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
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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.
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