Person:Patrick O'Brien (3)

Patrick stayed on the farm in Killernan and never married. He was known as "Paddy Stephens" and was well over six feet tall with a reputation of one of the strongest men in the parish. His civil birth record recorded January 10, 1872 for his birth and was registered on January 19, 1872. This is a month after his baptism record that was recorded in the church at Mullagh and is in all probability the real date because the church recording was more important to the Irish then the English registration. The sponsors for his baptism were Michael and Catherine Collins, cousins and neighbors to the O'Brien's. In 1923 Patrick O'Brien was registered as owner in fee simple of the lands comprised in the Folio #10521, County of Clare, Killernan townland, Barony of Ibrickane. He was to pay an annuity of five pounds fourteen shillings and ten pence beginning on the 1st. of June 1923 and payable to the Irish Land Commission until an advance of 164 pounds has been repaid. This land was from the Estate of Lord Leconfield E.C. 10142, L.R.182-22040. Patrick acquired the farm after his mothers death and had the property until his death. On his death record he was listed as a seventy-three year old bachelor on old age pension. The cause of death was chronic endocarditis one year, cardiac failure certified. Francis Keavey of Dunsallagh townland was responsible for the burial of the body and registration of the death. Francis Keavey was a neighbor and close friend of the O'Brien's. Martin Cahill of Kildimo told me in June of 1980 that he remembered Paddy Stephens well and said he was a good man and a hard worker. He said Paddy liked to drink and one time he was in Miltown Malby and had a few too many and started an argument with one of the R.I.C policeman, Officer Patrick Doran. He evidently beat RIC Doran seriously and was arrested for the act. When the other policemen subdued Patrick they were equally as violent and mangled his arm to the extent he never had full use of it again. Partick Doran was 32 years old in 1901 and lived at the constabulary arracks in Miltown Malbay. He was married and born in County Roscommon. My grandfather John was his youngest brother and he had a lot of respect for Paddy when he was in charge of the farm. There is a story that was told by my father and uncles that their father John was using Paddy's horse to carry seaweed from the ocean back to the farms to sell for fertilizer. On this particular day it was an unusually heavy load and the horse somehow died. The story goes on to say that John was so frightened of Paddy Stephens that he shoved a potato down it's throat and said he choked on it when he was feeding the horse. Some say John came to America to hide away from Paddy Stephens after that incident. John S. O'Brien and his wife Kathleen visited Ireland during the summer of 1976. They rented a car and were staying in the Mullagh area at a bed and breakfast owned and operated by Mrs. Torpy. John didn't know exactly where the O'Brien farm was so he visited a pub in Mullagh called Kitty Conways across the street from the guest house. There he met some locals and started asking questions about the O'Brien farm. Then he mentioned his father's brother's name "Paddy Stephens". They told him he couldn't be from that family he don't have the size. They then told him stories about Paddy Stephens and how he was one of the strongest men in the parish. During this night John met Michael O'Halloran and his son. This is the brother of Tadgh O'Halloran of Knockanalban. A 2nd cousin of John's.