DESCENDANTS OF 'unknown' TREACY (to contribute information, please email Helen@HelensFamilyTrees.com)

Third Generation

5. Thomas TREACY (John , 'unknown' ) was born in possibly about 8 Nov 1821 in Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary. He was christened in possibly 8 Nov 1821 in Solohead, Co. Tipperary. He died on 24 Dec 1895 in Murgasty, Co. Tipperary.

Although it is known that Thomas was born in Soloheadbeg to a father named John Treacy and a a mother named Mary, we are unable to say for definite that he was a son of John Treacy and Mary Looby who married in February 1818. If he was indeed a son of John Treacy and Mary Looby, then he was born in November 1821 because a record of his baptism (on 8 November 1821) has been located (sponsors were John Hanley and Winifred Connors). Unfortunately this birth date doesn't tie in with the age given on his marriage certificate from February 1873, which looks like 37 (indicating he was born around 1835), but the age on the certificate is difficult to make out and could also be deciphered 50 or 51 (indicating he was born around 1822 - a nice fit with the baptismal certificate). However, Thomas's death certificate from December 1895 gives his age at 54, indicating he was born around 1841.

It is known for certain that our Thomas had a brother named Denis. Unfortunately no baptismal record for a Denis Treacy born in Soloheadbeg to a father named John and a  mother named Mary was located.

At the time of his marriage, in 1873, Thomas's occupation was a farmer (according to his marriage certificate). At the time of the birth of his son, Thomas, in 1881, he was the superintendant of a coal yard (according to the birth certificate), and at the time of his death in 1895, he was a labourer.

Interestingly, among the all the sponsors at the baptism of Thomas's and Mary's children, there is not a single Treacy; the sponsors are mostly Carews.

Thomas married Mary CAREW, daughter of Edmond CAREW and Mary HANLEY, on 25 Feb 1873 in Solohead, Co. Tipperary. Mary was born about 29 Apr 1851 in possibly Newtown, Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary. She was christened on 29 Apr 1851 in Solohead, Co. Tipperary. She died after 2 Apr 1911.

Sponsors at Mary's baptism were Michael Carey and Margaret Hanley. Mary's surname appears as "Keary' in the baptismal register.

It is known that Mary was living in Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary with her son Martin in 1911. Martin was working there at the time as a gasworks manager. It is not known when or where Mary died.

Marriage Notes:

Witnesses to the marriage of Thomas and Mary were Edmond Hanley and Catherine Carew.

Thomas and Mary had the following children.

  15 M i
John TREACY was born on 4 Dec 1873. He was christened on 5 Dec 1873 in Solohead, Co. Tipperary. He died in probably 1873 or 1874.

Sponsors at John's baptism were Michael Looby and Catherine Carey.

Because a second John was born a year later, we assume that this John died shortly after birth.
  16 M ii
John TREACY was born about 1 Nov 1874. He was christened on 1 Nov 1874 in Tipperary. He died in probably young.

Sponsors at John's baptism were Michael Looby and Catherine Carey.

There doesn't seem to be any recollection of John as an adult. He may have died as a child.
  17 M iii
Edmund TREACY was born about 8 Nov 1875. He was christened on 8 Nov 1875 in Tipperary. He died in probably April 1906 in probably San Francisco.

Sponsors at Edmund's baptism were Edmund Carey and Margaret O'Dwyer.

Edmund emigrated to the United States as a young man. Ellis Island records were checked but nothing that definitely related to this Edmund was found.

It is believed that Edmund died in the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. He was living there at the time and nothing more was heard from him after the earthquake.
  18 M iv
Timothy (Timmy) Joseph TREACY was born about 16 Jul 1878. He was christened on 16 Jul 1878 in Tipperary. He died on 28 Nov 1930 in Lisnabrinnia, Mountnugent, Co. Cavan. He was buried on 30 Dec 1930 in Ballinacree Cemetery, Mountnugent, Co. Cavan.

Sponsors at Timmy's baptism were were John Casey and Johanna Casey (should "Casey" read "Carey"?).

It appears Timmy became a Christian Brother as there is a 22-year-old Co. Tipperary-born brother named Timothy Treacy listed in the 1901 census with three other brothers at Railway Road, Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow. All four are teachers. It seems Timmy had moved to London by 1911. No record could be located for him in the Irish census of that year but in the 1911 UK census there is a 31-year-old (although our Timmy would have been 32 years of age at the time) Tipperary-born school teacher named Timothy Joseph Treacy listed as a boarder in the household of a Mr. John McGuinness and his Tipperary-born wife, Bridget, of 9 St. Kilda Road in West Ealing. It wasn't known by current generations of the Treacy family that Timmy had been a Christian Brother so it is likely that he did not remain in religious life very long. By the time of his death in 1930, Timmy, who was unmarried, was working as an instructor with the Co. Cavan Technical Instruction Committee and was living in Lisnabrinnia, Mountnugent, Co. Cavan.

Having been suffering from depression, Timmy died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head in the early hours of Friday, 28 November 1930. The gun he used belonged to the owner of the lodging house in Lisnabrinnia where Timmy had been living for about a year and where the incident took place. According to the inquest report, Timmy had not been in good health for many months and had been spending a lot of time in bed. A Dr. Cassidy told the inquest "I have been attending deceased for the past twelve months. On my first visit I found he was suffering from influenza and subsequent to this he developed neurasthenia¹; I strongly advised him to go into a nursing home, but he refused". Later in his deposition Dr. Cassidy said "The reason why I urged deceased to go to a nursing home was that I dreaded he might do himself an injury".

Full details on the inquest (which incorrectly states that Timmy was a native of Wicklow) can be found on pages 1 and 3 of The Anglo-Celt of 6 December 1930.  
+ 19 M v Thomas Joseph TREACY was born on 13 Apr 1881. He died on 13 Apr 1969.
  20 M vi
Martin Joseph TREACY was born about 9 Nov 1883 in Murgasty Cottages, Murgasty, Co. Tipperary. He was christened on 9 Nov 1883 in Tipperary. He died on 19 Jan 1977 in Fermoy, Co. Cork. He was buried in Kilcrumper Old Cemetery, Fermoy.

Sponsors at Martin's baptism were Edmond Carew and Bridget Carew.

According to the 1901 census return for his mother's household in Murgasty, Co. Tipperary, Martin, aged 17, was a baker. He later worked in the gasworks business in Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary and later in Cobh, Co. Cork before moving to Fermoy, Co. Cork where he was manager of the Fermoy Gas Company. In Carrick, where he was a gasworks manager (according to the 1911 census), he lived on the Quay (presumably in the house adjoining the gasworks) with his widowed mother. His older brother Thomas would subsequently become manager - and later owner - of the Carrick gasworks.  
       
Martin married Catherine FOGARTY in 1919 in Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary. Catherine was born in Portlaw, Co. Waterford. She died on 5 Jan 1964 in Fermoy, Co. Cork.

Catherine was matron of a workhouse or hospital (presumably in Fermoy).

Martin and Catherine, who lived in Duntahane, Fermoy, had no children.

8. Denis TREACY (John , 'unknown' ) was born about 1831 in probably Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary. He died on 19 Mar 1899 in Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary from bronco-pneumonia. He was buried in Kilfeacle, Co. Tipperary.

It hasn't been possible to determine Denis's date of birth. According to his marriage certificate he was 45 when he married in February 1894, indicating he was born around 1848. However, according to the death register he was 67 when he died in March 1899, indicating he was born around 1831. This is a big difference. Because I have seen a copy of the actual death register and only transcribed details from the original marriage certificate, I'll assume for now that Denis was born about 1831.

It is believed Denis died of tuberculosis.

Denis married Bridget ALLIS, daughter of James ALLIS and Catherine STAPLETON (caution: not verified), on 5 Feb 1894 in Anacarty, Cappagh, Co. Tipperary. Bridget was born about 1855 in probably Hollyford, Co. Tipperary. She died on 14 Jun 1941 in Hollyford, Co. Tipperary. She was buried in Kilfeacle Cemetery, Co. Tipperary.

Bridget was from Hollyford, Co. Tipperary. She died at Lackenacreena House in Hollyford, the home of her brother James.

Marriage Notes:

Witnesses to the marriage were Denis Ryan of Soloheadbeg and Mary Josephine Ryan of Hollyford.

Denis and Bridget had the following children.

  21 M i
John J. (Seán) TREACY was born on 14 Feb 1895 in Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary. He was christened on 16 Feb 1895 in Solohead, Co. Tipperary. He died on 14 Oct 1920 in Talbot St., Dublin. He was buried on 18 Oct 1920 in Kilfeacle, Co. Tipperary.

Sponsors at Seán's baptism were Michael Allis and Kate Allis. He was an only child. After his father died when he was only four, he and his mother moved from Soloheadbeg to Hollyford where his mother had grown up. They returned to Soloheadbeg when Seán was about 11. From an early age, Seán had nationalist leanings, and in his teens he joined the Irish Republican Brotherhood which later evolved into the Irish Republican Army (IRA).

From 'My Fight for Irish Freedom', the memoir of Dan Breen, an IRA comrade of Seán's and later a politician,  we have the following description of Seán's physical appearance:

"He had been delicate during his boyhood because of his fast rate of growth. He was almost a six-footer, slightly stooped in carriage. He weighed about twelve stone, and in an emergency manifested the strength of a lion; this was chiefly due to his amazing will-power. His movements were brisk, as if he were in a constant hurry. His hair was of very fine texture like spun-silk, almost mouse-coloured. He was short-sighted and wore glasses".

In August 1917, Seán was arrested and spent two months in jail. The following year he was rearrested and spent four months in jail. Then on 21 January 1919, along with other members of the IRA's Third Tipperary Brigade, including Dan Breen, Seán took part in the Soloheadbeg ambush in which three members of the Royal Irish Constabulary, who were escorting a transportation of explosives, were waylaid and shot dead. This was the first military incident of the War of Independence.

Seán and the others who took part in the ambush now had a price on their heads, and Seán Hogan, one of those involved, was captured shortly afterwards. In May 1919 at Knocklong railway station in Co. Limerick, in a successful attempt by Seán Treacy and others to free Seán Hogan as he was being transferred to jail, Seán Treacy was shot in the neck and seriously wounded. He recovered, and throughout the latter half of 1919 and most of 1920 he led attacks against the British in Dublin and Co. Tipperary. But on 14 October 1920 in Dublin, following a raid by British forces on the Republican Outfitters store at 94 Talbot St., where Seán was meeting with IRA comrades, he was shot and killed on the street as he fled the shop. A small plaque above the door of the shop commemorates the spot. Seán is remembered each year on the anniversary of his death at a commemoration ceremony in Kilfeacle where he is buried.

12. Thomas TREACY (Nicholas , 'unknown' ) was born about 6 Mar 1842 in Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary. He was christened on 6 Mar 1842 in Solohead, Co. Tipperary. He died on 16 Feb 1914 in probably Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary. He was buried in Kilfeacle, Co. Tipperary.

Sponsors at Thomas's christening were Thomas Keogh and Catherine Phelan.

Among the sponsors at the baptisms of the children of Thomas Treacy and Mary McGrath were Johanna, Patrick and Denis Treacy, indicating they may have been siblings or cousins of Thomas.

Thomas married Mary MCGRATH on 4 Feb 1872 in Tipperary. Mary was born about 1844 in Co. Tipperary. She died on 3 Feb 1938 in probably Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary.

According to the 1911 census, Thomas and Mary had 14 children, only four of whom were alive in 1911. The four would have been Nicholas, Jeremiah (who's not listed in the 1911 census return), Anne and Thomas. Jeremiah would die in 1916 aged only 37 and Thomas in 1912 aged only 24. Nicholas lived to be 83.

Among the sponsors at the baptisms of the children of Mary McGrath and Thomas Treacy were Thomas, Catherine and Jeremiah McGrath, indicating they may have been siblings of Mary.

Note: Margaret McGrath, who is researching the McGrath family of Soloheadbeg, has a Mary McGrath in her family tree who would have been born around the same time as our Mary above. Could Margaret's Mary and ours be the same person? The only other information that Margaret has is that her Mary's parents were Margaret Crosse and James McGrath.

John R. McGrath, a grandnephew of Mary's, tells me Mary was born at the Kyle Dairy in Soloheadbeg on 19 February 1942. This land was owned by John Maher Esq. and worked by the McGrath, Crosse, Ryan and Quirke families. Apparently several members of the McGrath family moved to Cork city to work on the railroad. Maurice, Mary's brother and John's grandfather, became a train driver.

Marriage Notes:

The marriage of Thomas and Mary was witnessed by Bridget Butler.

Thomas and Mary had the following children.

+ 22 M i Nicholas TREACY was born about 22 Sep 1875. He died on 26 Apr 1959.
  23 M ii
Jeremiah Joseph TREACY was born about 22 Mar 1877 in Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary. He was christened on 22 Mar 1877 in Solohead, Co. Tipperary. He died on 13 May 1916. He was buried in Kilfeacle, Co. Tipperary.

Sponsors at Jermiah's baptism were Terence O'Connor and Catherine McGrath.
  24 F iii
Margaret TREACY was born on 1 Aug 1879 in Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary. She was christened on 2 Aug 1879 in Solohead, Co. Tipperary. She died on 10 Dec 1899 in probably Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary. She was buried in Kilfeacle, Co. Tipperary.

Sponsors at Margaret's baptism were Jeremiah McGrath and Brigid O'Connor.
  25 F iv
Anne (Annie) TREACY was born about 1 Nov 1882 in Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary. She was christened on 1 Nov 1882 in Solohead, Co. Tipperary.

Sponsors at Annie's baptism were Patrick Treacy and Johanna English.

Annie and her husband lived in Lacken, Kilshane, Co. Tipperary.
       
Anne married 'unknown' RYAN after 2 Apr 1911.
  26 M v
Thomas F. TREACY was born on 4 Feb 1888 in Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary. He was christened on 5 Feb 1888 in Solohead, Co. Tipperary. He died on 12 Apr 1912 in probably Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary. He was buried in Kilfeacle, Co. Tipperary.

Sponsors at Thomas's baptism were John O'Dwyer and Bridget Keogh.
  27 M vi
Patrick TREACY was born on 24 May 1891 in Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary. He was christened on 28 May 1891 in Solohead, Co. Tipperary. He died on 2 Jul 1910 in probably Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary. He was buried in Kilfeacle, Co. Tipperary.

Sponsors at Patrick's baptism were Denis Treacy and Honora O'Connor.

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