FENNESSY, Coologoree, Nr Feakle, Co Clare

Hi Irishkiwi:

I believe that I may be able to help you on that as my husband has a connection to this family also.  If you would email me directly at:  jhalloranryan@irelandxo.com, I'll try to get more information.

All the best,

Jane

Hello
I am also of the Fennessy family, but I'm not sure how we tie in. Katherine (Kate) Fennessey married James Cahill, then they headed for America.
When I look for Fennessey in Ancestry. I get my Australian relatives. :)
Penny

Hi Irishkiwi:

I have received your email and I will reply later today. 

All the best,

Jane

Hi Penny

So sorry I have just seen your message now! From Feb. Not sure how that happened. Good to hear from you. This is my email cldonnelly@slingshot.co.nz

Can you please email me and we can try and figure out how we connect, would love to connect in the USA Fennessy's to the NZ and Aussie ones.

Lisa DONNELLY ( my husbands Irish surname!)

Penny, have you DNA tested? 

I sent an email, but I think you may have intended your address for Jane. Sorry about that.
The dates on this are confusing. I only posted a few days ago; I believe Jane posted in February. :)

I know some names were changed during emigration. Does anyone know if Fennessey and Hennessey (with or without the second e) are from the same Irish family? I also wonder about Cahill with Carrol, and Gannon/Cannon/Bannon.

Hi Penny:

I'm not aware of any name change of Fennessy to Hennessy but certainly there would have been a change with adding or not adding the "s" or "e".  

The same with the Cahill/Carrol.  I have seen Cooney become Gooney, so possible Gannon could have changed to Cannon.  Not sure about Bannon.  

Let me know, Penny, if I can help with further questions.

All the best,

Jane

Hi Penny

Haven't got your email yet, will look out for it,  but yes I did mean it for you and yes I must have got the dates mixed up. I know when researching Fennessy, I found the name several different ways, including Hennessy...I think it was the scribes writing down names as they heard them, so with a thick Irish accent for eg, saying their name to an English/Scottish/whatever person in 'the colonies' Fennessy often got spelt wrong. But I have never seen it changed to Hennessy or anything else...just maybe spelt a bit differently on certain paperwork. Hope that helps

Lisa 

I am also trying to clarify my ancestors from Feakle, Co. Clare.  My great grandmother Mary Tuohy migrated to Australia and married Patrick Corry in 1884 in Sydney.   I cannot locate a birth/baptismal record for Mary who was born about 1857 or 1858 because it is before the parish records became available.    It appears that Mary's parents were Thomas Tuohy and Catherine Fennessy, who were married in 1853 in Scarriff.  I think Mary travelled on the ship Pericles in 1877 with her sister Anne, although their father was named as Cornelius.  On 2 April 1880 Mary Tuohy paid an immigration deposit for Jeremiah Tuohy and Patrick Fennessy, both aged 19, referee being James Dugan.  Jeremiah and Patrick arrived on Northampton in 1880, as did Ellen and Cornelius. Ellen indicated that her parents were Cornelius and Mary and that her sister Anne was in the colony.  Cornelius and Jeremiah were listed with parents Cornelius and Mary and indicated that sisters Anne and Mary were in the colony.  I believe that Cornelius and Ellen were siblings and may have been related to an Anne who arrived earlier.  I believe that Jeremiah was brother to Anne and Mary who arrived together.  On 6 February 1882 Mary paid immigration deposit for each of her siblings Patrick and Ellen, who listed their parents as Thomas and Catherine.  Patrick listed his sisters Anne and Mary as being in the colony and Ellen listed her brother Jeremiah as being in the colony.  Throughout my greatgrandmother's life in Australia, her link with Anne, Jeremiah, Ellen and a brother Thomas is evidenced by newspaper family notices listing their attendance at such things as family funerals.  Death certificates list their parents as Thomas and Cathertine.  None of these siblings are listed in similar articles for Cornelius and his sister Ellen.  I am assuming that Cornelius Tuohy and Mary Fennessy must be related to Thomas Tuohy and Catherine Fennessy.  On family history sites there are differeing earlier ancestors.  It seems that Catherine Fennessy's parents could be Patrick Fennessy and Ellen Rochford.  I have a strong DNA match with a lovely lady in Ireland whose ancestors were also Thomas Tuohy and Catherine Fennessy, who were living with a young child John Tuohy and his family in Lower Lecarrow Feakle in 1901 census. Can anyone explain the link between Cornelius Tuohy and Mary Fennessy with Thomas Tuohy and Catherine Fennessy?  Many thanks, Jenny

thanks Jenny ...much to look at and try and work out! will keep in touch if I find out anything

Lisa 

Thanks Lisa

Jenny, who have you tested DNA with? I have also tested and we may have a match - I am on Ancestry and MyHeritage but prefer to use Ancestry. What name is your DNA under? I could try and see if you are in my matches? 

It seems the TOUHY's were intricately linked to the Fennessy's as you would be if you lived in a small rural area. 

Thanks,  Lisa

Does the lady you DNA match with in Ireland know who Catherine's parents were? 

Lisa

I am DNA matching a lady on Ancestry called Robyn KNOX, she is descended from (acc to her tree) Cornelius TOUHY and Mary FENNESSY. Do you know her? 

Hi Irish Kiwi-

Yes, I understand from my mothers (Margaret Rosa Fennessy nee Horner) research that my G-G-G-G Grandfather Pierce Fennessy (b. c1780) was elder brother to James Fennessy (b. c1780's) and both likely settled in Feakle with two other brothers in the early 1800's- James was the father of Patrick who married Ellen Rochford. Their descendants Vincent, Bernard, and Eddie were living on the Scarriff-Feakle Road in 1994 when this oral history was described to  my parents by Jimmy Fennessy (also living on Scarriff Feakle Rd, but d.1995) when they visited the region during their trip to Ireland. Jimmy was descended from an Edmond Fennessy who apparently was also a  son of  James- they shared a farm where Vincent and Bernard still lived in 1994. My mother noted that a number of James descendants migrated to South Australia, western Australia, Melbourne, and New Zealand. James and Pierce's father was likely named Patrick given the naming of each's sons being Patrick- it was custom at the time to name the first son after his paternal grandfather.The third brother was Thomas and likely father of Patrick who married Mary O'Dea and migrated to USA and gave birth to Thomas Fennessy in 1854 in Michigan. (This information may have been posted by my mother on ancestry.com). The fourth brother was likely Patrick recorded as farming at Monaguillan near Feakle Village. It is believed that the four brothers came from the family home in the County of Tipperary where many Fennessy's originated  and there still resides a significant number of families in Clonmel and its surrounding areas today.

My GGG Grandfather was Patrick b.1810 and married Mary McMahon of feakle - both he and Pierce died in Coologoree area. No records of Patrick’s siblings uncovered.

My GG Grandfather was James b.1833 and married to Anne Thornton of Scarriff. They immigrated to Melbourne Australia in 1862 with their two children Patrick Louis b.1859 (my Great Grandfather) and Mary b.1861. Mary died that year and they had four more children….John James, Pierce Frances, Edmond, and Michael Francis. No records of Jame’s siblings uncovered.

Patrick Louis married my Great Grandmother Wilhelmina Douglas in Creswick, Victoria in 1898 and in 1909 they gave birth to my Grandfather John Douglas Fennessy in Allandale, Victoria. John was one of seven children born between 1902 and 1914.

John married my grandmother Eleanor Edwards Little in 1935 in St.Kilda and gave birth to my father Patrick Louis in 1936 and then two further sons Dennis John and Vincent Thomas.

My father married my Mother in 1960 and I was born later that year. My name is also Patrick Louis Fennessy….yes my dad stuffed up on the paternal grandfather naming custom!!! But I got called Ric from day 1 and dad always known as Pat.

From my mother’s research, she has listed many descendants in the Melbourne region from my migrant GG Grandparents James and Anne … additionally to Fennessy they include relatives with surnames McNeil, Kilkenny, Harnell, Brown, and additionally in my generation some distant female Fennessy relatives married Flaherty, Dunn, Cooper, Monzell, Sleet, Clarke, Montgomery, Webster, and Kirby husbands.

Cheers

Ric Fennessy (ricfennessy@gmail.com)