LANGAN - O'LONGAIN, A HISTORY OF BY GEORGE LANGAN
OTHER LANGAN SITES TO FOLLOW
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- Ardpatrick garden (Photo credit: Ballyhoura)
- Ardpatrick round tower, Co. Limerick, Ireland (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Ua Langain Aed. – After the death of Diarmuit his kinsman Aed was elected Coarb. Big changes took place around this time between Armagh and Munster regarding the Coarbship. The changeover took place under the guidance of Aed and may have been completed by the time of his death in 1141 A.D.
The Annals single out the three men –Gilla Chriost, Diarmuit and Aed, as the most important of the Coarbs of Padraic in Munster.
When Aed died he is the last of the Ua Langain’s to be mentioned as Coarb of Padraic in Munster and with him came the final end of Ardpatrick’s role in the Paruchia Patricii, in 1141 A.D. In 1248, the monastery was officially closed.
- Ardpatrick Church 2007 08 08 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Following the plantation of Munster in 1580 some of the lands of Ardpatrick changed hands. The Phitton brothers, Richard and Alexander, got some of it. The other two main recipients were Sir John Ponsonby and Sir Edmund Fitzharris.
O’Longain John. – In 1590 we read of a ‘’Grant to Edmund Fitzgibbon, called the white Knight, of 106/8 out of Clonodfoy in the tenure of John O’Longain and other clerks of Ardpatrick .
Langan - O’Longain Michael Mac Peadair.
1692-1770
The
earliest reference we have to Michael Mac Peadair Langan is in the year
1711 when he receives a copy of Chronicum Scotorum from Thomas Og
Fitzgerald, 22nd Knight of Glin. (see The Glencorbry Chronicle Volume 1,
No 2, May 2001 p42)1692-1770
- English: Glin Castle from the gardens, with the Shannon beyond (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Michael, who was a native of Ballydonoghue, near Glin was a very good Irish scholar and a poet of no mean repute and was a frequenter of the bardic school at Croom, Co. Limerick. One day while on his way to a meeting of the poets, he came upon Heffernan, the blind poet from Tipperary, and they struck up a conversation to shorten their journey. The blind man said to Michael that he would be able to find Sean Toomey standing at the fair and Michael bet that he wouldn’t. When they came to the fair green in Croom the blind man put his hand on the pole outside a standing, and he said :
‘’Is bachallach glas an gas e seo os comhair do thighe’’.
(Green and branchy is this pole opposite your house)
But
when he didn’t get any answer he went on to the next standing and said
the same thing, and he got no answer there either. He went down along
the row of standings until he came to Sean Toomey’s and when he said his
line of poetry he got this answer :(Green and branchy is this pole opposite your house)
‘’Do mhealladh na bhfear isteach im poball olta dighe’’.
(To entice the men into my tent to drink a drop)
Heffernan said :(To entice the men into my tent to drink a drop)
‘’Da mbeadh sgilling im glaic is prais id phoball olfainn I’’.
(If I had a shilling in my fist quickly would I drink it in your tent)
and the man inside answered :(If I had a shilling in my fist quickly would I drink it in your tent)
‘’Go maith is go ceart, ta an bhraic anso, ‘gus hoip gan diol’’.
(Right well and good, the malt is here, and ale quite free)
Says Heffernan :(Right well and good, the malt is here, and ale quite free)
‘’Is minic san mac deagh-athar la gan luach na dighr’’.
(‘Tis often the son of a good father is without the price of a drink)
and the man inside answered :(‘Tis often the son of a good father is without the price of a drink)
‘’Is Cuma, ta cad mile failte ag Sean O’Tuama roimhe (rui)’’.
(It doesn’t matter, Sean O’Toomey offers him the 100.000 welcomes)
and that is how Heffernan won the bet.
Whenever he had the occasion to travel to fairs in Rathkeale or Adare he would visit the home of Cathal Mac Eagain who was Liam O’Danachair’s grandfather’s grandfather. Cathal kept a tavern at the cross-roads where Rathkeale railway station stood. This tavern proved to be a great rendezvous for local poets.
After leaving the Knight, Michael must have travelled all over Munster before finally settling down in Caarrignavar, outside Cork city. The exact time he left Glin is not known, but he addressed a song of exile to a friend there in 1750. He described himself as ‘a wanderer from Gleann gan Ridire’ when copying a manuscript for a doctor Sean O’Fearghusa from Dublin. In the year 1756 he was working as a scribe in Bandon, and in the year 1761 he was composing poetry at Cuil Meine in the Courcy country. It has been stated that he, himself, built his new home in or around the year 1764 and married a local girl around the same time. It is almost certain that Michael Og, born 1766, was his only child.
Michael left behind him, in his old home in Ballydonoghue, two brothers – Sean and Padraig, and a poetess of the family, Siobhan. He died in the year 1770, and is buried in Whitechurch, outside Cork city, burial place of the McCarthy’s.
The following is my tribute to the aforementioned Micheal, 217yrs after his death -:
The Bard Of Carrignavar.
Micheal O Longain was his name Ballydonoghue was his home,
As a poet and ‘script collector ‘round Munster he did roam.
With the passing of the Penal Laws from the Knight he hath to flee,
To the capital town of Munster, Cork city by the Lee.
As a poet and ‘script collector ‘round Munster he did roam.
With the passing of the Penal Laws from the Knight he hath to flee,
To the capital town of Munster, Cork city by the Lee.
As a famous Irish scholar he was known both far and near,
From Bandon by the Atlantic to the Shannon by Glin pier.
Two brothers and a sister he left behind that day
And the ‘Castle’s rich green meadows where he oft times saved the hay.
From Bandon by the Atlantic to the Shannon by Glin pier.
Two brothers and a sister he left behind that day
And the ‘Castle’s rich green meadows where he oft times saved the hay.
To his new home near Cork city where each day he toiled with pride,
Then fell in love with a local lass that soon would be his bride.
A famous son soon to be born thus preserving the Irish brogue
The darling son of Micheal, the famous Micheal Og.
Then fell in love with a local lass that soon would be his bride.
A famous son soon to be born thus preserving the Irish brogue
The darling son of Micheal, the famous Micheal Og.
By the ways of the Lord, we must abide, hence the end was drawing nigh
And he soon would be departing to that land beyond the sky.
As we gaze upon the Heaven’s seeking out the falling star,
Let’s say a prayer for Michael, the Bard of Carrignavar.
And he soon would be departing to that land beyond the sky.
As we gaze upon the Heaven’s seeking out the falling star,
Let’s say a prayer for Michael, the Bard of Carrignavar.
George Langan,
November 21st 1987.
Michael Og O’ Longain 1766 – 1837.
I suppose one of the most famous O’Longains of all was Michael Og. My grandfather, Paddy Langan
spoke about him on numerous occasions and none more so than when he was
helping me to compose poetry as part of my homework for Ballyguiltenane
National school.Here follows the opening lines of Michael’s autobiography, accessible in the National Library in Dublin, within a torn page of a specific manuscript -:
‘’August 1st 1791 I shall be 25yrs old, for I was born August 1st 1796 in Beal Atha Maighir, in the parish of Dun Bolg. My father died when I was four years old and my mother died when I was eight and a half. After that, I had to fend for myself, with no adequate provision, without money or friend. Fr. Donal O’Cearuill sent for me, and I spent two years with him in the parish of Cathrach, in west Carberry. I came home after that and went to school (as a poor scholar, naturally). I set off after that and having neither father nor mother to direct me, and I got into service herding cows and going with the milk, which I continued doing until shame took possession of me at being a ‘milk boy’, which I never heard of anyone of my ancestors being – and I start off at school again at the age of eighteen learning arithmetic and the next year learning Latin, and thus I spent two years. I go studying figures again in 17(87)’’.
Little is known of his youth, but one of his sons pointed out to Windele (a famous antiquarian of that time) that he was an excellent athlete. He taught himself to write his native language and we are told in his writings that he had mastered it cometh his twentieth year. He also taught himself to read and write the English language and was supposedly well versed in Latin as well. The following is a short account on the life and times of the said Michael, which I have researched through various books and journals -:
1766 - Born on August 1st at Beal Atha Maighir in the parish of Carrignavar, Cork. An undated letter by Thomas F.Culhane (Launey) to the Knight of Glin states that he was born in Glenagragra, Glin, Co. Limerick. One thing is, he was definitely in Glenagragra on July 31st 1804 as he often referred to this date himself when mentioning his age –
‘’Oidche Lughnasa 1804, ataim xxxviii bliadhna d’aois, baodhchas le Dia. I Gleann an Ghrathaire, I mbarra paroiste Ghleanna an Ridire is eadh bhiomar an uair sin; Dia linn a ghradh.’’
Translation -
Autumn Eve I am 38 years old
In Glenagragra at the head of Glin parish,
We were that time.
God be with us love.
1785 - Got mixed up with the Whiteboys. He helped them in the removal of three Scotch settlers who were planted in the northern side of the parish of Carrignavar. It was his first venture into verse.
‘’The Whiteboys will come fearlessly to your assistance,
So fear not the ‘Spainneach’ ‘though great is his power’’.
1786
- In Cill Cronain in Muskerry, where he copied for his own use the
Irish grammar printed at Louvain. At the end of it he wrote –‘’I beseech your prayer to God, dear reader, for my sake ; badly have I written this ; and the cause of that is the uproariousness of the company around me in this prison ; for that reason accept my excuse, patriotic reader’’.
1788 - In June 1915 Dr Douglas Hyde (who would later be Presidebt of Ireland) in an article in volume 10 of the Celtic Review had the following to say anout a certain MS that was sent to him by a Dr. Nicholas O’Donnell from Melbourne, Australian born but nevertheless a good Irish scholar. One story namely ‘Eachtra Leithin’ was transcribed for him and having carefully compared this text with four similar copies of the story which were preserved in the R.I.A. he could find no practical difference between them. The oldest copy of the four was copied by Michael Og O’Longain in 1788.
1792 - Thoughts of marriage are in his head. Reports that he was engaged to Betty Doyle of Cill Ui Mhurchadha, near the Kerry Pike, but that was to terminate a few years later.
1795 - In the spring of that year, he was strongly intending emigrating to America, and had written farewell messages to all his bardic friends. He spent much of his time in the house of Thomas O’Ciosain (Cashman) in Upper Glanmire. Thomas had a beautiful daughter, Maire, whom Michael Og was very much attracted to. It was around this time that her father got her married to a miller named Crowley at Sixmilewater, near Bottle Hill; hence the reason for Michael Og contemplating emigrating. They were married only for one year when Crowley died, leaving a widow with one daughter. Michael Og’s love was aroused once again. It was in the summer of that same year that the cry of the ‘poor scholar’ was first heard from him i.e. ‘I beg my course’. That same signature was often repeated up to 1814 but after that, it seemed to have died away for whatever reason.
1797 - He joined the United Irisgmen in Cork.United Irishmen, His principal duty being that of a letter carrier between the different leaders in the South. He travelled the whole province in guise of a ‘poor scholar’, copying books and taking down poems from old people. His scrapbooks in the Betham Collection in the Royal Irish Academy are proof of this. The following is the first poem he composed after he joining –
‘’Children of the Gael, who have been long in pain,
Arise henceforth;
Zealously set about preparing your arms,
And fight without pity;
‘Though he may be a man of English descent or a harsh Quaker,
Show neither envy nor hatred –
Let all rise out together,
So that the enemy may be overcome.’’
As a preface to the above song he wrote –‘’When I was inaugurated in the year 1797 in Cork in Munster it is then I composed this little poem, in order to incite the men of Ireland of all seets, and particularly the children of the Gaedhill (Catholics) to be loyal, well-intentioned and discreet, in a covenant of charity, affection, fellowship and perfect friendship, and in brotherly love with each other, so that hey might the more easily, thereby win this game, and free themselves from the galling yoke of slavery under which they have for ages been.’’
1798 – His regret at the failure of Munster to rise is well confirmed in a renowned poem of his that contain the following lines -
‘And where is the help from Munster,
Or is it true that they live at all.’
Michael
Og composed many patriotic songs the most notable being ‘Maidin Luan
Cincise’. The commemorative 1798 ballad ‘Sliabh na mBan’ is also
credited to Michael Og. Charles Kickham wrote another song with the same
title ‘Slievenamon’.He returned home thereafter and opened a school in Ballinalough, a town-land next to where he was born.
1799 – In May of that year, one Simon O’Donovan was being tried in Cork for his part in the uprising. During the course of the trial, one of the witnesses who was a spy betrayed O’Longain resulting in a warrant being issued for his arrest. Owing to the delay in finding his whereabouts, he received warning just in time to flee. He spent the first night in a field in Lyre, lying in a potato-trench. Our friend Windele got it from Michael’s son that a dragoon rode over him as he lay in the trench. He stayed some days in the Nagles Mountains and then fled to West Limerick, where he remained until things became quiet again.
It must have been around this time that he composed the following poem entitled Clounleharde, which was given to me by the late Thomas Michael Feury (Buddy) of Glenagragra, Glin that he recited for me verbatim during one of my many visits to his homestead.
The Praises of Clounleharde.
My fickle fancies and inclinations oft times did lead me from place to place
I’ve been prone to ramble by perambulation while life remains I shall never cease.
One day per chance while for recreation to view the beauties of this verdant lawn
In deep reflection, I chanced to stray through the pleasing landscapes of Clounleharde.
As if enchanted my senses scattered when I beheld the surrounding scenes
While abundant nature clad every meadow with vernal robes of delightful green
Each airy silver and each nymph and eagle each comely Saturn silver fawn
Are always sporting with sprightly motion through the pleasing landscapes of Clounleharde.
But in vain my efforts towards delineations the super subject of my infant thyme
Crown pagan Rick and that oration would not be adequate to paint the same
Oh hath I the eloquence of famous Cicero or like Juvenis or Mercury at dawn
Or like Jesurius could I paint the muses I’d write the beauties of Clounleharde.
‘Tis there you’ll see the thrush and blackbird wild goose and eagle and well fed stare
The jolly huntsman with his hounds and horn the fox the rabbit and the bounding hare
Its sterling springs are of the best spa-water, which my fond verses can be debarred
In spacious providences scattered wildly the blissful rarities of Clounleharde.
You’ll see the lark, the linnet, snipe, curlew and seagull the joyful songsters of the liquid air
The crake, the cuckoo, with gentle voices, the honest pheasant in her park doth cheer
The friendly neighbours or participators of the alterations of each other’s gains
While the numerous herds o’er the fields are grazing to crown the beauties of that rural swain
Abundant
cares with all her graces for my dear subject has such regard While
each yellow Autumn and yearly season smiles with complacency in
Clounleharde.
It was there famed Daveron was by Goldsmith pictured and all the beauties this place can vie
The fields of Elysian whom poets treat of in super couplets of sweet poetry
Or the beauties of old Tara’s green or the splendour prospect of Rathcrahane
Cannot bear a ratio in point of beauty to the charming landscapes of Clounleharde.
Pray-gentle editor will you excuse me for many a defect this may comprise
Let friendship glow within each poets bosom rather pity such than criticise
A noble genius a joyful Tyro a humble scholar and a fearless bard
Can raise you up to famed Parnassus’ steps and paint you more pleasingly sweet Clounleharde.
1800
- Got married. There seems to be a difference of opinion as to whom
Michael Og married. Some historian’s state that he married the
aforementioned Maire Crowley but his son Peadar wrote that his mother’s
name was Lynn before she got married, (Maire Ni Leidhin). Ronan
O’Donnchadha in his book ‘Michael Og O’Longain’ agrees with Peadar.
Ronan say’s that Michael Og was going out with the miller’s daughter but
they did not marry. Padraig O’Cearbhaill of An Gleann was of the same
opinion. Nevertheless, whichever Maire he married it would appear that
he had a stepdaughter whose name was Maire as we’ll see later on.Towards the end of that year, he settled down in a cottage in Ballyphilip, in Upper Glanmire, with his wife and stepdaughter.
He spent his time as a labourer with a Mr. Martin; ‘’An Inhospitable foreigner who lived there at the time’’, he wrote.
A stanza from a poem he wrote here gives a description of his circumstances –
‘I wish to tell you truthfully now
Why it is, I am in charge of Martin’s horse
My people are dead; few of my friends are near
While a poor stingy world drags me down through want of means.’
1801. - Around November 30th, twins were born to him. They were Peter and Paul.1802/’06. - About the end of January, the cottage home was broken up and it was at this time they moved to North Kerry/West Limerick. He settled at Cockhill near Tarbert, and remained there for approximately four years. During his time there, he addressed a poem to a Fr. Michael O’Sullivan seeking permission to teach school in his church in Tarbert. The late Padraig O’ Cearbhaill informed me that Michael Og opened a school for awhile in Athea. The fee was sixpence a quarter, which he found it difficult to get and eventually he gave up teaching there. He composed a verse making known his dissatisfaction –
‘Uncongenial is my work, and poor my livelihood
Teaching the young, who do not pay me very well
I promise all these young boors in the country
That it will be a long time before the likes of me comes amongst them again.’
It was probably during that period he wrote the poem ‘Oiche Shamhna I nGleann an Ghragaire’. (November Night in Glenagragra) He returned to Cork around 1806 and took up teaching there.1810. - Taught in Glanmire.
1812/13. - Taught at Boherard near Carrignavar.
1815/19. - Taught in Cork city.
1820. - Went to Clogheen at the Kerry Pike. (Between Cork City and Blarney)
1821 - On April 21st 1821, his stepdaughter Maire, to whom he was much attached and who had always lived with them, drowned in the river Lee in Cork. He made a very touching lament for her.
1822 - In that year, the family settled at Cnoc Buidhe (Knockboy) in the parish of Carrignavar, on a small farm, which they obtained from Justin McCarthy M.P. who incidentally was a direct, descendent of the McCarthy’s of Blarney Castle. During his time in Cork city and Clogheen, Michael Og wrote the manuscripts for the most Revd. Dr. Murphy, Bishop of Cork. His two sons Peter and Paul assisted him. These manuscripts are now filed away in the college library in Maynooth. Other manuscripts, which they wrote at the time, include the Stowe Collection, are to be found in the Royal Irish Academy with the aforementioned Betham Collection numbering about fifty volumes including others. There are also over twenty O’Longain MSS, in St. Colman’s, Fermoy, Co. Cork and many more in private hands.
1824 - Was teaching at Murragh near Enniskeen.
1828 - Either himself or one of his sons was constantly employed teaching at Upper Glanmire from this year onwards.
Michael Og is said to have had four sons and two daughters – Peter, Paul, Patrick, Joseph, Anne and Nora, however according to Torna in The Irish Ecclesiastical Record it would seem that he had another son. Torna states that he composed a little invocation to the Blessed Virgin dated August 15, 1819, seeking help for his little son John (called no doubt after his granduncle Sean) who was on the point of death. Joseph was the youngest of the family. Before the birth of Joseph, he used to enumerate the family thus –
‘Peadar agus Pol, Agus Padraig leo, Anna agus Nora is Maire’. Maire being the aforementioned stepdaughter.
Michael Og was engaged in writing to the very last. On the day of his death, he bade farewell to someone particularly dear to him thus –
‘My hundred blessings and farewells to you above all others now,
Since I am not destined to se you at home; death is here,
However, by the help of the Heavenly Father who brought dry land from the sea,
‘Twill shortly be that in comfort we’ll in Heaven meet.’
He
was a deeply religious man and wrote some fifty religious poems and
hymns in his time, some in English including invocations to the Blessed
Virgin, St. Joseph and others.1837 - On the 17th day of May 1837, Michael Og died in his house at Cnoc Buidhe. He was buried on the 21st, at Whitechurch. Among the mourners at the funeral was our esteemed friend, the aforementioned Windele, who has the following to say in his notes on the above date –
‘’Michael Og O’Longain, or Long, an excellent old Irish scholar, being to be interred today. I accompanied Ds. O’Flynn to his funeral. He had died where he had spent the best part of his life extending to seventytwo (recte 71) years, at Cnucbuide, about 1.1/2 miles east of Carrignavar, and one mile N.E. of Dunbullog old church.’’
As far as I know there is nothing to mark the exact spot where the poet lies, no memorial was ever erected to his memory and I am afraid there is nobody now living who knows where it is.
1919 - In 1919 a fund was raised by some admirers of the literary work of Michael O’Longain with all proceeds being handed over to the governing body of U.C.C., to perpetuate the memory of his enormous efforts to preserve the Irish literature by way of annual Book Prizes, the prizes to be called ‘The O’Longain Memorial Prizes’.
Paul and Peter (Peadair) O’Longain.
(The Scanlan, McInerney, Hayes, Culhane, Woods & Wallace Connection.)
Paul and Peter (Peadair) O’Longain helped their father a good deal in the copying of manuscripts. Neither of them married. Peter
was the only member of the family to inherit the poetic gift. Looking
at Griffits Valuation for Cnoc Bhui, (Knockboy) in Cork it would appear
that Peter (Peadair) O’Longain at sometime changed his name to Peter Long.
Therefore, we should be tracing the Long’s for the O’Longain’s of Cork.
Maybe this explains why there was no Langan’s listed in any census for
Glenagragra from the mid 1850’s ‘till Maurice Langan took up residency
there circa 1915.Paul was the first to go to Dublin. He was employed by the Royal Irish Academy until his death, on August 18th, 1866. It was he also who taught Irish to the nineteenth century patriot, Thomas Davis. Kate Langan of Tullyglass, Glin, reared Peter and Paul. Thomas F. Culhane (‘Launey’) has referred to this in a letter to Garreth Hayes dated 8/12/1954 as told to him by Johnny Hayes and that story is verifiable as the twins were born on November 31st 1801 in Cork a year before Michael Og and his family moved to West Limerick. We know that Michael returned to Cork circa 1806 but his family did not join him ‘till 2yrs later. I am of the opinion that Kate was a grandaunt to the said twins as their father Michael Og was an only son. It is not clear whether Kate was married to a McInerney, (of the same family, one of whom undertook the daunting feat of swimming the river Shannon from Glin across to Clare for the prize of a bottle of brandy) or just may have been a lodger in the house. Patsy Scanlan lived in the place thereafter. Patsy’s descendants still occupy the holding. (It was my intention in 2011 to visit the place and photograph the old dwelling but I was informed by Mrs Scanlon who is Reidy from Knockdown, Athea, Co.Limerick that the said dwelling was partially demoilshed.) The said McInerney had a granddaughter Bridgie McInerney born circa 1880 who was married to Patsy Scanlan’s father. Bridgies father’s name was Tom McInerney a first cousin to John McInerney. John had a son Dave who in turn had a son Paddy who was married to my aunt Maureen Langan of Glenagragra.
Johnny Hayes of Tullyglass was a relative of the O’Longains, his grandmother being a daughter of Sean O’Longain of Glenagragra and a sister to Tom (Captain Steele) Langan. Johnny, who was a great seanachai was born circa 1840 and was married to Margaret Wallace an aunt of Paddy Wallace senior, Tullyleague. Johnny’s son Daniel married Kate Woods, daughter of Jeremiah Woods and Mary Windle. Kate Woods was a 1st cousin to Nora ‘Norrie’ Woods who was married to my great grandfather Tom Langan.
Johnny Hayes told ‘Launey’ that when Michael MacPeadair O’Longain was near his death he wrote a poem, one of the verses, which went as follows:
‘From far off Glin, if my relatives come,
They may wish to stop at this monument,
Take from me,
They will find me, motionless, in a narrow coffin
In the bright Church, beside the road.’
The
last of the Hayes’s in Tullyglass was Dan Jnr., who died in the
1970’s. He was unmarried. A Breen man from West Kerry either took over
or bought the place and built a house there circa 1980.
Patrick O’Longain.
Patrick
hadn’t much time for the books or the learning, but will be remembered
for being on of the finest storytellers in the whole country. He could
repeat from memory all the old stories in his father’s books.
Joseph O’Longain. 1816-1880.
The
youngest son of Michael Og and reputed to be one of the greatest of all
traditional scholars. Another undated letter of ‘Launey’s’ to the
Knight of Glin states - it was Joseph who executed for the R.I.A. his
famous lithographic facsimiles of the oldest vellum manuscripts extant
such as the ‘Book of the Dun Con’. The letter continues – ‘He was
probably the greatest penman of the 19th century and had an
extraordinary command of the resources of the Irish language. He played a
big part in the movement for the revival of the Irish language which
began in the 1870’s and which was destined to have far reaching effects
on the national life of the country.’Another letter of ‘Launey’s’ to the Knight dated February 17th 1959 states that Joseph was a friend of the ‘cracked Knight’. Joseph also executed the facsimiles of ‘An Leabhar Breac,’ ‘Leabhar na h-Uidhre,’ Book of Leinster etc. In the year 1849 Joseph wrote the following letter to Windele ‘Paul has received from his scholars whatever trifle was due; my brother, Peter, is teaching a sort of private tuition at a farmer’s house near home, his means are long exhausted; and as for my own earnings in troth it was too little for myself, yet out of that small sum I used to spare a little. Now if I had one 5/- that would buy 1/2 cwt of India meal, it would enable me to finish those MSS for which I would be certain to receive about £10, a sum which would enable myself and my family to weather out the bad year until we would have enough of our own corn.’
A manuscript, with metaphorical coloured capitals, transliterated by him in the 1840’s, which was found some years ago in a farmer’s house in Dromin, Co. Limerick is now in Maynooth library. Joseph was also a 1st cousin to ‘Launey’s’ grandfather. ‘Launey’s’ father, who was also called Thomas Culhane knew Joseph well. A letter of ‘Launey’s’ to Padraig de Brun dated November 16th 1965 states ‘that Joseph used to visit his Langan and Culhane relatives in Glin very often.’
There is a marriage recorded at Whitechurch, Blarney, Co. Cork in the year 1850 of a Joseph Long, one of the witnesses being a Paul Long. (see Peter O'Longain above) This could be the said Joseph who was married to Mary Hickey and had four daughters - Mary born pre 1864, Margaret who was called Long born in Cork 1865, Bridget b1867 and Anna, no date for her. There could also have been a son Michael in the family. We know that he was married by 1854 as an inspector visited a school in Teampall Geal where Joseph and his wife were teaching. The Inspector wrote the following report regarding his inspection – ‘Teacher appears deficient in energy. He is pretty constantly employed in translating Irish manuscripts, which may interfere with his proper vocation of schoolmaster’ He remained teaching there anyway up until around 1861 by such time he asked Windele if he could help in finding him an alternative post in Cork City. Says Joseph- ‘to get rid of the drudgery of teaching and the vexatious inspection of inspectors’. Which sums what he thought of the said school authorities at the time. And I can tell you it hadn’t changed by the 1950’s early 60’s during my time at Ballyguiltenane Nationa School but as little. They said that they (the authorities and in many cases the schoolmasters) were victims of the system of the time. I can tell you who were the victims (and they weren’t the authorities) and we have the mental scars to prove it.
In The Royal Irish Academy, a Bicentennial History 1785-1985 it states therein that ‘O’Longan, the Academy’s “scribe” received peremptory and contradictory instructions from the two angry scholars.’ Robert Atkinson in his praiseworthy preface says - ‘Save a few entries of errata that came under my notice in the collation of particular passages, the Table of Corrigenda (although not finally written out by him owing to his illness) is the work of Mr O’Longan to whom I also have to tender my thanks for information always ungrudgingly imparted, on the few points in which I have consulted him. I left this sheet open with a sad sense of foreboding that the transcriber would never see published the work on which he spent so much labour: he at least is beyond the reach of praise or blame. I cannot however omit the duty of recording here my testimony to the patient and faithful manner in which he discharged his office from the time I have had the opportunity of observing him: the work done by him was a labour of love that absorbed his life.’
One of Joseph’s daughters took much of her father’s writings away to the U.S. and where they are currently, I do not know, maybe in some library over there. Family tradition has it that this daughter married a man by the name of McSweeney and by all accounts had a very large family.The following is an extract drawn up for the learned body, the R.I.A. referring to Joseph as follows – ‘He belonged to a family in which the profession (of scribe) was hereditary ; the names of himself, his brother, father and grandfather, all of them acting in this capacity are not likely to be soon forgotton. Biodh amhlaidh.’
Joseph O’Longain used both the English and Irish versions of his Christian name from time to time. Joseph died in the year 1880 whilst still being employed by the R.I.A. doing translations etc. It seems that he worked tirelessly such was his dedication to the task in hand. In fact, the Academy compulsory retired him from his work due to his ill health as we can see from the following statement from the Academy – ‘It is unnecessary to enlarge on the value of these important publications; but testimony may here be fittingly borne to the manner in which Mr O’Longan’s work on them was performed. It may be safely asserted that no one who ever saw him work doubted or could doubt his thorough earnestness in the performance of his task. The difficulty in his case was to prevent his overstepping the bounds of prudence in the work he endeavoured to get through; the committee of Irish Manuscripts has had to intervene in the interests of his health and shorten compulsorily the time which he would have devoted to the interests of the Academy.’ We know that he died on February 11th 1880 as a question was asked in the British Parliament, ‘what was to become of the moneys that were laid aside for such works, following the death of O’Longain in 1880’?
On March 1st that same year we read in the Irish Builder the following petition - ‘In our own time O’Donovan and O’Curry laboured with a zeal and with an efficiency which, in any other country than this, would have secured its due reward. As these Irish scholars worked, so has the late Joseph O’Longan, with no ambition for personal notoriety and no grabbing desire for money. Many educated folk who walked the City of Dublin month after month and year after year and prided themselves, perhaps, on their knowledge of the “Classics” knew not of the existence of the humble and devoted Irish scribe who was labouring from morning till night within the walls of the Irish Academy or by his own fireside, till the small hours of the morning. In sooth, poor O’Longan laboured for his country and for all time over the MS materials of Irish history and as, in the service of his country and his countrymen, his health was undermined and his death hastened, it is their bounden duty to see that his widow and children will never want.’
Joseph O’Longain died on February 11th 1880 and is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery Dublin.
----------------------------------------------------
Sean O Longain.
Circa
1771, thirty years after Michael Mac Peadair had left Glin, we find his
brother Sean acting as agent for the Knight, Thomas Fitzgerald. It
appears that sometime after Michael had departed for Cork, Sean left his
home in Ballydonoghue and came to live in Glenagragra. He got married
to Ellen Culhane of Meanus and they subsequently became the father and
mother of the celebrated Tom Langan (Captain Steele). They had another son Peadar Ruadh O'Longain
(died 1856) who was a noted seanchai. There is no record of any other
son born to the family. As previously stated they had a daughter who was
married to Johnny Hayes’s grandfather.Sean had a brother Patrick Langan and at least two sisters namely – Siobhan O'Longain and the aforementioned Kate Langan (who lived at McInerney's). ‘Launey’ said that he (Launey) had an ancestress Mary O’ Longain who was an aunt to Michael Og. That would make her a sister of Sean’s but I would query that information. I am of the opinion that she was Michael Og’s grandaunt, (Sean’s aunt, not his sister) who was married to Donal Riabhach Culhane. Sean had another aunt Joan Langan, Mary’s sister, who married Dan Culhane a descendent of Donal Beag Culhane who escaped from the siege of Glin Castle by Carew. ‘Launey’, in a letter dated 16/2/1966 to Padraig de Brun outlines how Dan’s wife Joan use to urge her husband (who was known as Donal a’Bhata) into battle –
‘Little Daniel and fair haired Daniel,
Young Daniel and big Daniel,
Deaf Daniel from Knockeranna,
And Daniel of the sick, the skirmisher of Glin’.
‘Launey’ in another letter dated 9/1/1969 to Padraig de Brun states – ‘When
John Bateman Fitzgerald (1706-1803) who was a friend of Count Daniel
O’Connell promised him to raise a regiment in the Glin area; it was
opposed by Sean O’Longain, the Knight’s agent and others’.
Sean’s son the aforementioned Peadar Ruadh gave information about the
dispute between his father and the Knight. Sean, by the way, was also
agent for the Russels of Limerick.‘Launey’ also states that most of the Langan’s of west Limerick descended from Sean Langan.
Meanus, the birthplace of Sean’s wife Ellen, was part of Ballyculhane/Ballingoul back then. This was the ancestral home of the Culhane’s and by coincidence; it was also the homestead of Kit Culhane who was an ancestor of Paddy Brassil of Tarmons Hill.
My former classmate, Sean Wallace (born circa 1951) formerly Tullyleague, Glin now residing in Dublin informs me that. Kit, who died circa 1890, was a cousin to the aforementioned Joseph O’Longain.
Sean also tells me that Tom Stack from back in Kerry married the last of the Culhane’s. They had no family and Tom gave the place to his nephew Ned Horan whose family live there now. Ned continued to give his address as Meanus in the Tithe Books thereafter.
Tom Langan (Captain Steele)
Tom Langan
who lived in Glenagragra was one of the best-known men in Munster
during the 1798 Rising. He was known locally as ‘Captain Steele’ because
he allegedly killed a man of that name during the said Rising in Co.
Wexford. Tom, along with Gerald Fitzgerald, brother to John Bateman
Fitzgerald, Knight of Glin took charge of operations around Glin parish.
My aunt Maureen McInerney Langan told the story on how a party that
included Tom, Murty McElligott and other Glin townsmen, raided the
military barracks in Tarbert and stole kegs of gunpowder, which they
carried upon their backs across the fields and marshes, seeking shelter
in a cave within the Knight’s demesne during the process. This story she
got from her father Paddy Langan of Glenagragra. The party were
subsequently arrested which led to the imprisonment of Tom who was
sentenced to be hanged. It is said that due to the intervention of the
Knight the sentence was commuted from execution to transportation. The
fact that his father Sean and uncle Michael MacPeadair had acted as
agents for the Knight helped his case no end. He along with other
political prisoners drawn from the ranks of the United Irishmen were
transported to the penal colony of New South Wales which the English
Government established in 1786 in an effort to overcome the overcrowding
of prisoners in Britain. As a result, under the provisions of the
Insurrection Act, the Justices ordered Tom at a sessions, held in the
County of Limerick, to be transported for seven years as a disorderly
person to the said colony.‘Twas at the time Michael Og wrote the following lines –
In 1799 the boors (foreigners) exiled Thomas Langan (son of John son of Peter) to Botany Bay. It was he who was called Captain Steele from the time of Vinegar Hill. He was responsible for the parish of Glin of the Knight. There were not many ‘’better Boys’’ than him in Munster during his time.
On June 20th 1800, he sailed from Cork on board the convict ship ‘Luz St. Anne’, spending two hundred and forty days at sea eventually arriving at Sydney on February 21st 1801. The conditions on board the ship were appalling so much so that a mutiny broke out with Tom Langan one of the chief mutineers along with Marcus Sheehy and a Phil Cunningham. Sheehy, the ringleader, was shot and Tom and Cunningham would have received the same fate but for a Fr. Peter O’Neill who interceded with the captain of the ship on their behalf. The said Fr. O’Neill, who was aged 33, was the parish priest of Ballymacodda, Co. Cork. He was being transported for his alleged involvement in the death of an informer. The ringleaders can count themselves very fortunate to have the said Fr. O’Neill in their midst at all. Was it not for the fact that the late arrival in Cove of a letter from a Youghal Court of Inquiry instructing that he, Fr. O’Neill should be taken off the convict ship, Tom and his companions might have suffered the same destiny as Marcus Sheehy on that dark day. Tom and Fr. O’Neill became very good friends thereafter.
All the mutineers were sent to Norfolk Island, a colony where prisoners were dehumanised to such an extent that they almost cried out for death. Major Joseph Foveaux was the officer in charge of the prisoners there. Seemingly, he received some information that the Irish were going to take over the island. It was he who carried out those illegal barbarous deeds in the hope that it would avert any such takeover. It was said, ‘Neither male nor female were spared the anguish’. It was known as ‘the island of the hell of the doubly dammed’.
In 1803, a decision was made to colonise Van Dieman’s Land, an island off Australia’s south east coast. This led to the evacuation of some of the prisoners from Norfolk Island.
Convict List.
As held under General Muster of New South Wales, Norfolk Island and Van Dieman’s Land, 1805-1806.
Ref. – 3472.Reservation. – N.S.W.
Status – Convict.
Sex. – Male.
Name. – Langan, Thomas.
Ship of Arrival. – Anne.
Trial Date. – Feb 1800.
Trial Place. – Limerick.
Sentence. – Life.
Remarks. – Que.
Pro. – n3001.
Ao. – 3047.
The remark ‘Que’ is the Clerk’s comment, generally noted after the sentence. This was an indication that the Clerk was questioning the accuracy of the sentence.
On New Year’s Day 1810, Lachlan Macquarie was appointed Governor of New South Wales, replacing William Bligh (Bligh of ‘The Bounty’ fame). Lachlan appointed as his secretary a Major Finnucane who had relatives living in North Kerry, around the Tarbert area. At the request of Finnucane, Tom Langan was taken to Sydney and assigned as his servant there. The Finnucane’s were very kind toward Tom. He saved one of their children, Susan, from drowning. Susan later married Captain Hayes O’Grady and subsequently became the mother of the great Irish scholar Standish Hayes O’Grady.
Macquaries wife, Elizabeth, was very popular with the Irish. She celebrated with them St. Patrick’s Day, which was supposed to be the first official recognition of our national day in New South Wales.
Back home in Ireland, the Knight of Glin was having talks with the Limerick Grand Jury, urging them to secure the release of Tom Langan who had now spent ten years in captivity, three more than his original sentence. Apparently, an incorrect certificate of his sentence was transmitted to New South Wales, the vessel having sailed without a regular list of convicts on board. The following are three documents from the Australian National Archives relating to Tom’s release.
Major- General Bunbury to Governor Macquarie.
(Despatch per ship ‘Northampton’)
Acknowledged by Governor Macquarie to Earl Bathurst, 24th June 1815.
12th Sept,
Re- Transportation of Thomas Langan.
Downing St, 12 Sept, 1814.
Sir,
I transmit to you herewith the copy of a letter which has been addressed to me by direction of His Majesty’s Secretary of State for the Home Department, enclosing the copy of one from the Rt. Hon. Robert Peel, which states the circumstances attending the transportation of a convict, named Thomas Langan, from Cork to New South Wales in the ship ‘Anne’ in the year 1800. And I am directed by Ld. Bathurst to desire that this person may have permission to return to Ireland by the first opportunity.
I have, &c,
H.E. Bunbury.
(Enclosure No 1)
Under Secretary Beckett to Major General Bunbury.
Thomas Langan to be permitted to return to Ireland.
Whitehall, 7th Sept, 1814.
Sir,
I am directed by Lord Sidmouth to transmit to you the within copy of a letter, which has been received trom The Right Hon. R. Peel, relative to a man of the name of Thomas Langan, who sailed from Cork for New South Wales in the convict ship ‘Anne’ in June 1800, and to desire that you will lay the same before Lord Bathurst, and move His Lordship to be pleased to give directions to the Governor of New South Wales to permit the person in question to return to Ireland by the first opportunity.
I am, &c.
J. Beckett.
(Enclosure No 2.)
The Right Hon. R. Peel to Under-Secretary Beckett.
Dublin Castle, 2nd Sept, 1814.
Sir,
In the year 1779, a man of the name of Thomas Langan was, under the provisions of the Insurrection Act, ordered by the Justices at a sessions, held in the County of Limerick, to be transported for seven years as a disorderly person, and who sailed from Cork for New South Wales in the convict ship ‘Anne’ in June 1800. It is apprehended that a correct certificate of the said Thos. Langan’s sentence was not transmitted to New South Wales, the vessel having sailed without a regular list of convicts on board; and application being now made by the Grand Jury of the County of Limerick that he may be allowed to return to Ireland, his term of transportation having long since expired. I am directed by the Lord Lieutenant to desire that you will lay the matter before Lord Sidmouth, with His Excellency’s request, that His Lordship will cause instructions to be transmitted to the Governor of New South Wales to permit the said Thomas Langan to return to Ireland by the first opportunity.
I am &c.
R. Peel.
Tom’s eventual release came in 1817; his liberation being secured by a Captain Terence Murray of Balliston, near Shanagolden, whose father lost a leg in an encounter with George Leak’s reprehensible yeomanry near Shanid. Terence, who arrived in Australia in 1816, was an officer in the British Army. He was married to Ellen Fitzgerald of Newcastle West. There was great jubilation when Tom returned to Glin. A short while after that it appears that he lost an eye in a fight with a press gang. Once again Michael Og O’Longain mentions this in a verse of a poem that he composed for Tom;
‘Do bhain Sanasach suil as I gcomhrac aonfhir iar dteacht abhaile dho sa bhliain 1817’.
(An Englishman knocked his eye out in a duel after he came home in 1817)
However, having examined his pardon note dated 28th day of June 1815 and signed by L. Macquarie, it would appear that he had no sight in the left eye anyway prior to his release from Sydney as his description was given as follows ;
Native Place – Glin, Co. Limerick.
Trade – Labourer.Age – 58yrs.
Height – 5ft – 3ins.
Complexion – Sallow.
Hair – Black and Curly.
Eyes – Hazel (left blind)
General Appearance – Slender – Weakly.
Norfolk Island was used as a penal colony until 1856. In that year, settlers from Pitcairn Island were moved to the island, a distance of more than 3,000 miles. In 1914, Norfolk Island was separated from New South Wales and became s federal territory of the Australian Commonwealth.
On his return home, Tom, spent much of his time in Ballymacoda with the aforementioned Fr. O’Neil, who, following his pardon in 1802, returned to his native Cork where he remained until his death in 1846. It is unlikely that Tom ever got married, as he would have been sixty years of age then. He died around the year 1845 and was interred in Kilfergus cemetery Glin, supposedly, in the same grave as that of the famous poet and piper, Sean Ban Aerach O’Flannagain, (merry white haired John). Sean, who was a native of Tulla, Co. Clare, spent much of his time around Glin as tutor to the children of the Knight, Thomas Fitzgerald. The reason for O’Flannagain being buried in the same grave as Tom remains a mystery. Johnny Hayes told ‘Launey’ that Sean Ban Aerach married a Kennedy girl from Nantinan and that she was a relative of the O’Longain’s, as Peadar O’Longain, Michael Og’s grandfather, was married to a woman of the same name. Maybe therein the mystery lies. However, Michael in all of his manuscripts there is no reference whatsoever to any of Sean Ban’s poetry.
The following is a verse from Sean Ban’s ‘Aisling’, translated for me by my very good friend the late John Guilfoyle from Kilbeggan. John was a Sergeant in An Garda Siochana, and was fluent in the Irish language.
‘One time as I was before bad luck it came over me
A woman was mine in Magh an Iubhair or lovely Nantinan
A fresh and affectionate gentle woman without disgrace
One who to London would go with me if necessary
In lovely Glin there’s a woman of gentle good manners
And in Athea is my hearts desire
In Askeaton there’s a woman, and I tell you no lie
I was struck on her, way back in my gay younger days
Evermore while I live, shall I bother with anyone
Except me and my baby, and we two together.’
Thomas F.Culhane (Launey) in a letter to the Limerick Leader newspaper dated January 9th 1926 stated that at that time Tom Langan’s ‘grave may still be seen in Kilfergus’ cemetery.In the month of September 1987, the late Paddy Faley R.I.P. (‘Bard of Sweet Glenbawn’), and I paid a visit to Kilfergus in an effort to locate the grave but our efforts proved unsuccessful. Apparently, there are no records on hand for the old part of the cemetery and it seems to be a free for all out there at present. Once upon a time, the Langan plot consisted of six graves but that has now dwindled to approximately half of that. It is indeed a sad state of affairs as there is neither cross nor do stone mark the last resting place of two great honourable men.
Right - Mossie Langan (son of Maurice) and myself at Kilfergus cemetery c1988.
Langan/O’longain
The Kilpadogue Connection
John Langan. (1)
John
Langan (1) was married to Hanora McEvoy. They lived at Kilpadogue for a
time but moved to Reenturk sometime after the birth of Sarah, probably
circa 1824 and had several other children; the following can be
accounted for -:
Sarah………………--/--/1822.
Michael……………15/08/1824.
Martin……………. 20/11/1825.
Catherine………….04/05/1828.
John……………….03/04/1835.
Joseph……………..29/12/1837.
Margaret…………..--/--/1845.
Johanne……………--/--/1848.
Martha……………..--/--/----
Sarah Langan. (1)
Sarah,
the eldest child of John married Patrick Boland in Ballylongford on
February 1844. Patrick who was from Kilrush Co. Clare was a corn
merchant and used to travel to Ballylongford to buy corn. They settled
in Ballylongford for a while after the marriage but moved to a farm at
Farrnstack, Lisselton sometime afterwards. They farmed 70 acres there in
1824 but had increased that to 138 acres – the whole town-land by 1859.
Brendan Kennelly the renowned poet from Listowel is a descendent of
Sarah and Patrick. Did the said Brendan inherit the ‘duachas’ from the
O’Longain’s, may I ask? No information on hand in relation to the
remainder of John’s family
Jermiah Langan. (1)
Jermiah
Langan (1) farmed at Kilpadogue. He was married to Mary Keane and died
at Kilpadogue a widower on 17/5/1866. There is no record on hand of his
wife’s death. Children on record from that union are as follows -:
Patrick…………b--/--/1822.
Ellen…………...b14/05/1825.
Margaret……….b14/09/1830.
John……………b13/03/1833.
They
also could have had a daughter Johanna as Patrick and Johanna Langan
were sponsors at the baptism of David Keane, son of Daniel Keane and
Bridget Foley, Kilpadogue on 26/05/1853. David Keane was probably a
nephew of Jermiah’s wife, Mary.
Patrick Langan. (1)
Patrick (1), who inherited the farm from his father Jermiah, was married to Hanora Lyons and had six children as follows -:Peter…………..b09/06/1863. (Twins)
Ellen…………..b09/06/1863
Mary…………..b--/--/1866.
Patrick………...b13/02/1866. (Were there two sets of twins in family?)
Michael……….b29/10/1868 (A Michael Langan died aged 4 in 1872).
Maurice……….b11/02/1870. (A baby Maurice Langan died 1871)
Patrick died at Kilpadogue, a widower on 20/02/1899, aged seventy-seven years. His wife Hanora died at Kilpadogue on 21/02/1886 aged fifty-five years. It would appear that there could have been two sets of twins in the family if the authenticity of the Census Population of 1901 can be relied upon, or subsequent Census for that matter. For example, it wasn’t unusual to give incorrect dates of birth when filling out such Census, and I know that one particular householder in a certain parish, at the request of the police officer who was carrying out the Census, supplied that officer with the relevant information on several of his neighbours. Bearing this in mind, see Census Population, 1901 & 1911 in relation to Peter Langan (1). It would appear from this Census that Peter and Ellen were born in 1867.
No information on hand in relation to the remainder of Jermiah’s family.
While
on the subject of Census, people who gave their age as 50/51 in the
1901 Census were often found to be 72/73 in the 1911 survey. The old age
pension was a great temptation to add on a few years. The said pension
was paid out initially on Jan 1st 1909 to anyone aged seventy years. The
basic rate back then was 5/- (shillings) per week. In order to qualify
for the said pension some sort of ‘proof of age’ had to be submitted by
each applicant. In receipt of applications, the authorities would then
carry out a crosscheck of it by researching the 1841 Census of
population and if that proved to be inconclusive two reliable, members
of the parish would be called upon to swear an affidavit that the person
or persons were of pensionable age. Applicants would also qualify for
payments if they couldprove that they were born before, the night of the
‘Big Wind’, January 6th 1830’.
Patrick Langan. (2)
Patrick Langan (2) b1866 son of Patrick (1) would appear to be the twin brother of Mary Langan.
Patrick Langan. (3)
Patrick
Langan (3) of Reenturk was married to Hanna Dinneen. One daughter on
record, Dorris born 18/11/1859. Patrick (3) was probably a 1st cousin to Patrick (1)
Joseph Langan.
A Joseph Langan of Reenturk married Johanna Murphy and had a daughter Hanora born 28/12/1859. There could be other children.
Peter Langan. (1)
Peter
Langan (1), son of Patrick (1) lived at Kilpadogue. His wife’s name was
Anne Goulding. Children from that union as follows -:
Nora....................b21/06/1899.
Patrick………….b10/07/1901.
John…………….b07/05/1904.
Mary……………b19/06/1905.
Eileen..................b20/04/1907.
Anne…………....b29/07/1908.
Jerry……………b17/10/1909.
Maurice………...b28/01/1911.
Peter……………b14/07/1912.
Margaret……….b15/01/1914.
Elizabeth…….....b ? (the youngest)Nora married a Con Sullivan in America and had one son John. Nora died in 1994.
Patrick married Mary Cahill from Co. Clare and had six children – Peter Joseph, Diarmuid, Patrick (Paudie), Cyril, Anne & Leo.
John married Rita Buckley from Moyvane and had seven children – Peter, Larry, Maurice, Roseanne, Mary, Norma & Joseph.
Mary married John Sullivan and had at least four children -:
Jimmy, Fr. Con, Ann and Eileen.
Eileen married John Mahony in America and had four children.
Anne went to the U.S. She was married twice one of her husbands name was Gough. No family from either husband.
Jerry married in England to Bridget Shaughnessey, sister to John Shaughnessey, Public House, Glin. They had four children. Joseph, Francis, Anne & Carmel. Joseph died as a young child during the 2nd World War. He was sent from England to the family home in Kilpadogue for safety. Tragically he fell into the old black pot of boiling water in the kitchen and died as a result a couple of days later.
Maurice lost his life June 8th 1940 in World War 2 during the sinking of the H.M.S. Glorious. He was thirty years of age then.
Peter, the youngest son married Bon Wallace of Tarbert Island and had six children – Eileen, Thomas, Joseph, Alex, Mary & Nora.
Margaret married John Hill in London. He was a Welshman from Mountain Ash – one son Kevin who now resides in Listowel.
Elizabeth married John O’Connor of Ballylongford and had five children – Kathleen, Donal, Anthony, Ted & Anne.
The 1901 Census for Peter Langan (1) of Kilpadogue reads as follows -:
Census Kilpadogue 1901.
Peter…Aged 34.
Anne…Aged 21, (Peter’s wife.)
Also Present…Ellen..Aged 34. (Peter’s sister, single)
Mary..Aged 35. (Peter’s sister, single)
Question -: (1) Is Peter and Ellen’s age incorrect on the Census forum? (See Patrick Langan (1)
(2)
Mary who was present during the Census would have been the same age as
her brother Patrick. This would indicate that they could have been twins
or if not, a very quick conception had taken place that same year. (See
also Patrick Langan (1))
Census Kilpadogue 1911.
Peter…………………..Aged 46.
Anne…………………..Aged 34. (Wife)
Children.
Nora…........................Aged 12.
Paddy………………..Aged 10.
John…………………...Aged 7.
Mary…………………..Aged 6.
Eileen………………….Aged 4.
Anne…………………..Aged 3.
Jerry…………………...Aged 1.
Maurice………………..Aged 2 months.
In total, Peter Langan (1)
had 38 grandchildren. All the Langan’s resident in and around the
Tarbert area today are his grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Peter Langan. (2)
The Tarbert Connection
Peter Langan (2), born 1912, son of Peter (1) lived on Tarbert Island. He died July 3rd 1998.
Langan Joe.
Tarbert.
Langan Joe is the son of Peter Langan (2) above. According to the said Joe, himself and my father, Ned Langan were 4th cousins. His father Peter (2) and my grandfather Paddy Langan were 3rd cousins. Peter Langan (1) and my great grandfather, Tom Langan were 2nd cousins. Patrick Langan (1) and my great great grandfather Maurice Langan were 1st cousins. In that case, either Jermiam Langan (1) or one of his brothers, more than likely Tom Langan,
was Maurice Langan’s father. It is also worthy to note that the
aforementioned Paddy Langan ran a public house in Tarbert in the early
1900’s. What was Paddy doing back around there? There must have been
some connection along the way.
Maurice Langan. (1)
Maurice, born circa 1779 died at Kilpadogue on 13/1/1854 aged seventy-five years. He was a bachelor. He was known locally as Maurice ‘Steele’ Langan, which would indicate that there was some connection between this family and that of Sean O’Longain of Glenagragra. (see Captain Steele heretofore)
Daniel Langan. (1)
There
seems to be no record available on the death of Daniel Langan (1).
Registration may not have taken place. However, it seems that he was
alive at the death of his wife Mary when she died on 08/12/1864 at
Tarbert, aged seventy-four years.
Daniel Langan. (2)
(Son of Daniel (1))
There is a record of a marriage between a Daniel Langan and Bridgette Holly in the year 1833.
David Langan. (1)
The Tarbert Connection
David
Langan (1), (brother of John, Jermiah etc) who lived in Tarbert was
married to Mary Kelly. They had a son Maurice born 06/01/1826. The
sponsors were John Downey and Margaret Langan. Was this man my great,
great grandfather? Year wise would suggest that he was as Maurice
Langan married a Catherine McCarthy on the 04/02/1855, which would make
him twenty-nine years of age at the time. So now, we have three nominees
as to who Maurice’s father may have been. In addition, Maurice Lamgan’s
son Mick, my great granduncle often, spoke about a David in the family.
(David could have been related all right but not necessary on the
direct descendancy). It would appear that David and Mary had another
son called David born in 1836.
David Langan (2)
Son of David (1)
David Langan (2) married Ann Fitzmaurice. Children from that union as follows -:
Marie………..b19/03/1885.
David………..b04/05/1886.
George………b07/04/1891.
Sarah Langan (2)
A
Sarah Langan married John Lynch of Kilcolgan. She was either a daughter
of Jermiah or Daniel. They had one daughter Josephine and a least one
son John. Josephine was baptised on 28/10/1854. The sponsors were John
and Mary Cregan. John it would appear married and had a daughter who
married Patsy Connolly, Ballinamadough and in doing so became the mother
of Jack Connolly who is alive and well today, January 2013. (see Turtle Bunbury’s book on Vanishing Ireland for more on Jack Connolly.)
Mary Langan.
Mary Langan sister to John, Jermiah etc was married to a John Dillane.
Martha Langan.
Martha
Langan, (sister to John, Jermiah etc) who was married to Michael Cregan
had at least two children. They were as follows -:(?)..................b --/10/1830. (Sponsors - Jermiah Connor & Sarah Langan)
Jermiah……..b --/07/1837.
TOM LANGAN (1)
(The Knockanure Connection.)
(Also - Ahearn's, Knockanure & Langan's of Duagh)
Tom Langan (1) who was born in 1787 died at Knockanure on May 28th
1871 aged eighty-four years. His wifes name was Bridget McElligott born
c1785 and died at Knockanure after 1841. He may have been a brother or a
close relative to the Kilpadogue Langan’s, John, Jermiah etc. Tom and
Bridget had a family of four or five that we know of.i. Maurice Langan b February 27th 1818. (my greatgreatgrandfather) See further on.
ii. Ellen Langan b Sept 2nd 1831 at Chapel Cross, Knockanure.
iii. Bridget Langan bApril 6th 1834 at Chapel Cross, Knockanure. Bridget was baptised 06-04-1834.
iv. Kate Langan b 1836 and died 1896.
v. Patrick Langan bSept 2nd 1840 at Chapel Cross, Knockanure. Patrick may have been called after his grandfather, the aforementioned Patrick Langan, brother of Sean, Glenagragra.
There could have been another son in the family, who may well be the father of a John Langan who also lived in Knockanure. (See John’s army records further on)
ii. Ellen Langan, (as above) baptised 12-09-1831 who married a John Ahearn from Knockanure on 04-02-1860.
Ellen Langan and John Ahern had at least seven children; the following can be accounted for –
Tom (Toss) Ahern – b. 1860. (Going by 1911census)
Brigid Ahern - born at Kealod, Knockanure in 1861.
Mary Ahern - b 04-10-1863.
Patrick Ahern - b 07-02-1866.
James Ahern - b 30-08-1868.
Maurice Ahern - b 25-07-1870.
Jeremiah Ahern - b 20-12-1872.
It would appear that Thos used to visit his Langan relatives in Glenagragra on a regular basis. The late Mick Higgins R.I.P. of Glasha reliably informed me that he himself had a vivid recollection of Thos Ahearn from Knockanure regularly paying visits on Tom Langan, who at the time was residing at the Higgins homestead. (Tom’s daughter Nora was married to Mick Higgins’s father Maurice and she looked after her father towards the end of his days.) Ciss Faley Higgins R.I.P. was of the opinion that Toss was a 1stcousin of Tom’s. This gives us another indication that there was a clear-cut connection between the two Langan families.
Going on the theory that the first son born was generally called after his grandfather and bearing in mind what Ciss has told me, the situation would then arise that Maurice Langan’s father was indeed called Tom strengthening the possibility that the current Langan families arrived in Glasha/Glenagragra via Knockanure.
Returning to the McElligott name, John Langan, Cahara told Nora Ghauri Langan that his father Mick often told him that the Langan’s and the McElligott’s were related again adding proof to what we have already established. Mick, by all accounts was very well versed in the genealogy department. Mick also said that there was a David Langan in the family.
John Langan (2)
Knockanure.
John
Langan was born in the parish of Knockanure, Co. Kerry in the year
1856. It is feasible that John was either the grandson or grandnephew of
Tom Langan (1), more than likely the latter as Tom’s son Patrick was
born in 1841 and it is unlikely that he, Patrick would have been married
and have a son by the age of fifteen. John joined the British Army’s 67th Brigade of The Leinster Regiment on October 26th 1880.His description on enlistment as follows:
Age Apparently – 24yrs.
Height – 5ft- ¾ inches.
Chest Measurement – 36 ½ inches.
Complection – Fresh.
Eyes – Blue.
Hair – Brown.
Religious Denomination – Roman Catholic.
Distinctive Marks – Old wound between elbow and shoulder.
His Trade or Calling given as a Labourer.
Military History Sheet.
Service at Home and Abroad.
Country – Home. From 21-10-1880 to 10-12-1882 – 2yrs-51days.Country – India. From 11-12-1882 to 15-03-1889 – 7yrs-93days.
Country ====. 16-03-1890 to 24-04-1890 – 40days.
Country – Home.25-04-1890 to 20-10-1892 – 2yrs-179days.
Discharged on 20-10-1892 on termination of first period of limited engagement.
Enlisted for a second period of duty for 4 yrs from 21-10 1892. At Birr, Co. Offaly
Discharged on 20-10-1896 on termination of his engagement.
Next of kin given as follows:
Mother – Ellen Langan, Knockanure. (Could be sister-in-law to Maurice Langan, my greatgreatgrandfather)
Brothers – Thomas and Patrick, Knockanure. (Could be nephews of Maurice Langan, my greatgreatgrandfather.)It would appear that John spent the greater part of his life in the British Army. On September 4th 1914, at Cork, he enlisted with the Special Reservists under the term of ‘one year unless War lasts longer in which case you will be retained until War is over’, for which he was. On enlisting, for some reason or other, he gave his age as 40 years when in fact he was 58yrs of age. He gave his trade or calling as a Clark. He was passed fit to join the Leinster Regiment on said date. This latest term of duty would appear not to have run that smooth as can be seen from the following:
11-12-1915 – Went A.W.O.L. - 14 days F.P. No 2 by Co for absence. Forfeits 8 days pay for absence.
29-12-1916 – Deserted.
13-02-1917 – Rejoined. In arrest awaiting trial. Tried by Court Martial for desertion.
18-02-1917 – Found not guilty of desertion but guilty of absence without leave. (56 days detention)
26-03-1917 – Released from detention. Special remission by G.O.C. of 20 days.
15-05-1917 – Awarded 28 days detention by C.O. for absence. Forfeits 17 days pay.
11-06-1917 – Transferred to the Royal Munster Fusiliers.
26-11-1918 – Transferred to Res. E. Co.
26-06-1919 – Transferred to the Dorset Regt
Discharged from the army December 14th 1919 and retired to the Soldiers Home, King St. Cork. Next of kin given as Ellen Langan, Knockanure. No mention of his brothers Thomas or Patrick.
From ‘Missing Friends’ we find an advert in the Boston Globe newspaper looking for a John Langan by his brother Thomas, home address given as Knockanure.
Langan’s of Duagh
A family of Langan’s living in Duagh reads as follows;Patrick Langan married Hanora Keane 15-01-1867.Family of 10 as follows:
Bridget b 14-11-1867.
Hanora b 06-01-1868.
Margaret b 09-06-1870.
Thomas b 04-01-1872.
Maurice b 09-09-1873.
Mary b 13-05-1875.
John b 01-02-1877.
Jeremiah b 01-03-1880.
Catherine b 22-01-1882.
Michael b 29-?-1884.
Once
again, the pattern follows on much the same lines as the previous
Langan families with the first girl born called Bridget and the first
boy called Thomas.Patrick’s father is down as James Langan and Hanora’s father as Daniel Kane. Surprising then that they did not name any of their children after themselves. (See also Jeremiah Langan (1). Jeremiah was married to Mary Keane. Also mentioned is a David Keane son of Daniel. There could have been a connection there just as well even though in Duagh the name is spelt Kane)
Patrick is on the 1901 census for Duagh village, age 54. Trade given as a Cooper.
His wife Hanora – Seamstress, age 48
Sean O’Histon R.I.P. of Dirreen told Nora Ghauri Langan that he was of the opinion that once upon a time there was a cooper in Athea by the name of Langan. He did not say whether it was in the parish or the village. Sean O’ was very credible when it came to family history etc, pity is he never wrote any of it down on paper.
OoooooOoooooO
Maurice Langan, Castlemahon.
Lowell Linder
from South Dakota in the U.S.A. discovered after much research that his
greatgrandfather John Langan was a native of West Limerick, Castlemahon
to be precise. It would appear that John was the youngest child born to
Maurice Langan and Marie McElligott. John was born in
Castlemahon and the others were born in Shanagolden. Of the others, only
a brother Jerry could be located the remainder could not be traced. It
was around the time of the Famine and many lost their lives at that time
in Ireland. The family eventually emigrated to the U.S circa 1863.
John grew up, married a Catherine Healy,
and had one son (called John) and three daughters. Ultimately, the
marriage broke up and Catherine took her son John back to the state of
New York. Two of the daughters stayed with their father and grew up to
be schoolteachers. They were Margaret and Grace Langan. The other
daughter was sent to a foster home. Neither she nor her brother John is
traceable. Margaret and Grace who are both now deceased grew up and
married respective spouses and subsequently became the grandmothers of,
the aforementioned Lowell Linder and a Dorothy Rourk, the same Dorothy
who came to visit Nora Ghauri Langan in London during the month of July
1988. Lowell Linder is a language and arts instructor at the Flandreau
High School, South Dakota. He is also a very fine poet winning numerous
competitions over the years. The following is a poem that he dedicated
to Bridget Langan, Glenagragra mother of the aforementioned Nora Ghauri Langan.
A Call To Remember.
By Lowell Linder.
Lonely cry of crow invokes my soul to follow its echo back to Ireland,
Cradle of fathers long ago,
Enchanting land of shamrock and leprechaun,
Of Limerick County where Bridget’s garden grows:
Meadow clothed with heart and flower surrounds her beautiful country home,
A natural apparel also for hill and vale extending Bridget’s garden on Emerald Isle.
I mediate and inhale aroma of peace,
My spirit touches the verdant glen and hears harmonic Irish life.
Among bay drying piles of peat,
Stand friendly waving ‘white flags’ like stilted cotton puffs in sway to rhythm of gentle wind.
Daffodils kiss and hug the lovely buttercups,
While iris flirtingly wink at violets.
Daisies praise the neighbourly dandelions as fairy thimbles playfully tickle feet of shy and blushing fuchsia.
Thrush and wren compose a wanting song not ably expressed by flowery lips.
Crows now circle and flow like ebony fish in a crystalline bowl,
Keeping vigil over Bridget’s garden,
A nourishing earth of which I am a part,
An offspring from seed of flower once blown by need across the ocean,
Blown back by winds of longing to visit roots of former home,
Respcctfully tabbed as Bridget’s garden.
00000000000000
Shanagolden Parish Records 1824 – 1900.
Children born to Maurice Langan & Marie McElligott.
Marriage date not given, probably circa 1830.
John – Born – 22-05-1831.
Catherine – Born – 27-07-1834.
Mariam – Born – 15-08-1836.
Thomas – Born – 04-06-1840.
Jer – Born – 29-07-1843.
Margaret – Born – 22-01-1847.
The records give Martin Langan as the father but that could be an error as both Shanagolden and Castlemahon parish records state Marie McElligott as being the mother.
Castlemahon Parish Records 1839 – 1910.
Children born to Maurice Langan & Marie McElligott.
John – Born – 03-06-1852.
It is possible the John born 1831, Shanagolden, died or was still born.The above family would indeed appear to be the ancestors of Lowell Linder, that same family who emigrated to the U.S. circa 1863. U.S. census state Maurice was born circa 1810, which would mean he was fifty-two years of age when he emigrated.
________
Other Langan families from that era as per Shanagolden Parish Records:
15-02-1833. Marriage of Patrick Langan & Maria Kiley.
Issue from that union:
John – Born – 17-01-1836.
Patrick – Born – 09-10-1841.
Born to Michael Langan & Maria Mulqueen:
Mariam – Born – 25-01-1866.
Born to John Langan & Elizabeth Wall:
John – Born – 30-11-1826.
Ellen – Born – 19-10-1828.
Catherine – Born – 31-08-1830.
Margaret – Born – 27-06-1833.
Jer – Born – 21-09-1834.
Maurice – Born – 16-07-1837.
Born to Michael Langan & Johanna Keane.
Catherine – Born – 20-01-1871.
Michael – Born – 14-10-1877.
Bridget – Born – 09-05-1880.
Thomas – Born – 24-08-1883.
________
Shanagolden Parish Records 1824-1900.
Marriages, Births & Witnesses.
Marriages.
30-10-1855 – Marriage of Thomas Langan & Catherine Doran.
Witnesses (W) – Patrick Magner & Ellen Kelly.
15-02-1870 – Michael Langan & Margaret Keane.
(W) – David Lahy & Maurice O’Donnell.
Births.
30-11-1826 – John Langan to John Langan & Elizabeth Wall. (Godparents) Js. Kelly & Hellen Langan.
19-10-1828 – Ellen Langan to John Langan & E. Wall. (Gps) Maurice Lane & Ellen Wall.
31-08-1830 – Catherine to John Langan & E. Wall. (Gps) No Record (N.R) & Maria Morley.
27-06-1833 – Margaret to John Langan & E.Wall. (Gps) Hartwell Sperrin & Maria Langan.
21-09-1834 – Jermiah to John Langan & E. Wall. (Gps) Hartwell Sperrin & Maria Hanley.
16-07-1837 – Maurice to John Langan & E. Wall. (Gps) John Walsh & Ellen Scully.
22-05-1831 – John to Maurice (Martin) & Maria McElligott. (Gps) Ml. Henikan & Hana O’Brien.
27-07-1834 – Catherine to Maurice & Maria McElligott. (Gps) Patrick Connors & Ellie McElligott.
15-08-1836 – Mariam to Maurice Langan & Maria McElligott. (Gps) Thomas Langan & Mgt McElligott.
29-07-1843 – Jermiah to Maurice Langan & Maria McElligott. (Gps) Joseph McElligott.
22-01-1847 – Margaret to Maurice Langan & Maria McElligott. (Gps) John Shanahan & Maria McAuliffe.
04-06-1840 – Thomas to Maurice Langan & Maria McAuliffe. (Gps) Joe McAuliffe & Catherine Quilty.
17-01-1836 – John to Patrick Langan & Maria Kiley. (Gps) Henry Kiley & Maria McAuliffe.
18-11-1831 – Michael to Thomas Langan & Elizabeth Linsey. (Gps) Thomas Donovan & Maria Culhane.
09-10-1841 – Patrick to Michael Langan & Maria Kelly. (Gps) N.R & Helen Maher.
24-11-1828 – Hanna Ryan to John Ryan & Hanna Langan. (Gps) N.R. & Maria Moran.
25-01-1866 – Mariam to Michael Langan & Maria Mulqueen. (Gps) N.R.
20-01-1871 – Catherine to Michael Langan & Johanna Keane. (Gps) N.R.
14-10-1877 – Michael to Michael Langan & Johanna Keane. (Gps) N.R.
09-05-1880 – Bridget to Michael Langan & Johanna Keane. (Gps) N.R.
24-08-1883 – Thomas to Michael Langan & Johanna Keane. (Gps) N.R.
Cross reference with the Kilpadogue Langan’s. Johanna & Patrick Langan were sponsors at the baptism of David Keane. An indication that there was a connection between the Keane’s and the Langan’s. (See Jermiah Langan 1)
________
Loughill Parish Records 1855-1900.
Marriage.
01-11-1855 – Michael Langan & Catherine Sheahan, Loughill. (W) Patrick Gregg & Ellen Sheahan.
________
Monagea Parish Records 1777-1900.
Marriage.
10-09-1861 – Andrew Langan & Susan O’Kerr. (W) Rev. T. O’Neill & Thomas Langan.
________
Askeaton Parish Records 1829-1900.
Marriage.
22-08-1857 – Maurice Langan & Margaret Kennelly.Issue from that union as follows:
10-06-1858 – Catherine Langan.
01-07-1860 – John Langan.
05-09-1862 – Michael Langan.
03-04-1870 – Mary Langan.
30-09-1871 – Jermiah Langan.
01-03-1873 – Helen Langan.
17-05-1874 – Elizabeth Langan. (Godparent) Michael Langan.
17-07-1875 – Maurice Langan.
It would appear that the above family emigrated to the U.S.A. See website ‘Langan from Askeaton to America’.
Michael Langan & Hanna Conway. (No marriage record)
Issue from that union as follows:
07-10-1832 – May or Margaret Langan.
21-02-1836 – Ellen Langan. (Godparents) Thomas & Mary Langan.
30-08-1840 – Bridget Langan.
16-12-1842 – Mary Langan.
Marriage.
09-02-1859 – John Langan & Catherine Davern.
________
Rathkeale Parish Records 1811-1900.
Marriage.
12-02-1831 – James Langan & Catherine McMahon. (W) Patrick Noonan & Maria McMahon.? – William Langan & Catherine Sullivan.
Issue from that union as follows:
18-10-1831 – James Langan. (Godparents) James Keating & Mona Sullivan.
10-04-1834 – William Langan. (Gps) Michael Langan & Maria Carroll.
01-01-1837 – John Langan. (Gps) Patrick Langan & Margaret Langan.
Marriage.
? – Michael Langan & Bridget Glennig.Issue from that union as follows:
01-01-1834 – Bridget Langan. (Godparnts) Patrick Langan & Brig Kelly.
04-12-1836 – Johanna Langan. (Gps) N.R.
28-01-1840 – Margaret Langan. (Gps) N.R.
Marriage.
? – Patrick Langan & Ellen O’Brien.Issue from that union as follows:
27-11-1837 – William Langan.
24-12-1839 – Mary Langan.
24-03-1846 – James Langan.
Marriage.
? – John Langan & Mary Carey.Issue from that union as follows:
14-05-1847 – Edmond Langan.
William and Patrick Langan would appear to have been brothers.
Marriage.
? – Langan & M. Heffernan.Issue from that union as follows:
03-01-1844 – Patrick Langan. (W) N.R. & Catherine Heffernan.
Marriage.
? – James Langan & Catherine Mahony.Issue from that union as follows:
17-06-1838 – Maria Langan.
Marriage.
? – John Langan & Ann Cussen.Issue from that union as follows:
22-01-1846 – Maurice Langan.
22-01-1846 – Margaret Langan. (Twins)
Marriage.
? – Thomas Langan & Maria Crowley.Issue from that union as follows:
12-03-1879 – Helen Langan.
17-07-1881 – Johanna Langan.
03-05-1884 – James Langan. (Godparents) James Langan & Ellen Nash.
Coolcappa/Kilcolman Parish Records 1829-1900.
Marriage.
26-02-1832 – John Langan & Anna Cussen. (W) Chris Ezbery & James Noonan.Issue from that union as follows:
20-04-1833 – Ellen Langan.
05-10-1836 – Michael langan.
24-07-1842 – Hanora Langan.
22-01-1846 – Maurice & Margaret Langan. (Twins born in Rathkeale)
John’s father could have been called Michael and his mother called Ellen. An Ellen Langan who died in Glin Parish in 1876 aged 80yrs could have been the mother of the said John.
Marriage.
20-12-1854 – John Langan & Margaret Carroll, Ardagh. (W) Maurice Langan & Margaret Carroll.Issue as follows:
17-09-1869 – Patrick Langan.
09-08-1874 – Maria Langan.
In the Ardagh Parish Records 1841-1900, a family of the Langan’s recorded as follows:
Children of John Langan & Catherine Carroll.
24-10-1855 – Thomas Langan.
02-09-1859 – Catherine Langan.
13-02-1861 – Fredrick Langan.
02-05-1863 – Margaret Langan.
Could be the same Langan family as that of John Langan & Margaret Carroll of Coolcappa/Kilcolman Parish Records.
Marriage
21-02-1860 – Thomas Langan & Mariam Crowley, Rathkeale. (W) Thomas Crowley & Margaret Madigan.Issue from that union as follows:
20-12-1860 – Catherine Langan.
30-04-1862 – Mariam Langan.
06-10-1863 – William Langan.
09-04-1865 – Thomas Langan.
26-02-1869 – John Langan.
09-07-1872 – Margaret Langan.
05-07-1877 – Bridget Langan.
12-03-1879 – Helen Langan. (Born in Rathkeale.
17-07-1871 – Johanna Langan. do.
03-05-1884 – James Langan. do.
OoooooOoooooO
Jeremiah Langan, Ballyhahill.
Herewith are the army records and subsequent discharge there from, of aJeremiah Langan, born in the parish of Ballyhahill near the town of Glin in the County of Limerick and attested for the 88th Regiment at Rathkeale in the County of Limerick on the 4th January 1855 at the age of 20yrs.
Volunteered to the 62nd Regiment on 31st December 1856. Promoted Corporal on 28th July 1857.
Medical History.
Enlisted - January 3rd 1855.
Birthplace – Ballyhahill, Co. Limerick, Ireland.
Age last birthday – 24 years.
Former trade or occupation – Labourer.
Height – 69 ¼ inches.
Circumference of chest (over the nipple) – 54 inches.
Small Pox marks – Gone.
Vaccination marks – Yes, Right.
When Vaccinated – Before enlisting.
Hair – Dark Brown.
Pulse (regular) – 78 beats.
Respiration – 19 inspirations.
Muscular Development – Good.
The above was his state when examined on 16/11/1859.
General Remarks On His Habits & Conduct in the Service Temperance-:
Temperate,Very Good and in possession of 7 good conduct badges.
Rank and dates of promotion; also dates of transfer to other Regiments.
Transferred from 88th Regiment on 1st January 1857.Private 4th January 1885.
Promoted Corporal 28th July 1857.
Discharge.
‘’Proceedings of a Regimental Board held in Aldershot on 2nd
March 1865, in conformity to the Articles of War, for the purpose of
verifying and recording the Services, Conduct, Character and cause of
discharge of No 42 Corporal Jeremiah Langan of the Regiment above
mentioned.The Board having examined and compared the Regimental Records, the Soldiers Book, and such other Documents as appeared to them to be necessary, report that after making every deduction required by Her Majesty’s Regulations, the Service up to this day, which he is entitled to reckon, amounts to, 10yrs, 58 days, during which period he served abroad 7 4/12 yrs, viz; at Malta, 10/12 years and In North America, 6 6/12 years.
His having been found unfit for further service due to rupture of varicose veins in his legs. The inspecting medical officer, having read the whole of his medical records, formed the opinion that the disability of No 42 Corporal Jeremiah Langan 62nd Regiment, permanently incapacitated him for the active duties of a soldier and that he could not re-enlist if discharged.
The discharge of the above named man was approved by The Field Marshall Commanding-in-Chief on 21st March 1865’’.
His intended place of residence following his discharge was given as Tullamore, Kings County, Ireland. (Now Co. Offaly)
-----------------------
Having
gone west heretofore in an effort to locate the Langan ancestry line I
have now decided to go in the opposite direction to see what I can find.
If we look at the Shanagolden Parish Records 1824 – 1900, we see the
recorded marriage of John Langan and Elizabeth Wall circa 1825. (Marriage date not given) The last child born to this family was a son Maurice on July 16th
1837. That would make the Kilcolman/Glin Parish Maurice 19 yrs of age
on his wedding day 1856, which is quite feasible. We know that Maurice’s
first-born was a son named Tom and the second born was another son
called John. It is also feasible that Tom was called after his maternal
grandfather who could have been called Tom and John may have been called
after his paternal grandfather who we know was John. Kilcolman,
Coolcappa, Shanagolden are all neighbouring parishes and bearing in mind
that many marriages back then, were more localised than they are
nowadays, (whether it was through matchmaking or because of the lack of
transport or whatever), then it’s very probable that Maurice Langan
could have come from that dynasty. Nevertheless, having studied both
ancestral lines and taking into account the relationship as given by Joe
Langan, I have concluded that the Tarbert/Knockanure family of Langan’s
are the ones that have led us to where we are today.
MAURICE LANGAN (1)
Kilcolman & Glin Parish.
Co. Limerick.
(My greatgreatgrandfather)
Following some painstaking and tedious research by Nora Gahuri Langan it looks as if we have finally unearthed our true ancestrial line. Maurice Langan, Nora’s greatgrandfather and my greatgreatgrandfather, was indeed the son of Tom Langan & Bridget McElligott, Knockanure. Maurice was born on February 27th 1818 at Chapel Cross, Knockanure, one of his sponsors being a Catherine Kelly. As previously stated, (See Tom Langan, Knockanure) Maurice had a sister Ellen Langan, b. September 12th 1831 at Chapel Cross, Knockanure, her sponsors being Daniel Griffin & Bridget Dillane. (Ellen married John Ahern as stated heretofore.) Maurice had another sister, Bridget Langan, b. April 6th 1834 at Chapel Cross, Knockanure, her sponsors being – Edmund Stack & Margaret Stack. He had yet another sister Kate Langan, b. circa 1836 and died circa 1896. (No further details on Kate) He had a brother Patrick Langan, b. September 2nd 1840, Chapel Cross, Knockanure, his sponsors being – William Stack & Johanna Kane.
There must have been other family members as there is a gap of 13yrs
between the birth of Maurice in 1818 and the birth of his sister Ellen
in 1831. Paddy Kennelly’s garage now stands on the site of the old Langan homestead of Chapel Cross, Knockanure.See Census Of Ireland 1911 taken April 15th, residents of house No 2 in Kealic (Kealid), Newtownsandes, Co Kerry, Ellen Ahern age 79, son Thomas (Toss) Ahern age 51. This would leave Toss born 1860. Outhouse as follows - 1 Cow-house, 1 Calf- house, 1 Piggery, 1 Fowl-house and 1 Turf-house
See also Census Population 1911 for Kealic, Knockanure for a Patrick Ahern, house No. 20 –
Patrick Ahern age 46.
Katie Ahern (wife) age 48.
John Ahern (son) age 17.
Mary Ahern (daughter) age 14.
It looks as if Patrick Ahern was a son of Ellen & John Ahern and brother of Tom (Toss).As previously stated, Toss Aherne, Knoockanure, son of Ellen Langan Ahern above was indeed a first cousin to my great grandfather Tom Langan, Glenagragra which means that the late Mick and Ciss Higgins R.I.P. were certainly spot on with their account of that relationship.
Limerick’s Judge McElligott of 1930’s was a descendent of the above McElligott’s, confirming once again what Mick Langan, Cahara, always believed was the case.
Ardagh Parish Records 1841-1900.
Marriage.
Maurice Langan married Catherine McCarthy in Ardagh parish Church February 4th 1855. Family from that union as follows -29-04-1856 ; Thomas Langan. (My great-grandfather) Born- Grouselodge, Ardagh. Died November 24th at Glasha, Athea.
31-01-1858 ; John Langan. (Jack), born at Glendihen, Ardagh. Died February 1st 1941 at Ballylongford, Co. Kerry. Lived his life at Shronowen,Tullamore, Co. Kerry.
22-03-1860 ; Bridget Langan born at Glendihen, Ardagh, Co. Limerick.
14-04-1865 ; Catherine Langan born in Shanagolden, Co. Limerick. Died February 1st 1959 at Ballylongford, Co. Kerry.
24-03-1867 ; Mary Langan. Born at Kilcolman, Co. Limerick.
06-06-1869 ; Patrick Langan. Born at Grouselodge, Ardagh, Co. Limerick.
06-07-1871 ; Maurice Langan.(2) Born at Grouselodge, Ardagh, died at Shanagolden on Jan 1st 1930.
12-09-1873 ; Michael Langan. Born at Grouselodge and died at Cahera, Glin on Jan 10th 1974.
Maurice Langan was a stonemason by trade, a profession that was much sought-after in those days. His line of work must have brought him to Grouselodge, Kilcoleman, as his first son, the aforementioned Tom Langan was born there in 1856, where exactly I am not sure. Going by Griffith’s Valuation of 1852 for the townland of Caheragh, the Langan family lived at Mill Street, Glin, in a house Maurice had rented from the Knight of Glin. This house was sited in or around where Healy’s funeral parlour is now located, hence the reason for Maurice Langan (2) b.1871, (son of Maurice 1) when enlisting in the Army giving his address as the parish of Glin. In addition, Tom Langan, b.1856 (son of Maurice 1) gave his address as Glin on his marriage certificate of 1885, by which time their father had gone to his eternal reward. In 1852, we have a Maurice Langan residing in Glenbaun, the said Maurice being a sub-tenant of Denis & Jeremiah Cregan. I do not know the exact date Maurice died but he was certainly deceased on the date of his son Tom’s marriage in 1885. Maurice Langan (1) is interred in Kilfergus Cemetary, Glin.
(The first Adams man in Glin was married to a Langan girl.)
(A man by the name of ‘Rock’ Lynch was also married to a Langan.)
TOM LANGAN. (GLENAGRAGRA)
(Son of Maurice 1.)
Tom
is the diminutive of Thomas, Aramaic, ‘twin’ and may be popular due to
St. Thomas. Before the Norman invasion, it was used only as a priest’s
name. 
In the Glin Parish Records 1851-1900, the following records appear.
13-11-1885 – The wedding of Thomas Langan to Nora Woods took place in the Roman Catholic Church of Glin, ‘’according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Roman Catholic Church by me G. Hurley C.C.’’ The witnesses for this wedding were James Langan and Helen Woods. (Could be the James Langan b24/3/1846, son of Patrick Langan & Ellen O’Brien.) Helen Woods was probably a sister to Nora Woods.
Tom was listed as a bachelor and a pensioner living in Glin, Full Age, Over 21. His profession was given as a Labourer. His father Maurice Langan, deceased.
Nora Woods, listed as Hanora, was given as a farmer, living in Glenagragra and was 19yrs of age.
Issue from that union as follows -;
20-01-1886 ; Maurice Langan. Photo Tom Langan late 1930's.
??-??-1888 ; Kate Langan.
21-05-1890 ; Mary Langan.
23-03-1892 ; Patrick Langan. (my grandfather)
09-06-1894 ; William Langan. (died as a boy circa 1898)
08-12-1896 ; Margaret Langan.
21-01-1898 ; Nora Langan.
The birth of Kate Langan not recorded. According to the 1901 Census Catherine (Kate) Langan was 13yrs of age on said date which would make her date of birth1888.
Maurice appears under Glin records. The remainder of the family under Athea Parish records, 1827-1900.
1901 Census for Tom Langan as follows -
| Surname | Forename | Age | Sex | Relation to head | Religion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Langan | Thomas | 42 | Male | Head of Family | R Catholic |
| Langan | Hanora Woods | 35 | Female | Wife | R C |
| Langan | Maurice | 15 | Male | Son | R C |
| Langan | Catherine | 13 | Female | Daughter | R C |
| Langan | Mary | 10 | Female | Daughter | R C |
| Langan | Patrick | 9 | Male | Son | R C |
| Langan | Margret | 4 | Female | Daughter | R C |
| Langan | Nora | 2 | Female | Daughter | R C |
Soon after his marriage, he along with his brother Mick built for himself and his wife a house in the townland of Glasha, on a site that he acquired from Cornelius (Con) Higgins. How he attained that site, I have no idea. Surely, it could not have been prearranged, that hereafter, the Higgins farm would be divided, and that two of Tom’s daughters would marry two of Con’s sons.
All through his life, Tom referred to himself as being Tom ‘Steele’. On a particular occasion, Tom happened to be in the village of Athea, where he spent most of the day. Coming towards nightfall with thunder and lightning and rain pouring from the Heaven’s, Tom was about to start for home when he met ‘Rice’ Danaher who said to him, ‘Tom, how are you going to get home to Glenagragra tonight? Tom straightened himself and replied, ‘how did I get home from Bagdad’. When Tom had a few drinks taken he used to stand up and say ‘Where were the ‘hoors’ in ‘gragra when Tom Steele was to his knees in blood in the Keber Valley?, at home farthing in the feathers’.
The late Bill Flavin R.I.P. of Glenagragra told me of an incident that took place one evening after Tom had arrived home from the village of Athea. Tom, it would seem, was living with his son-in-law, Paddy Higgins at the time. He must have had some difference of opinion with Paddy after arriving home, which would be nothing-new maybe. Anyway, he walked out of the house and sat down in the middle of the road opposite. There would not have been much traffic on the roads at that time, except for an odd tractor or lorry. The Ahern’s of Athea had one such lorry, which they used for the transporting of flour and meal from Limerick city. The lorry, it seems, driven by Patsy Dalton was on its way homewards with a full load. On arriving at that particular part of the road, Patsy observed Tom sitting there at his hearts content, casting lighted matches into the air. There was no way Patsy could drive past him. ‘’ hel lto it man, says Tom, did not a man on a bicycle pass by me a minute ago, haven’t you plenty of room’’. In the end, Patsy had to get out of the lorry to coax Tom in off the road.
Bill went on to tell me about the time they used to play the cards over at Maurice Higgins’s. All the local lads were scared out of their wits of Tom. On one particular evening, as they were playing the cards, Mick Higgins made some elementary mistake. Tom made one jump up off the chair yelling ‘’ hell to it man, says he, ‘tisn’t talking to one of them I am at all, I am talking to the table’’. With that, he would pull his chair back to the corner and that would be the end of his playing for that night. ‘’But sure, says Bill, he would be first at the table again the next night and as bad as ever’’.
As previously stated, Tom spent the latter years of his life at the home of his daughter Nora who was married to Maurice Higgins. However, the arrangement did not always work out as planned and Tom being the impetuous person that he was would inevitably start a row, resulting in him walking out. ‘Pluck the goose and let her off’, Tom used to say. (In other words, all they wanted was his money.) On one occasion it must have been a relatively serious disagreement, for not alone did Tom walk out, he stayed out for what would appear to be a considerable length of time. Story has it that he went back to his son Paddy’s in Glenagragra and built for himself there, a room out the back of that house, right on the bank of the river. I remember that room very well, we used to call it the scullery in my time growing up there but I never knew of its history until Paddy Faley informed me of it some years ago, February 2007 to be precise. In fact, some of it is standing to this present day and is being used as a turf shed by Tom’s great grandson P.J. Langan.
Bill remembered seeing Tom driving around in his ass and cart. He told me how on one particular night Tom almost drowned crossing the river whilst on his way from the village of Athea. The road that currently leads up to Higgins’s house wasn’t there at all back then, it seems, but further to the east, by the now almost invisible lime kiln. There was no bridge there either and on that particular night, the river had burst its banks following an evening of torrential rain. Says Bill, ‘’only for the ass refusing to enter the river the two of them would be drowned’’. At that stage perhaps after their having spent the best part of the day in the village, the ass may well have had more sense than its master may.
Bill told me that on such days, it was likely that Tom would bring home a noggin of whiskey in the inside pocket of his coat. When he would be drawing close to the house, he would hide the bottle in a nearby ditch. Story has it that on one occasion Paddy Flavin (Bill’s father) was clipping the weeds and bushes off the ditch of the inch (that same inch he later gave to my grandfather Paddy Langan) when out popped the noggin of whiskey. However, as luck might have it, he broke the bottle when he hit it with the slash hook. Like the dog with the bone, Tom used to hide the drink, but they say he could never ever remember afterwards where exactly he had hidden it.
Bill went on to tell me of an incident that happened one night at the steps going into Jack ‘George’ Griffin’s field, the same being the field immediately to the west of Bill’s house. The steps were located directly at the boundary of Jack’s other field, further to the west. Tom O’Connor, (better known as Tom Connors) of Glenagragra, was very similar in appearance to Tom Langan, especially when he wore the black hat. One night, shortly after Tom’s death, Bill’s father Paddy, was on his way home from Ballyguiltenane, after a hard day’s work of thatching. (Paddy excelled in the art of thatching houses whether it being with reed or with the common rush) Paddy, it seems, always took the short-cut home by way of exiting the ‘New Road’, (the same being the road that connects the Kerry line opposite my brother Eddie’s homestead to the Glin/Athea road at point known as Granville’s cross), at the stream north of the Feury family residence, over by Connors’s house. However, on this particular night he was feeling a little nervous, so that he decided to go down to the Kerry line instead. As he approached the steps, he could see what appeared to be a figure standing erect on the skirting by the side of the road. There was so much talk of ghosts and fairies back then that Paddy was convinced that it was old Tom Connors back from the dead. Too late to turn back he decided to run and as he was passing the form he murmured, with the dread more than anything else, ‘good night’, to which came the reply, ‘and the man said good night’. Paddy recognised immediately, to his relief, the voice of Tom Langan. If Tom had not spoken, then the stories could well have been around from that day to this that Tom Connors had indeed returned from the dead.
My late mother R.I.P. often told me how back then they were all frightened out of their ‘skins’ of Tom. Said mother, ‘there as no way we would go over to ‘The Coopers’ shop on the day that Tom would be on his way from the village, for fear we would meet ‘auld Langan’, that’s what we called him.’ Apparently, to them anyway, Tom was frightening in appearance, sporting a long grey beard and was always talking to himself as he ambled along in his ass and cart. She recalls one particular afternoon where they could not avoid the confrontation, their parents having instructed them to go to the shop for some message and as faith might have it, they met with Tom. However, to their complete disbelief, Tom put his hand in his pocket and gave them all money and from that day onwards, I can tell you they held Tom in a completely different light altogether.
Tom Langan went to his eternal reward on Nov 23rd, 1942, the Fair Day of Ardagh, Mick Higgins reminded me. Paddy Faley remembers that night well. He was on his way back to Copley’s of Glasha (see Langan Ned) and on hearing of Tom’s death; he stayed the night at the corpse house instead.
On Decenber 5th, 1942 the Athea correspondent for the Limerick Leader newspaper paid the following tribute to Tom;
Had The Fighting Spirit.
All
who knew him, writes our Athea correspondent, will learn with deep
regret of the demise of Mr. Tom Langan, Glasha. Deceased had a varied
not to say romantic career.At an early age, he enlisted in the British Army and served throughout the Egyptian and subsequent campaigns. He fought at Tel-El-Keber, Kassassin and several other engagements in all of which he displayed conspicuous bravery. He was endowed with all the fire, verve and indomitable courage of his race, qualities which have never rendered the Irish soldier so formidable an opponent in the field of battle. He had the geography of the Near East at his finger-ends and was always prepared to discourse familiarly of Consantinople, The Dardenells and the Narrows.
When in a mellow mood he was fond of fighting his battles over again and of describing the stirring events that took place in those far off days of the’80’s. On the outbreak of the Boar War 1889, he volunteered his services to the British Military Authorities and was recalled to the colours.
He did the same in 1914 and again donned Military Uniform.
It was only his great age and infirmity that prevented him from once more volunteering in September 1939. The fighting spirit of the Gael was in his blood.
Hotheaded, impetuous and generous to a fault, he was still a fine manly character, incapable of anything mean or unworthy.
Peace Be To His Ashes.
--------------------
John (Jack) Langan
(Son of Maurice 1.)
Jack Langan
was born on 31-01-1853 and lived his life at Shronowen, Tullamore, Co.
Kerry. His wife’s name was Johanna Walsh. John died Feb 28th 1941 age 88yrs. They had a son Mick Langan
and three daughters, Kitty, Hannie and Molly Langan. Mick was married
to Mary Enright/O’Connor from near Gale Bridge. The aforementioned Ciss
Higgins Faley R.I.P. has reliably informed me that on numerous Sunday’s
throughout the years, Bob Higgins (son of Maurice and Nora Langan) and
my aunt Maureen Langan McInerney would cycle back to Tullamore to visit
their Langan relations. Mick died April 21st 1980 and is interred in Gale cemetery on the Ballybunion Road, west of Listowel. His wife Mary died July 5th 1987.1911 Census for residents of No 6 in Tullamore, Shronowen, Co. Kerry as follows –
Langan John, age 53. (Stonemason)
Langan Johanna, age 41. (Wife)
Langan Mary, age 12. (Daughter)
Langan Catherine, age 9. (Daughter)
Langan Johanna, age 6. (Daughter)
Langan Michael, age 5. (Son)
Lynch Timothy, age 86. (Father in law)
Langan Bridget.
(Daughter of Maurice 1)
Langan Bridget, daughter of Maurice was born March 22nd 1860. It would appear that Bridget emigrated to the U.S.
Langan Mary.
(Daughter of Maurice 1)
Langan Mary, daughter of Maurice was born March 24th 1867. Emigrated to the U.S.
Langan Patrick.
(Son of Maurice 1)
Langan Patrick, son of Maurice was born June 6th 1869 and emigrated.
Maurice Langan 2,
(son of Maurice 1.)
Maurice was born on July 6th 1871. He was married a Moroney girl from Shanagolden. They lived in Mount David. They had no family. Maurice went to his eternal reward June 1930 age 60yrs.
The following are Maurice’s army records.
Army Form B.265.
Short Service.
(7
years with the Colors, and 5 years in the Reserve, or, the man
completes his 7 years’ service while beyond the seas, then for 8 years
with the Colors and 4 years in the Reserve)
Attestation Of
No 93298……Name… Maurice Langan……Corps Royal Artillery.
Some of the questions put to the Recruit before Enlistment.
- What is your name?………………………………Maurice Langan.
- In or near what Parish or Town were you born?…In the Parish of Glin..in or near the Town of …Glin..in the County of..Limerick.
- Are you a British Subject?......................................Yes.
- What is your age?....................................................19yrs.
- What is your Trade or Calling?...............................Labourer.
- Have you resided out of your Father’s house for three years continuously in the same place, or occupied a house or land of the yearly value of £10 for one year, and paid rates for the same, and, in either case, if so, state where?...............................No.
Question 18. Are you willing to serve upon the following conditions provided Her Majesty should so long require your service –
(a) For the term of Twelve years, for the first seven years in the Army Service, and for the remaining five years in the First Class of the Army Reserve, or if, at the termination of such period of Army Service, you ar serving beyond the seas, then for the first eight years in Army Service, and for the remaining four years in the 1st Class of the Army Reserve.
(b) If, at the expiration of the above-mentioned term of Army Service, whether of seven or eight years, a state of war exists, then, if so directed by the competent Military Authority, to serve in Army Service for a further period not exceeding 12 months.
(c) If, at the expiration of the above-mentioned term of Army Service, you are so required by a proclamation from Her Majesty in case of imminent national danger or great emergency, then to serve in the Army Service so as to complete your term of 12 years, and for a further period not exceeding 12 months.
(d) If the above-mentioned term of 12 years expires while you are on service with the Regular Forces beyond the seas, or while a state of war exists with a Foreign Power, or while Soldiers in the Reserves are required by proclamation to continue in or re-enter upon Army Service, then to serve for a further period not exceeding 12 months.
Answer….Yes.
I, Maurice Langan, do solemnly declare that the above answers made by me to the above questions are true, and that I am willing to fulfil the engagements made.
Maurice Langan Signature of Recruit. John Healy Signature of Witness.
Oath To Be Taken By Recruit On Attestation.
I, Maurice Langan
do make Oath, that I will be faithful and bear true Allegiance to Her
Majesty, Her Heirs, and Successors, and that I will, as in duty bound,
honestly and faithfully defend Her Majesty, Her Heirs, and Successors,
in Person, Crown, and Dignity against all enemies, and will observe and
obey all orders of Her Majesty, Her Heirs, and Successors, and the
Generals and Officrs set over me. So help me God.Witness my hand. Signature of Recruit Maurice Langan.
Signature of Witness John Healy.
Description of Maurice Langan on Enlistment.
Age physically equivalent to…
19 years……….Months
Height…5 feet…10 inches.
Weight…136lbs.
Chest measurement… Minimum…34 inches.
Maximum expansion 35 1/2 inches.
Complexion…Fresh
Eyes…Grey
Hair…Dark Brown.
Religious Denomination…Roman Catholic.
Certificate of Medical Examination.
I
have examined the above-named recruit and find that he does not present
any of the conditions referred to in Para. 799 of the Regulations for
Medical Services, Part 1.He can see at the required distance with either eye, his heart and lungs are healthy, he has the free use of his joints and limbs, and he declares that he is not subject to fits of any descriptions.
I consider him… Fit… for the Army.
Date… 18th October 1892. Signed Michael Jennings.
Certificate of Military Examination.
I
hereby certify that the above-named recruit was inspected by me, and I
consider him Fit for service in the Royal Artillery, and that due care
has been exercised in his enlistment. N. Anderson Lieut. Adjt The Clare
Artillery.
Date..18th October 1892.
Place… Ennis, Co. Clare.
Military History Sheet.
Service at Home and Abroad (including former service of re-enlisted man, when allowed to reckon towards G. C. Pay or Pension).Country. From To Years Days
Home 17-10-1892 12th Sept’93 - 331
Malta 12 Sept 1893 23rd Oct ’94 1 41
Hong Kong 24Oct ’94 17th Feb ’98 3 107
Singapore 18th Feb ’98 3rd March ’04 6 15
Home 4th March 1904.
Discharged 29th Nov 1904. Free after 12 Years.
OooooOooooO
Michael Langan 1873-1974, Cahara.
(son of Maurice 1.)
Mick Langan took over the place from his father-in-law John Sexton,
circa 1907. I remember Mick well. He was a very communicative and
intelligent person and a stonemason by trade. Back in those years,
(1959-1970) Mick, along with his son John and John’s wife Anna would
regularly pay visits to my grandfather’s home in Glenagragra. To
co-inside with such visits, the Chawke’s from Granagh (grandmother
Langan’s relations) would invariably visit on the same day. I, despite
the fact that back then I being rather timid, especially when in the
company of so many people, would sure to be called upon to break the ice
so to speak by being asked to sing the first song of the afternoon.
Grandfather made sure that everyone got into the spirit of the occasion
by producing bottles of his best-mulled porter and the entertainment
would go on for hours on end. I really looked forward to those wonderful
Sunday’s back then.Mick lived to be over 100 years of age and was so upright and strong in his limbs as to walk to the town of Glin each Friday to collect his pension. Following his 100th birthday celebrations the Limerick Leader of Sept 15th 1973 ran the following article;
‘’Secret of Long Life-by John, aged 100’’.
(It should have read Michael, not John)
‘’Mr. Michael Langan, Cahara, Glin, County Limerick, celebrated his 100th birthday at the weekend with his sons and Daughters from Ireland and overseas.This was also the first complete family re-union in 54 years.
Mr. Langan’s daughters, Mrs. Ellen McCarthy, Mrs. Kitty Feely, his grand-daughter, Mrs Barbara McNeil, and her son Terry, all came from Brooklyn, New York. His son, Maurice, travelled from Glasgow.
Daughter, Mrs Mary Quigg, who lives next door to Mr. Langan, didn’t have far to go with her congratulations and Mr. and Mrs. John Langan didn’t have to move at all – they live with Mr. Langan.
A cousin, Mrs Mary Harrington, from Long Island, New York was also at Glin for the occasion.
Around 200 people from all over Munster attended the party.
President Childers sent £50 to Mr. Langan along with congratulations and sincere good wishes.
Work, Pint, Pipe.
Mr. Langan, still sporting a fine head of hair, let us into his secret of long life, ‘’Hard work, a pint and a smoke of my pipe.’’Despite his great age, he is still very active, goes for walks and finds time to read the paper.’’
Mick went to his eternal reward 1974.
Census 1901.
Cahara.
Mick Langan
Mary (Wife)
Margaret (Daughter aged 2)
Census 1911.
Cahara.
Mick Langan – Aged 37.
Mary – Wife – Aged 36.
Maurice – Son – Aged 12.
Ellen- Daughter – Aged 9.
Mary Kate – Daughter – Aged 10 months.
John Sexton – Relative. (Father-in-law)
Glin parish records, 1851-1900 state:-
06-02-1897 Marriage of Michael Langan to Maria Sexton.Sponsors for this wedding were Patrick Lynch and Maria Healy.
Family from that union as follows –
(1) Ellen Langan (Babe) born 20/11/1901.
(2) Maurice Langan b1899.
(3) Mary Langan b1911.
(4) Catherine Langan b1920.
(5) John Langan b1925.
(1) Ellen (Babe) Langan was born Nov 20th 1901 in Glin, Co. Limerick and died December 13th 1977 in Oceanside, New York. Ellen was the first of the family to emigrate staying with her uncle Mike Conway. On January 30th 1929 she married Charles Finbar McCarthy in Brooklyn, New York. In 1926 Charles jumped ship in New York. He served with the British Navy between 1914 – 1918.Charles and Ellen had the following family –
(i) Barbara Mary McCarthy, b January 9th 1930, Brooklyn, New York.
(ii) Charles Michael McCarthy (Bud), b October 19th 1932, Brooklyn, New York.
(iii) Barbara Mary McCarthy was married twice - firstly on May 20th 1952 to James McNeil and had the following family –
Thomas James McNeil, b November 16th 1952, Brooklyn, NY.
James Charles McNeil, b January 30th 1955, Brooklyn, NY.
Terrence James McNeil, b January 7th 1958, Brooklyn, NY.
Thomas James McNeil married Ann Favicchio Nov 1974 in Rockville Centre, NY. Family from that union as follows –
Thomas James McNeil b March 1982, Baldwin, NY.
Bryan Patrick McNeil b Nov 1984, Baldwin, NY.
Katie Ann McNeil b July 1989, Baldwin, NY.
Terrence James McNeil married Rose Ann Portentier, Oct 12th, 1985. Family from that union as follows –
Ryann McNeil b July 1988.
Terrence James McNeil (T,J.) b Sept 1991.
Meghan McNeil b July 1995.
As peviously stated, Barbara Mary McCarthy was married twice. Her first husband James McNeil died 1975. She re-married in 1981 to Ward Murphy.
(iv) Charles Michael McCarthy (Bud) married Grace Ellen Maloney Feb 5th 1955 in Brooklyn, NY. He served in the U.S. army from 1952-1954.
Family fom that union as follows –
Grace Ellen McCarthy b June 1st 1956, Brooklyn. (Nurse Manager)
Patricia Ann McCarthy n November 8th 1958, Brooklyn. (Computer Analyst for special education children)
Jeannie Marie McCarthy b Dec 14th 1962, Brooklyn.
Robert Charles McCarthy b Sept 26th 1967, Brooklyn. (Captain in U.S. Merchant Marine’s)
(v) Patricia Ann McCarthy married Stephen Bruce Miller August 20th 1984 I Brooville, NY. Family from that union as follows –
Kevin Charles Miller b Aug 28th 1989.
John Patrick Miller (Jake) b March 16th 1993.
(2) Maurice Langan also went to the U.S.A and married a Scottish woman. He retired to Scotland and died there without issue.
(3) Mary Langan was the second to emigrate to the U.S. She married a man by the name of Quigg and had one daughter Maureen Quigg. The marriage broke up and Maureen went to her father’s family and had no contact with her mother after that. Mary Langan Quigg retired to Glin, next door to the family home and died there.
(4) Catherine Langan (Kitty) married Jack Feely (Fealy)
from Loughill. Their house was situated almost directly across the road
from Loughill Church. They emigrated to the U.S. Not sure if they were
married and living in Loughill or not prior to they emigrating. Jack had
a lorry and drew sand during the building of Paddy Murray’s Hall in Loughill which opened its doors on March 17th 1941. The renowned Bunny Dalton Band from Listowel supplied the music on that memorable opening night. Other bands to play there included – The McKnights, The Devon Dance Band, Jimmy McCarthy and the fiddlers four – Mick Mangan, Michael O’Connor, Jim McKenna & Con O’Connell.
A traditional piece of music known as ‘Mick Mangan’s jig’ was one of
the first tunes taught to me on the fiddle by my grandfather Paddy Langan.Mick Mangan was born in Clounleharde. He married and thay both went to live in a farm that Elizabeth inherited from her uncle. This farm was situated approximately a half mile west of Ballyhahill village on the Glin road. Mick and Elizabeth had no family. I knew Con O’Connell well and had the occasion to play a few tunes together during his visits home from the U.S. (See also Griffin’s of Glenagragra) Paddy Faley reminds me that the Glenagragra Dramatic Class of which he was a member of also staged plays in Murray’s hall during the early 1950’s. Catherine (Kitty) Langan Feely died in New York.
(5) John Langan took over the home cottage in Cahara from his father Mick. He was married to Anna Prendeville from Listowel. It would appear that John was very close to his 1st cousin, Paddy Langan, my grandfather, of Glenagragra. John and his wife Anna often recalled the times of Paddy and his wife Babe going to the town of Glin in their pony and trap, going out to their house and spending most of the night there chatting with his father Mick and themselves. Babe would never say to Paddy it is time to go home as other wife’s might do, she was very patient and enjoyed the company. John was involved in Paddy’s election campaign of the 1940’s and 50’s, canvassing the countryside with him and acting as his tallyman on Election Day at the courthouse in Glin.
(More on Paddy’s election further on)
John Langan
was as versatile as his forbearers were and took part in many local
plays, concerts and dramas, many staged at the aforementioned Paddy
Murray’s Hall in Loughill. The Glin correspondent of the Limerick Leader
of Wed November 15th 1944 had the following to say about one such night out:
Enjoyable Night at Glin.
Glin
Dramatic Company (writes our Glin correspondent) held on Sunday night a
most delightful concert and humorous play at Reidy’s Hall, Glin, before
a crowded and appreciative audience.The entertainment was opened by the Company singing ‘Kelly The Boy From Killane’ in fine style, and, also ‘The Bold Fenian Men’. These were followed by songs from Messrs. Joseph Healy, John Power, Pakey Culhane, John Langan and Master John Finn. Step-dancing items were contributed by Misses Adams, McNamara, Burke and McKeon. Master Michael Reid contributed the dance music. Miss McKeon recited a very pleasing item ‘’When Granny Was Young’’.
Those who took part in the play were Messers :-
John Langan, Michael Mangan, Pakey Culhane, Joseph Healy, John Fennell and Misses :-
Cathleen Dillane, Mary O’Sullivan Elsie Wallace ; each and all giving of their best and making the entertainment the delightful one it was.
The ‘Soldiers’ Song’ brought the entertainment to a close.
Photo of Glin Drama Group that includes John Langan in B.R.J. 1990 p108.
John Langan died April 16th 2001. His wife Anna died June 7th 1996. They had no family.
Mick
Langan often spoke about a David Langan being in the family. Hereunder
are some Langan’s from the Tarbert area including a David Langan who it
seems emigrated to the U.S.A headstone in Kilfergus cemetery, Glin has the following inscription –
I.H.S.
Erected by
Mrs Margaret Langan
in memory of her beloved
son Maurice L
who died
1832. Aged 12 years.
May he rest in peace
Amen.
This could have been the same Margaret Langan
who had a bakers shop in Market Sq., Tarbert village from 1824 to 1856
as listed in Slaters Trade Directory of Ireland. Margaret is also listed
under Inns and Publis Houses. Come the year 1870 no Margaret Langan listed. There is also a Margaret Langan listed in the Glin death register of 1864. Could be the same Margaret. In the Limerick Evening Post Newspaper dated March 11th
1815 the following marriage appears thus - ‘Married – In Glin, by the
Rev. Mr McIniry. Mr. Michael Langan Jnr., to the amiable Miss Margaret
O’Brien of said place’. The headstone as described above is quite close
to the O’Brien graves, food for thought no doubtIn 1846 we have a Thomas Langan, Main St., listed under Carpenters
By the year 1886 we have a David Langan listed under Agents (News). A David Langan, Church St., probably the same person, listed under Flour and Meal Dealers, Grocers and Lodging House Keepers. By 1894 David Langan had disappeared from the list. In 1906, we have Mrs Annie Langan, Chapel St., listed under Grocers and Publicans. On June 11th 1905 an Annie Langan 38yrs from Tarbert along with her daughter Mollie Langan age 15yrs, her sons David Langan age 14yrs Gerald Langan age 11yrs and 6 mths and George Langan age 10yrs and 6mths emigrated to the U.S on board the Teutonic arriving there on Jun 22nd. All going to their father David Langan at Wentworth Ave, Chicago.
Glin Parish Records 1851-1900.
Marriage.
20-10-1877 – David Langan & Maria Maguire. (W) Edward Leahy & Johanna Dillane.
Marriage.
13-01-1885 – Thomas Langan & Hanna Woods. (W) James Langan & Helen Woods. Thomas & Hanna were my great-grandparents.Issue from that union as follows:
20-01-1886 – Maurice Langan. (Gps) N.R. & Maria (Mary) Woods. Mary was probably Maurice’s aunt, a sister of Nora’s.
(See Athea Parish Records hereunder for remainder)
Marriage.
06-02-1897 – Michael Langan & Maria Sexton. (W) Patrick Lynch & Maria Healy.Issue from that union – (See Langan Michael, Cahara.)
Griffiths Valuation 1851.
Glin.
Langan John was the owner of a house at Kilacolla Barber.
OooooOooooO
Athea Parish Records 1827-1900.
(Family of Tom Langan & Nora Woods. Continued from Glin)
21-05-1890 – Maria (Mary) Langan.
(Godparents) Tim Woods & Catherine Geoghegan. Tim was Mary’s uncle.
Catherine Geoghegan was her grandaunt. Catherine’s mother was Mary
Mackessy, a sister to Margaret23-03-1892 – Patrick (Paddy) Langan. (my grandfather) (Gps) Denis Quille & Margaret Quille. Denis Quille was from Dromada and Margaret was from Tullyleague.
09-06-1894 – William Langan. (Gps) N.R. & Catherine Geoghegan.
(William died circa 1898 aged 4)
08-12-1896 – Margaret Langan. (Gps) N.R. & Catherine Geoghegan.24-01-1899 – Hanna (Nonie) Langan. (Gps) Tim Woods & Bridget Woods. Bridget was a daughter of Jermiah, Clounleharde who later married John McMahon, Glenagragra. (Scairt)
??-?? - 1888 - Kate Langan – (No Record in Athea.)
Maurice Langan. (See Glin Parish Records)
Other Langan’s listed in the Moyvane/Knockanure index as follows-On April 14th 1819 we have a Mary Langan, Kilbaha born to Henry Langan and Ellen Shanahan. Sponsors – John O’Connor and Ellen O’Connor. Must be Kennedy Langan above.
On August 31st 1823 we have Patrick Langan, Kilbaha born to Kennedy Langan and Ellen Shanahan. Sponsors – John Shine and Hanora Shine.
On January 6th 1828 we have Denis Langan, Kilbaha born to Redmond Langan and Sarah Shanahan. Sponsor – Julia Barrett and ? Is Redmond & Sarah actually Kennedy Langan and Ellen Shanahan?
On January 30th 1830 we have Ellen Langan, Cronebrane born to Kennedy Langan and Ellen Shanahan. Sponsors – Edmund Pelican & Ellen ?
It would appear that Ellen Shanahan, Kennedy Langan’s wife must have died as Kennedy re-married to Johanna Connell, Gortdromasillahy on February 11th 1834. Witnesses – Thomas Costello and John Gouldin.
Kennedy Langan may have been a brother of Tom Langan, Knockanure.
January 1st 1851 we have the marriage of Patrick Langan and Jane Riordan. Witnesses – Edmund Fitzmaurice and David Riordan. Patrick must be the son of Kennedy Langan.
February 4th 1860 marriage of John Ahern, Gortadromagouna and Ellen Langan of Keolid. Witnesses – Michael Guiney & Michael McGrath. Ellen was the daughter of Tom Langan, Knockanure as previously alluded to.
In relation to Kennedy Langan above, it could be that the spelling of Kennedy may be incorrect as in Henry, or they may be using the Kennedy surname as a christian name. If we re-trace our footsteps we had a Kennedy girl from Nantinan married to Peadair O’Longain, Michael Og’s grandfather. Sean Ban Aerach O’Flanagainn was also married to a Kennedy girl hence the reason for the said Sean being buried in the Langan graves.
January 27th 1844 marriage of Patrick Hynes & Catherine Langan, Newtown. Witnesses – Patrick Langan & Bridget Connell.
Kennedy Langan marriage to Janette Riordan 1851. (Must be the son of Kennedy above.)
From the latest information received, via Nora Ghauri and Ballylongford R/C births, it is worthy to note the family of David Langan and Mary Kelly who resided in Tarbert. They are as follows:
Michael Langan, b. January 1st 1824. Sponsors – John Egan & Mary Cauliffe.
Maurice Langan, b. January 1st 1826. Sponsors – John Dowling & Margaret Langan.
Ann Langan, b. Sept 20th 1829. Sponsors – Maurice Dealy & Ellen Langan.
Michael Langan, b. December 16th 1831. Sponsors – Michael langan & Ellen Langan.
Thomas Langan, b. January 13th 1834. Sponsors – John Nevil & Julianna Langan.
Margaret Langan, b. November 20th 1836. Sponsors – William Fitzpatrick & Ellen Marshall.
Other Langan marriages from Ballylongford include:
November 21st 1841, Thomas Langan & Joanna O’Connor. Witnesses, D.Langan & John Connor.February 14th 1844, Thomas Langan & Bridget Dillane, Tarbert. Witnesses – Mathew Enright & Mary Rice.
April 18th 1874, Patrick Langan, Ballylongford & Hanora Sandes, Carrig Island. Parents – James Langan & Johanna Dugan. – Charles Sandes & Judieth Enright.
February 12th 1833, Daniel Langan & Bridget Holly. Witnesses – Michael Langan & Patrick Madigan. Elizabeth Walsh
OoooooOoooooO
John Langan & his wife Anna, Cahara, Glin. Mick Langan father of John on his 100th birthday1973.
Bud McCarthy Maureen Quigg 1941. Maurice Langan and wife.
------------------------------------------------------------------
The Langan, Woods/Quille Connection.
As
already stated, the Glenagragra Woods’ came from Dromada, Athea as did
the Tullyleague and Clounleharde families. Although the late Paddy Faley
R.I.P. was of the understanding that when the landlord allotted the
lands of Clounleharde he brought from east Limerick a blacksmith by the
name of Woods and settled him down at the ‘Brickhouse’s’. I have now
learned from John Woods, Tullyleague, of a Thady Woods who
married a girl from Ballybunion, married in back there so to speak. It
would appear that his wife died at a relatively young age and Thady,
allegedly being an outsider in the eyes of his wife’s family, was
evicted from the family home. He along with his family may have
travelled to Co. Limerick, West or East I could not say, before
eventually settling down in Glenagragra. Thady had two sons: Jermiah and William.
There could have been other family members. So if there is any
substance to that theory then Paddy Faley’s account of events are spot
on. There was another Woods an uncle of Thady who also went to
Ballbunion, married there, subsequently emigrated to South Africa, and
by all accounts did extremely well out there. It was only some years
past that three descendants of the said Woods arrived in Glin looking
for their Woods ancestry.In Athea the family were known as Quilles, gaelic for Woods. Seemingly, they were there for over 400 yrs.
Quille Denny, born circa 1775 - the 8th Denis Quille in succession in Dromada (Gortnagross) had two sons and one daughter. Circa 1830, he divided the farm between the two sons, Jermiah (known also as Darby) born circa 1800 and Denis, born circa 1810. Jermiah was said to have married an O’Sullivan girl from Lr. Athea, one of the Con Paddy O’Sullivwn’s. Denis married a girl by the name of Hunt. In the Rathkeale death register there is a Denis Woods b1810, died 1905 age 95yrs., could be the same person as above.
Catherine, Denny’s daughter married John Fitzgerald from Duagh in Glin Church 1854. Catherine & John settled somewhere in the Parish of Athea. (No further information on this family, probably had no family as she would be in her 50’s at that time)
Under the Registry of Parishoners, Dromada 1851 it is recorded where a Darby Quille paid 1/6 towards the religious and educational institutions of the parish.
Quille Woods Denis (1)
Denis Quille
who was the brother of Darby/Jermiah got the part of the farm in
Dromada known as ‘across the stream’. He was married to a girl called
Hunt. He had a son who was also Denis (2). Denis (2) b1832 married a Mary Aherne b1837 and had a daughter Joanna Quille born 1876 and a son Denis (3) born 1861. Denis (3) married a Hannie Aherne and had a son Timothy Quille born 1900 and two daughters, Mary Quille born 1899 and Katie Quille who married Tom Stack. Tom and Katie had a son Pat Joe (Patsy) Stack who is currently living in the Quille farm in Gortnagross.
Quille Darby/Jermiah
(Family as follows)
Quille Denny (Denis) (son of Darby/Jermiah), Dromada, settled in the home part of the family farm and on Feb 14th
1863 married McCoy Mary b 1841 (daughter of Thady McCoy and Biddy
McMahon, Glin parish). Witnesses: Jermiah Quille & Agnes Jameson.
Jermiah was probably Darby, Denny’s brother. Agnes Jamieson was
the daughter of John Jamieson and Bridget Deenihan, Ballyculhane who got
married in St. Michael’s, Church of Ireland, on May 4th 1832. Agnes was the half great-great-grandaunt to Shane Jamieson who is married to my niece Brid Langan, Glenagragra. Agnes’s father was married twice.Denny was known locally as Denis Darby Quille.
Family of Quille Denny (Denis), 8 in all.
(1) Jer Woods - baptised May 15th 1864. (1901 Census states b1865) Godparents: Mike Quille & Ellen McCoy. Jer lived in the home place and remained single. He died Jan 11th 1942 and is buried in Templeathea cemetery.
(2) Kate Woods - baptised March 24th 1866, Fr. Martin Ryan P.P. Godparents: Denis Kelly & Ellen McCoy. Kate was given her uncle Johnny McCoy’s farm in Ballydonoghue, Glin Parish. Johnny had no family. His wife’s name may have been Eliza Fitzgibbon who in 1852 had a house leased from T. Fitzgerald. On July 29th 1900 Kate married her cousin Tom Fitzgibbons, son of Thomas Fitzgibbons of Ballyhoulihan. Witnesses: William Quille, Glenagragra, Glin & Ellen Lardiner, Ballycormack. Tom married into the farm, (A Cliamhain Isteach) They had 4 children as follows; (i) John, (Johnny) born May 30th 1902. Godparents; James Fitzgibbons & Johanna Enright. (James Fitzgibbons was probably Johnny’s uncle who also lived in Ballyhoulihan. James left his place to Johnny and Paddy Ahearn, both now deceased. Griffith’s Valuation of 1852 gives a John & James Ahern with 11acres, 3roods and 24perches leased from T. Fitzgerald.) James Fitzgibbons had a sister who became Mrs. Culhane, mother of Bob Culhane. Bob was married to Maggie Connolly; schoolteacher from Glenagragra who taught my mother in Ballyguiltenane National school. Johanna Enright’s grandson Sheams Enright has a restaurant in Tarbert. Johnny married Mary Crimmins, (died circa 1962) daughter of Ned Crimmins, Killicolla and Margaret Hennessy, Ballybunion. They had 2 daughters; Mary, single, who nursed in the Childrens Hospital, Foynes and later at Croom Orthopaedic Hospital. Katherine married David Moore, Ballyculhane, Glin & had the following children; Mary, David, Janet, Helen, Sean & Thomas. My father Ned Langan R.I.P. used to cut hay for Johnny back in late 1960’s early ‘70’s. We knew him and indeed, he was known locally as Johnny Gibbons, the Fitz being dropped from the surname. (ii) Nellie Fitzgibbon, who was born in 1904 remained single. She had a shop at Church St., Tarbert village, Co. Kerry. (iii) Denis Fitzgibbon, born April 24th 1906. Godparents; Mary Langan, Scairt, Glin & Michael Woods, Athea. (Mary Langan, my grand-aunt, must have been residing for a time with Bridge Woods McMahon in Scairt, also known as Glenagragra Upper. Bridge was her cousin, hence the reason for giving Scairt as her address) Denis lived at Ballydonohue and married a Flaherty girl from Moyvane. They had no family. He died a young man. His wife later re-married to a widower by the name of Moss Moore who incidentally also came from Moyvane. Moss’s son by his first wife married there, thereafter. (iv) Tom Fitzgibbon, born February 7th 1909. Godparents; James Fitzgibbons, Ballyhoulihan & Mary Woods, Tullyleague. Mary Woods was the sister of Jer (2), Tullyleague. Tom who lived at Ballydonohue married an Enright girl from Tarbert. They had no children. House closed up now. Tom Fitzgibbon (Husband of Kate Woods), was either the great great-grandson or great great- grandnephew of Garrett Fitzgibbon and Mary Widerham, Ballyhoulihan. Garrett was born circa 1750/’60. They had a family of seven, five boys – John, James, Thomas, Gerald & Henry and two girls – Margaret & Anne. Their second son James born November 16th 1780 emigrated to Canada where he became a renowned soldier. His courage and bravery soon came to the notice of those powers to be in his adopted country and was a major player in the battle of Beaver Dams in 1813. He was a brilliant tactician and navigator whether it was to settle the Irish unrest on the Cornwall Canal or to organise Toronto’s defences against William Lyon McKenzie’s rebel forces in 1837. Having held diverse appointments as Clerk of the House of Assembly, Chairman of the Quarter Sessions, Registrar of the Court of Probate, Superintendent of College Buildings, Justice of Peace etc, still, he was incessantly in debt due to his kind-heartedness. He got married in 1814 to a Mary Haley and had seventeen children only five of whom survived. One of their sons George was tragically killed in a horrifying accident in 1834 at a political meeting in Toronto. The meeting was taking place in a gallery overhead a butcher’s stall when one end of the structure gave way resulting in George, among others being impaled on the butcher’s hooks beneath. His father James who survived the accident died on December 10th 1863. A book was written on James’s life entitled – ‘Fitzgibbons, Defender of Upper Canada’, by Ruth McKenzie. Is it any wonder Tom Langan inherited ‘the fighting spirit’, he had it from both sides!
(3) Thady Woods – baptised April 7th 1868, (1901 Census states b1869) Fr. Martin Ryan P.P. Godparents Patrick & Margaret McCoy. Thady settled down in the home place and on Sept 14th 1901 married Nora Kelly, daughter of Tom Kelly & Mary Brouder, Coole West, Athea. Fr. G. Quain officiated. Witnesses: William Quille, Gortnagross & Ellen Kelly, Coole West. Thady and Nora had three children; (1) Mary Agnes born Oct 12th 1903, baptised Oct 13th, Fr. G. Quain P.P. Godparents; Jer Quille (her uncle) & Mary Dore, Parkana (2nd cousin of her mother). Mary Agnes married June 25th 1942 to Jack Barrett, son of Michael Barrett & Mary Everett, Knocknagorna, Athea. Fr. Thomas J. Connolly P.P. Witnesses; Paddy Thady White, Coole (1st cousin of Jack Barrett) & Delia Broderick, Athea. (2) Denis born February 8th 1905, baptised February 8th, Fr. D. Hanley. Godparents; William Kelly & Johanna Kelly. Denis settled in the home farm and married Mary Dore daughter of Mike Dore & Brigid Horan, Dirrha, Listowel (& later of Knockane, Listowel). Had a family of 11, one of whom was Liam, whom I knew quite well as we attended school in Abbeyfeale together in the mid 1960’s. The rest of the family as follows - Timmy born June 30th 1946, Noreen born Dec 6th 1947, Michael born January 10th 1949, Breda born February 19th 1950, the aforementioned Liam born April 11th 1951, Mary Teresa born October 7th 1952, Eileen born May 23rd 1954, Diarmuid, born June 22nd 1955, Donncha, born February 25th 1960, Paudie, born July 2nd 1961 and Catherine born January 15th 1964. Mary died Nov 20th 1965 aged 45yrs. Denis died June 30th 1989 aged 84yrs and is buried in Holy Cross cemetery, Athea. (3) Ella Mae, born April 27th 1906, baptised April 27th, Fr. P. Riordan. Godparents; Denis Kelly & Mary Ahearne. (neighbours of theirs) Ella Mae emigrated to Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A. on Aug 13th 1926 to her granduncle Gerald McCoy of Shanagolden (?) Ella Mae got married on Feb 17th 1931 to Liam O’Dwyer son of Johnny O’Dwyer & Ellen Lynch, Caolrua, Eyeries, Co. Cork. Liam & Ella Mae returned to Ardgroom village, Co. Cork in 1935, built a dance hall and later opened a shop there. Ella Mae died Aug 3rd 1992, aged 86yrs. Liam died 1993 aged 87yrs. Thady Quille died Nov 25th 1944 and is buried in Templeathea cemetery.
(4) John – Must have died as a baby – Godparents: Patrick & Margaret McCoy.
(5) Mike – Baptised December 14th 1870, (1901 Census states b1872) Fr. Martin Ryan P.P. Godparents: Michael Woods & Brigid McCarthy, Glin. Mike who remained single lived close to Athea village. He died April 8th 1944 aged 73 and is buried in Templeathea cemetery.
(6) Denis – Baptised July 2nd 1873, Fr. Martin Ryan P.P. Godparents: Patrick Sheahan & Brigid Quille McCarthy. Denis must have died as a baby.
(7) Brigid – Baptised January 22nd 1876, Fr. S. Danaher. Godparents: Gerald McCoy & Brigid Quille. Must have died a baby.
(8) Bill – (William) Baptised July 18th 1877, Fr. Martin Ryan P.P. Godparents: Denis & Catherine Quille. Bill lived in the village of Athea and opened a bakery there. Later he bought the dispensary across the road, went to live there, opened a shop in that premises, and subsequently closed the bakery. It would appear that William and his brother Thady (Timothy) spent a few years in the U.S. as records state that they were in Ellis Island in 1898. On Feb 1st 1902 he married Nell Kelly, daughter of Tom Kelly (2nd marriage) & Ellen King, Coole West, Athea. Fr. S. Quain. Witnesses: Michael Quille (village) and Mary O’Sullivan (village). Nell Kelly was a sister to Minnie who married Jack Brouder and a step- sister of Nora who married Bill’s brother Thady of Gortnagross. Bill & Nell had 12 children; (1) Molly (Mary Ellen), Baptised April 6th 1903, Fr. S. Quain P.P. Godparents; Cornelius Hunt & Mary Brouder. Married Pat Connolly, Connolly Bros, China & Hardware Shop, 75 Main St, Cavan Town. Family as follows; Mona, Eileen, Pam, Brian, Liam, Sean & Joe (in the home place). (2) Denny, (Denis) born Nov 26th 1904. Godparents; Michael Sullivan & Ellen Mary Sullivan. Went to Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A. and married on Dec 26th 1932 to Marge (Mgt) O’Sullivan from Bantry, Co. Cork. One child, Denny. (3) Nellie (Ellen Mary Woods), born Nov 17th 1906. Godparents; Tom Kelly & Ellen Kelly. Married in 1944 to Michael Joseph Reddican. They ran a shop in William St, Limerick. Children as follows; Eleanor who became a nun, Marie who married Joe Kelly, Sligo, Phyllis married Jack Burke in Limerick City and Ita who married Pat Chesser, also in Limerick City. (4) Tom, (Thomas) born & Baptised Nov 12th 1908, Fr. J.M. Cregan P.P. Godparents; Thomas Kelly & Catherine Hunt. Went to Florida and married there. One child Kathleen. (5) Michael, (Michael Joseph Woods) born June 11th 1911. Godparents; Maurice Danaher & Christina Danaher. Went to London and married on Feb 12th 1938 to Mary Smith. Children; Eileen & others. (6) Kathleen, (Catherine Woods) born August 12th 1912. Godparents; Cornelius O’Sullivan & Mary Broderick. Married on Auust 6th 1957 to Mick Flavin son of Patrick Flavin & Margaret Mahony, Templeathea. Fr. Michael Doody. Witnesses; Kevin Stapleton, Athea & Josephine Woods, Athea. (7) John Joe, (John Joseph Woods) born July 27th 1914. Godparents; Denis Woods & Mary Woods. Died at about 6 months of age. (8) Ita, (Ita Christina Woods) born Dec 25th 1915. Married on June 5th 1950 to Phil W. O’Sullivan. They lived at Catherine St. Limerick City and ran a bacon retail shop & restaurant/delicatessen there. Also had a bacon factory – Limerick Bacon Co. Ltd – supplying Limerick hams to their outlets / Supermarkets. Children as follows; Anthohy, Philip, Liam & Vincent. (9) Willie, (William Christopher Woods) born Nov 4th 1917. Godparents; Richard Denihan & Nellie Hunt. Emigrated to New York, came home to Gortnagross district and married Mary O’Carroll, Gortnagross. Willie died February 7th 1988 aged 70yrs. (10) Jim, (James Francis Woods) born April 25th 1919, Baptised on 26th, Fr. Wm. O’Shea P.P. Godparents; Timothy Condon N.T. & Brigid O’Sullivan. Emigrated to New York and remained single. (11) Thady, (Timothy John Woods) born June 20th 1919, baptised 21st, Fr. Wm O’Shea P.P. Godparents; Michael O’Sullivan & Helena Woods. Worked in Arnott’s Drapery Store, Henry St, Dublin. Married a girl from Co. Leitrim. Later moved to 3 Portland Ave, Ballinacurra Gardens, Limerick. (12) Tess (Josephine Teresa Woods), born Aug 24th 1922. Godparents; Thomas Houlihan & Mary Houlihan. Tess resided in her father’s shop in Athea. (the old dispensary) Married on June 18th 1953 to Kevin P. Stapleton. Children as follows; Joe, Geraldine, Kevin, Liam & Helen. Tess’s husband Kevin was tragically killed in a road accident August 19th 1977.
Quille Mick (son of Darby/Jermiah), Dromada, moved to Glin town following his marriage on July 28th 1857 to Brigid McCarthy who was the owner of a public house there. Mick did a ‘cliamhain isteach’. Witnesses for the marriage: Jermiah Woods & Mary Sullivan. Jermiah was probably his brother who had moved to Tullyleague. Mick & Jermiah were one of the first in the family to use the name Woods instead of Quille. Michael Woods is listed under vintners in Guy’s Directory of Munster 1886.
.
Mick Quille's application for pub license 1879.
Quille Woods Jermiah
(son of Darby/Jermiah), Dromada was born in the year 1822. We’ll call
him, Jermiah (1) for research purposes. He had five brothers – John,
Michael, William, Timothy & Denis and three sisters – Kate, Helen
& Mary. Jermiah moved from Athea to Tullyleague circa 1860/’65. On
February 28th 1865 at the Roman Catholic Church of Newtown Sandes, in the district of Ballylongford, Union of Listowel, Jermiah married Mary Windle born 1842, as per Murher Parish Records. Parents – Jermiah Woods, Dromada, Athea and Mick Windle, Aughrim. Fr. Con Sheehy P.P. officiated. Witnesses; John Stack & Michael Woods.Family from that union as follows -
(1) Kate born March 13th 1866, (2) Ellen Woods born March 16th 1867, (3) Jermiah (2) born Dec 8th 1868, (4) Kate Woods born March 4th 1871, (5) Margaret (Peg) Woods born July 18th 1873, (6) Mary (Minnie) Woods born April 26th 1877, (7) Brigid Woods born July 18th 1879, (8) Nora Woods born circa 1883, (9) Johanna Woods born April 1st 1885, (10) John (Jack) Woods born May 10th 1888, (11) Denis Woods born July 26th 1890 and (12) Ellie Woods born Jan 26th 1895.
(1) Kate Woods b1866 must have died as a child as she had a sister Kate born 1871.
(2) Ellen Woods b1867 must have also died as a child as she had a sister Ellen (Helena) b1895.
(3) Jermiah Woods (2) b1868 married Bridget Holly b1869 and had a son Jack Woods born c1911 and a son Jermiah Woods (3) born 1909 who died Jan 31st 2000 and a daughter Mary Woods who was married to Paddy Michael O’ Connor, Killeaney. Jack, who was married to Nellie McMahon of Tullyleague lived at the cross near John Wallace. The present man there (Nov 2007) is Jack’s son Jerry Woods who is married to Anne Flynn, Knockanure. (Of Flynn’s Public House) Another son, Denis Woods is a member of An Garda Siochana stationed in Newcastle West. Two other son’s, Donal Woods lives in Tullyleague and Johnny Woods lives in Ballylongford.. Jermiah (2) died Jan 10th 1953. There was an occasion when Jer got involved in overheated argument in a public house in Glin. His cousin, my grandfather Paddy Langan happened to be having a drink in the same pub and on seeing that Jer was loosing the battle had to come to his rescue. It was on that occasion Jer broke into verse as follows -:
‘’Langan grand I’ll shake your hand,
You were a friend to me,
You died to save that man so brave,
Ger Woods from Tullyleague.’’
John
Woods, Ballydonoghue, grandson of Jer was telling me that a man by the
name of Jack Dore lived across the hill from Jer in the townland of
Ballygoughlin. Jack’s cattle had the habit of breaking of the farm and
entering Jer’s place. This Jack was also known to be a bit of a poet,
anyway Jer happened to meet up with Jack on a particular day that the
cattle had broken out – say’s Jer,
‘ Now must I leave my native land and give it to John Dore,
It’s the land my fathers fought for a hundred years and more’.
Jack replied thus –
‘Jereen you need not leave your native land,
You need not leave your purple heather,
But keep your cattle beyond the hill,
And our fences will stay together’.
Jer
was having a few drinks in the village of Newtownsandes on a particular
day, got into trouble and was arrested by the local Garda sergeant and
detained in the barrack there. A friend of Jer’s, William O’Brien from
Ballyculhane happened to be in town the same day and had occasion to
visit the said barracks. When Jer heard the voice from within he broke
into verse as follows –
‘William O’Brien long may you shine,
I heard your voice quite well,
Long may you reign in your campaign,
Outside my prison cell.’
The
following is a poem that Ger composed about a batch of wrenboys in 1894
of which he himself waqs a member. This poem was also given to me by John Woods.
Come all ye loyal heros and listen to my song
I'll sing for you a verse or two I wont detain you long
I'ts all about the wrenboys in the year of '94
We walked around the same old ground as we did in days of yore
The names of those I'll mention and the truth I will pen down
We had men from Ballygoughlin and more from near Newtown
There was Hanrahan from Aughrim a leader in our band
We had Maurice Flynn a fiddler likewise his brother John.
Tom Fada was our captain most gallant to be seen
He wore a Carolina hat and he was dressed in green
We had O' Connor from the hill that tall and handsome man
And Ger Woods from Tullyleague the man who wrote the song.
The first house that we went to it was Kelly's of renown
Likewise Stack and Cronin, Ballygoughlin all around
We went down to brave Buckley and to Mulvihill in style
And across the field to that decent man Tagdh Brien.
We went down to Jamesie Ahern's and back up to Moore 's
To Lynch and Collins brave and grand who never shut their door
Lynch did treat us decent and Collins he cleared the way
And we met no other decent man till we came to poor Mike Shea.
We next went to the Castle and our music we did play
The Knight of Glin he been from home we were told to clear away
Our captain then advised his men the castle for to boo
And to hell with orange landlords thank God there is now but few.
Now to conclude and finish we had a barrel of stout at Flynns
In the middle of the night we all did fight and in the morning we were friends
May our hearts be filled with glory and be ever cheered with pride
For as long as I live I'll hunt the wren for I am an airy boy.
Photo -Jermiah Woods (2) 1868-1953.
In
relation to the poem - Kelly's are still in Ballygoughlin, John Moore
lives where Stacks once lived, John Hanrahan lives where the Cronin's
lived. Buckley's land now in the ownership of Sean Healy, Mulvihill
still in the same place. Tadgh O' Brien and James Ahern lived in
Ballyculhane as did Moore's and Lynch and Collins. Mike Shea lived
where Pa Connor's now lives, Tom Fada Culhane there still in
Tullyleague and Flynn's ran a Sheeben in Ballygoughlin. The Flynn's
were great musicans, the house is now owened by Brenden Mulvihill son of
the renowned fiddler Martin Mulvihill whose mother was Flynn, so the
music is in them. J.W.Jermiah Woods (3) married Elizabetz Galvin, Glenalappa. Elizabeth died 1975 aged 68. Jermiah and Elizabeth had the following family –
(i)Dermot Woods, Massachusetts, who married Breda Archbald and had a daughter Derina Woods.
(ii)Bill Woods who married Margaret Mulvihill and had the following family of 3 – Jerry Woods, Diane Woods and Michael Woods.
(iii)Bridie Woods.
(iv)Mary Woods.
(v)Margaret Woods.
(vi)Lily Woods who married Pat O’Donnell.
(vii)Michael Woods.
(viii)John Woods who operates a mechanical engineering service from Tullyleague, known as ‘Highfield House’ and is married to Kathleen Culhane, Ballyguiltenane. He lives with his wife and family at Ballydonohue, Tarbert, Co. Kerry.
(ix)Eileen Woods.
(x)Therese Woods who married James Kelly, Ballyguiltenane and had the following family – Maureen Kelly, John Kelly, Elizabeth Kelly and Geraldine Kelly.
Photo of Jer Woods (3) taken October 1993 in down town Glin in B.R.J. 1993 p20.
(4) Kate Woods b1871 married Daniel Hayes, Tullyglass c1894. Daniel was a son of Johnny Hayes who was a relative of the O’Longains. Johnny’s grandmother was a daughter of Sean O’Longain, Glenagragra. (Already referred to).
(5) Margaret Woods b1873 emigrated to New York in 1895 and married Henry Windle(1), son of Michael Windle, Glenagragra in Manhattan, New York circa 1901. They had the following family – Anna Windle b1902 who married a man by the name of Sweeney, Henry Windle(2) b1903, Jeremiah Windle b1906 & Michael Windle b1908.
Henry Windle(1) drowned at a family outing at Rockaway Beach, NY in 1921 and his widow Margaret remarried in 1926 to John Griffin b1885 who was also from Glenagragra. John Griffin was a brother to Gerald Griffin, Glenagragra. John Griffin’s nephew, Michael Griffin had the honour of being named Suffolk County Aide to the Grand Marshall, Edward J. Malloy at the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade on 5th Ave, New York in 2001. (See also Griffin’s of Glenagragra) Margaret Woods was a godparent to my grandfather Paddy Langan. (More on Windle/Griffin's of Glenagragra further on)
(6) Mary ‘Minnie’ Woods b1877 emigrated to New York in 1897 and married a Jermiah Woods from Co. Cork. (No relation) They were both living at the same tenement building in New York and met as a result of getting each others mail. At the time of her death, Mary was living in New Jersey. They has the following family – Elizabeth Woods, Mary Woods b1901 who married Jack Clancy and had a daughter Margaret Ruth Clancy who married Vincent Wagner, Margaret Woods b1903, James Woods b1905, Jeremiah Jnr. Woods b1910, John Woods b1918 & Geraldine Woods b1922-2002 who married Clark Persian Mead and had a son Michael Mead.
(7) Brigid Woods born circa 1879 married John M. Enright born circa 1865 son of Morgan Enright born circa 1838 on October 11th 1904 in Glin Church. Daniel Hayes and Johanna Woods witnessed the marriage. According to the 1911 Census for Tullyglass, they had two children – Morgan Enright b1906 and Patrick Enright b1908. Brigid died (not sure of the date) and John M. remarried to Margaret Brandon born circa 1863 and had a daughter Bridget Enright who was 6mths at the time of the taking of the aforementioned Census. Morgan Enright was a blacksmith who had his smithy on the old Tullyleague road close to what is known locally as the ‘limestone cross’. Apparently, the old Tullyleague road went straight on in direction back then just above the said cross at the left-hand bend. Farmers drawing limestone to their limekilns would drop off half their load at the cross before climbing the hill hence how it got the name ‘limestone cross’.
(8) Nora Woods b1883 emigrated in 1908 and married Hugh McCabe in Manhattan, New York. Family as follows – Thomas McCabe b1915 & Catherine McCabe b1921 who married Danny Moore. Hugh was a native of Co. Galway. Nora died Oct 8th1928.
(9) Joanna Woods b1885 emigrated to New York in 1905 and married John Hartney b1887 in Manhattan, New York on November 17th1907. John was a native of Ballybunion, Co. Kerry. They had a tavern in New York. Family from that union as follows – Mary Hartney b1911 who married Harry Doherty and had the following family – Joanne Doherty, Edward Doherty who married Mary Ann Buck and Shawn Doherty who married Joan Slevin. Nell Hartney 1914-1915, Nell Hartney b1916 who married Angelo Proscia b1915 and had two daughter’s - Joan Proscia who married George E. Corde and had the following family – George Corde Jnr, Richard Corde, Daniel Corde, Gary Corde and Angela Corde. Annette Proscia who married Joseph Martin and had the following family – Eileen Martin, Christine Martin, Kevin Martin & Jeanne Martin.
Michael Hartney b1918, Debbie Hartney and John Hartney b1924 Johanna died in the year 1946.
(10) John (Jack) Woods b1888 emigrated to New York in 1907. He returned to Ireland for a couple of years and returned in 1909 bringing his brother Denis with him. John (Jack) who was a member of the Chicago police force married Bridget O’Connor b1895/6-1964, Ballyguiltenane on Jan 21st 1917. Issue from that union as follows –
Mary Agnes Woods b1917 who married Lawrence B.Kenniburg b1915-2002 and had a daughter Kathleen Rose Kenniburg b1941 who married John Joseph Doczy b1941 and had the following family – Mark Lawrence Doczy b1966 who married Christine Wray b1962, Paul John Doczy b1969 who married Ashley Resweber b1970, Jack Ryan Doczy b2001 and John Patrick Doczy b1971 who married Amy Pollock b1970 and had a daughter Isabel Mary Ann Doczy b2004. (It was the said Kathleen Doczy who supplied me with her side of the Woods family)
Rose Margaret Woods b1921-2003 who married Russell Bagley 1920-1974.
John Vincent Woods 1924-1961.
William Thomas Woods b1926 who married Jean Ruth Tucker 1931-1993 and had the following family – William Terrence Woods b1950 who married Phyllis Theresa Reaugh b1954 and had the following family – James Peter Woods b1977 and John Terrence Woods b1979. Stephen Thomas Woods b1951-1998 who married Jan Anderson. Janice Marie Woods b1953. Denis James Woods b1953 who married Sofia Estrellita Esqueta DeCastro b1962. Jennifer Lynn Woods b1959 who married Thomas Maher b1953 (2nd husband, her 1st husband Michael Opachick b1953). Margie Ann Woods b1957 who married James George Schmidt b1954 and had the following family – Melissa Ann Schmidt b1979, Kari Anne Schmidt b1979 and Samantha Rose Schmidt b1984. Nancy Jean Woods b1961 who married Charles Woelke and had two sons - William Charles Woelke b1986 who married Amber ? and had a daughter Laura Rose Woelke and Shawn Michael Woelke b1990.
Ellen Catherine Woods 1930-1931.
James Patrick Woods 1932-1990 who married Joan Lievesley and had a daughter Sarah Woods.
John (Jack) Woods died in Chicago on February 6th 1955, his wife Bridie died on June 12th 1964 at the age of 69 in Tucson, Arizona where she was staying with her daughter Rose. The are both buried at the Holy Sepluchre Cemetery, Worth, Illinois. (See also O’Connor (Bridget) Bridie 1896-1974)
(11) Denis Woods b1890 emigrated to New York in 1909 and died in Bellevue Hospital, Manhattan, New York on February 23rd 1936. Denis was a longshoreman. (Dock worker)
(12) Ellen (Nell) Woods b. January 26th 1895, Tullyleague, Glin, died January 26th 1966 in Glenagragra, Glin, age 71, the same date as when she was born. Ellen married Patrick Geoghegan, b. February 23rd 1871-1944, Turraree on February 19th 1919 at Glin.
Nell Woods Geoghegan.
Family from that union as follows:(i) Danny Geoghegan, b. May 22nd 1922, Turraree. (died June 15th 1942 at the age of 21 from polio).
(ii) Patrick (Patie) Geoghegan, b. February 14th 1923, Turraree. Patrick remained single in life and lives in Turraree, Glin.
(iii) Bridget Geoghegan, b. Sept 30th 1925. Emigrated to Australia. She married Joe Atkinson, a native of Wexford and had three children – Michael, John and Bernadette Atkinson.
(iv) Mary Geoghegan, b. February 18th
1929. Emigrated to the U.S. She married John Flynn a native of Tipperary and lives in Ansonia. They have three children – Eileen who married ? Riccie, Patricia who married Walter Damuck and Margaret Flynn who married ? Grenberg.
Pictured above – Eileen Geoghegan and her sister Mary with Mary Flynn middle.
(v) Kathleen Geoghegan, b. June 21st 1931. Emigrated to Australia and married Mick Scanlon. They have two children – Thomas Scanlon and Eileen Scanlon.
(vi) Eileen Geoghegan, (pictured) b. October 11th 1938. Emigrated to the U.S. She married Timothy Hanley, August 31st 1963. Family from that union as follows – Maureen Hanley b. Jan 3rd 1967. Doreen Hanley b. Jan 29th 1968, married Michael Bicoy. Christine Hanley, b. July 18th 1970. Timothy Hanley died in Florida on March 10th 2002.
Photo 1950’s.
It seems that there were three Geoghegan brothers living in Turraree Upper – (1)John Geoghegan. (no information on John)
(2)Thomas Geoghegan who was married to Catherine Mulcaire. It is thought that she was one of the Turraree Mulcaire’s. They had a son Patrick Geoghegan born August 18th 1854 the sponsors being – John Geoghegan and Mary Shine. Mary Shine was one of the Athea Shine’s (blacksmith’s) and was a relative of the Geoghegan’s. Mary was living at Geoghegan’s at the time. Allegedly she had some falling out with her family in Athea.
(3)Patrick Geoghegan born circa1814, died circa 1892 was married twice, firstly to Margaret Moore. It is thought that Margaret was one of the Moore’s from the west of Glin/Ballyculhane area.They had one son John Geoghegan baptised at Glin RC Church December 23rd 1853-1891 the sponsors being – John Geoghegan and Alicia Shine. Alicia I presume being a sister to Mary Shine. John married Catherine (Kate) O’Connor (see below). Patrick Geoghegan’s second marriage in 1866 at Kilfergus Parish, Glin, was to his second cousin, Mary Mackessey, b. circa 1841, Tarmons, Co. Kerry daughter of Thomas Mackessy. Mary had a sister Margaret Mackessey who was married to William Woods, Glenagragra.(my great-great-grandfather) The sponsors for Patrick’s second marriage being Edward Shaughnessy and Margaret Mackessy. Ned Shaughnessy being the grandfather of Ned, Knockdown who died March 27th 2011. Family from that union (second marriage) as follows;
(1) Bridget (Bid) Geoghegan 1868-1948.
(2) Mary (Minnie) Geoghegan 1869-1955
(3) Patrick Geoghegan 1871-1944, (see Ellen (Nell) Woods above)
(4) Catherine Geoghegan 1872-1958.
(5) Johanna Geoghegan.
(6) Thomas Geoghegan b1875-.
(7) Michael Geoghegan.
(8) Cornelius Geoghegan.
(9) Daniel (Dan) Geoghegan 1879-1970.
John Geoghegan 1854-1891, half brother to the above family married Catherine (Kate) Connors 1848-1915, Ballyguiltenane, Glin daughter of James Connors and Margaret Flavin at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Glin on February 11th 1880. The witnesses were David Ruddle and Johanna Flavin. David Ruddle lived in Knockdown in a farm that was later purchased by Tom Barrett. (Tom’s son Joe now owns the place) Not sure who Johanna Flavin was, it is likely that she was the daughter of James Flavin, Aughrim and would have been a 1st cousin. She was born in 1842 and died at Aughrim on December 2nd 1908. According to her death certificate she remained single in life. It is not known when John and Catherine emigrated to the US. Their eldest daughter Kate was born in Glin in 1882. John died in Ansonia, Connecticut on July 1st 1891 at the age of 36yrs. Catherine died on January 15th 1915 aged 67yrs. Her address at the time was 77 Maple St. Ansonia. They are both buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Ansonia. It is thought that their children died at a young age but they are not listed on the gravestone.
(1) Bridget Geoghegan was born Sept 29th 1867, Upper Turraree, Glin. She emigrated to Ansonia, U.S.A. and died there in 1948. She married a man by the name of Tom Comerford, no family. (See Langan Mary Mrs Dillon)
(2) Mary (Minnie) Geoghegan was born August 19th 1869. She emigrated to Ansonia, U.S.A. in 1905 and died there in 1955. Remained Single. (See Langan Mary (Mrs Bill Dillon)
(3) Patrick Geoghegan, see Nell above.
(4) Catherine Geoghegan was born August 9th 1872, Turraree, Glin and was married to Bill Commane, Clounleharde. They had no family. Bill had a son and two daughters from a previous marriage. One of these daughters married a Mangan from Knocknagoshel whose grandson, Brendan Mangan I served with during my time in An Garda Siochana. Brendan has now attained the rank of Superintendent. The last family to live in the Commane house were the Long’s. Jerry Long bought the property from Roger Sullivan who initially bought the place from Bill. Catherine was godparent to Mary, William & Margaret Langan, Glenagragra. Catherine died February 24th 1959.
(5) Johanna Geoghegan was born February 15th 1874. No further information on Johanna. (Tomas in Turraree never heard of her. Spoke with him today December 1st 2011.)
(6) Thomas Geoghegan was born May 3rd 1876 at Turraree, Glin. Thomas emigrated to the US, remained single and died young.
(7)Michael Geoghegan was born April 27th 1878 at Turraree, Glin and died in the year 1908. Michael emigrated to the US.
(8)Cornelius Geoghegan. Emigrated to Ansonia US and remained single in life.
(9) Dan Geoghegan was born circa 1881. Dan emigrated to Ansonia in 1905 to his sister Bridget but returned later and opened a shop in a site that he got from his mother. The original Geoghegan home being down the field next to Patie Geoghegan’s, Tomas’s 1st cousin. Dan later built a creamery next door to the shop and both buildings are standing to this day, February 2nd 2012, the shop being the home of his son Tomas and wife Han Reidy. Dan was married three times. His first wife was Kit Reidy, daughter of James Reidy, Knockdown and Mary Griffin, Glenagragra. Kit died without issue.
Dan Geoghegan’s second wife was Ellie McMahon from Foynes, family from that union (two) as follows – Patrick Geoghegan, Glin (Magpie Bar), formerly Creagan’s. Patrick married into the place, (a cliamhain isteach to John Creagan’s daughter) & Maureen Geoghegan, Foynes who married Teddy Kearney, Foynes
Dan Geoghegan’s third wife was Mary (Molly) Costello, b. circa 1888, died May 25th 1953, daughter of Thomas Costello, Clounleharde and Mary Culhane, Ballyguiltenane. Family from that union (one) as follows:
Dan Geoghegan with wife Molly on left and Maureen Geoghegan
Thomas Geoghegan.
Thomas lives in the home place in Turraree and is married to Hannah (Han) Reidy, daughter of Patrick J. Reidy, Knockdown. Hannah was the niece of Kit Reidy, Dan Geoghegan’s first wife. Tomas Geoghegan and Hannah have three children; Donal Geoghegan who is married down near Limerick city Patrick Geoghegan, in the home place and Maire Geoghegan who married her neighbour Pakie White, Knockdown.
Top Photo Left - Tomas Geoghegan, his wife Han, son in law Pakie White and grandson.
Above - Patie Geoghegan and his sister Eileen 2011.
In addition, the Mackessey sisters had a brother Timothy Mackessey who married Elizabeth Mulvihill in 1872 at Murhur Parish, Newtownsandes. Witness – Edmund Sheahan. Elizabeth was the daughter of John Mulvihill, Glenalappa. She had at least two other sisters – Mary Mulvihill who married Edmund Sheahan in 1867 & Joan Mulvihill who married Thomas Sheahan in 1888. The two Sheahan’s were brothers. Their sister Mary Sheahan married Thomas O’Connor, Ballyguiltenane. (See O’Connor Thomas 1841-1907)According to the Ellis Island records, a Martin Mackessey age 23 went to the U.S. in 1904. He went to his aunt Mary Anne Mackessey at 38, Meadow St, Ansonia. Later that year his sister Mary Mackessey age 20yrs joined him at the same address. 38 Meadow St. is now 70 Meadow St. and is the home of Mary Geoghegan Flynn, daughter of Patrick Geoghegan, Turraree. Mary inherited the place from her aunt, Bridget Geoghegan who remained single in life. My grandaunt Mary Langan and her husband Bill Dillon lived in the upper part of this house before they bought 184 New Haven Ave, Derby, Conn.
In 1908, Elizabeth Mackessey went to her brother Martin Mackessey who was now living at 25, Button Street, New Haven and in 1913 another sister Ellen Mackessey went to her sister Katherine Mackessey to another address in New Haven. (15 Rouche Street?). These Mackessey’s were 1st cousuin’s to my great grandmother Nora Woods Langan, Glenagragra. According to the 1911 Census, their parents were Timothy & Elizabeth Mackessey, Tarmons, Tarbert, Co. Kerry. Timothy was 73yrs of age and his wife Elizabeth was 65yrs old. They had a son John age 38, a son Timothy age 16 and a daughter Ellen age 19 when the said census was taken. They were married 40 yrs and had nine children, all of whom survived. According to the Ansonia Deaths Record, Timothy had a brother John Mackessy who died Sept 26th 1897 and is buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery. John died of pneumonia and cerebral meningitis aged 52yrs.
An 1896 Ellis Island record gives a Thomas Geoghegan age 20 b1876, travelling with a Thomas Mackessey age 21 b1875, both going to Ansonia. This Thomas Geoghegan was another son of Patrick Geoghegan Snr, and Mary Mackessy, Turraree. Thomas Mackessey was a son of Timothy’s, Tarmons.
There have been various spellings of the name Mackessey/MacKessy/Mackessy over the years so we will go with the current spelling Mackessey, for this research.
Decendents of Thomas Mackessey.
Thomas Mackessey, Tarmons married Catherine Kennelly. Famly from that union as follows:
(1) Timothy Mackessey. b. circa 1838.
(2) Johanna Mackessey. b. circa 1840.
(3) Mary Mackessey. b. circa 1841.
(4) John Mackessey. b. 1845.
(5) Margaret Mackessey. b. circa 1846.
(6) Catherine Mackessey. b. 1852.
(1) Timothy Mackessey was born circa 1838. He married Elizabeth Mulvihill on Feb 11th
1872, in the Parish of Newtownsandes, daughter of John Mulvihill.
Elizabeth was born circa 1846. Family from that union as follows:(i) John Mackessey.b. April 12th 1873, Tarmons. Baptised May 11th 1873. Parish of Tarbert R.C. Sponsors: Martin Mulvihil and Catherine Mackessey.
(ii) Martin Mackessey, b. November 10th 1880. Emigrated May 22nd 1904 to Aunt Mary Ann Mackessey, 38 Meadow St, Ansonia.
(iii) Mary Mackessey, b. March 19th 1878, Tarmons, Co. Kerry. Baptised March 19th 1878, Parish of Tarbert R.C. Sponsors: Michael Mulvihill and Ellen Mulvihill. Emigrated on September 22nd 1904 to brother Martin at 40 Maple St, Ansonia.
(iv) Elizabeth Mackessey, b. circa 1890, Tarmons. Emigrated in 1908 from mother Elizabeth, Tarmons to brother Martin now living at 25 Button St. New Haven.
(v) Katherine Mackessey, b. circa 1889, Tarmons. Died May 19th 1950, New Haven, Connecticut. She married Thomas Joseph O’Connor circa 1907 in Connecticut. Thomas, born November 20th 1889 was a native of Co Roscommon. His occupation in 1920 was – Boilerman for railroad. Family from that union as follows:
John J O’Connor b. circa 1915, New Haven. Died before 1998.
Mary O’Connor, b. circa 1917, New Haven. Died before 1998.
Thomas F. O’Connor, b. Jan 15th 1919, New Haven. Military service – Army WW2 African-European theatre, awarded Purple Heart. Member of New Haven Police for 25yrs. Died Oct 23rd 1998 at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Married to Uretta Smith.
(vi) Ellen Mackessey, b. circa 1892, Tarmons. Emigrated from father Timothy, 1913 to sister Katherine at 15 Rouche ?, New Haven.
(vii) Timothy Mackessey, b. 1895, Tarmons.
(viii) Thomas Mackessey, b. November 19th 1875, Tarmons. Baptised November 21st 1875, Parish of Tarbert R.C. – Sponsors: Thomas Mackessey and Mary Mackessey.
(2) Johanna Mackessey was born circa 1840 at Tarmons. On August 19th 1871 she married Daniel Foley in Parish of Tarbert R.C. son of Jeremiah Foley, Kilcolgan. Family from that union as follows:
(i) Jeremiah Foley, b. June 9th 1872, Kilcolgan, baptised June 10th 1872, Parish of Tarbert. Jeremiah was married twice, firstly to Anna Connors, b. circa 1875, Ireland, died September 22nd 1901, Derby, New Haven. Cause of death: puerperal septicaemia, phlebitis. Anna is buried at St. Peter’s Cemetery. Jeremiah’s second wife was Mary Fallow. (no info on Mary)
(ii) Thomas Foley, b. circa 1876, Co. Kerry, Ireland.
(iii) Mary Foley, b. December 25th 1879, Kilcolgan. Baptised Jan 2nd 1880, Parish of Tarbert, R.C. Sponsors: Jeremiah Fley and Margaret Mulvihill.
(iv) Margaret Foley, b. May 2nd 1889, Kilcolgan. Baptised May 17th 1889, Parish of Tarbert. R.C. Sponsors: Jeremiah Foley and Bridget Foley.
(3) Mary Mackessey was born circa 1841. She married Patrick Geoghegan in 1866 at Glin. Patrick was born circa 1814 and died circa 1892 at Turraree, Glin. (See Geoghegan Patrick)
(4) John Mackessey was born in the year 1845, Ireland and died on Sept 27th 1897 in Ansonia, New Haven. Married to a Mary Ann who died July 25th 1928 at Ansonia.
(5) Margaret Mackessey was born in Tarmons circa 1846. On February 7th 1865 in the parish of Tarbert she married William Quille Woods son of Timothy Quille Woods, Glenagragra. William was born circa 1841. (see Woods/Quille Timothy/Thady, Glenagragra.)
ooooooooooooo
Quille Woods Catherine (Kate) (daughter of Darby/Jermiah), Dromada, married Jim McGrath, Ballyguiltenane on Feb 12th
1857. Kate is the ancestor of the Sheahan’s, Morgan’s and the Danny
Wallace’s, Ballyguiltenane, the Lyons’s of Dromreask and the Riordan’s
of Dirreen.McGrath Mary daughter of Jim & Kate above married Tom Sheahan from Knocknagorna. Tom married into the place a ‘Cliamhain Isteach’. They had a son Henry who married Ellen Dillane daughter of Pat, Killeaney and Margaret Mulvihill, Moyvane, circa 1910. Children from that union as follows; Tom, Christopher, Ballyguiltenane. Catherine (Culhane), Ballyguiltenane. Mary (Lyons), Dromreask. Margaret (Moran), Toureendonnell & Bridie (Riordan), Dirreen.
Quille Ellen (daughter of Darby/Jermiah, Dromada, married Patrick Quirke, Abbeyfeale on March 4th 1862. No issue from this union. It is possible she was married previously as an Ellen Quille from Athea parish married a James Kelly from Ballyhahill on March 4th 1848. Witnesses: Jermiah Quille, Ellen O’Sullivan & Robert Kelly. A son of theirs, James Kelly was baptised on Aug 22nd 1850. Godparents: Denis Quille & Ellen Kelly.
*Woods ? was either the daughter of Darby/Jermiah, Dromada or the daughter of Darby’s son Denis. John Woods, Ballydonoghue is of the opinion that she was a member of the Clounleharde Woods family. She married Paddy Stackpoole, Tullyleague. They lived on the left hand side of the road a few yards short of Wallace’s cross at its intersection with the Glenalappa/Tullyleage road. They had a son whom they called ‘Patin'.
(*This has to be clarified)
Other families of Quille’s and Woods that I found in my research are as follows:
Woods Patrick, Athea. According to the Athea Parish Records, a Patrick Woods married Joanna O’Connor in 1858. It would appear that they had a son Patrick Woods b1879 who also went to Ellis Island.
Woods Denis b1863, blacksmith by trade went to Ellis Island.
Woods Mary b1843. (Could be a sister to Denis, above)
Woods Michael, Killeaney More. (Tithes)
Woods John, Finoo. (Griffiths Valuation)
Woods William b1877, Athea went to Ellis Island 1898.
Woods Timothy also went to Ellis Island. (Could be the Timmy that died c1901, son of William, Glenagragra).
----------------------------
Quille/Woods Timothy (Thady).
(Glenagragra)
As previously stated, it
is the belief that Timothy came to Glenagragra via Ballybunion. Timothy
was the son either of Jermiah/Darby or of Denis. Probably the former as
he Timothy, had a son Jermiah who moved to Clounleharde circa 1864. He
had another son William born 1841 who inherited the family farm in Glenagragra. William married Margaret Mackessey, born 1846, Kilnaughtin Parish, daughter of Tom Mackessey, Tarmons and Catherine Kennelly.
On the marriage certificate, William’s address given as Ballyguiltenane
Upper also known as Glenagragra. Family from that union as follows:
(1) Nora Woods. b1865/6
(2) Mary (Maria) Woods b1867.
(3) Catherine (Kit) Woods 1869.
(4) Ellen Woods 1871.
(5) Timmy Woods. b1872
(6) Margaret Woods b1875.
(7) Hannah Woods. b1891
(1) Nora Woods, born November 21th 1865, was my great grandmother. She was known locally as Norrie Quille. It seems that some of the Quille/Woods families were chopping and changing the name by that time from Quille to Woods and vice versa. Nora, married my great grandfather Tom Langan, (Already referred to) Billy McEvoy’s wife Mary often spoke to Bridget Langan (wife of Maurice, Glenagragra) about Nora. It seems that she acted like a local midwife and was always on hand the moment a baby was due despite the fact that she had to work hard to keep her own family going while her husband Tom was in the army. Hannie (Joan) Griffin of Glenagragra informed me that Nora had brown hair and was quite small in stature. She died circa 1929 aged 64yrs.
(2) Mary (Maria) Woods – born March 26th 1867 at Glenagragra, Glin. No further information on Mary.
(3) Catherine (Kit) Woods – born February 3rd 1869 at Ballyguiltenane, Glin. No further information on Catherine.
(4) Ellen Woods – born March 6th 1871 at Ballyguiltenane, Glin. She was Baptised April 3rd 1871. Emigrated to the U.S. and according to the 1900 Derby Census, she married a John Dennihan (name badly misspelled) and lived at 14 Housatonic Ave. The census gave John, along with his wife Nellie and brother Patrick who was married to a Catherine ? living at the said address. John & Patrick worked for UBB & P Co. Papermills By 1906, both brothers living at 100 Smithy St, Derby, working for the freight depot. By 1908, one of the n’s dropped from the surname to read Denihan. According to the marriages register for the town of Ansonia 1895 John Denihan, Ireland age 22, occupation Labourer married Nellie Woods age 24. It is not known whether there was any issue from that union or not. According to the Kerry Record Site Nellie and John got married November 23rd 1898.
Connecticut Death Index, 1949-2001.
Name – John Denihan.Death Date – March 3rd 1960.
Death Place – Naugatuck, New Haven, Connecticut.
Age – 82yrs.
Birth Date – Abt 1878.
Martial Status – Widowed.
Spouse – Nell.
State File – 05309.
Reference – Derby, New Haven, Connecticut.
Gender – Male.
Race – White.
Twelfth Census Of The United States.
Derby, Connecticut 1900.
John Denihan – Head – Born April 1876, Age 24 – Ireland to U.S 1895.Nellie Denihan – Wife – Born June 1871, Age 28 – Ireland to U.S 1892.
Jerry Foley – Boarder – Born Aug 1872, Age 27 – Ireland to U.S. 1894.
John Walsh – Boarder – Born Aug 1879, Age 20 – Ireland to U.S. ?
It is likely that Jerry Foley is the son of Daniel Foley and Johanna Mackessey, Kilcolgan who were married on August 19th 1871.
Denihan’s in the Tarmons area during the 1911 census as follows :
Robert
Denihan age 69, Kilmurrily, Tarmons, widower with a son Robert age 26
and a grand-daughter Ellen McCarthy age 12 who was born in America.
Roberts’s wifes name was Ellen Enright. They were the parents of John
Denihan b1876 as above. Robert Denihan was a tenant of Daniel Enright.
Another tenant of Daniel’s was Jermiah Cronin. There was a Daniel
Enright, a shopkeeper in Tarbert village around that time. It was not
unusual for shopkeepers to own lands outside of town, as there were
cases where debts were settled between two parties in exchange for
tickets to America.(5) Tim Woods – born December 7th 1872. Baptised December 12th 1872. Sponsors – Michael Griffin & Mary Furey. Tim passed to his eternal reward in Ireland during the year 1901.
(6) Margaret Woods - born 1875. In the Mormon Library, Salt Lake City, U.S.A. listed under Irish births is a Margaret Woods born to William Woods and Margaret Mackessey, Ballyguiltenane on October 20th 1875. This is the first information we have on Margaret, in fact we might never have known she even existed was it not for Kathleen Doczy, grand-daughter of Jack Woods, who visited the above library. (Parts of Glenagragra were known as Ballyguiltenane in the old days)
(7) Hannah Woods – born 1891. A gap of 17yrs between herself and Tim? Her birth is taken from the 1901 Census. Gives her age as 10yrs, occupation – Scholar.
OooooOooooO
McCoy Thady.
(Ballydonohue, Glin)
Thady McCoy (father of Mary McCoy b1841 who was married to Quille Denis, Dromada) married McMahon Brigid (Biddy), Ballydonohue, Glin had six children in family –(1) Mary – as in Quille Denny above.
(2) Ellen – emigrated to Detroit, U.S.A. and later brought out her brothers Paddy and Gerald. They set up a boarding house, also providing meals. One of the brothers invited a Patrick Buckley, a blacksmith who hailed from Co. Tipperary, to dinner in the boarding house. It was there that Ellen met Patrick and they later got married. They had six children, (1) Thomas who remained single. (2) Anna who married an Irishman by the name of Edward Woods and had five children – Helen Catherine (died aged 27) married William McGrath.Edward, married Eileen Callaghan. Agatha, died at the age of 8mths. Corinne who remained single died at the age of 46yrs. Gymmie (Mary Elizabeth) married James Bechtel from Toledo, Ohio Had four children – Susan who married Richard Stancliff. Anne who married Fred Avele. Tom who married Mary Devlin. Bill who is a medical Doctor. (3) Gerald who married Sophia Hammel and had two boys – William & Gerald. (4) James who remained single. (5) William who remained single. (6) Mary Ellen who married Ralph Bourgeois.
(3) Paddy – went to Detroit; worked with the Edison Co. Married – No family.
(4) Gerald – went to Detroit; was vice President Security Trust Co Bankers.
(5) Johnny – settled in the home place. Married his 1st cousin Brigid Hunt, home from the U.S.A. No Family. Left the place to his niece Kate Quille. See Quille Kate as already referred to.
(6) Mag (Margaret) – married Mike Lardiner, Shanagolden. They had four children – (1) Min (Mary); went to Detroit to her aunt Mrs. Ellen Buckley. Remained single. (2) Bridge (Bridget) – married Pat Mullane, Lisready, Loughill, son of Dan Mullane, Athea & ? Liston, Ardagh. Pat & Bridge had five children as follows – Dannie, married to Nora Cleary, Gardiners Hill, Cork City. Peggy, a nurse in Croom Hospital and single. Mary, married a man from Co. Longford. Kitty, married John Joe Egan from Askeaton. Gerald, married Ita Pierce and settled in the home farm in Lisready. (3) Nell – married Sam Bicknell, Publican, Glin Town. Had two children – Willie, single, settled in Bray, Co. Wicklow. Peggy, went nursing in England and then went nursing a Mrs. Alan Timms in Africa. Following Mrs. Timms death Peggy married Alan and returned to live in Kilpeddar, Co. Wicklow. Alan worked in the Avoca mines. Peggy died while on holidays in France. Bicknell’s pub, which was formerly owned by John Mangan, spirit dealer (as in Cork & Munster Trade Directory), was bought by Paddy Stack who ran a thriving butcher’s stall there for years. The building is now the property of O’Rourke’s Butchers (Victualler). (4) Mike – settled in the home place and married McElligott from Copeswood, Pallaskenry. They had two children, Willie, farmer in Shanagolden who married Kathleen Houlihan from Fleanmore, Ballyhahill and Peggy who married Sean (Ned) Danaher from Templeathea, Athea.
Tim McCoy
(The Real McCoy)
Tim
McCoy was the star of more than 200 cowboy films. His father left his
old home in Killeaney, Glin during the time of the great famine and went
to live in the U.S. Tim starred in such films as – ‘’War Paint’’,
‘’Winners of the Wilderness’’, ‘’Ghost Town Law’’ and ‘’A Rancher in
Arizona’’. He was well acquainted with the neighbouring Indian Tribes
and in the year 1920, after serving as a Colonel in the artillery in
World War 1, was named Wyoming’s Indian Commissioner. In 1922, he helped
to hire 500 Indians for the Western film ‘’The Covered Wagon’’. Soon
after, he headed for Hollywood and for the next 45yrs, his name was
inscribed across every cinema screen in North America. He died at the
age of 86. His wife predeceased him by a few years.
Riobard O'Dwyer.
In or around the year
1973, two years prior to his death, Tim paid his first ever visit to
Ireland and spent several days ‘round the Glin area trying to trace his
relatives. His journeying brought him to the hostelry of one John
Shaughnessy in Glin town and he enquired from John if he knew anything
about his McCoy ancestors. John directed him on to Dick McCoy in
Ballyhahill who in turn advised him to return to Glin town and see local
Co. Councillor and bar owner James C. Barrett whose wife’s father was
Paddy McCoy, a relative of the Ballydonohue McCoy’s. James brought Tim
and his son, who had accompanied him on the visit, out to the old McCoy
homestead in Killeaney and Johnny Fitzgibbon brought the film star back
to Ballydonohue to show him the farm where his father was born.Tim’s father was probably a brother to the aforementioned Thady who was married to Biddy McMahon. The McCoy farm was located on the Shannon side of the ‘Mail’ road directly opposite the Fitzgibbon farm. There is nothing left today of the old McCoy homestead in Ballydonohue except for the diminutive outline of the four walls.
Paddy McCoy, Killeaney had a brother John who was the father of the aforementioned Mrs. Barrett, Glin town. Paddy was married to Liz ‘Bess’ Mulvihill and had one daughter Ellie. Paddy died at a relatively young age and Liz married a second time to Dan Culhane, Kinard and had one son Jack and one daughter Annie. Jack, known as ‘Jack Bess’ married Mary O’Connor from Clash, Athea. They had one son Dan and three daughters Babe, Moll and Bridget. Annie was left the family farm and married her neighbour Jim Dillane, Kinard. They had four sons – Tom, Willie, Dan and Mick and one daughter Minnie. Mick born c1895 inherited the farm and married Ellen Sheehan, Ballingoul. Mick, known as Mick ‘’The Den’’ was a noted footballer. He died on May 15th 1990 aged 95. His son Jimmy Dillane was the next man to take over the family farm.
Ellie McCoy, Paddy’s daughter, inherited the Killeaney farm and got married to Michael O’Connor from Dromtrasna, Abbeyfeale. They had four sons and two daughters. Paddy Michael O’Connor, grandson of Ellie, inherited his father’s farm and sometime during the 1960’s, exchanged same for another farm in Manistir near Croom. Mattie Dillane who became the new occupier of the Killeaney farm, is still farming there today.
-----------------------------------------
Woods Family.
Clounleharde.
Woods Jermiah
of Clounleharde born circa 1839 was the son of Thady, Glenagragra. At
Ballyhahill Church in the year 1864, Jermiah married Catherine Flanagan
born 1842. He was a famous blacksmith. It would appear that after
leaving Glenagragra he went to live in Tarmons for a time before
relocating to Glenbawn/Clounleharde circa 1886.1901 census for Woods family Glenbawn/Clounleharde –
Surname
|
Forename
|
Age
|
Sex
|
Relation to head
|
Religion
|
| Woods | Jeremiah | 60 | Male | Head of Family | Roman Catholic |
| Woods | John | 26 | Male | Son | Roman Catholic |
| Woods | Michael | 24 | Male | Son | Roman Catholic |
| Woods | Bridget | 20 | Female | Daughter | Roman Catholic |
| Woods | Jeremiah | 18 | Male | Son | Roman Catholic |
| Woods | James | 16 | Male | Son | Roman Catholic |
| Woods | Mary | 15 | Female | Daughter | Roman Catholic |
| Woods | Denis | 12 | Male | Son | Roman Catholic |
Surname
|
Forename
|
Age
|
Sex
|
Relation to head
|
Religion
|
| Woods | Michael | 39 | Male | Head of Family | Romn Catholic |
| Woods | James | 32 | Male | Brother | Roman Catholic |
| Woods | Mary | 30 | Female | Sister | Roman Catholic |
| Woods | Denis | 28 | Male | Brother | Roman Catholic |
| McMahon | Kate | 3 | Female | Niece | Roman Catholic |
(Kate McMahon was the daughter of John McMahon & Kate Woods, Glenagragra)
Jermiah and Catherine Woods had five sons and two daughters as per above census:
Denis Woods.
Jim Woods.
Mick Woods.
Jermiah Woods.
Jack Woods.
Brigid Woods.
Ciss Woods.
Denis,
who remained single, died sometime in the year 1955. Denis along with
Margaret Quille, Tullyleague were godparents to my grandfather Paddy Langan who was born March 23rd 1892.Jim was married twice. Firstly to a Stackpoole girl from Aughrim, Moyvane and secondly to some yank woman. He had two children from the first marriage, Jer & Mai. No family from second marriage.
Jim, like his brother Denis, went to his eternal reward in 1955. There were only a couple of months between the two deaths. Jer married Mary Enright from Monamohill and had three sons who were all born and reared in Clounleharde. All three brothers are into the cattle dealing business. They are:
Jim Woods,
Matt Woods,
Denis Woods.
Photo - Matt Woods on right with Gerry Griffin, Glenagragra.
Jer went to his eternal reward in 2003. Mai who remained single lived on in the family home in Clounleharde until her death in 2007.Mick born circa 1877 died at a relatively young age. Story has it that he fell into ill health, brought about from him walking to fairs all over Munster in all kinds of weather.
Jermiah, born 1875 was another blacksmith and had his forge in Ballyguiltenane. Jermiah was married to Moll Hanlon, born 1887, from Turraree. They had three sons and three daughters. The three sons, Jer, Bill and Danny remained bachelors and lived out their lives together in the family home. The three daughters, Mary, Nora and ? emigrated and did well. The family had an acute pallid complexion. Jermiah died circa 1942 and was working right up to his final days. His wife Mary (Moll) died July 5th 1964 aged 76yrs.
Jack, born 1870 moved to Dromreask following his marriage to Mary Hanrahan, Dromresk (Jack married into the place so to speak, a cliamhain isteach) and had a family as follows – Bill, (in the home place) Tim, (Cloonlara, Co. Clare) Jer, emigrated to England and Margaret married Danny O’Connor, Marian Place, Glin. (Danny worked for Limerick Co. Council roads dept.) Jack’s son Bill Woods was married to Bridie Scanlon, Dromreask, daughter of Danny Scanlon and had two children, Anne & John.
Mary Hanrahan had a sister Margaret who lived on in the family home ‘till her death.
1911 Census for McMahon’s as follows – (no return for 1901)
| Surname | Forename | Age | Sex | Relation to head | Religion |
| McMahon | John | 40 | Male | Head of Family | Roman Catholic |
| McMahon | Bridget | 40 | Female | Wife | Roman Catholic |
| McMahon | Anne | 1 | Female | Daughter | Roman Catholic |
| Histon | Jeremiah | 70 | Male | Servant | Roman Catholic |
Brigid Woods - married John McMahon, Glenagragra. John McMahon’s father was also called John and Mikie Kinnane was telling me that both father and son married two Bridge Wood’s, both Woods’s being related. (Clounleharde Woods's) John McMahon senior, who was a herdsman, left his home and gave the place to his son. He eventually finished up in a cottage down in Killaney close to Woulfe’s shop and quite close to where the Colloppy family resided. The said Colloppy’s were very kind to John.
John
& Brigid had three daughters in family, May, Kitty & Nancy. May
& Nancy got married on the same day in 1933. May married Paddy
Hanrahan from Foynes. Kitty married Paddy Enright, Mail Rd, Glin. Paddy
Enright’s son, who was also called Paddy, was a member of An Garda
Siochana and was a Sergeant in the Training College, Templemore during
my training days there in 1972. Nancy married her neighbour John Dalton,
Glenagragra. John married in there. (A Cliamhain isteach). John &
Nancy had two sons Jimmy and John and two daughters Josie and Mary.
Jimmy is alive and well today and living in the homeplace. John jnr fell
victim to the polio outbreak of the 1950’s Ireland. I sold John a
volkeswagen car in 1973, a car that I had bought from a colleague of
mine in the Garda Siochana. Regrettably, the car didn’t live up to his
expectations and with no warranty to fall back on, George Langan was
soon at the receiving end of John’s wrath. Said John, ‘’all the Langan’s were decent people except the man with the shiny buttons’’.
Sorry John, I hope I am forgiven. John went to his eternal reward March
25th 1991 at the age of 44yrs. Josie married Paddy Wilmott in Askeaton.
Mary married to a Boyle in Co. Mayo. John Dalton snr. died in 1974, his
wife Nancy died in 1981.
Photo 1994 - Left John Hanrahan R.I.P. (son of Ned), Glenagragra,
Jimmy Dalton son of John & Brigid with
Mikie Kinnane, Glenagragra.
1901 Census for Dalton family as follows -
| Surname | Forename | Age | Sex | Relation to head | Religion |
Dalton
|
James
|
60
|
Male
|
Head of Family
|
Catholic Church
|
Dalton
|
Johanna
|
45
|
Female
|
Wife
|
Catholic Church
|
Dalton
|
Pat
|
17
|
Male
|
Son
|
Catholic Church
|
Dalton
|
Catherine
|
15
|
Female
|
Daughter
|
Catholic Church
|
Dalton
|
James
|
13
|
Male
|
Son
|
Catholic Church
|
Dalton
|
Mary
|
13
|
Female
|
Daughter
|
Catholic Church
|
Pat Dalton age 17 above married Bridget Kinnane, Glenagragra sister to William Kinnane.
Catherine, James & Mary Dalton all emigrated to Australia.
1911 Census as follows –
Surname
|
Forename
|
Age
|
Sex
|
Relation to head
|
Religion
|
Dalton
|
James
|
76
|
Male
|
Head of Family
|
Roman Catholic
|
Dalton
|
Johanna
|
57
|
Female
|
Wife
|
Roman Catholic
|
Dalton
|
Patrick
|
27
|
Male
|
Son
|
Roman Catholic
|
Dalton
|
John
|
15
|
Male
|
Son
|
Roman Catholic
|
(John age 15 above who married Nancy McMahon)
Ciss married a man by the name of Tom Foley from the Tarbert/ Ballylongford direction.While still with the Woods family a member of same was mentioned in a poem composed many years ago concerning an auction at Connie Cunningham’s, Lower Dirreen. The author of the poem I do not know, probably written by one of the Dirreen poets at the time. This is the version that I got from Paddy Faley.
Auction at Lower Dirreen.
I’ll tell you of this auction that took place in Lower Dirreen
The effects of *Connie Cunningham was laid upon the green
The auctioneer was *Francie Fitz out to make his coin
Ably assisted by his clerk *Pat O’Brien.
The first put up for auction was a table it was no joke
You’d think it was mahogany ‘twas so well painted with the smoke
Francie turned it over as it lay upon the yard
‘Twas purchased at one shilling by a *smith from Clounleharde.
Then put up for auction was the farmer’s *Buckan Ban
You could judge by his pedigree he was loose as any fawn
Francie said he would go cheap he’s fit to win a cup
He was then marked down at nine fifteen to the famous *Hustle Up.
The next put up for auction was a splendid cock of hay
Hustle bid five shillings and smiling walked away
The *D.C. bid seven and six and Francie wasn’t long
Any advance in seven and six ‘tis going yes ‘tis gone.
The manure heap was then put up competition it was keen
Five bob was placed upon it by a son to *Tom Dinneen
Six shillings said *Joe Vaughan but he’d rather it was three
Six and six said Francie Fitz including my fee.
The next put up for auction was a rick of turf they owned in Kyle
Who’ll bid for this splendid rick said Francie with a smile
There was silence for a moment then Collins interposed
Will you take two bob said Collins and the bargain it was closed.
*Connie Cunningham lived at the west of Jim Mullane’s in Lr Dirreen.*Francie Fitz was the auctioneer from Glin.
*Pat O’Brien was an itinerent who was taken in by the O’Sullivan family.
*The smith from Clounleharde was Jim Woods.
*Buckan Ban – old Irish name for a stallion horse.
*Hustle Up was the nickname they had on Jim Mullane. Jim came home from America and opened a shop just below Thade Scanlon’s. Jim was married to an Aherne girl, a sister to Jack Dan Liston’s wife. Jim’s daughter married George Riordan from Co. Cork. George was a famous thresher back in those days. His grandson Andy Riordan is the present owner of the place.
*D.C. was Thade Scanlon, a local County Councillor.
*Tom Dinneen, Knocknagorna. The first Dinneen to appear in Knocknagorna was in 1852 with Michael Dinneen holding 73 acres with sub-teneant Denis Dinneen. There was also a Pat Dinneen in the townland who held 39 acres.
*Joe Vaughan from Dirreen father to Seamus.
1901 Census for Glenagragra.
| Surname | Forename | Age | Sex | Relation to head | Religion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woods | William | 60 | Male | Head of Family | Roman Catholic |
| Woods | Margaret | 55 | Female | Wife | Roman Catholic |
| Woods | Timothy | 27 | Male | Son | Roman Catholic |
| Woods | Hannah | 10 | Female | Daughter | Roman Catholic |
The remainder of the family must have gone away or must have been absent on the day.
Census Population of 1911. Glenagragra.
No
record of either Langan or Woods. Seems they never filled in the form
in either house, it is likely some of the family had passed to their
eternal reward and the remainder had emigrated. In that case, the Woods
place would have remained vacant until Maurice Langan took over there
when he returned from the U.S. (We will come to Maurice later.)
Something else to note, having checked the Applotment and Valuation of
the parish of Glenagragra under the Tithe Composition Act for the year
1833 and Griffith’s Valuation of 1851 & ’52 no record of either
Langan or Woods but as little.
Glin Parish Records – Births.
1869. – Kit Woods born to William Woods and Margaret Mackessey.
(Where was Kit in 1901 & ’11. Was she in the U.S.?)
1871. – Ellen Woods – Same parents.
(Where was Ellen.Was she in the U.S.?)
1872. – Timmy Woods – Same parents.
(Tim died c1901)
1871. – Kit Woods of Jermiah Woods and Mary Windle.1873. – Margaret – Same Parents.
1869. – John Woods of John Woods and Mary Connors.
1873. – Mary Woods of Paddy Woods and Joan Connors.
1873. – Margaret Sheahan of Tom Sheahan and Mary McGrath.
(Mary McGrath’s mother was Kit Quill Woods, aunt of Nora (Norrie) Woods Langan)
There was a Woods Timmy
listed as being the owner of a farm in Glenagragra and another farm in
Ballyguiltenane Upper, close to Wallace’s. (The Wallaces were known as
the ‘’Paddy Mike Wallace’s). I can now confirm that Timmy Woods was
William’s father, Thade Woods, Glenagragra. Part of Glenagragra
was known as Ballyguiltenane Upper back then. According to the Valuation
List for Limerick County. Glin 1858-1947 (kindly looked up on my behalf
by Kathleen Doczy at the Newberry Library in Chicago) a Timothy Woods
held 3acres 1rood and 24sq perches of land in Glenagragra circa 1859.
He also had 2rds & 13sq perches held jointly with his neighbours – Patrick Connolly and Henry Wingle. This Henry Wingle would be the grandfather of the Henry Wingle who was married to Margaret Woods, Tullyleague. (see Woods Margaret b1879) (later spelt Windle) Also circa 1859, Timothy, along with his neighbours Henry Wingle, Patrick Connolly, Michael Connell, Patrick Griffin & George Griffin had leased from the Landlord George Goggin 92acres 3roods and 6sq perches of open grazing which I presume was mostly mountain. The Patrick Griffin mentioned would be the grandfather of John Griffin b1885 who became the second husband to Margaret Woods as mentioned heretofore.Moving on to 1863, we have William Woods taking over the Glenagragra farm an indication that William was the son of the aforementioned Timmy Woods.
------------------------------------
MAURICE LANGAN (3)
(Son of Tom)
Photo 1966.
A printout from the Ellis Island, Port of New York Passenger Records Search website gave the following details on Maurice -:
Name – Langan Maurice.
Ethnicity – British, Irish.
Place of Residence – Athea, Ireland.
Date of Arrival – June 8th, 1911.
Age on Arrival – 25y.
Gender – M.
Martial Status – S.
Height – 5’-8’’.
Complexion – Fair.
Hair – Fair.
Eyes – Hazel.
Ship of Travel – Adriatic.
Port of Departure – Queenstown, Cork, Munster, Ireland.
During his time in the U.S., Maurice received word that his grandfather William Woods
had left him the home place. William obviously died sometime between
1911, the year Maurice left for the U.S and 1915/16 when he returned.
(According to Nora Langan Higgins, William’s son Tim had passed to his
eternal reward circa 1901, hence the reason for Maurice being left the
place). It was Maurice’s intention to return to the U.S. in fact
according to the late Mick Higgins, he (Maurice) had the cattle sold but
changed his mind in the end. Apparently he had a boil at the back of
his neck and the American authorities were very strict on the issue
regarding the health of those whom they were allowing into their
country. Maurice wasn’t going to give the authorities the chance to turn
him back, even for such a small thing as a boil. Therefore, there was
nothing for him to do but to commence cultivating his new farm. He
produced most of his own manure (Lime) from the limestone he drew in
horse and cart all the way up from Cregard near Shanagolden to Higgins’s
limekiln in Glasha. The lime stones were field stones and were
available to the public free of charge. In fact, Maurice was the last
man to use the said kiln, operating same ‘till sometime in the 1940’s.
Incidentally, Michael Griffin of Glenagragra, Gerry’s grandfather built
the said limekiln. How he got permission and subsequently chose to build
it in Higgins’ place instead of his own, I do not know. Much of the
lands ‘round Glenagragra and Glasha were of poor nature and thus had to
be reclaimed. For this purpose limekiln’s had to be built as burnt lime
was used extensively as a fertiliser and also to lower the acidity of
the peaty soil. 
The
art of building limekiln’s and the burning of the stone is powerfully
described By Paddy Faley in the Ballyguiltenane Rural Journal 1978 p40.
In 1840, there were 86 limekilns in the parish of Glin, three of which
were in Glenagragra. Tom Wallace, Dromreask, father of Paddy (caipin)
was a stone mason and built several lime kilns including one for Mikie
Kinnane in 1933. Tom also built Dave Connolly's cabin in Glenagragra.
From the month of May to Christmas each year, Maurice would hire
labourers to help out with the farm work. My father Ned Langan worked
there, his main job entailed the carting of turf for sale to Newcastle
West and on his return journey he would bring home a barrel of lime to
spread on the 'cruishin's'. All the fields had different names back then
the said 'cruishin's being located towards the upper part of the farm.
Other hired hands that worked for Maurice included - Mike O' Meara from
Turraree (down where Arthur Costelloe later resided), Mick Higgins ,
Glasha, Moss Reidy,Knockdown, Paddy Halloren, Knockdown and Mikie
Kinnane, Glenagragra who worked from 1948 to 1951. Maurice was very
decent and paid all his workers very well.
On November 3rd, 1938, Maurice married Bridget Cahillane (born February 26th 1912) (February 23rd
1911) from Castlemaine, Co. Kerry, daughter of Michael Cahillane &
Bridger Barton. Rev Fr. Finucane P.P. officiated and the witnesses were
Cornelius Higgins, Glasha & Catherine Barrett, Knockdown. (Bridget’s
sister)
The
art of building limekiln’s and the burning of the stone is powerfully
described By Paddy Faley in the Ballyguiltenane Rural Journal 1978 p40.
In 1840, there were 86 limekilns in the parish of Glin, three of which
were in Glenagragra. Tom Wallace, Dromreask, father of Paddy (caipin)
was a stone mason and built several lime kilns including one for Mikie
Kinnane in 1933. Tom also built Dave Connolly's cabin in Glenagragra.
From the month of May to Christmas each year, Maurice would hire
labourers to help out with the farm work. My father Ned Langan worked
there, his main job entailed the carting of turf for sale to Newcastle
West and on his return journey he would bring home a barrel of lime to
spread on the 'cruishin's'. All the fields had different names back then
the said 'cruishin's being located towards the upper part of the farm.
Other hired hands that worked for Maurice included - Mike O' Meara from
Turraree (down where Arthur Costelloe later resided), Mick Higgins ,
Glasha, Moss Reidy,Knockdown, Paddy Halloren, Knockdown and Mikie
Kinnane, Glenagragra who worked from 1948 to 1951. Maurice was very
decent and paid all his workers very well.
They had three daughters and two sons in family.
Nora…………London.
Breda………..London.
Mary………...Knockanure, Co. Kerry
Tom…………London.
Mossie………Glenagragra.
Their first child (a girl) died after birth.
Nora married Jimmy Ghauri who is Keny Asian. Jimmy came to England to study law and got a job with the civil service. They have three children – Akmal born 1969 and studied law at the university of East Anglia.
Syma – born 1972 and Faisal who was born 1974.
Photo - Nora & Breda Langan 1960's.
Nora Ghauri Langan at her home in London.
Photo c1990.
Breda
married Joe Heduvan from Co. Westmeath and had two sons – Brendan, died
at the age of nine and Declan, born 1968 and is an electrician.Mary married Raymond Mitchell from Liverpool who worked at the British Aerospace in North Wales. They have two daughters Wendy & Amanda.
Tom married to Mai Cashel, Kilflynn, Co. Kerry. Family of four – Paul born 1969, Tracey and twins Colin & Gary.
Mossie married to Nancy Enright, Coole, Athea. Two in family – Helen & Maurice.
Right - Mossie Langan, his wife Nancy with daughter Helen and son Maurice.
Photo c1988.
Right - Mossie Langan and his 1st cousin Jim Higgins 2010.
Maurice Langan died December 27th 1967, his wife Bridget died May 6th 1997. I have a vivid recollection of that evening Maurice died. I attended the wake with my grandfather Paddy Langan.
Bridgie Langan c1988.
Old Langan homestead now a cowshed. Photo c1988.
Present Langan home c1988.
Valuation Records for Glenagragra, 1916 or thereabouts reads as follows:
Maurice Langan took over from William Woods 3 acres near Connolly’s.Also 15 acres near Johnny Windle’s.
By 1951, Paddy Langan had a haggard next to his brother Maurice Langan.
By 1952, Paddy Langan had two small sites next to Flavins.
The Adriatic was built by Harlan & Wolff, Belfast in 1907. 24,541 gross tons, capable of carrying 2,825 passengers. Built for the White Star Line, broken up in Japan in 1935.
Other passengers from the locality on board the Adriatic included:
Patrick Sullivan, Athea, age 40yrs to his nephew John Ahern in Conn, June 9th 1911. Patrick paid his own passage out and was in possession of 20$ on his arriva.
------------------------------
Other finds on the Ellis Island Records include:
Jack Windle, Dan Geoghegan, Annie Flavin
and quite a few others from the Glin/Athea areas. Jack and Dan must not
have stayed long in the U.S., as they later married and settled down in
Glenagragra and Turraree respectively. A good few Langan’s recorded, many from Duagh and some from Tarbert and Ballylongford.William Lynch age 24yrs from Athea also sailed, possibly May 16th 1912, on the same ship as Mary Langan. William went to his aunt Mrs. Kate Murphy, New York.
Patrick Liston age 26yrs from Athea went to his sister Ellen Windle, 330 East 49th St, New York. (The same Liston’s that formerly owned J.P.Collins’ public house in Athea village).
Annie Flavin age 19yrs from Glenagragra went to her aunt Lizzie Mahony, 41 East 131st St, New York. Annie was the daughter of Dan Flavin, Glenagragra.
On board the Oceanic that sailed from Queenstown April 23rd 1901 include –
Patrick Denihan, Tarbert – age 23yrs.
Mary King, Athea – age 18yrs.
Margaret Sheahan, Athea – age 23yrs.
Patrick Sheahan, Athea – age 20yrs.
On board the Teutonic from Queenstown & Liverpool, arriving in New York port July 31st, 1895 include –
Denis Woods age 32yrs from Athea, a smith by trade.
Mary Woods age 55, housekeeper from Athea.
Other Langan’s from the Limerick Genealogy online search include –
Burial Record, Glin.
John Langan, Ballyhahill, Co. Limerick. Date of death 04/07/1889 age 67 yrs. Status – Widower. Occupation – Labourer.Michael Langan, Glin Workhouse. Date of death 29/5/1875 age 60yrs. Occupation – Bachelor.
Ellen Langan, Glin Workhouse. Date of death 04/03/1876 age 80yrs. Occupation – Labourer’s Widow.
Marriage Record, Glin.
David Langan. Marriage date 21/10/1877 to Mariam Maguire. Witnesses – Edward Leahy & Johanna Maguire.
Advertisement seeking a John Langan published in the Boston Pilot as follows –
Name – John Langan.Gender – Male.
Home County – Kerry.
Parish – Knockanure.
Barony – Iraghticonnor.
Poor-law – Listowel.
Location after arrival – Connecticut, New Haven, Lowell Hall.
Arrival Date – May 1853.
Seeking Person’s Information.
Name – Thomas Langan.Relation to missing – Brother.
Gender – Male.
Residence – OH, Xenia, Green Co.
Date of advertisement – 16/12/1854.
--------------------------------------
KATE LANGAN
(Daughter of Tom Langan)
Photo c1914
By June 4th 1911, Kate had moved to 13 Hawthorn Ave, Derby and by November 12th 1920, now being Mrs. Sylvester Sullivan, was living at 60 Vine St, Ansonia.
Kate was married to Sylvester Sullivan from Caherdianel in South Kerry. It is thought that all the Sullivan family emigrated, including Sylvester’s parents. Sylvester’s registration card reads as follows -:
Sylvester Sullivan, 60 Vine St, Ansonia. Date of birth - December 25th 1887. First Papers, from Caherdaniel, Ireland. Trade – Clerk. Employed by Mrs. McCarthy, Ansonia. Supporting wife and child. Mediam height, mediam build, brown eyes and brown hair. Date of Registration – June 5th 1917.
Kate Langan and Sylvester had two daughters, Eleanor Sullivan and Mary Sullivan.
Mary Sullivan, who was a nurse, died of breast cancer in her forties. She was married but had no family.
Eleanor Sullivan was married to a William Riordan whose ancestors came from Abbeyfeale. Family from that union as follows:
Mary Riordan.
Susan Riordan.
Ellen Riordan.
Billy Riordan.
Eleanor, back in 1993, was anxious to know, who was the George Langan who had written a book on ‘Glenagragra’? When Nora Langan Ghauri explained to her who I was, naturally enough she wanted a copy for herself. Betty Higgins, (daughter
of Jim Higgins, formerly of Glasha and brother to Maurice and Paddy)
sent her on a copy from her home in Florida. Betty was married to an
Italian. Betty and her father have since passed to their eternal reward.
Eleanor entered eternal life in November 2005. She was 91 yrs old. She
had her health almost to the very end although the eyesight was letting
her down in later years. By all accounts she was a lovely person, always
had a great welcome for everyone.Kate and her husband Sylvester came on a visit to Glasha in 1960. On hearing of Kate’s visit, her sister, Nora Langan Higgins, had to cut short a holiday she was taking with her daughter Noreen R.I.P. in Birmingham. Apparently, Kate was not very fond of writing letters home to Ireland; she would leave all that to her sister Mary, hence the reason for her unexpected arrival. In fact, was it not for the aforementioned Dan Geoghegan of Turraree informing one of the Higgins’s of Kate’s visit one morning at ‘Craugh’ creamery she would have walked in on top of them, so to speak. Maurice Langan, who by now had returned from the U.S, was one of the first to arrive at the house after the word went out that the ‘Yanks’ had arrived.
Jim Higgins, (youngest son of Maurice) remembers driving Sylvester and Kate to Sunday Mass in Athea, he having received his license to drive around that time. Jim tells me that Sylvester was passionate about the Kerry gaelic football team. Kerry had won the All Ireland in 1959 and Sylvester was quite adamant that nothing would stop them in 1960. Little did he know that the men from Co. Down were about to embark in their own bit of G.A.A. history. Kate looked so much like her sister Nora.
Thirteenth Census Of The United States 1910 – Population.
State – Connecticut. County – New Haven – City – Derby.
Denihan John. Head. 36yrs. Ireland/English. Work – Freighter.Denihan Nellie. Wife. 34yrs. Ireland/English. Not Working.
Cullinane Mary. (Name very blurred, could be Cullihanie) Niece. 15yrs. Born- Connecticut. Work – Boxer Stocking Mill.
Langan Katie. Niece. 18yrs. Ireland/English. Work – Racker in Cotton Mill.
The following is a cutting from an Ansonia newspaper in relation to the death of Kate.
Mrs. Katherine L. Sullivan.
Ansonia
– Mrs. Katherine Langan Sullivan of 99 Wakelee Ave, died yesterday
afternoon at Griffin hospital after an extended illness.She was born in Glasha, Athea, County Limerick, Ireland, daughter of the late Thomas and Nora Woods Langan.
She was a member of the Church of the Assumption and had been a Valley resident for 60 years.
Besides her husband, Mrs. Sullivan is survived by a daughter, Mrs. William (Eleanor), Riordan of Huntington ; two sisters, Mrs. Maurice Higgins and Mrs. Patrick Higgins, both of Ireland ; four grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at 8.30a.m., Thursday, at the William E. Stapleton Funeral Home, 72 Howard Ave, and at 9.15a.m., at the Church of Assumption for a solemn high Mass of the Resurrection. Burial will be in Mount St. Peter’s Cemetery, Derby. Calling hours will be from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m., tomorrow at the funeral home.
OooooOooooO
MARY LANGAN.
(Daughter of Tom, Glenagragra)
Photo c1912.
It was one of the worst years, weather wise, that century, so say’s Mossie Higgins, Glasha. Mossie went on to tell me how a massive flood in August that same year caused havoc with the harvest. Turf that they cut in May had to remain in the bog until the months of January/February of ‘47. They had to wait ‘until the ground froze over in order to reach the turf-banks, such was the softness of the passages following the ’46 flooding. It was described as Siberia like conditions caused by a persistent anti-cyclone centred over Northern Russia, shifting towards Scandinavia that brought incessant frost and snow from January up until nearly Easter. Paddy Faley reminded me that his 1st cousin, John Joe Dillane of Dromagarraun saved some of his hay in the month of October ‘46. John Joe died January 14th 1990 aged 73yrs. His mother Maige (Maggie) White was a sister of Bridge White, Paddy’s mother. Maggie, who was born in 1891 was a servent girl at George Lynchs’ of Glasha as per 1911 census. John Joe had a brother Michael Dillane. Their father died at a comparatively young age. Maggie re-married, to a man by the name of Paddy Kenny and had one son Ned Kenny. However, tragedy was soon to strike, she died giving birth to their next child, a baby daughter and if that wasn’t bad enough the daughter died two weeks later. The family lived in Clounleharde in the double cottages on the road down to Ballyhahill. Kate Tuthill lived in the adjoining cottage, which was later occupied by Paddy Shiels. Following Maggie’s death Ned went to live with his aunt in Newcastle West who was married to a man by the name of Sheahan. This Mr. Sheahan worked at the creamery in Ardagh. Ned died circa 2006. John Joe and Michael came to live with their aunt Bridge in Glasha. Michael died from an ear infection at the relatively early age of 19 yrs. My mother knew Michael well, a tall lean man unlike his brother John Joe who was stocky with a round face. Jim Prendeville, Paddy Faley’s son in law is the current owner of John Joe Dillane’s farm.
Reportedly, Bill had to pay substantial damages to a third party, because of his involvement in a road traffic accident sometime after his wife Mary’s death. He suffered a stroke in 1973.
Mary Geoghegan-Flynn inherited the original Langan/Dillon home, probably from her aunt Minnie. Mary Geoghegan is a sister to (Patie ‘The Yank’ Geoghegan, Turraree see Geoghegan's heretofore). Her godfather was the aforementioned, Maurice Langan, my granduncle. Bill Dillon had a nephew called Reidy, the same man who for years had a bicycle shop in the town of Abbeyfeale. I remember it well as I attended the vocational school there from 1965 to ’68.
Mary Langan-Dillon died Sunday February 20th, 1972.
The following is a tribute published in the pages of The Bridgeport Telegram, Bridgeport, Connecticut. February 21st 1972.
Memorial Obituary.
Entered Into Eternal Rest
Sunday, Feb, 20th, 1972.
Mrs. William Dillon.
Derby – Mrs. Mary Langan-Dillon, wife of William Dillon, of 218 New Haven Avenue, died yesterday in Griffin hospital.Services will take place Wednesday at 8.30 am. In the William Stapleton funeral home, 72 Howard Avenue, Ansonia and at 9.15 o’clock in St. Judes Church with a requiem Mass. Burial will be in Mount St. Peter cemetery.
Born in Glasha, Athea, County Limerick, Ireland, Mrs. Dillon has been a resident of Derby 60 years. She had been a member of the Naughatuck Council of Catholic women.
Survivors, in addition to her husband, are three sisters, Mrs. Sylvester Sullivan of Ansonia, and Mrs Patrick Higgins, and Mrs. Maurice Higgins, both of Ireland; and several nieces and nephews. (See also Quille Jermiah/Darby heretofore)
---------------------------------------------
WILLIAM LANGAN.
(Son of Tom)
William was born June 9th 1894. His godparents were Catherine Geoghegan, Clounleharde and an NR entry. William died 1898 aged 4yrs.
MARGARET LANGAN.
(Daughter of Tom)
Margaret Langan was born December 8th 1896. Her godparents were Catherine Geoghegan, Clounlehar
de and a NR entry. Margaret married Paddy Higgins,
son of Con Higgins, Glasha. Paddy married into the old Langan home that
Margaret inherited. Mikie Kinnane was telling me that a dance master by
the name of ‘ceoil’ held dance lessons here in the early 1900’s. Many
of the neighbours including Mikie’s father William Kinnane made their
way to the homestead to learn their steps. Payment was by way of a
collection of a few pence from each pupil. They never knew him by any
name other than ‘ceoil’. He must have been a musician or a lilter of
some kind to boot as it was his practice that he wouldn’t leave the
class until at least one of the pupils had a tune learned off. Any
wonder then that the Langan’s and others inherited the music, song and
dance. The only ‘ceoil’ that I ever heard of was Jimin ‘ceoil’ Scanlon
who was a bellman in Athea. He was married to Maggie ‘the bottles’
Scanlon. Their daughter Tessie R.I.P. Oct 2010 was married to Paddy
Walshe, Dalton St. Athea. Could it have been that this was the dance
master that we are speaking of?Photo - Margaret with her greatgranddaughter Lorraine Higgins 1981.
Thomas Mic
hael
(Budeen) Feury was telling me of an incident that happened a few years
before Margaret died. Word was sent to him to call on Margaret when ever
he’d get a chance and to bring the fiddle with him. Budeen assumed that
she must have had some musician visitor staying with her and that this
person wanted to play a few tunes. Anyway he arrived at the house with
fiddle under his arm to find nobody there except Margaret herself. ‘Did
you bring it?’ asked Margaret. ‘I did’, replied Budeen, ‘but who’s going
to play?’. ‘I am’ says she and with that she took up the fiddle and
proceeded to play a blast of a tune leaving Budeen standing spellbound
in the middle of the floor. It was only at that point and time he
reliased she could play. I said to Budeen, ‘I suppose it was a blast of
‘Fr. Halpin’s Top Coat’ that she gave you’. He looked at me and in a
whisper replied, ‘Bunker Hill’. Moreover, as all music lovers will know
‘Bunker Hill’ is a very tricky three-part reel. Was it the ‘ceoil’
influence that inspired Margaret may I ask?Margaret Langan Higgins (pictured) died October 1st 1981 age 84yrs. A photograph of Margaret taken outside her home in the late 1960’s can be seen in the B.R.J. 2004 p69. (See also Higgins family)
HANNAH (NONIE) LANGAN 1899-1980.
(Daughter of Tom)
Hannah (Nonie) Langan was born January 24th 1899. Her godparents were, her uncle Tim Woods and Bridget Woods.
Photo right includes Nonie with her daughter Noreen and her grandnieces, twins Mary and Bridie Faley, daughters of Mick Faley, Glasha and Birmingham.
Nonie married Maurice Higgins, Glasha in 1922. Maurice was a brother to Paddy. As previously stated, the two Langan sisters married the two Higgin’s brothers. Nonie died March 15th 1980. A group photo taken outside her residence in the late 1960’s can be viewed in the B.R.J. 2004 p69.
============================================================
HIGGINS FAMILY. (Glashapullagh (Glasha) ).
(With a Langan/Woods connection)
If
we look at Griffiths map of 1852 at 1b, ‘Faley’s place’ there is a
piece of land jutting eastwards that resembles a cone. This portion is
part of the Higgins estate. It was on this plot during the famine years
that potatoes were sowed and obviously failed as the imprint of the
un-dug ridges were still visible right up until the time that it was
sold to the forestry for plantation. I saw these ridges myself and
always felt the plot should have been listed i.e. a protected area. 
Higgins home 2007.
There
was no talk back then about the ‘hen harrier’ or the ‘sparrow hawk’.
There was no legislation when the forestry ploughs tore away at what was
once an expertly tilled garden and in doing so destroyed another link
with our forbearers and what they must have gone through back in 1847.
Looking again at Griffith’s Valuation of 1852 the area of Glashapullagh
is just over 480 acres. There are four main occupiers having their
leases from Samuel A. Dixon, they are – John & George Lynch in plot 1A and 1B, James Dalton in plot 2A with three sub-tenants with no land only houses, Daniel, Jeremiah John Nolan on plot 3A. with John Neill, Mary Neill and Johanna Guerin or Cussen having
272 acres in plots 3A, B and C. The O’Neill siblings emigrated to the
U.S.A. and were later joined there by their parents. These O'Neill's
lived right next door to where the Higgins family set up home.
Spot where the Behan homestead once stood Photo c1988.
Road to the Higgins homestead with site of Behan's home in the trees to the left.
appear to have come from Knockdown, Cornelius Higgins and his father John (Johnny) Higgins
being listed there in 1860/1870. The Behan family listed under
Glenbawn in 1852, Roger Behan, Tom’s grandfather having 91acres there at
that time. Thomas (Tom) Behan was the son of John Behan, John being
married to Ellen Barrett b1843, Dirreen, the same Barrett family as that of my grandmother Nora Barrett. Tom inherited this farm making it three in total in his possession at that time. Tom sold the farm to Jack Higgins,
Glasha, (son of Maurice Higgins) who subsequently sold it on to his
brother Mick Higgins. This is the same farm from where my brother Eddie
Langan operates a stone and pencil quarry. Eddie bought the quarry site
from Mick Higgins and another corner from Dan Barrett, Turraree. Paul
Higgins, grandson of Maurice currently owns the Behan and Higgins farms.Con Higgins son of John (Johnny) Higgins was born in 1851.( in an interview I did with Buddy Feury, Glenagragra in 1986, Buddy told me that Con Higgins's father was Johnny Higgins )There must have been other family members as a Maurice Higgins and Mary (Maria) Higgins stood for my great granduncle Michael Lynch, Glasha in 1852. Con who married Elizabeth (Bessy) Mulvihill R.I.P. 1895 from Turraree was either a brother or nephew to Mary (Maria) Higgins (probably the Mary above) who married William Griffin, Glenagragra and was probablythe same relation to the Ellen Higgins, Glasha as in Griffith’s Valuation 1852. The Maurice Higgins mentioned was either a brother or son of John (Johnny)Higgins above. Bessy was the daughter of Jack Mulvihill and Mary Walsh. It is thought that Jack & Mary came from a place called Faha in Co. Kerry. Elizabeth Mulvihill had a brother Jim Mulvihill and a sister Mary Mulvihill. Mary Mulvihill was married to a Mahony man from Asdee, Co Kerry. Jim Mulvihill had a son Paddy Mulvihill and a daughter Mary (Molly) Mulvihill. The Mulvihill family lived, in the same avenue as that of Tommy Sheehy and Mossie Breen. In fact, the Mulvihill house was attached to the Breen homestead and still is to this present day. It seems that they were tenants back in the days of the Landlord’s. It is now the property of the Breen family. Elizabeth (Bessy) died circa 1895.
Limekiln at Higgins's.
Con
was very witty and was renowned for many humorous axioms, three of
which I give hereunder -: On an occasion when he was out canvassing for
some election he was known to address the situation as follows ‘If I can’t coherse Denny Faley for his vote I’ll prevent him from access to his humble academy in the bleak mountain’. Denny
Faley being Paddy’s father, Denis (Denny), who lived in Glasha and who
would more often than not walk through Con’s mountain down to the
‘Kerryline’ roadway.When people were complaining about his childen, Say’s Con, ‘They’re gone from the age of childhood to be attributing their doings to me’.
His neighbour Mick Windle gave his pipe to Con for a smoke and Con broke the stem. Say’s Windle, ‘intentionally’, no say’s Con, ‘accidentally’.
1901 Census for Higgins family as follows -
| Surname | Forename | Age | Sex | Relation to head | Religion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Higgins | Cornelius | 45 | Male | Father | Catholic |
| Higgins | Patrick | 23 | Male | Son | Catholic |
| Higgins | Mary | 20 | Female | Daughter | Catholic |
| Higgins | Bridget | 14 | Female | Daughter | Catholic |
| Higgins | Con | 12 | Male | Son | Catholic |
| Higgins | John | 10 | Male | Son | Catholic |
| Higgins | William | 9 | Male | Son | Catholic |
(1) Con Higgins.
(2) Bill Higgins.
(3) Jim Higgins.
(4) Dan Higgins.
(5) John Higgins.
(6) Paddy Higgins.
(7) Maurice Higgins.
(8) Mary Higgins.
(9) Bridget Higgins.
(10) ? Higgins.
(11) ? Higgins.
(1) Con Higgins b.1889 emigrated to Australia. Married there and had a daughter Betty Higgins. There could be other children
(2) Bill Higgins, b.1892, emigrated to the U.S in the late 1920’s and never returned.
(3) Jim Higgins married to Nora O’Connor, (The shop), Ballyhahill. They emigrated to the U.S.A., came home to live in the town of Glin for a few years and went back to the U.S. again. They had one daughter Betty now deceased. Betty was married to an Italian by the name of Panilla.
(4) Dan Higgins emigrated to Australia. As far as I can establish, Dan remained single in life. Dan and Con emigrated on the same day. The local hackney man at the time was Jack Windle, Glenagragra who used his horse and sidecar to ferry people to their various destinations. In Dan and Con’s case it was to the railway station in Ardagh and grandfather Paddy Langan often spoke of that day and of the snow that was falling as they departed dear old Ireland, never to return.
(5) John Higgins b.1891 lived in Glasha. He died of T.B. during the 1940’s at a young age.
(6) Paddy Higgins who was born in the year 1878 went to his eternal reward on August 7th 1954. His wife my granaunt Margaret Langan, passed away October 1st 1981 age 85yrs. (See also Langan Margaret)
Family from Paddy Higgins and Margaret Langan as follows -;
(i) Elizabeth (Lizzy) Higgins.
(ii) Thomas (Toss) Higgins.
(iii) Patrick (Pakie) Higgins.
(iv) Nora Higgins.
(v) Liam Higgins.
(vi) Con Higgins.
(i) Elizabeth (Lizzy) Higgins was married to William Burns, Ballyagran. William died October 25th 1992. Elizabeth died January 24th 1995. Had a family.(ii) Thomas (Toss) Higgins was married to Nell Enright from Glenbawn. Nell was a s
ister to Jack Enright, Glenbawn who died November 22nd
1989. Lament for the said Jack by Paddy Faley in B.R.J. 1990 p157. Nell
Enright was a servent girl at Connolly’s of Glenagragra during the
1940’s. It was during her time there that love blossomed between herself
and her neighbour Toss Higgins of Glasha. They emigrated to
England and raised a family one of whom Pat (Pakie) returned when he was
six or seven years of age to be reared by his grandmother, the
aforementioned Margaret Langan Higgins. Pakie eventually inherited the farm from his uncle Con Higgins. Toss
opened a shop in the home place before going to England. I have a vivid
recollection of calling to the shop to buy my penny bars, ‘trigger’s’,
curn-tops and the ‘eight a penny’. Toss died May 7th 2006. Nell died December 2003.
National School Photo c1964 of Pat (Pakie) Higgins son of Toss.
(Pat inherited the farm from his uncle Con.)
Below the present home of Pat Pakie Higgins Photo 2011.
Right - Pakie Higgins with his sister Nora & her husband Connie Noonan.
Photo c1988.
(iv) Nora Higgins lives in the home place with her husband Connie Noonan from Ballysteen. 
Photo 1960's - Connie Noonan & Nora Higgins.
They
have no family. School photo of Nora which was taken in 1945 can be
seen in the B.R.J. 1994/95 p144. (Listed as Noreen) There’s another
photo in the Weekly Observer newspaper of December 8th 1999 p24. (Second from right) Nora was a member of the Glenagragra Dramatic Class of the 1950’s
Left - Ciss Higgins Faley & 1st cousin Nora Higgins Noonan 2006.
(v) Liam Higgins went to Birmingham, England in the 1940’s. He married Kate Staunton from Co. Mayo 
and
had three sons – Patrick, John and Michael. Liam and family returned to
Ireland in the 1970’s and purchased the Reidy farm in Knockdown.
(Formerly Jimmy Reidy’s) Liam passed to his eternal reaward on Saturday
April 5th 2003. I am fortunate enough to have filmed Liam on video.(vi) Con Higgins who remained single spent many years back and forth to Birmingham. He left the farm to his nephew Patrick (Pakie) who built a new house and workshop to the east of the old home. Pakie is self-employed building fitted kitchens etc. Con died on April 16th 2000. I had a chat with him two days previous. There’s a photo of Con in the B.R.J 1993/94 p134 and a tribute to the great man by this author in the B.R.J. 2000 p67.
Left - Con Higgins & nephew Pakie Higgins (son of Toss) with Mick Reidy, Glasha and Maurice Flynn, Dromreask & Blaine, Athea. Photo c1963.
Higgins home, Glasha formerly Tom Langan's.
Photo 2007.
Rear view image of said home 2007.
Another view from rear 2007.
View westward from rear of Higgins home
with Bridie Windle's & Flavin's on right
& P.J. Langan's on left. Photo 2007.
(7) Maurice Higgins. Maurice who was born in 1886 went to his eternal reward December 14th 1957. The following article in relation to Maurice appeared in the Limerick Leader of Monday October 6th 1947.
Left - Maurice Higgins, Danny Faley, Mick Higgins, Nonie Higgins & Jim Higgins with dog. Picture c1953
Glin Court.
Maurice
Higgins, Glashapullagh, Athea was prosecuted at Glin Court for having
an unlicensed bull. Inspector O’Driscoll gave evidence of having found
on the defendants land on June 13th last, a red and white,
reasonably conditioned bull. This animal, he was given to understand was
infected with hoose and the defendant had suffered many losses through
the disease during the year. He lived on a small mountainy farm, had a
large family and was in poor circumstances. He kept five or six cows.
Mr. Power said, that in view of the circumstances of the defendant, he
would not press the case. The Justice said, he had to take into
consideration the principle involved in all these cases. He would impose
a fine of 10/= and would order the defendant to pay 7/= expenses.In the year 1922, Maurice married my grandaunt, Hannah (Nonie) Langan, Glenagragra. (See also Langan Hannah)
Family from Maurice Higgins and Nonie Langan as follows -:
(i) Con Higgins (Bob).
(ii) Mick Higgins.
(iii) Elizabeth (Ciss) Higgins.
(iv) Willie Higgins.
(v) Jack Higgins.
(vi) Mossie Higgins.
(vii) Noreen Higgins.
(viii) Patrick (Pa) Higgins.
(ix) Jim Higgins.
(i) Bob Higgins, as well as being a 1st cousin to my father he was also one of his best friends. In fact, Bob was best man at my father’s wedding in 1948. Bob worked in the Bog of Allen from 1944-1946 along with my uncle Bill Lynch.
He married Kathleen Lynch and went to live in Ferbane, Co. Offaly. Bob went to his eternal reward September 8th 1988 age 65yrs. Photo from 1940’s B.R.J. 2005 p111. (See also Lynch Kathleen, Glasha.)Photo - Con (Bob) Higgins.
Bob Higgins & his 1st cousin Peg Langan 1940's.
(ii) Mick Higgins who remained single in life inherited the home place from his father Maurice. Mick went to his eternal reward on January 21st 2004. Following his death, I paid the following tribute to the late Mick -:
Mick Higgins R.I.P.
The winter winds blew from the west and the dark clouds hurried past
When on the twenty first of January Mick Higgins breathed his last
His passing ‘though expected still shocked us one and all
But then again no one can tell when they’re nigh the final call.
Well Mick he was a candid man, a man who knew no greed
No doubt inheriting the duchas of the Higgins/Langan breed
And so ‘twas only fitting that so many joined the queue
And congregated on the sod to bid him fond adieu.
Yes, he loved the land where he was born the mountains and the streams
He toiled each acre, rood and perch since he was in his teens
He saved the hay and cut the turf but at times ‘twas a living hell
But he’d always stop to beat his breast when he’d hear the Angelus bell.
Vivid thoughts spring to my mind, back when I was young of age
I recall Mick calling to the home my grandparents Pat and Babe
There I’d make my way to the old back-room to search the place about
‘Till I’d find for him ‘in the butter-box, a bottle of grand-dad’s best mulled stout.
‘’She lived beside the Anner at the foot of Slievenamon’’
I bet he’s singing that grand old song up there with his brother Con
Known to us all as jovial Bob whom he held in high esteem
And in the choirs of chorus there’s mum and dad and his sister sweet Noreen.
So quietly then you left us Mick and the place now seems so bare
And I know your presence will be missed when Moss sees your vacant chair
The ‘Paddock’ springs eternally flowing down o’er vales and moors
May the Lord have mercy on your soul, may perpetual light be yours.
Photo’s of Mick in B.R.J 1993/94 p15 & 65. Photo at Mass Rock in Athea in Weekly Observer September 30th 1992 p11.
The Paddock Well Photo c1990.
Photo - left Paddy Langan (my grandfather) & Mick Higgins ploughing garden above kiln c1953.
(iii) Elizabeth (Ciss) Higgins married Danny Faley brother of Paddy Faley, Glenbawn. No issue from that union. Ciss and Danny celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on April 4th 2001. ‘Golden Jubilee’ poem by Paddy Faley A.P.N. 5-4-2001.
Photo - Danny & Ciss Faley.
Ciss celebrated her 80th birthday on Monday September 13th
2004 at her home in Turraree. (See Athea Parish Newsletter 15-09-2004).
Photo with husband Danny and niece Phil Faley Daly front page of Weekly
Observer 22-09-2004 also p18 of same paper cutting the cake. Photo of
Ciss B.R.J. 1990/91 p29. Also, photo from the 1950’s B.R.J. 2007 p103.
An article in A.P.N. of the 10-10-1998 namely ‘Bubbles’ re- milking a
cow for the first time with her uncle Danny and Ciss by another niece
Geraldine Faley. Ciss was a member of the Glenagragra Dramatic Class of
the early 1950’s. (See also Faley Family)
Faley's cottage, Turraree c1990.
Danny Faley c1990.
Photo 1950's at Danny Mullane's hall, Knockdown.
Left - Pa Higgins, Danny Faley, Ciss Higgins Faley, Tom Scanlon, Glasha,
Mick Flavin, Glenagragra, Tom Langan my uncle & ?
(iv) Willie Higgins
was another who was forced to take the emigrant ship across the Irish
Sea. Lived most of his life in Birmingham, England. Member of the
Glenagragra Dramatic Class of the early 1950’s. Married to Margaret Enright, Glenalappa. Willie was a member of the Glenagragra Dramatic Class of the early 1950’s.
From Left – Willie Higgins, Birmingham & Glasha. Noreen Higgins
Barrett R.I.P. , Turraree. Nora Higgins Noonan, Glasha,.
Dan Barrett, Turraree & Pa Higgins Limerick & Glasha.
Photo 1950’s
(v) Jack Higgins
another member of the Glenagragra Dramatic Class of the early 1950’s
had a lorry for many years, which he used for the delivering of flour
and meal to numerous merchants throughout the county. 
Following his marriage to Mary Greig, Jack moved to Ballingarry, Co. Limerick and operated a thriving supermarket there for some years. Mary Gregg and her sister Ellen Anne Greig who Married Michael Foley, Glin had returned from the U.S.A. and went to live with their uncle Paddy ‘Pats’ Mulvihill R.I.P. 30-10-1976, in Dromreask. Paddy Pat’s sister, married her 1st cousin Jim Gregg
and subsequently became the the parents of Mary and Ellen Ann above and
Nora Root Gregg in the U.S.. Paddy Pat’s father ‘Pats’ Mulvihill b1876
was married to a sister of Bill Gregg’s. Paddy Pat’s had a
brother Joe ‘Pats’ Mulvihill who lived with him. Another brother Neddy
Pat’s emigrated, as did a sister Biddy Pat’s. He had another brother Tim
Pat’s Mulvihill who lived in Killeaney Lower. The Greig family had a
shop a few hundred yards west of Paddy’s house on the left hand side of
the road. Bill Greg lived there and had the following family – Jim (above), John and Mary Greigh.
Photo - Jack on right and his 1st cousin my uncle Tom Langan 1950's.
Following his marriage to Mary Greig, Jack moved to Ballingarry, Co. Limerick and operated a thriving supermarket there for some years. Mary Gregg and her sister Ellen Anne Greig who Married Michael Foley, Glin had returned from the U.S.A. and went to live with their uncle Paddy ‘Pats’ Mulvihill R.I.P. 30-10-1976, in Dromreask. Paddy Pat’s sister, married her 1st cousin Jim Gregg
and subsequently became the the parents of Mary and Ellen Ann above and
Nora Root Gregg in the U.S.. Paddy Pat’s father ‘Pats’ Mulvihill b1876
was married to a sister of Bill Gregg’s. Paddy Pat’s had a
brother Joe ‘Pats’ Mulvihill who lived with him. Another brother Neddy
Pat’s emigrated, as did a sister Biddy Pat’s. He had another brother Tim
Pat’s Mulvihill who lived in Killeaney Lower. The Greig family had a
shop a few hundred yards west of Paddy’s house on the left hand side of
the road. Bill Greg lived there and had the following family – Jim (above), John and Mary Greigh.Paddy ‘Pats’ Mulvihill’s grandfather was Patrick Mulvihill b1841 who also had a brother Dick and his grandmother was Ellen Sheehy b1854. Paddy Pat’s had an uncle the legendary Jack ‘Padden’ Mulvihill, b1891, who was a poet of no mean repute. He lived a bachelor life in the same house as his brother Tim Padden Mulvihill who was married to a Crowley girl from Knockfinisk. Jack Padden’s other siblings included the aforementioned ‘Pats’ Mulvihill who was married to one of the Greigh’s, Edward b1888, a sister Nell who was married to Jack Sheahan, Knockdown and Mary b1877 who married her next door neighbour Daniel O’ Brien b1866. Jack and I were avid western fiction readers and many is the evening in the 1960’s I crossed Feury’s mountain to the home of the said Jack ‘Padden’ to swap with him some cowboy books. Zane Gray & Louis Lamour are just two of the writers that were top of our list. Jack had a huge collection in his possession and often gave me more than my share during our exchange.
For 1938 School Folklore Collection, Jack Higgins submitted the following – ‘Hidden Treasure’ that was given to him by his father Maurice.
149
Ballyguiltenane
Glin.
Hidden Treasures.
There is supposed to be a foals skin of gold hidden in the ‘Poll Dorcha’ after the Fenians or White Boys since they were trying to free Ireland. Where this gold is hidden is about four miles from Ballyguiltenane school and it is situated in an old dark grassy glen.
You would pass it as you go the Kerry Line to Athea from Clounleharde school. The leader who hid it was afterwards caught by the English who ruled Ireland and he was hanged from a tree near Rathkeale. When his sentence was passed he enquired if there was anyone from the place called Glenagragra where the gold was hidden. But there was no one as so the gold is still there unknown to anybody. It is said that two men went searching for it. Their names were O’Callahan and Flavin. But chains were heard rattling and they fled away.
John Higgins,
Glasha, Athea,
Co. Limerick
(Told by my father – Aged 56.)
20-10-1938.
Original document of above.
Photo 1950's - Left, Dan Barrett, Nell Barrett, Jack Higgins, Noreen Higgins Barrett & Mossie Higgins.
Left - Mossie Higgins, Tom Langan son of Maurice & Jack Higgins .
Photo 2006.
Folks
those stories are true for the gold that lay buried there was
eventually located and today my brother Eddie Langan is transporting it
countrywide in the form of ‘pencil’, rock and sand.(vi) Mossie Higgins who remained single worked in England for some time,
came
home and secured a job with Glin Creamery where he was employed as a
lorry driver. Another member of the Glenagragra Dramatic Class.
Mossie Higgins with the old hay raker of yester-year Photo c1988.
(vii) Noreen Higgins also went across the Irish Sea, married her neighbour Dan Barrett,
Turraree and had a family of three -: Maurice, Anthony and Danny
Barrett. They returned to Turraree in the early 1970’s to the Barrett
homestead and farm that Dan inherited from his father. Alas, Noreen fell
victim to Motor Neuron disease and sadly passed away on July 21st 1997. Noreen and Dan were members of the Glenagragra Dramatic Class.
Left - Mossie Higgins, Gerry Griffin, Glenagragra & Connie Noonan, Glasha. Photo 1985.
-------------------------------------------------
(viii) Patrick (Pa) Higgins
served his time as a carpenter with Danny Lyons, Derri, Listowel. He
worked in England and Dublin for a time before eventually settling down
with his wife and family in Raheen, Limerick City.
(ix) Jim Higgins
also served his time with Danny Lyons and is now settled down and
retired at his home in Clare Rd. Dublin 9. Jim is married to Bridie Shea
from Caherciveen and has a son Paul and a daughter Patricia Higgins.
Paul incidentely inherited the Mick Higgins farm in Glasha.
Jim & Bridie Higgins 2011.
Left - Jim Higgins & myself at Glasha bog 2010.
Left - Pa Higgins, Patricia Higgins, Marie Higgins (daughter of Jack)
& Jim Higgins at Jim's son Paul's wedding 2011.
Paul Higgins and Joanne.
(8) Mary Higgins. b1881. Mary who was a seamstress (Dressmaker) died sometime between 1901 and 1911.(9) Bridget Higgins b.1887 and died at an early age.
(10) ? Higgins, R.I.P. at an erly age.
(11) ? Higgins, R.I.P. at an early age.
Left - Jim Higgins, Jack Higgins, Tom Langan (son of Maurice) & Mossie Higgins.
Left - Mossie Higgins & Mossie Langan in quarry 2004.
---------------------------------------------------
The Barrett family history as follows-:
Mick Barrett, Turraree married Kate O’Connor, Glenastar and had one son Paddy Barrett
who was born December 19th 1892 and who passed to his eternal reward on June 22nd 1981 aged 89yrs This Paddy married Margaret Vaughan, Dirreen, daughter of Dan Vaughan and Ellen Histon. Margaret Barrett died September 12th 1971 aged 64yrs.Paddy and Margaret were noted step-dancers and often danced at parties at the home of my grandfather George Lynch, Glasha and indeed at wren-parties as well. Paddy was also a very fine poet and composed several masterpieces of which only scraps now remain. Paddy and Margaret had the following family-:
Mick Barrett, Glenastar who married Alice Stokes. Dan (above), Kate, Nell, Hannah, Birmingham. Peg, Hospital, Co. Limerick and Mary Limerick City. Kate and Mick were also members of the Glenagragra Dramatic Class.
Paddy Barrett.
Cutting the turf for the Council during the 1940’s –
Back Left – Tom Langan R.I.P., Glenagragra.
Paddy Barrett R.I.P., Turraree kneeling.
Group Photo Front left –
Nell Barrett, Mary Barrett, ?, Paddy Barrett his wife Maggie and Ciss Faley.
Middle – Tom Langan (son of Maurice), Jim Higgins, Mick Barrett, Nora Langan, Peg Barrett and Brida Langan.
Back left – Mossie Higgins, Mike Griffin, Pa Higgins, Mick Higgins, Gerry Griffin, Jack Higgins and Tom Langan.
Group photo – Front
Mick Barrett, Jim Higgins, Tom Langan and Tom Langan (son of Paddy).
Mick Higgins, Hannah Barrett, Gerry Griffin, Pa Higgins and Peg Barrett.
Mossie Higgins, Nora Langan and Brida Langan.
Photo
at Barretts, Turraree – left – Bill Flavin, Paddy Barrett, Noreen
Barrett nee Higgins, Mick Dalton, Maggie Barrett and Paddy ‘Thade’
Sullivan.
Seated front – Alice Barrett, Hannah Barrett and Walter Lindberg married to Kate Barrett.
Left - Nora Higgins Noonan, Connie Noonan, Dan Barrett with Dan's sons Maurice & Anthony late 1960's.
Birmingham 1950's - Dan Barrett in wheelbarrow with Mick Faley.
Kate Barrett & Mike Griffin (son of Gerald) 1950.
OooooOooooO
Hi George, what a terrific site you have, Iam wondering how we are related? My great grandparents were Maurice Sylvester Langan and Margaret Kennelly Langan. Their son Maurice was my grandfather
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