“CAPTAIN RICHARD FANNING.
Ortelius’s Map locates this family in the Barony of Pobble-Brian, County of Limerick; and the name is of record in Ireland from the time of Edward the Second. In 1346 John ‘Fanyn’ was one of an influential Commission deputed to examine the fitness of the guardians of the peace and the adequacy of the array in the County Limerick, and Simon ‘Fanyng’ is of record, as a landed proprietor therein in 1355. In three years after Hugh Fannyn was appointed a guardian of the peace and commissioner of array in Tipperary. It was a name of influence also In Kilkenny, where, in 1545, Henry the Eighth granted the fee of certain lands to Oliver Fannynge, whose son and heir died in 1623, leaving Robert, his son and heir, then aged thirty and married. Again, in 1590, died William Fannyng, having made a previous settlement of his estates there, the trustees of that settlement were James, son of Thomas Fannyng of Ballintaggart, in Tipperary; Robert, son of Walter Fannynge of Mohobber, and Richard Fannynge of Kappaghintallagarry. James was the son and heir of said William, the settler, but he, dying in his father’s life-time, William Fannyng succeeded, his namesake’s estates. In 1632 a Robert Fannyng died seised of several lands in Kilkenny, and leaving William, his brother and heir, then aged thirty-three and married.
* Clarke’s Correspondence. MS8. T.C.D., Lett. 83.
The name was more especially influential in Limerick, until the Munster war of Elizabeth’s time. Geoffrey Fanning of Glenagal and Patrick Fanning of Limerick were of the Confederate Catholics at the Supreme Council of 1646, while Alderman Dominick Fanning was one of those to whom, on the capitulation of Limerick, the mercies of the articles were denied. In 1668 Jeffrey Fanning had a confirmatory grant of upwards of 2,000 acres in Tipperary, as had William Fanning of 531 in Galway. Besides this Captain, William and David Fanning were Quarter-Masters in Colonel Henry Luttrell’s Horse. On the Attainders of 1691, the only Fannings mentioned are William of Batty-rath County of Kilkenny, and David Fanning of Kilkenny, merchant. Richard is not on the Roll, nor are any of the Limerick Fannings; while on the Establishment of 1710 the name of Robert Fanning is noted for an annual pension of £10.”
Source: “Illustrations, Historical and Genealogical, of King Jame’s Irish Army List” by John D’Alton 1861
