Carlow County - Ireland Genealogical Projects (IGP ^TM)

Brennan Family Tree
William Brennan Senior & Margaret Butler

Page 1

Welcome to my Brennan Family History starting with my 3X Great Grandfather William Brennan Snr b.1780 and his descendants who lived in and around the areas of Woodland, Ballickmoyler, Ballynagall and Cooper Hill in the County of Laois (Queens County), Ireland. Not forgetting our large extended family in Carlow town. William senior and his son William junior were tenant farmers and rented a large house and large amounts of land in the Woodland & Ballickmoyler areas of County Laois in the late 1700s and 1800s.

There is a real possibility that our Brennan family could be a descended of the Clan Brennan of Brennan of Idough in Co Kilkenny which is very close to the border of Co Laois <https://www.libraryireland.com/Pedigrees1/Brenan-1-Heremon.php> 

Unfortunately we have no nocumentry proof or hard evidence of the link to Clan Brennan of Idough.

During my research (and with the help of other researchers) we found two William Brennan’s who, on similar dates, married a Margaret Butler and they lived in two different counties; one couple in Ballyphilip, Freshford Parish, Co Kilkenny., and one in Castlecomer, Co Kildare. Due to the lack of local parish records for the 1700's I cannot prove, beyond reasonable doubt, which one is my 3X Great-grandfather.

I would be very interested to hear from anyone who might be researching, releted or connected to this family, and may have information about my family they are willing to share with me, including the area where they lived. I know that there are a number of my Brennan ancestors living in and around Carlow town and they are related through their Grand parents, I would love to hear from you if you have information you are willing to share.

Please feel free to contact me via my email address (below) if you think you have any information including photos of this BRENNAN family and you are willing to share with me or you have any questions you wish to share or you have any questions you want to ask me my email is below.

Thank you from Michael Brennan 

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Descendants of William Brennan Snr & Margaret Butler

and their son and daughter-in-Law

William  Brennan Jrn & Marie Anne Walsh.
https://www.igp-web.com/Carlow/Index_to_Family_Names.htm

Above image is the entry in the Index to Griffith's Valuation of Ireland, for the Parish of Killabban. Location:  Woodland / Garragh. County. Laois/Leix/Queens County.In the GV index of 1842 my my 2x Great, Grandfather William Brennan Jnr and my 3x Great Grandfather William Brennan Snr., are listed as renting property in Woodland.

These images are of the original home of WilliamBrennan Snr and William Brennan Jnr's family.
The last member of the family to live in the house was Denis Brennan. who was the son of William Brennan Jnr, and Mary Brennan, the daughter of Denis Brennan who died 16 Oct 1918. She married Edward (Ned) Dillon.

Generation No. 1

William Brennan Snr was born c.1780 at Ballyphilip, Freshford Parish, Co Kilkenny. He died in c.1856 aged 76 years.  His wife Margaret Butler was born on the 9th Sept 1787. in Athy, Kildare, Ireland. This information has not being verafied with official parish documation.

Generation 2

1. William Brennan Jnr who was born 28 December 1817, at Woodland nr Ballickmoyler. Co Laois  and he died 28 October c1863 aged 45 years in Woodland, nr Ballickmoyler. Co Laois. He married Maria Annie Walsh, on 2nd May 1839 in Sacred Heart Church, Arles. Co Laois. *Witnesses to the wedding was Martin King & Rev Denis Byrne.  Maria Annie Walsh, was born c.1820., and she died 28th October 1894, aged 74 years. (Source: Headstone inscription in Arles cemetery and The Nationalist newspaper).

Children of William Brennan Jnr and Maria Anne Walsh had thirteen siblings:

 I.   Mark Brennan, b. c1839, Ballickmoyler, Co. Laois; d. 21st Mar 1902, Ballickmoyler, Co. Laois. **Mark married Catherine (Katie) Lalor on on 30 Jan 1872 in Sacred Heart Church, Arles, Co Laois

II.  Mary Brennan b.1841 Woodland. Co Laois She married James Deighan from Dublin 1860. Mary died on the 19 Nov,1924 in Dublin and is buried at Glasnevin Cemenatry in Dublin.  Source: This info was provided by Greta Nicholls. May 2025. Mary Brennan was Greta Nicholls Greatgrandmother:
  https://discoveringmyfamilyhistory.com/brennan-family/

III. Ellen Brennan, b. c.1842, The following information I got from MyHeritage.com  and a Death Certificate issued by The Health Dept of New York There is a possibolity that Ellen may have travelled to New York in circa 1862.
She died on the13th Oct 1874 in St. Francis Hospital located on East 5th street in Manhattan, New York, United States. Age at death is listed as 32 years. Her occupation is listed on her Death Certificate as a Laundresses. She is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Queens, New York. She only forked in New York for approxmately https://calvaryandalliedcemeteries.com/calvary-cemetery/

Note: Ellen Brennan is the only member of the Brennan family that I know of from this period to emigrate to the United States. I estimate she only worked in New York for approxmately twelve years before she died in 1874.

IV. */***Edward Brennan, b.4th Apr 1844, Woodland, Co. Laois. Died 5th Sept 1929 aged 85 years. He was variously a curate at Tullow, Bagenalstown, Killeigh, Paulstown and Newbridge. He was Parish Priest of Mountrath from 1885-1929 and died on 5 September 1929., aged 85 years of age.

He appears in the 1911 census of Ireland as Parish Priest in Mountrath aged 66.

Notes for The Edward Brennan: Birth appears in Arles Church Records of 1844. Sponsors: William King & Judy Neal.

Letter (below) received on 4th Sept 2009 from Bernie Deasy. Archivist Delany Archive Trust, c/o St Patrick's College, Carlow.

Your email to Knockbeg College seeking information about the above was passed onto me for response. "Fr John McEvoy published a book in 1993 called Carlow College 1793-1993: The ordained students and teaching staff of St Patrick’s College, Carlow. According to this, Edward Brennan was from Arles, Co. Laois, and attended Carlow College between 1859-1861. He was ordained in 1867 for the diocese of Kildare and Leighlin. It seems he was ordained at Maynooth. According to another book I have here, an Edward Brennan matriculated at Maynooth on 25 September 1861 and was in the Humanity Class. According to the Maynooth book, he was ordained in 1866-1867".

Parish of Mountrath Source: Rev M Comerford" Collections relating to the Dioceses of Kildare and Leighlin" Vol. 3 (1886 -

The Very Rev. Edward Brennan, P.P. VF. the present pastor of Parish of Mountrath. Brother to Denis Brennan.

The Late Father Edward Brennan PP VF Mountrath
He was born on April 3rd, 1844, at Woodlands, Arles, Leix. He received his First Holy Communion at Arles on the 14th August, 1855, and was Confirmed by the most Rev. Dr Healy on the following day. He received his early education at the Rushes National School in the parish of Arles, and on Sunday, 14th October 1856, he entered the Patrician Monastery Boarding School, Tullow, Co. Carlow as a student, till Monday, 1st September, 1859 when he entered Carlow Ecclesiastical College where he remained till the 25th of September 1861. He then proceeded to Maynooth College. On Sunday 28th July 1864, he was ordained in the Cathedral at Carlow, and on the 2nd August 1864 he commenced his missionary work at Tullow Co. Carlow. He was appointed C. C. to Bagnalstown on 28th February 1868. From Bagnelstown he was promoted to Killeigh on the 22nd January, 1870. He spent short terms as Curate is Paulstown in Goresbridge, and in Newbridge and was appointed P. P. of Mountrath on Friday, the 10th October, 1884. His father was a large farmer. His life was one of noble activity. His Rule of life written in 1840 and discovered after his death bears ample proof to this. He arose from bed at 5.30 a.m. summer and winter. The first hour of the day he spent in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. He retired to rest at 10.30 p.m. He died in Mountrath on 9th Sept. 1929, and is interred in the plot of the Convent side of St. Fintan's Church yard. Saint Fintan's Hall the stately steeple, the marble altar railing, the stained glass windows at St. Fintan's Church, the five national Schools, the completion of The Hollow Church, and the other improvements wrought by him in the parish remain as memorials to his zeal for the public good and his unbounded energy in endeavouring to ameliorate the social conditions of his people. *A poem to his memory is to be found near end of book.  Source: https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4770032/4768104 and Email from Mick Purcell 3 Sept 2008.

V. ***Denis Brennan, b.1845; d.16 Oct 1918 at Woodland, Co Laois, He married Bridget Byrne. b.1863. d.1939 aged 76.  (Source: Headstone inscription in Arles Graveyard).  They had a daughter named Mary Brennan; b. c.1906 in Woodland, Co Laois. She married Edward (Ned) Joseph Dillon b.1900.

The following is an extract from The Nationalist. Dated 29th April 1920.
 Denis Brennan late of Woodland, Ballickmoyler, Queens county, Farmer, deceased. All persons claiming to be creditors or having any claim against the estate of the above named should contact John J. Duggan, Solicitor, Carlow. Denis Brennan was 77 years of age at the time of his death on the 16th October 1918.

We regret to announce the death of Mr. Denis Brennan which sad event took place at his residence, Woodland, Ballickmoyler on October 16th. 1918. The deceased, who was a brother of Rev. Edward Brennan, P.P. Mountrath, was of a very kind and generous disposition, a good neighbour and a sincere friend. The chief mourners were - Rev. Edward Brennan P.P. Messrs P.J. Carey, M. Doyle, and F. Lawlor. (brothers-in-law) T. Byrne, P. Byrne, E. Carey,  J. O'Leary, nephews. There are no mention of any other brothers or sisters.

See: The Death of Mr Denis Brennan, Woodland

*Note 1. - 10 Oct 1918 Denis Brennan died. His Will of 9 Oct 1918, probate 27 Aug 1920, left holding to widow, Bridget, for life and thereafter to daughter, Mary Brennan.

*Note 2. - 16 October 1918 Denis died and left holding to his widow Bridget.

See: Brennan / Byrne / Dillon

See Mary Brennan and James Deighan family:  https://discoveringmyfamilyhistory.com/brennan-family/

VI. *Johanna Brennan, b.25th Mar 1847, at Woodland, Co. Laois. d.23 Jun 1934 at Skenhanagh. Co Laois.. Married to James Delaney 29 Jan 1862 in Arles. James was b.16 Jun 1832 at Newtown Co Laois and d.26 Nov 1893 at Skenhanagh Co Laois.

Map above of Skenhanagh House. Co Laois.wher the Delaney family lived and worked.

Visit Brennan-Delaney Family History

*VII. Julia Christina Brennan b. c.1848 in Woodland. Co Laois married Gerald O'Byrne (Byrne in thhe census) from Timahoe in Carlow in 1868. They had 10 children but only 8 survived. They also lived in Linkardstown Nurney, Co. Carlow. In the 1911 census Gerald is listed as a Farm worker.
* Source: The Carlow Post dated Saturday 9th May 1868.

VIII. **Lucy Brennan, b. 19th Feb 1851, Woodland, Co Laois. d.17 Dec 1935

Notes for Lucy Brennan: Her Mother was recorded in the Arles parish records as Anne (Maria Annie) Walsh - Sponsors: Daniel Murry & Ellen Kealy Her mothers name could have been Annie Marie Walsh and used Annie for Lucy's birth.
Entry found on Arles Baptism records for 1849.

Charlotte entered the convent of Sisters of Charity and ended up as a resident of the Convent in in Foxford Town Toomore, Co. Mayo. I found Charlotte Brennan in the 1901 and 1911 census of Ireland in a convent in Foxforth. Mayo as a member of the nuns. She gave her age as 59 years old. Her real age would have been 62 years of age.

Notes for Charlotte Brennan: We found her in  http://www.laoisgenealogy.com/. She was b.1849 to William Brennan Jnu. and her mother was Marie Walsh. Sponsor: Michael Coogan & Margaret Brennan. Location ****land. (Woodland). Source: https://www.from-ireland.net/baptism-records-arles-laois-1843-55/

X. *William Brennan, b. 29 Jun 1852, Woodland, Co Laois; *d.11 Sep 1898, aged 46, Arles. Co Laois. (*Headstone inscription in Arles). Sponsors of his Baptism: James Wall & Margaret Kealy.

XI. *Margaret Brennan, b.19th Jan 1856, Woodland, Upper Ballickmoyler, Co Laois.  Sponsors: William Murray & Charlotte Brennan. She was 28 years old when she married Patrick Joseph Carey,. Sen, and and Patrick was aged 23 years of age when they married in 1884 in Tomanierin Lower, Aughrim, Co. Wicklow. Margaret died in 1938 aged 83 years of age at Tomanierin Lower, Aughrim, Co. Wicklow. aged 82.  They had 13 children between 1884 and 1901.

Note: 13th June, 1918. From Clerk, Rathdrum Rural District Council- Intimated that Mr. Patrick J. Carey,, junr J.P., Tomanierin, Aughrim, who was born 1886, has been re-selected as Chairman of his Council for the ensuing year. Source: https://www.wicklow.ie/Portals/0/Documents/Arts%20Heritage%20&%20Archives/Archives/Collections/Digitised%20Collections/Wicklow-County-Council-Minute-Books-1899-1930/wcca_wcc_m07_1916-1918.pdf

XII. */**Annie Brennan, b.23th Aug 1857, Woodland, Co Laois. d, 21 November 1927 in Presentation Convent Bagenalstown. Her religious name was Sister De Sales Brennan.  In the 1911 census she is listed as living in Presentation Convent Bagenalstown aged 56 and working as a School Teacher at 45 Regent Street. Bagenalstown, Carlow. At this time (2018) I have received information from the Convent stating her date of death but they are unable to tell where she is buried.

Image of Bagenalstown Convent in Co Carlow where Annie Brennan served as a Teacher and a Nun.