Last November 2012 Liz Kennedy posted the following comment about her gggrandmother Ellen Phelan:
“Today, 11th Nov 2012 I visited the graveyard in Moyne, Co. Tipperary where my gg grandmother Ellen Phelan is buried. She was Ellen Fanning or Fannin and came from Lisaroon, Ballycahill, Co. Tipperary. She was married to Patrick Phelan of Bawnmore, Johnstown, Co. Kilkenny Where I was born). He died in 1892. “
I was delighted to hear from her and intrigued as to how Ellen was related to the Lissaroon Fannings, my ancestors. Unfortunately I have not been able to make further contact with Liz.
I did some digging myself and found her marriage record unfortunately there are few details on this to help. No parents’ names which is what I was hoping for.
From the Latin written on their marriage record Ellen and Patrick were blood related, cousins. Possibly third cousins.
Galmoy is a parish in Co Kilkenny.
Given that Ellen’s address is Moycarkey I wonder if she is related to the Lissaroon Fanning family. I was expecting her address to be Lissaroon or Thurles. I would like to know how she is connected.
The following information is in a comment left by the husband of a descendant of Ellen and Patrick and gives details on their children:
“Their son Michael was a publican in Baunmore, who married Bridget Delaney and had 11 children. My wife’s grandfather was living with them in the 1901 census, as was Ellen Fanning, who was by then widowed.
Both Michael and Bridget died young, in 1909 and 1910. Their eldest son took over the pub and was head of the family in the 1911 census, raising his siblings at the age of 18.
Patrick and Ellen’s other son, Jeremiah, also was not a priest, but a farmer in Baunmore with six children.”
I found birth records for these children of Ellen and Patrick Phelan: Jeremiah born in 1849, Margaret in 1853, Michael in 1855 and Thomas in 1857. There may well have been other children.
In Moyne Cemetery Co Tipperary there are two Phelan graves. There are photos of these gravestones on Jane Lyons’ site http://www.from-ireland.net/photographs-of-moyne-gravestones/nggallery/page/10/
The first gravestone has the following inscription:
Erected by Ellen Phelan Bawnmore in memory of her husband Patrick Phelan died March 13 1892 aged 70 years, also his father Jeremiah died May 1884 aged 50 ? yrs and her child Margaret died young. Nora Phelan died 1948, Edward Phelan Crosspatrick died 22 Feb ? 1952 His wife Bridget interred in Crosspatrick.
Above is a related gravestone for Jeremiah Phelan of Bawnmore who died 7-1-1921, his wife Margaret who died 3-7-1906, their three daughters who died young, their son Patrick who died 20-7-1954 and his wife Catherine who is interred at Crosspatrick. This stone was erected by Margaret Phelan and family.
Ellen Phelan died in Lough Co Kilkenny 14th Oct 1902 age given as 90.
I am posting what I know in the hopes someone will contact me and be able to fill in the gaps and establish a connection with the Lissaroon Fanning family or not.
I have been in contact with the husband of a descendant of Ellen Phelan nee Fanning. Quite a few of her descendants have done DNA tests as have I.
So far I have not found any DNA matches with Ellen and my Fanning family. So at this stage it looks very much like Ellen Phelan nee Fanning is not a Lissaroon Fanning, unless she was adopted.