about their nationality and former residence. With the paperwork completed, the trio made their way to the city baggage delivery department where they collected their few belongings. Having completed all the necessary formalities, they joined a group of immigrants in the rotunda and waited as those who were waiting for them at the entrance to Castle Garden were notified and directed to them.

At the time the Kennerks arrived, the Brooklyn area was experiencing a massive surge in population. In 1860, 266,000 people lived in the borough. By the date of the Federal Census in 1870 however, this number had risen to 396,000, making New York the fastest growing city in the country. An article from the New York Times of 23 December 1866 gives a very good impression of what an emigrant could expect on arrival ―The intelligence department is largely resorted to by emigrants, inasmuch as there they can obtain information as to probably situations without fee, for which outside they are asked $2 by the employment agents…as may be imagined, much of the conversation of the sleepless emigrants that night was directed to the good or bad fortune they had met with during the day in quest of situations and employment, and many

73

came back reporting dolefully and despondently in that respect…never were the advertisements columns of the TIMES and other papers, for ―help wanted‖, devoured with such avidity or the few cents for their purchase invested in them with such readiness, and it is gratifying to state that in very many instances they led to the procurement for the poor emigrant of a billet and a home.‖12 After the Kennerks disembarked, they made their way to 45 First Street, where they set up home with their brother William. The house was in the neighbourhood of the Five Points and situated near the Gowanus Canal – a mile and a half long commercial waterway formed in 1848 by widening the original creek. The neighbourhoods supported several waves of immigrants – German, Irish, Scandinavian, Italian, Puerto Rican, Philippine and African-American, many of whom settled in the nearby brownstone houses of Carroll Gardens.

Con was joined later that year by his wife Eliza, who arrived in New York on Monday 28 September 1868. Leaving her home in Wellington Street, she made the journey to Queenstown with their infant son Michael and Eliza‘s 20-yearold sister Anne. From there, they set out in the City of Antwerp which had just completed its maiden Atlantic run during the previous year.13 In reality however, four passengers travelled to New York that September. Eliza was pregnant with Con‘s second child Norah, having conceived shortly before her husband‘s departure for the United States.

With Eliza, Anne and baby Michael safely in New York, Con lost no time about arranging citizenship for himself. Patrick Goff from 105 Thompson Street offered to act as witness for three of the brothers – Con, William and John.

They presented themselves to the Supreme Court, New York County on 13 October 1868. Goff, who may well have been a Tammany Hall man, was busy doing the same for other emigrants. In fact, a very large group of naturalisations was processed for the month of October 1868 – all done in an effort to increase the number of qualified voters for the impending presidential election.

The naturalisations came under the heading of so-called ‗ward politics‘, where loyalty to a particular politician was rewarded with jobs or other favours. Since male Irish immigrants usually favoured the Democratic Party, the Kennerks were almost certainly encouraged to vote for Horatio Seymour, the party nominee who was also the governor of New York between 1863 and 1864.

12 13

New York Times, 23 Dec. 1866.

Passenger lists of vessels arriving at New York, 1820-97 (NARA, M237 Roll nos. 95-580).

74

The document required each of the brothers to declare that he had ‗resided in the United States three years next preceding his arrival at that age…that he has resided five years within the United States, including the three years of his minority, and one year, at least, immediately preceding this application, within the State of New York‘.14 An English observer writing in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle of 14 November 1868 noted with some disgust that ―While one class of men votes which has no right at all, another class, known by the name of "repeaters", which has a right to vote once, multiplies itself according to the exigencies of the party, and repeats its vote several times during the day; and Irish immigrants just landed swear that they have been five years in the States. As the conflict approaches its termination, its heat and fury are intensified. Every effort is made to prevent the adverse electors from voting, and they only achieve their purpose at the risk of broken heads and maimed limbs. The police, it is true, are on the spot to preserve order, but preserving order at an American election means breaking the heads of the opposite faction.‖15 Standing in City Hall, Con placed his hand on the bible and proclaimed the following words in front of Justice G.G. Bernard ―I, Cornelius Kennerk…do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States; and that I do absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign Prince, Potentate, State or Sovereignty whatever, and particularly to the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, of whom I was before a subject.‖16 By 1869, the family was listed in the New York City Directory as follows: Kennerk, Cornelius, mason, h 35 First Kennerk, Michael, bricklayer, h 218 Fifth There were nine other families living in Con Kennerk‘s house, almost all of whom were Irish. This included another other Irish bricklayer called Patrick Coakley who was of an age with Con. Although Eliza Kennerk had found work in Dublin as a furniture broker, she did not find gainful employment in New York. Instead, she and her mother-in-law Bridget kept the house which they shared with a fifteen year-old domestic servant called Mary Canafin. All of 14

Naturalisation papers of Supreme Court NY (NARA, Bundle 16/p.4).

Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 14 Nov. 1868.

16 Naturalisation papers of Supreme Court, Ibid.

15

75

Eliza‘s time was preoccupied with taking care of her infant daughters Norah (aged 2) and Maggie or ‗Maimie‘ (aged 1).

It is hard to imagine a house into which forty people were crammed in the middle of a hot New York Summer. The Kennerk family had certainly not escaped Dublin‘s tenement conditions for a better life. John Kennerk‘s daughter Josephine died in a tenement at 82 Pike Street in 1897, the sanitary conditions of which could only be described by the attending doctor as ‗poor‘.17 Typical New York tenement apartments were arranged four to a floor, two in front and two in the rear. They were accessed by an unlighted, ventilated wooden staircase that ran through the middle of the building. The largest room was usually 11‘ x 12‘6‖, referred to as the ‗parlour‘. The entire flat, which could contain upwards of seven people, was just 325 square feet on average.

Only one room (the front) received direct light and ventilation. At night, the heat was stifling. Standard bedrooms were completely shut off from fresh air and natural light and air and rubbish was disposed of in boxes set out at the front of the house. A New York Tribune article from 1863 gives some idea of what these contained ―Potato-peelings, oyster-shells, night-soil, rancid butter, dead dogs and cats, and ordinary black street mud, (the boxes made) one festering, rotting, loathsome, hellish mass of air-poisoning, death-breeding filth, reeking in the fierce sunshine, which gloats yellowy over it like the glare of a devil whom Satan has kicked from his councils in virtuous disgust.‖ With the enactment of the first tenement laws in 1867 (The ‗Old Law‘), a privy was supposed to be provided for every 20 people and connected to sewers where available. America was certainly not a land where the streets were paved with gold.

On 12 July 1870, just ten days after the census was taken, there was a serious riot on the streets under the Kennerks‘ lodgings. Four Orange lodges, including members of the American Protestant Association (many of whom were exsoldiers) paraded up Broadway to a picnic site. Two hours after their arrival, they were attacked by 500 Irish Catholic labourers who were working on the West Side of Manhattan. By the end of the day, eight men were dead and many more injured. In their defence, the Catholics stated that Orange songs had been sung as the march passed through their city blocks. They also claimed that the Protestants had fired at the stained glass windows of the Church of St. Paul the Apostle, although no clergymen could be found to corroborate this.

17

Death Record of Josephine Kennerk (NPL 1897 Death Registry).

76

The next day, one of the Protestant victims, a labouring man from Ulster, was laid to rest. He lived on the Lower East Side surrounded by Catholic neighbours, and it took a supreme effort from 600 policemen and 227 Orange Order members to get his hearse from the front door to the Brooklyn ferry for burial. It was later estimated by the police that approximately 8,000 hostile people gathered and they even tried to seize the body from the house so that it could be dragged through the streets.

When six thousand Fenians attended a picnic in New York on 17 August 1870, their leaders attempted to persuade them to reconcile their differences with the Orangemen. Advising them that Irish Americans should work towards reconciliation, they tried to persuade the crowd that the old sectarianism in Ireland was fading. At the back of their minds, the Fenian leaders realised that American opinion was shaped by the country‘s resistance to an autocratic king during the 1770s. Any failure by the movement to make conciliatory gestures towards Protestants stood them in danger of alienating the American people, many of whom were already worried about the Fenians‘ armed incursion into Canadian territory. These speeches were not well received however and the speakers were answered with loud jeers. Cornelius Kennerk might certainly have joined the throng of 8,000 people.18 Thereafter, life was considerably quieter. Michael Kennerk obtained his citizenship on 27 October 1871. His former nationality was described as ‗English‘ and his occupation as ‗Mason‘. He lived at no. 216, 5 th Street which was just two doors away from his previous address. The witness to his naturalisation was Bernard Duffy – a man from no. 778, 2nd Avenue. The whole procedure was completed at the Common Pleas Court since by that time, the Supreme Court (where his three brothers were naturalised) had abandoned the practice and would not re-initiate it until 1896.19 The next family event took place on 29 January 1872, when Con‘s second son, Cornelius (Jnr) Kennerk was born in New York. He was baptised on 2 February at the recently-built St. Gabriel‘s Church, East 37th Street. Construction was delayed by the outbreak of the Civil War and only began in 1864. The sponsors are listed on the certificate as Anne Brady – the aunt who had travelled to America with Eliza and a man who was almost certainly Fenian in exile, editor of the United Irishman and hotelier O‘Donovan Rossa. Rossa was fairly active in political life, running for State Senate in the year of his arrival but still took the time to stand as a witness for the newly-baptised Irish-American child.

18

Michael Allen Gordon, The Orange Riots: Irish Political Violence in New York City, 1870 and 1871 (New York, 1993), p.93.

19 Index to Naturalisation Petitions Filed in Federal, State and Local Courts in New York 1792-1906 (M1674).

77

The following passage from his Recollections makes it clear that he often acted for others in the same capacity ―Dr. Hamilton Williams, of Dungarvan, had me to stand godfather for a child of his. The child died, and I went to the funeral to Calvary Cemetery. Dr. Williams was not long in America at the time. It was the first death in his family, and the child was buried in the plot belonging to its mother‘s sister.‖20

St. Gabriel‘s Church, where Con Kennerk was baptised.

The building was razed in 1937 to make way for construction of the Queens-Midtown tunnel. Later, the Dublin Kennerks related (incorrectly) that the church had been destroyed by a fire.

On 12 May 1872, John Kennerk married Margaret Meagher in the Nativity Church. The pastor was Fr. William Everett and some of Margaret‘s family attended. These included Denis Meagher who stood as a witness.21 The following year, Con Kennerk moved four houses away to no. 41 First Street, Brooklyn. By that time, Red Hook and Gowanus had begun to support some thriving industrial businesses along the waterfront. Its great docks were 20

Diarmuid O‘Donovan Rossa, Rossa‘s Recollections, p.86.

Marriage Record of John Kennerk and Margaret Meagher, 12 May 1872 (MA, Manhattan/M008533).

21

78

used by gasworks, coal yards, soap factories and tanneries and the wealth of the jobs they provided attracted a vibrant community with a diverse ethnic character. Remarkably, the canal was still a peaceful haven and supported many species of fish and birds. According to family accounts, the Kennerk children often watched as barges plied past on their way to Gowanus Bay and, ultimately, to the Upper New York Bay. Con tried to eke out a living wherever he could. At the time of his arrival in New York, a staggering 700 masons were employed in Brooklyn alone. Con found some stonecutting work between 1868 and 1873 but then a severe economic depression wiped out all but nine bricklaying unions in America. One of the few projects still in progress was the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge which started in 1869 and ran on until 1883. A substantial amount of masonry work was required, particularly on the huge Gothic stone masonry piers. In general, it was not a good time for Irish immigrants however and Con was forced to find work as a labourer and odd job man. Whenever he was able to find work at his trade, it paid good wages. During the mid 1870s, a mason could earn as much as $3 an hour, although this rate varied from year to year.

The hourly rate was normally set at the beginning of the work season in March or April and had been as high as $4 in 1866. When the eight-hour system came into effect in 1870, the workers were forced to accept a reduction of fifty cents per day.

Con‘s brother William fared slightly better. By 1873, he was living at no. 241, 24th Street and his first child, John Joseph was born there on 15 August of that year. Remarkably, both father and son shared the same birthday – the feast of the Ascension of Our Lady.22 On 1 November 1873, another child was born to Con and Eliza Kennerk in Brooklyn. Although unnamed, she was recorded as being their fourth. Since no records of this child appear after the family‘s return to Ireland, it is probable that she did not survive infanthood.

Shown on the next page is a Tin-plate or Ferrotype photograph of Con Kennerk‘s children, Michael and Norah, taken in New York c.1871. The process entailed the use of a thin iron sheet coated with black enamel. It began in Britain in the 1870s, achieving popularity at travelling fairgrounds and seaside attractions.

Michael (the boy depicted) would certainly have worn a dress in the early part of his childhood and this picture records his ‗breeching‘ or transition to short 22

Birth Record of John Joseph Kennerk, 15 Aug. 1873 (MA/Manhattan Birth Certificates/1322066).

79

trousers. Depending on the family‘s circumstances, boys were normally breeched between the ages of 3 and 5. Note the lady obscured behind the chair.

She is most likely keeping Norah still for the photograph.

Children of the Five Points (Author‟s Collection) John Kennerk‘s second child Johanna was born on 23 February 1875 and he lost no time in asking his brother Con to stand for her as godfather – once again in the Church of the Nativity on Second Avenue.23 Although he may not have realised it, this was to be one of the last family events that he would ever attend with his brothers.

In the summer of 1876, a stonecutters‘ Strike gripped all of Brooklyn and made newspaper headlines for many weeks. It favoured the employment of nativeborn New Yorkers and caused problems for the Kennerk brothers in their efforts to find work. It began as a large-scale refusal of American stonecutters to form their own ‗Society‘ as demanded of them by their employers. The latter group aimed to break or reduce the power of the Stonecutters‘ Association under 23

Birth record of Joanna Kennerk, 23 Feb. 1875 (MA/Manhattan Birth Certificates/1322066).

80

whose auspices a stonecutter could demand a respectable wage.

The construction of stone buildings had always been a costly affair and an increase in wages only served to increase the outlay.

After an address to the workers by the Employing Stonecutters‘ Association on Tuesday, 18 July 1876, a compromise was reached. The strike committee agreed to form the Society as asked but despite high hopes that the workers would soon return to work, the crisis soon escalated, forcing most of the Brooklyn yards to stay closed. The newly-formed society began to focus on a single dispute between the Brooklyn Stonecutters‘ Society and a lone employer.

The employer was fined $100 for attempting to obtain work below the price established by the society and refused to pay out. The matter was further complicated by the fact that the union agent who made the demand was in this contractor‘s employment.

The local newspapers give some indication as to how hostile the city was towards immigrant stone workers at that time. The newspapers were dominated by headlines such as ‗The Strikers Resorting to Mob Law – A Systematic Effort to Intimidate – Men Willing to Work Driven Away‘. The following article from the Brooklyn Eagle provides a further insight ―The Brooklyn stonecutters seem determined to have no one belong their Brooklyn Society or to allow no one to work who does not live here. The employers say that the effect of this will be to put them as completely at the mercy of a despotism as they have been from the New York Union.‖24 With the building season rapidly passing, things were becoming increasingly difficult for Con Kennerk and his young family. Eliza was pregnant again and there was little prospect of securing work once the weather turned colder. On the whole, the family had experienced a difficult seven years in the land of opportunity.

William, Michael and John opted to remain in America. They were helped in this by their transition to the bricklaying trade whose union was separate from that of the masons.

In the meantime, Con Kennerk faced a difficult transatlantic crossing back to Ireland. In New York, the local Inman agent was Joseph Berry at 296 Fulton Street, Brooklyn – a narrow, irregular lane not too far from the family‘s lodgings. The street was paved from the ferry to the fork of the road where Sand Street commenced. The Inman line charged $30 steerage passage from 24

Brooklyn Eagle, 29 Jul. 1876 (Article is entitled ‗Stonecutters‘ Strike ‗ Newark Men Driven from the Brooklyn Yards‘).

81

New York and called at Queenstown and Liverpool. Cabin tickets cost $100 in Gold. Con had the choice of taking either the Tuesday steamer, which travelled every other week or the Saturday boat, which left every week.

His son (also named Con) recalled returning to Ireland when he was eight years old, although in reality he cannot have been more than four. The family (which included Con‘s aged mother Bridget), were too late to embark on the day of departure and watched helplessly on the quayside as the ship left the harbour.

What happened next was very fortunate (for them at least). The vessel sank.25 While relatively few ships qualify for such a disaster, it has proved almost impossible to validate this story through research. For the family to have missed the steamer, it would have to have been leaving New York and not arriving. This eliminates notable tragedies such as the Pacific (which sank in 1875 off Cape Flattery with the loss of 236 lives) and other New York-bound ships.

Many more shipwrecks can be discounted using the date as a criterion. These include the wreck of the Circassian and the Inman Line‘s City of Boston which literally vanished between New York and Liverpool on 25 January 1870 with the loss of nearly 177 lives. This leaves a plethora of less known and rather 25

Interview with Mona Harte, 20 Aug. 2004. Con cannot have been eight years old since his baptismal record dates from 1872 and his brother William was born back in Dublin in 1876.

82

more banal ocean difficulties, none of which could have occurred within New York harbour itself (such an event would have loomed large in both the New York Times and Boston Daily Eagle). Literally scores of incidents are reported by the papers of the day, including capsized schooners and yachts, boiler explosions on steamers and collisions. In June 1875 for instance, the RR Hefferd, a wooden tug of 13 tons suffered a boiler explosion and burned to the water line in the harbour at Buffalo, New York.

The possibilities are thus narrowed down to just one or two ships, one of which was the steamer Amerique, bound for Le Havre on 23 November 1875. En route, it was disabled by a broken shaft and at noon of the 21st inst. in latitude 49 north, longitude 29 west (i.e. 649 miles from land) it was intercepted by the Cunard Royal Mail steamship China from Boston under Captain Gill. She took the Amerique‘s mails and passengers aboard and watched as the vessel limped under sail for France. The passengers were later landed safely at Queenstown.

The last (and mostly likely candidate) was the celebrated steamship Schiller, which was on passage from New York to Plymouth in May 1875 when she struck the Retarrier Ledges (part of the western reefs) in dense fog and sank.

Although the Schiller was a German vessel, there were also British and American passengers on board. When disaster struck, a dance was in progress and the ladies were decked in jewels and evening dresses. Over 300 crew and passengers died. Having avoided such perils, the Kennerks successfully made a second transatlantic crossing, arriving back in Dublin by October 1876. Their American dream was finally at an end. ooooooooooooooooooooo Windy weather in the Irish Annals (Chronicum Scotorum, edited by William Hennessy, London 1866): A.D. 804 Very great thunder, and wind, and lightning on the day of Patrick‘s festival, which killed very many people, viz: - one thousand and ten men, in the district of CorcoBaiscinn (County Clare).

892 Great wind in the month of March, which prostrated trees, and bore off the oratories from their sites.

1013 Great wind in the autumn, the like or equal of which has not been witnessed in these times, by which the great oak of Regles-Finghin at Cluain-muc-Nois (Clonmacnoise) was prostrated.

1085 The Easter of the wind.

1103 The Allhallowtide of the wind. A great wind and lightning in Eirinn in this year, which killed a multitude of people and of cattle.

83

JAMES LYNCH, CARNAMOYLE, CO. DONEGAL, IRELAND (US Civil War soldier) Dana Lynch, Phil Reisman & Anna Tiebout Reisman The General Alphabetical Index to the townlands of Ireland 1851 lists Carnamoyle as a townland consisting of 2,927a 1r 29pers in the parish of Muff, Co Donegal. Part of the townland is mountain. The area is steeped in legend and folklore. It is said that St. Patrick baptised Conal and Neil, the sons of Neil of the Nine Hostages at the old church at Eskaheen not far from there. Lynch is a common name in the area and appears among the few surviving gravestones in the ancient burial ground surrounding Eskaheen ruined church.

The earliest record for the area is "The composition of Tithes for the parish of Muff in the Deanery and Diocese of Derry, County of Donegal, dated April 3rd 1837. This shows there were 8 plots of land in Lynch ownership in Carnamoyle. All farms contained a reasonable area of good arable land, some had a portion of mountain while one consisted of bad arable mountain land only. The Lynch tenants were: George Lynch,Colpey 159a 0r 09p (mountain included) John Lynch,Carnamoyle 68a 2r 00p (no mountain) Patrick Lynch, Carnamoyle 21a 2r 20p (no mountain) Paul Lynch, Colpey 181a 1r 21p (mountain included) Thomas Lynch,Mullinaghey 53a 2r 02p (no mountain) Thomas Lynch,Gary 87a 2r 26p (no mountian) Thomas Lynch snr, Colpey 160a 1r 02p (mountain included) William&Patrick Lynch,Carnamoyle 567a 0r 10p (bad arable & mountain only)

Only three of the above named were resident in Carnamoyle but the others lived close by. If all these men were old enough to rent land they were possibly fathers of families too.

It is safe to assume that many of these Lynch landholders were related to each other.

John Lynch leased 68 acres of land. With such a large area of land he probably lived in a good stone built house and owned a couple of horses. John's son, James, was born in Carnamoyle, Co Donegal in August 1813. No records of his early life exists but life may have been difficult enough in Donegal at that time.

Catholic Emancipation which allowed freedom of religion and education was not granted until 1829 and even then there was widespread unrest regarding the collection of the Tithes, a tax imposed on everyone for the upkeep of the Established Church. James sailed for New York from (London)Derry port in 1834. Carnamoyle is approx 6 miles from the port of Londonderry which is within an hour or less walking distance - the path was well trodden by those who boarded the large ocean liners to seek a fortune in the lands of opportunity.

84

The year after his son's departure, John Lynch visited the local magistrate to obtain a letter1 showing details of his son's age, place of birth and date of departure from Londonderry. That 1835 letter, signed by a British official and

by James‘ father, John Lynch, implied that James came from the ‗townland‘ of Carnamoyle, (parish of Muff, County Donegal, Ireland), but a cousin Anna Tiebout Reisman found army service documents which referred to James's place of birth as Thompsonstown2.

The document states that the ship " The Great Britain", sailed out of Londonderry for New York in April 1834 with James Lynch on board. The manifest for "The Great Britain" recorded a number of people named Lynch, including three of the name James but none seem to fit the James, aged 21.

Among the passengers were:   

one 42 year old James Lynch who apparently travelled alone; another 24 year old James Lynch who travelled with a 31 year old female, Letitia Lynch, and 22 year old male William Lynch; the third James was 23 years old and seemed part of a group consisting of 60 year old male Hugo Lynch, 20 year old male Hugo Lynch, 23 years old female Eleneor Lynch, and 56 years old Major3 Lynch.

On 29th August 1836, James married Ann Drewry, an Englishwoman. In her research, Anne Tiebout Reisman found that – ―Robert Drewry, his wife, and two children sailed for Charleston, South Carolina from England. Cholera broke out on the ship and Robert Drewry and his wife died. The two children, Ann and, I believe, a brother, were placed in the care of friends in New York City. In her application for a widow‘s pension, Ann said that their wedding was held in a school house kept by her adoptive mother‖.

James Lynch and his wife Ann had the following children George Lynch, born 1839 1 This letter is in ownership of Lynch descendants in the USA 2 Thomspsonstown is not listed in the 1851 official townlands index but is it is well known as an area within the townland of Carnamoyle. Thompsonstown house is still standing and in the ownership of a Lynch descendant. It is very likely that Thompsonstown is the birthplace of James. This further information narrows down the area where James Lynch and his family lived but more research may prove the exact whereabouts.

3 The name Major seems unusual, it may have been a gaelic name that the shipping official could not translate.

85

William H. Lynch, born 1842 Sarah Lynch, born 1843 Catherine Lynch, born 1845 Anne Lynch, born 1847 Caroline Lynch, born 1848 Charles Wesley Lynch, born 4 December 1850 Franklin Lynch, born 28 December 1852 Their last two children were baptised in an Episcopal church in New York, but it is not known if James was raised Catholic and converted to his wife's religion.

The names George, William, Sarah, Charles, Hugh and Frank were all common names in other Lynch families back in Donegal.

By 1838 James was listed in the New York City Directory as a mason, living near Corlear‘s Hook in the lower east side of Manhattan. A few years later he was in the same neighbourhood at 34 Columbia Avenue, which is now below the Williamsburg Bridge. The neighborhood was full of ship yards at that time.

According to his granddaughter Virginia Lynch (August 1924), James sold his brick house in Manhattan in 1849 for $3000 "yielding to the urge to get away from the blasting and digging incident to the laying out of the new, 'Central Park' and moved to the 'rustic solitudes' of Mott Haven on the corner of Morris Avenue and 142nd Street", (now part of the Bronx). At that time the Bronx was just a collection of small villages where the Lynch boys could shoot ducks and geese from their front porch. James worked as a stone mason. He probably built some of those stone walls surrounding New York‘s Central Park When the Civil War began in 1861, the New York City economy was crippled for some time because of its strong connection to the cotton trade. It is suspected that James, now almost 50 years old, was jobless. With a wife and children to feed, he may have been desperate enough to earn money that he was willing to enlist in the Union Army, which he did in New York City, at 48 years of age on 7th September, 1861. He was mustered in as a private on that day to serve three years, and was promoted to corporal sometime prior to August 31, 1863. Further writings from his grand daughter Virginia Lynch tells how ―In April, 1861, the sleepy village on the Harlem stirred to Lincoln's call to arms. James Lynch, the father of the house marched away with the 13th Independent NY Light Artillery. The story of Wheeler's Battery, of that regiment, is the story of the Civil War, for it took part in thirty-eight engagements. After Gettysburg, a joyous welcome awaited the father when he returned for a brief two-weeks furlough. A Virginia creeper which the soldier brought back from Gettysburg Field long shed its green and crimson glory over the old picket fences and the porch of their old home.‖ 86

James re-enlisted on January 1, 1864.

Photo4 dated about Feb 1864 while James was on leave.

Letters that he wrote home repeated three things:  his expectation that the war would soon end;  his attempts to leave the army, and  his fear that sons George and William would get dragged into what he called the ‗dreadful carnage‘ of the war.

James‘s army unit, the 13th New York Independent Light Artillery, evolved much like the rest of the Union Army. For the first two years they spent a lot of time moving from one place to another without seeing much battle. When they finally faced their first significant battle at Chancellorsville in May 1863, they had the bad luck to be the first to be overrun by ‗Stonewall‘ Jackson‘s army bursting out of the woods as the Yankees made dinner. The 13 th NY Light Artillery quickly broke ranks and ran to the rear with the rest of their army.

After Chancellorsville they received new officers who spent the next month and a half training the battery, so, when they were ordered to rush up to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania at the beginning of July 1863, the 13th performed with much more discipline and made significant contributions to winning the battle there. That autumn the 13th travelled by train to Tennessee and played a small part in the battle of Lookout Mountain. Mostly, though, they settled into winter quarters in northern Alabama until May 1864 when Sherman began to march down through Georgia. By now the whole Union Army under Sherman was quite competent and almost daily fought against the retreating Confederates, until late July 1864 when they crossed Peachtree Creek just north of Atlanta. Late in the afternoon th of July 20 , the 13th battery was positioned on a ridge when the Confederate Army made a desperate attack. The woods were thick around them, so James and his unit probably did not see the Confederates until just as they emerged from the woods. James was hit nine times, probably all within seconds and he probably died in seconds too.

The Lynch family history also recounts a tale of how James "fell nobly daring, at the front of the Great Conflict at Atlanta, pierced by nine balls, five of which went through his heart". The Report of Capt. Henry Bundy dated Sept 7, 1864 refers to the incident where he doesn‘t mention Lynch by name, but confirms that one of his soldiers was struck and killed by nine bullets at this battle.

4

Courtesy Phil Reisman 87

Virginia Lynch5 wrote (August 1924) of how her family heard the sad news of James's death – ―Then came Sherman's march to the sea. Every afternoon the village folk gathered in a store to hear the war news read from the New York Herald which some one, each day, made the long trip to the city to get. Little Caroline Lynch, wide-eyed, heard one memorable day, the ominous list thus begun: 'Killed in action -- James Lynch'. Back she sped to tell the grievous news to the bereaved mother and children. A simple stone in Woodlawn records briefly the story: 'Killed at Peach Tree Creek, Georgia, July 20, 1864‖.

And – ―Only echoes of his (James) sturdy step returned; but they seem to have followed on into the lives of his grandsons and greatgrandsons, for the tradition of military service to the country still persists. In the Big War Colonel James A. Lynch, wounded at Montfaucon, in the Mense-Argonne, sends a reassuring cable message to cheer the anxious kin in the old home. A grandson of Sarah Lynch's, Colonel Francis Fielding Longley, wins honors from four governments for his efficient services as an engineer. And young William Lynch and other sons and daughters of the house served their country in various ways and kinds.‖ James was probably buried in a mass grave at the Peachtree Creek battlefield, and then re-buried later at Marietta, Georgia. It is said there is a gravestone for him in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.

Old family papers show that James had relatives in America - there was at least one brother, Richard who died in 1863, probably in the American Civil War. There were also cousins, Robert V. Lynch, who died in New York in 1899, and Eliza Lynch whose photograph is held by a descendant and dates probably from the 1870s.

Final Comments Dana Lynch and Phil Reisman are great great grandchildren of James Lynch.

Dana Lynch has worked at NASA's Ames Research Center. His "role" in building the LCROSS spacecraft that hit the south pole of the moon in October 2009 allowed him to get the Lynch name on the moon (on a plaque built into the spacecraft). Phil Reisman is a journalist in the greater New York area. Phil's mother Anna Tiebout Reisman, was a great granddaughter of James Lynch. She passed away in early Spring 2011.

5 Grand daughter of James Lynch 88

LAWLESS OF CONNACHT Adrian James Martyn Lawless family origins The surname Lawless derives from the Old English term laghless, denoting a wild, unruly type of person, or in extreme terms, an outlaw (1). The family seem to be ultimately Welsh in origin, and especially associated with the Barrett family, who were of acknowledged Welsh ancestry(2).

The first Lawless's recorded in Ireland were located in east County Wicklow.

Emmett O'Byrne writes : ―Many English lords of Leinster ... held lands in Wales, while lesser marcher lords such as the Blunds, Roches, fitz Rhyses, Lawlesses, de Valles and Pencoits were all Cambro-English in origin. On the Leinster coast there seem also to have been communities of Welsh merchants at Arklow and Wicklow.‖(3).

He continues : ―These Welsh colonists spearheaded the colonisation of the Dublin marches and the Wicklow mountions. To the forefront of this colonising drive were the Welsh marcher lineages of fitz Rhys and Lawless. ...the Lawlesses came to dominate much of east Wicklow. In comparison to the fitz Rhyses, the Lawlesses do not seem to have belonged to the first wave of newcomers. Instead they probably arrived in Ireland in the early years of the thirteenth century. They are first mentioned living on the lands of the archbishopric of Dublin during the 1212-28 reign of Archbishop Henry de Londres, indicating that they may have been his clients originally.‖(4) ―The Lawlesses were to build five stone houses for the defense of the region between Wicklow town and Newcastle McKynegan, a territory later known as Lawlesses Country.‖(5) There is no known link between the Connacht and Wicklow Lawless families; the name may have arose independently by two otherwise unrelated families.

However, it may be that members of the Wicklow family joined their fellowWelshmen in the conquest of the kingdom of Connacht in the 1230s (6).

An Laighléiseach The first of the name recorded in Connacht was "Robin Laigles", in 1248. The Annals of Connacht relate that :

89

―The sons of Magnus, and the son of Conchobar Ruad (O Conchobair) made a hosting and revolted against the Galls. They burned Mac Henry's castle and captured its warden and carried the preys of North Umall onto the islands of Clew Bay. Then Jordan D'Exeter and John Butler and Robin Laigles and many others assembled and marched first to Ballintober and thence to Aghagower, and next day they plundered Umall, north and south.‖(7) Umall, or more properly Umaill, ―means low, and applies in this sense to the country lying east of Clew Bay, as Aicill applies to the parts lying north and south of the bay‖(8). The same annals state under 1260 that ―Robin Laigles died on Easter Sunday this year.‖(9) In 1271, ―Aed son of Comarba Comain O Conchobair was killed by Thomas Butler at Muine Ingine Crechain ... Domnall O Flainn was killed by the son of Robin Laigles on the same day, at the southern end of Shrule.‖ (10) Robin Lawless would then seem to be the founder of the family in Connacht, active from at least the late 1240s to his death in 1260. He appears to be identical with Riobeard son of Uilliam son of Nioclás Lawless mentioned in a genealogy by Dubhaltach MacFhirbhisigh, compiled in the 1640s. Riobeard is given a son, Sir Uilliam Lawless, called "An Laighléiseach" (meaning Chief of the Name) who held land ―From Fearsaid Tehise to Tráigh Mhurbhigh‖,(11) granted to him by Sir William Mór na Maighne Barrett, who was killed in 1281(12). Sir Uilliam would seem to be identical with the "William Lawless" who was killed in Strade during the war of 1316(13). If we take the phrase ―the son of Robin Laigles‖ to mean Robin's eldest son, then the annal entry of 1271 may feature one of the first deeds of Sir Uilliam Lawless's adult career.

The events of the war of 1316 are too complicated to be entered into here, beyond quoting the relevant section of the Annals of Connacht: ―He (King Fedlim of Connacht, reigned 1310-16) then set out to banish the Galls of West Connacht, burning Ballylahan (now Strade, County Mayo) and killing Stephen d'Exeter, Miles Gocan, William Prendergast, John Standon—these were knights—and William Lawless, slaughtering unnumbered people with them. He plundered and burnt the countryside from the castle of Corran to the Robe, both church and lay property, and returned afterwards to his house with victory and much booty.‖ (14) Interestingly, the annalist seems to draw a distinction between de Exeter, de Cogan, Prendergast and Staunton ("these were knights") and William Lawless, seemingly to imply that Lawless, unlike the first four, was not a knight. This raises the possibility that the William Lawless of 1316 was not Sir Uilliam 90

Lawless, or perhaps one of the sources had incorrect information. At any rate he was deemed important enough for his death to be noted in the annals, thus implying that he was a man of some importance in his time, perhaps being An Laighléiseach himself. If this was the case, then a posthumous knighthood might have seemed appropriate!

MacFhirbhisigh further notes that an unnamed daughter of Sir Uilliam was the second wife of Sén-Brian Ó Dubhda, King of Ui Fiachrach Muaidhe (now north-west Mayo and west Sligo) from at least 1316 till his death in 1354. By her he had two sons, Aodh and Diarmaid (15). As is usual with Gaelic genealogies, the existence of any daughters is ignored. The marriage does however demonstrate that a parvenu family such as Lawless were thought fit enough to provide a wife (albeit a secondary one) for one of the most ancient lineages of the kingdom of Connacht (though a lineage long reduced to mere lordship).

MacFhirbhisigh is quoted by Knox who says ―MacFirbis says that Sir William Lawless had the country of Caille Conaill. There is some doubtful evidence of a Lawless connection with Ballycastle.‖(16) I cannot locate either place.

In 1333 "Robert Laweles" is noted as holding seven townlands in the cantred of Owyl (these being a "parcel of the manor of Loghry" or Loughrea) valued at £16, 13s 4d.(17). An "Adam Laules" was the second of thirteen jurors who met at Clare on 8th December 1333 to determine the above(18). Knox states that: ―John Sturmyn sued Maurice Lawless and his wife for warranty of the Isles of Inishboffin and Inishark. This also shows, what we would not have supposed likely, that Englishmen were then able to get enough profit out of those isles to make them worth litigation.‖ (19) A ―Thomas Laghles‖ is listed as one of two Constables of Connacht for 1285(20).

We may infer that Sir Uilliam (aka William) Thomas, Maurice and unnamed others were sons of Robin (aka Riobeard son of Uilliam son of Nioclás Lawless?), who died on Easter Sunday 1260. Certainly they were members of the same immediate family.

The Lawless estate, then, seems to have been in the west of County Mayo, broadly in the area between Castlebar and Westport, with claims on Inishbofin and Inishark and a relationship with the Manor of Loughrea in County Galway.

It is in these general areas that bearers of the name are still to be found in the 21st century.

91

Inhabitants of Athenry and Galway It is in County Galway that much of the remaining medieval documentation is found. ―Michael Lawless‖(21) appears in a Blake Family Records dated 24th June 1380; again as ―Michael Layles‖ - and with ―Thomas Layles‖(22) - in another dated ―Thursday in the Octave of Corpus Christi‖, 1384. ―Adam Layles, Provost of Athenry, witnessed a ―Deed of grant in fee‖ dated 24th June 1398(23).

The most relevant of these documents are given in full, as follows. The first features Edussa Fwyte (White), wife of John Lawless. It reads: ―Deed of release by Edussa Fwyte, daughter of John Fwyte, late burgess of Galway, to John Blak, son of Walter Blake, burgess of Galway and of Athenry, of all her right and title to certain lands, tenements, and fishingpools belonging to her within the franchises of the towns of Galway and Athenry, and which had been mortgaged by her for £20 to William Martin, son of Thomas Martin, burgess of Galway. Attested by the seal of Rory O'Dowda, ―chief of his nation.‖ Dated at Castle Connor [in County Sligo?] the Monday following the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, in the twenty-second year of King Richard II.‖(24) The appearance of Ruaidhrí Ó Dubhda (King of Ui Fiachrach Muaidhe from 1380 to 1417) is intriguing, because he was a grandson of Sén-Brian Ó Dubhda, though via Ó Dubhda's first wife, Barrdhubh daughter of Domhnall Ó Conchobair(25). Did their Ó Dubhda kinsmen play some role in Ruaidhri's attestion of the deed? How were relationships between the family and their Gaelic cousions (surely including more than just the O Dubhda's) exploited?

What role did these relationships play in the gradual Gaelicisation of the Lawless family? Many questions, and no certain answers.

The next surviving deed is dated Athenry, March 1399: ―Deed of grant by Adam Layles, burgess of Athenry, son and heir of John Layles and Edussa Fwyte, to John Blak, son of Walter Blak, burgess of Athenry, of two eel-weirs situated in the river of Galway - one opposite the monastery of the Minor Friars, and the other near the ford called Crossin; and also of a tenement within the walls of Galway, lying between the tenement of Henry Bodikyn and the tenement of Nicholas Kente and the plot of James de Linghe; and also of five acres of arable land lying without the walls of Galway:all of which premises were then in mortgage for £20 by the said Adam and his said father and mother to William Martin, of Galway, burgess. Attested with the seal of the borough of Athenry. Witnesses: Nicholas O'Lachnan, Bailiff; Nicholas Pay, 92

Provost of Athenry; David Wythyr, Thomas Bonaventur, Nicholas Blak, burgesses; and Elia de Athy, clerk. Dated at Athenry the Monday following the Feast of St. Patrick, in the twenty-second year of King Richard II.‖ (26) Two successive deeds survive concerning the mortgage: ―Deed of mortgage by Walter Laygleis, son of John Laygleis and of Edussa Fwyte, with the assent of his mother, said Edussa, to John Blak, son of Walter Blak, burgess of Athenry, of certain eel weirs in the river of Galway opposite the monastry of the Friars Minor; and of other weirs near the ford called Crossin; and of a tenement within the walls of Galway, between the tenement of Henry Bodkin and the tenement of Nicholas Kente and the plot of James de Linghe; and of five acres of arable land outside the walls of Galway; all which premises were then in mortgage to William Martin, burgess of Galway, for £20. Attested with the seals of the Convent of Friars Preachers of Sligo, and Brian O'Conor.

Date February 1, 1407, in the eighth year of King Henry.‖ (27) ―Power of attorney by Edussa Fwyte, wife of the late John Layles, and Walter Layles, son and heir of said John Layles, to Henry Blake and Richard Bodikyn, burgesses of Galway, to deliver possession to John Blake, burgess of Athenry, of all the premises specified in Record No. 16.

Attested by the seal of the Convent of Sligo. Written at Sligo on the feast of St. Vitalis, A.D. 1407.‖ (28) These deeds necessarily give us a one-sided story, that of the change of ownership of property from the Fwyte and Lawless family to John Blake fitz Walter. It creates an impression of decline for the former, and a rise in wealth for the latter. It may not have been that simple; had other deeds survived, we would have had a more complete record of the ups, downs and up-agains of the Fwyte and Lawless family, how they thrived at other people's losses. But we do not.

This was just one branch of a family scattered into different branches from west Mayo to south-east Galway. All we can deduce is dependent on the interpretation of the surviving evidence. What survives seems to imply a decline in the power and prestige of a family in the Irish wild west. Or perhaps at best a withdrawal from a documented, Anglo-Irish society, into a more invisible, mnemonic, Gaelic-Irish culture.

In April 1440, ―John Laweles"‖ was the tenth of fifteen freemen of Galway to be served with a royal writ against attacking John Blake fitz Henry, his men, or 93

property.(29) Apart from Laweles, all of the freemen were of the tribal families of (respectively) Lynch, Blake, French, Dean, Skerrett, Athy, and Martyn. The writ contains the only known contemporary evidence for the infamous AthyBlake feud, which resulted in the near-extinction of the Athy family.

According to James Hardiman, ―the peace of the town was ... disturbed by some deadly disputes which arose between the rival families of Blake and Athy; and, in the commotions occasioned by them, several of the latter were slain.‖ (30).

What exact role Lawless played in ‗the commotions‘ is unknown, beyond that he appears to have been one of the opponents of the antagonist, John Blake fitz Henry.

The document stated that ―said John Blake complained that he and his men were in fear both of personal injury and of loss to their goods from the said persons‖ on account of the ―divers disputes which had arisen between John son of Henry Blake‖ and the other fifteen men. In response, King Henry VI sent a writ to – ―the Sheriff to require the said persons to find good sureties under penalty of £100 that no injury or loss shall ensue to the said John Blake from any of them. If the said persons or any of them refuse to find such surety, then the persons so refusing are to be arrested and imprisoned until they find surety. The Sheriff is directed under penalty of 100 marks to make a return to this writ without delay. Attested by William Welles, Esq., deputy of Leo, Lord Welles, the King's Deputy in Ireland. Dated at Dublin, April 13, in the eighteenth year of the King's reign.‖(31) As the writ is the only surviving contemporary document of the events, we can only guess as to after-effects; is there any significance to the fact that no other member of the Lawless family would appear in surviving documents of Athenry or Galway till 1561? Did they suffer a fate similar to the Athy's, or was financial ruin brought about via the strictures of the king's writ? Further confusing matters is the fact that royal justices do not seem to have been west of the Shannon since at least the 1380's, so we may wonder what effect, if any, the writ actually had. As with much else, we simply can't know.

These few documents demonstrate that some members of the family were among the free burgess class of Athenry and Galway in the years concerned.

How long this remained the case is uncertain. What is known is that the Lawless family did not rise to the same heights as the tribal families of Galway and Athenry. Had they done so, more documentation would exist on their activities, and the family might in time have been numbered among the Tribes of Galway. Those Lawless's who remained in the county seem to have become mere tenants-at-will to the Anglo and Gaelic-Irish warlords, who treated their 94

tenants no less severely than their better-known 19th-century counterparts. The reason for this supposition is as follows.

An eraught is a term derived from oireacht, Irish for inheritance, denoting an estate of land associated with a particular family. What we might call ‗lowermiddle class‘ clans such as Wall (de la Valle), MacCooge (MacHugo, McCook, a sept of the Burkes of Clanricarde) and Dolphin, all had their own eraught located in areas associated with the Lawless family. That there is no trace of any Eraught Laighléiseach in the quite copious surviving records indicates that the family as a whole were not considered prominent enough to be noted in the Gaelic-Irish genealogies and annals, or wealthy enough to use documents of trade such as the Anglo-Irish.

Among the principal sources for Irish history in the 16th century are the Tudor fiants, and the Irish State Records (see below), both of which contain references to often quite obscure families. That there is so little in their indexes under the name ―Lawless‖ demonstrates that they were not among those who accounted for much in either Anglo or Gaelic Ireland.

This is somewhat confirmed by a document written in 1561 in Galway town, in which one: "Jhamis Laules ... was restoryd to the ffre liberties of this town accordinge as his cepte (sept) was so founde to be ffre men and had liberties of this towne, as members of the same Corporactions.‖(32) That Lawless had to apply for the freedom of the town indicates that he was probably an economic migrant from rural areas in County Galway or County Mayo, and that the family as represented by John Laweles of Galway in 1440 had possibly died out. Given the endemic violence of Gaelic Ireland, many rural dwellers sought refuge and a better way of life in the towns. James Lawless may have been one such person, and was lucky in that his ancestry gave him the freedom to exploit such a refugue.

According to TCD MS 886 : ―The town of Gallway was formerly inhabited by these sects or colonies here following, who got their livelyhood by cods and other sea fishes, drying them out by the sun, but afterwards by new colonies made famous to the world by their trading, faithful discharging of credit, good eduction and hospitality at home and abroad. The old sects 1 - Atheys 2 Kierwicks 3 - Lawles ...‖ (33)

95

The same source also states that when ―Nicholas Lynch fitz Stephen mayor, Nicholas Lynch and Martin Lynch bailiffs [in] 1561 ... James ouge Lawles was made freeman.‖ (34) That matters were much the same for the Lawless kindred elsewhere in Connacht can be demonstrated from the two lone references to bearers of the name in the State Papers and fiants, respectively.

Knox, quoting a State Paper dated 19 March 1589, gives an account of one Nicholas Lawless of Mayo Abbey. Various Burkes ―came about that time to Nic. Lawleis, an honest civil man's house near Mayo (Mayo Abbey), in an evening drank and spoiled six barrels of drink, wasted other victuals, and put the poor man in danger of his life.‖(35) The single reference to a Connacht Lawless in the fiants is to ―Shan roe Lawless, of Courte‖, one of a number of Sligomen pardoned on the 22nd February 1594(36). Certainly there must exist further references in still other sources, but the fact that the surname Lawless features so little in the surviving texts of both Irish communities demonstrates that, for whatever reason, they failed gain a rank on par with fellow Welsh clans such as Seoige (Joyce), Lynott and Barrett.

17th and 18th centuries By the early decades of the 17th century, some members of the Lawless family had acquired property, as is demonstrated by the 1635 Stafford Inquisition of County Mayo. ―Thomas Linch - I gnive of Cullintragh, wherof Anstace Lynch, alias Lawlesse, the said Thomas his mother, is dowable.‖(37) This land was located in the barony of Kilmaine, along the border of north County Galway. ―James Lawlesse - 1/2 qr (quarter) in the town of Knockroe, viz. the cartron of Lagnebarneboy; and the cartron of Cullintragh from the last day of June 1625 until 11 December 1627, at which time he did mortgage the same unto Walter Joyes and his heirs for £40 st.‖ This townland and cartron was in the barony of Clanmorris(38).

The same inquisition records that one Gilbert MacCostello had ―1/2 cartron in Ballygarruffe aforesaid from the last day of June 1625 until 8 November 1634, at which time he did mortgage the same unto Thomas Lalesse and his heirs for £10 st.‖ Thomas Lawless was, apparently, wealthy enough to guarantee a mortgage to MacCostello(39). ―James Lallis‖ was the ―Proprietor [in] 1641‖ of ―Carranarough 1 Qu[ater]‖ in the parish of Tuam, barony of Dunemore. Lallis's lands were comprised of 86 profitable acres (listed as ―Arrable and Pasture‖), plus two portions of waste 96

bog measuring 36 and 13 acres respectively. Of these, 63 acres of profitable land was disposed to Lord Athenry, while 5 and 18 acre portions of the bog was given to ―Wm. Higgin‖ and ―Loughlin Conner‖.(40) He may or may not be the ‖James Lawlyes‖ who in 1641 held one quarter of land at ―'Carrowcashlane'‖ in the same parish, which consisted of one hundred and twenty-five acres that were classed as ‖Arrable and Pasture‖, with ten acres of ―Bogg wast‖ (sic). All of this was by the later 17th century in the possession of one ―Gerald Dillo‖. (41) Another Lawless proprietor in the parish of Tuam was ―Donnell Lawlles‖, who held one hundred and thirty-eight acres at ―Ranamar‖' and sixty-seven acres at ―Caronalaghy‖, both listed as ―'profittable‖, with seventeen acres at the latter listed as bog. They were owned in four different lots by new owners later in the century.(42) ―James Lallis‖ of ―Carranarough‖ is also listed in 1641 as the owner of an undetermined amount of land at ―Carromonin‖ and ―Carrogarrin‖ in the parish of Tuam, which comprised of one hundred and nineteen acres and one hundred and forty-two acres in total. They were listed as held by others in the 1660s. (43) In County Roscommon, one ―Walter Lawless‖ is listed in the 1660s as the new proprietor of lands at ―Coyle Reagh‖ (one hundred and seventy-eight acres ―Arrable & Woody Pasture‖) and ―Tullin‖ (―3 gneeves & 1/2 Arrable & Shrubby Pasture‖, seventy-nine acres) in the parish of Killtrustan, barony of Roscommon. They had previously been the property of the Gaelic-Irish writer, Maoilín Ó Maolconaire. (44) References to the family between the mid-1600s and the early 19th century are few. Among them are records in the Irish Converts List: * Lawless, John, Dowsandel, Co. Galway, cert. 8 December 1764, enrolled 15 December 1764 (A). Of Donsandell, conformity 7 October 1764 [bracketed with Mary Lawless] (B). * Lawless, Mary, Dowsandel, Co. Galway, cert. 8 December 1764, enrolled 15 December 1764 (A). Of Donsadell, conformity 7 October 1764 [bracketed with John Lawless] (B). (45)

97

Early modern times.

By extraordinary luck, a fragment of the lost 1821 Irish census survives, covering my home parish of Kiltullagh - alas none of my own family were then resident! - and some nearby areas in County Galway. The following Lawless families are listed: * Knockadally townland. Edward Lawless, aged 31. Wife, Margaret, aged 30.

Daughters Mary, aged 6, and Bridget, aged 1. Son, Martin, aged 3. * Ranafulaghty townland. John Lawless, aged 56. Occupation, farmer/labourer.

Wife, Mary, aged 40. Sons Martin, aged 20, Michael, aged 18, Patrick aged 15 and Thomas aged 13, labourers. Daughters Anne, 9, and Judith, aged 4. * Ranafulaghty townland. Sally Lawless, aged 38. Widow. Occupation, farmer.

Sons John, aged 15, Patrick, aged 12, James, aged 10 and Edward aged 6.

Daughter, Catherine, aged 3. * Ranafulaghty townland. James Lawleys, aged 14, servant living in the house of Pat Mitchell, aged 26, house hand and steward. * Clashaganney townland. Michael Lawless, aged 46. Occupation, farmer/labourer. Wife, Bridget, aged 30. Occupation, flax spinner (46).

The Tithe Applottments for the same parish, c. 1825, lists the following: * Kilescoyle townland. James Lawless, 5 acres. * Gortakereen townland. Widow Lawlis, 6 acres. John Lawlis, 9 acres. * Knoctola townland. Edmond Lawlis, 5 acres. * Gaulboula townland. Mary Lawless, 0.2 acres.(47) Bearers of the name were also recorded in the local papers. The Connaught Journal of Monday 26th January 1829 reported that the Loughrea Quarter Sessions were held on the 6th January. Among those ―charged to the Governor of the County Prision, to be by him detained until they perform the sentences‖ were ―John Lilless‖ found guilty of assault and ―to be imprisoned for two months.‖ In the Registery of Freeholds printed in The Connaught Journal, Monday 25 th May 1829, is listed “Martin Lawless, Belakerin. House and land, townland Belakerin, barony Loughrea‖ ; ―James Lawless, Killnacappagh, house and land barony of Loughrea, townland Killbeelian‖, and ―William Lawless, Killbeeheen‖, all valued at £10. Also listed was ―Patrick Lawless, Limehill.‖ The Connaught Journal of 1st June 1829 listed ―Peter Lawless, Galway‖ as owning land valued at £50 in Urrislanin, barony of Ballinahinch. The same paper, on the same date, listed ―Stephen Lawless May” (Stephen son of May 98

Lawless? or May short for Major, as in Senior?), ―Thomas Lawless, sen(ior)‖, ―Stephen Lawless John‖ (i.e., Stephen, son of John Lawless), ―Thomas Lawless, jun(ior)‖, ―John Lawless‖, ―John Lawless Stephen” (i.e, John son of Stephen Lawless), all described as of ―Galway and Menlo, house and land, barony Dunkellin and reputed liberties of Galway‖.

Its issue of 17th September 1829 listed ―James Lawless, New England, House and land part of the lands of Loughrea barony, New England, £10.‖, while its 10th December 1829 issue listed ―John Lawless, Boulinaknakane, house and land, barony Leitrim‖ and ―Michael Lawless, Court Park, house and land, barony Athenry, Cantpark‖, both valued at £10 .

By the 1850s, thousands of natives of Connacht had emigrated, often losing touch with friends and family. One medium by which they sought each other was the Missing Friends section in the Boston Pilot, an Irish-American newspaper that enjoyed wide readership in the U.S.A. They include the following notices: 30th March 1850 – ―Of MARTIN LAWLESS, parish of Kiltolla, county Galway, who left Waltham, Ms., in December last intending to go to Maryland.

Any information respecting him will be thankfully received by his brother, Thomas Lawless, care of Michael Broderick, Waltham, Ms.‖ P.465, volume 1, 18 (48).

A second notice concerning the same man appeared in the Pilot on the 14 th December 1850, stating that ―Any information respecting him will be thankfully received by his wife, who came to this country last August, and his brother, who lives in Waltham." (49) 27 December 1856 – ―Of MICHAEL POWER, once of Derryvonlon, parish Ballinakill [co. Galway], who emigrated to this country 16 or 17 years ago; when last heard from he was in Middletown, Susquehanna county, Pa. Information received by his mother-in-law, Nancy Lawless, Niagara Falls, Niagara county, N.Y.‖ (50) 1st August 1857 – ―Of JOHN FITZGERALD, of Rockfield, near Claremorris, parish Kilcolman [co. Mayo], who sailed from Liverpool July 8th, 1849, and is supposed to have landed in New York. His freinds are very anxious to hear from him. Please adress Michael Lawless, Cambridge city, Indiana.‖ (51) 19th May 1866 - "Of MICHAEL LAWLESS, of Claremorris, county Mayo; when last heard from he was in Kentucky. Any information regarding his

99

present residence will be thankfully received by his cousin, William Steed, Chenago Forks, Broome county, NY, care of Michael Steed.‖ (52) 21st August 1869 – ―Of MICHAEL LAWLESS, a native of Spitel, county Galway, Ireland. Has served a term in the British Army, and was discharged July 29, 1865, from Chelsea Hospital; was in Galway afterwards. Any information of him will be thankfully recieved by his brother and two sisters.

Address William Lawless, Brownhelm, Lorain county, Ohio.‖ (53) 1st March 1873 – ―Of MARY LAWLESS, daughter of Stephen and Mary Lawless, parish of Kilbrekil, co. Galway, who emigrated to Australia about 25 years ago. Information of her whereabouts, dead or alive, will be received by her sister, Theresa Lawless, 333 Lombard street, Philadelphia, Pa.‖ (54) 21st December 1878 – ―Of THOMAS, PATRICK and JOHN LAWLESS, sons of Patrick and Mary Lawless (maiden name Mary Barrett), natives of the village of Lisheen, parish of Duniry, county Galway; also their step-brother James Solan; when last heard from, in 1849, Patrick and John Lawless and James Solon were in Pittsfield, Mass., and Thomas in Leeds, England.

Information of them, dead or alive, will be received by their brother, Michael Lawless, Waterville P.O., Le Suer county, Minn.‖ (55) 20th March 1915 – ―MISSING FREINDS. ADDRESSES and HEIRS WANTED of ... LAWLESS, Delia, born Galway, 1863 ...‖ (56) With the regular upkeep of parish and civil records in the 19 th century, it becomes easier to trace members of the family into the present day. The sources I have used above are just some of those who may wish to push their family tree back a little further.

Recent times Because of the relative wealth of documentation over the past number of generations, I will restrict the final part of my article to just a few sources. One still underdeveloped is that of tombstone inscriptions. Out of the two or three dozen I have surveyed in County Galway, only a very few have Lawless tombstones. One which may is that of the Carmelite Abbey, Loughrea, though the surname is difficult to make out. As near as I can tell, it reads: ―This stone erected by Francis La.... in Memory of his son Peter Las... aged 21 1773 o Lord have mercy on him & his posterity also James ..erne.‖

100

Templemoyle graveyard is a short walk outside the village of Newcastle, which is some five miles north-east of Athenry. A number of Lawless families are recorded in the area on the 1901 and 1911 census, but I could locate only one grave with a tombstone. It commemorated John Lawless of Ballyboggan, who died 5th September 1951; his wife, Julia, who died 3rd July 1975; Mary Lawless, who died 30th July 1970, and a Michael Lawless, who died 13th December 1940 Few bearers of the name have achieved any notability during the 20th century.

An exception was the seanchaí, Thomás Laighléis, who was a native of Menlo village, on the east bank of the Corrib river, four miles upstream from the town of Galway. ―Seanchas Thomáis Laighléis‖, edited by Thomás de Bhaldraithe and published in Dublin in 1977, however contains only a fraction of Laighléis stories, which ranged from tales of the Fianna to episodes of Menlo history (57).

A notable Lawless who held Galway town's top office - twice - was Bridie O'Flaherty, nee Lawless (27 October 1917 – 15 January 2006). Bridie was one of five children born to Patrick Lawless and Delia Laffy of Bullaun, Loughrea, County Galway. On Patrick's death in 1924, Delia sold the farm and moved the family to Loughrea. At age sixteen, Bridie moved to Galway, working at the Great Southern Hotel. She met and married Larry O'Flaherty of Ennis, and had issue John, Mary, Della, Angela, Betty, Joe, Terry (herself a future Mayor), Tony, Claire and Trudy. She became a well-known businesswoman, opening a canteen on the city's Fairgreen for farmers and dealers. A shop in Mervue was later expanded into a successful mini-supermarket.

Approached by Bobby Molloy to run in the 1964 elections, she succeeded in 1969, and became Mayor in 1980 and 1985. He achievements as Mayor included signing the official charter twinning Galway and Seattle, being guest of honour at the Saint Patrick's Day Parade in Memphis, Tennessee, and representing Galway during visits to Amsterdam and Jerusalem. (58) Originally a member of Fianna Fáil, the Irish Times stated in her obituary that – ―she caused a sensation in January 1986 when she defected to the PDs in the middle of her term of office. Her decision to leave the party with Bobby Molloy and join the fledgling PDs was a huge boost to the new party in the constituency‖, further describing her as ―a founder member of the Progressive Democrats and an important figure in its development as a national party.‖ (59) Finally, a little folklore I can add comes courtesy of my late cousion, Hannah Ahern nee Daly, who told me that a massacre of some eighty Lawless's took place on an unknown date, with their bodies buried under or near Limehill 101

House, Duniry, in south-east County Galway. this and other related matters!

To future investigators I leave

References 1 - Irish Families, Edward MacLysaght, Dublin, 1980.

2 - In the Barony of Tirawley in County Mayo, "The Barretts were the principal colonists, and next after them the Cusacks. The Barretts came from Munster, where they have left their name to the barony of Barretts in Cork." The History of Mayo, p.291, Thomas Hubert Knox, Dublin, 1908.

3 - "Cultures in contact in the Leinster and Dublin marches, 1170-1400", by Emmett O'Byrne, in Medieval Dublin V: Proceedings of the Friends of Medieval Dublin Symposium 2003, p. 117, ed. Seán Duffy. Four Courts Press, 2004.

4 - Op. Cit., p.118. Archbishop Henry was of the de Londres family of Oystermouth Castle, Swansea, on the Gower peninsula in south Wales.

5 - Op. Cit., p. 119.

6 - A third Lawless family, located in Kilkenny, can be traced back to Richard Lawless and his wife Isabella Cottrell, born in the mid-1400s. See Ref: MS.811 (11), in "Manuscript Sources for the History of Irish Civilization" by Richard J. Hayes, Boston, 1965 (11 volumes). Copies of the editions can be found in the Special Collections Room, James Hardiman Library, NUI Galway, and the National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin.

7 - Annála Connacht: The Annals of Connacht (A. D. 1224–1544), pp.94-95, A. Martin Freeman, Dublin, Institute for Advanced Studies, 1944. The annals can be accessed online at http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100011/index.html.

8 - Knox, p. 303.

9 - Annála Connacht, pp.133-34.

10 - Op. Cit., 158-59.

11 - Leabhar Genealach. The Great Book of Irish Genealogies, by Dubhaltach MacFhirbhisigh (ed. Nollaig Ó Muraíle), 842.2, pp.186-87. De Burca, Dublin, 2004-2005.

12 - Op. Cit. 13 - Annála Connacht, pp. 244-45.

14 - Op. cit., pp.244-45.West Connacht (Iar Connacht in the original text) denotes the west of the kingdom or province of Connacht, not the territory immediatly west of Lough Corrib that came to be called Iar Connacht. "Stephen d'Exeter, Miles Gocan, William Prendergast, John Standon" - de Exeter was the original surname of the family now called Jordan. De Cogan (Gocan) is now rendered as Coggan, Gogan, Goggin and Goggins in Connacht. Morris or MacMorris in Connacht was originally de Prendergast, while some Stauntons adopted the surname Mac an Mhíleadha or Mac Evilly.

15 - Leabhar Genealach. The Great Book of Irish Genealogies, by Dubhaltach MacFhirbhisigh (ed. Nollaig Ó Muraíle), 842.2, pp.186-87. De Burca, Dublin, 2004-2005.

16 -Knox, p.295.

17 - Knox, p. 344, Owyl or the Owles was an anglacised form of Umaill, the original name of the kingdom later renamed as the baronies of Burrishoole and Murrisk. See Knox, p. 303.

18 - Knox, p. 343.

19 - Knox, p. 305.

20 - P. 203, King James' Irish Army List:1689 A. D., Illustrations, Historical and Genealogical, John D'Alton, Dublin, 1855.

21 - pp. 6-7, Blake Family Records, volume I, 1300-1600, Martin J. Blake, 1902.

22 - Op. cit., p.10.

102

23 - Op. cit., pp. 11-12.

24 - Op. cit., p.12.

25 - LNG, 265.10, pp.600-601, vol. I. 26 - Blake Family Records, p. 12.

27 - Op. cit., number 16, p. 17.

28 - Op. Cit., number 17, p. 18.

29 – Op. Cit., p.25.

31 - Galway Corporation Ms., special collections room, James Hardiman Library, NUI Galway. See also p. 54, History of Galway, James Hardiman, 1820.

32 – p. 54, History of Galway, James Hardiman, 1820.

33 – p. 59, ―An Account of the Town of Galway‖, Paul Walsh, Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society, 1996.

34 – p. 65, ―An Account of the Town of Galway‖, Paul Walsh, Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society, 1996.

35 - Knox, p. 223.

36 - 5848, ―Fiants of the Tudor Soverigns‖, volume 4, Edmund Burke Publisher, Dublin, 1994.

37 - p. 52, The Strafford Inquisition of County Mayo, ed. by William O'Sullivan, Irish Manuscripts Commission 1958.

38 – Op. Cit. 39 – Op. Cit 40 - p.286, ''Books of Survey and Distribution ... County Galway'', ed. Brendan Mac Giolla Choille, Dublin, 1962.

41 - p.287, op. cit.

42 – p. 289, op. cit.

43 – p.289, ''Books of Survey and Distribution ... County Roscommon'', ed. Robert C. Simington, Dublin, 1949.

44 - p. 129, op. cit.

45 – p. 147, ―The Convert Rolls‖, ed. Eileen O'Bryne and Anne Chamney, Irish Manuscripts Commission, 1981.

46 – 1821 census in ―As The Centuries Passed: A History of Kiltullagh 1500–1900‖, ed.

Keiran Jordan, 2000.

47 – Op. Cit. 48 - The Search for Missing Friends: Irish Immigrant Advertisements Placed in the Boston Pilot, p.465, volume 1.

49 – Op. Cit., volume 1.

50 – Op. Cit., volume 3.

51 – Op. Cit., volume 4.

52 – Op. Cit., volume 7.

53 – Op. Cit., volume 7.

54 – Op. Cit., volume 8.

55 – Op. Cit., volume 8.

56 – Op. Cit., volume 8.

57 - ''Social History and Oral Art - Reflections on the Collected Folklore of Menlo, near Galway City'', Cian Marnell, pp. 134-148, ''Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society'', volume 59, 2007.

58 - Role of Honour:The Mayors of Galway City 1485-2001, William Henry, Galway, 2001.

59 - http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2006/0113/1134117224229.html

103

Editor‟s note Since 1998, over twenty of Adrian James Martyn‘s articles have featured in Irish Roots Magazine, The Journal of the Irish Family History Society, The Galway Advertiser, The Journal of the Genealogical Society of Ireland, The Septs and other publications. He has acted as a researcher and consultant for biographies of Richard "Humanity" Martin, Lord Haw-Haw, Edward Martyn and the Irish Battlefields Project.

He has self-published two chapbooks, including The Tribes of Galway (2001), a heavily expanded version of which he is currently revising. He was one of the five hundred financial subscribers to the five-volume edition of Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh's Leabhar na nGenealach/The Great Book of Irish Genealogies, published by De Burca of Dublin in 2004 and 2005. Since 2011 he has been a participant in the Ireland Reaching Out South-East Galway Diaspora Pilot Project. His future plans include an account of the 1316 Battle of Athenry, its background and aftermath; a three-volume compilation of documents from 1365 to the 21st century relating to the Martyn tribe of Galway, which he has been assembling since 1996 and a book on the surnames of County Galway. ooooooooooooooooooooo

„Irish Gathering – Recording your Family History in a real time Global Web Environment‟ The website www.IrishGathering.ie is a free web site designed to help Irish people to create their own family tree history online, retrace their roots and connect to the Irish diaspora family on a global basis. By linking to the Irish Diaspora the website aims to also increase the number of Irish visitors to Ireland who have an interest in tracing their roots or returning home to visit family. So while it contains many elements that help people establish their immediate genealogy, it also allows families, separated by time and geography to search, connect and unite, through the website, with their relatives across the globe.

In January 2011, the founder, Mr. Joe Whelan, addressed the Society members under the above title and showed how Irish Gathering, through the effective use modern internet technology could be used by both professional and amateur genealogists to research and record family history in a very structured manner.

Indeed, since January 2011 there have been over 80,000 visitors to the site and over 65 Gigabytes of family tree data have been uploaded securely by registered members to the website archives. We would recommend to members to check the site out as it is an Irish initiative specifically for use by Irish people.

104

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION FROM THE IRISH YEAR BOOK 1921 The County Borough of Dublin in 1921 had an area of 7,911 acres with a population of 304,802 persons. The religious breakdown was as follows – Catholic Episcopalians Presbyterians All others

253,370 equal to 83.1% 39,357 .. .. 12.9% 4,217 .. .. 1.4% 7,858 .. .. 2.6%

The list of councillors in the Corporation was as follows – William Paul, 120 Royse Terrace, Phibsboro.

John Farren, 20 Blackhall Place.

Mrs. Anne Eliza Ashton, 22 Manor Place.

Patrick Mclntyre, 6 Gardiner's Row. Thomas Francis Nolan, 90 Aughrim Street.

John Keogh, J.P., 19 Stoneybatter.

Dermot Logue, 6 Whitworth Terrace, Drumcondra.

James Moran, J.P., 3 Hollybrook Park, Clontarf.

William McCarthy, J. P., 5 St. John's Terrace, Clontarf.

Michael James Moran, ‗Baymount‘, Clontarf.

Rt. Rooney, 9 Grace Park Avenue, Drumcondra.

Thomas Loughlin, 164 Botanic Road, Glasnevin.

John Forrestal, 54 Marguerite Road, Glasnevin.

John Bohan, 36 Blackhall Place.

Joseph Patrick Mooney, 62 Meath Street.

Mrs. Margaret McGarry, 5 Fitzwilliam Square.

Richard Henry White, 45A Fleet Street, and 48 Leeson Park.

Patrick Gordon, 32A and 32C Upper Clanbrassil Street.

Joseph Niall Coghlan Briscoe, 43 Rutland Square.

Patrick Vincent Mahon, ‗Carraig Uladh‘, Whitehall, Dublin.

Seamus O Maoilfhinn, 107 Summer Hill.

William Chase, 115 Parnell Street.

John Byrne, 582 North Circular Road.

Joseph McGrath, T.D., 13 Rutledge Terrace, South Circular Road.

Peter Sean Doyle, 159 Emmet Road, Inchicore.

Edward O‘Neill, 14 Ring Street, Inchicore.

Michael Lynch, 24 Reuben Street.

Andrew Fi'tzpatrick, 1 Chaworth Terrace, Hanbury Lane.

John O'Connor, 46 Nash Street, Inchicore.

Patrick Medlar, 35 Mountshannon Road, South Circular Road, and 17 Usher's Island.

105

Mrs. Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, M.A., 7 Belgrave Road. Rathmines, and 34 Westmoreland Street.

Sir James Michael Gallagher, J.P., 22 Charleston Road, Rathmines, and 24 Dame Street.

Joseph Clarke, 6 Harcourt Street.

John Russell Stritch, J.P., Solicitor, 17 North Great George's Street, and 4 to 6 Eustace Street.

Owen Hynes, 40 Cuffe Street.

Thomas Richard Atkins, 10 Spencer Street, South Circular Road.

Lawrence Raul, 31 Exchequer Street, and 3 Campfield Terrace, Dundrum, Co. Dublin.

James Brennan, 392 North Circular Road.

John Lawlor, 9 Fontenoy Street.

Michael Flanagan, 27 Primrose Street.

John O'Callaghan, 20 Leinster Street, Phibsboro'.

Mrs. Jennie Wyse Power, 21 Henry Street.

John O'Mahony, 32A Gardiner's Place.

Joseph Farrell, 37 Upper Wellington Street.

Michael Dowling, 36 Wexford Street.

Patrick Thomas Daly, 177 Clonliffe Road.

James Gately, 34 Little Denmark Street.

Thomas Farren, 1 Joannville, Crumlin Road.

James Vincent Lawless, 25 Botanic Avenue, Glasnevin.

Patrick McDonnell. 17 Lower Oriel Street.

Michael Brohoon, 35 Second Avenue, Seville Place.

John Grace, 102 Lower Clanbrassil Street.

Thomas Kennedy, 20 Charlemont Mall.

John Joseph Murphy, 1 Lower Clanbrassil Street.

Michael Thomas Byrne, 5 Garden Lane.

Thomas Cassidy, 13 Denzille Street.

Myles Keogh, J.P., L.R.C.S.I., 4 Mount Street, Lr. Lorcan O‘Toole, 183 Great Brunswick Street.

George Augustine Lyons, 135 Great Brunswick Street.

Michael James Maxwell Lemon, 22 Nassau Street and ‗Lisgar‘, Palmerston Gardens, Rathmines.

ooooooooooooooooooooo

106

THE SAUNDERSONS OF FARRANSEER, CO. CAVAN Billy Saunderson, MGSI Having decided to ―reclaim‖ my life from the clutches of my Corporate Masters, one of the tasks I set for myself was to produce a family tree of my Saunderson family. The family tree quickly expanded into a family history when I discovered how much enjoyment and satisfaction I derived from researching the origins of the family. At the end of my research I produced a photo copied, spiral bound history of which I was very proud and which was warmly welcomed by the family.

Having accumulated a number of family photos during my research I decided to follow the history book with a photo book. That is where things took a significant turn. I had attended a number of Genealogical Society public lectures and became reacquainted with an old colleague Tom Conlon. Tom and I met for coffee one morning, to which I brought my ―production‖ to show Tom. I don't think he intended to but Tom quickly trumped my production by showing me the fantastic copy he had produced of his own family history. Tom advised that it would be best to combine my research and photographic material into a single production. The rest is history as they say and I set about producing a composite family history incorporating text and other material. The result was my rather grandly titled 120-page book, privately published - The Saundersons of Farranseer, County Cavan.

While it involved considerable effort, as a result of collating and presenting my research in the format of text, photographs, official documents and other relevant material, it has greatly enhanced the quality of presentation and will, I hope, leave subsequent generations of the family with a lasting memento of their past.

My Cavan Origins I was born in Virginia, Co. Cavan. While living there, and indeed subsequently, 107

my father Patrick regularly visited his family who lived in Farranseer, Co. Cavan, where he himself was born, the youngest of 9 children of William Saunderson, born 1853, and Catherine nee Sheil. I was always aware of the closeness of the family and when I reached that stage in life where the past seems to matter, I decided it was time to undertake some research.

Farranseer is very small townland in County Cavan, located between the towns of Arva and Killeshandra. It adjoins a much better known townland - Cornafean, famous for its GAA football team and the contribution of many players to Cavan County teams, particularly in the 1930/40 era.

Other Cavan Saundersons About 20 years ago I had been persuaded by an antiquarian book loving friend of mine to purchase a book he had come across, titled The Saundersons of CastleSaunderson. This book was written by Henry Saunderson and printed for private circulation, in 1936. It lay on my bookshelf for 20 years and was only dusted down when I began to research my own Saunderson family.

CastleSaunderson is located near Belturbet, Co Cavan and overlooks Upper Lough Erne. This was the home of a Saunderson family who were granted significant lands in Counties Cavan and Monaghan around 1573. At that time the estate extended to some 20,000 acres. Colonel Edward Saunderson, MP who was first elected to Parliament as a Unionist member for County Cavan, on 17 July 1865, was one of the famous members of this family. This family at one time had the surname Sanderson. A related family was the Sandersons of Cloverhill, also in County Cavan.

My family had been Catholic for as long as I was aware. However, the existence of two families named Saunderson, within 10 miles of each other, one Protestant one Catholic, one with 20,000 acres one with 20 acres, did make me wonder if there had been a connection in the past and if through some possible ―misdeed‖ along the way, someone had been banished to Farranseer?

The Saunderson name Saunderson was quite a common surname in County Cavan. The Primary Valuation Property Survey, 1848-64 lists forty eight(48) householders in Cavan with the surname Saunderson.

Two members of my family continue to live and farm, on adjoining farms, in Farranseer - one Saunderson and one Duignan (mother was Saunderson). After approximately 150 years only one Saunderson now lives in County Cavan.

One of the greatest challenges I faced was the constant interchange of the spellings Saunderson and Sanderson in the family. An illustration of this difficulty is the Land Portfolio No CN23972, which relates to the original 108

family farm owned by James born 1780, and which records in 1939 the transfer of ownership of parts of the property by William Sanderson to John Saunderson. These are father and son (my grandfather and uncle)!

The 1841 Census – Killeshandra When I mentioned that I might carry out some basic research on the family, I was informed that one of the family had in their possession a copy of the 1841 Census for the area. From the little or nothing I knew about genealogy, this surprised me as I understood all Census records prior to 1901 had been destroyed by fire in the Four Courts building in Dublin. I quickly established that by an amazing coincidence the Census records of 1841 for Killeshandra Parish (in which Farranseer is located) did indeed exist. I understand this may be the only Parish in Ireland for which complete records exist. From this Census I established that my great-great grandfather was James Saunderson, born 1780, married 1813 and deceased 1836.The Census recorded his wife Peggy born 1790, sons William born 1813 and James born 1830. Also recorded in the house on the night of 6 June 1841 were Hugh Brean, age 48, a Labourer and Mary Garner, age 16, a Servant. This surprised me as the family home then was a thatched home of modest size. From family ―lore‖ I was aware that a local McKeirnan family were related. After some further research I identified in the 1841 Census for Cornafean Townland that a Mary McKeirnan, recorded as married in 1839, age 18 and mother of a son James age 1, was Mary Saunderson sister of William and James referred to earlier.

I was also aware that the Saundersons were related to another local family named Cartwright. A member of that family is George Cartwright, a former Chairman of the Cavan County GAA Board. George kindly provided me with a copy of the death certificate of his great grandmother Catherine Cartwright who died 9 April 1899 .The recorded age at death is 90, but this is unlikely to be accurate as ages were regularly rounded off at that time. Catherine's maiden name was Saunderson and she was a sister of William, Mary and James. George Cartwright is also author of ―Up The Reds The Cornafean Achievement‖, an excellent history of Cornafean GAA Football Club published in 1989.The history contains many references to the Saunderson (and Duignan) families. My father Patrick and his brothers Willie James and Eugene were all prominent members of Cornafean. An interesting extract from the book, in describing the defeat of Cornafean by Cavan Slashers in the 1931 Senior County Final, is ―an indication of the standard at the time is demonstrated by the fact that three Cornafean players; Paddy Saunderson, Tom Brady and Francie McKiernan(Cross) were all members of the Cavan Junior Team throughout the Ulster Championship but none of them could get their place on the Cornafean Senior Team for the County Final‖.

109

Just recently a cousin Liam Saunderson, who was born in Farranseer, reviewed an article written by Father Gerard Alwill on the 1841 Census of Killeshandra, which listed the then occupants of homes in the neighbouring townlands of Farranseer, Cornafean and Corr. Comparing 1841 to 2011(170 years) has been fascinating. Some of the same families still reside in the area but in the case of Corr townland, of 27 surnames recorded in 1841 only 2 remain today.

List of Freeholders – 1819 I assumed that the 1841 Census was the earliest documentation I would source containing any record of the family. I was wrong. During a visit to the National Library I came across a ledger titled - ‖List of Freeholders, registered in County Cavan since 1 January 1813‖. Recorded in this, under date 18 January 1819, is James Saunderson as a 40 shilling freeholder. This suggested that James was a person of some means which will be referred to later in this piece. The Landlord is recorded as Viscount Frankford(sic). I have not been able to trace any estate or other records relating to Viscount Frankford. I did subsequently come across a receipt, dated 29 September 1921, for £5.17.6, issued to my grandfather William Saunderson in respect of one year's land rental on his farm in Farranseer. Interestingly the receipt has VISCOUNT FRANKFORT crossed out and replaced by The Honble Kathleen de Montmorency (who I understand was then widow of Viscount Frankfort).

Saunderson lands Other sources of information on the family in Farranseer were The Tithe Applotment Book, 1832, Griffith's Land Valuation 1848-64. I found that the assessors/valuers of the lands for Griffith's Valuation recorded their fieldwork in Valuation Field Books. The books for Farranseer are dated 14 November 1837.

I was able to source and view the Field Books for Farranseer, in the National Archives. From the combination of these sources I was able to identify that brothers William, born 1816 and James born 1830, by 1856 were tenants of adjoining farms in Farranseer. One was the farm originally occupied by their father James and the other had been acquired from a neighbouring family called Faris. In a UK Govt document titled Finance Accounts Ireland 1803-04, Vol.6, Section 111(Ireland) I found a record of monies owing -(£2142.16.0) by a Collector, William Faris, County Cavan. If this Faris is connected to the Faris family who were resident in Farranseer, it is possible land was sold to reduce the debt. An Ordnance Survey map, 1836, of Farranseer shows a cluster of buildings on the farm leased by James in 1856, and presently occupied by his great grandson Thomas Duignan. These buildings may have been cottars (labourers) homes on the Faris land.

110

With all this information available to me the task of piecing together the more recent generations of the family was made considerably easier. However, I was frustrated that I could not trace the earlier origins of James, born 1780. I concluded that he had come to the area around the time of his marriage in 1813, and this appeared to be confirmed by his registration as a freeholder in Farranseer in 1819.

I should have mentioned that much time had been spent by me searching for information in places such as Dublin Library, Pearse St., the National Library, the National Archives and the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland, Belfast. Also, I had spent considerable time with members of the extended family and in particular those still resident in or near Farranseer. County Cavan has a full time Genealogy section attached to the County Library. My single greatest regret is that I did not at least record information from my father and his siblings, and other members of that generation, which would have greatly assisted in piecing together the history of the family. I was, I know, fortunate that the family continues to reside in Farranseer in 2011, a long time since the earliest recorded residence there in 1819.

I then turned my attention to more recent generations of the family. I was aware that some of the family had emigrated to the US, Canada, Scotland and more recently Australia. I was most successful with my research on Scotland. I found details of two granduncles -Thomas Saunderson, born 1852 and his brother James born 1858, who emigrated to Scotland. I identified that Thomas was a member of the RIC between 1873 and 1899 when he was pensioned. He emigrated, with his wife and children, to Scotland then to join his younger brother James in Glasgow. I was able to source a copy of the RIC official record for Thomas. I have also been able to trace the two families through successive Scottish Census returns from 1891 to 1911.Of interest is that James, born 1858 in Farranseer, and living in Glasgow in 1891, married Annie Monaghan in Glasgow on 24 June 1889. I subsequently discovered that Annie was in fact also from Farranseer where her parents James Monaghan and Margaret nee Mullen lived. I also traced a son of Thomas called William James Saunderson, born 1883 while Thomas was stationed in Ballybay, Co. Monaghan. William James studied for the priesthood and ministered mostly in New Zealand. Indeed, my own daughter Orna, who visited New Zealand in 2008, visited the Catholic Church in Kaikoura where she came across records of Father William James while he was Parish Priest there from 1924 to 1928.

The local Cavan newspaper, The Anglo Celt recorded the death of Father William James in 1946.

Another daughter Caoimhe, who visited Australia in 2010, made contact with my first cousin Desmond Saunderson who emigrated to Australia in 1967. She

111

met with Desmond's family and is now in regular contact via Skype, Facebook etc. I instance these visits as examples of where an interest in family history can lead to new contacts and friendships within families. I know that during the course of my own research I became closer to members of the extended family.

During my searches for information on the family I was asked if I had come across any ―family scandals‖. I did not. I did find a report in The Anglo Celt, dated 6 October 1917, that recorded my Grandfather William Saunderson along with a neighbouring farmer ―were summoned for exposing sheep in Cavan fair without certificates to show that the sheep had been dipped as required by the regulations‖. The defendants were fined 6d each ―with ordinary costs‖.

In some ways I was fortunate that I was researching a family with the surname Saunderson and not Brady, in County Cavan. One of my most fulfilling days was spent in The Presbytery of Killeshandra Roman Catholic Church by kind permission of the then PP Father Hurley. I was able to search the complete Birth, Confirmation, Marriage and Death Records for the parish which includes Farranseer.

As well as recording these listed events in the family I also recorded every instance where a member of the Saunderson family was recorded as a witness at baptism, marriage or death of others in the parish. I copied this information in the individual pen pictures of every member of the family which I have included at Section 35 of my production. This information has been highlighted by some members of the family, particularly those still resident in Farranseer, as being of great interest. They can now identify connections between our families and others in the locality and it gives a great sense of the social fabric of the area from the late 1800s onwards.

I will go back to my earlier reference to my attempts to find great great grandfather James's origins and where he might have been born in 1780.

Through my research I had become aware of another large group of Saunderson families in County Cavan, in a parish called Corroneary near Bailieborough, Co. Cavan, which is located about 20 miles from Farranseer and Killeshandra.

These Saundersons were members of the Presbyterian Church. Based on Griffith's Valuation and the Tithe Applotment Book these families were all tenants of small landholdings, similar to my Saunderson family, and unlike the CastelSaunderson Saundersons and the Cloverhill Sandersons.

Through posting my family information on some selected ancestry websites, offering and seeking information on Saunderson descendants, I was contacted by an Eric Saunderson resident in Scotland and a descendant of the Saunderson's from Corroneary.

At the suggestion of Eric I visited Bailieborough where I was able to view the 112

Corroneary Presbyterian Church records by kind permission of Leslie McKeague, keeper of the church records.

Here I discovered the birth record of a James Sanderson, born 15 Sept 1780 and baptised 1 October 1780. James's parents were recorded as Robert Sanderson and Charity Bole. James was recorded as 1st child. On further searching the records I discovered that by the time of the birth of their fourth child Edward, in 1791, the family surname was recorded as Saunderson.

Further research showed that all the families who were members of the congregation, with surname Sanderson changed to Saunderson about this time. I now had identified a James Saunderson, born 1780, who matched the details of ―my‖ James. Also Corroneary is located only 20 miles from Farranseer. In addition I identified that a Hamilton family of landlords, appear to have had connections with both Corroneary and Farranseer. Given that ―my‖ James was a freeholder in 1819, not too long after his marriage in 1813,and wife named Peggy (I have not been able to identify maiden name), which is possibly a Catholic name, I speculate that James may have married a Catholic and moved from Corroneary to Farranseer. The year of birth matches exactly. Assuming this is correct and my great great grandfather is indeed James from Corroneary, the following extract from the ―Transcription of Meetings of Session of Corroneary Presbyterian Church‖, concerning James's parents Robert and Charity Bole(most probably my great-great-great grandparents) is most interesting! ― At Corroneary Aug3,(1778) the sefsion(sic) being met and constitute by prayer by J Craig Mod were present Jas Wallace, Robt Armstrong, Jas Crookshanks, Jm Gilbreath, Joseph Sharp ruling elders appeared before the sefsion(sic) Robt Sanderson and his wife acknowledging their being clandestinely married the sefsion(sic) agreed that his wife should be admonished & himself to appear before the congregation to be rebutted to which they submitted. The Mod closed by prayer‖ Robert and Charity are most likely my great-great-great grandfather and mother.

If this conclusion is correct I now have very considerable information on the families of Robert's brothers and sisters, some of which I obtained from Eric and some of which I recorded from the well maintained Corroneary Church records.

Another interesting find during my research, in a family bible which is in the possession of my 1st cousin Hugh Saunderson, in Farranseer, was a Certificate dating from 1936 confirming a contribution by my Grandmother Catherine Saunderson (who lived in Farranseer) to the Brick Fund of St. Agnes Church, Crumlin, Dublin. I have no information on what the connection with this particular Church was. This is the Church in which I married Paula Cranny on 28 September 1978. I don't imagine my grandmother Catherine envisaged her

113

own grandson one day marrying in the Church to which she had contributed.

Also of interest is that 28 September is the date on which Catherine married my grandfather William, in Scrabby Roman Catholic Church, in 1893.

I am aware that the CastleSaunderson Saundersons and the Cloverhill Sandersons were probably members of the same family, the Castle Saundersons having added the ―u‖ in pursuit of a land claim regarding a Saunderson family estate in Saxby, England.

It is possible that the Sanderson family of Cloverhill were related to one/some of the Corroneary Sa(u)ndersons. If this were so it is possible there is a link between my Saunderson family and the Saundersons of CatleSaunderson.

This is mere speculation on my part and I will leave it others to pursue the facts.

Summing Up In conclusion, I hope I have shared some sense of my Saunderson family and how I went about sourcing information on them. Not for a moment did I imagine when I set out to draw up a family tree that I would be writing an article for the Genealogical Society of Ireland Journal.

I have left a copy of my final production with the Society Library, in case anyone is interested in reading further about the family.

I have found my journey into genealogy most interesting and indeed enjoyable.

I now know a little about the sources of information available for County Cavan so if any of you are researching families from Cavan I will be delighted to assist.

Finally that description which I saw attributed to Tom Conlon's family history ―where Desperate Housewives meets Genealogy‖ has rung true for me and I owe many people (too many to mention individually) a big thank you for the encouragement and support in producing my own modest version of a Family History.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Some birds and animals in the Irish Annals (Annals of Inisfallen, edited by Seán Mac Airt, Dublin 1951): A.D. 947 A leaf [descended] from heaven upon the altar of Imlech Ibuir and a bird spoke to the people 1105 In this year a camel, an animal of remarkable size was brought from the king of Alba to Murcheartach Ua Briain.

1105 Heavy snow this year, and a great loss of cows, sheep and pigs in the same year.

114

Cumann Geinealais na hÉireann Genealogical Society of Ireland Board of Directors 2011/2012 Cathaoirleach

Pádraic Ingoldsby, MGSI

Leas-Chathaoirleach & Director, Buildings & Utilities

Gerry Hayden, MGSI

General Secretary, Company Secretary & Director, Publications

Michael Merrigan, MA, FGSI

Director, Finance

Billy Saunderson, MGSI

Director, Sales, Marketing & Membership

Tom Conlon, MGSI

Director, Archival Services

Séamus O‘Reilly, FGSI

Director, Cemetery Projects

Barry O‘Connor, FGSI

Director, Internet Services

Bartosz Kozłowski, MGSI (Poland)

Director, Digital Archive

Vacant

Director, Research Information Services

Eddie Gahan, MGSI

Director, Lecture Programme

Séamus Moriarty, FGSI

Director, Education & Social Inclusion

John Hamrock, MGSI

Senior Librarian

Fíona Tipple, MA, DipLib, ALAI, MGSI

Membership and further information on publications can be obtained from the Honorary Secretary at – Genealogical Society of Ireland 11 Desmond Avenue Dún Laoghaire Co. Dublin Ireland

Website: www.familyhistory.ie 115

Cumann Geinealais na hÉireann Genealogical Society of Ireland President Rory J. Stanley, FGSI Vice-Presidents James Davidson, FGSI Stuart Rosenblatt, PC, FGSI Maj, Gen. David, The O Morchoe, OBE, FGSI Honorary Herald Andrew Tully, MBA, MAPM, FGSI President Emeritus Tony, McCarthy, MA, FGSI College of Fellows (FGSI) Frieda Carroll, Joan Merrigan, Jean Reddin, Michael Merrigan, Seán Kane, Tony Daly, Liam Mac Alasdair, Barry O‘Connor, James Davidson, Stuart Rosenblatt, Tony McCarthy, Brian Mitchell, Jim Herlihy, Rory J. Stanley, Séamus O‘Reilly, Séamus Moriarty, The O‘Morchoe, Andrew Tully and John Grenham.

Genealogical Society of Ireland Ltd. Company limited by guarantee: Company Registration No. 334884 : Charity Registration No. CHY 10672 Registered Address: 11, Desmond Avenue, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Archive & Research Centre: An Daonchartlann, Carlisle Pier, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Ireland.

The Genealogical Society of Ireland is a voluntary organisation, with state registered charity status and is not a commercial research agency. The Society is devoted to the promotion of genealogy and local history as an open access educational/leisure activity available to all.

Website:

www.familyhistory.ie

116

“One of the most touching incidents of the Royal visit was the departure from the Viceregal Lodge through a long avenue of children. From the Viceregal gate to the Gough statue some 18,000 little ones were assembled to give their Majesties a hearty send off. The weather was anything but propitious, but fortunately the rain kept off until after the Royal procession had passed.

The bands of the Meath Industrial School and of the Royal Hibernian Military School, stationed sufficiently far apart to be out of earshot of each other, played „God Save the King‟. About half way along the line a temporary structure in the form of a platform, covered with crimson cloth, was placed as a stand for the Ladies‟ Committee. On the arrival of the carriage containing the King and Queen opposite this stand a halt was made for the object of enabling a large bouquet to be presented, which was in charge of Lady Arnott. The bouquet was presented by two children who had been selected as representing the classes for whom the feté was mainly intended. One was Henry Box, a Catholic, and the other was Florrie Martin, a Protestant child. The little ones, who belonged to the very poorest classes, appeared before Royalty barefooted, and in the tattered garments which are their every day attire.”

(From „Ireland Illustrated‟ August 1903, commenting on the visit of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1903)