Collins Family Sixmilebridge

[chezem]

My great grandmother Bridget Collins was born in Sixmilebridge in 1845. Her parents were John Collins and Winifred Hassett. Bridget was in Sixmilebridge at the time of the massacre and emmigrated to Australia shortly after. She came with her slightly older brother John. All the children except one emigrated to Australia. They were sent out 2 at a time and couple on their own. Bridget married Michael Naughton who came from Loghill, Limerick. Patrick, the brother who remained in Ireland married Catherine Crowe but at least one of their children Winifred Agnes Collins came to Australia. She married Patrick Moylan and John Conroy. Both came from the same area of Clare. The sister of Bridget's father Catherine also seems to have left Ireland. She went to the USA and married Cornelius Kenevan. Connected families in Australia include surnames Corbett, Maloney, Hogan, O'Connor. All from Clare. I am looking for any information about this family and any information on where Winifred Hassett and John Collins may be buried. John Collins died before 1864 and Winifred Hassett died 3 Mar 1875 in Cappanalaght.

Thanks,

Cheryl

[Declan Barron]

With further research you might be lucky and find that your Winifred Hassett was closely related to Catherine Hassett, mother of James Hickey, John F. Kennedy's great-grandfather.

[germc]

Hi

Can you tell me if you knoe where Catherine Hassett originated from, I have a connection with that name

Ger

[chezem]

Ger,

Her mothers name is Winifred Hassett. I don't know exactly where she came from. Can only presume she came from Clare also. She died in Cappanalaght.

Cheryl

[kay.f.mcmahon]

Hi Cheryl,
Winifred Hassett who married John Collins Originated from Kilkishen Co.Clare.
Your Great grand mother Bridget had 3 sisters Honora, Mary and Catherine, who immigrated with their brothers John and Michael before 1864. All 7 children married and had large families.
If you can send me your email address I have more information for you.
I am a direct descendant, 5th generation.

Kay.

[chezem]

Hi Kay,

I've sent you a message with email address.

Cheryl

[rupston]

My 2xgreatgrandmother was also Winifred Collins and I have not been able to locate any information on her ancestry or that of her husband John Patrick Collins. Can anybody share their findings please?

[Cathy G]

Hi Cheryl ,

I saw your post just now and not sure if you are still active on this site but will give this a try. I was happy to see we share the same ancestry. My great great great grandfather Patrick Collins was born in Sixmilebridge. His parents were John Collins and Winifred Hassett. From your post it appears Patrick was the only one who stayed at Cappanalaght farm. He would be my great great grandfather. Did his siblings leave because of political unrest with the landlords? Do you know details on how they got to Australia, how their fare was paid for? What jobs they did? Did they keep in touch with Patrick and his mother Winifred through letter writing? Any letters posted anywhere?
Does anyone know the lineage of Winifred Hassett? Do you know who her parents were or who the parents of John Collins her husband were?
Any information on how the Collins family survived the famine. What kind of crops did they grow? or any other info would be greatly appreciated.

Cathy from Washington State USA.

[chezemcm]

Hi Cathy,

Yes I'm still around. I was told that Winifred Hassett came from Kilkishen which I think is not too far away. I believe that prospects for young people in Ireland were extremely poor. The eldest son usually inherited the family farm but it usually didn't produce enought to feed everyone and so the rest had to go. Must have been heartwrenching discussion around the tea table when it was time to go. My great great grandmother came with her elder brother John on the 'Sirrocco' in 1864. The other siblings had either come in pairs or a couple came on their own. All of them ended up in the Araluen area of NSW. An old gold mining town that became a very peaceful farm valley after the goldrush ended. Catherine Collins came on the 'Lady McDonald' in 1860. Michael Collins arrived on the 'Northumberland' in 1862 with a John Collins who I think was a cousin. They came under an immigration scheme where they were required to pay a deposit. Then they had to work for a year to pay off the rest of the fare. In Araluen they were gold miners, publicans, famers and my great grandmother's husband started and ran the Cheese - Dairy Co-Operative. He was also in charge of raising funds that went back to Ireland to help evicted Irish tenant famers so I am sure that there was a lot of letters backwards and forwards to Ireland. I'm trying to work out the next line back. I have a DNA match to a descendant of a Patrick Collins who looks like the brother of John Collins who married Winifred Hassett. Have you DNA tested anywhere? I've got a couple of others that I am pretty sure are siblings.

Message me and we can communicate by email. I had to open a new account here as I couldn't remember how to get into the old one. So message me from this post.

Cheryl

[smcarberry]

Since there was mention of Kilkishen for Winifred Hassett, I took a look at my notes which cover Kilkishen/Clonlea civil parish and the records for O'Callaghan's Mills RC Parish and then other nearby RC parishes. There is no marriage listing for Winifred Hassett, nor a baptism for a Bridget born 1845 to a John Collins. If you can locate your family members in any such transcription (now online via the donated records section of the Library's Genealogy Section), could you post it here ?

[chezemcm]

I can find records for three of John Collins and Winifred Hassett in the Cratloe Parish Records. Honorah 24 Sep 1832, John 26 Apr 1842 and Bridget 16 Feb 1845.

[smcarberry]

Thanks, that helps a lot in understanding the time context. A marriage before 1835 would not be in the O'Callaghan's Mills Parish register, and the Cratloe register transcription is not yet online.

Your family was so close to Limerick city that I hope you are checking resources of the Limerick Local Studies Centre at its library site, including extensive old newspaper extractions which covered some East Clare happenings.

[Sduddy]

There’s a Winifred Hassett in the Sixmilebridge baptisms 1840 – 1864: https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls ... 1/mode/1up

Michael Mannion and Winifred Hassett are sponsors at the baptism of Martin Mannion, Cappinalaught, on 04.11.1855 (bottom of righthand side of page 72 online).

Sheila