Thomas Fanning was born about 1825 and died 1898 in Thurles Co Tipperary Ireland. He was a grocer in New St Thurles and his wife was Anastasia. He is related to my family but as yet I have been unable to work out the exact relationship. Any help much appreciated.
This memorial card was sent to me by the granddaughter of Bridget Mullaney nee Fanning (c1858-1935). Bridget was the daughter of Catherine Ryan and Michael Fanning of Lissaroon. Michael Fanning was a first cousin of my gggrandfather William Patrick Fanning.
In her letter Delia believes this Thomas Fanning was a first cousin of her grandmother Bridget Mullany’s and also a granduncle of Archbishop O’Donnell of Brisbane.
Archbishop O’Donnell is related to Sarah Sheehan nee Fanning my gggrandfather’s sister. The letter printed in this post outlines the relationship between the O’Donnells and Sheehans.
If he is a granduncle of Archbishop O’Donnell then he is Sarah’s and William Patrick’s brother Thomas. But I have no record of there being a brother Thomas from the Parish birth records for Edmond Fanning and Judy Darmody from 1809-1829.
Given that he was born about 1825 he looks to be too old to be a first cousin of Bridget Mullany nee Fanning.
It is possible that he was a son of William Fanning and Hanera Cormick, as they most likely had more than three children.
Wm Fannin and Sarah Ryan likewise probably had more children, so there are other Fanning lines untraced out there that Thomas could have belonged to.
In this post there is a descendant report for William Fannin to three generations.
I found one marriage record for a Thomas Fanning and an Anastasia which seems to fit with the information I have so far. Her name was entered as Anto. The groom’s father William was listed as deceased on the record.
At first I was skeptical because Ballyduff townland listed in the Alphabetical Index to The Townlands and Towns of Ireland only has a Ballyduff in Dorrha Parish a long way from Thurles. But googgling Ballyduff I discovered a Ballyduff which is in the right area, 8.6 km from Thurles and 3.9kms from Moyne Village.
I also came across some information on Ballyduff as an alternative townland name in the Parish of Inshyofogerty in the Civil Survey 1654-1656 . Inshyofogerty being an old name for Inch Parish. This would certainly fit with Thomas being a related Fanning.
Shanballyduff in Rahelty Parish was also shortened to Ballyduff in records.
The William O’Connell who was a witness is most probably Thomas’ brother in law, being married to Johanna Fanning.
Civil Death Record for Thomas Fanning c 1825-1898 Thurles Co Tipperary Ireland
On the Co Tipperary Census for 1901 there is an Anastasia Fanning (spelt as Faning) living at 24 New Street, widow and grocer, living in what is described as a provisions store. I think this is the wife of Thomas.
Recently I came across a list of relatives attending a Fanning related funeral.
Michael O’Connell was the son of William O’Connell and Judy (Johanna) Fanning of Lissaroon. She was my ggggrandfather’s first cousin. In the list of attendees there is a Mrs Thomas Fanning senior and a Mrs Thomas Fanning jun both of Thurles and relatives of the deceased.
The younger Mrs Thomas Fanning would have been Ellen Fanning nee Sheehan and in 1899 she would have been 43 years old. She was a shopkeeper/publican in Quarry St Thurles.
The older Mrs Thomas Fanning would have been Anastasia Fanning nee Kirwin who was a shopkeeper in New St (now Parnell St) and she would have been 79 at the time of the funeral of Michael O’Connell. This is further evidence of a close link to the Lisaroon Fanning family. It is very probable that the above Thomas Fanning was the son of William Fannin and Honora Cormack of Lisaroon.
I am researching my daughters inlaws family history.
The family member I am interested in was an Ellen Fanning that married Patrick Devaney on 12 Feb 1877, in Moyne Parishin the RC Church of Loughmore.
Ellen’s address was given as Gortnahow, her father was Thomas Fanning, a farmer. Witnesses were John Devaney and Johanna Fanning. The mother of Ellen is not mentioned.
I wondered if Ellen was related to your Fanning family?
Hi Roy,
I have come across the Gortnaha Fanning family many times in researching my ancestry.
So far I have not found a direct link.
It is quite possible that the two families are related further back. An Ancestry DNA test might well bring up a match!
Anyway, in my records I have a marriage of Thomas Fanning and Mary Ryan in Loughmore Parish on 5 Feb 1835. Ryan is a very common Irish name, so a hard one.
I also have a Baptism record for an Ellen Fanning of Gurtnahoe, 7 Jul 1847, father Thomas, mother Mary Ryan.
There are a lot of Gurtnaha Fannings buried in Loughmore Cemetery. I can give you the details of these burials if this would be helpful.
I may even have some photos.
All the best
Kathleen
ps I’ve had a look for Fannings of Gortnaha and there are some death records and gravestone inscriptions in this post on my blog “Fanning Death Records, Gravestone Inscriptions & Photos”.
There are also Fannings in Griffiths Valuation found on the Ask About Ireland website. They are living at Gortnahaha in Loughmore East. In G.V there are also a lot of your Devany folk living in Borrisnoe in Bourney Civil Parish in North Tipperary. Searching G.V you have to input the names exactly as they have entered them or you get nil results. Tricky.
Thanks Katherine. It is hard to know. Whilst “my Ellen’s” father’s name was Thomas it would mean she was aged 30 when marrying in 1877. I am guessing this would have been an unusual age for a woman to marry at this time?
This is my first experience with Irish family history. My ancestors arrived in Australia in 1840 and as yet I have not found one Irish ancestor!
cheers Roy
Hi Roy,
I wasn’t sure about the average age of marriage so I checked some of my ancestors’ marriage ages for about the same time (1877).
I checked eight womens’ marriage ages: Out of the eight, five were over 30. So for Ellen to have married at 30 was not unusual.
I have also read that after the famine people started marrying at an older age.
The other thing that points to this Baptism record being your Ellen’s is the small size of the townland of Gortnaha where she is listed on her marriage record as coming from.
In Griffiths Valuation in the 1850’s there are only six people leasing land there, two of them being Fannings. Basically one Fanning family in Gortnaha (Gortnahaha).
Here is a link to Gortnahaha in Griffiths Valuations http://griffiths.askaboutireland.ie/gv4/z/zoomifyDynamicViewer.php?file=262046&path=./pix/262/&rs=7&showpage=1&mysession=2655466454014&width=&height=
regards Kathleen