Person:Stephen O'Brien (2)

There was a lapse in the church records at the time of Stephen's birth. He was most probably born on the farm in Killernan townland and baptized at the church in Mullagh. He was only about five years old when his father died in 1845 and he and his family went through the worst years in Irish History with the famine ravaging the country until 1851. He was 24 years when he was married to Margaret O'Halloran the daughter of a farmer on a farm about a mile west of the O'Brien farm. Stephen and Margaret both signed their name with an (x) on their marriage record. They were married in the Church at Mullagh by Parish Priest Patrick Moran. The witnesses were Patt Halloran and John McGuane. The next record I have on Stephen is from the Valuation Office on Ely Place, Dublin. Here listed in the property transfer books taken from the Griffith's Valuation was the transfer of property from Honoria O'Brien to her son, Stephen in 1886. In the Census of Ireland, 1901 on Form "B" House and Building Return the O'Brien property was listed as a three room private dwelling with walls made of stone or brick and a thatched roof. There were three windows in the front of the house and it was listed as a 2nd class house with five people living in the house. On Form "A", Stephen was listed as: head of family, Roman Catholic, Read nor write, male, married, born in County Clare, and speaks Irish and English. Stephens death certificate was filed in Miltown Malbay on July 7,1905 by M. McDonough whom was present at death. The cause of death was listed as "probably heart disease 2 years" and no medical attention was given. Martin Cahill of Kildimo a prominent farmer and cousin to the O'Brien family told me a story about Stephen O'Brien. This was in June of 1980 at his home in Kildimo, County Clare. Martin was only about 8 years old when Stephen died but he remembered him and the story that was told of how Stephen would visit his brother, Patrick O'Brien a Royal Irish Constabulary Policeman. Patrick was stationed far away in County Kildare about 100 miles south east of County Clare. Martin said that he would take a small cloth and pack some food in it, then tie it to a stick and place it on his shoulder and just start walking. He said he did it every year and Stephen loved to walk. This same story was told to me by Moira Sexton of Bonavilla townland in the parish another cousin of the O'Briens through the Cahills and O'Hallorans. He married Margaret O'Halloran, daughter of John O'Halloran and Mary Sexton, 28 Jan 1865, in Kilmurry-Ibrickane, Co. Clare EIRE. was born, circa 1840, in Knockanalban, Co. Clare EIRE. She died, circa 1920, in Killernan, Co. Clare EIRE. Christened, circa 1840, in Kilmurry-Ibrickane, Co. Clare EIRE. Burial: circa 1920, in Killernan GRAVEYARD, Co. Clare EIRE. Occupation: Farmer's-wife. Margaret was from a large family. (O'Halloran and Halloran were used interchangeably on the civil records) that lived in the townland of Knocknageragh. Knocknageragh is a local name for an area in the townland of Knockanalban, (Hill of the Scotsman) also known as Mount Scot. The farm was close to Ahy Bridge. Peggy as she was called by her friends and family was very well liked and had a reputation of being very generous. Martin Cahill of Kildimo remembered her well and told me she always had something to give to the less fortunate when they would stop at her home and ask for food of money. Margaret's, mother Mary Sexton died in 1852 and is buried in a stone vault in Killernan graveyard. This is a large vault with a slate roof. I spoke with Tadgh O'Halloran of Knockanalban in June 1980 and he said that the last person that was interned in the vault was his father. He remembered there being a large number of family members interned in that fault. Peggy had at least two sisters Mary O'Halloran married Martin Cahill of Frehane, Knockanalban. They were the parents of the rent collector from Kildimo and the grandparents of Martin Cahill the person that was so helpful to me in tracing the O'Brien family. The other sister was Eleanor O'Halloran and she married Patrick Collins of Killernan. They had a large family and her claim to fame was that she had seven daughters that all married into good families with substantial farms in the parish. Martin recited the names off without taking a breath: Margaret Collins married John McGuane of Killernan, Catherine Collins married White of Cloonlaheen (The Hand), Bridget Collins married James O'Brien of Coore, Mary Collins married McInerney of Annagh, Sarah Collins married Breen of Ballymackea, another daughter married Kennelly of Letterkelly, and another Gallagher of Toreen. Her older sister, Bridget married John Power from Emlagh and immigrated to Australia with her husband and two children in 1854. This move was paid by the Landlord to remove the tenants form the property. Their descendants still live there in Victoria, Australia. Margaret's and Stephen's oldest son, James was born mildly retarded. He was a strong worker and an asset on the farm. Margaret was worried all her life that James would not have anyone to take care of him if anything ever happened to her There is no death record for Margaret but I can guess she died around 1920. I do have a certificate to have a Mass said for Mrs Margaret O'Brien on December 26, 1919 at a Benedictine Convent in Missouri. I haven't found a death record for James either but I believe she had her wish and her son predeceased her.

O'Brien Eucharistic Congress 1932 Ireland names http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=8598771c-3468-45be-b18e-35727f4ae1e9&tid=7775997&pid=-1039232478

O'Brien Eucharistic Congress 1932 Ireland 1 http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=e53cd7f6-51a9-4d53-9e8e-933b3ca369b0&tid=7775997&pid=-1039232478

1. ↑ Ireland, Death Certificate.

   64 years old, Informant was M. McDonough of Miltown.

2.   Ancestry Family Trees. (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.)
   Ancestry Family Trees.

   http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=7775997&pid=-1039232478 _APID: 1030::0