Martin Brennan : Short Biography

Martin Brennan was a labourer residing on the Hermitage Demesne, Croghan in the 1850s and 1860s. 

• He appears in Petty Court records at this address from 1852 to 1867

• In 1858, at the time of Griffith's Valuation, his home was recorded as #6a Croghan townland.

• Here on the roadside (next-door to Henry Grimes), Martin resided in a small house (rated at 5 shillings) with just a little over one acre of land. 

On 24 January 1850, he married Mary Higgins in Croghan, witnessed by Thomas Brennan and Catherine "Keeney" Keaveny (wife of Michael Grimes of Hermitage, Croghan).

• His brother John Brennan & Mary McDermott invited him to godparent in 1859. 

• His brother-in-law Thomas Higgins & Mary Reaney/ Reiny/ Renny were close to Daniel Priest.

They invited the following inlaws/ neighbours to godparent:

Maurice McDermot of Knockacortha (likely where Mary Higgins was from), Mary Preist, Brigid Creighton (m. Thomas Dyer), Margaret McDonagh, Patrick Shannon.

Martin & Mary had the following children: 

• John  Brennan 1851 

• Patrick Brennan 1854 

• Martin Brennan 1859

• Thomas Joseph Brennan (15 May 1861/ 15 Feb 1862)

In 1875, Martin Brennan died at home (age 70) with neighbour Lizzie Grimes present at death. He was survived by his wife Mary. By the Census of 1901, no Brennan was recorded here. 

Today, neither the Grimes nor Brennan houses remain extant. To view the spot where they were located on Google Streetview SEE HERE.