Share This:

By chance I came across a post by ‘BrendanJoseph’ on this website replying to an August 2012 enquiry by ‘Triona’@glenville about the Healys of Ardvarney. I know from our own family records that my wife’s great grandfather James Healey (with added ‘e’) was born in Glenfarne, Leitrim in 1852 and that his father Patrick Healey was a joiner there.  James apparently had a cousin called Mary McGuire (b. 1828) who lived at Sraduffy Cross, Kiltyclogher. Sometime around the mid 1870’s he arrived in England where he worked as a journeyman tailor.

Having examined Griffith’s valuation I believe I have found the correct Patrick Healy (b. 1817) who at the time rented 3 acres of land fronting the main road (now the N16) in Ardvarney. His brother Denis rented an adjacent landholding of 12 acres. Patrick, who had married Mary Dolan, worked as a cooper and had several children though I have only managed to find a record of John (b. 1856) and Catherine (b. 1865) on the free sites. Can anyone corroborate this information and perhaps provide a link to the birth record of James Healy (b. 1851)? I would also be interested to know if any known descendants of Patrick or Denis Healy still live in Ardvarney or Cloonclare.

Rainer in Dorset, England

Rainer

Monday 4th Jan 2021, 09:50AM

Message Board Replies

  • Rainer,  I'm sorry I cannot help you with the Healy's you are looking for. My maiden name is Healy but my ancestors came from the Mallow region of Cork.  My maternal grandfather Michael Keegan came from Leitrim but left for the US about 1883. I think he may have lived in Cloonclare at one point but have found out he was born in the Rathbane section of Leitrim.

    Good luck in your search!!

     

    Mary

    macor

    Monday 4th Jan 2021, 03:18PM
  • Rainer:

    I searched the subscription site Roots Ireland and found a baptismal record for James Healy July 10 1851 with parents Patrick and Mary Dolan. The record was in the Cloonclare RC church. In addition to John and Catherine, I also found a baptismal record for an Anne Healy August 3 1858 at Cloonclare.

    Patrick died in 1884 (see fifth record) https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_retu…

    Mary died in 1902 (first record)   https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_retu…

    Denis died in 1907 (sixth record) https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_retu…

    Here are the 1901 and 1911 census records for Mary and John plus the Denis Healy family.

    http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Leitrim/Cloonclare/Ard…

    http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Leitrim/Cloonclare/Ard…

    http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Leitrim/Cloonclare/Ard…

    http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Leitrim/Cloonclare/Ard…

    Let me know if you have any questions.

    Roger McDonnell

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Monday 4th Jan 2021, 03:20PM
  •  

     

    Hi Rainer in Dorset, this is indeed an interesting reply. As you can see I have been dipping into family history for some time now. Last year my sister got involved when her daughter gave her an ancestry DNA kit. Since then it has been an amazing journey. Patrick Healy and Mary Dolan were my great grandparents.

    Yes, you have identified the correct Healey family in Ardvarney. My sisters and I have built up a fairly comprehensive family tree. I'm not sure if you can contact me privately through this site. If so please feel free to do so and I can share the information.

    Triona Murphy

     

     

     

    glenville

    Monday 4th Jan 2021, 04:48PM
  • Rainer:

    I did not include this 1911 census record in my prior response  

    http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Leitrim/Cloonclare/Ard…

    Roger

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Monday 4th Jan 2021, 05:27PM
  • glenville

    Tuesday 5th Jan 2021, 10:30AM
  • Hi all,

    Unable to answer the questions specifically, but thought this info might be helpful.

    My 3rd Great Grandmother was Rose Ann Healy (abt 1812 - abt 1863).  She married Michael Gilgun and they lived in Meenkeeragh, Leitrim.  Her brother was Denis Healy of Ardvarney and may be the Denis of the death record above.  He was married to Rose McGowan.  His son may be the Denis Healy who was the informant.  This Denis (b 1872) was married to Ellen McLaughlin and it was their children who are the last ancestors I have living in Ardvarney.  They were James (b 1905), John (b 1906), Susan (b 1906), Maria (b 1908) & Francis (1908-1980 Boston, MA USA).

    I haven't worked on this line in a while, but I see a lot of unexplored "hints" that I will check out.  If there are any Healy decendants of this Ardvarney line, let me know if you have any DNA on Ancestry or GEDmatch and we can check it out.  My Aunt's GEDmatch # is A800326.  Marjorie Dever on Ancestry.  She's the closest decendant of this line that I have DNA for...

     

    Dennis A Smith

    Tuesday 5th Jan 2021, 03:59PM
  • I have been amazed and delighted by the speed and the content of the responses received which have surpassed all my expectations.

    Thank you Mary for the interest shown this branch of the Healys. As it is a relatively common name, I never expected to be able to locate the precise place of origin of my wife’s ancestors but was lucky in that there weren’t that many Healys in Leitrim at the time in question and had a lucky break into the bargain.

    A huge ‘thank you’ to Roger for providing all those links to Irish Geneology and the records from the two censuses. I should perhaps have indicated that I had found most of those already to save you the trouble but I am very grateful all the same. Having the baptismal record for James Healy is a special bonus as I would probably have had trouble to locate it. It shows him as having been born in 1851 whereas it is 1852 according to the English Censuses.

    Thank you also to Triona for confirming that I am on the right track. You appear to have done a huge amount of research and it would be interesting to know if you can add anything further to the Healys at Ardvarney. From what you have said, you seem to be one generation closer to Patrick and Mary than my wife Jenny. I wonder if you are descended from John which would account for the difference in time? Some years ago I compiled a family tree for wife but have done nothing since. Not knowing more about her Irish ancestors has always bugged me but I am glad I have now got some results. Sadly, I don’t think there is any way in which I can contact you directly via this website and googling your name has not brought up anything useful. It might be easier to find me, there is nobody else of that name in the UK and I have an interest in Pleione.

    Lastly, my thanks to Dennis for his contribution. I haven’t seriously looked at Denis Healy as he is not in my wife’s direct line of descent but some of the names listed look familiar. I shall take another look.

    Go raibh míle maith agaibh!

    Rainer Kretz

    Rainer

    Wednesday 6th Jan 2021, 09:44AM
  • Hi Rainer, my sisters and I have done a lot of research on this family. My grandmother was Catherine Healy (Mulhern) daughter of Patrick Healey and and Mary Dolan.

    Through a DNA match my sister made contact with a descendant of Anne, who was another member of the family. She emigrated to America where she married. We met briefly with a descendant of her family in Dublin early last year. He had letters which Anne exchanged with her mother Mary Dolan and my grandmother Catherine from 1880 to 1900 aprox. It was an amazing and moving experience. The letters mention other members of the family including those mentioned by you who went to England.

    I will explore getting my email address to you to make contact. Else if all fails I will post it here. 

    As an added little gem... the Mary Maguire you mention was actually my aunt. I think you have her dates out by a generation! My sister and I spend several "holidays" visiting her and new husband Barney at Straduffy Cross.

     

    Regards

    Triona

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    glenville

    Wednesday 6th Jan 2021, 05:11PM
  •  

    Hi Dennis, very interested in your reply. I will forward this correspondence to my sister who has DNA on ancestry. I was a quiet observer on all her activity and matches and the name Marjorie Dever is certainly familiar. 

     

    glenville

    Wednesday 6th Jan 2021, 05:42PM
  • Having examined the easily accessible records in more detail, here is a rough outline of the Ardvarney Healys. It contains many gaps and no doubt some inaccuracies and would benefit from further improvement and fine tuning. I would very much have liked to know the names of the parents of Rose Ann, Denis and Patrick but don’t know if anyone can help with that.

    The evidence so far suggests there were at least three siblings, Rose Ann (b. c.1812), Patrick (b. c.1817) and Denis (b. c.1820) and maybe more.

    Griffith’s Valuation (1857) also shows a Peter Healy living in close proximity to Patrick and Denis, whom I suspect to be another brother. He was also a cooper and married to yet another Mary who seems to have died aged 86 on 18.12.1909 in the Manorhamilton workhouse. There is a record of Peter Healy dying on 21.3.1895 aged ?86. He is recorded as an Ardvarney ’farmer’ but as his wife was also called Mary he is likely to be the same person.

    Patrick Healy’s family

    Patrick Healy (b. c. 1816) a cooper married Mary Dolan (b. c. 1922) in 1847. They appear to have had at least four children and possibly more.

    James (b. 1851) became a tailor and emigrated in the mid 1870s to Todmorden, England. There is a baptismal record for him dated 10 July 1851 with parents Patrick and Mary Dolan. 

    John (b. 1856) a farmer, cooper and grocer seems to have been a bachelor most of his life but after the death of his mother Mary in 1902 married Mary Travers (b. 1975), a farmer’s daughter from Stradrian on 6 March 1905. They had a daughter called Mary born 1907. On 21 January 1915 a second daughter called Margaret died aged two months.

    Anne (b. 1858) was baptised 3 August 1858 at Cloonclare and later emigrated to the USA

    Catherine (b. 24 July 1865 married John Mulhern a farmer from Aghavanny/Aughavanney on 6 February 1896. They had a daughter Catherine on 14 May 1903. The 1911 census lists a total of 10 children.

    Patrick Healey died 9 January 1884 aged 67 years in the presence of his brother Denis. Mary Healy nee Dolan (b. 1822), Patrick’s widow died 13 November 1902 aged 80 of old age with her son John present.

    Denis Healy’s family

    Denis Healy (b. 1820) a farmer married Rose McGowan. I could find no marriage certificate. They had at least six children.

    John (b. 14 June 1865) worked later as a roof ?maker? and died 12 January 1901 aged 35 years of TB with his brother Denis present.

    Brigid (b. 28 January 1868) married John Mc Morrow of Ardvarney on 29 May 1889.

    Rose (b. 1 October 1870) married Hugh Cullen a farmer from Meenreenagh on 7 January 1898.

    Denis (b. 1. June 1872) married Ellen McLoughlin on 18 July 1904 with the 1911 census showing five children

    Susan born 11 September 1874 (no further records).

    Margaret (b. 7 April 1877) married Patrick Mawn a farmer from Ardvarney on 28 April 1898. They had a son called Peter on 18 April 1911.

    Rose Healy nee McGowan died 2 March 1902 aged 65 of pulmonary tuberculosis with daughter Maggie Mawn present.  Denis Healy (the elder) died 15 May 1907 aged 90 of old age in the presence of his son Denis.

    Of Patrick’s sons only John remained in Ardvarney and he seems to have been a bachelor for much of his life before marrying Mary Travers in 1905. The 1911 Census shows them to have had a daughter called Mary in 1907 but as John was 54 and Mary 40 they may not have had many more children and perhaps no male heir. John’s cousin Denis and his wife Ellen had several children including three boys, one of whom emigrated. If any Healys remained in Ardvarney, they would most likely be the descendants of either James (b. 1905) or John (b. 1906).

    Rainer

    Monday 11th Jan 2021, 04:56PM
  •  

    Rainer I sent you an email at musthaveperennials.com. If you contact me privately I think I may be able to help you expand on this information. Triona

     

     

     

    glenville

    Tuesday 12th Jan 2021, 03:26PM
  • Unfortunately, as of yet, I have not been able to discern who Denis and Rose Ann's parents were. I was unaware of the other sibling, Patrick, so I'll add him to my tree as a brother to see where it leads.

    I only knew Denis and Rose were siblings from family history passed down from both families’ children who emigrated to Woburn, Massachusetts, USA and those cousins remained close throughout that first generation in America. I was able to “virtually” prove this relationship through DNA matches of Rose's and Denis' descendants. If anyone out there is a descendant of Patrick, let me know your Ancestry DNA name and/or your GEDmatch DNA Kit # and we can see if you’re a match as well for further proof.

    Either way, great dialog and I think we have a much clearer understanding of the Ardvarney Healy’s!

    -Dennis

    Dennis A Smith

    Tuesday 12th Jan 2021, 04:11PM
  • PS - I have already found a strong DNA match with a Patrick Healy/Mary Dolan descendant who, according to her Ancestry profile, lives in Ireland.

    I am not sure we can say with certainty that Rose, Denis & Patrick were siblings, but it’s very clear they were related, and they were all born within a few years of each other. I think they were likely siblings but can’t say for absolute certainty. I will work on that assumption until we prove otherwise.

    Dennis A Smith

    Tuesday 12th Jan 2021, 07:42PM
  • Triona,

    Thanks for trying but I don’t believe I can access emails sent to musthaveperennials.com as I only have a very minor connection to this company. I will give you an email address I hardly ever use (rkretz@hotmail.co.uk) and we’ll pick it up from there.

    Dennis,

    Sorry but we have not given any thought to DNA testing so far.

    Rainer

    Tuesday 12th Jan 2021, 07:58PM
  • PSS, just discovered that the DNA match referenced above is with Triona’s sister, Marian. Hello cousin! Marian matches my Aunt, Marjorie Dever (32 cM across 3 segments) and my sister, Gina Smith (10 cM across 1 segment). If Patrick and Rose Healy were siblings, that would make Triona and me 3rd cousins 2x removed. My Aunt Marjorie would be Triona’s 3rd cousin 1x removed.

    Dennis A Smith

    Tuesday 12th Jan 2021, 08:21PM
  • Whilst googling I came across this Boston Globe obituary which adds another Ardvarney Healy to our list. You will recall that Denis the 2nd (b. 1. June 1872) married Ellen McLoughlin and that the 1911 census showed five children.  On 1 February 1914 they had another son – Denis the 3rd - who died aged 90 on 7 July 2004, in ?Weymouth MA, USA. This means that both Dennis the 1st and Denis the 3rd reached the ripe old age of 90. Interestingly, the text states that the latter was a devoted uncle to many nieces and nephews in Ireland (and England) which opens up the possibility that there may be some descendants left in Cloonclare.

    https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bostonglobe/obituary.aspx?n=denis-hea…

    Rainer

    Wednesday 13th Jan 2021, 08:05PM
  • Rainer,

    Thanks for this find of Denis Healy who died in Weymouth, MA, USA.  When I added him to the family tree I discovered yet another son of Denis and Ellen McLaughlin Healy - Peter Paul Healy (b 16 JUN 1920 in Ardvarney & died 9 DEC 1997 in West Roxbury, MA USA).  Peter Paul Healy was married to Mary Keady.  Living siblings were listed as Denis and Marie.  Deceased siblings were listed as Francis, James, Joseph, Susan, John and Hugh. 

    I will continue to work on this line and help answer the question that started it all.  Is this Healy line still in Ardvarney.  I bet they are.

    -Dennis

    Dennis A Smith

    Thursday 14th Jan 2021, 03:21AM
  • I have some data on the family at https://www.adkins.ws/individual.php?pid=I21476

    Thomas Adkins

    Thursday 9th Mar 2023, 12:49PM

Post Reply