Hello Betty.
Saw your request re Benn Family of Kilshannig recently and I have an interest in this Benn family .I organised a headstone inscription and photographic record for Kilshannig cemetery during 2011 to recently and located the burial grave of the Benn Family..There are two there and most interestingly one has the name Anthony Benn on it. There is a possibility that these Benns are related to Sir Anthony(Wedgewood)Benn ,however an Australian Benn contacted him and his parents were not aware of such a connection but a native of the parish in England maintains there is a connection.
The records for Kilshannig graveyard are available ,free of charge on the website "historicgraves.com" .Search,graveyards,projects,Duhallow project,kilshannig or Newberry graveyard and you will find photos and inscriptions there.I also have a list of christenings in Kilshannig Protestant church dating back to the 1700's so if there is any info there I can send you details.The mill house is still occupied. Some land in that area was granted to the Foott family in about 1680 by the Major landlord in the area the Newmans in return in helping them get established in the area. The Footts built a mansion that was named Millfort .I Griffithe valuation records of c.1852 Walter Benn was leasing the mill and 30 acres from the Newmans and seem to have had 4 houses in the lease .It seems that some mill workers were leasing these from Walter.and he was likely to have a mill manager and a farm labourer there also who could be leasing some of the houses.
I the Tithe Applotment Books of c.1830 a Walter Benn was farming 20 irish acres ,about 30 English acres in Kilvelaton which is the old name for Newberry,no mention of a mill here. A lot of small corn mills were built during the Napoleonic Wars to feed the British troops during that was so it is possible this mill was built in the earlt years of the 1800's as that warfinished in 1815. and corn milling became much less profitable when the British Government witddrew grants and aids after that war..I hope this info is of use to you
Donie O Sullivan
