Nunans, Kenneallys and Murphys of Pouladuff Road

Hello,

I am researching the history of an intersecting group of families that lived on and near Pouladuff Road from at least as early as the 1870’s to at least the 1960’s.

In 1898 a woman named Johanna Murphy, aged 70, died at 9 Pouladuff Road.  Her death was registered by a Mary Kenneally, daughter, of that same address.  This was Mary Nunan Kenneally, 1849-1929, widow of Daniel Keneally, 1844-1893.  When Mary and Daniel married at Saint Finbarr’s in 1868 her father was listed as David Nunan.

Based on baptismal records and other research, it appears that Mary Nunan Kenneally was the daughter of David Nunan and Johanna Keeffe.  The theory I am working on is that Johanna Keeffe first married David Nunan, had several children including at least Denis (b 1845), Mary (b 1849), William (b abt 1854) and David (b 1855).  These children were all born and baptized in the vicinity of Dunderrow but at least Denis, Mary and William all married at Saint Finbarr’s and either lived in the home at Pouladuff Road or the vicinity.

At some point Johanna Keeffe Nunan remarried to someone named Murphy.  

My great-grandfather Michael Thomas Murphy was born in County Cork abt 1863 to Thomas Murphy and Johanna Keeffe.  He emigrated to Boston in the US in abt 1881-83 where he married and had a large number of children.  My cousins and I have never found his birth/baptism his parents’ marriage or any births/baptisms of siblings.  However, two of my 2nd cousins and I have discovered we have DNA matches to three women in England each of whom are descended from different children of Mary Nunan and Daniel Kenneally.  As Mary Nunan’s mother was a Johanna Keeffe who apparently married a Murphy, I am investigating the possibility that this same Johanna is my gg-grandmother.  I do know that at least one Thomas Murphy lived on Pouladuff Road and/or vicinity in the right timeframe.

As I mentioned, we have not found such a marriage - or indeed any other marriage of a Johanna Keeffe or Johanna Nunan to anyone named Murphy.  Our Michael Thomas Murphy was born too early for civil registration and left Ireland too early for the 1901 Census.  I am curious to know if there are any local records such as National School lists that might identify him?  Could he have attended Togher National School?

After her death in August 1898, Johanna Murphy presumably would have been buried locally but I have researched the burial registers for that month for both Saint Finbarr’s Cemetery and also Saint Joseph’s but did not find her.  Is there another local cemetery that would be likely?

Apologies for my tediously long and convoluted message.  Any thoughts or suggestions you may offer would be very welcome.

Sincere regards,

Patrick L. Murphy
Chicago, IL, USA