Cullens of Tullaroan, Freshford and Kilrush Kilkenny

My 2 times Great Grandfather was James Cullen he was born on or about 28 Feb 1834 in Ballyroe, Kilkenny, Ireland. He was baptized on that date in the Parish Church in Tullaroan. His parents were John Cullen and Catherine Fitzpatrick. The parents of James Cullen were married on the 20th January 1821 and they lived in Kilnaree and afterwards in Ballyroe from at least 1826. 

James married Anne Price on the 25th of October 1859 at the Roman Catholic Church in Tullaroan.

They had thirteen Children as follows:

• Edmund Cullen 1860–1945

• Anastatia Cullen  1863–1931

• Bridget Cullen     1865–

• Dennis (PRICE) Cullen  1865–

• Mary Cullen 1868–

• Catherine Cullen 1870–1947

• Alice Cullen 1872–1908

• James Cullen 1875–1945

• Thomas Cullen 1877–1948

• Annie Cullen 1879–

• Nicholas Cullen 1882–

• Lizzie Cullen 1885–

• John Cullen  1886–1909

James was the owner of the Kilrush Corn Mill Kilrush, Clomantagh, Kilkenny, Ireland. The mill was also the familys home 

Now the Information I have on James was that he died on the 29th of June 1909 in Kilrush, Balleen, Urlingford, Kilkenny, Ireland and was buried in the Tullaroan R.C. Parish Cemetary.  Anne Price Cullen died in Kilrush Freshford, Kilkenny, Ireland on the 19th of August 1930 and she is buried alongside James in the Cullen grave site which is situated behind the old medieval church in Tullaroan and is next to the boundary wall. (Information Convey by Denis Cullen).

I am presently researching Alice Cullen Kelly and I am told that she died in Hospital in 1908 when she was living in Ferns, Enniscorthy, Wexford. I can find no records of her death in 1908, nor are we aware of her burial. Her husband was a Bernard Kelly born in Ederderry, Offaly, Ireland on the 12th of January 1861 and was a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary. The family lived above the Police Station in Ferns They had eight children between 1895 and 1907 they are as follows:

• Patrick Joseph Kelly 1896–1915

• Annie Teresa (Cissie) Kelly 1898–

• Julie Kelly 1899–

• Mary Elizabeth (Maisie) Kelly 1901–

• Alice Mary Kelly  1903–2004

• Catherine (Kathleen) Kelly 1904–

• Bernard J Kelly 1906–

• James Joseph Kelly 1907–

The present story for Alice is that she died of a Goiter and was wisked away by the Cullens and buried. By 1911 Bernard and the boys are living in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England and the girls are at St. Michaels Industrial School in Wexford. Bernard died on the 29th of January 1918 in Tranmer, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England from carcinoma od the stomach and here is where that story ends. So Far

The other story is from Denis Cullen, she married a Mulrooney and lived in Cuffesgrange, Danesfort, Kilkenny, Ireland some 10 miles south of Tullaroan. Her remains lie in the grounds of the Cuffesgrange Church to the right of the entrance gate. There are 3 Alice Mulrooneys listed in the 1901 Census and one married and Egan  

After James died  Anne Cullen turned the property over to her Son Thomas in 1910. Years later a claim was filed against the Kilrush Property with the land registry office but the statute of limitation has expired and was dismissed One of the claimants is an Alice Mulrooney  living in Annaleck_Upper, Powerstown , Kilkenny age 50 and there far too old, I believe she was wed 2 years after the census.. The other two Ailces are living in Damma Lower Ballycallan, Kilkenny ages 20 and 72. One too young the other too old

This is where it becomes confusing since my DNA matches at 46 cms with a descendant of the Alice Cullen / Bernard Kelly Line. So I guess the first question is might Alice be buried in the Cullen family burial sit in Tullaroan.

Fred Jaeger

Of course any other family information would be helpful