Patrick Hogan and Julia Coughlan - Then a Detour.

I knew from a cousin, Mae Hogan Kiely, that Ellen Pierce's husband, Patrick Cooney, died young - leaving her with a young son, another Patrick Cooney. Mae told me that our Ellen Pierce Cooney then married Patrick Hogan. 

Patrick Hogan is the son of Edmond Hogan and Betty Collins - they were married 20 February 1830 in Innishannon. Here is the page with their marriage from the records of Innishannon Parish on www.irishgenealogy.ie.

Edmond and Betty Collins had several children. I found 8 who I think belong to them.

Ellen Hogan is baptized 26 December 1830 - parents: Edmond Hogan, Eliza Collins - sponsors: Timy Corcoran, Margaret Halnane - Innishannon.

Edmond Hogan is baptized 27 November 1832 - parents: Edmond Hogan, Betty Collins - sponsors: Jerry Healy, Anne Crimmeen - Inishannon.

David Hogan is baptized 1 March 1835 - parents: Ned Hogan, Betty Collins - sponsors: John Barrett, Ellen McCarthy - Innishannon.

Michael Hogan is baptized 25 April 1837 - parents: Ned Hogan, Betty Collins - sponsors: Patrick Lane, Cath Couney - Innishannon.

Patrick Hogan is is baptized 1 March 1841 - parents: Edward Hogan, Betty Collens - sponsors: Patrick Cooney, Mary Desmond - Innishannon. (I wonder who this Patrick Cooney is?)

William is baptized 7 December 1843 - parents: Ned Hogan, Betty Collins - sponsors: John Hogan, Mary Barry - Innishannon.

Mary Hogan is baptized 31 December 1845 - parents:  Edmond Hogan, Betty Collins - sponsors:  Michael Collins, Ellen Walsh - Innishannon.

Catherine Hogan is born 8 August 1849 - parents: Edwd Hogan and Betty Collins - sponsors: Michael Collins, Mary Barry - baptism in Innishannon.

So our Ellen Pierce - born in 1843 - daughter of Charles Pierce and Mary Leary of Dunderrow - first married Patrick Cooney and had one son - young Patrick Cooney. After her husband dies, Ellen Pierce Cooney marries this Patrick Hogan who was born in 1841.

Mae Hogan Kiely said that Patrick Hogan was a widower when he married our Ellen Pierce. She thought his first wife was Julia Cahalane. I found the following information on www.irishgenalogy.ie.

Patrick Hogan married Julia Coughlan on 2 Feb 1861 in Innishannon. Witnesses are Edward Hogan and Mary Hawkes.

I don't really know anything about this couple - Mae Kiely told me that there were two children born of this marriage - Ellen Hogan and Edward Hogan.

I found on www.irishgenealogy.ie that Ellen Hogan is baptized 25 October 1861 in Innishannon - witnesses are Michael Hogan and Catherine Sullivan.

Then Edward Hogan is baptized 5 Jan 1866 in Innnishannon. Sponsors are Michael Donovan and Honora Hurley.

The following is from www.familysearch.org - the Mormon website.

"Patrick Hogan

mentioned in the record of Edward Hogan

Name:	Patrick Hogan
Gender:	Male
Wife:	Julia Coghlan
Child:	Edward Hogan

Other information in the record of Edward Hogan

from Ireland Births and Baptisms

Name:	Edward Hogan
Gender:	Male
Birth Date:	04 Jan 1866
Birthplace:	0465,BALLYMARTLE DISTRICT,CORK,IRELAND
Father's Name:	Patrick Hogan
Mother's Name:	Julia Coghlan

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C70128-5 , System Origin: Ireland-ODM , GS Film number: 101124"

I didn't find any more children of Patrick Hogan and Julia Coughlan even though there is a 5 year difference in the children's ages. 

But I want to take a detour now from Ellen Pierce and Patrick Hogan because Patrick Hogan's descendants from Julia Coughlan will play a role later in our story.

Ellen Pearce/Pierce and the Cooneys

So Ellen Pierce is born in 1843 in the Kinsale area. We don't know anything about her young life, but we do know that Reverend J. Keleher marries Patrick Cooney and our Ellen Pierce in Kinsale on 18 September 1859. Witnesses are a Cooney and Mary Pierce.  
www.irishgenealogy.ie lists the witness as Thomas Cooney.

I also found what must be the civil registration on www.familysearch.org -  

18 Sep 1864 in Kinsale, Co. Cork - Patrick Cooney born in 1842, age 22, marries Ellen Pierce born in 1943, age 21. Both are single. Groom's father is Bartholomew Cooney; bride's father is Charles Pierce.
"LDS Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M70231-5 , System Origin: Ireland-EASy , GS Film number: 101465 , Reference ID: 241"

I searched for Patrick's father, Bartholomew Cooney, on www.irishgenealogy.ie.  On 1 December 1838 Bat Cooney of Lefany married Mary Collins. Witnesses are John Collins and Mary Hagerty.

According to the book "Church and Parish Records of the United Diocese of Cork, Cloyne, and Ross" by the Reverend J. H. Cole, Lefany is the townland Leighmoney which means a grey shubbery. It has also been spelt Leofoney and Liffany. It is a parish on the road from Kinsale to Innishannon. I stayed at a B&B there on a trip with my sister Patty and her husband Richie Schiavoni - I think my sister Jody and nephew Rick Schiavoni were also with us.  

The above page is interesting in that it lists 70 marriages performed in Kinsale Parish in 1838. There is also a listing of the number of marriages each year from 1828 to 1839 - they range from 57 in 1828 to 95 in 1832.

So Bat Cooney and Mary Collins have at least four children - Mary Cooney born in 1839, our Pat Cooney born in 1841, Thomas in 1844, and Judith Cooney in 1850.

Here is Pat Cooney's baptismal record:

Pat Cooney of D Derra (Dun Derra) is baptized 27 December 1841 in Kinsale - parents are Bat Cooney and Mary Collins. Sponsors are David Downey and Ellen Collins.

The bottom of the page shows that 303 babies were born in Kinsale in 1841. Then there is a listing of all the births in the years 1828 to 1841 - the low was 118 in 1828; the high was 374 in 1833 - this corresponds to the low number of marriages in 1828 (57) and the high in 1832 (95.)

So Ellen Pearce, daughter of Charles Pearce and Mary Leary, marries Patrick Cooney, son of Bat Cooney and Mary Collins. They have at least one son – I could not find any other children. Patrick Cooney of Dunderrow is born 7 July 1865. Reverend D Dunlea baptizes him the same day. Parents are Patrick Cooney and Ellen Pierce; sponsors are Thomas Cooney and Cathleen Desmond.

I don't know much about the Cooneys, but I do know that this Patrick Cooney has a son Timmy/Timsy who lived in Tisasson. I met Timmy with my aunt Nellie Keohane in 1981.

"From A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837

TEIGHSASSON, TY-SASSION, or TAXAX, also called TISASSON, a parish, in the barony of KINSALE, county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER, 2 ½ miles (W. N. W.) from Kinsale, on the north side of the river Bandon; containing 535 inhabitants. This parish, the name of which signifies "the Englishman's House," comprises 1320 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act; the soil is extremely light, and, under a good system of cultivation and by the constant application of large quantities of sea sand brought hither from the bay of Kinsale and landed at the small quays in the parish made for that purpose, produces good crops: the land is deemed valuable in consequence of its proximity to Kinsale and the facilities for procuring manure.

"The principal seats are Teighsasson House, the residence of J. Cummins, Esq.; Ballywilliam, of B. Barter, Esq.; Hollyhill, of C. Newman, Esq.; Ballinvolig, of Mrs. Collis; and Ballinacurra House, of J. Bleazby, Esq.

"The living (Wilkipedia describes Living or Benefice, in canon law, as a position in a church that has attached to it a source of income) is a rectory, in the diocese of Cork, and in the patronage of the Crown: the tithes amount to £105.

"In the R. C. (Roman Catholic) divisions the parish is part of the union of Kinsale. A small creek, which separates this parish from that of Clontead, penetrates a considerable distance into the land: on its southern bank are the ruins of the ancient church; and not far distant are those of White castle, which was built by the Roches in 1497, to command the landing-place, and gives name to the creek and the small village adjoining."

I couldn't find a marriage certificate for the younger Patrick Cooney - they only go to the 1880s on www.irishgenealogy.ie.

I wonder if I have found him in the 1901 Irish Census. The only  Patrick Cooney listed in Cork that matches the correct age is in house 6 in a part of Tisasson - maybe Winst Mills  - (Kinsale Rural) - the page is torn and wrinkled.  34 year old Patrick Cooney is an agricultural laborer - he cannot read or write. His 33 year old wife Ellen does read and write. Their children are 12 year old Mary and 10 year old Patrick who go to school,  and 3 year old Julia and 1 year old Timothy. 

The 1911 Irish Census adds little more to the story. The Cooneys are listed in house 7 in Tisaxon More. By this time 46 year old Patrick's young wife has died. He is still a laborer -  cannot read or write and speaks only English.

I presume the older children have left home and are working. 13 year old Julia is probably home keeping house since she is not listed as a scholar, while 11 year old Timothy is still going to school. They both speak Irish and English which I find interesting because no one in the family spoke Irish in the 1901 Irish Census so Julia and Timmy must have learned Irish at school.

The following lists the families living in this neighborhood and the kind of houses they have. The Cooneys live in a 2nd class house - walls are probably made of stone; the roof is likely slate. The family has 4 rooms with 3 windows in the front of the house.  The Cooneys are the only family living in the house.

Timmy Cooney goes on to marry a cousin, Julia Keohane, of Ballythomas, Dunderrow. But we will pick up that part of the story a little later.

Tim Cooney, Aunt Nellie Keohane, my father, and Jim Keohane.

Dunderrow and the Pierces

We've learned about Kinsale so now let's take a quick look at Dunderrow where I know our relatives lived.  Samuel Lewis, in his Topographical Dictionary of Ireland of 1837, tells us that Dunderrow is "a parish, partly in the county of the city of CORK, partly in the barony of KINSALE, partly in that of KINNALEA, but chiefly in the barony of EAST MUSKERRY, county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER, 4 miles (W. by N.) from Kinsale, on the road to Bandon; containing 2498 inhabitants. (Compare that with almost 7000 living in the town of Kinsale.)

"This parish comprises 6371 1/4 statute acres ... valued at £4167 per annum; about 800 acres are bog and mountain, and 971 1/4 waste; the remainder (4600 acres) is good land, the greater portion being arable. It consists of several detached portions (there are several separated sections of Dunderrow), and has consequently a great variety of surface and soil; Dunderrow proper (I’m not sure if Ballythomas is in Dunderrow proper) is generally composed of a light soil, which is very well cultivated, and produces abundant crops. 

"A new line of road is in progress through the parish, leading from Kinsale to Bandon. In the Bandon river, which bounds it on the south, are several salmon weirs. 

"The (Protestant) church, a small handsome edifice, with a lofty square tower, was erected by aid of a loan of £500 in 1812 ... In the churchyard is a handsome pyramidal monument of marble, erected over the remains of an English lady, who died at Kinsale while on a tour through Ireland. 

"In the R. C. (Roman Catholic) divisions the parish forms the union or district of Kinsale, but the detached portions belong to the several parishes by which they are surrounded: the chapel is at Ballynamona. 

"The parochial (public) school, situated at Leoffney, is jointly supported by Capt. Herrick and the rector; and there is a daily pay school at Ballynamona. About 100 boys and 40 girls are educated in a private school; and a Sunday school is chiefly maintained by the Rev. Robert Halburd. 

"The doon (fort) from which the parish derives its name has been partly removed: the queen's forces secured themselves upon it in 1601, prior to the siege of Kinsale, when the Spanish forces were in possession."


The following is a list of the townlands in Dunderrow parish. We will see our relatives in the colorful  townlands at the bottom.

This map shows some of the townlands in Dunderrow.

I looked in Griffith's Valuation of Ireland for Keohanes in Dunderrow or Kinsale parishes in the 1850s - none. There were over 118 listings of Keohane in Cork - most were in  Kilmocomoge parish - which is near Bantry and Ballydehob.

I think it was Aunt Nellie Keohane who told me that her great grandfather was Charles Pierce. She also said that in the past the Pierces were Protestant. So next I tried looking up Pierces in Cork - this turned up 12 listings in Griffith's Valuation - and one was in Dunderrow!

I found a Cornelius Pierce in the above Horsehill Mor North listing in the Parish of Dunderow in Griffith’s Valuation in the 1850s. Horsehill Mor North borders Ballythomas. Blayney Calnane is renting Lot 1, which is just over 136 acres, from landlord John Cuthbert Kearney, Esq. He is paying 51 English pounds 10 shillings to the landlord - he has a house and farm buildings in Lot 1a.  Cornelius Pierce, one of 7 tenants on Lot 1, is paying 10 shillings annually to rent a house and small garden. Does this mean that Con is a farm laborer for Blayney Calnane?  Is he working for Calnane and renting the house with a small garden to raise his potatoes - maybe some vegetables - to feed his family? 

We saw this same subdivision of land in Sneem before the Great Hunger - more and more people were renting smaller and smaller plots of land and living off potatoes which were nutritious and plentiful.

This Blayney Calnan was listed on www.irishgenealogy.ie as being married to Bridget Casey. He was a family man - I found 3 children - Catherine/born 1848 in Dunderrow, James/born 1850 in Horse Hill, and Bridget/born in 1852. I couldn't find Blayney or his son James Calnan in Dunderrow in the 1901 Irish Census.

I went through the Kinsale records for Pearse/Pierce on www.irishgenealogy.ie.  From 1818 to 1829 I found listings for 2 John Pierces, a Cornelius Pierce, Mary Pierce, Charles Pierce, and Thomas Pierce. These are all names from our family. Cornelius Pierce is likely the one listed in Griffith's Valuation. I wonder if this was one family? 

I found a marriage certificate on www.irishgenealogy.ie for Charles Pearse of Dunderrow and Mary Leary 9 May 1829 in Kinsale. Witnesses were Judith Gibbons and John Pearce.

Then, on www.irishgenealogy.ie, I found a baptimal certificate from the Catholic Church in Kinsale for Con Pearce - whose parents are Charles Pearse and Mary Leary of D Derra (Dun Derra) who was baptized 2 December 1835.  

I don’t know what that small third column denotes.

And look at the sponsors - is that Jon or Jos Cowley & Kate ? Coughlan?

We do know from Aunt Nellie that Charles Pierce from the Kinsale area had 2 daughters – Ellen and Mary. I always presumed there were more children. And when I found Ellen Pearce's baptismal record and saw that her mother was Mary Leary, I knew that the above Con was Ellen's older brother.

According to www.irishgenealogy.ie, Ellen was baptized 28 January 1843 - parents are Charles Pearce and Mary Leary. Sponsors are John Flynn and Mary Pearce. I can't make out where they live. B something - does the B stand for Bally?

So Charles Pearce had John Pearce as a witness for his wedding, and Mary Pearce was a sponsor for Charles Pearce's daughter Ellen. I am presuming that John and Mary are Charles Pearce's siblings.

I couldn't find any baptismal record for our Mary Pearce. 

I did find a baptism in 1826 for a Mary Pierce on 9 January in Kinsale - but her parents are John Pierce and Ellen Cummings. Sponsors are Mary Pierce and James Whitty. (I wonder if it is the same Mary Pierce who was a sponsor for Ellen Pearce?)

There is also a baptism for Ellen Pierce that same year - 28 March 1826 - this Ellen is the daughter of a different John Pierce; her mother is  Ellen Carthy. Her sponsors are Cornelius Pierce and Mary Coveney. I wonder if this Cornelius Pierce is the one listed in Griffith's Valuation in the early 1850s? Is he a brother or a cousin of our Charles Pearce? 

I wonder if we will ever find out how all these Pierces are related?