McBreen's from Bailieborough, Knockbride Parish and Drumeague and Drumamuck townlands

Hi Carmel,

Thank you for getting back to me so quickly. I have corrected a few details that I had on my tree and added several new details from the information you supplied.Dominick, indeed was Mary Farrelly's father. The Dominick in the Rafony Cemetery is most probably closely related, but at this stage I can't make a positive connection.

Thank you once again. If you find any further information, I'd be thrilled to receive it.

Regards,

Tom

 Tom,

    My McBreen people came from Bailieborough as well. I don't know the parents, but my gggf Phillip McBreen was born in 1832, according to a family bible. He had a brother Thomas, but am unsure of his birthdate. Phillip also had a brother Terence, who moved with Phillip to Pennsylvania, USA, in the 1850s. They lived in Carbon County, Pa, before moving to Schuylkill Co. Phillip married Mary Ann Garland and had Thomas, Alice, Ella, John and other children. Phillip died in 1883 in Mahanoy City, Schuylkill Co, Pa. I wonder if our families could be connected. The McBreens mined coal.

   Paul

Hi Paul, 

I am trying to reconstruct the McBreen family tree, which is years in the making. Using the information that you supplied, I have endeavoured to try and see if I could match your Phillip to my (reconstructed) tree. Unfortunately my tree is far from complete. It is exremely possible that your branch of the family is closely related. Probably the only way to make a match is to ascertain the parents of Phillip, Thomas and Terence. Is there any record, be it a marriage or death record from the above trio of brothers that would disclose their parentage in Bailiborough. The hope is that this bit of information could be matched to my McBreen reconstruction. Let's cross the fingers and hope that a revelation comes to hand! If so, it will greatly enhance the knowledge of our McBreen heritage. Many thanks for the information and hoping for the best.

   I have visited Bailieborough twice, the most recent visit was about eighteen months ago. I would be great if we could bridge this knowledge gap and make a connection.

Regards,

Tom

Western Australia

Tom,

    I've gone through NLI parish registers to find McBreen but haven't even found that name or a varient. I know the oldest son of my Phillip McBreen was Thomas, which may be the father's name. He also had a daughter named Alice, my gggm,  and I found an Alice in Bailieborough but can't connect her to my Alice.I thought she might be an aunt. Another complicating factor is that my Phillip married Mary Ann Garland, whose father was Thomas. So I guess there is the possibility Phillip's oldest son was named after the wife's father. I don't know if Thomas, the son of Phillip, was the first child. I visited the cemetery where the McBreens are buried but found nothing.

     One interesting piece of information: My Phillip spelled his name with two Ls, as did my my grandfather, who was naned after Phillip McBreen.  his grandfather, So did Phillip's son, Phillip, who became a vet and died in the flu epidemic of 1917. Other Phillips in the family also use two Ls. My father changed the spelling of his name, Philip, to one L. I've been able to track McBreen in- laws by the spelling of Phillip. I have seen references to Phill McBreen, with the two Ls, in Cavan but can't connect anyone. I'm not sure if that helps.

    I've been trying to hunt that rascal Phillip down for a number of years. If you would like to see it, I think I have identified a pix of Phillip and his wife. I would love to vifsit Bailieborough, but I'm 70 and with the virus, I'm afraid that ship has sailed.

     Take care, Tom, and I'll let you know anything I find.

   Slan,

    Paul

Tom,

   Could these be your people? I think they're too old to be mine. Both come from NLI records for the bailieboro parish?

  The first one is a record of the baptism of Phil McBreen, son of Phil and Jayne Lynch (I think) 1845

  The second is a record of the bap of Catherine McBreen, dau of Phill and Jayne Lynch 1840.

   My McBreen family Bible says Phillip was born in 1832. It also has a Thomas but not date. And no Terrence.

  Slan,

   Paul

Hi Paul,

So far I haven't been able to connect the threads to my recontructed, albeit incomplete, tree. I'm sure that they all belong in the tree, but our biggest problem is to know where. We'll have to keep searching and hope for a breakthrough. 

Tom

 Tom,

     When I get more info, I'll send it.

  Slan,

  Paul 

Hello All,

Hope you are all well, warm and away from Covid 19 ! I am here in Sydney which is currently having an outbreak.

Anyway, I am Born to Vincent Duffy born in Knockbride in 1935, and next door to his great mates the McBreens, he has very fond memories of the family. I have done an extensive Duffy tree and although no direct descendants in McBreens we have linkages through the Lynches the neighbours on the other side !

I will have a look through my vast lot and see if I can fins anything.

Merry Xmas and happy New Year to you all at home

Maree Duffy

Hi Maree,

Best of luck with your search into the McBreen tree. Hope to hear, if you find anything.

Regards,

Tom

Go raibh maith agat, Maree.

 Paul

 Dear Tom,  

I saw your query on this site and we might be able to help you answer some questions. My name is Orla Mc Breen and I live in Ireland. Our cousins are still at the home place in Taghart. Bryan Mc Breen was my great great grandfather. My father Owen Mc Breen has answered a few questions about family history from some other relatives who are now in Western Australia and also, I think, related via your Thomas McBreen. A few of them visited Ireland about 4/5 years ago. The branch of McBreens you refer to originally started out in Knockbride and there were McBreens (now distant cousins) there until a few years ago. Your great grandfather is probably a younger brother of my great grandfather, James, who was born in 1830 and died in 1909 and was a teenager during the Famine. I understand that Bryan bought the land at Taghart some time before the Famine ( I'll have to check the exact date with my Dad) and was one of the first Catholic landowners in Cavan.  My grandfather Bernard (Benny) McBreen (1897-1970) had some stories from his father about what the Famine was like in East Cavan at the time.  The Farrellys are from Nobber in the North of County Meath and there would be Farrellys, Smiths and Farrells married in to the McBreens at various stages - those are common names in North Meath and East Cavan. 
 

I'd be happy to follow up if you have other queries, 

all the best

Le gach dea-ghuí

Orla 

Hi Tom,
I hope this message finds you in good health and that you have made positive headway with finding your connections.
My name is Oliver "Ollie" McBreen from Drumamuck, my father's name is Patrick Eymard McBreen who goes by Eymard, his father was called Frank McBreen, his father was called Patrick McBreen and his father was called James McBreen, no doubt we are related somewhere along the line but I believe you are closer connected to the McBreen's of Taghart. There is a Victor McBreen that still resides there and his father I believe was called Brian. A previous contributor may be part of that wider family.
In the Census of 1911 there was a Gregory McBreen (not very common at the time) aged 81 which lived in Drumamuck, he had a daughter called Mary and she had a son aged 9 at the time belived to have later emigrated to New Zealand. This family died/move out and and a McBreen family bought the place. I will contact present members of this family to find out more re Gregory McBreen and what there is to know.
There was also a Thomas Mc Breen of Drumeague mentioned in the 1901 Census that was believed to have emigrated along with his family to the US, but Thomas did not like the US and returned on his own where he rented a premises in the townland of Tattyreagy, Bailieboro re Census 1911. He may not be connect but just given the info re the townland.
The District Election Divison is called Skeagh, and the Barony is called Clankee or Clankie. You have the Parish ie Knockbride.
It sure is a small world, a previous contributor mentioned Vincent Duffy, My father Eymard new him well along with his brothers Pat and Lal. It sure is a small world.
Send me an email if you wish
omcbreen@gmail.com
Take care
Ollie.

Hi Orla,

Sorry for the delay in replying, I've been away for more than a month and unable to access my emails. Thank you for the detail, most of which I have recorded on my Ancestry pages, courtesy of the information that I received from your father, Thomas 'Owen'. I was able to trace the tree down to your name and it perfectly verified the tree that I had. Thank you so much. Yes, I am from Western Australia and it was my first cousins that visited your family in County Meath. My great grandfather, Thomas Bryan McBreen (1836-1912) was indeed your great grandfather's brother (James 1830-1909)

Regards to all.

Tom

Hi Ollie,

I am trying to untangle the tree I have partially reconstructed and I probably need to contact you by email, the address you have kindly provided. I'll email you straight away. 

Regards,

Tom

Tom,

    Check this link: https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/thomas-bryan-mcbreen-24-ly3k…

  Aren't these your people?

Paul

Hi Paul,

Yes indeed, these are my people.

Regards,

Tom

Does this help anybody? Phillip McBreen in Illinois. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N3Z7-5D5

 Paul

My wife's grandmother, Mary Anne McBreen, was born and raised in Drumeague, until she left for America in 1908.   According to the civil birth registration records, she was born in 1891 to John McBreen and Rose (Reilly) McBreen, and had 5 siblings: Philip (b. 1886) John  (b. 1888), Catherine (b. 1893), Patrick (b. 1897), Bernard (b.1900), and Maggie (b. 1904).   Their father, John, according to the civil death registration records, died in 1905.   Their mother, Rose, is said to have died in Drumeague in 1939, though I cannot find any death record online.  We visited the area a few weeks ago, and were able to locate some McBreen gravestones in the old Knockbride church graveyard, though not appear to mention John or Rose.  We believe most, if not all, of the siblings went to America, though we believe that Philip reportedly died in 1958 in Bailieborough.

While some people in Bailieborough recognized the McBreen name, we were unable to locate anyone who knew of this specific family, and we were unable to locate the house in Drumeague (listed as #12 in the 1901 census).  If anyone has further information, your help would be greatly appreciated.

 Tom,

      I found a reference to McBreens but can't read it.

  https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634881#page/5/mode/1up

Paul

I’m tangentially connected to the McBreens through research of my family’s immigration from Cavan to Philadelphia in thr 1850’s. I’ve accumulated evidence that my gggf was from Shercock Parish. His associates in Philadelphia appeared to be from the surrounding areas. I’ve confirmed McEntees from Corcreeghagh Townland in Magheross Parish, Monaghan, Tierney’s from Cornalara townland outside Shercock, and McCagh’s from Taghart. Mixed in were some McBreens. The first was a Mary McBreen who was a godparent to the children of Michael Cooney and Sarah Scott. Living amongst this expat community was a John McBreen who appeared to have been born circa 1815. Lastly there was a Patrick McBreen who arrived in Philadelphia circa late 1860’s. He ultimately married Catherine Larkin from Monaghan. His marriage certificate lists he was from Cavan born circa 1847. In the 1880’s a Bernard and Catherine McBreen (siblings) sign as godparents to the birth of Patrick and Catherine’s child. Bernard and Catherine remained living together in Philadelphia into the 1930’s and never married. They appeared to be born in the 1850’s with ages varying from Census to Census. I suspect Bernard, Catherine and Patrick were siblings or cousins due to their similar ages. I’ve been curious to know where they came from and have a strong incoming it was either Knockbride Parish or Taghart.

Finally, civil death records show Mary McBreen of Taghart died 28 June 1884, aged 65, placing her birth circa 1819. Witness to her death was her son, James. A James McBreen is listed in the 1901Census in Taghart aged 60 placing his birth circa 1840. James spoke Irish and English.