My ancestor, Edward/Edmond/Eamon Fleming lived at Ballynalina (Ballinalina), St. Canice's parish, in the mid-1800s. I have not been able to determine the names of his parents.
In 1841, at St. Canices, he married Mary Fogarty, whose ancestry is similarly unknown.
They had three daughters baptized at St. Canices: Bridget, Margaret and, in 1846, Maria, who was my ancestor.
Edward Fleming appears as Edmund in Griffith's valuation, renting 23 acres from Abram W. Baker esq. at Ballynalina. He may have been related to the other Flemings, including John and Richard, who also rented land there.
Griffith's is the last record of Edward. He was probably dead by 1857, when Mary Fleming of Ballynalina appears in the petty sessions records of Graces Oldcastle.
I don't know what happened to daughter Bridget. Daughters Margaret and Maria emigrated to America about 1865/70. Maria married William H. Whelan, a local politician, in Jersey City New Jersey in 1872. She died of pneumonia in 1901. Margaret's fate is unknown.
From Ireland, Mary Fogarty Fleming sent two photos to her daughters. One shows her in the habit of a nun. On the back, a granddaughter wrote that Mary had joined an order of widowed nuns and that she died about 1888.
In addition to any information on the Fleming or Fogarty ancestry, I would love to find out more about this order of nuns.
I have searched for Mary's death certificate. The best match is for a Mary Fleming who died in "Butt's Asylum" in Kilkenny city. I have been unable to determine what that was, and whether its residents would have been nuns. Any suggestions?
Friday 18th Jan 2013, 09:20PM
Message Board Replies
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Hi,
Thank you for your message. I have passed it on to one of our volunteers in the area who will hopefully be able to assist or advise you.
Kind regards,
Genealogy Support
Tuesday 19th Mar 2013, 11:13AM -
Hi again,
Our volunteer has come back with the following response:
Dealing with Flemings, Fogarty and the order of widowed nuns. I can only deal with the widowed nuns and the Butts Asylum bit for you for the moment. From my own knowledge and having spoken to some church authorities we have not come up with a widowed nuns ?order? in the strict sense. However it does seem that from its inception the Presentation Order of nuns had a particular attraction and welcome for widows. There is a suspicion that widows of means were made especially welcome! While I am unable to confirm, it has been indicated to me that as a consequence they were some times informally referred to as the Widowed Nuns and this may be the basis of the handwritten comment on the photograph. You should note that most orders had a slightly different form of dress and so the photograph may be able to confirm or otherwise this suggestion. That being said the practice is not known to have been confined to the Presentation Order of Nuns just more pronounced with them. Dealing with the Butts Asylum> The Butts is an area on the north west end of Kilkenny. It is now a local authority housing area which was built in or about the 1930?s However it is a very ancient area and the name dates to the setting up there in the 16 /17 century of archery targets, then and to this day known as ?Butts? hence the name. There is an ancient Butts Cross still in situ at a junction there. The term asylum refers to a long gone hospital or more probably ?nursing? home run by charity and in effect what we would call today a respite or palliative home for the terminally ill. I am unable to be absolutely certain but it seems it was already well gone by the time the areas was rebuilt in the 1930?s Dealing with the family research matters these are outside this voluntary service and can best be referred to the Kilkenny Archaeological Society who provide, on a commercial basis a genealogical service. Their address is Rothe House, Parliament Street. Wearing another hat our own agency would be happy to help as well, again on a professional basis. PatPatrick M A Nolan MGSI,FSCA, Dls. BA
DIRECTOR
Irish Origins Research Agency
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