The forged iron Celtic cross with spear like tips at the top and at the two sides, and a twist in the iron work along the supporting upright is beautifully made but the blacksmith who made this left no indication of who he might have been. It has recently, although how recently we do not know, been cared for and the inscription picked out in white paint to preserve the memorial but it is now becoming difficult to read After some scrutiny and a little research we deciphered it as reading "Edward Farrell died March 27th 1928, Harristown". Armed with that information it was relatively easy to find Edward in the official records. He died of cardiac arrest unexpectedly at Harristown and hence the roadside memorial to presumably record where he fell. In 1922 Edward Farrell had married Ellen Hanrahan, daughter of James Hanrahan of Rath, Danesfort, county Kilkenny and on his unexpected death she was left a widow with 4 young children.
Edward Farrell was born on 13th July 1892, the son of Michael Farrell, farmer, of Pleberstown and Bridget Barron who came from Ballyconway nearby. Michael and Bridget had married on 20th November 1882 at Chapel Hill, Inistioge. Michael's father was Thomas Farrell, a farmer and deceased at the time of his son's wedding. Bridget Barron of Ballyconway, was 19 years old when she married and her father is listed on the marriage certificate as Thomas Barron, a farmer and alive at the time of his daughter's marriage. In the 1911 census Michael Farrell and Bridget Barron record that 14 children were born of the marriage but only 5 were alive in 1911. This rang several bells with me as I have a Barron connection. Out came my extensive Barron files as I knew I had details of the Ballyconway Barrons, although this is not my direct Barron line. Amazingly I found that I was recently contacted by a descendant of one of Bridget's brothers, (a Thomas Barron who was born in Dec 1875), via Ancestry, who was a DNA match with me. So quite accidently when Bernie and I noticed this roadside memorial it led to me documenting yet another tranche of my relations in the area and ones that I previously did not know anything about. Such is genealogy and family research.
Dear Mary, I wonder whether you might be willing to help my research from your Barron files. I have my ancestor's 1787 baptismal entry at St. Patrick's & St. Olaf's in City of Waterford and continue to search those records that, uncommonly, go to the early 18th century, but am fairly certain that the family are not originally from City of Waterford but from Kilkenny. Kevin.barron@mac.com
ReplyDeleteHello Kevin
ReplyDeleteCertainly I will check out my Barron files for you but most of the documented records I have date from the early 19th century. I do have other information on the Barrons though, so if you could let me have the names and dates of your ancestors, as much information as you have in case I recognise something, I will have a look through all my records. Which part of Kilkenny do you think they came from?
Mary
Dear Mary,
DeleteI have the christening of Laurence Barron in 1787 and that is as far back as I have been able to get with certainty. Basilica of St. John, St. John's Newfoundland 1822 parish records, marriage, state that Laurence Barron was born "City of Waterford" in 1789. The baptismal records of St. Patricks and St. Olaf's appear to go back to about 1740. In them, there is the entry for 17 Aug 1787 "Laurentis Barron" son of John "Johannes" Barron and Ellen "Eleanor" Walsh, sponsors Bartholomew Fitzpatrick & Johnanna Power. This is the only Laurence born in Waterford in that period +/- 5 or more years. My genealogist, Walter Batten, of St. John's, NFLD, believed that the Barrons were not from Waterford after reviewing all the parish records in that city. My examination of the St. Patrick and St. Olaf's records showed that Eleanor Walsh was christened in the Parish ""Elleanoram fil. legit. Joannem Walsh & Margarita Cahill" November 8, 1756. Laurence Barron was a merchant and wharf owner in St. John's. He was first president of the "Mechanics Society" and stood for Newfoundland House of Assembly in 1832. He filed a petition challenging irregularities/fraud in the election. He was killed in a subsequent election riot in 1836 instigated by a priest named Father Troy (maybe by Father Troy himself). I have more information about Laurence. The 1836 deposition of his widow Mary Barron may offer more about his origins if I can find it. One of my cousins believes there is a connection to Wexford, but he has no better information. Much information was lost with the passing of my Grandfather, John A. Barron. His father, Thomas J. Barron, kept a connection to Ireland. Other Barrons rented premises at the wharf and kept friendships with Laurence Barron's sons. I have more information about them, connected with liquor manufacture and distribution. My father believed the family was from Kilkenny, but he, sadly, has passed on. Please, if you are willing, contact me at my email address of kevin.barron@mac.com
Hi
ReplyDeleteI found your blog featuring the roadside memorial near Harristown which would be of interest to me as "Edward Farrell" would be my grandfather. Some of the details in your article need to be updated as there are some inconsistencies associated with Ellen Hanrahan's family origin. edmfarrell1959@gmail.com