I really don't know very much about Julia. I'll be researching her as I write this!!
I do know that widower Patrick Keohane married Julia Murphy on 8 February 1902. Patrick was a laborer living in Killany - I think that says Killany - that is where he had been working for - and renting a house from - Hannah Bowen in the 1901 census. I don't know enough about Kinsale to make out where Julia comes from - but her father is Denis Murphy. Witnesses were John Hayes and Ellen Hogan - I don't know John Hayes, but Ellen Hogan is probably Ellen Pierce Cooney Hogan - her sister was Mary Pierce Keohane - Patrick's mother - so she was Patrick's aunt.
We also saw that Patrick and Julia had a child Julia Keohane on 19 April 1903 in Shippool. Why did they move to Shippool? They were in Killany when they married just a year ago. Patrick must be working for another farmer? Julia didn't register the baby's birth in Ballymartle until 17 September!! 5 months later!! How come?!?
We know that the Keohanes were living in Ballythomas in the 1911 census. Patrick was the 52 year old head of the family - he is still working as a laborer. His wife is 40 and look what it says - they have been married 23 years and she has had 7 children!! I wonder who is giving the answers to this census!! Neither Patrick nor Julia can read.
We saw that Patrick Keohane was listed as the landowner in the 1911 Irish census below. The Land Wars, Land League, Irish Land Commission - all were involved in helping tenants buy land - there was also a bill passed by the British Parliament to get land for laborers. The County Councils were also building housing for laborers. I suppose this is how John Keohane got the cottage in Ballythomas.
The kids are getting older - John is 21 and Tom is 19 - they are both farm laborers. Hannah is 18 - she must be helping around the house because there is no occupation listed. Jim is 13 - he is the only one going to school because 8 year old Julia is not listed as a scholar! I wonder what was going on.
We saw that Patrick Keohane was listed as the landowner in the 1911 Irish census below. The Land Wars, Land League, Irish Land Commission - all were involved in helping tenants buy land - there was also a bill passed by the British Parliament to get land for laborers. The County Councils were also building housing for laborers. I suppose this is how John Keohane got the cottage in Ballythomas.
I wonder what life was like in the 4 rooms for those 7 people? We know Minnie and Nellie were off working. Jim and Tom may have been thinking about going to America. Patrick was 52 years old and apparently was still working. Jim was 13 and would soon be starting work himself. Patrick and Julia had been married for 9 years - how did she get along with the older children? Had they welcomed her or resented her? Maybe a combination of both.
I know that John Keohane headed for America the next year - in 1912 he emigrated to a cousin Denis Crowley in Lowell - Tom emigrated 2 years later in 1914 - he was headed to his brother at Hood Farm near Lowell. In 1920 John Keohane next sent for his sister Nellie who was working in England and then in 1921 for his sister Hannah. That left Jim and young Julia at home with the old pair.
Patrick Keohane died in 1917 of stomach cancer - that left his widow Julia, Jim, and young Julia (Judy) living in Ballythomas. Or was Jim even living at home? was he living where he was working?
I found a marriage registration for Timothy Cooney of Tissanon to young Julia Keohane on 21 August 1924 in the Catholic Church in Kinsale. 7 years after Patrick Keohane died.
Timothy and Julia were of full age. Timothy was a bachelor and was working as a laborer; Julia was a spinster with no occupation - she was living in Dunderrow - at home I suppose with her mother. Timothy was living in Tissasson. Timothy's father was Patrick Cooney - he had been a laborer. Patrick Keohane was also a laborer. Witnesses were Timothy Calnan and Mary Riordan.
We met this Timothy Cooney before - back when we were talking about the Pierces. Do you remember that:
Charles Pierce had at least 2 daughters - Mary and Ellen.
Mary married Jack Keohane - one of their children was Patrick Keohane who was the father of this Julia Keohane.
Ellen Pierce married Patrick Cooney - their son was young Patrick Cooney - I couldn't find any other children. This younger Patrick Cooney was Timothy Cooney's father.
Let's just do a review of the Cooneys. According to
Ellen Pierce married Patrick Cooney on 18 September 1864 in the Roman Catholic Chapel in Kinsale. He was 22 years old; she was 21. He was a bachelor; she was a spinster. Patrick was working as a laborer. He was living - and probably working - in Knocksmall, Dunderrow. Ellen was living in Dunderrow - no occupation listed - was she keeping house for her parents? Patrick's father was Bartholomew Cooney; Ellen's father was Charles Pierce - the fathers were both laborers.
In 1865 a son Patrick was born to Patrick and Ellen (Pierce) Cooney on 30 June in Dunderrow. The father is a laborer. Mary Pierce of Dunderrow was present at birth and registered the birth on 26 July in Ballymartle. Mary was probably Ellen's sister who marries Jack Keohane (and will be Julia Keohane's grandmother!)
There is a death noted on irishgenealogy.ie for 30 year old Patrick Cooney who died 1865 in the Kinsale district but there is no other information. I wonder if this could be our Patrick Cooney - Timothy's grandfather? The age is off so I guess we won't know for certain unless we get a copy of the death registration. Information on how to obtain a copy of the death registration or a death certificate is on
(This Ellen Cooney went on to marry Edward Hogan in 1870 after the older Patrick Cooney died young - Ellen Pierce Cooney Hogan.)
I found a civil registration for the marriage of Patrick Cooney of Kinsale to Ellen Keefe of Kinsale on 20 August 1887 in the Roman Catholic Chapel of Kinsale - Reverend James Lehane performed the ceremony. These two are Timothy Cooney's parents. Patrick and Ellen are both listed as laborers! And both fathers - Patrick Cooney and Eugene Keefe are dead. No age is given - both Patrick and Ellen are of full age. Witnesses were John Coleman and Hannah Murphy. No online copy of the marriage is available per
I couldn't find any Church record of the wedding online either. But I think this is our Patrick Cooney - son of Patrick Cooney and Ellen Pierce.
I then found a civil registration for the birth of yet another Patrick Cooney! In Mile Water. He was born 25 January 1891 to the above Patrick Cooney and Ellen Keefe - his father was a laborer. His grandmother Mary Keefe also of Mile Water was present at birth and was the informant.
A daughter, Mary Ellen Cooney, was born to the couple in 1888 in Mile Water. Another daughter Julia was born in 1897 when the family was living in Ballinamona.
Finally I found a civil registration for Timothy Cooney - https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1900/02001/1769736.pdf
On line 239 it reports that he was born 14 January 1900 in Killany!! These laborers certainly did move around a lot - it must have been a hard life - especially as the husband/father grew older - I suppose farmers would want younger stronger workers. Grandmother Keefe had been present at the other births but not at Timothy's - I can't make out the name of the informant.
I looked up Winstmills and found out that it is an 11 acre section of Tisaxon parish - like Tisaxon More, Tisaxon Beg, Holyhill, Ballywilliam, and Ardcloyne. So I checked the 1901 House and Building Return for Tisaxon More and found a Patrick Cooney renting a 3rd class 2 room house with NO windows from Charles Kiely - there are 6 in family so this makes me think this is our Patrick Cooney.
It must have been tough living in that house - there might not have been a chimney - there were no windows - a fire going day and night especially in the cold damp weather. Were they happy do you think? I suppose other neighbors were in the same situation. When I was young, my folks didn't have much money, but I had a happy childhood - of course it was nowhere as difficult as these Cooneys or any of our early family members - but if you don't know anything else?
Next we come to the 1911 census. The family is now living in Tisaxon More. But Ellen has died. Patrick is 46 and is still laboring. Julia is 13 and must be the housekeeper. Timothy is still going to school - he is 11.
The 1911 House and Building Return shows the Cooneys are living in building #7 which is a 2nd class house with 3 windows in front - it is a bigger house with 4 rooms for the 3 of them. Patrick is down as the landholder. Building #8 is Charles Kiely's cow shed - I hope this wasn't the house the Cooneys lived in 10 years ago!!
I met Timmy and Julia Cooney in 1981 - that year that I took Aunt Nellie to Kinsale. They invited us to their house after Mass on Sunday. This was the morning that I thought I had overslept after a big night out with my cousins Anne and Vincie O'Sullivan. I hurried into Kinsale to take Aunt Nellie to Mass and found out it was only 7 am! I was so discombobulated that I forgot to take my tape recorder or even a pen and paper. When we got to the Cooneys, Aunt Nellie and especially Timsy Cooney were tracing all the relatives!! I was heartbroken that I had no way to record all this information. But it helped me understand how my Uncle Mike and my cousin Hannah in Sneem knew so much about their family history - when visitors came by, they often would be tracing back various families - you can't help but remember this information if you hear it often enough. There were no radios or TVs back in the day so people would be talking - maybe singing a song or giving a recitation!
Timsy Cooney, Aunt Nellie Keohane, my father John Manning, Uncle Jim Keohane in the 1970s.
Julia/Judy Keohane Cooney, Aunt Nellie Keohane Albert, Timothy/Timsy Cooney in Tissasson in 1981.
Julia/Judy died in the fall after my visit. The following is her memorial card.
"Prayer To
Our Lady Of Lourdes
O Ever Immaculate Virgin Mother of mercy, health of the sick, refuge of sinners, comfort of the afflicted, you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings; deign to cast on me a look of pity. By appearing in the Grotto of Lourdes, you were pleased to make it a privileged sanctuary, whence you dispense your favours, and already many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal. I come, therefore, with the most unbounded confidence, to implore your maternal intercession. Obtain, O Loving Mother, the grant of my requests. Through gratitude for your favours, I will endeavor to imitate your virtues, that I may one day see your glory. Amen.
"Jesus, Mary, Joseph
Sacred Heart of Jesus
have mercy on the soul of
JULIA COONEY
Tissasson, Kinsale
who died
on the 18th October 1981
Aged 78 years
R.I.P.
All I ask is that you will remember me at
Mass and Holy Communion.
O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."
"SAFELY HOME
I am at home in Heaven, dear ones,
Oh, so happy and so bright,
There is perfect joy and beauty,
in this everlasting light.
All the pain and grief is over,
Every restless yearning passed,
I am now at peace forever,
Safely home in Heaven at last.
Did you wonder I so calmly
Trod the valley of the shade?
Oh, but Jesus' love illumined
Every dark and fearful glade.
And he came Himself to meet me
In that way so hard to tread,
And with Jesus' arm to lean on
Could I have one doubt or dread.
Then you must not grieve so sorely
For I love you dearly still
Try to look beyond earth's shadows,
Pray to trust Our Father's will.
There is work still waiting for you,
So you must not idly stand,
Do it now while life remaineth,
You shall rest in Jesus' land.
When that work is all completed.
He will gently call you Home,
Oh, the rapture of that meeting,
Oh, the joy to see you come."
We received a Thank You card from the Cooney family.
"The husband and family of the late
Julia Cooney
thank you most sincerely for your kind
expression of sympathy in their
recent bereavement.
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be
offered for your intentions.
Tisssasson
Kinsale
Co. Cork January 1982"
Tim Cooney died almost 2 years later.
"THE MEMORARE
Remember O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone that fled to Thy Protection, implored Thy help, or sought Thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence I fly unto Thee, O Virgin of Virgins, my Mother; to Thee I come, before Thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate despise not my petitions, but in Thy clemency hear and answer me.
Amen - 3 years.
PRAYER FOR THE SOULS IN
PURGATORY
O GOD, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of Thy servants departed, the full remission of their sins, that through pious supplications they may obtain the pardon which they have always desired. Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen."
"MY LORD AND MY GOD
JESUS MERCY
MARY HELP
Sacred Heart of Jesus
have mercy on the soul of
TIMOTHY COONEY
Tissasson, Kinsale
Who died on 26th August 1983
Aged 83 years
R.I.P.
Christ has died; Chist is risen
Christ will come again."
"SAFELY HOME
I am at home in Heaven, dear ones,
Oh, so happy and so bright,
There is perfect joy and beauty,
in this everlasting light.
All the pain and grief is over,
Every restless tossing passed,
I am now at peace forever,
Safely home in Heaven at last.
Did you wonder I so calmly
Trod the valley of the shade?
Oh, but Jesus' love illumined
Every dark and fearful glade.
And he came Himself to meet me
In that way so hard to tread,
And with Jesus' arm to lean on
Could I have one doubt or dread.
Then you must not grieve so sorely
For I love you dearly still
Try to look beyond earth's shadows,
Pray to trust Our Father's will.
There is work still waiting for you,
So you must not idly stand,
Do it now while life remaineth,
You shall rest in Jesus' land.
When that work is all completed.
He will gently call you Home,
Oh, the rapture of that meeting,
Oh, the joy to see you come."
I don't know much more about Timsy and Julia/Judy Cooney except that I met or knew 4 of their children who came to Boston - Timmy, Eileen, Mary, and Kathleen.
I knew Eileen the best - I saw her very often. Eileen came out to my grandmother and lived with her in Watertown. I just - 11 April 2021 - found Eileen's immigration records! She came over on the S.S. Marine Marlin - the ship left Queenstown on 24 October 1947. Eileen is on line 28 - Ellen Cooney is a 19 year old single domestic servant. She is able to read and write English. She was born in Kinsale, Eire. Her visa #QV.2303 was issued in Dublin on July 3, 1947. Last permanent address was Kinsale, Eire.
Page 2 notes that the ship docks in New York on 1 November 1947. How did she get to Boston? Did someone meet her?
Ellen/Eileen's nearest relative in Ireland is her father Tim. Cooney, Tissasson, Kinsale, Cork. Her final destination is Boston, Mass. - she has a ticket that her aunt Nellie (Keohane) Albert bought - she has $50. She was never in the United States previously. Her final destination was to her uncle Patrick Cooney, but he is crossed out and replaced with Aunt Nellie Albert at 182 Marlborough St, Boston, Mass. Ellen/Eileen does not intend to return to Ireland but plans to become a US citizen. She is in good health. She is 5'6" with a fair complexion, brown hair, and blue eyes - no distinguishing marks.
So actually Aunt Nellie brought Eileen out! Aunt Nellie and Freddie were working for Mr. Russell in 1947 at 182 Marlborough Street in Boston. I'm sure that they couldn't keep Eileen with them - at some point she went to stay with my grandmother and her family.
Eileen Cooney and Ma, my grandmother Margaret Moriarty Keohane. I'm not sure when this was taken - the background is not familiar.
Eileen on Green Street in Watertown where the Keohanes lived. Notice the clotheslines in Mary Courtney's yard.
My mother, Ellen Keohane, Eileen Cooney, my aunt Hannie Huliston on Green Street.
Ma, my cousin Cynthia Keohane, and Eileen probably on Green Street.
Cousin Mae Keohane who stayed with Ma and my grandfather when she was young, my father John Manning, and Eileen Cooney on Green Street.
My mother, Ellen Keohane Manning, and Eileen on Green Street.
I couldn't find naturalization papers for Eileen but I found this index which might be her. It would be 5 years after her arrival in the US.
Eileen at Nobska Lighthouse in Woods Hole, Falmouth. I remember Hannie telling me that she and Norman - and probably my folks - took Eileen out to Jake's in East Falmouth one night. There was dancing and a fellow asked Eileen to dance. She was sitting in the inside of a circular table. No problem. Hannie said that Eileen jumped up and walked over the table to go dancing!
Eileen, Joanie on the fence, MEM squinting in the sun, Hannie holding Diane at Nobske Lighthouse. Diane was born in August 1954 so this must be 1955?
Eileen and Arthur Griffen
I'm not sure when or where they were married.
My mother was a bridesmaid. I wonder is that is Eileen's sister Kathleen Cooney Lavalle on the right? I remember her being tall.
I don't know who this fellow with my mother is but someone may recognize him.
I think this is from Eileen and Arthur's wedding - a picture of the cousins. Chris Navin, my brother Johnny Manning, Bobby Smith, Terry Smith, Jay Navin with Kathy Navin in front.
More cousins. MEM in front of Bobby Smith, Kevin Smith, Terry Smith, is that Nancy Huliston?, Jay Navin, Chris Navin's back, Mary Patricia Navin, my aunt Peggy Keohane Navin, and Kathy Navin.
My family remained close to Eileen - she lived in Watertown - she and Arthur belonged to the AOH - so they saw each other often. Hannie told me that Eileen's first child was a still born, and Eileen never got over this.
Hannie also talked about Eileen and her kids walking over the river to visit Hannie and her kids. Remember this was a time when women usually stayed home after they married and had kids.
I used to babysit for Eileen's kids. Arthur would pick me up and drive me over. Eileen always left me a pan of brownies that she made. The kids would be in bed but, of course, they would get up as soon as Eileen and Arthur went out the door and would raise cain. After a while, I would give them brownies and then they would go to bed. Arthur would drive me home when he and Eileen got home. I was delighted to be making some money!
Eileen and Arthur came to all the family gatherings - weddings, wakes, whatever came up. I didn't see them as much once I had my own kids - Eileen did come to my son Mike's christening party. Johnny Murphy and I would visit them at their cottage here in Falmouth. I remember when Arthur was building it - it was on Jenkins' pond which is off Sandwich Road. I remember driving out there as a kid - Norman Huliston was probably driving all of his family and mine - my father would be down on weekends. It seemed like such a long, long drive from Falmouth Heights - where the heck were we going! It was only a couple of miles. I especially remember one time when Arthur might have been digging the foundation - he seemed to be way down in the ground - there were mosquitoes everywhere! I was thinking "why would anyone want a cottage this far away?" The Heights was the center of the world to us.
When Johnny Murphy and I moved to Falmouth, it was usually Arthur that we would see at his cottage. Sometimes we would bring him some vegetables from our garden. He used to drive to the VFW I think it was - where they served meals on Friday nights. We were supposed to meet him there some time, but we never did. I do remember his great head of dark hair that he had well into his 80s!
Keohane cousins out on the town! My aunt Peggy Keohane Navin, Kathleen Cooney Lavalle, Frances Keohane Smith, Josie Keohane Nelson, Eileen Cooney Griffen, my mother Ellen Keohane Manning, Hannie Keohane Huliston, Mary Cooney Feeney.
Mary Cooney Feeney did send my folks a postcard when she took her family to Kinsale. It is dated 16 Aug 1973.
"Dear Ellen & John,
We are having wonderful time here, and the children are enjoying the countryside and they love riding grandad's pony. I have seen all our family now everyone was home from England, my mother will be exhausted by the time everyone leaves to go home. Thank you for the present - see you when we get home.
Love from the Feeneys"
I also have this picture of Mary Theresa Feeney - the Irish dancer on the right of the platform. This was a feis held at Victory Field in Watertown - I am not sure of the year - mid 80s maybe? Some of us Watertown cousins were in this feis as well.
The Cooneys did come to our 2 Family Reunions in 1981 and 2006. Some of the Cooney cousins helped plan the last one - I got to know them a whole lot better! And the Reunion was a blast! Does anyone have any other pictures from those Reunions?
My mother, Mae Shea, Margaret Kiely Grogan, and Eileen Cooney Griffen - unfortunately, I don't know who the little girl is. Can someone tell me?
oSome of the younger Cooney cousins! Do you who is who? Let me know!
I think I will leave it at that for now. But certainly if you have any questions, comments, or information, please comment below!!
Hi, great work on the Cooneys, I am Kathleen Cooney Lavelle's son. The first three girls in the photo above are Sheila Griffin (Eileen's daughter), AnneMarie Cooney (Tim's daughter) and Kathleen Feeney (Mary's daughter).
ReplyDeleteThe fourth girl might be Eileen's daughter, Ellen Griffin, but not sure
ReplyDeleteAlso, not sure if you've covered this already, but regarding the Pierce sisters who married Jack Keohane and Patrick Cooney, they had a brother John Pierce who married Mary Cooney (Patrick's sister). Within that chain of the tree, their grandson, Patrick Pierce fought for the IRA during the Irish Civil War. He was captured along with an O'Sullivan from Kinsale, by the Free State Army and executed in 1922 in the town of Upton in Cork. They just had a 100 year anniversary ceremony of this event in Kinsale last year.
ReplyDelete