Clare Past Forum

Hi Jim, again

Sorry, I just realised that one of those 5 Thomases has been eliminated - the one who remained at home and married Bridget Hayes.

If Thomas McNamara and Margaret Hawkins went to Canada, does that mean that their son Thomas is eliminated also? What do you think? I’ve been looking at the civil records for the death of a Thomas McNamara - just in case he did not emigrate. I’ve sent for the death of a Thomas McNamara, aged 70, which was registered in Tulla in 1876 – there are other Thomas McNamaras, but that’s the one that suits best.

I meant to include this death record in my posting: 1883: Bridget McNamara, Uggoon, Farmer’s widow, aged 90; informant: Anne McNamara, daughter, present at death, Uggoon.

Sheila

Hi Jim, yet again

I just now went back over your questions and realize that I did not answer all of them.

About Andrew McNamara who was leasing plot 8 in Uggoon from James Butler (in Griffith’s Valuation): I was taking a bit of a leap when I said that he might be the same Andrew who was leasing plot 42 in Glendree from Sir Robert Kane. I don’t know what revisions were made to Griffith’s Valuation in Uggoon. But we do know that plot 42 in Glendree went to Matthew McNamara. It’s safe to say that this is the Matthew who is father of Mary who married Michael Molony - because that plot 42 finally goes to Michael Molony. Wives did not usually hold property – their husbands held it. Now that leap that I took was when I said that Matthew in Glendree, the brother of Mary Molony, is probably the same Matthew who is the owner of plot 8 in Uggoon in 1921. When I took that leap it was tantamount to saying that he was a grandson of Andrew who held that plot 8 at the time of Griffiths - and we must remember that that surmise of mine is based entirely on a leap - not on logic.

Now, about Andrew McNamara Bawn: he is a mystery to me. Maybe he is the son of Andrew in Uggoon, maybe he is the father of Andrew in Uggoon, maybe he is an uncle, but these are just guesses – the descendants of these McNamaras probably know all this stuff very well, but you and I have no way of knowing any of it. The “Bawn” may have nothing at all to do with any branch of the McNamaras. It may be just a way of distinguishing him from Andrew Sheedy McNamara, who held 2 of his 3 farms very close by – plot 48 and plot 49. It is possible that Andrew Bawn was an old man at the time of Griffith's Valuation, whose children were all, or mostly born before the baptism register was opened.

Here is one problem with Griffith’s Valuation which genealogists find frustrating: the purpose of the revisions was simply to keep note of the name of the tenant. So if the new tenant’s name was the same as the old tenant’s, there was no need to change the name in the book. Here is an example: when Joe Soap transfers his land to his son, also called Joe, there may be nothing written in the book to mark this change. Occasionally, the first Joe will be crossed out and “Joe Jun.” written overhead, but when this happens it is a bonus. So it’s possible that Andrew Bawn transferred his plot 43 to a son, or nephew, also called Andrew – just a possibility, not a probability.

Jim, you speak of Andrew McNamara and Bridget McNamara and their 11 children. I can count only 7. John and Patrick in Glandree, Stephen, Bridget, Andrew and Johanna in Uggoon and Catherine, whose address at baptism is not given. Maybe you are counting in Matthew – but remember the parentage of Matthew is based on that leap I took. Maybe you are counting in Michael in plot 60 simply because the priest gives his origins as Uggoon and because he names his first child Andrew. But we must remember that we simply do not know his parentage – there were other McNamaras in Uggoon apart from Andrew in plot 8.

And remember, as well, that we do not know if there are two families here. For instance, Andrew Bawn in Glendree might have been married to a Bridget McNamara too, and the first three of those children might be the last of their family. I haven’t found a death for that Andrew or a death for that Bridget, but I can’t infer from that that they did not exist - they may have died before registration began in 1864.

Going back to your question again about Andrew McNamara and how much land he leased, really all we can say for certain is what is in Griffith’s Valuation: Andrew McNamara in Uggoon leased plot 8; Andrew McNamara in Glendree leased plot 42; and Andrew McNamara Bawn leased plot 43 jointly with James Morony. Whatever revisions may have been made to plot 43, it ended in 1921 in the ownership of Daniel Moroney – at least that’s what the Rate Book says. Daniel, of course, is not necessarily a descendant of James. As you say, there are plenty of Moroneys all around there.

Sheila

Hi Sheila,

Thanks very much for answering my questions on Griffith's Valuation maps. With my second attempt at using the maps it was easy to find Uggoon and Glandree. It did take a minute to find Plot 47 the home of Andrew McNamara (son of Andrew Sheady McNamara) who we think was killed on the road by his horse in 1904. Plot 47 was not where I thought it should be; there appears to be no rhyme or reason to the numbering on Griffiths maps. There weren't many roads through the area in 1855, but many enclosures for a horse to escape from.

Now about this Mary McNamara of Uggoon who in 1853 married John Russell, Uggoon; witnesses: Matthew McNamara, Uggoon and Judy McNamara, Uggoon. You "strongly suspect she is a daughter of Andrew McNamara and Bridget McNamara in Uggoon, and that her baptism went unrecorded". Back in May 2018 in the early days of the search for the missing Thomas McNamara of Glandree, you listed out all the McNamara's in the 1901 Census that could not be accounted for in the Tulla baptism records. Only 4 out of 9 could be accounted for at that time, and your conclusion was "unrecorded baptisms". But since that time, I believe we have accounted for all 9 out of 9, but it certainly seems like 50 out of 50!

Through your wonderful transcriptions and assistance in the ongoing search for the missing Thomas McNamara of Glandree, I have arrived at very different observations with regards to the Tulla sacramental registers. The below list of 6 observations are just my opinion, it would take too much discussion for these to become generally accepted ancestry principles for Tulla Parish:

R1: The Tulla Parish baptism and marriage registers are complete, but naming is not always accurate. There is no evidence that Tulla parents did not baptize their children or priests did not record their names in the register. But you must take into account the missing baptism pages from March 1822 to September 1825; May to July 1841; January to March 1843.

R2: Women of Tulla Parish married young, typically at 19 years of age.

R3: Tulla parents had children over a two decade period. If there are any large periods with no births, double check the baptism register (sorted both by father & mother) for variations in spelling. For example, McNamara could be MacNamara, Mack, Mac and Sheedy. Minogue could be Monahan etc.

R4: If a Tulla married couple had children over a less than two decade period, look for a widow/widower marriage (although not listed as such) in the Tulla Parish marriage register. Timing of this second marriage would be just a few years after the birth of the youngest child.

R5: The priests accuracy level for writing forenames in the sacramental registers is far greater for the men than the women. A bride named "Johanna" in the marriage register might be recorded as a mother named "Mary" in the baptism register.

R6: Given the missing baptism pages & frequent naming issues, it is best to research all the families in the same townland with the same surname to arrive at accurate conclusions on who is who. Griffith's Valuation and death records are also essential in determining family relationships.

So let's test out the above principles with the family of Andrew McNamara and Bridget McNamara of Glandree/Uggoon. And I must admit I made a mistake about this family; they appear to have had 12 children and not 11 as I earlier reported. Sheila, how do we get from the 7 children that you listed to a new total of 12 children?

Child #8: Andrew and Bridget McNamara had children between 1819 and 1836 in the Tulla baptism register which starts in 1819. This is a 17 year period, 3 years short of two decades (R3). Thank you Sheila for obtaining the death record for Bridget McNamara of Uggoon who died 1883, Uggoon, farmer’s widow, aged 90. So Bridget was born about 1793. Was her son John born in 1819 her first child? This would indicate that she might have married at age 25, and not at age 19 (R2). Let's assume Bridget married at age 19, about 1812. She would have had a child born about 1813 to 1815. This child born prior to the Tulla baptism register would appear in the marriage register 19 years later. Scan the Tulla marriage register around 1834 for a McNamara marriage with a residence of Uggoon and ... Bingo!

Mary McNamara of Uggoon married Corney McGrath of Liskennee on 14 February 1836; witnesses Andrew McNamara of Uggoon and Michael McNamara of Glandree.

Connor/Cornelius McGrath and Mary McNamara had 10 children born in Tulla Parish over a two decade period (R3) with a residence of Drumbonniv (sp? with variations): The names of the baptism sponsors might sound familiar:
1) 1836, Patt McGrath; sponsors Matt and Cath McNamara
2) 1839, Dan McGrath; Kitty Riordan
3) 1840, James McGrath; Tom McGrath, Mary McGrath
4) 1844, John McGrath; Bid Mack
5) 1846, Cornelius McGrath; Mary Gavin
6) 1848, Mary McGrath; Kate McGrath
7) 1850, Kate McGrath; Mary Howard, Mack
8 ) 1852, Margaret McGrath; Thomas Howard, Margaret Howard
9) 1853, Michael McGrath; Matthew McNamara, Bridget McGrath
10) 1858, Michael McGrath; Daniel Reddan, Bridget McNamara

The gap between 1840 and 1844, is likely due to a birth(s) during the missing baptism periods of May through July 1841; and/or January through March 1843. To provide evidence of this, repeat this exercise by checking the marriage register 19 year later for a McGrath marriage. So it is possible that Mary McGrath had 12 children, the same as her mother Bridget McNamara.

The residence on the baptism records is difficult to read but looks like "Drumbonniv" (Crusheen Parish), but is more likely somewhere around Ballyblood in Tulla. "Cornelius" is a great name. In the 1901 Census in House 21 in Ballyblood (south of Glandree) is Patrick McGrath (age 64), who named his eldest son Cornelius after his own father. He is also living with his 84 year old mother Mary (McNamara) McGrath. So Mary McNamara was born about 1817, and married in 1836, at the age of 19 (R2). Was this Mary their first born child, I have my doubts.

Child #9: In my initial listing I appear to have only searched by the father "Andrew McNamara" and missed this birth (see R3 above):

Andrew Mac born to Andrew Mac and Bridget Mac of Uggoon on 12 August 1828, witnesses Michael Sheedy and Mary Pepper.

Child #10: same mistake (R3) as above.

Miles Mac born to Andy Mac and Bridget Mac of Glandree on 21 March 1831, witnesses Peter Lillis, Sally Cavana

Child #11: Matthew McNamara died in 1894 at age of 70, thus born in the missing baptism period of 1824. Evidence: transfer of lease from father Andrew; appears on sister Mary McNamara McGrath's baptism records of her children; wife Anne Halpin McNamara was informant on mother Bridget McNamara death record in 1883; named one son Andrew, although not his first born.

Child #12: Michael McNamara died 1889 at age of 64, thus born in the missing baptism period of 1825. Named first born son Andrew. Two brothers married two sisters; appear on each baptism & marriage records.

For Matthew and Michael not to be the children of Andrew McNamara and Bridget McNamara would mean that their parents went from June 1821 through August 1828 without having a child. Highly unlikely.

To answer your other question on who could be the Mary McNamara of Uggoon who married John Russell in 1853, witnesses: Matthew McNamara and Judy McNamara both of Uggoon? She likely married at age 19, so born around 1834? There are two choices found in the Tulla baptism records:

1) Mary McNamara born to Patt McNamara and Mary Hogan of Uggoon on 15 August 1832. A twin, this child may have died as another "Mary" was born in 1837. But possibly the priest could have messed up the names (R5)?

2) Mary McNamara born to John McNamara and Nelly McNamara of Uggoon on 27 February 1828.

Sheila, you'd have to research both these McNamara families of Uggoon (R6) further before coming to the conclusion that her parents were Andrew McNamara and Bridget McNamara of Uggoon and she was born in 1834 (which is a physical possibility) and that there is a missing baptism record. Or could "Mary" McNamara have actually been "Bridget" McNamara born in March 1833 to Andrew and Bridget McNamara? There is far more evidence of priests writing incorrect names for the women (R5) than missing baptism records.

And I notice above the use of "Sheedy" in the baptism records as sponsors, this appears even more commonly than the McNamara's being reported as Sheedy as parents.

Hi Jim

You have done good work there and I have only a couple of quibbles.

I think R2, R3, R4, R5, and R6 are good. But I simply cannot agree with RI (that the baptism registers are complete).
About R5, I think the reason the priest often got the mother’s name wrong, was because she was not present at the baptism. If the baptism was in the chapel (usually a couple of days after the birth) she was at home, still in an exhausted state. If the baptism was in the home, she was probably at a bit of a remove from the ceremony.

Child 8: I think you have done a good job in showing that Mary McNamara, who married Corney McGrath in 1836, might possibly be a daughter of Andrew and Bridget – especially finding her age in 1901 and hence her birthyear. The “Drumbonniv” here is the one in Ballyblood, I’m pretty sure. But might not Mary be the daughter of one of those other two couples you mention, i.e. Patt McNamara and Mary Hogan; John McNamara and Nelly McNamara?

Child 9: Andrew: Yes indeed, this child should be added to the 7 that I had named in my posting above.
Child 10: Miles: Yes, this child should be added also.
Child 11: Matthew: Yes, I am prepared to accept that the weight of evidence strongly suggests that he is a son of Andrew and Bridget.

Child 12: Michael: I am not ready to accept that Michael is a son of Andrew and Bridget. I still think he may have come from another family of McNamaras in Uggoon. And I think your deciding that Margaret Halpin and Anne Halpin are two sisters is a bit of a leap.
I agree that there probably was a child born between 1821 and 1828 (the period for the missing pages from the register), but we can’t just decide it is Michael. It’s not logical to say, “for Matthew and Michael not to be the children of Andrew McNamara and Bridget McNamara would mean that their parents went from June 1821 through to 1828 without having a child”. Yes I’m sure they did have children during this period (and I do think Mattew is one, given subsequent records), but they are not necessarily Matthew and Michael. Those missing records might be for a Margaret, James, Eliza, Thomas, etc. etc.

Jim, after all that, I don’t think it’s very important to establish who exactly were the children of Andrew McNamara and Bridget McNamara in Uggoon (plus Glendree?). The only reason for my interest in Mary McNamara, who married John Russell, is in order to establish that her parents are not the parents of Mary Madigan. And even that interst of mine is a bit superfluous for the reason that I stated previously: we had never counted any Uggoon couple among the 5 most likely set of parents for Thomas McNamara the Civil War veteran.

Sheila

Hi Sheila,

Thanks again for sharing the 1883 death record of Bridget McNamara of Uggoon, that was a very important clue. From your heroic efforts transcribing the County Clare registers, your opinion on their completeness certainly holds a lot of weight. My only concern is that a family researcher might have an excuse not to even consider alternative explanations on why they cannot find their ancestors in the baptism registers. They might give up too quickly especially with a common name like McNamara. If I had listened to your advice back in May 2018, the search for the missing Thomas McNamara would have ended with no clear understanding where Thomas and his sisters Mary McNamara Madigan of Barnsley Yorkshire and Elizabeth McNamara Hornbeck of Wawarsing New York are reflected in the Tulla baptism register.

With regards to whether Mary McNamara (1817) and Michael McNamara (1825) are children of Andrew McNamara and Bridget McNamara, of course you are absolutely correct as I did not even follow my own principle (R6) and research the remaining McNamara families (Patt and John) of Uggoon. I anticipated this feedback. But I left Mary and Michael as low hanging fruit for you to quibble on, as my main goal was to get your sign-off that Matthew McNamara was indeed the son of Andrew and Bridget McNamara of Uggoon. Thanks for providing the key evidence to make this definitive link.

Mary McNamara of Uggoon, the daughter of Matthew McNamara and his first wife Johanna O'Dea, married Michael Molony of Uggoon on 20 February 1878, witnesses Matthew Molony and Bridget McNamara (Mary's sister born in 1860). In the 1901 Census, James and Mary Molony are living in House 47 in Glendree with their five children. Michael Molony is a 55 year old National School Teacher. By the 1911 Census, Michael Molony is a widower living in House 40 in Glendree with three of this children. His occupation is Retired Teacher and Farmer.

A few weeks back (page 7) Sheila recalled schooldays in County Clare when she learned a famous poem by the Clare poet Brian Merriman (1747-1805) which describes walking in the early morning dew, beside Lough Graney. She could even recite "a memorable line that describes the mountains looking over each others’ shoulders: 'Ag bagairt a gcinn thar dhroim a cheile'". Many decades earlier as part of an Irish Folklore Commission initiative, pupils across Ireland compiled exercise books detailing local folklore and tradition between 1937 and 1939. From Drumandoora School (about 10kms north of Lough Ea), John MacMahon interviewed Peter MacMahon on 7 April 1938 about his topic "Local Poets". John also recalled the great Brian Merriman and his poem about Lough Graney, but also included a few other poets from Tulla Parish:

7th April 1938
Folklore
Long ago the poets of this district were Brian Merryman, Michael Moloney and Pat Quigley. Brian Merryman lived in Kilclarin and he was a school master in Kilclarin. He was a great Poet and he made a famous poem about Lough Graney one of the most famous in history. Michael Moloney lived in Glandree and he composed beautiful songs he made songs about the Hills of Glandree, the Glens of Loweruggoon and he was a school master also. Pat Quigley was a school master in Drumcharley he also composed songs of his native place in Tulla.

John Mac Mahon, Acres
Story Teller, Peter Mc Mahon, Acres
Great poets.
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0592F, Page 03_039 & 03_040, Image and data © National Folklore Collection, UCD
https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5274069/5271004

So the School Master Michael Molony of Glandree, and husband of Mary McNamara, was the poet who wrote "The Hills of Sweet Glandree". I suppose it makes sense that a teacher with a high level of education wrote the poem. Was very surprised to stumble across it in the School's Collection last week, as "The Hills of Sweet Glandree" is nowhere to be found on the internet. The anonymously written poem was only discovered in an obscure Irish-American newspaper in Minnesota from 1902 using genealogybank,com. Michael Molony was born in Uggoon so it is intriguing that there is another poem out there about the "Glens of Loweruggoon". It would be great if the County Clare library or Local Cultural Center has a copy of this, as I am quite curious about what Michael Molony could have rhymed with "Uggoon".

Searching "Glandree" and "Molony" on the Clare library website, there was a Hedge School Teacher in Glandree named Michael Moloney listed in the Irish Education Inquiry, 1824: http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... s_list.htm
Sharon provided a link to British House of Commons Account and Papers, Vol. 47, that listed school teachers and monitors by Irish counties for schools in operation as of 31 Dec 1862. In Glandree there was a Head Teacher named Patrick Cudmore and a Monitor named Michael Molony:
http://www.ourlibrary.ca/phpbb2/viewtop ... cher#p1596

Michael Molony was baptized in July 1845. Would he be too young to be a "monitor" in 1862 or the perfect age? I had hoped that Master Michael Molony of Glandree might be connected to the Hedge School Teacher Michael Molony of Glandree, but not sure of any connection. From a few posts back I believe that Michael Molony's father and grandfather are both named James Molony (the name of Michael's first born son).

Also mentioned in "Great Poets" there was "Pat Quigley, "a school master from Drumcharley" who wrote songs about his native Tulla. I believe this reference is actually to "Thomas Quigley" who in 1901 is a 56 year old National School Master living in House 7 in Cragroe, Tulla. Cragroe is only a few hundred yards from Drumcharley School. In 1901, Thomas is single living with two nieces and his birthplace is County Sligo. Not sure what poems we'll find by Thomas Quigley written about Tulla? In 1911, the "Ex National Teacher" was living with his nephew Martin Hunt in Kilturra, County Sligo.

From the British Parliamentary Papers of 1908 and 1909, there were references to a "Mr. Thomas Quigley", late teacher Drumcharley (No. 2) national school, Tulla, County Clare related to his pension. Apparently, after attaining the age of 63, the pension for his rank (2nd class, Class B) and age was a yearly pension of 38 pounds sterling. But Thomas Quigley worked until he was 63 years and 9 months and paid premium into the pension fund during this extra period. He (through his representative) wanted the annual pension rate for a 64 year old retiree, 42 pounds sterling. Or at least a prorated pension of 41 pounds. Unfortunately, the conclusion was "The Pension Rules do not provide for the grant of a proportionate part of the pension or for the repayment of the premiums in such a case." Thomas Quigley was out of luck, he would receive 38 pounds per year.

I was interested in this pension detail to compare against the American Civil War pension that Patrick Real of Tarmon, County Clare was receiving about the same time as Thomas Quigley. At the age of 62, a Civil War veteran would receive $144 per year; at 70 years, $180 per year; at 75 years, $240 per year (per 1907 Act monthly rates annualized; a disability pension would differ). Which pension was better? Depends upon the age of the Civil War veteran. The Irish teacher pension was fixed at $190 per year (1900 exchange was 1 GPB = US$5).

The widow Mary Murphy Real of Tarmon, Clare received $360 per year, a very generous pension.

I would think a National Teacher in Ireland would be a bit jealous over the American Civil War pensions. The Civil War veteran & widow pension was for any soldier who had a minimum of 90 days of service and was honorably discharged. A National Teacher pension would have required decades and decades of service at the school.

This does beg the question, where is the missing Thomas McNamara of Glandree in the American Civil War pension files?

Hi Jim

That is a great piece of work - especially finding that the author of the Hills of Glendree was Michael Moloney, the School Master who married Mary McNamara. What rhymes with Uggoon? – well the moon, of course.
I feel sure that Michael Moloney, Monitor in Glendree in 1862, was the same Michael Molony who was born 1845.
Pat/Thomas Quigley is interesting. You have done good work on his pension entitlement. I followed your excellent thread on Patrick Real at the time that you were posting it. The pension received by his wife, Mary, seems very good, and probably compares favourably with pensions issued in Ireland at the time, but I won’t attempt the maths.

Jim, if there are no pension files for Thomas McNamara, does this mean he died during the Civil War? In the case of an unmarried soldier dying in the war, a relative would have to prove that he/she had been reliant on him for his/her support in order to be awarded a pension. Some relatives in Ireland applied under this clause, but I’m sure many did not, and many more did not even know about it. The Civil War pensions files contain many examples of applications from relatives in Ireland setting out how much they had relied on money sent to them by a son, or father. Some people engaged a professional person to complete the application (this info from The Forgotten Irish by Damian Shiels)

Sheila

"...if there are no pension files for Thomas McNamara, does this mean he died during the Civil War?"

I have done a fair amount of research using the federal pension records for Civil War soldiers. No, the absence of a pension file for any particular name, like Thomas McNamara, does not mean that the soldier must have died during the war and thus was not around afterwards to file for a pension based on military service. Actually, soldiers were able to file during the war for a pension based on disability arising from a wartime injury. After the war ended, there were decades and decades during the soldier, his widow, or his minor children could file. Also, any other dependent could file, as did one of my 2x-greatgrandfathers based on his deceased son's service and the fact that he was dependent on that son for financial support. I can hardly believe that the pension was granted (but it was, likely due to the involved attorney for my family) when I have seen in so many files that it could be very tough to get a pension and then keep it. Some files are very thick with medical reports and affidavits of neighbors to establish requirements. I have also seen that some well-off veterans and their families never filed at all. Some veterans may have lived so far out West that access to professional help (medical or legal) was not really available when the veteran wanted to file. Remember also that there was nothing holding a veteran in the U.S. and the Civil War may have even provided a reason for further emigration, such as a sad event to put well in one's past. Large numbers of veterans suffered rheumatism and some common old-age ailments that made tracing the origin to war service difficult, so they were denied a pension. If your buddy just went through all that paperwork/hassle and you have the same symptoms, then why even try ?

I have a few items to contribute toward the question of whether McNamara families elsewhere in Clare (beyond Glendree) used Sheedy as a surname.

Sharon C.

Yes, of course "moon" rhymes with "Uggoon"! Not sure how I didn't think of that as Michael Molony even started the first few lines of "The Hills of Sweet Glandree" with the same theme:

O'er those bonny hills, so fair and grand,
The silent moonbeams play,
The stars of night, like diamonds bright,
Their sober light display,

Thank you Sharon for providing such a comprehensive explanation to Sheila's question on Civil War pensions. And Sheila you are to be commended for your continuous efforts to steer the conversation back to the missing Thomas McNamara. Yet there are still a few loose ends in the Hills of Glandree.

Since Michael Molony was a National Teacher at Glandree when "The Hills of Sweet Glandree" was published in the Irish Standard of Minneapolis, Minnesota in March 1903, it makes sense that the poem only stated "From Ireland" with no name of the poet. I reckon the below stanza would have been too political for a National Teacher in Ireland at the start of the 20th century:

The coercion laws, they were the cause
Of Ireland's bitter grief,
And the tyrant's cruel that did her rule,
Would grant her no relief.
When Parnell cries "Keep heart my boys,"
The Sunburst yet you'll see,
And its folds of green, will float supreme,
O'er the Hills of Sweet Glandree.

Despite the poem's mention of "coercion laws" and also immigration "when Erin's sons did cross the seas", the overall tone of the poem is surprisingly upbeat "bright days they are in store". The people of County Clare in 1900 would have known exactly what Glandree incident "The coercion laws, they were the cause of Ireland's bitter grief" was referring to. So what made the Irish National Teacher Michael Molony write a poem that was so positive?

After ten long years in British dungeons the liberation of the Tulla prisoners became an accomplished fact. Their names are Denis and James Cooney (brothers), John Hurst, Martin Molony, and Cornelius Howard all from the Glandree district. Hurst, James Cooney, and Howard were detained at Mountjoy, while Denis Cooney and Martin Molony were at Maryborough prison. The five Glandree men were arrested in August of 1890 on a charge of having fired into the house of a farmer named Donnellan, at Thome, Tulla. The evidence was not conclusive, but they were sent for trial at the Winter Assizes, at Sligo. The presiding judge was the Lord Chief Justice O'Brien, and they were sentenced to twenty years' penal servitude. The first intimation the men had of their approaching liberation was on Sunday, June 3, when the governors of the two jails - Mountjoy and Maryborough - announced that the Lord Lieutenant had commuted their sentences. On the following day James Cooney, Howard and Hurst were discharged from Mountjoy, and on Tuesday D. Cooney and Martin Molony were liberated from Maryborough. The ex-prisoners all appear in excellent health, notwithstanding the rigors of their long imprisonment. Their discharge is an unconditional one. Howard worked continuously in the bakery department of the prison; James Cooney was in the shoe making shop; Denis Cooney was put to carpentering; John Hurst to tailoring; and Martin Molony was at outside work.

Irish World, New York, 30 June 1900, page 9

The 1890 arrest of the five Glandree men was in several newspapers and provided additional detail. The Irish American Weekly of 29 September 1890 describes the arrest of the five young men "on suspicion of being concerned in the shooting outrage on James Donnellan, on the night of the 5th or morning of the 6th August, 1890 at Toemies, were brought up at Tulla before Captain Henry Keogh, R.M. James Donnellan, the wounded man, gave evidence as to the occurrence. The deposition of John Donnellan, father of the injured man, was also handed in. He corroborated his son's evidence, and identified the prisoners as having been present about the house immediately after the outrage. He heard Moloney, whom he knew by voice, say "pop" before the shots were fired, and he saw the others through a window of the bedroom."

James Donnellan was baptized on 28 August 1867 to John Donnellan and Bridget Laden, residence Tome, sponsor Mary Cullow. This is the only child of this couple in the Tulla baptism register. Tome (reported as Toemies and Thome in above articles) is only about 5 miles south of Glandree and Uggoon Upper. The Donnellan's are not one of the families living in "Thome" in the 1901 census.

Denis Cooney (born 1863) and James Cooney (born 1865*) were the sons of Denis Cooney and Johanna Sheedy McNamara of Glandree. The grandsons of Andrew Sheedy McNamara and Margaret Clanchy of Glandree. Since their release from prison was an unconditional one, both men appear in the 1901 Census at House 51 in Glandree with their widower father Denis Cooney.

Cornelius Howard (born 1870) was the son of Peter Howard and Sarah Hassett of Glandree, House 34 in the 1901 Census.

John Hurst / Hearse: most likely John Herst the son of James Herst and Catherine Doyle baptized December 1858, residence Roslara. John would have been the oldest of the five men. Roslara appears to be only a 15 minute walk from Tome where the shooting took place. James Herst and Catherine Doyle only had 3 children; it appears that the widower James Herst married Bridget Cooney in 1864. In 1901, James Herst (age 80), Bridget Herst (age 76), and John Herst (age 42, widower) are living in House 5 in Rosslara.

Martin Molony (born 1868) was one of the 12 children of Martin Molony and Bridget McGrath of Uggoon. In the 1901 Census, Martin Molony, Sr (age 70), his wife Bridget (age 58) and four of their children, including Martin Jr, are living in House 7 in Uggoon Upper. Their neighbor in House 8 is James Molony who is definitely the brother of Master Michael Molony (see posting on prior page). But I'm not sure how or if Martin Molony would be related to the brothers. I could not find the marriage record for James Molony and Eleanor Nugent, the parents of Michael and James Molony; the location of this record might possibly include the baptism of Martin Molony, Sr born about 1831.

Regardless of the relationship, since Michael Molony was the National Teacher in Glandree he would have known all five men. The publication of "The Hills of Sweet Glandree" in a Minnesota newspaper in March 1903 doesn't necessarily mean it was composed that same year. I reckon it was composed not too long after the release of the five Irish State prisoners of Glandree in June 1900.

As far as when the poem "The Hills of Sweet Glandree" was written by the School Master Michael Molony, I've been reading up on some Irish history and have changed my mind. The timing was most likely just prior to it being published in the Irish Standard of Minneapolis on 20 March 1903. Yes, from a local Glandree context, the stanza containing coercion laws would have referred to the five Glandree men who were arrested in 1890 and released in 1900. But the timing of the poem and why Master Molony was is in a positive mood is most surely related to the Wyndham Land Purchase Act of 1903 which ended landlordism in Ireland by enabling tenants to buy out their farms with British government funds. It was somewhat difficult for me to pin down the exact date of the Wyndham Land Act, but the Irish-American papers of New York on 28th of March reported its passage. This is after the "The Hills of Sweet Glandree" had been published on the 20th. However, as early as the 14th of March, the Irish World newspaper reported "The Outlook in Ireland" as being "cheerful but armed expectancy, a good description of the present situation there" due to "the ending of the stress of coercion in Ireland" although "the Wyndham Land Bill may fall short of what the Irish people expect".

The Clare Library has more information on the Wyndham Act. Including how in August 1903 to mark the passage of the Wyndham Act earlier in the year, The Clare Champion published a table containing details of tenants evicted in East Clare between 1 January 1878 and 1 January 1903:

http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... _index.htm

Included on that list is the "Widow McNamara" of Uggoon with a household of 8 individuals, landlord Butler, who had been derelict in lease payments and evicted in 1891.

I thought this would likely be Anne Halpin McNamara of Uggoon who Sheila had previously noted as a widow living in a Rural District Council House in Glandree in the 1901 Census. However, her husband Matthew McNamara was still alive in 1891; he died in 1894 at the age of 70. Another McNamara widow who lived in Uggoon was Bridget McNamara (husband of Andrew McNamara), but she died in 1883.

The "Widow McNamara" is likely from one of the McNamara families of Uggoon that have not yet been researched. From the census reports and death reports, many of the McNamara's lived well into their 80's and 90's, so the widow could be the mother of a McNamara child who was reported in the early Tulla baptism records.

But starting backwards from the 1901 Census, in House 3 in Upper Uggoon is Patt McNamara (age 53) with four children born after 1881. In the Tulla baptism records, Patt McNamara and wife Bridget Connors had five more children in Uggoon from 1872 to 1879. In 1911, this same Patt McNamara is in Uggoon, but age 71. From the census reports, Patt could have been born between 1840 and 1848. There is no Patt McNamara born in Uggoon during this period, but it contains two missing baptism pages in 1841 (May through July) and 1843 (January through March). In researching who are the parents of Patt, we will also likely find the "Widow McNamara" who was evicted in 1891.

[A] John McNamara and Ellen McNamara (marriage? several possibilities in Tulla if priest used incorrect name for bride) had the following children mostly in Uggoon:
1) 1828, Mary, in Uggoon, sponsors James Mulconry, Mary McNamara
2) 1829, Tim, in Curranalough, sponsors Roger O'Dea, Bridget O'Dea
3) 1831, Bridget, in Uggoon, sponsors Corny Looney, Biddy Connellan
4) 1833, Honora, in Uggoon, sponsors Daniel McNamara, Mary Mulconry(?)
5) 1834, Honora, unclear location, sponsors Daniel McNamara, Mary Molony
6) 1836, Anne, in Carraghtog(?), sponsors Denis Hasset, Mary Dugan
7) 1841, possible birth of Patt McNamara in missing baptism period?

Daniel McNamara and Anne Nugent (marriage?) had the following children, mostly in Uggoon:
1) 1829, Patt, in Uggoon, sponsor Pat McNamara
2) 1831, James, in Uggoon, sponsors Thomas Nugent, Honor Dwyer [mother listed as Nancy Nugent]
3) 1834, Michael, in Uggoon, sponsors Michael Moloney, Bridget Keogh
4) 1837, Honora, in Curran Touhy, sponsor Mary Molony
5) 1841, possible birth of Patt McNamara in missing baptism period?

[C] Pat McNamara and Mary Hogan (marriage not in Tulla records) had the following children all in Uggoon:
1) 1831, Anne, sponsor Mary Molony
2) 1832, Michael (twin), sponsors Martin Foley and Bridget O'Dea
3) 1832, Mary (twin), sponsor Honora McBride
4) 1834, Honora, sponsor Bridget Connellan
5) 1837, Mary, sponsor Anne Rochford
6) 1841, possible birth of Patt McNamara in missing baptism period?

[D] Martin McNamara and Mary Dwyer (marriage?) had the following children in Uggoon:
1) 1849, Michael, sponsor Ellen Dwyer

The above analysis does increase the likelihood that the Mary McNamara of Uggoon (born 1817) who married Cornelius McGrath of Ballyblood was the child of Andrew McNamara and Bridget McNamara. None of the other McNamara families of Uggoon had a child within a decade of this birth.

Who are the parents of Patt McNamara living in Uggoon in the 1901 Census? None of the above families seem like a perfect match - so very inconclusive. And there is even a slight chance that Patt born in 1841 could be the son of Andrew McNamara and Bridget McNamara - the odds of this would be improved if her death record overstated her age by just a few years.

Who was the "Widow McNamara" evicted in 1891? None of the above McNamara families (A to D) appear in the 1855 Griffith's Valuation (only Matthew and Andrew are reported), but they could have been lease subtenants. Ellen McNamara, Ellen Nugent, or Mary Hogan are all possibilities with a household of 8 individuals that would include a married child and grandchildren. Very inconclusive.

But at least we know with complete certainty that the "The Hills of Sweet Glandree" was composed by the School Master Michael Molony of Glandree in the year 1903. Given his fond remembrances of "the Colleen Dhas whom none surpass", I reckon the poem was written on 20 February 1903, which was the 25th Wedding Anniversary of Michael Molony and Mary McNamara.

Edits: corrected wife of Daniel McNamara as Anne Nugent; son in 1831 was James, mother listed as Nancy

Gerald O'Hara: ... and when I'm gone I'll leave Tara to you.

Scarlett: I don't want Tara, plantations don't mean anything, when ...[she can't marry Ashley Wilkes]

Gerald O'Hara: Do you mean to tell me Katie Scarlett O'Hara that Tara that land doesn't mean anything to you? Why land is the only thing in the world worth working for, worth fighting for, worth dying for. Because it's the only thing that lasts.

Scarlett: Oh, Pa, you talk like an Irishman.

Gerald O'Hara: It's proud I am that I'm Irish. And don't you be forgetting Missy that you're half Irish too. And to anyone with a drop of Irish blood in them, why the land they live on is like their mother. Oh but there there now, you're just a child, it'll come to you this love of the land. There's no getting away from it if you're Irish.

GWTW, Margaret Mitchell, here is the classic scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSOYTFw0JaA

The Wyndham Land Act was first introduced in March 1903, but it would take months of negotiations and amendments to work out the details. From a headline in the Irish World newspaper of 12 September 1903, "The Restoration of the Evicted Tenants Will Be Resolutely Insisted Upon". Upon further consideration I believe that The Clare Champion in August 1903 didn't only post the names of evicted tenants to "to mark the passing of the Wyndham Act ", but as a critical list of those evicted (or surviving spouse) who could fight to have their lands restored. The "Widow McNamara" of Uggoon on the list of evicted tenants was surely Anne Halpin McNamara. Matthew McNamara was not listed because he had died in 1894, it was up to his widow or son to restore the Uggoon lands. The McNamara family of eight evicted in 1891 were Matthew McNamara (age 67) and Anne Halpin McNamara (age 45) and their six children: Anne (age 21), Catherine (19), Margaret (16), Matthew (16), James (12) and William (9). The father Matthew McNamara died in 1894 in Glandree, perhaps a heartbroken man since the Uggoon lands of his ancestors had been taken away. However, Sheila did highlight that his son Matthew McNamara, who had been living with his mother in Glandree in the 1911 census, had title to Plot 8 in Uggoon by the 1921 Rate Book.

I realize now that none of the other four McNamara families listed in my last posting could include the "Widow McNamara" in 1891. The last record for most of these families was 1837. It would be very difficult for a large family to live in Uggoon and not have one single record between 1837 and 1891: not in Griffith's Valuation; no marriage record of any of their children who were born between 1828 and 1837; no subsequent baptism record where they are listed as parents; no dog licenses or petty offenses in the record books.

For the Matthew McNamara family of Uggoon there were several incidents listed in the petty session record books (available on findmypast.com; free at a Mormon library) which would indicate a family in distress and also friction with their neighbors. For example, Martin Molony of Uggoon was a complainant in 1888 that Catherine McNamara* and Margaret McNamara of Uggoon "did unlawfully milk two cows the property of the complainant at Uggoon on 25th September 1888".

Other incidents related to allowing a farm animal to graze on property of complainant were equally petty. But after rereading today more carefully, I realize these actions were evidence of an eviction. "The Misses Butler" ("Anna and Henrietta and Sophie Butler Massey") were complainants against Matthew McNamara of Uggoon for "you allowed two goats your property to trespass on complainants lands at Uggoon on 21 October 1891". Witnesses Alen Martin and Michael Nally (spellings?). A similar complaint for one ass and two goats was made on 5th November 1891. At first I thought the Butlers were just unfriendly neighbors and these offenses were indeed very petty. But the Butlers were the wealthy landlords of numerous properties who lived at Castlecrine, County Clare. I believe Matthew had his farm animals on his own property, but had been evicted and would not leave. The penalty is a bit scribbled, but Matthew McNamara was to "pay six shillings for trespass and one pound ...[illegible]...in default of payment amount ...[illegible]...off defendant's goods by distress and sale". His neighbor James Molony of Uggoon (and I believe brother of School Master Michael Molony) had a similar complaint on the same page. The list of reported animals indicate his greater wealth: four head of cattle, six goats, and three pigs.

The Irish American Weekly (New York) reported the following on 24 October 1891:

Clare
At the last meeting of the Ennis Board of Guardians, the returning officers handed in a sheaf of eviction notices at the suit of the Butlers, minors, the Hon. Julianna Butler and the Baroness Dunboyne, against a number of tenants at Gortniska (sp?), Cartinkeel (sp?), Manenary lane, and other places.

The Butlers were also listed as landlords on the Clare library listing of evicted tenants for the "Widow McNamara" of Uggoon, but this new information narrows down the timing of the eviction. Here are the two Butler sisters Anna Frances (age 47) and Henrietta Jemima (age 45) living in Castlecrine in the 1901 Irish census:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/r ... 000483985/

Coincidentally, I've come across the Mrs. Butler of Castlecrine in my posting about stamp covers (still unsold on ebay) a few years back:
http://www.ourlibrary.ca/phpbb2/viewtop ... f=1&t=6790

* Soon after the 1891 eviction, this Catherine McNamara would follow her elder sister Anne McNamara in immigrating to Australia, the land of milk and honey. She would never go hungry again.

The "Widow McNamara" evicted in 1891 was most certainly Anne Halpin McNamara, but I was incorrect to state that there was no sign of any other McNamara's (besides descendants of Andrew and Bridget McNamara) living in Uggoon after 1837. There were three McNamara's in the Tulla sacramental records whose parents are not certain and could be descendants of the other Uggoon McNamara families I had listed:

1) Patt McNamara (born 1840 to 1848) who married Bridget Connors. Andrew McNamara and Bridget McNamara already has a son named Patt born in 1820 who was living in House 17 in the 1901 census (age 82) and leasing Plot 24 in Griffiths. Still not sure who this Patt McNamara born in the 1840's could be?

2) Mary McNamara (born around 1834 if married at age 19) who in 1853 married John Russell, Uggoon; witnesses: Matthew McNamara, Uggoon and Judy McNamara, Uggoon. Is she the daughter of Andrew and Bridget McNamara with a baptism unrecorded; or the daughter of the other McNamara families living in Uggoon I listed two postings back?

3) Michael McNamara (born 1824/1825) of Uggoon married Margaret Halpin of Ballyoughtra in 1853 and had many children in Glandree. I think most likely a son of Andrew and Bridget McNamara, but this is not certain as Sheila has mentioned.

When the five Glandree men were arrested in 1890 for shooting into the Donnellan house, I gave no context to their actions, or accused actions, from a historical perspective. The period of the Land War (1882-1891) is nicely summarized at the Clare Library website associated with the evictions at Bodyke which is about 10 miles to the southeast of Glandree.
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... _index.htm

The Bodyke evictions received a lot of international press during that period. To a much lesser extent the Irish-American newspapers also reported on evictions in Glandree:

Evictions were carried out on March 1st and the day before at Glandree, a mountain district within three miles of Tulla. The eviction of some twenty seven families, about one hundred persons, took place on the estate of Major William Mills Moloney, Deputy Lieutenant, Kiltanon. It appeared that the tenants fell into arrears two years since. The eviction force consisted of forty men of the 31st Regiment, and a strong force under Clifford Lloyd. Lodgings were procured in the neighboring houses and in Tulla, and the members of the Ladies' Land League in Tulla were present, and administered whatever comfort lay in their power, and telegraphed to the Metropolitan League for wooden huts to shelter the homeless tenants. In the Tulla district beyond Feakle twenty five families were evicted , the greater number of whom sought shelter in the workhouse.
Irish American Weekly, New York, 25 March 1882

From the 1901 census, there were a total of 52 Houses in Glandree, so to evict 27 families is a significant number. The Clare Library's listing of tenants evicted from East Clare from 1878 to 1903, does not have anyone from Glandree listed and only two evictions from 1882. Perhaps the Glandree tenants retook possession of their lands when the 31st Regiment had left, and that is why they are not included on the 1903 listing? http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... _index.htm

Five years later...

Clare.
The court-house and market-house of Tulla are covered with civil bill ejectment processes to the number of about twenty, at the suit of Mr. R. R. Kane and Major William M. Molony, against Glandree and Killanena tenants.
Irish American Weekly, New York, 16 April 1887

These evictions in the spring of 1887, may relate to petty session claims against "Pat McNamara Sheedy" and "Andrew McNamara" of Glandree from 1888. In separate claims, Robert R. Kane of Dublin, states "unlawfully refusing and omitting to give up to the complainant on demand made, the possession of parts of the lands of Glandree with the appurtenances situated in the parish of Tulla, in the Co. of Clare into the possession of which you were put as a caretaker and to show cause if any why possession should not be given up." No date provided, but prior complaints were dated 31 July 1888. Pat McNamara Sheedy and Andrew McNamara are most likely the sons of Andrew Sheedy McNamara and Margaret Clanchy and had Plot 48 and Plot 47 in Griffiths, respectively. I didn't check to see if Dennis Cooney (husband of Johanna McNamara) at Plot 49 had also been mentioned as a defendant in a petty session complaint.

Sir Robert Kane of 51 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin is listed as having owned 2,539 acres in County Clare in the library's "Land Owners in Clare, 1876": http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... /landk.htm

51 St. Stephen's Green in Dublin was the address of the Royal College of Science, of which Sir Robert John Kane was a member. The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland has an excellent website that includes an interesting biography written by Fergus Brady for Sir Robert Kane, a famous Irish chemist:
http://rcpilibrary.blogspot.com/2014/08 ... emist.html

Sir Robert John Kane died in February 1890 at the age of 81. The landlord who appears to have evicted the McNamara's of Glandree in 1887 was his oldest son Sir Robert Romney Kane (1842-1902) of Dublin. Now from previous reading, I wasn't surprised that the landlord Sir R. R. Kane responsible for the evictions was an Irish Catholic (as reported in 1901 Census). But I was a bit surprised that the Glandree tenants were evicted by a grandson of a United Irishman who had fought in the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and fled to France. And it was unfortunate for the tenants of the Kane holdings in County Clare, that the oldest son Sir Robert Romney Kane who would inherit the land would become an Irish barrister and legal writer. His most famous work was "Statute Law of Landlord and Tenant in Ireland" (1892). Very unlucky, indeed. Although a great legal mind, he didn't show much compassion for his tenants and in particular the Jones family of Glandree in 1889:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Romney_Kane

ANOTHER VICTIM OF LANDLORDISM

Michael Jones, of Glandree, near Tulla, County Clare, who was cruelly evicted, about the beginning of April, by Mr. Robert Keane, of Dublin, one of the Land Commissioners, died on Friday, May 3rd. Jones, with his wife, his father and mother and eleven little children had lived since the eviction in a shed, kindly given to them, as a shelter, by a neighbor. It was only a few days before that a child was born to Jones, and it is needless to say that great sympathy is felt for Mrs. Jones and her afflicted family. Jones was ejected for the non-payment of two years' rent of his holding; but he was willing to pay one year's rent - all that he could put together - and although the military and police officials present at the eviction pressed the agent, Mr. D. O'Brien, to accept the tenant's offer, he would not do so. Jones died of inflammation of the lungs, produced, there is not the slightest doubt, by the hardships he endured since his eviction.
Irish American Weekly, New York, 1 June 1889

So the above Glandree evictions (and likely many more) were the context of the 1890 shooting into the Donnellan house that the five men were convicted, sentenced to twenty years, and released in 1900 after serving ten years. But were the five Glandree men (Denis Cooney, James Cooney, Martin Moloney, Cornelius Howard, James Herst) even guilty? The moonlight raids would continue in Glandree after their arrest:

A party of moonlighters raided the house of Mrs. Nash at Glandree, near Tulla, East Clare, on the night of May 21st, and fired five shots through the windows without injuring the inhabitants. Shots were also fired outside farmer Moloney's house, in the same locality.
Irish American Weekly, New York, 18 June 1892

Hi Sharon

Thank you for explaining that the lack of a file in the pension records for Civil War soldiers did not mean that a soldier had died during the war, and for helpful information about the operation of the pension scheme.

Hi Jim

You have done great work in giving historical context to life in Glendree in the last quarter of the 19th century – thank you especially for providing all those newspaper reports. You have done good work finding the birth records for the men who were imprisoned in 1890. And finding the first name of the Widow McNamara (small point: Daniel McNamara was married to Anne Nugent – not Ellen). And lots more - thank you.

I hope my contribution here does not interrupt the flow of that historical side of things. I’m butting in here just answer to a question I had raised myself – it may be of interest to somebody, sometime. Back on page 8, in the course of speculating that John McNamara who was married to Mary Kelly in Glendree might be the same John McNamara who was later married to Bridget Coffey, I wondered if Anne McNamara who was married in Tulla in 1864 might be a daughter of the latter couple – they had a daughter called Anne b. 1843. The important thing about Anne is that she had a sister, Mary, who was born in 1840 (1840 is the birthyear, approximately, of Mary Madigan in Barnsley). Anne also had a brother, Patrick, born in 1845. So, I sent to G.R.O. for the record of Anne’s marriage in 1864, and this tells us that she is a daughter of a John McNamara. She married John Canny of Upper Glendree, a son of Michael Canny, in Tulla chapel; witnesses: Michael Canny, Margaret Gorman (1864). However, Anne’s address is Kilmore [townland in the parish of Tulla]. Griffith’s Valuation shows a John McNamara leasing plot 4 in Kilmore (from Major E.F.H. Poclington), but John does not seem to have a dwelling house there. Kilmore is one of the townlands included in Glendree D.E.D. and so the 1921 Rate Book for Glendree gives the new owner of plot 4 a. It is a John Connellan. I then noted that John Connellan was also leasing a farm in Ballyoughtra (O’Callaghan) from Patrick J. Moloney – see the Rate Book for Kiltannon D.E.D.: http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... on_ded.htm. This farm in Ballyoughtra (O’Callaghan) - plot 1 b in Griffith’s - had been leased at the time of Griffith’s by John McNamara, jointly with John Rogers and Charles G. O’Callaghan. So, this John McNamara, in Ballyoughtra O’Callaghan, I reckon, must be the same John McNamara in Kilmore.

John Connellan was the husband of Margaret McNamara. The civil record shows that John Connellan, Gurteenanelig, Tulla, son of Michael Connellan, married Margaret McNamara, Baloughtra, Tulla, daughter of Patt McNamara, in Knockjames Chapel, on 18th Feb. 1896; witnesses: Martin Connellan, Mary McNamara.
Margaret was born in 1871 to Patrick McNamara, Balloughtra, and Mary O’Brien.
1901 census for Ballyoughtra (O’Callaghan), Kiltannon D.E.D., shows John Connellan, aged 33, his wife, Margaret aged 28, and their children, plus Margaret’s mother, Mary McNamara, aged 58, a widow. I failed to find a record of the death of Margaret’s father, Patrick, so I can’t say when Patrick was born. But I reckon he must be a son of John McNamara. The Tulla parish records show that Patrick married Mary O’Brien from Derryulk in July 1861; witnesses: John Molony, Bridget Hogan. He may be the unnamed child of John McNamara, Baloughtra, who was baptised on 31st May, 1821; sponsor: John Rogers. At any rate, he cannot be the Patrick McNamara who was born in 1845 to John McNamara and Bridget Coffey – unless he was married at age 16, which is most unlikely. So I’ve come to the conclusion that it's also very doubtful that Anne McNamara, daughter of John McNamara, Kilmore, is the daughter of Bridget Coffey - or that she was the sister of Mary born in 1840 (to Bridget Coffey).

A lot of work, caused by myself, when I entered upon some speculation. A lot of work leading to a not completely conclusive result – but it may be useful to somebody, sometime.

Sheila

Hi Jim

I neglected to look at the original entries for those McNamara baptisms that were entered under the name of Sheedy. And now that have checked them, I have doubts about this transcription: 17.12.1833: Andrew(?) Sheedy of Andrew Sheedy and M. Clanchy, Glandree. I don’t know what the name is but I don’t think it’s Andrew. Can you make out what it is?
I also have doubts about this transcription: 14.06.1831: Mary Sheedy of Andy Sheedy and Margaret Cluncy; sponsor: Bridget Shea. I think "Mary" might be "Marg." - what do you think?

Also I think I have found the baptism of Pat McNamara (the son of the same couple) who is aged 55 in 1901. I found it by looking under the mother’s name. The date is ??.02.1845 (page 115 right). I have transcribed the entry as: Clancy, Margaret, (child’s surname unknown), Pat (child’s first name), Andy (father’s first name, surname unknown); witness: Bid Jones, residence: Cragcutteen(?). Well now I can see that “Cragcutteen” is C.McGrath (one of the witnesses). There is no surname for either the child, or the father, and clearly when I was transcribing it I did not know what to make of “Pat Andy”. But now I believe that it is the baptism record for Pat of Andy McNamara and Margaret Clanchy.

Sheila

Hi Sheila,

Thank you for your efforts in determining the likely parents of Anne McNamara who married John Canny in 1864. Although John McNamara and Bridget Coffey were not the parents of Anne McNamara Canny as you had expected, this does not eliminate their children as half-siblings of the missing Thomas McNamara of Glandree. And don't forget their youngest son; John McNamara and Bridget Coffey had four children together: Mary (1840), Anne (1843), Pat (1845), and Michael (1847). Assuming that the Mary born in 1840 was the bride who married James Madigan in 1860, this was the last evidence of this McNamara family we have found in the Tulla records.

And great job in finding the baptism record for Patt, born in 1845 to Andrew McNamara and Margaret Clanchy.

As far as their daughter "Mary" born in 1831 actually being a "Marg", it is possible. The one thing we are certain of is that Andrew McNamara, Patt McNamara. Johanna McNamara Cooney were children of Andrew McNamara and Margaret Clanchy and leaseholders of Plots 47/48/49. If you check out the baptism records for the children of these three siblings, a "Mary" was listed three times as a sponsor for a child of her brothers Andrew (in 1864) and Patt (in 1875), and sister Johanna (in 1863 & 1872). I cannot find a suitable marriage around 1850 for this "Mary" of Glandree in the Tulla marriage register, nor as a mother in the baptism register with children named Andrew, Patt etc.

For "Andrew" born in 1833, I believe the priest may have made a mistake and wrote the father "Andy", then wrote above "Margaret" or some abbreviation of it. Ancestry.com has transcribed this birth as "Margt". "Peggy" along with an "Andrew" were sponsors at the baptism of their sister Johanna's daughter Margaret in 1867. However, this "Peggy" could be Andrew's wife Margaret McEvoy McNamara - I think this is the more likely scenario. Did Margaret die young? Similar to Mary McNamara, I could find no suitable evidence of her in the Tulla marriage/baptism records.

In several of the McNamara & Cooney baptisms, there is also an "Ellen McNamara", but she always appears with "Patt McNamara". I believe Ellen is actually Patt's wife "Ellen McMahon" and not an unidentified sister of the McNamara's.

Michael, Dennis, Martin: they also appear as sponsors for children of Andrew McNamara & Margaret McEvoy and Patt McNamara and Ellen McMahon. Unidentified siblings or cousins? With the baptism of Patt McNamara now discovered in 1845, there could be a child born to Andrew McNamara and Margaret Clanchy in the missing baptism period of January through March 1843.

Very likely the Bridget McNamara who was married around 1815 to Andrew McNamara of Uggoon, is the sister of Andrew Sheedy McNamara of Glandree married in 1824 to Margaret Clanchy.