Charles Mc Grane + Mary Ann Travers

Shared via Elizabeth Mc Grane who got it from Desmond Doran......

I don't have any dates for this but if it was taken when they were about 30 years old that would place it around 1895.

Charles Mc Grane and Mary Anne Travers from Ballinacarrick, Ballintra, Co Donegal.

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Patrick J Leahy in Rathcabbin

The following compiled by Noeleen..........

In 1901, 23 yr old Patrick J Leahy was boarding with the Post Mistress in Rathcabbin, Co Tipperary. A search of the 1901 census for Rathcabbin does not show any other people registered as being a teacher in the area. He could not have been the only teacher at the school because in 1901 the school was a two story building, with the Gurteen Girls National School on the top floor, and the Gurteen Boys National School on the ground floor (or vice versa). Hence, there would have at least been two teachers.



I made a phone call to Fr John Donnelly, Rathcabbin today 2/7/2012. He told me that the present school (Rathcabbin National School) was opened in 1946 and was an amalgamation of Gurteen Boys and Gurteen Girls National Schools dating from 1833. When the new school was opened the old school records were not transfered to the new building. Pity :(

Fr Donnelly told me that the new school is on a different location but the old school building is being used as a private residence today. Worth a visit to Rathcabbin I think!!

He suggests contacting Ms Nancy Carroll, the retired Post Mistress for Rathcabbin, who incidently remembers the old Post Mistress, Anne Coonan who PJ Leahy lodged with. Ms Carroll is 80 years old and obviously born after 1901 but may have some local history for me.

I might just well follow up on this!! Put on my Detective Inspector cap again and find her details. Watch this space...........

Patrick James Leahy and Margaret Halpin

The following compiled by Noeleen.........

Unlike his farmer brothers in 1901, 23 year old Patrick James Leahy was boarding in the Post Office in the town land of Derry, district of Rathcabbin, Co Tipperary and is registered as a National School Teacher. The Post Mistress is Ms Anne Coonan 30yrs old and there is also a servant Ellen Gill. 

We know that Patrick was a teacher later in life so presumably Patrick was teaching in the local school. 

Rathcabbin is situated in the Parish of Lorrha-Dorrha , the most northerly parish in Co. Tipperary.  The village of Rathcabbin is approximately half way between the towns of Portumna, Co Galway to the west and Birr, Co. Offaly to the east. It is a rural area surrounded by rich, fertile countryside. The present school was opened in 1946 (see here for the school on Google maps) and was an amalgamation of Gurteen Boys and Gurteen Girls National Schools dating from 1833. Did Patrick teach in either of these schools? Why else would he be lodging as a boarder in such a small village? See the next post about teaching in Rathcabbin.

By 1911, Patrick was teaching in Barry, Glamorgan, Wales and was married to Margaret Halpin. 

PJ Leahy + family (c) P Leahy

 They lived in a six roomed house at 7 Palmer Street, Barry, Glamorgan. The 1911 Census of England and Wales indicates both Patrick and Margaret from Knockaney, Co Limerick, and had been married for 7 years. They had 3 daughters - Elizabeth 6yrs, Alice 5yrs, and Josephine 2yrs and one son Thomas 4yrs. The census indicates that there had been 6 children born alive but two had died. Patrick and Margaret must have been living in Barry for at least 4 years because while the rest of the family were residents from Ireland, Thomas and Josephine were born in Barry.

Elizabeth and Alice were registered as being from Croom, Co Limerick so we could presume Patrick moved to Croome to teach when he married Margaret.

Patrick and Margaret had married in 1904 but there is no evidence of Margaret in the 1901 Census of Ireland. It is believed she was a nun, which order has yet to be discovered.

So sometime between 1901 and 1904 Margaret Halpin left the convent. We do not know how they met or where they married. That is yet to be discovered..........

Thomas Leahy and Eliza Mahony

Compiled by Noeleen.......

Thomas (b1821) and Bessie (nee Eliza Mahony b1841) Leahy had 4 sons - James, Thomas, Michael and Patrick, and one daughter Eliza.

The 1901 Census of Ireland provides the following information.......

On 31^st March 1901 Thomas Leahy (father of Patrick James) was living in the town land of  Newtown, in the district of Hospital, Co Limerick, with his wife Bessie. (Bessie was registered as Eliza on the Baptismal records for their children).  

Thomas was 80 years old and Bessie was 60 years old. Their sons Michael, 30, and Thomas, 28, were living with them. All were registered as agricultural labourers although I imagine Thomas Snr and Bessie were retired. All were registered as Roman Catholics.

They appear to have lived in a small thatched house with no outhouses. The walls were made of wood or mud, or another perishable material. The house had three rooms with two windows to the front.

By the 1911 Census, both Thomas Snr and Bessie are not registered, we can presume they were deceased. The home in Newtown was then occupied by Thomas and Bessie's son Michael and his family: wife Kate 36yrs, son Thomas 6yrs, Lizzie 3yrs, and Kathleen 2yrs. Kate is registered as being from Co Cork. They also had a boarder living with them - Sarah Franklin aged 30yrs from Co Tipperary. She is registered as a scholar.

The home now had an additional out building - a Fowl house.

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In the 1911 Census, Thomas Leahy Jnr, now 38, was married to Katie, also 38yrs, and they lived, still in the family environs, but in Fantstown, Bulgaden, Co Limerick. They had 4 sons - Patrick 5yrs, Thomas 4yrs, John 2yrs, and Michael 9months. They shared their home with 3 servants.

Their six room home was built of solid walls, stone or brick, with five windows to the front.

The farm had eight out houses - a stable, a coach house, a cow shed, two calf houses, a dairy, a piggery, a fowl house. This would be the reason why Thomas had one farmhand and two general servants living on his farm.

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In 1901 a James Leahy lived in the town land of Gortyknaveen, in Newcastle West District of Co Limerick, Monagay Parish with his wife Mary and their children -

Margaret 9yrs, Mary 7yrs, Thomas 5yrs, Ellen 3yrs, and Maurice 1yr. They had one female servant. The four roomed house was built of solid walls, had a slated roof, and 3 windows to the front.

The farm had four outhouses - a stable, a cow house, a calf house, and a piggery.

By 1911, James and Mary had two more children - James and Hanoria - but sadly Thomas is no longer listed, he must have died.

The farm now no longer has a calf house but does have an additional dairy house and a fowl house.

I assume this James to be  the son of Thomas Snr and Eliza (Mahony), Newtown, Hospital

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I cannot find any information on their daughter Eliza. Presumably she married and is not traceable under the Leahy name.

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In 1901, 23 year old Patrick James Leahy was boarding in the Post Office in the town land of Derry, district of Rathcabbin, Co Tipperary and is registered as a National School Teacher. The Post Mistress is Ms Anne Coonan 30yrs old and there is also a servant Ellen Gill. The Post Office closed in 2003, see here for news report. Presumably Patrick James was teaching in the local Rathcabbin National School. see here for the school on Google maps

There is an interesting story to tell about where he was in 1911............ 

Hugh Mc Grane and Nonnie Campbell

The following information contributed by Desmond Doran…..

Hugh Mc Grane, son of Charles + Mary Anne Mc Grane, Ballinacarrick, was married to Nonnie Campbell. Nonnie died during an operation to clear her fallopian tubes in the hopes that she would be able to have a baby. Through faulty equipment, air got into her bloodstream and she died.

Hugh never remarried. He ran a shop in Lifford, Co Donegal called  the Tyronconnell Stores.

Noeleen remembers Hugh liked his food, a drink and a dance! He was very nimble on his feet. He always made sure to come to Strabane every Christmas morning to visit the relatives and often went back to have his Christmas dinner with his sister Sarah and her husband Jim Behan, quite the worse for wear!!. Sarah did not tolerate Hugh's love of alcohol very well and I remember one Christmas that Hugh was driven back home to Lifford and dropped off at the door.....who ever was driving him made sure to get a quick exit before Sarah answered the door to find a well oiled Hugh!!!

Here is Hugh on one of the many Christmas mornings in Strabane :)

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