Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

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Jimbo
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Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Jimbo » Fri Apr 30, 2021 3:06 am

Hi Sheila,

Thank you very much for posting the Freeman's Journal article, the short history of Catholic burials in Ireland versus Continental European countries was quite interesting. I am sure you would agree that the newspaper reporter's statement, "As gradually the Church of Ireland begins to recover from the oppression and persecution of centuries", should have read "the Catholic Church in Ireland". The issue being discussed at the Limerick Board of Guardians was the burial of deceased paupers at the Limerick workhouse, but also makes clear that the poor outside the workhouse would also not receive the final prayers of a priest at their burial. Lord Emly's statements in the latest article, "while in every other Catholic country in the world the priest accompanies the body to the grave, this is not done in Ireland" as well as "in Ireland services at the grave are not in the rule", has led me to question my earlier conclusion that a Catholic priest would have attended the burial of James McNamara of Derrymore Carmody of Tulla Parish in 1876.

My prior comment about the comparability of Limerick Parish to Tulla Parish, failed to reflect that the Limerick Board of Guardians represented Limerick Union which would include both County Limerick as well as several adjacent parishes in County Clare.

Lord Emly at a Limerick Board of Guardians in September 1877 asked for the latest status on their April 1877 resolution that the Roman Catholic chaplain would attend the burial service for paupers of the workhouse. Once again, we learn that it was not just paupers, but the majority of ratepayers in the Limerick Union, who would certainly not be considered poor, had no Catholic priest at their interment:
THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD

LIMERICK, THURSDAY,—At the meeting of the Board of Guardians yesterday the chairman (Lord Emly) asked whether the resolution which the guardians made some time since, that the Roman Catholic clergyman should read the burial service at the interment of the paupers who die in the house had been carried out. The Clerk replied that about two months ago the Rev. Mr. O'Kennedy wrote to say that he would endeavor to carry out the view of the board, but that he would expect suitable remuneration for the extra duties imposed. He (the clerk) within the past week again communicated with the rev. gentleman, who referred him to his former letter. Chairman—Are the burial services yet read? Master—They are not, my Lord. Chairman—How can that fact be reconciled with the promise conveyed in the letter of the Rev. Mr. O'Kennedy? Mr. Costelloe said that eight out of every ten of the ratepayers were interred without any religious services being performed, and he [Mr. Costelloe] did not think it was necessary to do that for the paupers, which the ratepayers did not require to be done for themselves. The Chairman asked was there one amongst them who did not feel repugnance—he could almost use a stronger word—horror, at the idea of sending corpses to be interred without religious services of any kind being performed at their graves? Dr. Kane thought it would be sufficient for the clergyman to perform a religious service in the Church when patients die, and not require him to go to the graveyard. The Chairman said that was one of the two courses which it had been decided at a recent Synod could be adopted. A resolution embodying Dr. Kane's suggestion was then agreed to.

Cork Constitution, Monday, 24 September 1877
The chaplain of the Limerick workhouse, the Rev. Daniel O'Kennedy, the parish priest of St. Munchin's in Limerick City, would obviously read the newspaper coverage and consider the criticism and language directed at him by the board of guardians to be most inappropriate. He was not shy in letting the board know this:
THE LIMERICK BOARD OF GUARDIANS AND THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHAPLAIN.

The Hon. G.N. Fitzgibbons presided at the weekly meeting of the Board of Guardians on Wednesday last.

The following letter was read :—
St. Munchin's,
Sept. 25th, 1877

To C.M. Wilson, Esq.

Dear Sir,—In reply to your communication of the 23rd instant, containing resolution of the board, bc., you will kindly inform the board that I will be prepared to perform the "funeral services" as stated in resolution as soon as certain conditions are complied with. It will be necessary to have the corpses closely coffined before removal to the chapel. The reasonable remuneration given to the chaplain for the extra duties imposed, and all necessary requisites procured. If the board will inform me that the aforesaid conditions are to be carried out, I will then (D.V.) [Latin "deo volente" for "God willing"] undertake the extra duties. I would also respectfully suggest to certain guardians that in future they would be more cautious in the use of their "polite adjectives."

Sincerely yours, &c, &c,
DANIEL O'KENNEDY, P.P.
A quick interjection: the above letter by the Rev. Daniel O'Kennedy might seem quite tame, but would create a firestorm at the Limerick board of guardian meeting when it was read. I reckon the "polite adjectives" were actually the nouns "repugnance" and "horror" used by Lord Emly, but the members of the board never came to a conclusion as to what and who Father O'Kennedy was referring to. From his comments, Mr. Cronin likely shared my opinion but did not want to stir the pot at the meeting. Father O'Kennedy's letter was one paragraph; when the aldermen state "last paragraph", and "paragraph before that", I believe they mean "last sentence" etc.
Mr. Gaffney—Well, the guardians are not to be threatened in this way by the Rev. Mr. O'Kennedy and I for one——

Mr. Cregan—I rise to order. There is no threat in the Rev. Mr. O'Kennedy's letter.

Mr. Gaffney—(warmly) I think there is, and that his language is most impertinent. And while I stand here, as a guardian it is language I shall not patiently submit to. I am here as the representative of the ratepayers, and I will speak out my mind, and while I am not offensive to the Chairman or the members of the board, I think I am in perfect order (hear, hear); so no officer of the board can tell me I am not.

The Chairman—At present there is nothing exactly before the chair.

Mr. Cronin—There is not, sir, and I don't see why Mr. Gaffney should take to himself everything said in the Rev. Mr. O'Kennedy's letter.

Mr. Cregan—He should certainly not usurp the functions of the entire board, for unless the cap fits him he should not wear it. I don't think he used any of the adjectives which the Rev. Mr. O'Kennedy mentions. I for one, did not hear Mr. Gaffney make use of a single disrespectful word toward the Rev. gentleman.

The Chairman—I really think, speaking for myself, that Father O'Kennedy ought to be requested to withdraw the last paragraph.

Mr. Gaffney—Certainly, sir, and he should also be requested to withdraw the other paragraph in which he says there will be no prayers without his being paid for them, (Oh, oh).

Mr. Ryan—Shame, shame.

The Chairman—You must recollect, Mr. Gaffney, that the labourer is worthy of his hire.

Mr. Cronin—That was a very improper observation for Mr. Gaffney to make, because if he wishes to impose extra duties on Father O'Kennedy I cannot see what possible objection he can have to pay him.

The Chairman—What I must suggest would be to return the letter to Father O'Kennedy and ask him quietly to withdraw the last paragraph.

Mr. Gaffney—Yes and, I move, that he be also requested to withdraw the other paragraph in which he says there are to be no prayers without his being paid for them.

Mr. Phillips—I think it would be better for this board not to touch the money part of the question to-day, and after all the best course might be to defer the consideration of the letter to the next meeting.

Mr. M'Craith—I propose we adopt the Chairman's suggestion.

Mr. Phillips—But then what about the increase of salary?

Mr. Barry said that the Rev. Mr. O'Kennedy was a clergyman well known and greatly respected in the city, and to return his letter, as suggested by the Chairman, would be passing a censure on the reverend gentleman which he did not at all deserve. There was nothing in Father O'Kennedy's communication to the board that would call for the guardians adopting such a course.

The Chairman—My idea was not to return the letter officially but to ask somebody to let Father O'Kennedy look at it again, and suggest whether it would not be wise for him, as a clergyman, to withdraw the last paragraph. I must say that, considering the Rev. Mr. O'Kennedy's position with regard to this board, I do not think he ought to have used such language, (Hear, hear).

Mr. Cronin—In answer to that, Mr. Chairman, I have a perfect recollection of some expressions being used by certain guardians at the last meeting, which I considered very offensive to Father O'Kennedy.

The Chairman—Well I did not hear a single guardian use any offensive expression towards Father O'Kennedy.

Mr. Cronin—What I state is the fact, and Father O'Kennedy has been provoked to use this language. Under the circumstances the phrase which is complained of must be taken to be very mild.

Mr. Cregan—I should be very sorry to differ with you Mr. Chairman, but I must say that I agree with what has fallen from Mr. Barry. If guardians have use of expressions hurtful to the feelings of Mr. O'Kennedy, he certainly takes a mild way in reply. Her merely asks us to qualify our adjectives.

Mr. Cronin—Father O'Kennedy has been sneered at here.

The Chairman—I never heard it.

Mr. Gaffney—I am one of the most outspoken guardians at this board and will not stand this. I did not hear a single offensive word used in reference to Father O'Kennedy, and now I will not stand here and allow him to dictate either to the board or to myself.

Mr. McGrath—Will you allow him to explain?

Mr. Gaffney—Decidedly, but if we are to be dictated to by our own officers, the guardians may as well not be here at all. If Father O'Kennedy finds at the end of the year that he has done more work than bargained for, why let him say so, and then we can take his case into account. At present it is not prudent for him to be talking about money in this way.

Mr. Cronin—I don't know that. There can be no doubt that you wish to impose fresh duties on him.

The Chairman—For my part I would have preferred to see Father O'Kennedy take up the duties as directed by the board, and then leave it to the guardians to say what remuneration they would give him. However, the question now is whether we shall adjourn the matter to the next meeting or otherwise.

Mr. Phillips said notice should be given to all the guardians with respect to Father O'Kennedy's letter and therefore he thought the subject should be adjourned to the next meeting of the board. He would hand in a notice of motion to that effect.

Mr. Hosford remarked that the application of Father O'Kennedy would come on the ratepayers by surprise, the Roman Catholic chaplain being in receipt of a salary of £150 a year, and the additional duties which he has now called upon to perform, such as, according to the ruling of the Chairman, Lord Emly, he should have discharged since his appointment, (Hear, hear). He had the greatest possible respect for the Rev. Mr. O'Kennedy, but at the same time, he should say that, he thought the present salary was sufficient, it having been lately increased, and the Rev. Mr. O'Kennedy then expressing himself satisfied with the salary he was in receipt of from the board.

Mr. Phillips handed in a notice of motion to have the matter considered on that day week, and Mr. Cregan also gave notice of motion, that on that day fortnight he would move to have Father O'Kennedy's application taken into consideration, and that his salary be increased by a sum commensurate with the additional services which he was called upon to discharge.—Lim Chron.

Clare Freeman and Ennis Gazette, Saturday, 6 October 1877
The very vocal Mr. Gaffney must be the "Unionist Alderman and flour merchant Thomas Gaffney, J.P." whose son was Thomas St. John Gaffney. The "Old Limerick Journal" in its 2013 winter edition includes the article "Thomas St. John Gaffney, United States Consul General in Germany 1905 - 1915" by Des Ryan. Gaffney's activities in Germany along with Roger Casement and the Irish Brigade during WWI are most interesting (and the journal's on-line availability begs the question why prior issues of County Clare history journals are also not equally accessible).

http://www.limerickcity.ie/media/olj%20 ... %20038.pdf

What is interesting and somewhat comical of the newspaper reporting of the Limerick Board of Guardian's meeting was the discussion on whether or not to communicate the board's displeasure to Father O'Kennedy and "quietly ask" him to withdraw a few sentences. Quietly? This was reported in the newspapers for all to read, and that would obviously include Father O'Kennedy himself.

In his controversial letter to the board, Father O'Kennedy's insistence that it would be "necessary to have the corpses closely coffined before removal to the chapel" may have been a greater cost impediment than his request for additional salary. I reckon the coffins for workhouse burials, when used at all, would not have been of the finest craftsmanship. The specific request by the Rev. O'Kennedy that corpses be "closely coffined", may have been due to having been a priest during the Great Famine; he was born around 1808. I suspect that when the Rev. Daniel O'Kennedy died the following year in September 1878, he had still not step foot in the Limerick workhouse cemetery to attend the burial of a single pauper.
At the meeting of the Limerick Board of Guardians yesterday, the Right Hon. Lord Emly, chairman, presiding, it was unanimously resolved to adjourn the consideration of the business to Wednesday next, as a mark of respect to the memory of the late Rev. Daniel O'Kennedy, P.P., Catholic chaplain to the [work] house and in sympathy with the inspector, Mr. Richard Bourke, D.L., for the loss he has sustained by the recent death of his wife.
Freeman's Journal, Thursday, 19 September 1878
The Rev. Daniel O'Kennedy, age about 70 years, died in Burren townland, in the district of Ballynacally, in Killadysert, County Clare at the home of his brother, Denis O'Kennedy, on 13 September 1878. He was buried in the "family burying place, at Anhid, near Croom" in County Limerick (Freeman's Journal, 17 September 1878). His nephew was the Rev. Denis O'Kennedy (1857 - 1943) who went on an Australian mission and became parish priest in Cowra in New South Wales.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 193604.pdf
With unfeigned regret (says the Limerick correspondent of the Freeman) the great majority of the citizens heard to-day (September 13th) of the death of the Rev. Daniel O'Kennedy, the gifted and large-hearted parish priest of St. Munchin's, the melancholy event having taken place last night, at Kildysart, county Clare, whither the reverend gentleman had repaired a short time since to recruit his health. Since his advent to the charge of St. Munchin's, in this city, there has been no more popular clergyman with the general public, while by those who enjoyed the privilege of his acquaintance he was held in the highest possible esteem. There was no more distinguished Irish scholar than the deceased priest. The deceased had attained his seventieth year, the greater part of his life having been spent as a clergyman in several parishes of the county.

Dublin Weekly Nation, Saturday, 21 September 1878
Was curious when Lord Emly succeeded in passing through Parliament the bill that eliminated the need for a Catholic priest to obtain permission from the Protestant minister to conduct a burial service at certain cemeteries. But other than Lord Emly's comment in 1877 that it had been "some years hence", could not find any information. Even if the bill had been passed, in say 1860, it is not clear if the new legislation already reflected reality in most parishes. There is no mention of this achievement in his wikipedia biography or various obituaries in the Irish press. The First Baron Emly died on 20 April 1894 and was buried in Kilkeedy Cemetery in Clarina, County Limerick. A plaque on the Monsell family burial vault has the correct birth, 21 September 1812, but the engraved death year as 20 April 1890 is incorrect by four years.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/414 ... am-monsell

I am no longer so certain whether or not a Catholic priest would have been invited to attend the funeral in 1876 of James McNamara of Derrymore East / Carmody. James McNamara (1816 - 1876) appears on Griffith Valuation in Plot 14a in Derrymore East and as such I believe would be considered a "rate payer". At the Limerick Union Board of Guardian meeting in 1877, alderman Costelloe estimated that "eight out of every ten of the ratepayers were interred without any religious services being performed". If this ratio was accurate and also applied to Tulla Union, then the odds were unlikely.

Going back again to the discussion of whether or not women attended funerals (the Quinlivan thread), I realize now of the importance of, first, having a common definition of "funeral", and, secondly, the funeral for what class of person in Ireland. If the deceased's funeral received a lengthy obituary in the Irish press with a long listing of Catholic priests in attendance, then clearly this person was from the upper echelon of Irish society and it would appear that women were not welcome at these funerals. But weren't these funeral customs in the latter half of the 19th century, mimicking British customs? The evidence for women not attending funerals included examples from British novels. It is not very clear to me whether Irish women would have attended a funeral under truly Irish customs? At the 1876 funeral of James McNamara of Derrymore East, if, for one reason or another, the McNamara family decided not to invite a Tulla Catholic priest to the funeral, would his widow, Mary Fitzgerald McNamara, or any of his five daughters have attended the funeral at the cemetery? Would inviting and paying a fee to a Catholic priest to attend a funeral service, actually limit what might be considered traditional Irish burial customs?

Sduddy
Posts: 1819
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:07 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Sduddy » Sat May 01, 2021 4:46 pm

Hi Jimbo

It’s going to be difficult to find out about the funerals of the poorer people, since they weren’t reported on in the papers. But I feel sure that, as time when on, they became more and more like the funerals of the “respectable” people. As for women not attending funerals, I find it difficult to believe that women sat at home while Mass was being said and that they missed all that ceremony and missed seeing the funeral cortege. The discussion on the matter in the Quinlivan topic hasn’t fully convinced me, and I still wonder if the new etiquette (i.e. of women not attending funerals) was observed everywhere. I haven’t done any research (what is there to search?), but I noticed that a report on the funeral of Mrs. P. J. O’Dwyer, in 1898, mentions women mourners:

Clare Saturday Record, 21 May 1898:
Death of Mrs P J O’Dwyer, of Ennistymon. (from our Correspondent). It is with feelings of deep regret and sorrow we announce the death of one of the most charitable and kindly ladies of Ennistymon, Mrs O’Dwyer, wife fo Mr P J O’Dwyer, J P. The announcement was heard through her entire circle of friends, with a horrible shock, as it was only some three weeks ago, she went to Lisdoonvarna, apparently as healthy as ever. Scarcely a week passed, however, when she was attacked, and on Sunday she succumbed to her illness which was borne to the last with Christian fortitude. The largely attended funeral, and the number of wreaths sent, testify in a marked degree the respect and good-will entertained towards the deceased by everyone who came in contact with Mrs O’Dwyer.
The Funeral. The funeral, which was one of the largest witnessed for some time in the town, left Lisdoonvarna at 1.30 p.m., on Monday, and arrived at 4 p.m. at the family vault at Ennistymon.
The chief mourners were – Messrs P J O’Dwyer, J P, husband; Edward, William and Thomas, sons; Mrs. Vaughan and Mrs Monroe, daughters; Mrs W O’Dwyer, daughter-in-law; Mr Monroe, son-in-law; Dr O’Dwyer and John O’Dwyer, nephews; together with a large number of friends from the surrounding country [a long list here]
Sheila

Jimbo
Posts: 589
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:43 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Jimbo » Mon May 03, 2021 8:28 am

Hi Sheila,

Thanks for the additional obituary, but as we've seen previously they can be used for and against the argument that Irish women attended funerals in the 19th and early 20th century. As far as your question as to what research is available on the topic, I think we need to bring out the big guns. The Irish folklorist, and County Clare native, Patricia Lysaght, Professor of European Ethnology, University College Dublin has written the research article "Hospitality at Wakes and Funerals in Ireland from the Seventeenth to the Nineteenth Century: Some Evidence from the Written Record" in the journal Folklore (vol. 114, no. 3, 2003, pp. 403–426). Unfortunately, only the preview is available on the jstor website without a paid subscription, but hopefully my local library will have this. Just from the title I'm hopeful that it will put a further nail in the coffin to the idea that Irish women did not attend funerals in Irish culture.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/30035126?seq=1

Dr. Patricia Lysaght is also the author of the book "The Banshee - The Irish Death Messenger" (originally published 1986; 2nd edition 1996). During the lockdown, the University College Dublin has generously created the Folklore Fragments Podcast for anyone with an internet connection to listen to. Episode 27 from October 2020 is "The Banshee (with Patricia Lysaght)" which discusses her book and research with the podcast narrator. A very interesting discussion, and women at funerals even gets a mention:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX28lpTT9pQ

Several times in the podcast the cries of the Banshee woman were compared with the "mourning sounds of keening women at wakes and funerals". And the Banshee traditions and the old keening women traditions were compared against the Christian traditions. "Of course, side by side, with the Banshee tradition you had all the Church traditions as well. Because the person would have received the sacrament of extreme unction, or the sacrament of the sick, and in times past the priest would have come to the house, and said the mass there, and subsequently in later times it was in the church, and the priest would have officiated at the burial, all the things which happen today. So you have these two traditions side by side and nobody saw anything incongruent in it..."

The below discussion on how the Banshee could be a harbinger of death for a relative in the United States was most interesting given our search for the missing Thomas McNamara, last seen in New York. Sadly this highlights that despite years of research, we only know that the missing American Civil War soldier was from Glandree but not the identity of his parents or the location of his old family home.
So the old family home is extremely important in tradition, the land is important, the old family home is important. In fact, so important that even if a person passed away or died elsewhere the sound might be heard around the old family home, even though it was in ruins. And this could also be the case if somebody died abroad, particularly in the United States, where, in the past, you had to wait for a letter to come to say that a person had died. You know in the book [The Banshee - The Irish Death Messenger], that a lovely one from County Roscommon, where the sound was heard, somebody was out and there was a cow calving and the sound was heard, and one of the family said 'what was that', and the father says 'go to bed now, don't take any notice, that is the Banshee'. And in two weeks or three weeks later, when the letter came from America, it said that it was the very same time and the very same night that we heard the cry. In other words, they didn't know at that moment of time or the community did not know that somebody who had died in the United States, but, nevertheless, the call had been made and they can look back and say 'well we were told, we just didn't decipher it properly at the time, but we were still told, so in a way it was not a surprise to us'. And the way people talk about that was consoling.

Folklore Fragments Podcast, Episode 27 is "The Banshee (with Patricia Lysaght)", University College Dublin
With regards to Timothy McNamara of Magherabaun who died in Lisdoonvarna in 1915, it would be informative to see his actual will. The calendar of wills records stated "granted to John McNamara Farmer Effects £414 15s. 6d." This must be his nephew, John McNamara (born 1880), son of Denis McNamara (≈1841 - 1910), with whom Timothy was living in the 1901 census.

The actual will located at the Ireland National Archives might reveal additional and previous unknown relations for the wealthy bachelor. Especially since the Feakle parish baptism records only start in 1860, it was difficult to prove that Timothy had any siblings besides Denis McNamara (≈1841 - 1910) recorded as such on the 1901 census. Were there no McNamara sisters? The will might also provide evidence for the theory that the Glandree carpenter James McNamara (≈1835, died between 1911 and 1937), son of James McNamara, married to Margaret Bowles, was indeed a brother to Denis and Timothy of Magherabaun.

With regards to the mysterious Timothy McNamara of Roslara who went missing after arriving in New York in 1902 with his brother Peter McNamara as his American contact, I researched further in New York records unsuccessfully. Thadeus McNamara was born in Roslara, Tulla on 1 March 1882. When Timothy McNamara arrived in New York on 11 April 1902, he reported his age as 21 years old, which he was just 11 months shy of, but still very accurate as far as the reporting of ages.

In the Florida records, there was a Tim McNamara, age 29 (born about 1882), from County Clare, Ireland, who departed Havana, Cuba on the ship Halifax arriving in Knight's Key in the Florida Keys on 17 March 1911 (a two page passenger listing):

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29Z-1M2Y

Initially, I thought this Tim McNamara went to Cuba on a holiday. American tourists did indeed leave Knight's Key in the Florida Keys and sail to Havana during this period. Starting in 1908, tourists would travel south on the Florida East Coast Railway to Miami and then continue on what was known as the "Overseas Railroad" or "Key West Extension" which traveled from key to key connected by viaducts to the train's terminus at Knight's Key. Leaving New York City, "Mondays through Saturdays, frigid Northern passengers could board the New York and Florida Special at 2:10 p.m. of a murky and snowbound Manhattan afternoon. At 7:30 a.m. on the third day following, they could wake up in a berth of a Pullman car and raise a shade to look out the window of stretch of blue ocean framed by glittering skies and waving palms, a steamship waiting at the dock. Six hours later the more adventuresome of those passengers could find themselves steaming beneath the lowering aspect of Morro Castle in breathtaking Havana harbor" ("Last Train to Paradise, Henry Flagler and the Spectacular Rise and Fall of the Railroad That Crossed an Ocean", by Les Standiford, 2002).

Knight's Key Dock, Florida, circa 1910.jpg
Knight's Key Dock, Florida, circa 1910.jpg (119.05 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

But Timothy McNamara was not a tourist. Knight's Key was 106 miles from Miami station, and was only a temporary station on what would be the 153 miles of the Key West Extension from Miami to the terminus at Key West. From 1908 through 1912, Knight's Key was used for both tourists to continue by sail to Havana, as well as a depot to bring construction material and working men by both train and ship to complete the train route through to Key West. Timothy McNamara worked upon the railroad. His return to Knight's Key on St. Patrick's day in 1911 may have been to accompany five Spanish laborers from Havana to work on the construction. The three other Spanish passengers on the passenger listing were going to work on a ship.

On the passenger listing of the SS Halifax arriving from Havana, Tim McNamara stated that he had been at Knight's Key from 1909 through 1911. I suspect he didn't come direct from Ireland to work in Florida, but had arrived in the United States some years earlier. Unfortunately, I could not find him in the 1910 census in the Florida work camps with the other railroad workers. The 1910 census of Monroe County, Florida, had 28 pages of residents and boarders in "Key Metaenabe Township" which was the census enumerator's attempt at "Key Matecumbe Township":

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cc=1727033

The township included residences and railroad work camps at various keys, including the work camp at Pigeon Key, which was summarized in the history "Last Train to Paradise" (page 176): "The 1910 U.S. Census provided a further breakdown of the workforce stationed at Pigeon Key: 61 of the men came from 28 different states, with New York providing the most at 12. The other 150 men tallied came from a welter of countries, including 77 from Spain, 33 from Grand Cayman, and 13 from Ireland. Only 5 black workers were listed."

With Cuba so close to Key West, it was surprising that workers were brought over from Spain to work on the railroad. I even thought that both the census takers and historians got it wrong, that these workers were Cubans of Spanish descent. But when Tim McNamara of County Clare, Ireland arrived at Knight's Key in 1911, he was indeed traveling with Spaniards, from Coruña and Malaga and other Spanish cities.

The Key West Extension was completed through to Key West in 1912. And Tim McNamara was still working on the Key West Extension railroad in 1917. His involvement with the Overseas Railroad was a fascinating part of Florida history:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overseas_Railroad

But was Tim McNamara of Key West, born in County Clare, about 1882 according to the 1911 passenger listing, the Thadeus McNamara who was born in Roslara in 1882? In 1922, the obituary for Michael McNamara of Brooklyn stated that his brother Timothy McNamara was still living, but gave no information as to where. Is it possible that the McNamara family in Brooklyn had not heard from their brother Timothy for several years? Or perhaps back in Ireland, it was outside the old family home occupied by their brother Patrick McNamara, where the Roslara community might have heard the cry of the Banshee, the omen of death, in July of 1917? If so, were the McNamara's and the community of Roslara, ever able to decipher the purpose of the Banshee's supernatural visit? Is there any evidence that the Banshee followed the McNamara clan of County Clare, a noble family tied to the land in Ireland?
RUSSELL NOT AS DEAD AS HAD BEEN REPORTED
KEY WESTER READS OWN OBITUARY IN PAPERS
Was Another Lad Whom Shark Devoured


KEY WEST. July 30—(Special)—It is not often that a man reads his death notice in the newspapers but this happened to Leonard Russell, who was said to have been drowned at the railroad station about a week ago and sharks devoured him. Mr. Russell stated that the poor unfortunate was Tim McNamara who was employed on the extension of the Flagler System. He was trying to find his way to the camp and fell overboard. He gave an outcry but the body was not found but next day sharks brought the body to the surface near the accident when it was devoured by them before help could arrive to secure the body.

The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, Wednesday, 1 August 1917
The drowned body of the man recently discovered floating in the harbor at Key West, and which was seized by a shark just before it was about to be recovered, has been found to be that of Tim McNamara, an employee on the railroad extension. It was at first thought that the body was that of Leonard Russell, but young Russell has shown up.

New Smyrna Daily News, New Smyrna, Florida, 10 August 1917

Sduddy
Posts: 1819
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:07 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Sduddy » Mon May 03, 2021 6:18 pm

Hi Jimbo

Poor Tim McNamara – what a nightmarish death. That he is the right age, and from Co. Clare, and that there are only a few other Timothy/Thadeus McNamara whose were births registered 1881-1882, all go to make him a good candidate for Timothy from Roslara. I agree it's possible that the person who contributed the information for the 1922 obit for Michael McNamara (which states that Timothy is still living) might not know of Timothy's death, but that obit still carries some weight, I think. The information you gathered in the course of your work, on the Banshee, and on the making of the Key West railroad, go to make another interesting posting.

I don’t think Timothy McNamara, from Magherabaun, made a will. The entry in the Calendar of Wills refers to the “administration of the estate”; as I understand it, this means that Timothy died intestate and that his nephew, John, applied for administration of whatever Timothy had left, and was granted administration. John would have been responsible, then, for dividing the estate between all of Timothy’s nieces and nephews (including himself): http://www.willcalendars.nationalarchiv ... _00285.pdf.

Sheila

Jimbo
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Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Jimbo » Sat May 08, 2021 5:26 am

Hi Sheila,

Thank you for the explanation for when a Calendar of Wills entry states "Administration of the Estate" versus "Probate of the Will". The fact that Timothy McNamara of Magherabaun died intestate in 1915, from a genealogy perspective, might be very good. If Timothy McNamara had left a will, he could have left the entire estate of £414 to a favorite nephew, say John McNamara of Magherabaun. However, since Timothy died intestate, wouldn't every nephew and niece qualify for an equal share? After John McNamara was approved as administrator of the Timothy's estate, would the final settlement not have to get approved by a court? Would there be no further documentation at the National Archives? Or was £414 considered too small of an estate? In the United States, when a wealthy bachelor died intestate, the probate file might actually be a probate box as distant cousins scramble and argue over the remaining estate, which shrinks in size after every month of "administration" and only the lawyers and property taxes are paid. The classic case, of course, would be the "Talty Millions" researched on this forum by Paddy Waldron in the links below:

http://www.ourlibrary.ca/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=669
http://www.ourlibrary.ca/phpbb2/viewtop ... f=1&t=3654
https://www.maths.tcd.ie/~pwaldron/ifhs/

The Tim McNamara who died the gruesome death at Key West in 1917 would definitely be the same Tim McNamara born in County Clare who arrived at Knight's Key from Havana in 1911 at the age of 29 years old. However, this was his reported age, and it would be rather naive to limit the search in the Irish civil records to any Timothy or Thadeus McNamara born in 1881 or 1882.

Was the Tim McNamara, who died at Key West in 1917, the Thadeus McNamara born in Roslara in 1882? The easiest way to test this theory would be to prove that the Timothy McNamara who arrived in New York in 1902 was elsewhere in the United States in 1910 and lived happily ever after. Will now share the results of one such search in New York, and have saved the remainder for another day.

In the 1920 USA census, a Timothy McNamara, born in Ireland, age 47 (≈1875), a porter at a piano factory, was living at Brook Avenue in the Bronx in New York City, with his wife Annie McNamara (age 46), and three American born children: Annie (age 19), Timothy (age 18), and Sarah (age 14). Timothy McNamara, of 260 Brook Avenue in the Bronx, died on 23 May 1922, at the age of 47 (≈1875), born in Ireland, 32 years in the USA; father was reported as "Timothy McNamara", and mother as "Bridget"; executor Annie McNamara.

In searching the Florida newspapers archives, a Timothy McNamara of the Boston Braves baseball team received lots of coverage in the 1920's when America was crazy about the sport of baseball. And in the Miami Tribune, a Legal Notice was run weekly from the first week of March 1927 to the end of April 1927. This legal notice was very long and full of McNamara's, including "Timothy McNamara, unmarried, a resident of 260 Brook Ave., Bronx, N.Y."; the same wording for "Anna McNamara"; and "Sarah McNamara Kunzman and husband, Walter Kunzman, residents of 260 Brook Ave., Bronx, N.Y." Other McNamara's listed were from County Clare, many from Cragaknock. And since several Talty's made the list, it was obvious that the Legal Notice was associated with the "Talty Millions".

The three McNamara's reported on the Legal Notice as living at 260 Brook Avenue in the Bronx, were the children of the Timothy McNamara who died on 23 May 1922. He must be the Thady McNamara, born on 26 August 1870, in Cragaknock, Kilrush reporting district, to farmer Thady McNamara and Bridget Hogan; parents consistent with his NY death certificate.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 220915.pdf

The Timothy McNamara (age 45) living on Brook Avenue in the Bronx in the 1920 census was never a good possibility to be the Thady McNamara who was born in Roslara in 1882 and arrived in New York in 1902. The Timothy McNamara of the Bronx had a 19 year old son in 1920, and his immigration year was reported as 1891. However, the Thady McNamara born in Cragaknock in 1870 was a possibility to be the Tim McNamara who arrived from Havana in 1911 at the age of 29 and was devoured by sharks in 1917— but he has now been eliminated from this possibility.

The Timothy McNamara of the Bronx consistently reported his age reflecting a birth year of 1875, when, in fact, he was born in 1870. A five year difference. I reckon the Tim McNamara who arrived at Knight's Key in 1911 at the reported age of 29 years, could conservatively have been born in County Clare anytime between 1870 and 1885. In searching for Timothy McNamara of Roslara in New York records, I've already researched most of the Timothy McNamara's born in County Clare during this period, which will share another day.

It can be quite difficult to trace the Irish from Ireland to the USA, as well as from the USA back to Ireland, due to their frequent incorrect reporting in USA records of age, country of birth, marital status etc. A good example of this can be found in the Florida passenger listings. Arriving on 11 January 1926, at Key West from Havana, on the steamship Governor Cobb, was Theobald Talty, this was less than three months prior to his death at Cora Gables on 1 April 1926. From Key West, Theobald Talty would have taken the Key West Extension, which Tim McNamara of County Clare had worked on prior to his death in 1917, back to Miami. Source: Florida passenger lists, 1898-1963, available on ancestry, requires subscription (not yet available on FamilySearch):

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse ... cessSource

Governor Cobb Steamer at Key West, Florida, circa 1920's.jpg
Governor Cobb Steamer at Key West, Florida, circa 1920's.jpg (122.19 KiB) Viewed 8154 times

The Florida passengers listings are quite unique as they typically reported both the date of birth and age. On the 11 January 1926 passenger listing of Governor Cobb, Theobald Talty reported his date of birth as "9 December 1878" and age as "57". This makes no sense since if in 1926 he reported a birth year of 1878, then he would only have been 47 years old. According to the extensive research done by Paddy Waldron, Thady Talty was baptized on 12 December 1855, so at least the day appears reasonable. But his age was understated by either 23 years (based upon date of birth) or 13 years (based upon age). Plus, Theobald Talty was born in Ireland, and not in the USA as reported in the passenger listing. Furthermore, when Theobald Talty died in April 1926, on the death certificate he was reported by a cousin as single, but on the passenger listing he was reported as married. Will share this new information on the Talty thread, but this Key West passenger listing might be an important clue as to why T. J. Talty, mysteriously, was never found on any USA census report.

Theobald Talty highlights that Timothy McNamara, born in 1882 in Roslara, might well be reported in USA records as being American born and at a much younger age. Similarly, the Tim McNamara devoured by the sharks in 1917 and reported on Florida passenger listing of 1911 as being born in County Clare in 1881 or 1882 might well have actually been born as early as 1870 or so. These observations must also be considered in the ongoing search for the missing Civil War soldier Thomas McNamara of Glandree.

Sduddy
Posts: 1819
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:07 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Sduddy » Sun May 09, 2021 12:35 pm

Hi Jimbo

Yes, I agree I was mistaken in thinking I could limit the Timothy McNamaras to those whose births were registered 1881-82. People in Ireland, who were under 20, generally gave their correct age in 1901 census, but people, even young people, who went to America, tended to shave about 3 years from their ages. And I hadn’t taken that into account.

Jimbo, I want to go back a bit to the discussion on pauper funerals, because I said that I’d found no allusion, in the reports on Poor Law Union meetings in Clare, to Lord Emly’s pronouncements at that Limerick meeting of March 1877. Well, now I see that the presence of clergymen at funerals is discussed at the meeting of the Board of the Clare District Lunatic Asylum, in March 1881. I gather from this report that it was not part of the duties of the Catholic, or the Protestant chaplain to attend at the burial of patients (at least, not until this whole issue came to light). I assume the patients at the Lunatic Asylum were from various classes of society, so the practice of not attending at burials was not limited to pauper burials:
Clare Freeman, Sat 19 Mar 1881; taken from the Clare Journal:
Clare District Lunatic Asylum. Officers’ Salaries. The Protestant Chaplain’s Salary. Mr Kelly rose and said he had much pleasure in proposing that the salary of the Rev Canon Dwyer be increased by £10 a year. He was the only one of the original officers of the Institution whose salary had not been increased, and he believed that additional duties had been recently imposed on him in attending burials.
Major Studdert - He had to do that always. I never knew a Protestant burial that the clergyman did not attend.
The Chairman – It was not not always so in Lunatic Asylums. It was brought under notice in Limerick that the Chaplains did not attend burials of patients and an [order then issued ? - blurred print].
Mr Daxon – By an order of the Privy Council.
Mr Greene said he begged to second the motion. He considered every officer was entitled to a fair remuneration for his services. He (Mr Greene) was the person that gave notice to increase the Catholic chaplains’s salary; and from the great liberality then shown by the board, and the impartial way they received it, without reference to party or creed, he thought it was the duty of the Catholic members of the board to reciprocate that feeling. The additional duty entailed additional expense on the chaplain as he must pay for cars to Dromcliffe, by which his present salary of £30 a year would be considerably diminished.
Major Studdert asked how many Protestant patients were in the instituation, and how many burials took place in the past year ?
Dr Daxon said there were no burials.
Major Studdert – You want then to give him £10 for doing nothing. He (Major Studdert) came there to oppose the increase to the Catholic chaplain, because he thought he was well paid for what he did. He felt some diffidence lest it might be thought he was influenced by sectarian motives; that could not be attributed so far as Canon Dwyer; he opposed the increase on the same principle that he was adequately paid for the duties he performed.
The Chairman said the gallant Major seemed to have fallen wide of the mark. Canon Dwyer was obliged to attend here two days in each week – Sunday and Monday. If he only came and touched the gate he doubted whether the salary would pay shoe leather.
Mr Fitzgerald – Every officer has had his salary increased but the Protestant chaplain. Do you not think he was entitled to some consideration.
Mr Kelly thought he had more to do than the Catholic chaplain, for he the spiritual charge of Dr Daxon and the matron (a laugh).
The case of Canon Dwyer did not come before the committee.
Major Studdert said he had a letter from Col. Patterson, who was obliged to go to Limerick that day, requesting that he would mention to the board that he thought the salary ought to be increased. However that did not alter his own opinion, and he moved that the increase be not given.
The motion was not seconded and the resolution passed. The Board then adjourned. Clare Journal.
Jimbo, I also want to go back to the discussion on emigrants returning from America. Although you have provided evidence of this, and although I found some evidence myself, I was surprised to see that some Americans came on pilgrimage to Knock*, Co. Mayo in 1880:

Clare Freeman, Wed 11 Aug 1880:
Pilgrims to Knock. Five hundred pilgrims have started from Salford and Manchester to Knock, and on Monday a highly respectable party, including ladies, proceeded to the same destination, they having come over from America. Several American pilgrims have arrived at Knock.
* Knock village in Co. Mayo was the site of an apparition of Our Lady in August 1879 and very quickly became a place of pilgrimage. Special trains brought pilgrims from Limerick and Clare in the Spring and Summer of 1880. There was no railway station in Knock so the pilgrims had to walk the last five miles.

Sheila

Jimbo
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Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Jimbo » Thu May 13, 2021 8:46 am

Hi Sheila,

Thank you for the newspaper articles. I was not aware that there was a famous pilgrimage associated with the 1879 apparition of Our Lady of Knock in County Mayo. Sheila, it appears that pilgrims having to walk the last five miles due to there being no railway station in Knock was a business opportunity that the local people would quickly take advantage of:
Before proceeding to describe the interior of the enclosure surrounding the church it may perhaps be not uninteresting to mention as an indication of the prosperity which the alleged apparitions have brought to Knock and the surrounding neighborhood that a hotel has also been built about three-quarters of a mile from the site of the church, and forty cars [horse & buggy] now are on hire at Knock, where twelve months ago a cart could scarcely be obtained. In Claremorris and Ballyhaunis, the rival towns for the patronage of pilgrims, the cars and Bianconis (1), have been increased to more than double their original number, and are kept day and night busily employed, so immense is the influx of visitors. The hotels are also full, and in Ballyhaunis two new houses of entertainment have been established, while both in that town and Claremorris, and all along the way to Knock, nearly every cottage, no matter how small, affords accommodation to several pilgrims.

The Irish American, New York, 18 September 1880
(1) "Charles Bianconi and The Transport Revolution, 1800 – 1875, How a self made Italian entrepreneur helped to revolutionise travel in 19th century Ireland." By Brian Igoe:
https://www.theirishstory.com/2012/12/1 ... Jx8OaFlDIU

My local library only had a reference copy of "The Banshee, The Irish Death Messenger" by Patricia Lysaght, and it was not possible to read at the library given lockdowns. However, I was able to purchase a used copy on-line at the original publisher price, only $17, with free delivery. Currently the price range is between $40 and $70 from other on-line sellers. Highly recommend the book for anyone interested in Irish folklore, but I'd borrow or read at the library before paying 70 bucks. Or else check out the "The Banshee (with Patricia Lysaght)" on the Folklore Fragments Podcast (Episode 27, University College Dublin) — the discussion follows the outline and content of the book.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX28lpTT9pQ

Sheila, I am sure, as you stated, that you brought up the apparition of Our Lady at Knock in relation to emigrants returning from America. But due to your timing, it was difficult for me not to compare the apparition of Our Lady, as witnessed by the residents of Knock, to an overview of the visual manifestations of supernatural beings by Professor Lysaght in The Banshee:
5. Visual Manifestations

The inventiveness of our imaginations seems to be without boundary as far as supernatural beings are concerned. Some are imagined as living in organised communities, perhaps ruled over by a king or a queen. These are the so-called social beings. Others, such as the leipreachán, are imagined as living on their own, so-called solitary beings. There are species of beings of which all are of one sex only, and species with members of both sexes. Many supernatural beings are man-shaped and others are animal-shaped and there are those who combine human and animal shape. Still others are shapeshifters and may appear in various human and animal forms. Being may be imagined as small or tall, beautiful or ugly. Some are confined to certain elements, the sea, the air, woods, mountains, while others have many habitats.

The borderlines between different types of supernatural beings are seldom clear-cut. In areas where traditions about a particular type of being are strong the tradition dominant will heavily influence the image of other beings. Special geographical, historical and social conditions in a country or region will be reflected in the image of its supernatural beings. Above all, supernatural beings, even if one regards them purely as figments of the imagination, fulfill vital functions in the lives of the people who believe in them and these functions have a bearing on the appearance of the beings.

The Banshee, The Irish Death Messenger, by Patricia Lysaght (originally published 1986; 2nd edition 1996)
The apparitions of Our Lady at Knock and the Banshee could not be more different. "There is a great variation in the traditions about the being [the Banshee, the death messenger] but the core of the belief concerns a solitary, crying female supernatural being who is perceived as an ancestress of the family she attends" (Chapter 12, Origins of the Supernatural Death-Messengers Belief and Other Related Questions). While the Banshee was always a solitary being, the detailed witness accounts of Our Lady at Knock stated that there were three man-shaped figures and one animal-shaped: the Virgin Mary, along with St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist, as well as a lamb (of God, Jesus Christ). Our Lady wore white; the Banshee was frequently described as wearing grey. Unlike the Banshee who is crying and was a messenger of death to the community, from the Knock witness statements (per numerous newspapers accounts; also documented in below website), the apparitions at Knock did not speak. Thus, Our Lady of Knock was different from Our Lady of Lourdes who spoke to Saint Bernadette.

https://www.knockshrine.ie/downloads/?d ... 0830078125

The primary sources used by Patricia Lysaght to describe the Banshee traditions were (1) the "Main Manuscript Collection" and (2) the "School's Collection (1937-1938)", both at the National Folklore Collection located at UCD and described here https://www.duchas.ie/en/info/cbe
and (3) the author's own questionnaire and field notes.

The keening women at wakes and funerals are mentioned several times in connection to the Banshee by Patricia Lysaght. I had assumed incorrectly that all women who attended a wake would have keened, just like they would have all sang on another occasion, perhaps of varied talent. But it was a special skill and there were local keeners who were recognized for their art. I wanted to know who were the local keeners in Tulla Parish, so searched "keening" using the School's Collection and there were six results for County Clare.

Not a submission by a student, but the description of funerals by Tomás Ó Cuinneáin, a teacher at Kilmaley School, was excellent and ended up resolving all my prior questions about Irish funerals for the average Irish person. Not the funerals for the wealthy with dozens of priests in attendance as reported by the Irish press. And not the burial of paupers at the workhouse or insane asylum. But the Irish funeral traditions for the average Irish person, such as James McNamara of Derrymore Carmody who died at the funeral of his granddaughter Anne McNamara of Roslara on 8 November 1876.
The corpse was washed by some neighbouring woman. The water that washed the corpse was thrown under the bed, the way the person that was dead would have shelter to put his sins off him. Other people threw the water in an outhouse. Others still threw it under a bush or in sheltery place. 9 candles 7, or 5 used to be lit at a wake. Now 7. The house where 9 would not be lit was said to be a pauper's wake. The candles were let burn out, or else whoever lighted them should extinguish them. All the women go "in the corpse house" the day before the funeral. At present the corpse has to be brought to the chapel the evening before burial or else the morning of the funeral. Six candles are brought to the chapel. A plate or saucer of snuff used always be laid on top of the corpse, (this custom prevails here still) and everyone who went in to pray took a pinch of the snuff and said a prayer for the dead person. Clay pipes and tobacco were also used up to 30 years ago. (This custom has died out) and when the pipes were filled each person at the wake got a pipe. An older custom still was that the corpse was laid out on a table until the coffin came. The cover of the coffin at that used to be on hinges and the corpse was put into the coffin during the wake. In some houses the coffin used to be left on the table in the kitchen. The Rosary was said about 12 o'c at night -latest at 2 o'clock. Everyone at the wake got supper. On the morning of the funeral the priest came to say mass at the house. At that time the priest would not be present at all funerals [the burial], but he blessed earth, and the blessed earth was shaken on the coffin before burial. When the coffin was laid down in the grave about 20 women used to cry together -usually friendly and there used to be a terrible ocón. There used to be pelting going on at wakes. The coffin was brought out the same door as it was brought in. Four of the same name always did this-(This custom prevails in Kilmaley still) the same four take it in from the hearse to the chapel ,and the same four take it out from the chapel to the gate of the chapel yard on the day of the funeral. Whiskey was always used at wakes long ago, and the woman who laid out the corpse generally got whiskey. The same woman put the corpse into the coffin, and generally a small jar of whiskey was put under the bed of the corpse for to be used on next day by friends.

If you go to a funeral you are not make a visit to any house after burial until you reach your own home.

Women used to go to funerals in cúlóg with their husbands, and even to town and to market and to all kinds of sport.

Keening at wakes ,corpse houses ,and funerals has stopped for about 50 years. Biddy Murphy (Mrs Sullivan) of Knockatona used to cry everywhere. She was very good natured Goill se Diabhal a cailleadh. Mrs. Clohessy of Caherea was another great keener.

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0608, Pages 440 to 443” by Dúchas © National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin. https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922345/4872288
So going back to the Limerick Board of Guardians meetings of 1877 and when Alderman Costelloe stated that "eight out of every ten of the ratepayers were interred without any religious services being performed, and he did not think it was necessary to do that for the paupers, which the ratepayers did not require to be done for themselves". This appears to have been consistent with "At that time the priest would not be present at all funerals" as stated by Tomás Ó Cuinneáin. But Costelloe, as the representative of the ratepayers, wanted to keep their rates down by avoiding the cost of paying for priest to attend pauper burials, and thus minimized the importance of the Catholic priest on the day of the funeral. So Costelloe left out that the Catholic priest would have said a Mass at the home of the deceased on the morning of the funeral, and blessed the earth which was shaken on the coffin before burial, and the fact that the funeral at the cemetery would be well attended by family and neighbors (including women). Unlike the funeral of the paupers at the workhouse or insane asylum which would be attended solely by the gravedigger unless the priest attended.

Sheila, not sure if you noticed, but in your article on the Clare Lunatic Asylum, the Dr. Daxon that was referenced was the same as Dr. Daxon who on 9 July 1882 was traveling by car (horse & buggy) from Ennis when about 3:20 pm discovered an injured and bleeding John Doloughty lying on road very close to Knockanean School. Michael Considine, the young victualler from Ennis, minutes later approached from the opposite direction having made a delivery at Cullane House, then being boycotted. This reminds me that I never finished discussing the trial of Francis Hynes (pages 22 & 23). It appears the story was diverted slightly with the discovery that the "Mr. McNamara" who was killed by his horse on 13 August 1904 was, in fact, Thady McNamara of Kilmore, and not Andrew Sheedy McNamara of Glandree as originally assumed.

Edit: fix typos (Patrick vs Patricia)
Last edited by Jimbo on Fri May 14, 2021 3:12 am, edited 1 time in total.

Sduddy
Posts: 1819
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:07 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Sduddy » Thu May 13, 2021 11:00 am

Hi Jimbo

That piece by Tomás O’Cuinneáin is a very good find; his description of funeral practises rings true to me. One problem with material from the Schools Collection is that you don’t know how far back the narrator is reaching for some of his/her memories, so you can never be sure if the practice spoken of was from fifty years before, or five years. But I think, in this case, that the memories are his own, from his own childhood. He mentions that the clay pipes were used up to 30 years ago (i.e. up to the early years of the 20th century) and that tallies with a story about clay pipes I heard when I was young. The “pelting going on at wakes” was sometimes the throwing of a small stones to try to break a pipe while it was still being smoked by a fellow “waker,” and sometimes the throwing of the pipes themselves, and it was just a bit of fun. The broken pipes were swept into the ashes in the fireplace, which was later thrown outside and bits of clay pipes are still turning up in gardens near old houses.
The women going to funerals in “cúlóg with their husbands” means that they rode pillion, usually with their shawls wrapped well around them, and often over their heads as well. In “Illicit Distillation”, one of four articles in Irish Peasant Society by K. H. Connell (1968), the author, describing the vessels used to conceal poteen (poitín), says “Similarly in Joyce’s country: a local distiller, it is said, ordered from a tinker ‘a tin vessel with head and body the shape of a woman’; he dressed it to resemble his wife, and rode to market, his poteen on the pillion behind him.” (page 16).
Jimbo, I must confess I’ve exhausted any interest I had in the trial of Francie Hynes – that ground is more trampled upon than the grassy knoll in Dallas. Of course other readers may look forward to more, but I was very happy to get back to Kilmore and Glandree.

I enjoyed reading about the growth of commercial interests following the apparition at Knock. Going to Knock was considered an outing when I was small, not a pilgrimage. We could buy cheap toys at the stalls on the street.

Sheila

Jimbo
Posts: 589
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:43 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Jimbo » Mon May 24, 2021 11:01 pm

Hi Sheila,

Thank you for your explanations about several of the terms and activities mentioned in The Schools' Collection submission of Tomás Ó Cuinneáin, the National School Teacher at Kilmaley. Twice he stated that certain traditions had died out thirty and fifty years ago, so I attempted to find him in the 1911 census (using Cunneen or Cunnane) as it would be good to know when he was born. However, Tomás Ó Cuinneáin was likely a young scholar himself in 1911 and Thomas Cunneen / Cunnane was too common of a name to identify him with any certainty.

James McNamara's granddaughter Annie McNamara (age seven) died on the 7th of November, the uncertified cause was dysentery of a two month duration. Perhaps the death was not unexpected, as the funeral was the next day on the 8th of November. James McNamara "had come from a neighbourhood [Derrymore Carmody] to attend a funeral [at Roslara], and while engaged in conversation, rose to light his pipe, and on resuming his seat died without a struggle" and the timing was described as "on the morning of 8th". Had James McNamara arrived in Roslara during the evening of the 7th for a traditional wake, including the saying of the rosary between midnight and 2 am? Was the lighting of his pipe associated with the Irish wake tradition mentioned by Tomás Ó Cuinneáin (TOC), "A plate or saucer of snuff used always be laid on top of the corpse, (this custom prevails here still) and everyone who went in to pray took a pinch of the snuff and said a prayer for the dead person"?

Or perhaps James McNamara arrived on the morning of the funeral, the 8th of November, just prior to a priest saying Mass at the home (only a possibility) and then burial at the cemetery? Afterwards did James McNamara visit with his daughter and son-in-law, Catherine and John McNamara of Roslara, and this was the timing of his death? "If you go to a funeral you are not make a visit to any house after burial until you reach your own home" (per TOC); did "any house" include the home of the deceased's family?

When James McNamara of Derrymore Carmody died at the funeral of his granddaughter on the 8th of November 1876, there was no warning. The newspaper account reported "A Sudden Death" and the "very awful proof of the uncertainty of life". His death was the opposite of the Banshee tradition of announcing the upcoming death so the family and community had time to prepare.

Does this mean that the McNamara's were not one of the families that the Banshee "followed"? I'm not sure. The Banshee was generally believed to follow "truly Irish" families, such as those with O or Mac in their names, and also cry after other old Irish families ("3. The Death Messenger's Connection with Families", The Banshee, Patricia Lysaght). The Banshee has an appendix of families reputed to be followed by the death messenger, and there was one "MacNamara" family listed from Kilmanaheen, Ennistymon, County Clare. There was just one "MacMahon" family from the same townland. Was surprised how few of both surnames were listed.

"O'Brien" was a very common surname believed to be followed by the Banshee, and of the seven listed on the aforementioned appendix of names, there was one O'Brien from Killaloe, County Clare. Using their search engine, The Schools' Collection had 36 submissions from County Clare that mentioned Banshee. From John Connery of Meelick, "The banshee is still heard in this part of Clare. They say that it is the same Banshee that comes to the O'Briens always since the days of Brian Boru" (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0597, Page 339, by Dúchas © National Folklore Collection, UCD).
https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5177647/5176387/5200765

Interestingly, the first wife of John McNamara of Roslara was Bridget O'Brien. His eldest son, Michael McNamara, married Nora O'Brien in New York, she was from Skibbereen in County Cork. Another son Peter McNamara married Johanna O'Brien in New York. His neighbor, John McNamara of Knockatooreen townland, was married to Ellen O'Brien of Coolgoree townland. The McNamara's of Roslara certainly had plenty of O'Brien connections.

Of the 334 families on the appendix of families reputed to be followed by the Banshee, there were only 11 Anglo Irish families. The only Tulla Parish family listed was the Westropp family, of Lismehane or Maryfort, Tulla who were of Anglo Irish origin and arrived in Ireland in the 17th century. Thomas Johnson Westropp (1860 - 1922) researched folklore in County Clare and his "A Folklore Survey of County Clare" is on the Clare Library website, including a Chapter 2 on the Banshee.
https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/cocla ... /intro.htm

Rosslara gets a mention by Westropp in Chapter 7, "Ghosts and Haunted Houses":
Fortanne, or Rosslara Castle, near Tulla, and the old roadway south from it, were reputed to be ‘airy’ (eery); the haunting beings whispered, laughed, and rustled in the hedges, and ‘things flew out.’ (I have often been there in the dusk, and, as in most lonely lanes on a hill-slope facing ‘the wild west wind,’ found the noises very weird and curious).
What remains of "Rosslara Castle" appears to be just one tower. It can be seen from a small narrow road and sits in the middle of a farmer's field — see below screenshot from google streetview. No sign of any type, but it must be "Rosslara Castle" as it is located in Fortane townland just south of Rosslara townland. The "haunted" roadway mentioned by Westropp would be located entirely in Fortane townland. Traveling south on the road from Rosslara Castle using google streetview, it was indeed a very lonely lane with large trees and hedges that would make plenty of haunting sounds in a strong wind. Back in 1876, either on the 7th or perhaps the early morning of the 8th of November, James McNamara (1810 - 1876) would have taken this same haunted roadway from Derrymore Carmody (Derrymore East) to attend the funeral of his granddaughter at Rosslara townland; he would not make the return trip.

Rosslara Castle (Fortane townland) in County Clare (google streetview).jpg
Rosslara Castle (Fortane townland) in County Clare (google streetview).jpg (115.78 KiB) Viewed 7596 times

In my prior posting, I quoted the opening paragraphs from "5. Visual Manifestations". I should have highlighted that, by far, most manifestations of the Banshee were "4. Aural Manifestations", as discussed in the prior chapter of The Banshee. The eerie sound of the Banshee could be heard traveling through the townland towards the house, around the house, and over the house, but always outside.

Also in describing the clothes of the Banshee in comparison to Our Lady of Knock in my last posting, while indeed the Banshee might appear wearing grey, the more common color was white. "Archival records assign the colours white, grey, red and black/brown to the death messenger's clothes". A map of Ireland shows the variation of colors of her clothes by county. (The Banshee, pages 101-102).

Often the traditions of the Banshee (colors of her clothes, the Comb Legend etc) can vary within Ireland and these are described in "The Banshee, The Irish Death Messenger". And also frequently, Patricia Lysaght must refute common myths about the Banshee that have no foundation in genuine Irish folk tradition whatsoever. In that regard, and in a very spooky coincidence, on the very same day in October 2020 when Episode 27 "The Banshee (with Patricia Lysaght)" was released on the Folklore Fragments Podcast, the Irish Rovers, an Irish-Canadian band, premiered the release of their new single "The Banshee's Cry" on their album "Saints and Sinners" (Rover Records).

Folklore Fragments Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX28lpTT9pQ
The Irish Rovers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zM3HJ8C44o

Sduddy
Posts: 1819
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:07 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Sduddy » Wed May 26, 2021 11:34 am

Hi Jimbo

Thanks for that posting and for including the photo of Rosslara castle, still looking quite striking although crumbling away. I see that it is listed in the Archeology section of clarelibrary as a tower house, so I think it was never more than just a tower house, and not a castle as some people might imagine a castle, and certainly not a fairytale castle: https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/cocla ... 036---.htm. For good measure there is also a wedge tomb in Rosslara: https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/cocla ... 035---.htm

I’ve been looking through issues of The Other Clare for an article on Rosslara castle and find it mentioned in articles on East Clare castles and tower houses* by Martin Breen and Risteárd Ua Cróinín, but see no article devoted to Rosslara alone (I should say I don’t have every issue).

Just recently, Jimbo, you remarked that it was a pity that the Other Clare articles were not available online, and I agree that it would be great if they were, but I imagine that some contributors probably intend to publish collections of their articles in book-form. Martin Breen and Risteárd Ua Cróinín have been contributing articles on castles and tower houses for many years now. Risteárd Ua Cróinín usually includes drawings made by himself, which are fascinating in themselves – sometimes showing what he thinks the original item might have looked like. The Other Clare always has drawings by Hilary Gilmore, including some of castles/towerhouses, e.g. Liscannor, Bunratty. Her drawing of Carrigaholt Castle, in vol. 10 (1986), is my favourite – that castle was a statement of power and her drawing conveys that. I think a careful drawing conveys an appreciation and a love of subject-matter more immediately and more fully than is often realised by editors. And I wonder if there is any other journal of its kind with such wonderful illustrations as The Other Clare.

This is not a complete list of the articles on castles and tower houses – just the ones I have myself:

Inchiquin Castle, by Martin Breen and Risteárd Ua Cróinín, Vol. 7, 1983.

Moyree Castle, Tubber, by James Healy, Vol. 11, 1987.

Interesting Remains at Lemenagh, by Risteárd Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 11, 1987.

Ballycullen Castle – Risteárd Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol.12, 1988.

Clenagh Castle, by Risteárd Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 13, 1989.

Disappearing Towers, by Risteárd Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 14, 1990.

The Three Cratloes, by Risteárd Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 15, 1991.

The Hidden Towers, by Risteárd Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 16, 1992.

Some Obscure Tower House Sites in the Corofin Area, by Risteárd Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 17, 1993.

Towerhouses in the Corofin Area (Continued), by Risteárd Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 18, 1994.

Some Atlantic Tower Houses, by Martin Breen and Risteárd Ua Cróinín, Vol. 19, 1995.

Some North-West Clare Towerhouses, by Risteárd Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 21, 1997.

Some Towerhouses in the Burren area of Co. Clare, by Risteárd Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 25, 2001.

*Some Towerhouse Sites in East Clare, by Risteárd Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 27, 2003. [Lissofin, Bunavory, Lismeehan – this article tell us that “Lismeehan, also known as Maryfort, was built about 1420 to 1440 by Mahon or Rory McNamara.”]

*Some More Towerhouses in East Clare, by Risteárd Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 28, 2004. [Granaghan, Lecarrow, Tuamgraney – this article tells us that “Donald Óg, the sheriff, was the son of Donald MacNamara, Lord of East Clancuilein. He got a commission to execute martial law during his shrievalty and he held several castles in the area including Fortanemore, Rosslara, Lismeehan, Leaghort and Garruragh. Donald Óg died in 1592…”]

Some Towerhouses in the Parish of Kilkeedy, by Risteard Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 29, 2005.

Some Towerhouses in the Newmarket-on-Fergus Area, by Martin Breen & Risteárd Ua Cróinín, Vol. 2006.

Towerhouses of the North Burren Coast, by Martin Breen & Risteárd Ua Cróinín, Vol. 2008.

Some Island Castles of County Clare, by Risteárd Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 33, 2009.

Some Castles and Towerhouses of South East Co. Clare, by Risteárd Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 35, 2011.

Some Towerhouses of East Corca Bhaiscinn and the Shannon Estuary, by Risteárd Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 36, 2012.

Some Towerhouses of East Corca Bhaiscinn and the Shannon Estuary, Part 11, by Risteard Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 37, 2013.

Castlefergus and Ballyhannon Castle – a Living Stronghold, by Martin Breen and Risteárd Ua Cróinín, Vol. 38, 2014.

Craggaunowen Castle, by Risteard Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 39, 2015

Knappogue Castle – Stronghold of the McNamara Fionn – Chieftains of the Ancient District of West Clan Cuiléin in Co. Clare, by Risteard Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 40, 2016.

Mount Ievers or Ballyarilla Castle, by Risteard Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 41, 2017

Ballymarkahan Castle: A MacNamara Residence of the Medieval Period, by Risteard Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 42, 2018.

Securing Rosroe Castle into the Future, by Martin Breen, Vol. 43, 2019.

The Early Castles at Dromoland: Some Historical Notes, by Martin Breen and Risteard Ua Cróinín, Vol. 43, 2019.

An Chabhail Mhór, by Martin Breen and Risteard Ua Cróinín, Vol. 43, 2019. [This ruin is in Kilnaboy]

Dromore Castle, Ballygriffy Castle and the Mansion House in Dromore Wood, by Risteard Ua Cróinín & Martin Breen, Vol. 44, 2020.

These articles often include sketches from something called “The Edenvale Survey” which is explained here by Brian Ó Dálaigh, Martin Breen & Ristéard UaCróinín: http://www.limerickcity.ie/media/NMAJ%2 ... C3%ADn.pdf

Sheila

Jimbo
Posts: 589
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:43 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Jimbo » Sun Jun 13, 2021 7:07 am

Upon further consideration, the spooky coincidence of the same day release in 2020 of The Banshee's Cry by the Irish Rovers and The Banshee (with Patricia Lysaght) on the Folklore Fragments Podcast can be explained by the date being the 31st of October, Halloween.

The lyrics of The Banshee's Cry by The Irish Rovers include terms such as "family curse" and associations with the devil, such as "the devil's out a hunting" and "the devil comes to claim another soul", which don't appear to be supported by genuine Irish folk tradition. Nor that the Banshee is "a woman of the fairy folk". Patricia Lysaght in The Banshee goes into great detail about the origins of the Banshee and summarizes nicely below:
The folk-views of the origin of the death-messenger and her relation to other supernatural beings, may be summed up as follows. There is very little foundation for the idea that the death-messenger is one of the fairies and she if very rarely imagined to be related to other nature-beings. Her association with beings of the Christian mythology — devils and angels — is equally negligible. The few examples of such associations as are found in the material investigated are either from sources which must for various reasons be considered spurious or suspect or are inventions of individual informants which have never taken firm roots in the collective tradition in any area. Some are borrowings from other tradition complexes attached to the death-messenger on the grounds of some superficial similarity. The idea that he death-messenger is the ghost of a human woman — though not very common — is still current in many forms in many parts of Ireland. Finally the idea of some sort of connection between the death-messenger and the families she visits has begun to emerge.

"2. Folk Views of the Origin of the Supernatural Death-Messenger", The Banshee, the Irish Death Messenger, by Patricia Lysaght
My favorite folk view of the origins of the Banshee is that she was the ghost of a human being, and in particular a keening woman. "The insincerity of the keener is in fact explicitly given as the explanation of her fate after death" (page 50, The Banshee).

Patrick Tierney, an informant in The Schools' Collections, from the "Home Barracks" in Ennis, tells of his surprise upon discovering that the cries of a keening woman at a wake were not genuine.
Wakes and Funerals
There was a great deal of superstition attached to wakes and funerals in the old days as for instance the “Keeners”. These were certain women that collected to cry over the corpse when laid out.

I was once at a corpse house when quite young and it was my first experience to hear those women crying or as it was known in those days by the name of keening. They stood around the bed where the corpses was laid out and commenced what I thought was crying, but when I got quite close to them I could see that there were no tears coming from their eyes.

I wondered why they cried without tears and was informed that it was old custom among the people. There was also plenty of drink wherever a death took place when the neighbours collected to offer their sympathy. Another belief was if two funerals took place to the same graveyard it was said that the second person buried would be drawing water to the first person.

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0610, Page 100” by Dúchas © National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin.
https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922349/4872944
Apparently, the modern Irish people living in Ireland today don't believe in Irish ghosts and other folk beliefs as much as they did in past generations. Back in the day, W.B. Yeats appears to have been a strong believer in Irish ghosts:
Ghosts, or as they are called in Irish Thevshi or Tash (taidhbhse, tais) live in a state intermediary between this life and the next. They are held there by some earthly longing or affection, or some duty unfilled, or anger against the living. 'I will haunt you,' is a common threat and one hears such phrases, as, 'She will haunt him, if she has any good in her.' If one is sorrowing greatly after a dead friend, a neighbour will say, 'Be quiet now, you are keeping him from his rest'; or, in the Western Isles, according to Lady Wilde, they will tell you, 'You are waking the dog that watches to devour the souls of the dead.' Those who die suddenly, more commonly than others, are believed to become haunting Ghosts. They go about moving the furniture, and in every way trying to attract attention.

"Ghosts", from "Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry", 1888, W. B. Yeats (page 128).
Timothy McNamara, the poor County Clare man who in 1917 died the sudden and gruesome death in Key West would, I reckon, meet the definition of a "haunting ghost". Devoured by sharks, with no grave or even a Florida death certificate to mark his sudden passing, Timothy McNamara would have an unfulfilled and earthly longing for his relations back in Ireland, in the tradition of the Banshee, to be made aware of his tragic death. Instead of "moving the furniture", the haunting ghost of Timothy McNamara of Key West has interrupted the search for the missing Thomas McNamara of Glandree to attract attention to his tragic death in Florida, so far from his native County Clare.

The Clare Past Forum, I reckon, is haunted by many such Irish ghosts. This first became evident back in August 2019 when the discussion of the shooting of Michael Moroney of Leighort in 1882 (pages 20-21), was interrupted by the story of John Doolaghty/Delahunty and the accused Francis Hynes (page 22). The link was that both widows would receive compensation ("blood money tax"). The postings were on the 20th of August, the very same day that the Clare County Library held an event for National Heritage Week entitled "A Clare Land War Incident" to present the story of the murder of John Doolaghty in 1882 and the execution of Francis Hynes for the crime. Just a spooky coincidence?

The Clare County Library would not be the first library to be haunted by ghosts. The New York Public Library (NYPL) back in the 1980's had numerous ghostly incidents. These included symmetrical book stacking; ectoplasmic residue, a mucus-like slime substance, all over the card catalog cabinets; book shelves collapsing inexplicably; and a full torso apparition of an elderly woman reading a book in the library stacks. The NYPL ghost had conservative dress and perhaps could best be described as a librarian with a "schoolmarm" image. Her tight bun hairstyle differed completely from the visual manifestations of the Banshee which often noted her long hair (hence, the "Comb Legend"). The color of the NYPL ghost was described as purple, a frequent color of American ghosts. Purple (corcra in Irish) was a color reserved for royalty in ancient Ireland and later for liturgical purposes, but, unlike in America, purple was never used in the descriptions of the Banshee or other ghosts of Irish folklore. While the Banshee would cry and wale, the NYPL ghost's communication was limited to "shhhh!" likely due to the library location of the visual manifestations. A crack team was brought in and was able to remove the ghost from the New York Public Library. But the ghosts of the Clare County Library are cyber-manifestations, so who you gonna call?

Jimbo
Posts: 589
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:43 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Jimbo » Tue Jul 06, 2021 11:52 pm

The island, it is silent now
But the ghosts still haunt the waves
And the torch lights up a famished man
Who fortune could not save

Did you work upon the railroad?
. . . . . .

Thousands are sailing
Again across the ocean
Where the hand of opportunity
Draws tickets in a lottery
Postcards we're mailing
Of sky light skies and oceans

From rooms the daylight never sees
And lights don't glow on Christmas trees
And we danced to the music
And we danced

"Thousands are Sailing", by The Pogues, 1988
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swQNNjXztsI
The "famished man" in the first verse of "Thousands are Sailing" appears to be a supernatural being known as the Fear-Gorta. According to Yeats, "The Fear-Gorta (Man of Hunger) is an emaciated phantom that goes through the land in famine time, begging an alms and bringing good luck to the giver." (Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry, Yeats, 1888).

Knight's Key was the terminus of the Key West Extension from 1908 through January 1912. On 21 January 1912, trains could continue past Knight's Key on the Seven Mile Bridge, and then continue via viaducts from key to key all the way to Key West. Below is a postcard with "sky light skies and oceans" of the Key West Extension near Knight's Key. It was never mailed but "Feb 1st 1912" was scribbled on the postcard, less than two weeks after the inaugural train made the 156 mile journey from Miami all the way to Key West. Did Tim McNamara of County Clare, who worked on the Key West Extension, send a similar postcard to his family?

Key West Extension near Knight's Key, 1912.jpg
Key West Extension near Knight's Key, 1912.jpg (155.79 KiB) Viewed 6834 times

W.B. Yeats writings on Irish folklore include many stories of the interactions between the Irish and ghosts, leprechauns, and the like. From this literature, I've come to the conclusion that further research into the identity of the haunting Ghost of Timothy McNamara of Key West might bring, if not good luck, perhaps some important clues for the ongoing search of the missing Civil War soldier Thomas McNamara of Glandree ("Gleann Draoi" in Irish, meaning the "Valley of the Druids").

When Tim McNamara arrived at Knight's Key from Havana on 17 March 1911, his physical description was reported as 5 feet 6 inches tall, fair complexion, light hair, and blue eyes.

Below is a quick recap of the two Thadeus McNamara's born in County Clare already discussed, numbered as #1 and #2 to easier distinguish between. New research on Timothy McNamara (#3), born in 1880 in Killenana, fairly quickly eliminated him as a possibility to be the Tim McNamara who died in Key West in 1917, since he died in 1889. However, tracing this McNamara family to Chicago will lead back to Glandree, the townland of the missing Civil War soldier Thomas McNamara.

#1. Thadeus McNamara, of Roslara, born on 1 March 1882 per Tulla civil registration, parents John McNamara (≈1825 - 1901) and Catherine McNamara (1841/1843 - 1916).

Timothy McNamara, age 21, of Tulla, arrived in New York on 11 April 1902 on the SS Germanic, going to his brother Peter McNamara of 60 Beach Street, New York. Was living in 1922 according to brother Michael's obituary.


#2. Thady McNamara, of Cragaknock, born on 26 August 1870 per Kilrush civil registration, parents Thady McNamara and Bridget Hogan.

In the 1920 NY census, Timothy McNamara (age 45) was living at 260 Brook Avenue in the Bronx with three children . Timothy died in the Bronx on 23 May 1922. His children were reported as beneficiaries to the "Talty Millions" (see prior posting a few back).


#3. Timothy McNamara, of Killenenagh, baptized on 17 August 1880, parents John McNamara (1850 - 1900) and Penelope Mullins (1853 - 1935).

Timothy "Teady" McNamara and Margaret Mason of Killanena Townland

In 1855 Griffiths Valuation for Killanena townland in the Parish of Clonlea, Timothy McNamara has leased plots 8A and 8B; houses, offices & land; lessor Henry Thomas Baylee; about 10 acres with a valuation of £9 and 10 shillings. The location of his residence, and that of his descendants, was often given as neighboring Enagh townland. Timothy McNamara's Plot 8A in Killanena townland included the north and west quadrants of "Enagh Cross", the intersection of two roads which form an "X" on maps.

Timothy "Teady" McNamara and Margaret Mason were the parents of five children in the O'Callaghan Mills parish baptism records — thank you Sharon for all your work transcribing this parish.

Their first born son, although with no marriage record this is an assumption, appears to be John McNamara, born in 1850 in Killenanagh. In the Tithe Applotment Books, dated 1 March 1827, there was a John McNamara at Kilenenagh townland in Clonlea Parish, possibly the father of Timothy McNamara.

Timothy McNamara, at Kilanena, widower, farmer, 102 years old, died on 12 December 1899; informant son John McNamara of Kilanena (Tulla civil registration). The age of 102 was circled by a reviewer as perhaps the age was considered unlikely. Was Timothy McNamara born around 1797? Mary McNamara was born to Timothy McNamara and Margaret Mason in 1848, when Timothy would have been about 50 years old. Timothy would have been 60 years old when youngest son Michael was born in 1858. Possible of course, but likely an exaggeration. Although, perhaps Timothy McNamara (1797 - 1899) had been married before? A Thadeus McNamara, no location provided, married Mary Dixon, of Clonlume, in March 1835 in O'Callaghan Mills parish; only two children are recorded in the OC baptism register: Patrick in 1839, and Anne in 1843 in Clonloom townland.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 633595.pdf

Five children of Timothy "Teady" McNamara and Margaret Mason:

1.0 Mary McNamara, of Killenena, baptized on 20 March 1848; sponsors Patt Grace, Betty Mason.

2.0 John McNamara, of Killenagh, unclear record (only traces of "J" and top loop of "h" are visible), baptized on 27 (?) July 1850; sponsors John O'Brien, Ellen Mason. John McNamara, farmer, of Enagh, son of farmer Timothy McNamara, married Penelope Mullins, of Enagh, daughter of farmer John Mullins (and Mary Marinan per 1853 baptism) on 29 September 1877 at the RC chapel at O'Callaghan Mills; witnesses John Carmody, Ellen Murphy. John McNamara, at Enagh, farmer, married, age 49 years, died on 21 March 1900 (only three months after his "102" year old father); informant son James McNamara. <Killenana, Kilkishen, House 3, House 10> Penelope McNamara, widow of a farmer, age "70 years" (in fact, 82 years old based upon baptism and consistent with 1901 and 1911 census age), died at Enagh on 29 March 1935; informant son Timothy McNamara of Enagh.

John McNamara and Penelope Mullins were witnesses at the February 1877 marriage of Michael McNamara (of Enagh, son of Thomas McNamara) and Penelope Gleeson (of New Park, daughter of John Gleeson). So there were two Penelope McNamara's living in the same neighborhood which could be confusing.

............ 2.1 Mary Anne "Marion" McNamara, of Killenenagh, baptized on 23 August 1878; sponsors Michael Carmody, Anastasia Carmody. Arrived in USA in 1900 per 1920 census. Marion McNamara, "age 23", married Patrick T. Harrington, "age 24", on 3 October 1906 in Chicago. The Harrington family were living in Chicago on Crawford Avenue in 1920; and North Talman Avenue in 1930. Marion Harrington died in September 1959. Obituary stated "fond brother of James"; surviving children included two nuns (Chicago Tribune, 4 September 1959).
......................... 2.1.1 Margaret Harrington (age 12 in 1920 census)
......................... 2.1.2 Elizabeth Harrington (age 11 in 1920 census). Sister Mary Patricine, B.V.M.
......................... 2.1.3 Baby Boy Harrington (died in infancy in 1910)
......................... 2.1.4 Marion Harrington (age 8 in 1920 census)
......................... 2.1.5 Genevieve Harrington (age 7 in 1920 census). Sister Mary Judette, B.V.M.
......................... 2.1.6 Loretta Harrington (age 5 in 1920 census)
......................... 2.1.7 Adelaide Harrington (age 3 in 1920 census)
......................... 2.1.8 James Harrington (1920 - 1922)
......................... 2.1.9 John Harrington (age 8 in 1930 census)

............ 2.2 Timothy McNamara, of Killenenagh, baptized on 17 August 1880; sponsors James Mullins, Ellen Murphy. Tulla civil birth registration states residence as Enagh. Timothy McNamara, age six years, son of a farmer, of Enagh, died of whooping cough on 3 January 1889; informant father John McNamara.

............ 2.3 Michael McNamara, of Enagh, born on 13 September 1882 (Tulla registration); informant Bridget Turner of Kilkishen (a midwife in 1901 census). <Killenana, Kilkishen, House 3, House 10>

............ 2.4 John McNamara, of Killenena, born on 1 February 1885 (Tulla registration); informant Mary Curtin of Killeen (the midwife?). <Killenana, Kilkishen, House 3, x> Penelope McNamara reported in 1911 that she was the mother of eight children, and six children were surviving. Since all other siblings were accounted for, John McNamara must have died between 1901 and 1911, but only if the 1911 census was accurate as far as "children living" (see note * below).

............ 2.5 James McNamara, of Enagh, born on 20 August 1887 (Tulla civil registration). Informant on death record of father in 1900 (only 13 years old?). <Killenana, Kilkishen, House 3, x> Unknown location in 1911. James McNamara, age 33, single, of Kilkishen, left Queenstown and arrived in New York on the SS Carmania on 25 February 1921; mother Penelope "McCarthy" (a clerk's mistake, several McCarthy's were directly below on the passenger listing); going to sister Mrs. P.T. Harrington of 948 N. Lockwood Ave., Chicago. Declared to become a U.S. citizen on 28 May 1921. Per 1927 U.S. naturalization, wife Mary Gorman was born in Ireland on 22 September 1900; one witness was Cornelius Doherty (his brother-in-law). 1966 obituary: "James McNamara, beloved husband of Mary, nee Gorman; loving father of Marguerite and the late Mary Ellen; dear brother of Timothy of Ireland, and the late Marion Harrington, and Margaret Doherty. . . Resurrection church . . . Holy Sepulchre cemetery" (Chicago Tribune, 17 January 1966).
......................... 2.5.1 Mary Ellen McNamara, born in Chicago on 7 December 1926 per father's U.S. naturalization papers dated 17 October 1927. Died in Chicago on 29 March 1928.
......................... 2.5.2 Margaret McNamara, (born in Illinois; age 2 in 1930 census)

............ 2.6 Margaret "Gretta" McNamara, of Enagh, born on 10 February 1890 (Tulla registration); informant Bridget Turner of Kilkishen (a midwife in the 1901 census). <Killenana, Kilkishen, House 3, House 10> Gretta McNamara, age 21, single, of Killenana, left Queenstown and arrived in New York on the SS Caronia on 13 July 1913; mother Penelope McNamara of Killenena, Kilkishen; going to sister Marion Harrington of Chicago. Married Cornelius Doherty in Chicago on 18 January 1917 (see note * below). Obituary: "Margaret A. Doherty, nee McNamara, beloved wife of Cornelius, fond mother of Ellen, Cecilia, John A., and James E., sister of Mrs. P.T. Harrington, and James McNamara, born in Kilkishen, County Clare, Ireland. Funeral Monday, April 28 . . . Our Lady of Angels Church . . ." (Chicago Tribune, 27 April 1924, page 10).
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/191 ... a.-doherty
......................... 2.6.1 Helen Doherty (age 2 in 1920)
......................... 2.6.2 John A. Doherty (age 0 in 1920)
......................... 2.6.3 Cecilia Doherty (per above obit)
......................... 2.6.4 James E. Doherty (per above obit)

............ 2.7 Ellen McNamara, of Enagh, born on 23 July 1892 (Tulla registration). <Killenana, Kilkishen, House 3, House 10>

............ 2.8 Timothy McNamara, of Enagh, born on 23 March 1895, mother reported as "Mary Mullins" (Tulla registration); informant Bridget Turner of Kilkishen, a midwife . <Killenana, Kilkishen, House 3, House 10> Timothy was informant in 1935 on death record of mother Penelope McNamara.


3.0 Margaret McNamara, of Killinena, baptized on 2 April 1853; sponsors James Mullins, Margaret Tracy (?).

4.0 Timothy McNamara, of Killenena, baptized on 13 June 1855; sponsors John McNamara, Mary White.

5.0 Michael McNamara
, of Killonena, baptized on 27 March 1858; sponsors Michael McNamara, Honora Hallinan.


Why did Marion McNamara move to Chicago in 1900? She was the first of her siblings to do so. Did she have an uncle or aunt, whose whereabouts are all unknown, already living in Chicago?

On ancestry, there are several Harrington family trees of Chicago, but none are aware of the parents of ancestor Marion McNamara Harrington and only know her birthplace as County Clare. When Margaret McNamara Doherty died in 1924, the death record was excellent in providing accurate parents and birth location as Kilkishen, and the family trees on ancestry reflect that. However, Margaret fudged her age by four years (1890 versus 1894) and this might be a stumbling block to find her civil birth record and also census records. No family tree has traced their roots back to the land and old family home, both extremely important in Irish tradition, of the 102 year old Timothy McNamara of Plot 8 in Killanena townland.

Note *: accuracy of number of "living children" in 1911 census: Cornelius/Connor Doherty, who left for America in 1909 and married Gretta McNamara in Chicago, was the son of Anthony Doherty and Mary Kearny of County Clare. Connor, age 10, was one of six children living in House 4 in "Shasla" in Dysert in 1901; one son who reappears in 1911 was living elsewhere in 1901 (Denis, age 9, a visitor in Sheeaun):
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/p ... a/1068580/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/p ... n/1070882/

In the 1911 census, in House 3 in "Ahasla" townland in Dysert, there are three younger Doherty children born since 1901 and a total of seven children living in the household. "Children born" was reported as "10"; and "Children living" reported as "7". In 1911, their son Cornelius Doherty was alive and well in Chicago. So it appears that in 1911 the number of "living children" were only those living in the same household and did not reflect their older children who had moved away. I reckon this was not an uncommon mistake in the 1911 census.
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/p ... la/352335/

And conversely, when Gretta McNamara Doherty died in Chicago in 1924 at the young age of 34 years, her obituary in the Chicago Tribune only listed her two siblings living in Chicago. Both her mother Penelope Mullins McNamara and brother Timothy, and possibly brother Michael and sister Ellen, were still living in Ireland in 1924.

In the 1911 Irish census, the widow Penelope McNamara of Killanena reported that she was the mother of eight children, and six children were living. Her son Timothy, born in 1880, died in 1889. All other children are accounted for as living in or past 1911, except for her son John McNamara born in 1885 (age 16 in 1901). John McNamara is a very common name, but there was not an Irish civil death record from 1901 through 1911 that would be a good match for his young age. In Chicago, a John McNamara came to a sudden death on 1 August 1909:
WALK IN STREET; ONE KILLED
Car Runs Two Early Morning Pedestrians


Two men who were walking in Chicago avenue at Forty-forth early yesterday morning were struck by a car and one was killed and the other seriously injured.

John McNamara, 223 Avers avenue, was killed, and John McMahon of the same address was injured. He was taken to St. Ann's hospital.

Chicago Tribune, Monday, 2 August 1909, page 3
The John McNamara, of 223 Avers avenue in Chicago, was born in Ireland, no parents listed, a motorman who had been living in Chicago for four years, and was 23 years old according to his death record. So born about 1886, the same as John McNamara, son of John McNamara and Penelope Mullins. But John McNamara was a very common name in the USA, and I have doubts as far as his identity. The death certificate was signed by Peter M. Hoffman, a German. Marion McNamara Harrington had been living in Chicago since 1900 and married in 1906, surely she or her husband would have signed the death certificate if John McNamara was her brother? Plus, there was no obituary in the newspaper? John McNamara who came to a sudden death in 1909 appears to be another haunting Ghost with, in the words of Yeats, "some earthly longing or affection, or some duty unfulfilled, or anger against the living". Whether or not he was the son of John McNamara and Penelope Mullins, there is not enough evidence to say.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/222 ... n-mcnamara
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2MQ-6BST

Jimbo
Posts: 589
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:43 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Jimbo » Fri Jul 23, 2021 7:44 am

James McNamara, born in Killanena townland in 1887, the son of John McNamara and Penelope Mullins, was 14 years old in the 1901 census and living with his parents. In the 1911 census, James was gone. His sister Marion arrived in Chicago about 1900 and from the obituaries of both Marion Harrington and Gretta Doherty, I knew that James McNamara of Killanena would end up in Chicago. I assumed that James McNamara had left for the USA prior to the 1911 Irish census, and would have registered for the WWI draft in Illinois. Was surprised that James, with his sister Mrs. P.T. Harrington in Chicago as his final destination, did not arrive in New York until 25 February 1921. He was single and reported that he had never been to the USA previously. His timing was during the Irish War of Independence and prior to the truce on 11 July 1921.

So where was James McNamara in the 1911 census? A common name, but nearly all other James McNamara's in the 1911 census were single and living with their parents. There were several soldiers named James McNamara in the 1911 England census who were born in Ireland and living at military barracks. But none of the numerous military service documents for young men named James McNamara, which in this era frequently included names of parents, were a good match for James McNamara of Killenana townland. Age is off slightly, but he might be the "J McNamara", single, age 22, born in Clare, labourer, driver, working at the "Curragh Military Camp" in County Kildare in the 1911 census. The Curragh barrack census return in 1911 was 16 pages, but only the men reported at the "A.S.C. Lines Barrack" (pages 11 & 12) were reported using their surnames and not just their initials. Were "J. McNamara" and the other drivers at the "A.S.C. barracks" employed as laborers at the camp and not enlisted soldiers?

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/r ... 002583969/
https://www.kildare.ie/defenceforces/history.HTM

In looking unsuccessfully for James McNamara of Killanena townland in the WWI draft registrations of Illinois, I did discover the WWI registration card for a James McNamara of Chicago with a birthplace of Glandree, Ireland. Glandree townland is a large townland and there are many McNamara families, but he is most definitely the son of Matthew McNamara and Anne Halpin of Uggoon townland, with paternal grandparents Andrew McNamara and Bridget McNamara, and maternal grandparents James Halpin and Anne McInerney.

James McNamara stated his birth as August 15, 1889. I cannot find the civil birth record for this James McNamara who in the 1901 census was age 12 and living in Glendree with his mother, the widow Anne Halpin McNamara. The Matthew McNamara family had been evicted from their lands in Uggoon in 1891 when James was only about 2 years old. His father, Matthew McNamara, died in 1894, when James was only four years old. In 1901, Anne Halpin and three children were living in Glandree at a house owned by Miles McNamara (whose first wife, Margaret Fitzgerald was Anne Halpin's first cousin).

James McNamara, at the age of 21, left Ireland and arrived in New York in 1910 with his USA contact his brother William — this information I had previously discovered and documented on the McNamara family tree on page 13. But was surprised to learn that James and William would leave New York and follow their brother John McNamara who had left Ireland for Chicago in 1904.

James McNamara (service #939309) enlisted at Chicago with Company B of the 40th Infantry Regiment on 11 June 1917 and would have initially been stationed at Fort Snelling in Minnesota. Some battalions of the 40th Infantry were later stationed at Fort Sheridan, just north of Chicago. Reenlisted as a corporal on 3 April 1919 and was discharged on 2 April 1920. In the 1920 census James McNamara was stationed at Camp Sherman in Ohio. [Sources include military headstone application completed by his wife; edited paragraph, see discussion on next postings].

In the 1930 census, James McNamara was living at 3234 Marypoll Avenue in Chicago, with his wife Mary (age 40, born in Finland), stepdaughter Sylvia Kulmala (age 14, born in Illinois), and brother William McNamara (age 44). James was age 40, and according to the census had married at age 32, so he married the widow Mary Mattila Kulmala about 1922 (Illinois marriage index only goes to 1920). Mary McNamara is a common name in Chicago, but not so many Mary McNamara's were born in Finland.

William McNamara died not long after the 1930 census was taken. From his obituary, the McNamara's of Chicago had maintained contact with their two elder sisters in Australia. None of their half-siblings were mentioned in the obituary. Their half-sister, Mary McNamara Moloney of Glandree, had died in 1909, and it would appear that their other half-siblings had also died prior to 1930:
William McNamara, beloved brother of Matthew, John, James, Margaret, Mrs. Ann McMahon and Mrs. Catherine McNamara. Funeral will be today, 8:30 a.m., from residence, 3234 Maypole Ave., to St. Matthew's church. Interment Mount Carmel.

Suburbanite Economist, Chicago, 30 September 1930
At the time of the WWII draft registration, James McNamara, born in County Clare, birth date of 15 August 1888, was living with his wife Mary on N. Main Street in Wheaton in DuPage County, about 25 miles west of Chicago. They later moved to Arlington Heights.
Sellmer's Sell Floral Shop; New Owners To Call It Sylvia's Flowers

Sellmer's, 1316 N. State rd., Arlington Heights, have sold their floral shop to Ian and Sylvia Craig of Glen Ellyn, have already taken over the business under the new name Sylvia's Flowers.

The Craigs have had many years experience in the floral business formerly operating a shop in Wheaton. Mrs. Craig's father, James McNamara, will be in charge of the greenhouses, and is also well qualified for this job having been in the greenhouse business all his life.

The Daily Herald, Chicago, 31 October 1952
James McNamara of Glandree died on 1 September 1966. He is buried alongside his wife, who died in 1972, at All Saints cemetery in Des Plaines, Illinois. His wife applied for a classic WWI veteran headstone. Burial details on this every useful website (after submitting email address, granted 15 minute access to database):
https://www.catholiccemeterieschicago.org/Burial/Access
James McNamara
James McNamara, 78, of 1316 N. Arlington Heights rd., Arlington Heights, a partner in Sylvia's Flowers, of the same address, died yesterday in Northwest Community hospital, Arlington Heights. He is survived by his widow, Mary; a daughter, Mrs. Sylvia Craig; four grandchildren; two great grandchildren; and a brother [Matthew, in Ireland?]. Mass will be said at 10 a.m. tomorrow in St. James Catholic church, 351 N. Arlington Heights rd., Arlington Heights.

Chicago Tribune, 2 September 1966
Sylvia's Flowers is still located in Arlington Heights today; it has new owners and relocated down the street from its original location, but it still exists: https://www.sfbuds.com/

Updated family tree of Matthew McNamara, son of Andrew McNamara and Bridget McNamara — see details for other children on page 13.

1.0 Andrew McNamara (≈1790 - 1869, at age 80 in Uggoon ) and Bridget McNamara (≈1793 - 1883 in Uggoon)

............ 1.5 Matthew McNamara (≈1824 - 1894), unknown baptism record, son of Andrew McNamara per Matthew's second marriage in 1867. The Tulla parish baptism record book has several missing pages, including for the periods between March 1822 through August 1825, as well as June 1826 through May 1827. Matthew McNamara's first marriage was in January 1854, so a birth in either missing period would be possible. Mathew McNamara, of Glandree, died at the reported age of 70 years on 7 April 1894; this would reflect a birth year of about 1824. The reported age on civil death records has been proven to be frequently inaccurate. If Matthew McNamara died in 1894 at "about 70 years old", but truly 67 or 68 years, then he would been born in the missing baptism record period of June 1826 through May 1827. And Matthew McNamara would have been younger than his presumed brother Michael McNamara. This might explain why Michael McNamara married in January 1853, prior to Matthew McNamara in January 1854.

Matt McNamara married Joanne "Susanna" O'Dea of Drumcharley on 16 January 1854 per Tulla parish records; witnesses Andy McNamara and John O'Dea. They were the parents of six children:

......................... 1.5.1 Laurence McNamara, of Uggoon, baptized 1 December 1854; sponsors Pat McEneriny, Bridget O'Dea.

......................... 1.5.2 Andrew McNamara, of Uggoon, baptized 15 August 1856; sponsors John McInerny, Bridget O'Dea.

......................... 1.5.3 Mary McNamara, of Uggoon, baptized 20 May 1858; sponsors Danniel Molony, Margaret Molony. Mary McNamara, of Uggoon, age 19, daughter of farmer Matthew McNamara, married Michael Molony, of Uggoon, national teacher, son of deceased farmer James Molony (and Eleanor Nugent per 1845 baptism), on 20 February 1878 at RC chapel at Tulla; witnesses Matthew Molony, Bridget McNamara. Michael Molony was a National School Teacher and author of the poem "The Hills of Sweet Glandree". <Glendree, Glendree, House 47, House 40> Mary Moloney, of Glandree, married, wife of a school teacher, 51 years old, died on 4 November 1909, informant Michael Moloney. The widower, Michael Moloney, of Glandree, school teacher, 79 years old, died on 7 May 1925; informant daughter Delia Moloney (Scarriff registration).
......................................... 1.5.3.1 Ellen "Elena" Molony baptized 29 September 1879, sponsors Michael Mack, Honora Mack. (age 21 in 1901) <Glendree, House 47, x>
......................................... 1.5.3.2 James Molony, baptized 19 January 1881, sponsors James McNamara, Anne McCarthy. (age 20 in 1901) <Glendree, House 47, House 40>
......................................... 1.5.3.3 Nora Molony (age 11 in 1901) <Glendree, House 47, x>
......................................... 1.5.3.4 Delia Molony (age 9 in 1901) <Glendree, House 47, House 40>
......................................... 1.5.3.5 Annie Margaret Molony, of Glandree, born 21 August 1896, father reported as "school teacher" (age 4 in 1901) <Glendree, House 47, House 40>

......................... 1.5.4 Bridget McNamara, of Uggoon, baptized on 11 February 1860; mother correctly reported as "Johanna O'Dea", but father reported as "Michael McNamara" in error; sponsors Laurence McNamara, Hannah McNamara.

......................... 1.5.5 Michael McNamara, of Uggoon, baptized on 12 February 1862; sponsors Patrick Carty, Hanna McNamara.

......................... 1.5.6 John McNamara, of Uggoon, baptized on 25 May 1863; sponsors Andrew McNamara, Anne McEnerny. Died prior to birth of brother John in 1884, and likely prior to start of 1864 civil death records.

Johanne O'Dea McNamara, mother of six, likely also died prior to start of 1864 civil death records.

The widower, Mathew McNamara, farmer, of Uggoon in Tulla, son of Andrew McNamara, married Anne Halpin, of Ballyoughtra in Tulla, daughter of farmer James Halpin, on 23 February 1867 at the Catholic chapel at Tulla by the parish priest James Bowles; witnesses Michael McNamara, Margaret McNamara. ("Galway" registration). <Glendree, House 48, House 8> Anne McNamara (age 67 in 1911) might have been the 70 year old widow of a laborer who died at Scarriff Union hospital on 4 February 1913; informant Peter Scanlon of the workhouse.

** For civil marriage records, "Matthew" and "Mathew" are separate names when searching using irishgenealogy.ie — but are treated as the same when searching for civil birth and death records.

......................... 1.5.7 Anne McNamara, of Uggoon, baptized on 9 September 1870; sponsors Laurence McNamara, Mary McNamara. Moved to Melbourne, Australia. "M'Mahon -M'Namara: On the 26th March, at St. Francis's Roman Catholic Church, by the Rev. John Manly, C.C., John, eldest son of Pat M'Mahon, born at Gurthcummar, County Clare, Ireland, to Annie, third daughter of Matthew M'Namara, born at Uggoon, County Clare, Ireland. County Clare papers please copy." (The Age, Melbourne, 11 April 1894). Reported as "Mrs. Ann McMahon" in the 1930 obituary of brother William McNamara of Chicago.

......................... 1.5.8 Catherine McNamara, of Uggoon, baptized on 23 November 1872; sponsors Laurence McNamara, Teresa McInerny. Moved to Australia. Reported as "Mrs. Catherine McNamara" in the 1930 obituary of brother William McNamara of Chicago.

......................... 1.5.9 Margaret McNamara, of Uggoon, baptized on 17 April 1875; sponsor Maria McNamara. In 1904, she was the USA contact on passenger listing for brother William, with address given as "Bay 8th Street Silvia Cottage, Brooklyn". In the 1905 NY census, Margaret was very likely the Irish born domestic servant, "age 25", for the Hamilton Rowan Finlay family living on 15 Bay 31st Street at 86th Street in Brooklyn. Margaret was included in the 1930 obituary of her brother William McNamara of Chicago; she had not married and her place of residence was not reported.
......................................... 1.5.9.1 James McNamara, of Glandree, born on 20 July 1898; informant Anne McNamara (Tulla civil registration). At age 12 was living with his grandmother in 1911 census. <Glendree, unknown, House 8>

......................... 1.5.10 Matthew McNamara, of Uggoon, baptized on 15 August 1877; sponsor Bridget McNamara. <Glendree, House 48, House 8> Matthew McNamara, along with Thomas Moroney, his first cousin, once removed, were booked as passengers on the SS Umbria to arrive in New York on 7 May 1907 * . They were going to, respectively, brother John McNamara of Chicago **, and sister Kate Moroney of Chicago — no specific addresses were reported. Their names were crossed out, and instead the two cousins from Tulla took the SS Saxonia which arrived in Boston on 10 May 1907. Matthew McNamara, "age 26" (in fact, age 29), was headed to his brother John McNamara in Chicago at 268 Loomis street. Thomas Moroney, age 21, was headed to his sister Catherine Moroney in Chicago at 264 Loomis street. Matthew must have returned to County Clare prior to the 1911 census (or this theory is incorrect) and on 10 October 1913 married Catherine McCarthy in Tulla Chapel.

* On page 24, I had incorrectly assumed that Matthew going to Chicago on SS Umbria was the son of Thady McNamara and Bridget Brody of Kilmore, age 19 in 1901, who went missing after 1901, and assumed that in 1907 he was visiting his brother John, born in 1866 (see family tree on page 18). I now believe, with a fair amount of certainty, that Matthew on the SS Umbria was the son of Matthew McNamara and Anne Halpin. He definitely had a brother John living in Chicago, plus Thomas Moroney was a relative. Other support for this theory is found in the Irish Dog License Registrations (1810 - 1926). Matt / Matthew McNamara of Glandree/Glendree religiously paid for a dog license every March from 1901 through 1907. He goes to America in April 1907 to discuss with his three brothers in Chicago who will take over the family farm. He draws the short straw and must return to Ireland. No dog licenses were purchased in 1908 or 1909. The next dog licenses were paid by Matt McNamara of Glandree in March 1910 for two black & white terriers, one male and one female.

** The Tom McDowell listing has Matthew's contact on the SS Umbria as "sister Mary McNamara of 125 West 22nd Street" which is a transcription mistake; the contact was "brother John McNamara of Chicago". A different Matthew McNamara from Tulla, age 26 (≈ 1881), would take the SS Etruria arriving in New York on 16 June 1907; USA contact was "sister Mary McNamara of 125 West 22nd Street" — as correctly transcribed on the listing. In USA naturalization papers, this Matthew McNamara of New York, with the same exact arrival details, stated he was born on 17 June 1882 in County Clare. This Matthew McNamara might indeed be the 19 year old son of Thady McNamara and Bridget Brody of Kilmore in the 1901 census, whose civil birth record I could not locate.

......................... 1.5.11 James McNamara, of Uggoon, baptized on 12 March 1879; sponsors James McNamara, Bridget McNamara. Died prior to 1888 birth of brother James, but unknown civil death record.

......................... 1.5.12 William McNamara, of Uggoon, born on 1 February 1882 (Tulla civil registration). <Glendree, House 48, x> William McNamara, laborer, "age 21", of Tulla, arrived in New York on 28 April 1904 on the SS Oceanic; contact was sister Margaret of "Bay 8th Street Silvia Cottage, Brooklyn". In the 1910 census, William was a motorman in the streetcar industry and living at 190 10th Avenue in Manhattan. This was the contact address in Manhattan for when his brother James arrived on 23 April 1910. In 1930 census, William was a chauffeur, age 44, living with brother James McNamara in Chicago. He died on 27 September 1930, his death certificate listed parents Matthew McNamara and "Ann Halpern" of County Clare. See obituary above.

......................... 1.5.13 John McNamara, of Uggoon, born 4 January 1884 (Tulla civil registration). In the 1901 census, John McNamara, age 16, was a farm servant in the Martin McNamara household (unlikely a relative; Martin from Whitegate "married in" to the Mealey family). <Glendree, House 36, x> John McNamara, laborer, age 19, of Tulla, arrived in New York on 16 February 1904 on the SS Ivernia; contact was cousin M.H. McNamara of 90 Miller Street, Chicago. John McNamara was traveling with his cousin, William McNamara ("age 28") going to his brother M.H., and William's niece Catherine Moroney (age 19) going to her sister Margaret Moroney. All three passengers were from Tulla and going to 90 Miller Street in Chicago.

John McNamara, age 26, married Catherine McCormack, age 25, in Chicago on 21 November 1909. The John McNamara family of Chicago were living at 1314 Congress Street in the 1920 census; and 1028 Aberdeen Street in the 1930 and 1940 census. John McNamara died in 1858; "beloved husband of the late Catherine McCormack; loving father of Anne Lamb; Sister Mary Anne Marie, B.V.M., and the late Matthew J.; grandfather of ... Holy Family church . . Interment Mount Carmel", Chicago Tribune, 13 March 1958.
......................................... 1.5.13.1 Matthew McNamara (age 8 in 1920 census)
......................................... 1.5.13.2 John Francis McNamara (1913 - 1913)
......................................... 1.5.13.3 Anna M McNamara (age 3 in 1920 census)
......................................... 1.5.13.4 Eileen McNamara (age 2 in 1920 census). Sister Mary Ann Marie, B.V.M.

......................... 1.5.14 James McNamara, unknown civil birth record (not in Tulla, Scarriff, and Galway districts between 1885 and 1892). James was a 12 year old scholar in the 1901 census, so born about 1889. <Glendree, House 48, x> James McNamara, age 21, arrived in New York on 23 April 1910 on the SS Campania: last residence Tulla, Clare; mother Mrs. A. McNamara of "Glanderee"; contact, brother William McNamara of 190 10th Avenue, New York. On WWI registration, James was living at 1314 Congress Street in Chicago (address of brother John), and reported that he was born in Glandree on 15 August 1889. Served with Company B of the 40th Infantry in WWI. Married Finnish born widow, Mary Mattila Kulmala about 1922. See above biography and obituary notifying the death of James McNamara on 1 September 1966.
......................................... 1.5.14.1 Sylvia Kulmala (stepdaughter, born in Illinois, age 14 in 1930 census)

James McNamara (≈1889 - 1966) arrived in New York in 1910 to his brother William McNamara (1882 - 1930); both brothers moved from New York to Chicago, where their brother John McNamara (1884 - 1958) was living. This John McNamara in 1904, left Ireland with his cousin William Halpin McNamara (1873 - 1940), and went to Chicago where his cousin, and William's brother, Michael H. McNamara (1867 - 1945) was living.

Michael H. McNamara was the son of Michael McNamara (≈1825 - 1889) and Margaret Halpin (1832 - 1884). According to the 1900 census in Chicago, he arrived in America in 1891. Why did Michael H. McNamara go to Chicago?

Was he following in the footsteps of an uncle or aunt who moved to Chicago previously? Nothing is known about the whereabouts of many of the children of Andrew McNamara (≈1790 - 1869) and Bridget McNamara (1793 - 1883), including John (born 1819), Patrick (1820), Catherine (1821), Stephen (1829), Miles (1831), Bridget (1833), Andrew (1835), and Johanna (1836).

Or did Michael H. McNamara arrive in America in 1891 with no relatives and found work on the preparations for the Chicago World's Fair of 1893?

Or was there another large construction project in Chicago that began in the 1890's? In an absolutely amazing coincidence, The New York Times in its Sunday edition of 11 July 2021 had a large front page article, "The Battle Between a Great City and a Great Lake", including a great photo of the Chicago skyline, which provides an important clue as to why Michael H. McNamara as well as so many of his relatives from Tulla Parish would go to live and work in Chicago.

"The Battle Between a Great City and a Great Lake", by Dan Egan, The New York Times,11 July 2021:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/202 ... higan.html

(to be continued)

Edits: (1) fixed typos; corrected James McNamara's WWI service period; beefed up John McNamara bio. (2) Revisit year of birth of Matthew McNamara about 1824 or later.
Last edited by Jimbo on Wed Jul 28, 2021 5:27 am, edited 2 times in total.

Sduddy
Posts: 1819
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:07 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Sduddy » Fri Jul 23, 2021 5:01 pm

Hi Jimbo

I read your posting with interest, a couple of times over. So James McNamara from the townland of Killanena, Clonlea parish (there’s another Killanena in Feakle parish) was instrumental bringing you to another James McNamara – who, you discovered, was a son of Mathew McNamara and Anne Halpin, Uggoon. The work you have done is really excellent – especially your finding James in Chicago, when most people would have decided that he’d stayed in New York and been satisfied with that.
There are a couple of edits you might like to make: “James was living at 1314 Congress Street in Chcago (address of brother John), and reported that he was born on 15 August 1899” – that “1899” should be 1889. And in the previous paragraph on John, where you say “(unlikely a relative; from Whitegate …)”, I think “(unlikely a relative; Martin from Whitegate…)” would be clearer.

Today I bought a book at a second-hand book stall, The Humours of Tulla: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Tulla Comhaltas 1957 – 2007, which was published by the Tulla Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann in 2008 (I can’t find the date but reckon it was 2008). I’ve been looking through it and it is a real gem, and I’ve begun reading and see that, in a piece by Jimmy Molony, “House Dances in the late 1930’s” (page 30), he says, “Matt McNamara’s in Uggoon was also a great house for dances. Katie McNamara (sister of Sandy [Michael] McCarthy) was the woman of the house”.

Sheila

Jimbo
Posts: 589
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:43 am

Re: Information is wanted of Thomas McNamara, of Glandree,

Post by Jimbo » Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:09 am

Hi Sheila,

Yes, nearly straight out of the gate in the search for the identity of the haunting Ghost of Tim McNamara of Key West, we've been provided with evidence (the WWI registration of James McNamara of Chicago) that leads back to the McNamara's of Glandree, the home townland of the missing Civil War soldier Thomas McNamara. The Irish ghosts of the Clare County Library appear to become jealous when another haunting Ghost has their grievance and story revealed, and in the words of Yeats, "they go about moving the furniture [the story, in this context], and in every way trying to attract attention". With this latest discovery in Chicago, it might be awhile before the story gets back to the haunting Ghost of Tim McNamara of Key West.

Thanks for the suggested edits. I caught the 1899 incorrect year of James McNamara, and must have made the edit while you were typing your response. But I made the same mistake again in the next paragraph. I'll also edit John McNamara as you suggested, and include the cousins he was traveling with to Chicago in 1904, and briefly summarize his obituary.

The more significant correction is the WWI military service enlistment and discharge dates for James McNamara of Chicago. In 1966 when his widow Mary McNamara completed the headstone application she reported that James McNamara of the 40th Infantry, Company B, enlisted on 11 June 1917 and was discharged on 2 April 1919. On her application, the military reviewer then wrote 3 April 1919 above 11 June 1917 for enlistment, and also 2 April 1920 was written above 2 April 1919 for discharge. But they did not cross out the original dates, as his original enlistment was correct on 11 June 1917. The index record for the headstone application that James McNamara enlisted on 3 April 1919, which was used for my original posting, never made sense since the war had already finished.

Similarly on the headstone application, the military wrote "CPL" above "PFC", when James had reenlisted on 3 April 1919 he had been promoted to Corporal.

The headstone application stating that James McNamara enlisted with Company B of the 40th Infantry was correct. Given his nearly 3 year service with the 40th Infantry, I assumed that James McNamara had gone overseas to Europe to fight. But could not find him on any military transport listings, which include nearest relative, either going to Europe or returning to America. A google search of the "40th Infantry" leads mostly to the "40th Infantry Division", but James fought for the "40th Infantry Regiment" which for most of the war was assigned to the 14th Division, which did not go overseas during the war.

Upon enlistment in June 1917, James McNamara would have trained at Fort Snelling in Minnesota which was a military recruitment process and training center. Not much was written about the 40th Infantry as American historians would focus on those units that went overseas. From short newspapers clips, often letters home, it is possible to piece together the movements of the 40th Infantry, but not always specific battalions. Some news gave a glimpse of camp life at Fort Snelling including the "two large classes in the study of the English language for the numerous foreigners who are at the camp. There is a large French class . . .", The Pantagraph. Bloomington, IL, 10 Oct 1917. By November 1917, a battalion of the 40th Infantry left Fort Snelling for Fort Sheridan, Illinois just northwest of Chicago. Their purpose was "to be held in readiness for instant call in case the enemy alien situation in Chicago demands military action", Chicago Tribune, 11 December 1917. The primary purpose of Fort Sheridan was a military recruitment and training center for the entire Midwest. In early 1920, "the Fortieth Infantry, also organized at Fort Snelling, is now stationed at Camp Sherman, Ohio. . ." (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, 23 February 1920).

James McNamara was an "alien" when he registered for the draft on 5th of June 1917. He would have been strongly encouraged to file a petition to become a U.S. citizen at some point during his military service. "Seventy German and Austrians, members of the 40th Infantry, stationed at Fort Sheridan, will be brought before Federal Judge Carpenter for trial on the military reservation Tuesday afternoon for refusing to take out naturalization papers. Col. Samuel Burkhardt, commander of the regiment will ask that they be interned for the duration of the war and then sent back to Germany." (Waukegan Daily, 17 June 1918).

The 1920 Federal Census was taken in January 1920 when James McNamara was still enlisted with the 40th Infantry. He was reported in the 1920 census at Camp Sherman in Scott County, Ohio with Co. B 40th Infantry written next to his housing unit. The census taker was not very thorough, and "unknown" was written for his age etc. Initially for James McNamara and a few others, "Detached service at Pittsburgh, PA" was written across many columns, and then crossed out and then "(U.S.)" was written for his place of birth, as well as place of birth of his father and mother — all of which was clearly incorrect.

1920 Census from Camp Sherman: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDGG-2TJ

James McNamara, of Glandree, County Clare, while in the 40th Infantry would certainly have experienced the American melting pot. In 1920, he shared his military hut at Camp Sherman with Peter Czerepowizky (Russian), Joseph Erdrich (German?), Steve Gajewski (Polish), and George Novak (Russian or Eastern Europe?). How did they communicate? Did they all become best mates after nearly three years together? Did they spend their free time telling stories about the small country townlands that they originated from? When Piotr Czerepowesky, a veteran of Co. B of the 40th Infantry, completed a Veteran's Compensation Application in 1934 from his home in New York City, he stated that his "Place and date of birth" were "Glandree, Russia, Nov. 26, 1897".

Piotr Czerepowezky of Co B, 40th Infantry, born in Glandree, Russia (PA Veteran Compensation on ancestry).jpg
Piotr Czerepowezky of Co B, 40th Infantry, born in Glandree, Russia (PA Veteran Compensation on ancestry).jpg (129.06 KiB) Viewed 6342 times

Sheila, the theory that Matthew McNamara (1877 - 1969) went "to America in April 1907 to discuss with his three brothers in Chicago who will take over the family farm. He draws the short straw and must return to Ireland" is a bit farfetched and not supported by any evidence. Only his brother John McNamara was in Chicago in 1907; his brother William McNamara was in New York; his brother James was still in Glandree. I reckon it was always decided that Matthew, the oldest son of Matthew McNamara and Anne Halpin, would inherit the Uggoon lands. Matthew had three younger brothers. John left for Chicago in February 1904, and William left for New York in April 1904. His youngest brother James, born about 1889, would eventually leave Ireland as he would not inherit any land, and Matthew knew this. Prior to marriage and loads of children, Matthew wanted to see the world and visit his brother in Chicago and other siblings in New York. With only a short window of remaining freedom, Matthew arranged with his brother James to work the land for a few years in his absence and also look after their mother.

And new evidence of Matthew McNamara's absence from Glandree between April 1907 and, say, late 1909 or early 1910, can be found once again in the Irish Dog Registers. For the first and only time in her life, Anne McNamara, of Glandree, purchased two dog licenses in March 1909, both for black terriers, and both male. I don't know the process for obtaining a dog license in Tulla, other than they were purchased at the Tulla courthouse. I suspect Anne McNamara wasn't required to have the dogs in her possession, and upon arriving at the courthouse to complete the dog license form, she wasn't terribly certain about the coloring or sex of the two terriers. In March 1910, Matthew McNamara was more accurate in the description of their same two dogs, black & white terriers, one male and one female.

The evidence is strong that Matthew McNamara was not in Ireland in March 1909, but had returned by March 1910. His younger brother James, having taken care of the farm in Matthew's absence, left Ireland for Chicago in April 1910. Matthew McNamara and Catherine McCarthy, who married in 1913, were the parents of ten children according to several family trees on ancestry.com, including at least one by a direct descendant living in Ireland. They don't appear to be aware of their grandfather Matthew's trip to Chicago in 1907. Or of the role played by their great uncle James McNamara that made Matthew's visit to the USA possible. They'll be surprised to learn that James McNamara served in the USA army during the First World War. Unfortunately, on the findagrave website there is no photo of the WWI grave marker of James McNamara at the All Saints Catholic cemetery in Des Plaines, Illinois. I reckon the best way for the Irish relatives of James McNamara to obtain a photo of the headstone would be to order flowers from Sylvia's Flowers of Arlington Heights, and have them delivered to All Saint's Cemetery (grave 7 is Mary; grave 8 is James; lot 34; block 40; section 41 per the Archdiocese of Chicago website). The delivery person can be requested to take photos as proof of delivery. Since James McNamara and his daughter were the founders of Sylvia's Flowers in 1952, there might even be a discounted price available.
https://www.sfbuds.com/

And hopefully when the excellent 300 plus pages of "Doughboys from Clare in WWI" gets updated on the Clare Library website, James McNamara, born in Uggoon, family moved to Glandree, of Company B of the 40th Infantry can be included:
https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/cocla ... war_22.pdf

Sheila, thank you also for sharing the reference to Matt McNamara of Uggoon having a "great house for dances" from The Humours of Tulla: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Tulla Comhaltas 1957 – 2007. When researching John McNamara of Chicago in the newspaper archives and other records, I came across a John E. McNamara who was a teacher of Irish step dancing in Chicago. Will share more about this another day, as this posting is already long, but your reference to Matt McNamara of Uggoon and dancing was very surprising and might even be further evidence of Matthew's trip to Chicago in 1907.

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