Dennis Culloo : Short Biography

The 1827 Tithe Aplotment lists the following household heads occupying the land together as tenants in Lower Corbeha:  Thomas Culloo, Martin Culloo, Thomas Hogan, Michael Molony, and Daniel Galiher. On the rest of the acreage were, Dennis Culloo, Patrick Kildea and Michael Halloran. 

Dennis Culloo (abt. 1799 - ??) was the father of Thomas (1819–1870), Michael (1827–1898), Bridget (1831–1891), and Dennis (1833–1907). It is likely there were more children whose names did not get recorded, given the large gaps between his children's birth years. Or perhaps a wife who died followed by a second marriage. His wife's name is as yet unknown, and maybe lost to time. We only know that with likely relatives, he was a tenant farmer in Lower Corbeha in 1827, and Bridget listed his occupation as Laborer on her 1852 marriage certificate. We know that none could read or write English, as every document bears their mark rather than their signature. This family is sometimes confused with the Cullow family in Tulla, and we were told by an Irish Historian whose mother descended from the Tulla Cullow's that it was tempting to think the two families were related, but just as likely they were not. We have found no proof either way. We located Dennis from his children's marriage certificates in Derby in 1852, both Michael (Mary Madden) and Bridget (John McDonough) married in Derby in the spring of 1852. We also located Thomas and his wife Mary Hynes in the 1851 census,  and the birth of two daughters in Killaneena, Bridget in 1847 and Mary in 1849. This indicated that the family may have migrated to Derby en masse between 1849 and 1851. Since neither daughter is found in the 1851 Derby Census, they are presumed not to have survived. Dennis is the only Irish ancestor we have been able to trace to a location in Ireland among our family who were impacted by the Great Hunger, so far. The goal is to find as many as possible and at least remember them and at most visit their homland and pay homage. They deserve that much. We know nothing else about Dennis other than the names of his offspring, who are found together in the 1851 census of Derby, Derbyshire, England, along with other tenant names familiar from the  same land in the1827 Tithe Aplotment, such as Halloran and Kildea. Also residing with the children of Dennis Culloo in Derby are Margaret Culloo (1834–1902) and Patrick Culloo (1837–1909) who are both listed as "lodgers." We believe them to be relatives of Dennis and his children, likely also living in Corbeha and traveling from there to Derby together. There were no Culloo's left in the 1855 Griffiths Valuation in the Feakle Parrish. 

Another interesting piece of information that was provided by the Irish historian I mentioned earlier, Ciarán Ó Murchadha through his research on the area was an excerpt from the Limerick Chronicle’s coverage (I March 1848) of the Ennis Spring Assizes of that year:

"Denis Calloo, a boy aged only eleven years, and so small that the top of his head was only discernible above the front of the dock, was indicted for the manslaughter of his step-father, Michael Molony, at Feakle, on the 18 th July, by striking him with a tongs on the head. It appeared in evidence that the deceased, who was a sickly man, flung a sod of turf from the bed in which he was lying at the young criminal, who in return struck him with a tongs, and the step-father died in a fortnight after.

Verdict – Guilty of a common assault – To be imprisoned one hour." 

Interestingly, Ciarán also said this: "This would have taken place in the summer of 1847, the boy being held in prison in the months since then. Other accounts say the event took place in Scart, which is much closer to Tulla than Feakle, and is more likely in fact. One other account in the Clare Journal refers to him as Martin Culloo, probably erroneously in that Martin is not a name found among the Culloos that I know of. You can compare the account with the genealogy fragment I have sent in attachment." 

In her 1855 marriage certificate Margaret Culloo notes that her father's name is Patrick, that he was a husbandman, and was deceased. I am not adding Margaret as an ancestor here until we have discovered proof that she was also from Lower Corbeha. On her marriage license in Derby in 1855, Margaret lists her father's name as Patrick and notes that he was deceased. We do not know what relationship was between Margaret and Patrick, but they were yet adolescents in 1851, 16 and 14 respectively. Margaret Ann Culloo was my 2nd great-grandmother, and Dennis was likely a 3rd great-uncle. 

Another piece of information that Ciarán Ó Murchadha passed along that was of interest was the following: "For the summer Assizes of 1848 I have a Patrick Culloo, sentenced to a year in jail for burglary, no further information. It is more than likely that this was a break-in to a warehouse or shop in order to obtain food." So that is the story of what I know of my connection to Feakle. I will also add those relatives who were children of Dennis as evidenced by the 1851 Census.