John-Bryan McDermott : Short Biography

John McDermott (1831–1896) the youngest son of Bryan McDermott & Margaret Mannion  inherited the lease to Cloonybrennan’s farm #8 (house #7b) from his parents. He was known as “John Bryan”, in the Gaelic tradition (as he had an older first cousin of the same name, living at #7a).

John-Bryan was just a teenager when the Great Famine hit Cloonybrennan. As it drew to a close, he (age 20) was one of the few young adults remaining in what had become a ghost village.

Circa 1855, John Bryan, age 24, married Julia nee McDermott (1836–1888) age 18. Julia’s origins and possible kinship to her husband’s family is, as yet, unknown.  For the first decade of their marriage, the couple lived with John’s parents at #7b (both of whom had died by 1866).  

Children of John & Julia McDermott:

Margaret    06-Jul-1856    > godparents: James McDermott (1)  & Mary McD

Honoria     15-Nov-1857     > godparents:Michael McDermott & Mary Defly

Mary Jane 7-Nov-1859     > godparents:James McDermott (2)  & Jane McD   

Edward     22-Mar-1864  (civil record) of Scregg

Annie      24-May-1866   > godparents:Thos. Farrell & Elizabeth McHugh      

John Jr.    4-May-1868   > godparents:Jn Casserly(m.1849) & Mary Casserly     
Catherine     11-Jun-1870     > godparents: James McD (3)  & Catherine Dowd
Brigid ‘Bee’ 19-Sep-1872       > godparents:  Hugh McD  & Honor McDermot

Although John-Bryan McDermott was the youngest, he inherited Bryan’s farm at #8 in 1868. Such was case for most farming families after the famine.  In 1872, John-Bryan (b. 1831) finally became the registered tenant of the house #7b as well. His brother,  Hugh (b. 1818) was still about (maybe Carrowkeel) as he godparents John-Bryan’s youngest daughter, Bee, in 1872. Their first cousin, K4 John-James  & Margaret Keely (at 7a) were also baptising from 1865-74.

The trauma of the famine took its toll.  Their youngest, Bee (1872-74) died in infancy.  Other earlier pregnancies may have been lost. Neither Julia nor John enjoyed longevity. Nor did most of their children. It looks like, the poor health and susceptibility to disease in subsequent generations (e.g. Consumption /TB) was an unfortunate outcome of the famine (childhood nutritional trauma in parents, affecting their offspring) for this family.

REGISTER OF CHILDREN'S DEATHS
18-Jan-1893 John McDermott Jr. (b.1868, son of Julia) age 24, labourer died in Cloonybrennan. Informant John McDermott.
June 6, 1897,  Mary Jane (née McDermott) McCormack, farmer’s wife, died in Carrowkeel, age 38. Informant: John MacCormick (Carrowkeel)
13–March–1899 Honoria (née McDermott) Kennedy, Mason’s wife, died age 41 in Tansyfield. Informant Mick Kennedy (Tanseyfield)
26-Jan-1904 Catherine aka Kate (née McDermott) Donahy, farmer’s wife, died age 33 in Cloonybrennan.

In 1888, when John-Bryan McDermott was 57, his wife, Julia, died age 52.

In 1892 their son, Edward, married into Scregg, Drumlion. His younger brother, John Jr., stayed on the home farm in Cloonybrennan but died suddenly the following year, age 24.  In 1894,  John-Bryan McDermott handed the farm over to his son-in-law Edward DONAGHY ( husband of his youngest daughter, Catherine McDermott). John-Bryan, age 63 and in poor health,  left for Carrowkeel to reside with his daughter Mary Jane McCormack (b.1859). John-Bryan died 3 years later. (Tragically Mary Jane followed him the following year, leaving 7 small children, whom were orphaned within 5 years). With that, Bryan’s male line of McDermotts had expired in Cloonybrennan (save for his grandson, Edward, who moved to Scregg).