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Good afternoon all,

I am trying to find a connection between the Leahys of Balline (Martinstown) and the Leahys of Fanstown (Kilmallock).  The oldest direct Leahy ancestor I can determine is a Patrick Leahy (c. 1822 - 1884) from Balline, Martinstown, and he was married to Mary McGrath (c. 1823 - 1897) who was possibly from Elton.  Patrick and Mary appear to have had the following children; John (bapt. 1856), Bridget (bapt. 1858 - 1887), Roger (bapt. 1859 - 1929), Michael (bapt. 1861 - 1955), Patrick (1864 - 1942), and Thomas (bapt. 1867).  My line of the family is descended from Michael who married Mary Barry of Ballinvreena.  I know of families for Bridget, Roger and Patrick but I have am not sure about any further details relating to John and Thomas.

My grandfather had mortuary cards for some of what we believe were relations from Fanstown, Kilmallock and Ardskeagh, Charleville.  There was a Kathleen Leahy (née O'Brien) (d. 1967) who was married to Thomas Leahy who had a farm in Ballyhea (or Ballyhay) just south of Charleville but they appear to have lived in Ardskeagh to the east of Charleville.  Thomas Leahy's father was also Thomas, of Fanstown, Kilmallock, who I think is possibly the Thomas Leahy, younger brother of my great-grandfather Michael Leahy.  The Thomas Leahy of Ardskeagh was born to Thomas Leahy and Kate Carroll of Fanstown in 1907 and an obituary for the elder Thomas Leahy in the Irish Press in 1943 confirms that Thomas Leahy, farming at Ballyhea, was his son.  He had two other sons, John and Michael Paul.  John was a chemist in Charleville and died suddenly in 1938 shortly before he was about to marry.  His obituary in the Limerick Leader in 1938 lists a large number of mourners, including 'Michael and Patrick Leahy, Martinstown, (uncles)' and then later among a huge number of 'cousins and relations', 'Misses Leahy, Martinstown, Ed., John, Patrick, Roger, Barry, Martinstown'.  This all looks quite promising but I find it difficult to make the link between the senior Thomas Leahy of Fanstown and the Thomas Leahy, younger brother of my great-grandfather.

Perhaps someone here is familiar with Leahy families in east Limerick or some of the other related names.  I am attaching the two obituaries mentioned and a descendants chart for Patrick Leahy of Balline, Martinstown, if it's of any help.

Thanks and regards,

 

 

Patrick Collins 

ptkcollins

Thursday 29th Aug 2024, 02:13PM

Message Board Replies

  • Patrick,

    I think we have been in contact before.

    Mary/ Pollie Barry ((father Edmond) and Michael Leahy (father Patrick) married in1903 in Glenbrohane, Limerick.

    Children born in Glenlara, Glenbrohane

    Patrick 1904

    Michael 1905

    Edmond 1907

    Bridget1909

    Michael 1910

    Margaret 1914

    You probably have

    LI-STML-0033 | Historic Graves

    Irish obituaries are always very informative.

    Regards- Mary

    MaryTV

    Thursday 29th Aug 2024, 06:11PM

  • Hi Mary,

    Yes, we have been in contact before.  Nice to 'see' you here again. :)

    For my great-grandfather Michael's line I have more or less all the details, although I've been unable to locate him in the 1901 census as he's not at Balline, Martinstown and neither is he at Glenlara, Glenbrohane which is where he moved to after he married Mary Barry.  Patrick (P.J.), Mary, Edmond (Ned), Bridget, Michael (known as Barry), Margaret (Madge) and my grandfather John were all born in Glenlara but my great-grandfather then sold the Glenlara farm in 1916 so my grandaunt Johanna (Jo) was born in Martinstown where they moved to. 

    Quite a few of them are buried in the family plot in St Molua's Graveyard in Balline (often called Emlygrennan Graveyard).  I recall attending my grandaunt Madge's funeral and St Molua's is the definition of what you might call a remote burial site, depending on the time of year burial generally requires the assistance of a tractor and trailer because the graveyard is in the middle of a field since a road has not run alongside it in many generations.  P.J. married Maidie Egan from Dungarvan and is buried in Tramore, Co. Waterford, Ned is buried in Kilfinane, Bridget is buried with her husband Paddy Hennessy in Ballingarry, Co. Limerick, and my grandfather John is buried in my grandmother's family plot (Mulcahy) in Emly.  I unfortunately have no idea where Mary's grave is as she died aged 7 while staying with her maternal grandaunt Lizzie O'Dwyer (née O'Dea) in Drishane, Co. Tipperary, although she is possibly buried locally in Drishane or possibly Donnaskeigh nearby, there aren't any records online for those graveyards so I'd have to physically look.

    It's true that Irish obituaries can be rich in information but the capacious section of 'cousins and relations' doesn't always narrow it down too much. :D

     

    ptkcollins

    Thursday 29th Aug 2024, 08:08PM

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