Hi Kevin, not sure I have spoken to you before regarding Owen Moraghan, I have been researching my great great grandfather Owen Moraghan for a number of years, all I know he had a son Thomas Moraghan and also I do not know much about him either, in his earlier life but it is stated he was born in Roscommon. The question I am asking I know my Owen Moraghan died before 1889 and I know he wasn't related to the Muldowney family, but could he in effect be the the farmer of Cleaheen?
Hi Kathy
Many thanks for your response. Just a couple of questions from what you wrote.
Owen (1818 - 1904) farmed at Foxhill which is a short distance from Cleaheen. In the 1833 Tithe Applotment Books there are two mentions of an Owen Moraghan - one at Foxhill and one at Cleaheen. If (the younger) Owen was farming at Foxhill in 1833 then that would have made him a 15-year-old farmer - not impossible but mostly unlikely I would have thought. It could well be that his father was also Owen and different from ours (may need further investigation).
Sorry about any repetition from my postings above but I find it easier to read one article than having to go back-and-forth between articles.
I know that my Great (x2) Grandfather James Moore né Moraghan was born around 1832 in Roscommon (UK Census records). I know that his father was Owen Moraghan, farmer (28th April 1850 marriage certificate to Ann McLoughlin at St. Chads Cathedral, Birmingham, England). James is not shown on the 1841 UK Census but his wife-to-be, Ann McLoughlin, and her family are shown as living in John Street, Birmingham, England. Also living in the same tenement is Roger Moraghan and his family. Roger is from County Roscommon and his wife, Catherine Burke, is from County Galway. Roger and Catherine’s first male child, Owen, was born on the 14th September 1839 in Birmingham, England. Their first child, Nan (?) was baptised on the 9th July 1838 at St. Chads Cathedral, Birmingham, England. Roger Moraghan was born around 1809 and died on the 29th December 1871 in Birmingham, England.
From the records available I have assumed that James Moraghan arrived in Birmingham around the mid-1840’s - this would fit in perfectly with the timing of the Great Famine in Ireland. It could well be that he was sent to live with his uncle (?) Roger Moraghan in Birmingham and it is here where he met his future wife, Ann McLoughlin.
On the 1861 UK Census James Moraghan has living with him his brother, Andrew born about 1843, and their cousin James Higgins also born about 1843 - both from Ireland.
As mentioned previously, James’ father was Owen Moraghan, farmer, from County Roscommon. If James was born around 1832 then his father is more-than-likely to have been born before 1814. When I researched all the baptismal records for 1820 and before I could find none for Owen (Eugenii etc.) Moraghan (and its variants). I then decided to look at all the death records and, looking at all the available records (so far) for County Roscommon, I have found two very good possibilities:-
There is a baptismal record dated 29th June 1843 for John Moraghan born to Eugenii Moraghan and Maria Gildea - the sponsors were Anthony Kellty and Bridget Moraghan. On the 2nd July 1843 a Eugenni Moraghan is a sponsor to the birth of an Ann (?) Reagan. I am still researching to find out when Maria Moraghan (Mary and other variations) died to ascertain whether she is the wife of either of the Owens previously mentioned. She should have died between 1843 and 1870.
I have previously requested on Ireland XO some information about the landlord of Foxhill and Cleaheen - Thomas Johnston Barton. If the rental records still exist then it might throw some light on both of the Owen Moraghan’s. On the 10th October 1851 the land at Cleaheen was put up for auction and the owner of the land was given as Wynne Peyton. Maybe his tenant records still exist? It looks as though, sometime in the very near future, I am going to have to pop over to Ireland to get some of these questions answered.
Please feel free to ask for any records I might have relating to the Moraghan’s. I am very happy to share.
Kevin
Hi Kevin.
Thanik you for taking the time to reply and I apologise for not responding sooner. Quite intrigued with your post as I have come across alot of the records mentioned by yourself in the years of reseaching for my g.g.g.father.
Basically my father Thomas Patrick Moraghan was born in Derry in 1917, he was one of thirteen children and his name was recorded as Moraghan most of the rest of the family were recorded as Morahans. His father was also Thomas Patrick Moraghan he was born 20th March 1996 in Roscommon, His father was Thomas Patrick I do not know when he was born but on the 1901 census he was living at no 6 mill lane Boyle urban Roscommon and his age is stated as 55. I know he was married twice once in 1861 Manor hamilton to Anne Duffy, and was widowed then remarried in 1889 to Annie Torsney for which I have the birth certificate for and his father was Owen Moraghan, occupation a dealer and also was deceased at the time of marriage.
This is where I cannot verify exact records of both Thomas Patrick and his father Owen Moraghan, I know they were bother named as being dealers, Thomas Patrick a dealer in rags.
I have no mother for Thomas Patrick or siblings.
Also later Thomas Patrick wife Annie Torsney remarried in March 1905 to a John Higgins and obviously was a widow, he also was a dealer then he enlisted in the Army and was killed 1915.
Sorry I am wafferling on abit.
Would be interestered to hear your comments it's interesting you mentioned James Higgins I wonder if that is a connection regarding Anne Torsney marrying a John Higgins in 1905. Over the years I have been in touch with the Muldowney family in America and unfortunately their Owen Moraghan has no connection with my Owen Moraghan.
Regards
Kathy Fellows
So Sorry Kevin just reading through the post I sent there are some mistakes I should have edited it before sending apologies
Kathy
Hi Kathy
I have found some of the records you mentioned but I cannot find any marriage between Thomas Moraghan and Annie (Honoria) Tornsey in 1889 (or Tansey and other variations). The 1901 Census shows that Thomas was 55 which means he was born about 1846. Checking through the records for Roscommon I cannot find any Thomas Moraghan born around 1846 other than Thomas born in 1861 to Patrick and Mary Moraghan of Cleaheen (my current area of research) and Thomas Moraghan born in 1852 to Owen Moraghan and Bridget Muldowney in Foxhill (which you have already rejected). The Thomas in Foxhill married Sarah Higgins in 1876. There are lots of Higgins in this part of Roscommon I’m afraid.
There is a Thomas Moraghan who is married to Mary Moraghan née Moraghan in Cleaheen and he might have been born about 1846 but I have no records to prove that. Their first child, Elizabeth, was baptised on the 29th July 1865 at Cootehall, Parish Church. Owen and Margaret Moraghan were godparents. If this Owen was the Owen I am researching then he would have been a godparent at the age of 66 which I would have thought been unlikely - but who knows?
You also mentioned that Thomas first married Anne Duffy in Manor Hamilton in 1861 but that would have meant that he married at 6 years old. The only marriage I can find for a Thomas Moraghan to an Anne Duffy in 1861 is one in the parish of Blackwater and Killala in County Wexford on the 11th February 1861.
If you have any further information that may be of help then please pass on. In the meantime if I come across anything I feel may be of use then I will post it.
Kevin
Hi Kathy
Just to let you know that I have just found the marriage record of Thomas Morahan to Annie Tosney dated 8th October 1889 in Drumkeeran, Towerhamilton.
Kevin
Hi Kevin
I would be very interested in hearing if you have any joy in your research, I have been trying to find and verify Thomas and Owen
records for many years, and would be grateful if you could let me know how you get on. The variations of the Moraghan/Morahan
name has not helped. Have you ever looked at Helen Baileys research of the Moraghan name? I have been in touch with her
but unfortunately again the Owen Moraghan mentioned in her records is not the Owen I am looking for, but she has done quite a intensive
research which would be worth a look at if you have not looked at it before.
Kathy Fellows
Hi Kathy
I wrote: You also mentioned that Thomas first married Anne Duffy in Manor Hamilton in 1861 but that would have meant that he married at 6 years old.
I meant to say that .... that he married at 16 years old.
It is possible that Thomas got married at 16 but he would have needed his parents permission which is unlikley that we'll ever be able to find out if it was given. There's nothing in the parish records to that effect. The witnesses were Thomas Berne & Honor Morahan.
I haven't come across Helen Baileys research - can you send me a link?
Kevin
Hi Kevin, I have just been trying to find the link for Helen Bailey at present I cannot but will see if I can find it and will let you know. Regarding Thomas who know's what age he was when he first married, I have found that I have doubts to what age his second wife was, as he had stated he was 55 years old on the 1901 census and I feel sure his wife was much much younger, but cannot actually find the records to verify this.
Kathy
Hi Kathy
Having gone through all the Thomas Morahan's that may be the son of an Owen Moraghan (and its name variations) I can remove the two Thomas' born to Owen Moraghan and Bridget Muldowney of Foxhill - the one died between 1843 and 1852 (when the second Thomas was born). The second Thomas born in 1852 went on to marry Sarah Higgins. The other possibility in Cleaheen (my current research) would have been Thomas born about 1833 who went on to marry Mary Morahan and died in 1905 in Cleaheen - he was a farmer though and still married to his wife. The only other possibility is that your Thomas may have been the son of Owen Moraghan who died in 1867 aged 60. He was a labourer according to the death certificate and died at the Carrick on Shannon workhouse. I have not been able to find any information about this Owen - a copy of his death certificate is attached.
I will keep looking for you but I must admit, at the moment, it doesn't look too promising unless other records suddenly appear.
Kevin
Hi Kevin
Thank you for the certificate you sent I had not seen that before and it was interesting to see he was widowed. I have found the website that I mentioned before it is
www.helensfamilytree.com, I am hoping it will be of assistance to you. Helen has done a extensive research on one of the Moraghan family.
Could you let me know if this helps you at all.
Regards
Kathy
Hi Kathy
Thanks for the link to http://www.helensfamilytrees.com/ - I did download it quite a while back but I had it filed under Helen O'Connor rather than Helen Bailey. Some of it had been useful in compiling my list of Owen Morahan's and their provenance (which I am updating over the next few days). When I have finished the update then I will post it here.
You might want to add to your list of births and deaths for Thomas Morahan and Annie Tosney the following:
Born 27th August 1892, Sarah Jane Morahan registered at Boyle
Died 26th June 1893, Maria Jane Morahan registered at Boyle (different first name but same person)
I have attached the certificates for you.
Kevin
Hi Kevin
Thank you so much for the copies of certificates I was unaware of the Maria Jane Morahan,
Kathy
Hi Kathy
I have been going through the parish records for Killucan (Elphin) and have found a Thomas Morahan who was born to Owen Morahan and Margaret Ganly. Thomas was baptised on the 4th April 1846 - which fits in with the year your Thomas was born. I came across three siblings for Thomas - Bartholomew baptised 23rd February 1840; Michael baptised 24th March 1842 and James baptised 4th March 1844. If you click on the following link and put in the dates of the baptisms then you should be able to see the actual records ...
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000633945#page/1/mode/1up
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Really excited about the records you have found, going to look into them this weekend, thank you so much for your perseverance,
Kathy
Hi Kathy
I found another child for Owen and Margaret ..
1838 Baptism Patrick Moraghan - 13th March.
As I mentioned in an earlier reply Owen Moraghan died in 1867 as a widower at the Carrick on Shannon Workhouse. If it is the one who was married to Margaret then (co-incidentally) a Margaret Morahan died 6th March 1866 aged 58 (i.e. born about 1808). She died a year before Owen and was about the same age. Margaret died at Cortober which is about a 1 km walk from where the workhouse was situated! I have attached a copy of her death certificate for you.
Best of luck - Kevin
Hi Kevin
Again thank you so much I am not able to do much research in the week so am looking forward to the weekend, this actually gives me hope,
Kathy
Hi Kevin
Just wondered if you know about the new tool you can use on Family Search which actually lets you see records that have not yet been recorded on their site, just in case you havent heard, you go to search and then to images and it brings up various places, don't know if it will be of any use.
Kathy
Kathy and Kevin seen to gave the Moraghans well in hand. Just wanted to add that we believe the Bridget Muldowney married to Owen Moraghan, and residing in Foxhill was part of our family. Specifically the sister of great-grandfather John Muldowney. John migrated in mid-1840s, staying in Chelsea (Boston) Massachusetts. He married Bridget McGee there, and they moved on to Ohio. After only a few years there, John and Bridget returned to Ireland where they lived & farmed on the old Muldowney property in Moigh (next to Foxhill.). They raised 10 children there until returning to the United States in 1879. Not sure how this can help, but I'm willing to chat more. Loree Muldowney.
Hi Loree
So nice to hear from you and I hope we can see if there’s any connections between our respective families.
When I started researching my Great(x3) Grandfather, Owen Moraghan 1800-1870, I found three possibilities that may have fitted in time wise - Owen 1818-1904 at Foxhill married to Bridget Muldowney; Owen married to Mary Gildea of Cleaheen; and Owen 1807-1867 married to Margaret Ganly. After much research I dismissed Owen and Margaret as he was not a farmer (which is what was written on my Great(x2) Grandfather’s marriage certificate in 1850). I dismissed your Owen because he was about 14 when James Moraghan was born (not impossible, I know, to have children at 14 but very unlikely) which left me with Owen and Mary Gildea at Cleaheen which seemed to fit in perfectly timewise and occupation wise. I haven’t found any other Owen Moraghan’s from Roscommon that were born before 1814 (taking into account that James was born about 1832).
I also have quite a bit about your family and their 10 children as I wanted to ensure that my James Moraghan wasn’t part of that family. A few weeks ago, while I was in Roscommon for a week, I walked from Cootehall Church to Foxhill (and the same to Cleaheen) to get a feel for distances and to look at the sort of terrain that both Owen’s would have covered at the time they lived. The walk to Foxhill took about 15 minutes and the one to Cleaheen just took over an hour.
What I have been trying to work out is how come Owen Moraghan of Foxhill, who was born about 1818, was running a farm in 1833 when the Tithe Applotment Records were produced . This would have meant that he was 15 at the time! Again, not impossible, but most unlikely I would have thought. Any suggestions?
In doing my research I was coming across lots of similar named families in Cleaheen etc. who were godparents or witnesses at weddings to the Moraghan’s so, a couple of months ago, I made up a map of all the farmers who farmed at Cleaheen and marked where their respective houses would have been. I have attached a copy, if you are interested, and added on your Owen at Foxhill and Annaghmona (top left-hand corner in green). Also, I found a gravestone of Thomas Morahan 1933-2009 and John J Morahan who died in 1968. The gravestone says that they were from Foxhill. Are they in your records at all?
Kevin
Thank you, Kevin, for responding! Good for you, taking those walks! We have been to Cootehall area twice, but must say, we stuck to car transportation. I don’t know how much I can contribute to your Moraghan research – the family was an aside, if you will, to our Muldowney search.
As you know, not an abundance of paper trail exists for all these people. Especially for Bridget. I know she had their last child in 1860, and was deceased by 1901 census. Have not found her death record. I believe Owen Moraghan of Foxhill died 11 July 1904. Death is registered in the civil regis, district of Carrick-on-Shannon. I also transcribed an obituary that was published in the Irish World newspaper on Aug 30, 1904. The obit mentions 3 sons, Owen, Thomas and T. (presumably Timothy;) as wells as grandchildren and other Moraghan relatives. He was said to be 87 years.
As for the Owen in Foxhill, 1833, could it be presumed that he was the father of the 15 year old Owen? Think that son Owen married Bridget Muldowney about 1843 (when parish register began) at about 25 years. The baptism of their first son Thomas, Dec 1843 was recorded early in the Register. That child would have died before 1852 when another son was named Thomas (1876 m. Sarah HIggins.)
Maybe you can refute most of that. I find my notes are in quite some disarray. Sorry for that.
Loree.
Hi Loree
I have most of what you have. Owen did die on the 11th July 1904 at Foxhill. The witness to his death was Timothy, his son. Owen died of senile decay with no medical attendant for a year and was aged 87. You could be correct in thinking that Owen's father was also Owen but it is unlikely that we'll ever be able to find that out.
One other thing I would like to ask you is regarding Mary Moraghan. The baptismal records state:
Name: Mariam Morahan
Gender: Female
Baptism Date: 1 Apr 1849
Baptism Place: Roman Catholic, Ardcarn and Tuamna, Roscommon, Ireland
Father: Eugenii Morahan
Mother: Bridgidae Muldoowny
I think you had Mary as being married to Patrick Collins on the 16th February 1874 on your family tree but on my records when Mary Moraghan got married her age was given as 21 (i.e born in 1853) and her father's name is Owen Moraghan of Cleaheen, not Foxhill (see atached file). The witnesses were Bernard Farrell and Kate Keelty - I know that the Kellty family were farming at Cleaheen in 1858 (John, Anthony and Michael) as you can see from the map I posted earlier.
Kevin
Hi Loree
I spoke to you previously and I cannot believe it was in 1912 where have all those years gone, thanks to Kevin I am finding more out about my family which as been along time
coming, it was nice to see your name again pop up.
Kathy
Kathy and Kevin - Kathy, thanks for calling that out. Yes! where have the years back to 2012 gone?!! And I think since then, I've been spinning a lot of wheels with regard to family tree! Kevin, I certainly defer to your records re Mary Moraghan with Patrick Collins, I probably only had fronm an index, hoping someone would confirm or correct. Thank you. Also, thanks for the details on Owen's death. I thought I had, but sure didn't find today.
Loree.
Kevin - I just looked at my tree to correct the Patrick Collins entry. I don't have Mary Moraghan married to anyone..... Not sure which tree you would have seen,
Hi Loree
Sorry about the mixup but on my Family Historian Project notes from last year I had the information as coming from the Muldowney records. I assumed them to be yours but on further investigation I noticed that it was from someone on findmypast who had the information. I have changed my notes accordingly.
I haven't been able to find any death certificate either for Bridget Morahan (I have the same problem for the death of Mary Morahan, wife of Owen of Cleaheen). If I do find it then I will let you know.
I have attached a copy of Owen's death certificate, if you are interested.
Kevin
Thank you Kevin for the copy of Owen's death. I appreciate it! The only other thing I have is the record of Timothy Moraghan's application for old-age pension. I will attempt to attach here - although my guess is you've already seen. Loree
Hi Loree
Thanks for the copy of Tim Morahan's pension request details. I did have it as it happens but the thought was very much appreciated. Also any people reading these posts may realise that there are some records still available from earlier Census records that were destroyed.
Something else you might be interested in (if you did not already know) was that Owen Snr. & Owen Jnr. were original members of the INF (Irish Nationalist Federation) in Cootehall. I have attached a copy of the newspaper report dated 16th October 1894 and you will find them in the middle column under the heading Nationalist Meeting in North Roscommon. As far as I know there was only one other Owen Moraghan who could have been one of the attendees and he was Owen, the son of Patrick Moraghan (my Great x2 Great Uncle) at Cleaheen, but that Owen had emigrated to New York in 1892. Two of the important members (other than the clergy) were Luke McDermott and John Foley who were both from Cleaheen.
I did not know that the Moraghans were active in the INF. Thank you Kevin for the Information and the newspaper clipping. I'm attaching here a death record I had obtained in hopes it was the Bridget Moraghan I was looking for. Discounted this one because she was unmarried. But, as you say, anyone reading these posts later, might find it helpful ij some way.
Hi Kevin, Loree and Kathy
I have enjoyed reading your accounts concerning Owen Moraghan in Foxhill and Cleaheen and was delighted to see that you had supplied a newspaper page which I had not come across i.e. on Irish Nationalist Federation in Cootehall and the possible presence of an ancestor (four John Regan adults in Laughil and Drumsillagh). My interest lies in a number of Regan families in the Cleaheen and adjoining townlands of Laughil, Kilmacarril, Drumsillagh and Powellshill.
There are two documents that I have taken a look at that may be of interest to you (although in the 12 months since you last posted, you may have come across the information); the first is the Longfield surveys of the Barton Cootehall Estate (date ?) and secondly The Seed Loan Papers, compiled in 1847.
Cootehall Estate Maps
A series of maps showing information within the Barton Cootehall Estate are held in the National Library; many of these are available online, including the Foxhill townland. The area mapped extends roughly from Cootehall up to Battle Bridge with the Shannon and Boyle rivers forming the eastern and southern boundaries. These maps have been drawn by Longfield , a land surveyor.
A survey of lands Cloongreaghan Cootehall Moigh and Foxhill in the barony of Boyle and County of Roscommon appears to be a surveyors map that has been used to update the tenantry with the notes made in pencil. These changes (which presumably would then be updated in an original) include the name of Owen Moraghan.
https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000302446
The NLI has bound a large set of maps of the Cootehall Estate. Unfortunately, they are not dated, but Longfield does seem to have been active in mapping estates in the Roscommon area around 1828 (he had surveyed bogs along the Shannon extensively in earlier years).
I paid a visit to the NLI manuscripts section in 2017 and took some photographs with an iphone of a map including Foxhill (my interest at the time was one of the occupiers in the adjoining townland of Brackloon), see attached. I was possibly an original of the survey after changes were made to the map referred to that is online. Your Owen Moraghan is indicated as the occupier.
The Seed Loan Papers
The Seed Loan Papers, compiled in 1847, are an official survey of occupiers and land where the land has been prepared but the occupier doesn't possess the seeds to sow the crop. There are extensive entries for the townland of Cleaheen. The document which issued from the Cootehall Subdistrict is entitled “County of Roscommon Return of distressed persons in the Cootehall Subdistrict who are unable to procure seeds with the quantity of prepared land in possession”. The enumerator was one of the local RIC. There are a number of Moraghans in Cleaheen and one in Foxhill.
Cootehall Seed Loan Papers 1847. Extract from T91/233: Pages 454 - 461. The National Archives, London ” via Findmypast.
Hi Dara
I have seen the Longfield maps but I had not come across the 1847 Seed Loan Papers until now. Looking at the Seed Loan Papers I notice that only three of the recipients appeared in the 1833 Title Applotment Books (Pat Lynch, Michael Regan & Thomas McGowan) and the same three, together with Thomas Moraghan, also appeared in the 1858 Griffiths Valuations.
Another thing that I found out earlier on in the year was that the Griffiths Valuation Papers were annotated until the 1980’s (Valuation Office Revision Books). From this I was able to get a picture of who took over the various landholdings since the 1911 Census. In 1862 Edward K. Tennison took over as immediate lessor of the land from Thomas Johnston Barton and following Tennison was the Countess of Kingston. After Owen Moraghan’s death in Cleaheen in 1870 the land he farmed was passed onto his sons, Patrick and Thomas Moraghan. When Thomas Morahan died in 1905 his land passed onto his son Charles Morahan. When Patrick Morahan died in 1915 his land passed onto his son, Joseph Morahan. It appears that about 1976 Edward Regan built a chalet on the site that originally was occupied by Joseph Morahan (Joseph still farmed the land). In 1949 Charles Morahan died and the land passed onto Bridget Morahan (I assume his wife - I do not know, at the moment, if he had a daughter called Bridget).
I found the Valuation Office Revision Books really useful in looking into succession from Owen Moraghan. What I found next was also very interesting. At https://www.landdirect.ie/pramap/ you are able, for a small fee, to find out who currently owns land in the Republic of Ireland. I looked at the various plots that the above mentioned Moraghan’s farmed and found out that Owen Moraghan’s original plot is still ‘farmed’ by a descendant. I also found out that (not 100% verified) the plot that Edward Regan built a chalet on in 1976 was owned by Kathleen Morahan (purchased 28th July 1999) who very sadly passed away on the 10th July this year. Kathleen née Regan was married to Thomas Morahan.
You might find the Regan connection of interest.
Kevin Moore
Hi Kevin,
As you say, the Valuation Office Revision Books are a really useful at looking at succession and also making connections. While I was initially just looking at one Regan family in Laughil, I eventually widened it out to look at all of the 12 Regan families that lived side by side in Laughil and the adjoining townlands of Cleaheen,Kilmacarril, Drumsillagh and Powellshill, see attached Regans Griffith Valuation Revisions table.
Thank you for providing the information on the Morahan family from the Valuation Office Revision Books and landdirect.ie. The Kathleen Regan connection is of immense interest to me as you will see below. A quotation from Henry Tonra's book "The Parish of Ardcarne" published in 2001 encouraged me to expand my interest in my immediate ancestral line to the additional Regan families (who I am sure are all connected). The quotation was;
“The area from Kathleen Morahan's westwards to the entrance to Powell's Hill peninsula, taking in parts of Cleaheen, Laughil, Kilmacarril and Drumsillagh had many Regan houses in former times and was known as 'Regan's Town' or 'Regan's Run'. The name is found in the baptismal register. Apart from Kathleen, all Regan’s have now disappeared from this district”.
So, it is a poignant reminder of the passing of time to hear that Kathleen has died. The quotation spurred me on to utilise the various Covid lockdowns to put a substantial amount of the information together looking at the extended family group under the title “Regan’s Town”.While my interest in the family history originated from enquiring how the Regan family experienced and survived The Famine, the story evolved to one of emigration in the post famine decades, see attached description. I have sent the account on to IrelandXO, so hopefully it will be soon be available on the site.
Thanks again,
Dara
Regan’s Town
Regan’s Town is an account of an extended family group that lived in North Roscommon in the civil parish of Tumna.
The presence of Regan families in the townlands between Cootehall in Roscommon, Leitrim Village and Carrick on Shannon is recorded in the Census of Elfin in 1749. Following forced evictions and the subsequent land reorganisation by the landlord of the Cootehall Estate, Hugh Barton, in the early 19th century, Regan families became concentrated in the townlands of Laughil, Cleaheen, Kilmacarril, Drumsillagh and Powellshill.
Viewing settlement patterns using the Cootehall Estate maps and the historic 6 inch OS maps, some of the socio-economic records for the 1841 and 1851 Census of the Tumna and Ardcarne civil parishes along with the some records of the devastating impact of The Famine in the local (the Cootehall Seed Loan Papers) and surrounding area (the Destitute Survey) provides some background context for life in the area at the time. This context is added to by viewing the educational infrastructure in the area and the records of the Petty Court sessions for the Laughil townland.
The information from the Griffith Valuation for the Regan families living in these townlands in 1858 indicates that 12 families living side by side in an area approximating 190 acres. The concentration of the families was such that the area was referred locally as Regan’s Town or Regan’s Run and is described as such in local parish records. An attempt is made to trace the 12 families from the Griffith Valuation in 1858 to the 1901 census.
The considerable impacts of post Famine emigration which appears to have ensued principally due lack of opportunity, led, over the decades, to the decline of the family name in this area. The family of John Regan and Eliza Friar provides an illustration of how emigration impacted on one of the Regan’s Town families.
Hi Dara
I visited Cleaheen last year and left my car at Cootehall Church and walked through Kilmacarril, Drumsillagh and Powellshill. While I was in the County I also took photos of gravestones requested by people on FindAGrave and a few of them were of the Regan family (in Fairymount & Keadue cemetries). Most of my ancesters were buried in Ardcarn (old & new cemetries) where I only saw one Regan gravestone (Patrick who died in 1915).
Do you know if, in Henry Tonra's book, there was any mention of the Moraghans?
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
There are eight Regan graves between the new and old graveyards marked on the map at the gates although there are many that I would have hoped to find that I haven't located. There are a considerable number of unmarked graves. It is a lovely spot; the old 25" OS map provided a great indication of the antiquity of the area.
I have attached the information on surnames in the area from Henry Tonra's excellent book and also I have added on a photograph from the book of the children in Cootehall school in 1910; there are a few Morahans there (this would tie in nicely with the 1911 Census).
I came across a great Petty Sessions record, described as a riot at Churchhill in 1852. There are lots of Morahans from Cleaheen and Kilmaccurrill Regans involved. Unfortunately, I haven't managed to get any further detail as yet.
Dara
Hi Dara
Many thanks for the attachments and particularly the extract from Henry Tonra’s book. I found the 1911 photograph of Cootehall School on page 103 particularly interesting as I have come across a few of the families pictured when researching the Cleaheen and Foxhill areas. Patrick Joseph Morahan (aged 9) and Thomas G Morahan (aged 10) were both from Foxhill and their grandfather was Owen Moraghan (1817-1904) who was married to Bridget Muldowney (1822-1860). The other Thomas Morahan was from Gortleck I think. The Dunne family were from Clegna and a Dunne family now have a house in Cleaheen that was originally owned by James McCormick (plots 13A and B on the 1858 Griffiths Valuations). Lawrence O’Hara (aged 10) was also from Clegna (born 6th April 1901 to William O’Hara, farmer of Clegna, and Elizabeth née Ryan) and I am sure that the same Lawrence (now aged 100) is shown in the photograph on page 69.
It is interesting what you say about the number of unmarked graves at Ardcarn Cemetry. When I visited there were hardly any Moraghan grave markers but I was reliably told by a lady tending one of the graves that the Moraghan section was in the old grave yard and she showed me where to find them. As you can see from the attached photograph nearly all the early graves are marked by a single stone.
I searched the newspaper archive to see if there was any mention of the 1852 riots in Church Hill but I could not find anything. What I did find out though was that a Patrick Higgins was farming at Church Hill and on my family tree I have a James Higgins (b. 1843) who was a cousin of my great (x2) grandfather, James Moraghan, as he appears on the 1861 Census for Birmingham, England. It may be a coincidence but I will take a further look now. Killeen Church (which I assume is why Church Hill is so named) is mentioned in The History of Ireland: From the Earliest Period to the Year 1245 by John d' Alton, Dublin, 1845 …
On the opposite side of the river, westward, are the ruins of Killeen church, around which, extending from the eastern side of Upper Oakport Lough to Battlebridge, lies the Cootehall property, deriving its name from Colonel Chidley Coote, to whom it was granted soon after the Restoration. Some years since it was purchased by the present proprietor, Mr. Barton.
I assume you have a copy of the 1851 sale by auction of lands at Annagh, Cleaheen, Cloonbrislane, Derreenanagh, Killukin & Tumna as Edward Regan appears on the list?
I hope you do not mind but I have attached copies of the 1910 school photo and of Lawrence O’Hara at 100 as they may be useful to other readers.
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Good idea to put copies of the 1910 Cootehall school photo and that of Lawrence O’Hara at 100 on the site. The History of Ardcarne is really a fabulous resource, all 244 pages. It must have taken years and years of research and assembly and a very accessible writing style. You couldn't come across a better history and profile of a parish.
I had come across one of the Morahans in Foxhill about five years ago when I was trying to locate any remnant of dwelling houses on a walk in the adjoining forested Brackloon townland. We had a good conversation and he told me that there were eight Famine related deaths in one of the Brackloon dwellings.
Thanks for mentioning the sale of 1000 acres of the estate of Wynne Peyton including Cleaheen in the Encumbered Estates Court in 1851. The Peyton family were agents for the Barton estates. Edward Regan is listed as one of the tenants on a yearly rental for a portion of land of 22 acres at a £12 yearly rent. It was interesting to compare the occupancy listed for the Cootehall Seed Loan Papers from 1847 and the Encumbered Estates Court in 1851. Six of the household names on the 1847 list do not feature in the 1851 rental list for Cleaheen; the heads of these households were Edward Doyle, Michael Glynn, Thomas Judge, Widow Tiernan, Widow Campbell and James Breheny; very traumatic times.
Dara
Hi Dara,
Shame that Tonra's book is no longer in print as it sounds a very good read.
I was 'sifting' through some of my files regarding Tumna and came across one written by Patrick Joseph O'Hara in 1938. Patrick (born 4th August 1910 in Clegna) was the brother of Lawrence mentioned above. Patrick wrote ...
Tumna. How solitary she now sits by the great river Shannon that once thronged place of worship. She is silent now with the silence of the dead. To the stranger who looks at it now, it represents nothing save the ruins of some small house or church.
Yet Tumna was once great. It was once thronged by priests and nuns as well as great congregations of people who came there to worship God. At one time there was a church and graveyard there. The people used to bury their dead in this grave-yard and the tombstones which they erected over the graves may still be seen. They are however too old to be able to read the writing on them. St Eadaoin who lived in this district was buried there.
A story is told about this place. When the place fell into ruins a farmer used to put his cattle in there (out) on wintry nights. One night a thorn bush grew up in the door and blocked the way into the church.
Killeen. There was a church and convent at Killeen. There were a great number of nuns in this convent. They used to cross from Killeen to Ardcarne. There is nothing left to commemorate this church except a small heap of stones and a water font.
A story is told that the nuns from Killeen were crossing to Ardcarne. When the first one was crossing the ford at Cootehall she discovered that she had forgotten the key to the convent. The word went back along the line and the last nun who was leaving Killeen got it.
There are the remains of an old castle in Cootehall. This castle was owned by a man named Coote who was a general in Cromwells army.
From https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4798653/4787165
What I aslo found funny was a story written about Bernard Rowley who lived next door to Owen and James Moraghan and Edward Regan ...
Once upon a time there lived in Cleaheen a man named Bernard Rowley. He got up early one morning to go to Boyle for a twenty stone bag of meal. When he to the meal he threw it on his back and started for home. His boot was hurting him a little but he did not take much notice of it. When he reached Cootehill it was hurting him still more.
He went to one of the houses and told the woman of the house that he would leave the meal there as his boot was hurting him. "Why not take it off and see what is in it", said the woman. He took it off and found an Iron spoon in it.
From https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4798653/4787141/4818419
I have attached both stories (if people are interested) and a nice hand-drawn map fo the area.
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
There are five copies of The Parish of Ardcarne available in the Local Studies sections of nearby local libraries (Boyle, Carrick on Shannon and Sligo).
https://librariesireland.iii.com/iii/encore/search/C__Shenry%20tonra__Or...
and in a few other locations
https://www.worldcat.org/title/parish-of-ardcarne/oclc/52796560
An occasional copy appears in Trinity Rare Books in Carrick on Shannon.
The extracts and the map that you have provided from the Duchas Schools Folklore Collection are wonderful. There is great material in the Laphoil / St Eidin's Primary School which gives real insight back to the old folk memories. They were recorded between 1934 and 1938.
Dara
Hi Dara,
I was doing some research last week using the Newspaper Archive and came across a piece in the Sligo Champion (21st April 1951) about Kathleen Regan having passed her final examinations for the nursing profession at Walton General Hospital, England. I also found a copy of the death notice for Edward Regan in the Irish Independant (26th January 1989). I have attached a copy of each for your records (in case you do not already have them).
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Thank you for passing on the pieces of information on Kathleen Regan and her brother Edward from Cleaheen, neither of which I had seen before. They are surely cousins of mine of some sort. My difficulty in sorting out the connection lies in the presence of 9 Regan families in the Tithe Applotment records in 1833 and 12 Regan families in the Griffith Valuation in 1858, all in adjoining townlands. The commencement of the RC parish records for Cootehall in 1843 and the civil records in 1864 has me lamenting the loss of the early Census records that were destroyed. I have been able to trace the connections of the 12 Regan families in the Griffith Valuation in 1858 to the 12 Regan families in the 1901 Census where the Griffith Valuation Revisions were particularily helpful. Still, I remain hopeful of gaining an understanding of the connections between the families from other earlier sources that I have yet to discover,
Kind Regards,
Dara
Hi Dara
I thought you might like to take the Regan records back three years earlier than the Tithe Applotments in 1833 as Farrell, Peter & Patt Regan appear in the Roscommon & Leitrim Gazette (Saturday 26 September 1829). They have made an application to Register a Freehold in Loughill (304 -to 306 in the list).
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Thanks very much for sending on the Notice of Intention to Register a Freehold for Farrell, Patt and Peter Regan. While I had uncovered these before, I had been left wondering why some of the adjoining Regan holdings, Owen Regan and Michael Regan in Kilmacarril were not included (the Tithe Applotment of 1933 indicated that the tithes due for both their holdings was over 10 pounds). Having a look at these again led me to the obvious answer that tithes and rentals are two distinct systems and that the lower acerage of the Kilmacarril Regans must have had rentals under the 10 pound requirement.
The presence of Regans in the immediate area of Cootehall is indicated in the Census of Elfin 1749. There are five family groups in Tumna and three in Ardcarne, see attached map and Table. I see that there are also Morahans registered as well. Both families have been around in the area for a long time,
Kind Regards,
Dara
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