John Regan : Short Biography

John Regan: Early 1840’s - 1924

John Regan was a farmer on a small ten acre holding in Loughill, a townland to the south of Cootehall in the Tumna Parish in Co. Roscommon There is no record of the date of his birth but it is likely to have been the early 1840’s. His father was James Regan, a landholder in the townland of Loughill.

The RC Baptismal records for Cootehall Parish commence in March 1843. While the ages declared in John Regan’s Marriage Cert and entry in the 1901 Census would indicate a birth in 1844, it is possible that he was older than this and was born before the Cootehall records commenced. No definitive record of his mother's name or of other siblings has been uncovered to date.

John Regan lived in an area named locally in late 19th century Cootehall Parish records as  Regan’s Town where a total of twelve Regan families lived and farmed in the immediate vicinity in the townlands of Laughil, Cleaheen, Kilmacarril, Drumsillagh and Powellshill.

His father, James Regan, was recorded as leasing 17 acres of land (along with Peter Regan) in the Griffith Valuation 1858 for Loughill. The other leaseholders in the townland were all Regans; Thomas, Farrell, Edward and Patrick. A Female National School-house was also located in the townland.

Marriage

The 8th Feb 1866 Marriage Cert for John Reagan (22) and Eliza Friar (19) record that  he was from “Llawphoill”, she was from Brackloon and that their fathers were James Reagan and James Friar, both farmers/landholders. The sponsors were James Reagan and Mary Morahon. The marriage was in the RC Chapel in Cootehall.

Family

John Regan and Eliza Friar had fourteen children, of whom nine emigrated to the San Francisco Bay area in the US.

Census 1901

John Regan (57 and farmer) and wife Eliza Regan (53) living with Annie (19), Lizzie (15), Kate (13), Bridget  (11),and Joseph  (9) are listed as residents of house no.5 in Laughil (Tumna South, Roscommon) in the 1901 Census.

Census 1911

John Regan (69 and farmer) and wife Eliza Regan (66) living with Michael (38), Annie (19), Bridget (21) and Joseph  (19) are listed as residents of house no.3 in Laughil (Tumna South, Roscommon) in the 1911 Census. They are recorded as being 48 years married with 14 children born of whom 12 were still living.

Death

John Regan, aged 75 years and widower, died on the 4th October 1924 in Loughil. His son, Joe Regan was present at his death and registered his demise. He is likely to have been buried in Ardcarne graveyard.

Additional References

There are a number of references to a John Regan in Loughill/Laughil  in the 1890’s. However, three of the six households in Laughill were headed by a John Regan in the 1901 Census; they were aged 36, 46 and 48 (the John Regan who was married to Elizabeth Friar). While all of the records may not relate to the John Regan who is the focus of this profile, they certainly provide an indication of life at the time in Loughill.