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The Henehan surname has variant spellings, including Heneghan, Henekan, Henihan, Heanaghan and occassionally Heenan - "the last is properly a different name associated with Offaly and north of Tipperary [counties of Ireland]." It derives from the name of the Connacht sept O hEineachain. Until the turn of the [20th century] families of this name lived almost exclusively in Connacht and principally in County Mayo which still claims the heaviest distribution of families deriving their surname from O hEineachain. In the last century the Registar of Births reported the use of the English surname Bird [ean=bird] interchangeably with Henekan in Tuam Union, County Galway, an example of pseudo-translation." (Irish Family Names, Brian de Breffay) Henehan is a very numerous surname now in Galway as well.
According to Griffith's Valuation of 1842, there were five householders with the surname Henehan living in County Mayo. It is believed that one of those householders is Patt Henehan,
the earliest known ancestor of the Henehan branch of our family. Patt Henehan and his wife, Kate Ractigan, lived before 1841. (NOTE: The above information regarding Patt and his wife has not been verified - except for Owen.) They had a son, Owen, who was born in1841. It is possible that Patt was born around 1820. It is believed that they lived in Feamore, County Mayo.
Owen's great-grandson, James John (J.J.) Heneghan, believes Owen was born in a village called Feamore (pronounced Faymore). Why did Owen move from Feamore, County Mayo, to Lehid, County Galway? (It is about 15 miles away.) No one seems to know why he left. J.J. discovered, by way of Tommy Heneghan of Feamore, that two Heneghan families lived in that village before Owen left. He said that one of the families is not related to our ancestors. Tommy believes that the other family is related to them. Perhaps his wife, Mary, lured him away from Mayo. The "marriage radius" for many years in Ireland was 15 miles. It is interesting to note that Ballindine is about 10 miles away from Lehid.
Patt and his family lived during one of the most difficult times in Irish history. "Beginning in 1845, the Great Hunger, or as some refer to it, the Irish Potato Famine, decimated the Irish population, affecting people of all religions but especially the poor Catholic tenant farmers who were most likely to support Irish nationalism in one form or another. The farmers had to sell the majority of their crops to their landlords or face eviction. In order to survive and feed their families, these farmers grew potatoes, a crop which required the least amount of land for the greatest yield, on a small plot of their land. There had been many blights in the past which had affected the potatoes, causing the plants to die and tubers to rot, but the one which hit in 1845 was the first to affect the entire island on such a scale. [A side note: Partial or total potato famines occurred prior to the Great Hunger of 1845-50: 1728, 1739/40, 1770, 1800, 1821/22, and throughtout the 1830s.] People who depended on their potatoes to survive suddenly had no food, and if they ate the other crops they faced evictions and a life of homelessness, an even worse fate. Many of the poorest simply died, and those with relatives elsewhere or any form form of assistance brought the cheapest passages possible to America and crammed into what became known as 'coffin ships' to escape certain death in Ireland." Patt fit the description of a poor Catholic tenant farmer, but he did not have to leave Ireland like millions of other Irish.
"The potato blight destoyed the food crops for several years. 1847 was the worst year, for even though the blight was weaker, few tubers remained from previous years to plant, and starvation increased. Many were found dead with grass stains on their mouths or seaweed in their stomachs, as they had attempted to stave off death. What made their deaths the more tragic was that there was no true famine, as there was plenty of grain, beef, butter and milk, but it was all destined for English mouths." It is no wonder many Irish despise the English. This hatred traces itself back to the 12th century, when the English first made their unwelcome presence in Ireland. (Since the 12th century, English kings have colonized and taken control of Ireland. Specifically, the English would claim the land and force "the Irish to rent back their own land from their conquerors." In the early 1700s, "the ruling Protestants in Ireland passed a series of 'Penal Laws' designed to strip the 'backwards' Catholic population of remaining land, positions of influence and civil rights. Catholics could no longer practice law, run for elected office, purchase land, or own property (such as horses) valued at more than 5 pounds. By 1778 Irish Catholics would own a meager 5% of Irish land. Furthermore, the Catholic educational system was outlawed and priests who did not conform to the laws could be branded on the face or castrated. As a result, much of Catholic church services and education was forced underground, to operate only under extreme secrecy." (Source: "Planatations of Henry VIII to the Creation of an Irish Republic," Jackie Dana)
The potato famine "was particularly bad in County Mayo [county where Patt lived], where nearly ninety per cent of the population were dependent on the patoto." It would be fair to say that Patt and his family were victims, in one form or another, of the famine. "By 1848, Mayo was a county of total misery and despair, with any attempts at alleviating measures in complete disarray. People were dying and emigrating in the thousands. We will never know how many died in the county during those terrible years. The 'official' statistics for the county show that the popualtion dropped from 388,887 in 1841 [the year Patt's son, Owen, was born] to 274, 499 in 1851, but it is accepted that the actual figure in 1841 was far higher than the official census return. It can be safely said that over 100,000 died in Mayo from the famine epidemic and emigration began on a big scale. Most emigrants from the county went to the USA, Canada, England and Scotland, to become part of the big Irish diaspora scattered throughtout the world."
(Source: "County Mayo: An Outline History," Bernard O'Hara and Nollaig Omuraile)
Patt's son, Owen, was a young boy during the famine. He was nine years old when the famine ended. It is believed that Owen left Mayo sometime between the late 1850s and the early 1870s. (His son, Francis, was born in 1874, in Lehid, Galway.) Why and when he left Mayo is a mystery to this day (more about it below), because the remaining people in Mayo were doing relatively better at a time when he would have left Mayo for Lehid, Galway. "Rather ironically perhaps, the greatest reduction in Mayo's population, and especially the virtual annihilation of the formerly numerous class of landless cottiers who had been the hardest hit by the Great Famine, enabled those who remained to considerably improve their standard of living in the following decades. The new National Schools succeeded in reducing the rate of illiteracy by almost half in the forty years between 1841 and 1881. The result was a population with rising expectations, and with growing confidence in their own strength and in their ability to bring about a change in conditions, and so, when harvests in 1877 and '78 and a disastrous one in 1879 brought the threat of another serious famine, particularly in the west, the people were far better prepared to protect themselves than they had been thirty years before." (Source: "County Mayo: An Outline History") It bears repeating, why and when Owen left Mayo is a mystery based on the above information.
Very little is known about Owen. He had ginger colored hair. He died suddenly while working in the fields. He is buried in a cemetery next to the church in Kilconly, County Galway. The following is the inscription on his tombstone:

LORD HAVE MERCY ON / THE SOUL OF / OWEN HENEHAN / WHO
DIED APR 18TH 1902 / AGED 61 YEARS / AND HIS BELOVED WIFE
MARY / WHO DIED JAN 4TH 1905 / AGED 75 YEARS / R.I.P /
ERECTED BY THEIR LOVING SONS / JAMES AND FRANK / FRANK
HENEGHAN / DIED 7TH NOV 1949 / WIFE BRIDGET DIED 24TH MAR
1954.

Owen was originally married to Ms. Mullen. She died and he subsequently re-married. His second wife's name was Mary Maloney. Mary was born in 1830. She was a widow when she married Owen. Mary had a brother, Michael Maloney. He married Ms. Brown. (Ms. Brown was a maid from Meath. They had three daughters: May married McHugh in Brooklawn; Delia married a German in the U.S.A.; and Baby married Tom Killeen in Brooklawn.
After Owen died, Mary moved in with her son, Francis, and daughter-in-law, Brigid. Mary died 3 years after Owen died. When Mary died the police investigated her death, as though there was "foul play." Perhaps it is\was standard to investigate every aspect of someone's death and, in some cases, to make sure family members or others did not contribute to the person's death. Was there friction between Brigid and her mother-in-law, Mary, prior to her death, to cause the police to suspect "foul play"? Perhaps no one will ever know.
A side note relative to the Maloney family: Catherine Heneghan/Farrell, Owen's grand-daughter, remembers her father delivering eggs, potatoes, and cabbage, among other things, to Bitty/Brigid Maloney. They made this trip many times using their cart and donkey. She lived in Tuam. She is unsure of the relationship, but believes she is somehow related to her. Perhaps she was Catherine's mother's sister or niece.
Owen and Mary had two children: Francis and James. (According to Catherine Farrell, James wanted to marry Mary Killeen, who also lived in Lehid [pronounced "lead"], but his father, Owen, said, in so many words, that he would not allow them to get married. Therefore, James moved to California. He never married in the U.S.A
. He visited his neices, Beatrice and Catherine, in Cincinnati before 1929. His niece, Catherine, remembers his visit. She recalls him wanting to visit May in Price Hill. They took the street car to Price Hill. Catherine and Beatrice were upset that he didn't pay the street car fare. When he died (date unknown), Catherine and her sisters notified their father about his brother's death and wanted to know what should be done with his possessions/property. Francis hired a lawyer to contest the estate but, in the end, found the matter too costly to justify it. Instead, Mary Hall, a relative, went to California to settle his estate and gather his possessions. (Side note: Catherine Farrell's aunt, Delia McGraw Hall, married James McGraw and they lived on Torrence Road in Walnut Hills. Daughters, Mary and Alice, marrried two brothers, Mack and Bill Hall. They also had another daughter , Catherine [died relatively young]. She was married to Ken Harris.)
Francis was born in Lehid in1874. Francis inherited his father's property. Around 1919, the English turned over the land to the Irish government. A land commission was established to disperse the land fairly to the Irish people. Francis owned about three separate parcels of land in Lehid, totaling 15 acres. They were offered a parcel of 34 acres of land in Knocknagur (current Heneghan residence) by the land commission. (It came with a house.) After some consideration, Francis accepted the offer and moved his family to Knocknagur, Milltown, Tuam, County Galway.
Francis' daughter, Catherine, went home to visit her family after five and a half years in America. She recalled: Her father went to a fair to sell some of his livestock. On his return, while at a train stop, he purchased a cow. (With this purchase, he now had three cows.) Once he returned home, Catherine said her mother was upset with him because he had spent the money in his pocket. It was common for him to do the aforementioned, instead of bringing the money home for other uses (i.e., savings, bills).
Catherine also recalled her father's buttermilk mustache. She and her siblings were responsible for churning the milk to make butter and buttermilk. The end product was buttermilk. Her father would scoop out a cup of buttermilk, drink it, and give his approval/disapproval. The kids laughed at him because he would get a white streak across his mustache, making him look funny.
Francis died on November 7, 1949. He was buried at the cemetery adjacent to the family church in Kilconly. He was buried next to his father.
Francis' wife, Brigid Heneghan/Turner (picture follows), was born in 1870. Brigid had three brothers, namely, Ned, Peter and Mike. Ned and Peter were twins. She also had three sisters. (All three were tall.) Kate married Michael Heverin. They had two sons, Thomas and Martin, and two daughters, Lil and Molly. Mary married Tom McGrath. They had three sons, Tommie, Billy and Michael, and four daughters, Katie, Nora, Delia and Mary. Tommie stayed in Lehid, Ireland. Delia married Byrne in Galway. Katie, Nora and Mary went to the U.S.A. Billy went to England, where he married Teresa. Their children were Willie and Joan Fairclough. Michael went to the U.S.A. His health suffered and he returned to Ireland where he wanted to die. Nora McLoughlin and husband had 8 or 9 children. They were buried in Kilbannon. Her parents were: Thomas (or Mike) Turner and Catherine Kiggins.
According to her daughter, Catherine Farrell, Brigid lived in Cincinnati (unsure of date - perhaps late 1900s). She dated a man from Price Hill. Her aunt was living in Price Hill at the time. Catherine remembers her mother telling her about Fountain Square and Shillitos department store (sold spools of thread). Those places obviously made an impression on her mother. After 5-6 years (?) in Cincinnati, her mother went back home to visit her family, with intentions of returning to Cincinnati. While back home, she met Francis. Subsequently, they got married. Think about how much different history would have been had Brigid stayed in Cincinnati.
A side note: A book entitled How The Irish Saved Civilization (by Thomas Cahill) discusses a high abbess named Brigid of Kildare. What's the point? Is Brigid Turner named after this important Christian women? Or, did she get her name from Imbolc, a feast dedicated to the Irish fertility goddess. Imbolc is a pagan feast. Irish Catholics, unlike other Christians/Catholics, "never troubled themselves over much about eradicating pagan influences, which they tended to wink at and enjoy. The pagan festivals continued to be celebrated, which is why we today can still celebrate the Irish feasts of May Day and Hallowe'en." (pgs. 148-49) ("The first day of May, called Beltaine, was a spring celebration distinguished by bonfires, maypoles [a high pole wreathed with streamers, around which merrymakers dance on May Day], and sexual license; the last night of October, called Samian, marked the beginning of winter, and was a night on which ghosts and other friendly creatures from the Otherworld were allowed to frighten the living." (149) Therefore, it is possible that Brigid Turner got her name from this fertility goddess. The writer doubts Brigid of Kildare got her name from the fertility goddess, because, as an abbess, she was probably committed to a life of celibancy.






Brigid died on March 24, 1954. She was buried next to her husband (cemetery adjacent to Kilconly church).
Francis and Brigid had seven children. Their children included (listed oldest to youngest): May, James, Catherine, Beatrice, Joseph, Margaret, and Francis Owen.
May was born on February 7, 1902, in Lehid, County Galway. May spent some time living with her aunt's family. While out in her aunt's field, a group of Black and Tans threatened to burn down her aunt's house that night. (They were told in no uncertain terms, unless they wanted to die, they better find somewhere else to sleep that night.) During this confrontation, one of the members of the Black and Tans pointed a gun towards May and, supposedly, was about to shoot her. Apparently, another member of the group knew May and somehow kept the one with the gun from shooting her. The Black and Tans were a very interesting group of 7,000 ex-soldiers recruited for a "police" operation in Ireland, and more will be said about them below.
"Early in 1920 the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) began running short of men. So the British government advertised in Glasglow and Liverpool, England, for recruits, and had a ready response. The Irish liked to think the men who came forward were the sweepings of gaols, but in fact they were demobbed soldiers who, after risking their lives for their country [WW I], could find no work in it and welcomed the chance of doing some quasi-soldiering for ten shillings a day, which was very good pay at the time." Their uniform included, among other things, a black RIC belt and khaki trousers. Consequently, "The Irish named them after a famous pack of hounds in Co. Limerick, the Black and Tans. [They] were never more than a small proportion of the British forces in Ireland, but they were the toughest, the least disciplined, and very soon the most feared. They knew and cared nothing about Ireland; the country was simply a dangerous posting where they might be fired on while drinking in a bar, or shot in the back on a routine patrol. The world war had made them callous; it had also taught them comradeship. When one of their number was shot..., the Black and Tans wanted revenge. THEY MADE THE CIVILIAN POPULATION PAY FOR THE CRUELTIES OF THE IRA."
May could certainly relate to the following antics of the Black and Tans: "Drunken Black and Tans ran amok in Limerick, beating people up and smashing windows. Lorryloads of them tore down village streets, firing their rifles at random as they sang, whooped and yelled. Totally innocent civilians who got in the way were killed. The Black and Tans burned and looted all over south and west; town halls, market halls, private houses, shops, pubs and creameries - which gave a living to thousands in the Irish countryside - were destroyed. People took to sleeping in the fields at night, sheltered by hedges and haystacks, as they had done since the rebellion of 1798; they pushed their belongings along in old prams and handcarts."
It is interesting to note that the average British citizen was shocked to learn about the Black and Tans reprisals. "War was regulated and honorourable; it was fought by national armies, defined by their uniforms, and as far as possible civilians were left out of it. If the Irish Republican Army operated underground, used terror and dispensed with uniforms, that was their business; they could not be considered real soldiers. But for uniformed British forces to take undisciplined and indiscriminate revenge on a civilian population, dragging innocent people from their beds and shooting them, setting fire to their houses and driving whole families into their fields, outraged the British sense of decency." (Source: pgs. 305-310, A History of Ireland, Peter and Fiona Somerset Fry)
May left for America on June 25, 1922. She lived in Price Hill (neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio) for some time. She lived near an aunt, Margaret Reddington ( wife of John). May and her husband, Paddy Rabbitt, had two children: Francis and Mary Rabbitt. Mary and her husband, Glenn Paul, had three children: Joseph (b. October 24, 1960), Mike, and Mary Beth. Mary Paul, May's daughter, said the following about her mother: "She was generous and forgiving to a fault. She was an excellent seamstress, loved company for dinner and would cook and bake for days in preparation. She and my dad (Pat Rabbitt) loved my three children beyond their own lives. She and my dad lived on Rapid Run. Dad grew the food, she canned it for winter meals. One summer, there were 100 quarts of string beans done, plus tomotoes, etc. Because my dad worked for Southern R.R., while Aunt Beatie was in Santa Fe and Albequerque (total 10 yrs), we (mother, Francis and I) made three trips west to visit Aunt Beatie. My mother made Aunt Beatie's entrance habit to go into the convent in 1929. I heard how the two of them couldn't find a pin that had been dropped, since I was 1 year and crawling, they thought I had eaten it. I heard about that throughout their lives." May died on November 22, 1973.
The second oldest child, James (pictured below from left to right: Catherine Farrell, Beatrice Heneghan, Katherine Farrell, and James Farrell), was born on July 17, 1903, in Lehid, County Galway. He worked for the New York subway system. James and his sister Catherine left home on Friday, October 19, 1924. They sailed for the U.S.A. on Sunday, October 21. According to James' nephew, John Farrell, and his sister, Catherine Farrell, Jim/James was "always" drinking either whiskey or beer. Jack Farrell, his nephew, used to visit him in New York while in the service. He remembers Jim drinking a shot of whiskey while he made eggs for him for breakfast. Catherine said he would prefer drinking at the local pub rather than doing the same at home. Although he drank a lot, John and Catherine said he never got wild or obnoxious. In the end, such excess took a toll on his health and contributed to his death. He and his mom remember visiting Jim later. They vividly recall spending time on his back patio. Jim told his wife that he wanted to be buried in said location. He was a very care free person. He died on February 22, 1976 (New York City, New York).
James was married to Rose Farrell. She was born in County Longford. (There is no relation between Rose Farrell and Catherine's husband, Thomas Farrell, who was also born in same county.) They had four children: James (oldest; died in late 1930s in early childhood of illness); Francis (b. January 16, 1933), John (b. July 31, 1936), and Raymond (b. January 23, 1940). They were all born in Brooklyn, New York. Francis and Raymond live together during the warm months in Brooklyn. The rest rest of the year, Francis lives in Florida. John is married and has children. He lives in up-state New York.
The third oldest, Catherine, was born on September 7, 1905 in Lehid, County Galway. The following are notes taken by the writer, Patrick, and his wife, Susan, Farrell on their trip to Ireland in 1992. The notes describe some of the people and the place where Catherine grew up, Lehid, County Galway.
A visit was made to Brooklawn Male National School, which Catherine attended. The boys were taught on one side of the building, while the girls were taught on the other side. She lived about a half a mile behind the school. The house in Lehid no longer stands. It was between a white ranch and a cream two story houses. It was right down the road from was her mother's (Bridget Turner) home. Now only an old junked car sits there. She lived next door to an 1839 schoolhouse, which Richard Lyons lived in. Bid Hart (short for Bridget) had a shop/pub across the street from where Catherine lived. There were about 30 homes in Lehid. We drove past the "scoth (scotch) gate" where Grandma used to meet lads, as they were called in Ireland. She lived near a railroad, which is no longer in use. It crossed Black Road, the road that she lived on in Lehid. She dated a man named Patrick Ryan, who is now deceased. She knew families nearby such as the Blakes, Connelly's and Fitzpatricks. She went to church in Kilconly. A cemetery is adjacent to the church, where the following family members are buried: Frank (father), grandfather (Owen), grandmother (Mary) , and her mother (Bridget). The dance hall (with red roof) across the street from the church was one that Catherine danced in. We stopped in a pub across from the dance hall for refreshments.
The stories below were shared by Catherine about her formative years in Ireland. They were communicated to her grandson, the writer of this book.
Catherine arrived at school late one day with some friends. A classmate, Margaret Burke, quietly told the teacher why Catherine and her friends were late to school. They were playing a game called "Ducksie" (unsure about spelling). Incidentally, the game involves placing a small rock on top of a big rock (like a boulder), then trying to knock it off with a third one. The punishment for being late involved a slap on the hand. The teacher kept Margaret after school for some time, fearing that Catherine and her friends might try to "jump" her after school.
Catherine lived with her Uncle Mike (and aunt) for a period of time when she was young. She recalled the gooseberry trees that lined his backyard. One day, she, Beatrice, and her neighbor friend, Nellie Cunningham, decided to eat the gooseberries and smear them over their face at the same time. While doing just that, Uncle Mike and his wife walked in the house and caught them "red handed." (It is believed they were actually eating/smearing purple gooseberries, but it was difficult to hold back the play on words.) She said that was the last time they ate/smeared gooseberries out of site of Uncle Mike, if they knew what was good for them.
Also, while living with her Uncle Mike, Catherine's friend, Nellie, would tie a piece of string to one of her toes and place the string outside of her window. She would simply pull the string, alerting Nellie to wake up, so they could go to church together. This was done so she would not have to knock on the door and awake the entire family. A side note: Catherine learned later from one of her family members that Nellie moved to the states (some where in the east) and married.
Catherine had another friend, Maryanne Murphy. Maryanne had a cigerette, but didn't have a light for it. She asked Catherine to light it. Catherine took a risk by going inside her house to find a match to light it. As she was leaving the house, her father was coming in. She not only had a guilty look on her face, but she had one hand behind her back. Consequently, her father suspected she was up to "no good" and questioned her about it. He said, "What do you have between your fingers?" She showed him the cigerette. She was busted. Catherine remembers the spanking her father gave her. Those painful experiences are hard to forget.
Catherine said it was still custom for parents to arrange marriages in the first part of the 20th century. An acquaintance of her was the "victim" (writer's word) of an arranged marriage. This person knew her male partner for only a day before they got married. She may be old- fashion, but she did not appove of this out dated custom. (The following information from the Encyclopedia of Ireland, pgs. 110, validates matchmaking in Ireland. "As of 1968 it was still relatively common in rural areas, though nowadays young people have a freer choice of a partner and are less regimented by their elders than was the case in former times. Since the rural economy was based on the land, it was important that holdings should be safeguarded and improved, if possible by a suitable marriage arrangement, when control passed to the younger generations.")
Contrast the type of Christmas' Catherine experienced in Ireland as a young girl with the ones that most of us enjoy. She told us that her family never had a Christmas tree. For decorations her family would scoop out the center of turnips, put in a candle and place them around the house. The gifts they received were apples, oranges and raisin bread. They'd have a "huge" Christmas dinner and felt they were blessed. It should make us all appreciate even more what we have, especially during this time of the year. (A side note: They never had toys to speak of. When her mom broke a dish, they'd take it out to the "garden" and play tea party.)
Mary Paul Rabbitt, Catherine's Farrell's niece, has been referred to (along with her husband) by Catherine as a tinker. Mary Paul and her husband travel via a motor home throughout the U.S. Generally, they travel without a specific destination(s) in mind. Catherine was questioned about the word tinker and recalled from her early years the times the tinkers or gypsies, who would travel door to door selling pots and pans. Her family never bought them, but it didn't stop the tinkers from coming back. (Catherine saw a parellel between Mary Paul and her husband, who travelled from place to place as though they had no permanent home, with the tinkers who, in reality, had no permanent residence.)
If you are like the writer, perhaps you are curious about these tinkers, an ethnic group that is somewhat mysterious, considering their desire to live outside of mainstream society. To statisfy your curiousity, or at least mine, here are some facts about these nomads. "Irish Travellers (sometimes known as Itinerants or Tinkers) are a very small minority group in Ireland. They make up less than 1% of the population with approx. 23,000 people in the Republic and another 1,500 in the North. It is also estimated that there are about 15,000 Irish travellers in Britain and another 7000 in the U.S. Irish Travellers belong to a distinct ethnic group within Ireland. They have their own language, beliefs and family/social customs which have been made stronger over time due to their exclusion and marginalisation from mainstream or 'settled' society.
The demographic structure of the Irish Travellers is similar to many that of Third World countries, with 50% of their population under the age of 15, and very few people living to an advanced age. Only a minority of Traveller children ever enter post-primary education and mortality rates among Traveller children are three times higher than the Irish national average. The Travellers are excluded from virtually every aspect of Irish society, including virtually every recreational and social outlet. Travellers are regularly refused service in shops and pubs, their children are often segregated into separate classes at school.
Origins of the tinkers: Until not so long ago Irish Travellers were referred to as "Tinkers". This word referred to their occupation as tinsmiths and metalworkers and was derived from the Irish word 'ceard' (smith) or 'tinceard' (tinsmith). This word is now generally used in a derogatory sense which in itself emphasises the occupational dysfunctionalism which is now part of Traveller life. Most of the Travellers' traditional crafts such as spoon-mending, tinsmithing and flower-making have gone by the way now as a result of urbanisation and the introduction of plastic and industrial technology. Many have now turned to tarmacing and scrapdealing as a means of making a livelihood (and status within the traveller community is often related to one's ability to amass large amounts of wealth in terms of caravans, lorries, scrap and horses). Their are a number of theories as to the origin of the Irish Travellers. Their secret language Shelta and the evidence of various historical references to them would seem to indicate that they are the remnants of an ancient class of wandering poets, joined by those who were pushed off the land during different times of social and economic upheaval such as Cromwell's campaign of slaughter, the Battle of the Boyne (1690) and the Battle of Aughrim (1691). Many of the travellers may also be the descendants of people who were left homeless as a result of the Irish potato famines of the nineteenth century." (Source: Irish Tavellers Today Website, http://sca.lib.liv.ac.uk/collections/
gypsy/travell.htm)
Catherine lived during some of the most trying, yet glorious years of Irish history. The Easter Rising took place in April 1916, when she was 11 years old. This rising involved Irish nationalists who seized the Dublin general post office and proclaimed a republic. "After a week of fighting, the revolt was suppressed by the British army and most of its leaders executed. From 1918 to 1921, there was guerrilla warfare against the British army, especially by the Irish Republican Army, formed by Michael Collins, 1919. This led to a split in the rebel force, but in 1921 the Anglo-Irish Treaty resulted in partition and the creation of the Irish Free State in Southern Ireland." (Source: Webster Encyclopedia) Catherine was 16 years old when Ireland became free of British rule.
Catherine, age 19, and her brother James left home on Friday October 19, 1924. They sailed on a ship called Majestic from Queenstown, County Cork, to New York City, on Sunday, October 21, 1924. She didn't have to go through Ellis Island. She said if you had an illness or disease, then you would have to go through it.
She came to Cincinnati because her sister, May, was living there and she was her sponsor. May had been living in Cincinnati. She ended up living with Grandma Maggie Mullin (or Mullen), who lived on Kleinview Avenue in Walnut Hills. She lived with Grandma Mullin until she was established. Grandma Mullin was the half sister of Catherine's father. Maggie and Mary were sisters. Maggie had two daughters, Margaret and Mae, and a son, Edward (who lived in Georgia). Mary Pistor had two daughters, Edna and Mary, and two sons, both of whom died before their sisters' births. Edna was the last survivor of her family. She died in December, 1996. None of the four aforementioned girls had children. Mary Pistor used to live on Cinnamon Street in Walnut Hills. She moved to a nursing home in Walnut Hills, where she died.
Again, Catherine Farrell emigrated to the United States in October 1924. She came right after the wave of "new" immigrants to the U.S. (1880-1920). She came straight to Cincinnati on a train, which was the major means of transportation for getting immigrants to the interior part of the U.S. Her husband, Thomas, arrived in Cincinnati four years later (1928). They were required to have a sponsor in the U.S. A sponsor agreed to support you until you were able to "support" yourself. Without a sponsor, it was almost impossible to get a visa to the U.S., especially after WW1, when there was widespread unemployment. Unrestricted immigration into this country would only add to this unemployment problem. In fact, in 1921, Congress passed a law limiting the number of immigrants from a European country to 3% of the nationality in the U.S. in 1910. As the Irish made up a large percentage of the U.S. population, coupled with their sponsors, it is believed it increased Catherine and Thomas' chances of getting into the U.S.
Catherine met her husband, Thomas Farrell, at an Irish dance in Cincinnati. He came to Cincinnati in 1928. His brother, Jim, was his sponsor. (Jim lived in downtown Cincinnati. Jim married late in life. Thomas' brother, Patrick, came to the U.S. after Tom.)
There are three main reasons why people decide to emigrate: poverty, persecution, and the desire for self-improvement. Thomas was one of the exceptions, as he came for a different reason. Thomas didn't intend to come to the U.S. His brother was unable to make the trip "at the last minute" (suspect illness), so Thomas was sent in his place. Thomas' father was a farmer in Ireland, which more than likely would of been his vocation (meager income). As indicated above, Catherine, like many other immigrants, came to the U.S. seeking a "better life". Like most other Irish, they moved to a city, where fellow family members and relatives were living. They spoke English, which allowed them to assimilate into American society more easily.
Both Catherine and Thomas came to the U.S. without a skill, as was common for Irish immigrants. Thomas and Catherine fit the profile described of Irish immigrants in the U.S. They both came from "poor" backgrounds. Nevertheless, they secured jobs in areas that many other Irish immigrants did, such as tending machines and domestic service, respectively. Shortly after Catherine arrived in Cincinnati, she became a domestic servant. (She lived with the family that she worked for in Walnut Hills). This was a popular occupation for many Irish women immigrants. Most Irish women were accustomed to domestic work back in Ireland. Marilyn Kroll, a volunteer at the Cincinnati Historical Society, indicated that domestic service declined after 1930 because it was not only disliked, but jobs such as clerical work and factory work became more popular. Thomas was employed tending machines at U.S. Playing Cards in Norwood, Ohio. This was a very common occupation for Irishmen in the U.S., along with laying rails and building canals (1800s).
Catherine worked as a domestic servant for the Wallingford family, the well known coffee company. (Catherine's grandson, Kevin Farrell, once worked for Wallingford.) The family lived on Grandin Avenue in Hyde Park. Mr. Wallingford was married to a Longsworth, a prominent family in Cincinnati. Catherine recalls Mrs. Wallingford's father, who lived nearby, would come to the Wallingford home every Sunday. Catherine would answer the door and greet Mr. Longsworth. He would ask for a drink and she would gladly prepare it. (His regular drink included whiskey.) The Wallingford home still stands today. (see picture of Catherine at Wallingford estate after index, )
Catherine made a return trip to Ireland in 1929 to visit her family. Her brother Joe tried to match her up with Mr. Murphy. (He lived in a village called Mooney [unsure of the spelling].) The guy was as old as her father. Catherine said Joe was serious about getting them together, but other family members were not as serious about it. Perhaps it was their way of getting her to consider staying in Ireland. Also, Joe told her that Mr. Murphy had a big apple tree in his yard. Therefore, she would be able to make apple pies. It was an inside joke between them. Perhaps he thought he would be the beneficiary of the home-baked apple pies.
Another effort was made to match up Catherine and Andy Mullen. Andy's sister brought two chickens to Catherine in an effort to "win her over." She thought Andy was attractive and the chickens were a nice gift, but Catherine decided she wanted to return to the United States. This story has a twist to it because Catherine's grandnephew, Liam Heneghan, had the pleasure of Andy's Mullen's son serve at his wedding. It is a small world.
Catherine and Thomas got married on November 22, 1932. They were married at St. Williams church in 1932. Her wedding dress was provided by her father's half sister, Maggie Mullin. She worked at Mabley and Carew, a well known department store at the time. Catherine recalled that the florist failed to bring her flowers on time; therefore, she had had to use a a rosary and "prayer book" in place of them. The florist showed up with the flowers after the ceremony. To say the least, Catherine was very upset with the florist. Maggie told Catherine that she would "take care of him," which meant that the florist wouldn't be too happy after Maggie had a few words with him.
In 1933, Catherine gave birth to a baby boy, John. She and Thomas had two other children in that decade - namely - Virginia (b. April 4, 1935) and Kathleen (b. December 29, 1939). It must have been tough raising children on one salary during the depression of the 1930s. Catherine and Tom lived in Norwood, Price Hill (resided in two different homes), and Oakley. She made two other visits to Ireland, one in 1960 and another in 1966. She now lives with her daughter, Catherine, in College Hill, Ohio.
The fourth oldest child of Francis and Brigid was Beatrice. She was born on June 18, 1907, in Lehid, County Galway. Her sister and close friend, Catherine, said their mother called Beatrice an Indian when she was young. Why? She was always doing "boyish" things such as climbing trees, playing baseball, etc. (Until recently, American Indians, in general, were sterotyped as wild and rough by many people.)
She left for the U.S.A. on August 5, 1927, but did not actually set sail until the next day, August 6. Her parents felt that Beatrice would last only a month in America. If she was wild and rough, as indicated above, then one would think she stood the best chance to make it in America. Beatrice spelled her last name differently (Hennegan), which is slighty different than the way the Heneghan's (note difference) in Ireland spell their last name. It appeared this way on her certificate of citizenship.
Beatrice had about an eigth grade education when she came to the United States. She came in contact with some nuns who encouraged her to continue her education. Eventually, she attended Xavier University, obtaining her education degree. By 1929, she wanted to become a sister of charity. She wrote a letter to her parents asking their approval and blessing of the above decision. By this time, Francis and Brigid were living in Knocknagur. The letter is dated 16th June, 1929. It reads:

My dear daughter Bridg rec. your letter we are all well thank God.
It was surely a surprise to us all as you never gave the slitest hint
about what you to do but I suppose its His Holy will that you should
serve Him in this earth and as it is your wish. Dear Bridg you are
getting your Father's & mother's consent with a thousand blessing to
you and wish you every success. Bridg dear we could not refuse your
request as it would be refusing God as we are all God's creatures.
Dear Bridg we are offering the rosary this month of June for a certain
purpose so 1 July we will say the rosary for your success and hoping
our prayers may be heard by our great good God hoping also that your
prayers will help and comfort us here at home and also your sisters
prayers to help and guid us on.
I enclose your baptismal cert.
From you Father & Mother
with thousand blessing
to daughter Bridg
good by.

Shortly thereafter, her father, Francis, wrote a poem about Beatrice entering the convent. She became a nun in 1929.

The Father of a Nun

Sure my daughter has been vested,
And my joy I cannot hide
For I 've watched her from the
cradle, With a father's honest pride.

But the morn she left one early,
I was feeling mighty blue
Just a thinking how I'd miss her
And the things she used to do.

But not somehow it is different
With the rising of the sun,
For my heart is ever singing
"I'm the Father of a Nun".

Since to err is only human
There's a whole lot on the slate
that I'll have to make account for
when I reach the Golden Gate.

But then I'm not a worrying,
about the deeds I've done,
I'll just whisper to St. Peter,
"I'm the Father of a Nun".

After becoming a nun, she taught in a number of schools. She taught elementary school at Corpus Christi in Dayton, Ohio. Bette Farrell (Her husband, John, was Beatrice's nephew.) remembers visiting Beatrice in Dayton with Catherine Farrell and her son Michael. Bette remembers eating in the convent. She later moved to Alberquerkee, New Mexico. She served as a principal at a school there. She moved back to Cincinnati in the 1960s. She served in the same capacity at St. Williams School. (Incidentally, her sister, Catherine, called her general because she had to give a lot of "orders" as a principal.) While at St. Williams, she went to Ireland with her sisters, Catherine and Margaret. Catherine said Beatrice had to "close up" the school before summer before she could travel to Ireland. As a result, she was very tired throughout the trip and didn't seem to enjoy herself. They arrived in Dublin and stayed for several days. Kathleen Farrell and a friend had just returned from a trip to Paris. On their return to Ireland, they stopped in Dublin to visit Catherine and her sisters. Catherine Farrell enjoyed the stories told by her neice and friend, but Beatrice did not find them entertaining. Catherine said the unhappiness showed in Beatrice's face in the picture below.
As a sister of charity, Beatrice worked at Good Samaritan Hospital in Clifton, Ohio, for many years. The writer remembers visiting (along with my brothers and sister) her at the above mentioned place. We would always eat lunch at the hospital cafeteria. We could eat as much as we wanted, which we thought was a real "treat". Most importantly, she was a warm and caring person. She always had a smile, and would do anything for you, in a manner of speaking. Like Jesus, she was more concerned about other people and, it is fair to say, she did not have a selfish bone in her body. She was an inspiration to many people, including myself, and I will never forget her committment to others. (pictured below, from left to right: Paddy Rabbitt, Catherine, Thomas Farrell, Francis, and May.)








She died on October 3, 1992, at the age of 85. The mass of Christian burial was held on October 7, 1992 at the campus church of Mt. Joseph College, Ohio. The opening hymm was "How Great Thou Art". The first reading was taken from Sirach 1:1-8. It was followed by the Psalm Response: "Valleys of Green." The second reading was taken from Romans 6:3-4, 8, and 9. An Alleluia verse was sung, followed by the communion hymm - "All Hailed Adored Trinity". The song of farewell was "May Flights of Angels". The closing hymm was "Now Thank We All Our God". The celebrant was Father Terry Hamilton. Aunt Beatrice served 63 years as a sister of charity. The cover of the funeral service bulletin included the following Irish blessing:


May the road rise up to meet you
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,

the rain fall soft upon your fields,

and, until we meet again,
May God hold you
in the palm of His hand.

The fifth child of Francis and Brigid was Joseph. He was born on May 1, 1909, in Lehid, County Galway. He, like his father, was a farmer. He was responsible for 34 acres of land. He raised lambs and cattle. He grew vegatables such as turnups, tomatoes, cabbage, among others. (He grew enough vegatables to supply his family's needs.) He cut enough turf to use at home.
He inherited his father's property in Knocknagur, Tuam. The writer and his wife, his first cousins, visited Joe and family members on a trip to Ireland in 1992. That experience included a chance to visit Joe's old school, Brooklawn Male National, built in 1906. He was very proud of his school days. He and his family members also showed us Lehid, the village where he was born and raised (see information above on Lehid under Catherine).
A story about Joe and Catherine when they were kids: On Saturdays, they would gather potatoes in the field, bring them back to the house, and bake them over a fire. They called it "cashed" (unsure of spelling).
Joe and his sister, Catherine, were told by their father to run an errand to the local store in Milltown to buy caster oil for one of the the sick cows. On their way, Joe found half a crown (Irish money; 2 schillings and 6 pence). He wanted to buy a pack of cigerettes with the money. This diversion from the original trip made it longer than expected. When they got home, his father not only questioned him about being late but also about the cigerettes. He thought they had stolen them and didn't believe his son about finding the money. He was sent to his room without dinner. His other sister, Beatrice, felt sorry for him, so she stole some food, pulled up the window in his room and gave him the food.
Here is a funny story about Joe and two of sisters. One night, Catherine, Beatrice, and Joe went to a dance. Joe came home from the dance before they did, but he was still late (past curfew). He was afraid to enter the house, fearing the punishment he would receive from his father. (Catherine commented that her father was very strict in terms of disciplining the children.) Therefore, he decided to sleep standing up against the stucco part of the house. In the morning they discovered scratches on his face, which he suffered while resting his face on the stucco. His sisters laughed at him the next day and often reminded him and others of the incident.
Knock is a place where in August 21, 1879, the Blessed Virgin Mary was said to have appeared in the fields to fifteen people. The Pope made a visit there in 1979. Joe and his wife, Mary, were proud to be in attendence at such a spirtual event.
Joe, at the age of 86, died on September 1, 1995. He was buried at the cemetery next to the church in Kilconly, where his parents and grandparents were buried. The mass of Christian burial was an expression of love that his family had for him. The entrance hymm was "Lady of Knock". The chorus of that hymm is :

Golden Rose, Queen of Ireland
All my cares and troubles cease.
As we kneel with love before you
Lady of Knock, my Queen of Peace.

Following the above hymm, Joe's grandson, Liam, read from the Book of Wisdom. After the reading, Joe's grandson, Aisling McHugh, sung a Psalm, "I Watch the Sunrise". The first verse is:

I watch the sunrise lighting the sky,
casting its shadows near. And on this morning
bright through it be, I feel those shawdows near
me. But you are always close to me
following all my ways. May I be always
close to you following your ways, Lord.

The above song was followed by the procession of gifts done by his grandchildren. Sinead Heneghan carried clay (taken from Lehid), symbolizing Joe's love for his birthplace. It also represents a life dedicated to the land. Marie Brennan carried a family photo, symbolizing his love and loyalty for his own. Damian Brennan carried Joe's rosary beads, a symbol of Joe's faith which he shared with his family. Clare Heneghan carried a copy of the Tuam Herald, showing his interest in local news and current affairs. David Brennan carried a piece of bait, symbolizing his favorite past-time and love, fishing. Aoife Heneghan carried a yellow rose, a sign of friendship and his unforgettable handshake. Cathal McHugh and Liam Og Heneghan offered the bread and wine. Subsequently, prayers of the faithful were read by Michael Brennan, Cathal McHugh, Eoghan Heneghan, and Orla McHugh. To conclude the mass, the prayer on the "In Remembrance" card was read by Fiona Heneghan. The mass was celebrated by six priests and was served by Shaun Heneghan and Barry Brennan.
Joe and his wife, Mary Coyne/Heneghan, had five children. (All of them were raised in Knocknagur, County Galway). They include, from oldest to youngest: Maureen, Frank, and Liam, John James, and Catherine.
Maureen was born on July 24, 1944. She married Michael McHugh on June 15, 1970. She is a civil servant. Michael is a part-time industrial worker and farmer. They live in Drim, Milltown, County Galway. They have five children, namely, Orla, Dierdre, Ashling, and Cathal (English: Charles). Orla was born on September 25, 1973, in Tuam. She studied applied science at Trinity College. Deirdre was born on July 8, 1972, in Galway. She is a primary school teacher. Aisling was born on April 5, 1975, in Tuam. She went to Trinity College (studied to be a dietican). Cathal was born on April 28, 1979, in Taum. He attended secondary school at St. Patrick's in Tuam.
Frank, the second oldest, was born on May 3, 1946, in Knocknagur. (He has a twin brother, Liam.) He married Irene Mellon, on March 30, 1970 (Churchtown, Dublin). Frank was a police officer (garda) for 30 years. They own a general store. Irene helps him manage the store. They have five children, namely, Liam, Eoghen, Colm, Shaun, and Sinead. Liam was born on January 31, 1971, in Dublin. He has a bachelor of commerce degree from U.C. Dublin. He works as an accountant. He is married (wife's name: Miriam). Eoghen was born on October 3, 1972, in Dublin. Colm was born on June 17, 1975, in Dublin. He, Eoghen, and Liam graduated from the same college with the same degree. Shaun was born on December 27, 1983. The youngest child, Sinead, was born on November 19, 1985, in Dublin. Shaun and Sinead attend a National School.
Frank's twin, Liam, was a sargeant for the Dublin garda. He married Brenda Fahy on August 7, 1973. Brenda is a primary school teacher. They have five children. They were all born in Dublin. Niall, the oldest, was born on January 3, 1975. He graduated with a bachelor of commerce degree from U.C. Dublin. Caragh was born on May 8, 1976. She graduated from Marino College, Dublin. She is a primary school teacher. Fiona was born June 6, 1979. He attended secondary school in Dublin. Liam Og., Jr., was born on March 23, 1982. He attended the same school as his brother Liam. The youngest, Aoife, was born January 3, 1985. He attended National School.
John James (a.k.a. J.J.), the youngest son of Joe and Mary, was born on April 17, 1950, in Knocknagur, County Mayo. He married Mary Nolan on April 5, 1983, in Bekan Church, Claremorris, County Mayo. Mary is a clerial worker for a bus company in Galway. They have one child, namely, Clare. Clare, who has red hair, was born on November 22, 1984, in Galway. She attends Kilbannon National School.
J.J. inherited his father's farm. He has a house next to his mother-in-law, Mary. J.J. is a full-time farmer.
As a farmer, J.J. raises lambs and cattle. In 1997 he sold about 100 lambs and a number of cattle. The aforementioned is done to raise money. He grows vegatables such as turnups, tomatoes, cabbage, among others. He grows enough vegatables to supply his family's needs. He cuts enough turf to use at home. At the current rate, he has about 150 years' worth of turf left.
About a half a mile from J.J.'s residence, there is a half acre cemetery. Adjacent to the cemetery was a convent, dating back to the 14th century. About half the headstones are remaining. According to J.J./legend, a priest impregnated one of the nun's. The priest didn't want the locals to find out about the prenancy, so he closed the convent. By doing so, he was able to avoid a scandal. Few people were buried there afterwards because it was considered an omen. About six to eight years ago, a number of locals have talked about using the cemetery again. A book has been written about this place, and J.J. plans to get a copy of it.
J.J. and his family visited the United States in March of 1997. Their first stop was in New York City (Brooklyn), New York, to visit Raymond Heneghan, a cousin. Their second stop was Cincinnati, Ohio, to visit some other cousins, including the Farrell's and Agricola's. They enjoyed visiting America for the first time. (They took advantage of the strong U.S. dollar.)
The youngest child of Joe and Mary is Catherine. She was born on February 6, 1955, in Knocknagur. She married Oliver Brennan on July 17, 1979. She is a primary school teacher. Oliver is a farmer. They have six children. The oldest is Michael Paul. He was born on April 13, 1980. He attended St. Garlath's College, Dublin. His brother, David, was born on July 3, 1981.
He also attended the same school. Barry was born on May 24, 1983. Damien was born on April 22, 1987. Marie, the only girl, was born on November 7, 1988. Barry, Damien, and Marie attended Kilbannon National School. The youngest child of Catherine and Oliver is Colin Peter. He was born on February 7, 1993.
Catherine and Oliver live on a farm. On their property, they possess a fascinating artifact known as a "mass rock". It was used as a marker and a symbol of faith by Irish Catholics, when the English, through the penal laws (starting early 1700s), forbade them to practice their religion. The "mass rocks" were located in remote areas, so the English would not discover them. The Irish Catholics would meet at the "mass rocks" and practice their religion. The "mass rock" on the Brennan's property was moved there from another location. It was placed in a "crater" which had a mound built around it. The crater and mound were used as a dwelling by pre-historic people of Ireland. A some type of fence was placed around it to keep out animals.
The second youngest child of Francis and Brigid is Margaret. Her nickname is Baby. She was born on August 27, 1911. She was born in Lehid. She is married to John Daly. They were married in February 1941, in Kilconly. They live in Galway.
Margaret and John had five children, namely, Vera, Joe, Francis, Bernie, and John. Vera, the oldest child, was born on January 1, 1942, in Tuam. She married Tim Bray on September 21, 1968, in Tuam. Vera is a civil servant. Her husband is a vetinary surgeon. They have two daughters, Emer (b. march 26, 1974) and Dervilla (b. June 30 1969). The second oldest child of Margaret and John Daly is Joe. He was born on August 7, 1943, in Tuam. Joe married a young women by name of Heather (location: England). They have two childern, Susan and Bruce. Susan is married and has two children, Emma and Mark. Next in line is Francis. He was born on December 2, 1944, in Tuam. He married Maureen Cuniffe on January 6, 1978, in Tuam. Francis is a sales representative. His wife is a dance teacher. They have two children, Lynn (b. May 6, 1984) and Larlaith (b. March 2, 1992). The second youngest child, Bernice (a.k.a Bernie), was born on February 7, 1947, in Tuam. She married Jim McNamee in April 1966, in Tuam. They have two children, Paul (b. February 7, 1967) and Jacqueline. The youngest child is John. He was born on August 5, 1948, in Taum. He married a young woman by the name of Margaret, in England. They have one child, Aidan. He was born in London, England.
Francis Owen and Kitty had five children, namely, Basil, Beatrice, Frank, Teresa, and Catherine. Basil was born on August 1, 1948. She was never married. She died on August 8, 1986. She is buried at the Palmerstown cemetery in Dublin. Beatrice was the second oldest. She was born on March 27, 1950. She is married to Jim Peters. They were married in Canada. Presumbly, her husband is from Canada. They have two children, namely, Elizabeth and Catherine. Frank was the third child of Francis Owen and Kitty. He was born on May 25, 1953. He married Anne Brennan on September 24, 1974, in Dublin. They have three children, namely, Maeve (b. February 8, 1980), Aoife (b. May 23, 1984), and Enev (b. July 14, 1978). Teresa, the second youngest, was born on September 17, 1955. She is single. She works as a beautician. The youngest child, Catherine, was born December 22, 1961. She married Cecil Stephens on September 10, 1981. They have five children, namely, David (b. March 16, 1982), Owen (February 2, 1984), Dillow (April 21, 1986), Danial (b. September 26, 1988), and Kate (b. July 5, 1991).
The youngest child of Francis and Brigid is Francis Owen. Presumbly, he acquired his first name from his father and his middle name from his grandfather. He was born on October 2, 1913, in Lehid, County Galway. He was married to Kitty Maybury (born in County Laoise). They were married on September 16, 1947, in Dublin. Francis Owen was a Superintendent in
Garda Siochana (The latter is equivalent to the police department in the United States). Francis Owen died on December 17, 1985, at the age of 72, and is buried in DaCineston cemetery in Dublin.
A family historian once said, "The more mortal you realize that your are, the more you want to know where you are from and what's made you who you are." Edmund Burke also expressed a similar feeling: "People will not look forward to posterity, who never looked backward to their ancestors." It won't be long before the following pages are filled with stories and the history of more Heneghans. The Heneghans are a proud Irish family who take great pride in their past. This quality is vital, so the traditions and history of the family can be passed onto future generations.
As you reflect on your past, it is appropriate to close with the two Irish Blessings indicated below. They both capture the essence of Ireland and what it represents.

Wherever there's a song to sing,
A friend that needs a hand,
A cause to follow, come what may-
There is Ireland!

No latitude or longitude
Can bound the Emerald Isle.
You'll find it in a pair of eyes
You'll find it in a smile.

You'll know it by its laughter,
You'll know it by its tears,
You'll know it by the warmth of heart
That lasts through all the years.

by Thomas Langan

-------------------------------------------

How sweetly lies old Ireland
Emerald green beyond the foam,
Awakening sweet memories,
Calling the heart back home.


Note: It should be noted that the above history of the Heneghan's is in no way a comprehensive account of the family. Genealogy is an on-going process. Therefore, more information will be collected in the future and updates will be made as necessary. There is a dilemma in the world of genealogy about whether to write about so-called "skeletons" or stories that are seeminly "umcomfortable." In my opinion, family history should be told through the eyes of history, not through the selective eyes of a single family historian, such as myself. Simply put, it is not up to me to decide what should be included in this family history book or any other one for that matter. We can no longer hide history, as was the case, at times, in the past. As a more intelligent people, we should learn from our past and seek to live better lives.




























equivalent to the to the


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