Searching for DEAN & COFFEE in Kilcolman

Headstone in Birr graveyard;

Annie Coffey; Cornmarket st-2/6/1930

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Pigot & Co Prov. Dic; 1824-Philipstown-Shopkeepers & Traders

John Dean; Tallow chandler

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Slaters Dir; 1870 Birr/Parsonstown

Anne Deane-Provision dealer

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Jack

Slaters Dir 1846; Birr/Parsonstown

Richard Coffey; Engraver & working jeweller-Green st

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Griffiths Valuation 1854;

Laurence Coffey; Kilcolman

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Jack

Hi Jack

Thanks very much for the information on the Deans and Coffeys in Birr.  That's very helpful.  Apologies for the slow acknowledgement, but I've been away from home for the last 3 weeks.

Regards

David

Hi David,

My GGG Grandmother Margaret Coffee/Coffy (b abt 1826) lived in Rearymore, Laois, about 35km NE of Kilcoman. She married Lawrence Fahey in Rosenallis Parish in 1844.

Regards,

Tom Myers

tmyers1@wi.rr.com

Clonaslee graveyard;

Mary Coffey; 25/11/1959 (71) Clonagh

Joseph Coffey; 20/1/1961 (84) farmer-Clonagh

dauthter-Catherine; 25/10/1991 Dublin

son-Thomas; 29/6/2004

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Jack Mc Donald

www.genealogylaois.com

Hi Tom & Jack

Thanks for your recent postings re Coffey. I can't link these to the family I'm searching for, but I'll certainly keep them in mind for future reference.

Tom, you mention the marriage of your Margaret Coffey/Coffy in 1844. Could you tell me what set of records you found this in?  It might give me a clue as to places to look for information on my Coffey family.

Thanks again for your postings.

Regards

David Craig

Some volunteers were in Kilcolman old cemetery recently and did find a grave for someone named Coffey. Graves in the cemetery date back to 1740 and it is very historic. I have asked them to get a photograph and will post it when/if I get it. 

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Kind regards
Dolores
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Dolores O'Shea
County Offaly Animator for Ireland Reaching Out

Hi David

Regarding your query - Myself and Pat went to the old Kilcolman graveyard this weak to search for the Coffey headstone mentioned previously.  We found a really old one with names of Maurice Coffey and his wife Nell (we think). Maurice died March 17th 1882 aged 69 and Nell Nov 20th 1882 aged 45.  It was very hard to read, but we will try again.  We took some photographs of the stone and graveyard which I will try to upload and send later.  I live in this parish and there is a place called Coffey's Cross in it.  It was a tradition to call a place after the surname of the people who lived at that place.  I will also try and access the parish records for Kilcolman and see if there are any further details re Coffeys.  As Catherine was baptised in Kilkenny and James and Michael in Kilcolman do you know did the family move around a lot? There was a mention of Michael Deane in the Tithe Applotments in 1825 in Dunkerrin, Co Offaly which would be a parish near here.

Regards

Margaret

Hi Margaret

Many thanks for the information on the Coffey headstone in the Kilcolman graveyard. Again, I can't immediately link this Maurice & Nell(?) Coffey with the family I'm searching for.

Unfortunately I have very little information on the Dean & Coffey families in Ireland. All I have are imprecise references to where they came from in Catholic parish registers in Eccles/Barton Upon Irwell (near Manchester) in England after they moved there. From these, I think the family must have moved around quite a bit in Ireland before going to England about 1852 (and ultimately to Australia in 1863).

I have recently found one possible sighting of 2 of the Dean children in Irish court records. A Michael Dean (age 17) and his brother John/James (age 13) were convicted in 1852 of begging in the street of Arklow on a Sunday. They were listed as paupers from Birr, Kings County, and were sentenced to 14 days imprisonment in Wicklow jail. Life was sure tough then! Given the ages, names and where they came from, I strongly suspect that they belonged to the family I'm searching for, but I can't be 100% sure.

Kind regards

David Craig

Good afternoon David

I have just read you post although I note is  from last year.

I can confirm that both families were associated names with the parish of Kilcolman. As previously stated, Coffys cross is a well known local  landmark.The Deane family lived less than a quarter of a mile away from the Coffeys and information on both families are available on Griffiths Valuation, c1852.

The families are gone for a number of generations.

The ruins of both family homes were still there up until the 60's and local lore had it that a daughter joined a travelling carnival...usually some shade of truth in these things but hard to know.

I hope this adds to your search.

Kind Regards

M. Kennedy