Luke Murphy (c. 1927-2003)
now browsing by tag
Michael “Mikey” Forristal (1879-1972) of Rochestown, Glenmore [updated]
In the 1960’s Danny Dowling (1927-2021) the Glenmore historian bought a reel-to-reel tape recorder and began conducting interviews of the elderly people around Glenmore. In 1969, Danny taped an interview of Michael (Mikey) Forristal, of Rochestown, Glenmore, who was 90 years of age. Danny stored his old reel-to-reel tapes in a box and after his death his son Pat wasn’t certain what if anything remained on the tapes. Eventually Pat was able to get one old reel-to-reel tape recorder working and made a digital recording of the reel-to-reel recording. One of the most interesting aspects of Danny’s recording of Mikey Forristal is the fact that Mikey Forristal’s speech patterns were set long before radio or televisions were in Glenmore homes and influencing speech.
There were some difficulties transcribing the recording. On several occasions the interviewer and interviewee spoke at the same time. Sometimes the quality isn’t great, but the greatest challenge is that so many people in Mikey’s family had the same name. Thanks to the information provided we were able to trace a number of Forristal’s and others mentioned in the first half of the interview. Information not in the original recording has been placed in square brackets [ ].
Mikey Forristal (1879-1972)
Danny commenced the interview with identifying his interviewee, and noted that they were in the Murphy home in Ballybrahee, Glenmore. [At the time of his interview Mikey Forristal lived with his daughter Alice Murphy née Forristal (1922-2018) and her husband Luke Murphy (1927-2003).] See our post of 15 August 2021 regarding Luke Murphy.
Mikey Forristal reported that he was 90 years of age since “last April.” He was born in April 1879 [20 April 1879]. His father was John Forristal [c. 1833-1895] and his mother was Mary Gahan [1839-1917]. He quickly added that she wasn’t the same Gahan as Tom Gahan. She was from a farm in Ballylogue, Rochestown.
[My resident expert explained that there were three Gahan families in Rochestown. Mikey was distinguishing them for Danny. (1) The farm Mary Gahan came from. (2) John Joe Gahan, was known as Josie Gahan, and he had a daughter named Ellie Gahan. She married Larry Walsh of Smithstown, Tullogher. Larry and Ellie had a number of children including Martin Walsh (1918- 1996) and Maureen Lyng née Walsh who introduced Danny to his wife Molly. See our post of 31 Dec. 2023 for further information on Martin Walsh. (3) Another Rochestown farmer was John Gahan. His son Tom married Mikey’s sister Elizabeth “Lizzie” Forristal.]
Old Conn, the landlord evicted the farm that Mikey’s mother came from. They were evicted for 6 months’ rent. Mary Forristal née Gahan had two brothers who went off to America, John Gahan and Tommy Gahan.
[The parish records provide that Mikey’s maternal grandparents were John Gahan and Elizabeth Fewer. Mary’s godparents in 1839 were John and Mary Duggan. Mary Forristal née Gahan had four known siblings including: Patrick Gahan (bapt. 5 Feb. 1838); Catherine Gahan (bapt. 16 Jan. 1844); Thomas Gahan (bapt 23 Aug. 1832) and Thomas Gahan (bapt. 26 Aug. 1847)]
Mikey told Danny that they were related to each other through the Duggans. Danny’s mother, Hannah Dowling née Murphy, was a first cousin to Mikey Forristal’s mother Mary Forristal née Gahan. [Hannah’s paternal grandmother was Margaret Murphy née Duggan. See our post of 18 April 2020 for further details.]
The Children of John Forristal (c. 1833-1895) & Mary Gahan (1839-1917)
[John Foristal (labourer) of Rochestown married Mary Gahan (labourer) of Rochestown on 1 February 1864 at Glenmore. Witnesses were Thomas Bolger and Bridget Fewer. The fathers were recorded as John Forristal and John Gahan. John Forristal (farm labourer) died 7 April 1895, aged 62, at Rochestown. His son Martin was present at his death. Mary Forrstall née Gahan died 26 October 1917, aged 78. Her son Michael was present at her death in Rochestown.]
(1) Alice Kirwan née Forristal (1864-1940)
Mikey stated his sister Alice Forristal was born in 1864, she was married to Willie Kirwan. She died at 74 years of age.
[Alice Forristal (b. 5 Nov. 1864- 9 Nov. 1940) was married on 27 October 1892, at Glenmore to Wm. Kirwan (1859-1933) of Rochestown (labourer). William was the son of Maurice Kirwan (farmer). However, Alice’s obituary states that her husband’s name was Richard. ]
[Death of Mrs. A. Kirwan—The death occurred at her residence at Rochestown, Glennmore, on Saturday of Mrs. Alice Kirwan, at the age of 74 years. Deceased, who had been ailing only a short time, was widow of the late Richard Kirwan, Rochestown. She leaves three sons—Maurice, Thomas and Peter to mourn her passing. The funeral, which was largely attended, Took place from her late residence to Glenmore Parish Church on Monday for interment. Rev. W. Brennan, C.C. officiated at the graveside A number of Mass Cars were place on the grave from relatives.—R.I.P. Funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr. T. Power, Ferrybank (Munster Express, Fri. 15 Nov. 1940, p. 8).]
[We found four sons born to Alice: Maurice Kirwan (b. 20 Aug. 1893); John Kirwan (b. 7 July 1895); Thomas Kirwan (b. 7 July 1897); and Peter Kirwan (b. 28 June 1899).]
(2) Mary Foran née Forristal (1866-1912)
Mikey’s sister Mary Forristal went to America and was married to Johnny Foran of Harristown. Johnny Foran was a contractor building houses. They had 2 boys and a girl. Their eldest John Foran was in the American navy. Then there was Willie Foran who visited Ireland about 1966. The Foran children were still living in Boston. Mary died young and Johnny re-married. Johnny had all his own gear for building. He built a house for a big snob of a man, who required a stone carving over his door. Foran wasn’t used to that, but be believed in cutting out the middle man.
[Mary Forristal (4 Nov. 1866-12 Sept. 1912) married John Foran on 6 June 1894 at Newton, Massachusetts. In the 1900 Census the couple were living on Beach St. John Foran was born in February 1860 in Massachusetts. Mary reported she was born in May 1862; married 12 years in US 14 years. She had 6 children and 4 were alive in 1900. [1] Thomas F. Foran (b. Sept 1891); [2] Florence Foran (b Feb. 1894); [3] William Foran (b. May 1895) and [4] John J? Foran (b. Dec. 1895). Mary died 12 Sept. 1912 and is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Massachusetts with her children Bridget M. (1882-1949); Thomas Aloyisus Foran died (21 Jan. 1910, aged 70 months). The headstone records that John Foran was born in 1872 and died in 1940. His birthplace is recorded as Harristown, County Kilkenny, Ireland.]
[Mary’s death notice appeared in The Boston Globe (Fri. 20 Sept. 1912, p. 6) .The funeral of Mrs. Mary J. Foran, wife of John J. Foran, a well-known business man of the West Newton Section, took place this morning at St. Bernard’s Church, West Newton, with a requiem mass celebrated by Rev. Fr. F.J. Cronin. Interment was in the family lot at Calvary Cemetery, Waltham.]
(3) Bridget Forristal (1869-1936)
Mikey stated that his sister Bridget “never married at all.” She also went to Boston.
[Bridget Forrestal (sic) (b. 29 Jan.1869-2 Feb. 1936) was born the 29th and baptized the 31st. A civil record was found for a twin Richard Forristal. His birth was registered by Mary Ryan, nurse on 4 February 1869. There is no record of him being baptized in Glenmore with Bridget. ]
[A short death notice was published in the Boston Globe in 1936, “At Holy Ghost Hospital, Cambridge, Feb. 2, Bridget A. Foristall (sic) of 208 Auburn St. Auburndale. High Mass of Requiem at Holy Ghost Chapel Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 9 a.m. Relatives and friends invited (Boston Globe, Mon. 3 Feb. 1936, p. 19).]
(4) Elizabeth Gahan née Forristal (1875-1929)
His sister Elizabeth Forristal was married to Tom Gahan.
[Elizabeth Forrestal (b. 22 Dec. 1875-1929) at the age of 20, on 13 February 1896 married Thomas Gahan (farmer) of Rochestown, Glenmore. Thomas was the son of John Gahan (farmer) and Elizabeth’s father was John Forristal (boatman). The couple had at least 8 children: Mary Gahan (b. 18 Nov. 1896); Elizabeth Gahan (bapt. 23 Sept. 1898); Anastatia Gahan (b. 27 Sept. 1899); John Gahan (b. 15 May 1901); Thomas Gahan (b. 20 Oct. 1903); Martin Gahan (1905-1986) Elizabeth “Lill” Gahan (b. 12 April 1907) and Michael Gahan (b. 4 Feb. 1911).]
(5) John Forristal (1871-1934)
His brother John Forristal left home at 17. He went to Boston and worked as a policeman.
[John Forristal (b. 17 June 1871-30 Sept. 1934) At the time of John’s birth his father’s profession was recorded as “boatman”. John Forristal and Rose A. Lynn were married on 26 September 1897 at Newton, Mass. She was born in Cavan and was the daughter of Mathew Lynn and Mary Lynn née McMahon. The 1900 Census provides that the couple had one son, Arthur (b. July 1898). Rose was born in May 1872, and John was working as a coachman. The family was living on Henshaw Terrace. The 1930 Census records that the family were living on Auburn St. and John was 59 and working as a police officer. Children include Mary J, aged 29; Thomas M., aged 28; Joseph L, aged 22 and Francis J. aged 20. John immigrated in 1888 and Rose in 1884.]
[ The Boston Globe (Mon. 8 Aug. 1932, p. 3) “Friends Play Trick on Newton Policeman During Fishing Party.” Patrolman John J. Forristal of Auburn St., Auburndale, has supplied the reporters with numerous stories, many of them humorous. But this morning Clark Barkhouse, 25 Kenyon St., West Newton supplied one on Forristal.]
[Forristal, who is on his vacation, was fishing with several others on Barkhouses’s boat off Cohasset. After 3 hours of fruitless endeavour, John retired to the cabin for a rest, leaving his line tied to a stanchion. Half an hour later he resumed his fishing and after nearly an hour of fishing hauled in his line. Seven fish were on the hooks. Even when finally told someone had played a trick on him, John looked wisely at the catch. “I must have caught some of them anyway,” he remarked. He kept the fish.]
[Obituary—Services for John J. Foristall Wednesday—NEWTON, Oct. 1—Funeral services for John J. Foristall, retired Newton police officer who died at his home at 208 Auburn St., Auburndale, yesterday after a four days’ sickness, will be held at 9 o’clock Wednesday morning with a requiem mass at Corpus Christi Church, Auburndale. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Waltham.]
[He had been a member of the Police Department for 30 years when he retired two years ago. He was a native of Ireland, coming to Newton as a young man. He joined the police force at the age of 30. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Rose (Lynn) Foristall; a daughter, Mrs. Harry Ilfeld of West Newton, and four sons, John A., Joseph L. and Francis J. Foristall of Auburndale and Thomas M. Foristall of New York (John J. Foristal, The Boston Globe, 2 Oct. 1934, p. 4).]
(6) Tom Forristal (1873-?)
Mikey’s brother Tom Forristal was a twin. He went off to England. When he was at Ringville School he was a “great scholar” and taught at Ringville for 3 years without pay. The teacher, Joe Grennan, a small sized man, and fairly old, spoke to Mikey’s father about Tom going on. “My father had 8 of us to keep up and my brother could not stay.” Tom worked on the railway, then went off to England and worked in Liverpool on the docks. He worked the docks during WWII.
(7) Martin Forristal (1873-1955)
Mikey’s brother Martin Forristal is Willie and Johnny Forristal’s father. Martin was a twin.
[Martin Forestal (sic) (b. 8 Aug. 1873-1955) Nurse Ryan registered the birth of the twins on the 28th of August and noted that they were born at 12 midnight on the 8th.]
(8) Mikey Forristal (1879-1972)
Mikey stated that he was the youngest boy. He also spoke about his occupation of fishing.
[Michael Forrestal (20 April 1879-14 June 1972) on 29 August 1911, married Margaret Jennings at St. John the Evangelist of Waterford. The groom was from Glenmore and the bride was from John’s Hill, Waterford. Her father was Myles Jennings (bottler) and his father was John Forristal (labourer) deceased.
Margaret Mary Jennings was born on 16 October 1882 on Tucket St. in Castlebar, Co. Mayo. Her father Myles Jennings was a Mineral Water Manufacturer and her mother is listed as Clare Mary McEvilly. A note on the birth record states “on marriage no. 98501 (Myles) wife’s name is Clare Ann. Her father (David) is a lemonade manufacturer. Myles Jennings (shopkeeper) of Westport married Clare Anne on 4 March 1875. His father’s name is not listed except noted farmer.]
[The death register provides that Mikey died on 14th of June 1972, at the age of 93. He died at his daughter Alice Murphy’s home in Ballybrahee, Glenmore.]
[Mikey’s obituary appeared in the Irish Independent (Thur. 15 June 1972, p. 29) Forristal (Rochestown, Glenmore, Co. Kilkenny)—June 14, 1972, at his daughter’s residence (Ballybrahee, Glenmore), Michael Forristal; deeply regretted by his sorrowing sons, daughters, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. RIP Remains will be removed at 7:30 o’c, this (Thursday) evening to Glenmore Church. Requiem Mass at10:30 o’c to-morrow (Friday). Burial immediately afterwards in adjoining cemetery.]
Mikey also spoke about Nicky Forristal being married in Carlow and was a full back for the hurler’s here. However, it isn’t clear whether Nicky was his brother or nephew.
The Landlords
Mikey related that Old Conn was their landlord. Conn was a Captain first. He came from Passage East. Strange was another landlord and lived where James Kelly is now. Edmond Forristal was a big landlord too with hundreds of acres. Edmond Forristal married Strange’s sister or daughter. Could not knock the walls of the castle with dynamite. [The remains of the old Rochestown Castle was near John Aylward, of Rochestown yard.] The landlord’s house was 20 yards up from the Aylward house. The Aylward house is built where the landlords stable was. Conn bought land from Strange.
Conn built his own house; Mount Ida. Mikey knew Conn. He described Conn as a big stout man. Conn always had the gards annoyed “coming around.” Paddy Stapleton’s father was a sergeant in Glenmore. Mikey never knew Conn’s wife. Conn had two sons. The Old people talked about the mother. “Conn was under repute.” The man who got the estate was Dr. Phillips, of the English Army. Mikey thought that Dr. Phillips was a first cousin to old Conn. His other first cousin was a man named Costy (Costello) who lived near Borris in Co. Carlow.
[For further details concerning Mount Ida and the bigamist landlord John Lambly Conn (1812-1893) see Martin Forristal’s article “Mount Ida”.]
Mikey’s uncle, also called Mikey Forristal, worked as a coachman for Conn. Mikey’s brother Martin worked for Dr. Phillips as a coachman. Dr. Phillips was living in Reading and used to come over 6 weeks before the family. He wouldn’t leave the house one night. Mikey and his brother Martin had to stay with him. Phillips had two girls and a boy, Tom. One of the girls married a minister the other one never married.
John Forristal’s (c. 1833-1895) Brothers
Danny asked Mikey about his father’s brothers. Mikey related that his father’s mother was a Doherty from Ballyrobin, Ferrybank and gave Danny the names of his three paternal uncles.
[The parish records provide that Mikey’s grandparents, John Forristal and Alice (Ally) Doherty were married on 3 February 1829. Alicia Doherty was baptized at Aylwardstown on 9 August 1807 the daughter of John Doherty and Catherine Ryan.]
(1) John Forristal (c. 1833-1895) was Mikey’s father.
(2) Thomas Forristal [bapt. 7 Jan. 1838] went to Boston.
(3) Martin Forristal [bapt. 12 Nov. 1835] went to Boston.
(4) Mickey Forristal [bapt. 18 Nov. 1843] married Anty Grant and they had 2 sons. John Forristal was shopkeeping in New Ross with Hutchinson then went into the Christian brothers. The Christian Brothers would not let him home to see his mother. The other son was Martin Forristal who was killed in the creamery. Mickey (1843) worked as a coachman for Conn. [For information concerning the tragic death of Martin Forristal (1879-1931) see our post of 13 May 2020.]
[In addition to the four sons identified above we also located two daughters: Catherine Forristal (bapt. 6 Nov. 1833) and Mary Forristal (bapt. 9 Dec. 1840).]
Summer Fun Leads to Tragedy
Mikey told Danny that he and his brothers went to Ringville to school. Katie Grant née Denn sold most of her farm to Marty Carney. One field of about 3 acres near her house she sold to Richie Roche for £200. Katie Denn and her brother Andy were at school with Mikey. The local boys stopped the water and made a pool in the Curramore stream. The children went into the pool of water several times. Andy Denn was only 10 to 12 years old and caught cold and died.
[Andrew Denn, of Carriginurra, aged 11, died 28 August 1889 of tubercular meningitis. He was ill 18 days. His mother Mary Denn was with him when he died.]
Please send any corrections, information or photos to glenmore.history@gmail.com. It is hoped that someone might share a photo of Mickey Forristal and his family.
Special thanks to Martin Gahan, of Ballinamona for correcting information concerning his father Martin Gahan (1905-1986) [updated 7 May 2024] and providing the photo of his grandparents Tom and Eliz. Gahan née Forristal and his paternal aunts and uncles.
We had a request for a simple family tree.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
Ballybrahee, Glenmore (1961)
Today, we are going to feature information that Danny Dowling recorded regarding the residents of the townland of Ballybrahee around 1961. The Irish for this townland, according to Kelly’s, The Place Names of the County of Kilkenny (1969, p. 109) is Baile Bhrachaidhe, which translates to Broughy’s homestead. Ballybrahee or Ballybrahy is in the old civil parish or DED of Kilcoan. There are 160 acres in this townland.
In the 1833 Griffith’s Valuation Applotment Records the townland had eight tenants: Martin Sullivan (42 acres); Michael Murphy (15 acres); Walter Grant (15 acres); Widow Walsh (6 acres); Patrick Kierivan (31 acres); Edmond Walsh (3 acres); James Freeman (house) and John Sullivan (13 acres).
Danny Dowling, 130 years later, in 1961 recorded 3 families or households in Ballybrahee. Birthdates or birth years are provided for some of the older residents gleaned from available public records. For some time after drafting his notebook, Danny recorded the dates of death or simply recorded that a resident had died. No such entries are found in this townland. The recorded information reveals that in 1961, 21 people resided in Ballybrahee with the population comprised of 9 males and 12 females. The Hoynes family was the largest family with eleven members in the household. There were no households recorded of a single person living alone.
Recorded Residents
Males= 9
Females= 12
Eldest Recorded Resident= Kathleen Hoynes (1917-2018). Kathleen was 44 in 1961. For further information on Kathleen Hoynes (1917-2018), a Glenmore centenarian, see our previous post of 19 September 2021.
Recorded Work
Farmers = 3 (3 males) No other occupations are recorded.
BALLYBRAHEE, GLENMORE RESIDENTS
[1] HOYNES
Hoynes, Philip (b. 1918) Farmer
Hoynes, Kathleen (b. 1917) wife
Hoynes, Michael, son
Hoynes, Mary, daughter
Hoynes, Brigid, daughter
Hoynes, Anna, daughter
Hoynes, Gerard, son
Hoynes, Margaret, daughter
Hoynes, John, son
Hoynes, Carmel, daughter
Hoynes, Rita, daughter
[2] WALSH
Walsh, Patrick (b. 1921) Farmer
Walsh, Margaret, wife
Walsh, Theresa, daughter
Walsh, Martin, son
Walsh, Luke Bernard, son
[3] MURPHY
Murphy, Luke, Farmer
Murphy, Alice, wife
Murphy, Ellen, daughter
Murphy, Daniel, son
Murphy, Margaret, daughter
For further information on Luke Murphy (c. 1927-2003) see our previous post of 15 August 2021.
Please send any corrections or additional information to glenmore.history@gmail.com.
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh
From Danny’s Files: The 1961 Irish Press Article on Luke Murphy [Updated]
Tucked safely in Danny Dowling’s voluminous collection of Glenmore related files is a sixty-year-old article featuring Luke Murphy (c. 1927-2003) of Ballybrahee, Glenmore. The article is entitled “High Production on an 18-Acre Farm: Little Denmark in South Kilkenny,” written by Maurice Liston and published in the Irish Press on Saturday the 11th of February 1961. In addition to honouring the industrious Luke Murphy and his high produce yields, the article is important as it is one of the markers of the development of Irish agricultural journalism. According to the Guild of Agricultural Journalists, which was founded also in 1961, “the first half of the twentieth century Ireland was a barren land as far as agricultural communication of any kind was concerned.” (Guild of Agricultural Journalists, 50th Anniversary, p. 4). The Guild publication notes that Maurice Liston was one of two prominent national Irish agricultural journalists when the Guild was founded in 1961. Maurice Liston (c. 1901-1973) was a native of Co. Limerick, and began his journalistic career with regional newspapers such as the Limerick Leader, the Drogheda Independent and Mayo News before joining the national Irish Press in 1932. Although Maurice Liston covered all types of news stories he became “best known for his well-informed articles on farming” (Irish Press, 20 April 1973, p. 3).
Today, we are going to highlight various aspects of the ground breaking 1961 article that provides a glimpse into a self-sufficient mixed farming enterprise that was once prevalent in Glenmore, but has disappeared. We will conclude with some information on Luke Murphy’s parents and grandparents.
The 1961 Article
In early February 1961 Maurice Liston visited Luke Murphy’s 18 statute acre farm in Ballybrahee, Glenmore “famed for top quality potatoes and mixed farming generally.” The author noted that the parish of Glenmore previously had been described “by a well-known agriculturalist as a ‘little Denmark.’” He noted that Luke Murphy “by intelligent planning and personal hard work, has achieved an output even greater than that of the Danes.” Luke Murphy had 2 acres of potatoes, 13 acres dedicated to tillage and hay production and the remaining 3 acres were devoted to pasture for grazing. The article further breaks down that 2 acres were in feeding barley, 1.5 acres in wheat, 1 acre in sugar beet, 1 acre in mangold, and half an acre in turnips and 3.5 acres in hay.
Ballybrahee in 1961 was one of the few districts in Ireland where the yield of Golden Wonders potatoes averaged 12 tons an acre although Luke Murphy enjoyed even higher yields. The author noted that the soil “is a typical South Leinster Silurian, free working loam and eminently suitable for tillage and early sowing.” The early sowing and good management of the crop were identified as the reason for the high yields. In addition to the high yield Luke Murphy maximised his profit by selling his Golden Wonders mainly after Christmas. He built a special potato store for sorting and grading the potatoes for market.
The beet crop produced sixteen tons to the acre and it was noted that in some years Luke Murphy was able to achieve twenty tons to the acre. “The farm is practically self-supporting with by-products of the beet crop, roots and barley in plentiful supply for stock feeding. The stock consists of four fine milch cows which yield around 700 gallons each per year. The milk is sent to Glenmore Co-operative Creamery…one of the most successful creameries in the South of Ireland…The calves are fed with hay, roots and beat pulp and are sold as yearlings. The pig enterprise is a highly successful one. Three sows are kept and they average twelve bonhams each, which is really very prolific and well above the national average…with around 70 store pigs sold off the farm annually. All are fed on home produced food supplemented by purchased pig meal produced at the local creamery.”
It was noted that the rotation of crops on this farm was sound but flexible. Farm manure was the main fertilizer. Root crops followed stubbles in some years, but invariably feeding barley and wheat followed beet or potatoes. “One of the outstanding successes on the farm [was] the creation of new pastures, which have trebled the stock carry capacity of the land. This high yield output results from the method of sowing down tilled land to a crop of grass…by direct seeding…” In 1961 Luke Murphy maintained four milch cows, five yearlings, two horses and three sows. “on six statute acres is tremendous stocking—exceeding the very high outputs that we hear of from New Zealand and other countries.”
Luke Murphy attributed his success to science. “Convinced that science is as necessary to agricultures as to any other industry” he regularly attended agricultural classes” including those held in Glenmore the previous year. The article concludes that from “a very small acreage Mr. Murphy has provided himself and his family with a high standard of living, using his car for business and for pleasure. The comfortable residence, well-appointed out-offices, including haybarn and well-kept yards, are in keeping with the exceptionally high standard of husbandry practised.” Interestingly, although an automobile is mentioned there is no mention of a tractor which may explain why two horses were kept.
The Murphy Family
Luke Murphy was married to Alice Murphy née Forristal (c. 1922- 2018) of Rochestown, Glenmore. The couple had four children. Unfortunately, public records for births after 1920 are not available nor are marriages after 1945, thus we have provided what information that we could verify concerning Luke Murphy’s parents and grandparents. A tree is provided for ease of access followed by further information including townlands etc.
Luke Murphy’s Parents
Luke Murphy (c. 1927-2003) was the son of Daniel Murphy (5 April 1876-18 Nov. 1948) and Ellen Murphy née Murphy (c. 1884-29 July 1951). Daniel Murphy and Ellen Murphy were married on 8 November 1911 at Glenmore. The groom, Daniel Murphy, was 35 years of age, a farmer from Shambogh (sic) and his father was listed as James Murphy (farmer). The bride, Ellen Murphy, was 27 years of age, from Ballybrahee, Glenmore and her father was listed as John Murphy (farmer).
The following children of Daniel Murphy and Ellen Murphy née Murphy have been identified from various family obituaries: [1] Mary Murphy (c. 1908-1998)(emigrated to England); [2] James Murphy (29 Nov. 1915-2 Dec. 1941); [3] John Murphy; [4] Con Murphy (emigrated to England); [5] Stasia Furlong née Murphy ( ?-1999); [6] Hannie Brennan née Murphy (? -c. 1996)(emigrated to England); [7] Luke Murphy (c. 1927-29 March 2003).
Luke Murphy’s Grandparents
Daniel Murphy (1876-1948) was the son of James Murphy and Johanna Neil of Shanbogh, Rosbercon. James Murphy and Johanna Neil, of Glyn, were married on 28 February 1870 at Rosbercon.
Ellen Murphy née Murphy was born on 1 August 1884 the daughter of John Murphy and Mary Murphy née Henneberry. John Murphy (farmer) of Ballybrahee and Mary Henneberry, of Ballyverneen, were married at Glenmore on 19 January 1884. John Murphy’s father was listed as John Murphy (deceased) and Mary Murphy née Henneberry’s father was listed as James Henneberry (labourer). James Henneberry married Ellen Walsh, of Weatherstown, on 17 January 1853.
Mary Murphy née Henneberry was born on 23 June 1859 at Jamestown. Her parents were James Henneberry and his wife Ellen Henneberry née Walsh. James Henneberry and Ellen Walsh, of Weatherstown were married on the 17th of January 1853.
Please send any further information or corrections to glenmore.history@gmail.com. Luke Murphy was a contemporary of Danny Dowling, and for further information about 1927 see our previous post.
[Updated 16 August 2021–Special thanks to Jackie Walsh for sending the photo of the three men of Ballybrahee. Updated 17 August 2021–Special thanks to Julie Hoyne for the correction: the man in the centre of the men of Ballybrahee is Jim Murphy, the older brother of Luke Murphy. ]
Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh