Leahys of Balline (Martinstown) and Fanstown (Kilmallock)

Hi -------I came to these Leahy's via the Leahy's of Creggane some of whom I knew personally. Some of what you say is familiar to me eg. the Parish of Ballyhea which would be Ardskeagh. My understanding is that Thomas Leahy 1835-1900 who came to Creggane in approx. 1878 came from Ballyhea and his brother John 1834-1882 went to Broad St. Charleville. I have it that their father was Daniel Leahy from Granagh, Co. Limerick who married in Charleville to Margaret Healy in 1832 and her address given as Cooleens (Ballyhea). Thomas Leahy of Creggane married Marie Mc Donagh 1847-1928 in Ballyagran on 10-2-1874 and his brother John married Catherine O Donoghue 1842-1017 in Hospital Co. Limerick.                                                                                   I have been with Mr Leahy of The Railway, Charleville, Co Limerick parish of Ardskeagh (Ballyhea) while he claims relationship to the Leahy' s as listed above ( he told me that 30 years ago) I can find no proof of that and in an interview which he did when he was 88 ( now 93) he never mentions it which I find very strange. Harry Leahy and myself called on him about three months ago and from what he said I gather that his grandfather purchased the pub at the Railway and before that he said that they had a farm in Ballyhea.                                                                                                                                                                                                           There is nothing left of the Old Homestead of the Leahy's in Creggane except the original front gate piers and part of the cow shed everything else was obliterated some years ago when the area was turned into sites. There are to the best of my knowledge no mementoes of their winnings from their sporting achievements with the exception of a clock was given to Mr Leahy of the Railway on the understanding that he was a descendant ( I am led to believe that a medal was found in the ruins of the old house but I have no idea who has it). There should have been hundreds of medals and mementoes but I was told that most of them were sold to finance the boys weekly sports activities and their biggest problems would have been competing with each other. Paddy and Connie were into the ''hop-step and jump and also the high jump, Joe was into some jumping and playing hurling for Ballyagran,

Timmy Leahy 1888 -1918 the youngest  was supposed to be better than all the others but unfortunately he died in the Spanish flu  in 1918.and was one of approx. 10,000 Irish casualties.

In 1909 Paddy emigrated to New York his destination being the New York Athletic Club and he had with him 35 $ which was relatively large amount of money pro-rata to most of the Irish going at that time. He ended up in Chicago where he married Margaret Cremin  1886--?. and had two children Thomas P Leahy 1912-1978 and Michael Leahy  ? -1995 his descendants still live there.Paddy came back to Ireland in 1921 with his wife and family. 

Connie also emigrated to New York and also took part in sports there even up to the age of 41 and passed away on the street of a heath attack on his way home from work he was married to Margaret Cronin 1886--?. and had two children.

Joe Leahy ( James Joseph Leahy)  ?--1955 farmed in Creggane until his death in 1955. He was a very nice neighbour and to us children he was kind and friendly. He was not a good farmer but I would like to point out I only knew him in his latter days when he was well into his 70's. What I remember most about him was that he used come over to us about 3/4 times a year with a bucket of apples from their orchard and my mother used bake two apple tarts for him but he never came into the kitchen but sit in the front porch on a form and speak to my mother from there.

That brings us to the women Babs 1884 - ?. who by all accounts was a very formidable athlete and trained with the boys and is well known for jumping the gate into the formally Mannix House in Deerpark Charleville ( gate still there) which was no mean achievement. In latter life she lived in Mallow with her brother Tommy who was an auctioneer.

Hannah Leahy 1882 -?. lived in the farm in Creggane until a few years after her brother Joe died where she was visited on occasions by Babs who used to get the bus to Creggane Cross and walk back the two miles to the Leahy house. Babs was about 6 ft. tall and ramrod straight and very austere and  curt to children like ourselves who she believed should seldom seen and never heard. Hannah was also visited by her brother Jack who had got a Land Commission Farm in the old Croaker Estate in Ballinaguard, Ballyneety, Co. Limerick. Jack 1879-?. was the opposite to Babs and the only word I could use for him was that he was gregarious and ostentatious he was married with two sons who emigrated to the US.

This site is breaking my chops ----I am just after doing a big piece on the Leahys and then I could not post it.