Daniel Collins : Short Biography

In 1835, Daniel Collins (1809-1884) of Canbo, married Mary Barrett (1818-1905) of Ballinvilla. The couple lived on Ballinvilla farm #1[GV] which Mary inherited from her father, Patrick Barrett. 

Daniel Collins was invited to godparent by Hugh Boyd  & Anne Barrett in 1836 and, by his neighbour John Barrett & Mary Dowd in 1839. 

In 1842, Daniel Collins was paying tithes on 30 acres of land in Ballinvilla [TA value: £17, 11s., 7d.  p.a.]  His father's holding in Canbo had, by then, been divided among 4 Collins brothers and an Elwood (who married a Collins). 

During the Great Famine, Daniel & Mary Collins lost a newborn son and their two eldest daughters.  

By 1857, Mary & Daniel Collins had built a new house next door to Mary’s brother John Barrett.   However, it was a small 3-room dwelling with only 1 window to the front – the smallest in the townland. (This house was owned by Boyd and rented to Brennan in the 1940s). 

Ballinvilla Primary Land Valuation 1858:  Property 1a: Daniel Collins (32 acr. + 74 bog)  House value £1.50 per annum. 

The Collins farm had the poorest quality land in Ballinvilla, and they do not appear to have prospered. On August 7th, 1862, Edward J. Barrett of Carrick (shopkeeper) lodged a Civil Bill against his uncle, Daniel Collins of Ballinvilla (Yeoman) in court “for the sum of fifteen shillings and ten and a half pence Stirling. For that, the defendant is indebted to the complainant for the said sum for shop goods sold and delivered by the plaintiff to the defendant in the month of December 1861 and part in 1862”. Unpaid debts ultimately caused Edward J. Barrett to give up his business and emigrate to Louisiana, USA. In Feb 1875 Dan Collins of Ballinvilla farmer commissioned John Lavin of Boher, weaver, to supply 24 yds of ticker and didn't pay him [Petty Court Sessions].

By the end of the 1870s, all the Collins boys had emigrated, save for Edward Collins the youngest. 

Patrick Collins (if 1849-1874) died age 25. Daniel Jr. (1852-1875) died young age 22. His sister, Bridget (1862-1875) died age 13, the same year. James Collins (1850-97) married CANBO died 11/4/1897. Inf: Richard Elwood. John Collins (1813-1908) married CANBO d.17/9/1908. Inf: Pat Collins son. Katherine Collins (1833-1915) farmers widow CANBO d.13/10/1915. Inf: Pat Collins son.

Daniel Collins died in 1884, age 75. and his widow, Mary (nee Barrett) Collins, died in Ballinvilla in 1905, age 90.

When Daniel Collins died in 1886, Edward Collins inherited the farm. (From 1884-1903 Edward was the only Collins of Ballinvilla registering dog licences in Croghan). We don’t know what became of the others. 

In the 1901 Census, his mother, Mary Barrett-Collins is listed as head of house age 80, along with her son Edward’s family. Edward Collins and wife Jane were present at her death in 1905.

On 18 March, 1916, Edward Collins died a widower, age 58. Cause: cancer of the face. His son, Andrew was present at his death. His will was granted to his son, Tom Collins (b. 1887) on 1 December 1919.   In 1923, this Barrett-Collins farm passed to James Boyd Jr.  Andrew Collins married Catherine Noone on 12 June, 1921.

What became of Tom Collins and Andrew Collins after 1923, and where to they emigrated is unknown.​​

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