Eliza Eagar née Foley (c1831-1917) matron, Corofin Workhouse

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pwaldron
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Eliza Eagar née Foley (c1831-1917) matron, Corofin Workhouse

Post by pwaldron » Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:43 am

While researching Margaret Williamina Brew, I came across this in The Irish Times of 4 Jun 1908, reporting on the case of Eager [sic] v. O'Halloran:
The plaintiff, Elizabeth Foley Eager was a second cousin of Thomas Foley Brew, who died intestate on 1st July, 1907, at Ennistymon, County Clare, and the defendants are Naome [sic, recte Nannie] O'Halloran, John F. Culllinan, Marion B. Lynch, widow of one of the next-of-kin, and others. On 24th July, plaintiff obtained letters of administration of the deceased's estate, but after the order was made it was discovered that Marion B. Lynch, a first cousin, was living, and her name was added to the suit. The deceased became insane some months before his death, and it appears that various parties without any right entered on portion of the lands belonging to him ... £ 100 which the deceased had lodged in the bank a short time before his death, as alleged, in the joint names of himself and Miss Fitzgerald, one of the defendants.
There are many other newspaper references to the administration of this estate in 1907 and 1908, and the case was mentioned in the House of Commons in London in 1910 and in the Irish Reports in 1911.

Hopefully some papers (even a pedigree affidavit) may have survived the 1922 conflagration in the Four Courts and will be available in the National Archives of Ireland.

The administratrix Mrs Eagar (as her name is more often spelled) had a very long career as matron of Corofin Workhouse, a position that she held in 1862, 1893, 1901 and probably 1907 and 1908 (see comments on broken EPPI website). Her age at death implies that she was in her mid-70s at the time of the last two references.

She later followed her daughter to Belfast - see 1901 and 1911 censuses - and died there in 1917 - search PRONI Will Calendars.

Elizabeth Foley Taaffe married Thomas Robert Eagar in Kilrush on 12 July 1851, and should not be confused with the Elizabeth Foley who married James Eagar in Dublin in 1855 - see familysearch.org and irishgenealogy.ie.

I would welcome any further information on this family.
Last edited by pwaldron on Mon Nov 25, 2013 12:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

Trisha
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Re: Eliza Eagar née Foley (c1831-1917) matron, Corofin Workh

Post by Trisha » Wed Nov 06, 2013 12:44 pm

Eliza Eagar was the daughter of Thomas Taaffe a farmer. She married Thomas Robert Eagar 12 July 1851 in Kilrush. Her husband was a police constable in various places in Clare the last being Crusheen. He resigned on 1 January 1860 but drowned in Inchiquin Lake while fishing 12September 1860. He is buried in front of the Church of Ireland in Corofin. He was 36. Eliza was left with 4 children who then joined her in the workhouse . 3 sons, Thomas, Arthur and I don't know the name of the 3rd one and a daughter Anne. I suspect she was somehow related to Martin Taaffe , Drumcavan who was on the board of Guardians of Corofin Workhouse. He also drowned August 1870. He was married to Mary Maloney. His daughter Helena married John Hehir. Looking at William Foley who was killed in a duel 1808 and from the list of his siblings in the press, John, Timothy, Cornelius, Catherine Brew and Honoria the only possibility is that Eliza's grandfather must be Timothy or Cornelius. They were sons of Timothy Foley and Ann O Loughlin. Does anyone know of a Thomas Taaffe married to a Foley? Or has anyone information on Martin Taaffe?

Trisha
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Re: Eliza Eagar née Foley (c1831-1917) matron, Corofin Workh

Post by Trisha » Wed Nov 06, 2013 12:55 pm

I forgot to mention that when Eliza Eagar became matron of Corrofin Workhouse on 1859 Patrick Foley was the master. Does anyone know anything about him?

mgallery
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Re: Eliza Eagar née Foley (c1831-1917) matron, Corofin Workh

Post by mgallery » Thu Nov 07, 2013 9:57 am

Tricia
Martin Taaffe of Erinagh and Drumcavin was my gt gt grandfather. Paddy Waldron kindly passed on some of the info you sent him. You are missing my gt grandmother Minnie Taaffe an elder daughter of Martins who married David Gallery of Ballybeg Ennis my gt grandfather. My family kept in touch with the Hehirs and their Henchy descendants until lately (Fannie married a Henchy from Glin - I think). My aunt is now elderly and not full with it. Happy to pass onto you any info that I have. All of the Drumcavin sons emigrated, only the daughters were left and the only ones I heard talk of were my gt grandmother and her sister Helena and Helenas daughter Fanny Hehir who was I think sponsor for some of my families baptisms. I know Joseph went to New York. I suspect that Martin Taaffes father was George as George as a name came into my Gallery family with the Taaffe marriage. However it may not be so I do think that there may have been more than one Martin Taaffe as I have this newspaper announcement which may or not be the same one (Edward Gallery on the jury is my gt gt grandfather David's father). http://www.irelandoldnews.com/Galway/1840/OCT.html

I do find it strange that I cannot see them in the tithe applotments or the freeholders lists….

We have many family stories about the Taaffes, they were big farmers and great horsemen but my family say that the Taaffe racing family are closely related to us and that one of Martins sons ran away to be a stablehand and was disowned. I cannot verify this but all of the Gallerys tell this story back to my grandfather who said Pat Or Tom Taaafe was his first cousin and the Taaffes from Tubber also tell it. There is a priest in Ennis who will tell you this story. He does not know of any relation between the Drumvavin and Tubber Taaffes.


I have asked the racing Taaffes who say they were always from Carlingford. As it appears the Corofin Taaffes may have come from carlingford it is possible both stories are true

regards

Margaret Gallery

pwaldron
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Re: Eliza Eagar née Foley (c1831-1917) matron, Corofin Workh

Post by pwaldron » Mon Nov 25, 2013 12:53 am

Trisha

I just spotted another mention of P. Foley, master of the Workhouse:

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/t ... 1029344407
Clare Journal Nov 17 1856
Deaths
At Corofin, on Thursday morning, aged 13 years, of a protracted illness,
Jane Agness, youngest daughter of Mr. P. Foley, master of the Workhouse.

I wonder is this the same Patrick Foley:

1887 17th January (CJ).
Marriage: Foley and Foley: January 11th 1887 at the Catholic Church,Cooraclare,
County Clare, by the Rev Bartholomew Scanlan,P.P. uncle of the bride assisted by
the Rev Daniel Hayes,C.C.,William Foley of Nenagh eldest son of the late Patrick
Foley Esq,Corofin,County Clare to Veronica third daughter of the late William Foley
Esq,M.D. Kilrush, County Clare.

And I wonder is this indicative of a relationship between the north Clare Foleys and the west Clare Foleys - it might be worth looking at the Cooraclare marriage register to see whether the two Foleys required a dispensation in order to marry.

I am about to edit my original post above to reflect what I have learned from you.

caoilte
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Re: Eliza Eagar née Foley (c1831-1917) matron, Corofin Workh

Post by caoilte » Thu Jan 23, 2014 2:23 pm

Patrick Foley, who was Master of the Corofin PLU Workhouse, was probably a native of Kilrush as he had previously been i/c of the auxiliary house at Leadmore, near that town. He was appointed to Corofin c. 1851 following the forced resignation of Wm. Fitzgerald, the first master there. Foley himself was obliged to resign some 10 years later when he was the subject of a complaint re conduct (unspecified) relating to a female pauper. There was also another Patrick Foley (no relation), in Corofin at that time - a prominent and well-to-do shopkeeper and an agent for various shipping companies, including Spaights of Limerick who were importing timber for Canada and taking emigrants out on the empty boats.
In 1878 at Corofin, Anne Eager (18 years), the youngest daughter of Thomas and Eliza Eagar, married James Mc Gann, son of Owen Mc Gann of Whitemount, Corofin. Shortly afterwards James was appointed Master of the Corofin workhouse, a post which he held for the following nine years until his untimely death from TB in 1887, aged only 38 years. This James was the father of the well-known sport's journalist Art Mc Gann "An Fear Ciúin"(1882-1970). I mention this last detail for the reason that in his recent publication:"The GAA & Radio Eireann" (Patrick P. Guthrie, 2013) the author incorrectly states (page 317) "Art's grandmother, Elizabeth Mc Gann (nee Eagar) ......etc".
Caoilte

kbarlow
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Re: Eliza Eagar née Foley (c1831-1917) matron, Corofin Workh

Post by kbarlow » Sat Mar 15, 2014 5:29 am

This Patrick Foley may be the brother of Laurence Foley, who died in 1857, leaving his brothers John and Patrick Foley his properties (see prior post mentioning article in the Limerick Leader, and related to the topic Margaret Brew).

Trisha
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Re: Eliza Eagar née Foley (c1831-1917) matron, Corofin Workh

Post by Trisha » Sat Mar 15, 2014 12:48 pm

Patrick Foley who was master of Corrofin Workhouse is a different person to Patrick Foley brother of Lawrence who died in 1857. Eliza Eagar's great uncle John Foley, son of Timothy Foley and Anne O Loughlin had married Mary Maloney and had 6 children, Mary born 1802/3 died May 1888 who married David O Connell, Laurence who died in 1857, Patrick who died 30 December 1861, John, Margaret who married Thomas Foley Brew (mother of Thomas Foley Brew who died 1907) and Catherine who married Basil Lukey Davoren.

pwaldron
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Re: Eliza Eagar née Foley (c1831-1917) matron, Corofin Workh

Post by pwaldron » Mon Jul 07, 2014 9:38 pm

I'm not sure which Patrick Foley this is:

Limerick Chronicle 29 May 1847
MARRIAGES.
At Ralahine, Mr. Patrick Foley, of Corofin, to Miss Hartigan.

Sduddy
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Re: Eliza Eagar née Foley (c1831-1917) matron, Corofin Workhouse

Post by Sduddy » Thu Jun 17, 2021 10:45 am

I think the wife of Thomas Taaffe must have been married previously to a Mr. Corry:

Clare Journal, Thur 1 Jul l858:
Marriages. At Gort, on the 17 June, Mr. Danl. McNamara, master of the Gort workhouse, to Hester Anne, second daughter of Mrs. Corry, of Gort, and sister to Mrs. Eagers, of Ennistymon workhouse.
Sheila

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