John Cannon (Canning) : Short Biography

The townland of Drumcoura which, in 1851, was comprised of just over 700 acres of land, is situated in the Civil Parish of Drumreilly within the Barony of Carrigallen and the Civil Registration District of Bawnboy.

The Tithe Applotment of 1827 showed that and James Cannon, and later his son, John Cannon held three plots, numbers 27a, 28 and 30b as well as lot 29a in the townland of Drumcoura.

A search of Griffith’s Primary Valuation of tenements positively identified the Canning holdings in Drumcoura.  Griffith’s Survey records that these holdings were now in the names of Bernard Cannon (27a), Patrick Cannon (28 and 30b) and the third holding in the name of a William Lauder circa 1856. Presumably, Bernard and Patrick were children of the 1827 lot holder John Cannon.  It is unclear who Willaim Lauder is, possibly a son-in-law, but by 1868 that holding (29a) would pass to John Cannon.  

William Ormsby Gore was the immediate lessor or landlord and these holdings. This would be the same Baron Harlech, who was the leaseholder of the Connolly farm, just up the road.

William Ormsby-Gore (14 March 1779 – 4 May 1860) the 2nd Baron Harlech, was a British Member of Parliament. Born into an Anglo-Irish family as William Gore, the eldest son of William Gore, M.P., of Woodford, County Leitrim.  Anglo-Irish (Irish: Angla-Éireannach) is a term which was more commonly used in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a social class in Ireland, whose members are mostly the descendants and successors of the English Protestant Ascendancy.[4]

It is presumed that this John Cannon may be the son of the original lot holder, John Cannon, and Grandson of his father James Cannon.  This suspicion arises as a consequence of a study of the transfer of ownership of the plot of land that he was shown as the owner in 1868.  It is therefore possible that John was the brother of Bernard and Patrick.

John Cannon died on December 1, 1881 of a chronic cough for three years. He was a widower when he passed.  A Pat Cannon, possibly his brother was present at the time of his death.

This parcel (29a) would pass to his son Francis Cannon (later Canning) by 1884.