Aunt Hannah Keohane

Guy's Cork Almanac of 1891 describes Kinsale as a head post, a garrison, and a market town under local government. I have included the pages about Kinsale - it is interesting reading.

Page 191 has a list of local farmers - Patrick Bowen is listed as being from Killany. We have seen previously that the Keohanes lived in Killaney.

5 years later Patrick Keohane and Hannah Kiely's 3rd daughter and 5th child - Hannah Keohane - is born 1 June 1896 in Killany, Kinsale, County Cork. The following is her civil birth registration from the website irishgenealogy.ie. Her father's occupation is a laborer. Her mother registers her birth on 19 June 1896 - 18 days after she was born. She is #132 on the certificate below.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1896/02166/1821015.pdf

According to the 1925 baptismal certificate below, Aunt Hannah was born 1 June 1896 - the same date listed on the birth certificate - we have seen before that some people are baptized before they are born!! She is baptized 2 June 1896 in the Roman Catholic Parish Church by Reverend T. Barrett. Parents are Patrick Keohane and Hanna Keily. Witnesses are Michael Donovan and Hanna Donovan. The baptismal record is dated 23 December 1925 and signed by Father Edward Fitzgerald. I wonder who these Donovans are - married couple, brother and sister, cousins? And I wonder why Aunt Hannah needed a baptismal record in 1925? For her American citizenship papers maybe?

We have seen that the Keohanes are living in Killany when the 1901 Irish Census is taken.  40 year old Patrick is an agricultural worker - his 13 year old daughter Minnie is a housekeeper. John is 11, and Thomas is 9 years old - both are scholars. Ellen is 6, and Hannah is 4 years old - they are also scholars. Baby James is 2 years old. Hannah Keily Keohane died sometime after Jim was born. Is Minnie not going to school so she can stay home and take care of Jim?

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai001949820/

According to the House and Building Return below, the 7 Keohanes are living in a 2 room 3rd class house - this probably means mud walls and a thatched roof. There is one window in the front of the house. They are renting the house from Hanah Bowen. Patrick Keohane is likely working on her farm. In contrast to the Keohanes, Hanah Bowen lives in a 2nd class 7 room house with three other people. She is also renting a 2 room house to Cornelius O'Brien and his family of eight. How did Hannah become head of her family? We saw a Patrick Bowen of Killany listed in 1891 Guy's Almanac - Hannah is the only Bowen landowner now.

(Aside: I remember hearing the name Jerry O'Brien - he was from Kinsale - I wonder if this family is related to him?)

I included the census return for Hannah Bowen as a refresher. She is 

the 35 year old head of the family - she is Roman Catholic and not married - she is a farmer - she was born in Cork - she speaks English. Her 30 year old sister Nano and 26 year old sister Helena live with her - they are not married and are the farmer's sisters - they were also born in Cork and speak English. Julia Dempsey is their 24 year old servant - she is not married - she was born in Cork - and she speaks Irish and English.

I found the answer re Hanah becoming the head of the family - Hanah's father Patrick Bowen died 2 February 1899 of sudden heart disease. His death was reported by Julia Dempsey who is the servant living with Hanah Bowen in the 1901 census. He is #261 on the sheet below which I found on irishgenealogy.ie . So Hannah takes over the farm when her father dies.