Hurleys and Cahalanes, Part 2

In a previous post I described the family of Michael Hurley and Bridget Cahalane of Coolnagarrane, outside of Skibbereen. Their oldest son, John, was my gg-grandfather. Michael and Bridget married in Kilmacabea parish, near Leap, from which came numerous Cahalanes, and so I wonder how did Michael and Bridget meet. Is it possible the Hurleys were also from there and moved to Coolnagarrane before 1815?

Both the Hurleys and the Cahalanes are rather mysterious to me. The information that follows is rather speculative since Skibbereen baptism and marriage records are so scarce. I believe Michael Hurley had at least three siblings - Mary, Daniel, and Ellen - the latter one showing up in Skibbereen church records baptized 22-Jan -1815 in Coolnagarrane, parents John Hurley and Jane McCarthy. There may have been a fourth sibling Johanna.

Michael and Bridget married 25-May-1838 in Leap, Kilmacabea and lived in Coolnagarrane. Their known children, all baptized in Skibbereen:
John (my gg-grandfather) 23-Feb-1839, godfather Daniel Hurley, godmother Catherine Cahalane
Patrick 2-Mar-1841, godfather John Hurley, godmother Mary Cahalane
Daniel 31-Mar-1843, godfather Dan Hurley, godmother Johanna Hurley
Ellen 21-Sep-1845, godfather Michael Cahalane
Michael 15-Jan-1849, godfather Dan Hurley, godmother Mary Hurley

Mary married Jeremiah Driscoll some time before 1839. (There are records of a same-named couple in Drimoleague around the same time, which is a point of confusion.) Their known family, all baptized in Skibbereen:
John Driscoll 28-Jun-1839
Jeremiah Driscoll 19-Dec-1841
Mary Driscoll 3-Mar-1844, godfather John Hurley, possibly her grandfather, and godmother Bridget Cahalane
Ellen Driscoll 10-Oct-1847, godfather Michael Hurley
Nancy Driscoll bap 10-Jun-1852, godfather Daniel Hurley

Ellen married John Sweeney in 22-Feb-1846 in Skibbereen. Their family, all baptized in Skibbereen:
Eugene Sweeney 1-Mar-1847, godfather Daniel Hurley
Michael Sweeney 29-Apr-1849, godfather Michael Hurley
John Sweeney 12-Aug-1851
Daniel Sweeney 13-Aug-1854, godfather Daniel Hurley
Ellen Sweeney 18-Mar-1858, godparents Michael Hurley and Mary Hurley
Patrick Sweeney 16-Apr-1862, godfather Patrick Hurley

Daniel married Honora McCarthy of Driminidy 12-Feb-1850 and they lived in Coolnagarrane. Michael Hurley was a witness. Their family, all baptized in Skibbereen:
Mary Hurley 5-Jan-1851
Ellen Hurley 17-Dec-1852, godfather John Hurley. She went on to marry William Young of North Street 1875.
Catherine Hurley 29-Apr-1855 She went on to marry Michael Herlihy 7-Mar-1886. Witnesses William Young and Ellen Sweeney
Honora Hurley 13-Sep-1857, godfather Jerry Driscoll
Daniel Hurley 3-Jun-1860. He went on to marry Julia McCarthy (a distant cousin) 22-Apr-1894. Witness John Hurley.
John Hurley 6-Mar-1864, godfather Patrick Hurley

Now back to the Cahalanes. The only ones in these records are Catherine, godmother to John (1839); Mary, godmother to Patrick (1841); and Michael, godfather to Ellen (1845).

Searching the records for additional appearances of Michael Hurley and Bridget Cahalane, I came across the marriage record of James Young and Ellen Cahalane, 28-Feb-1843, in Kilmacabea. A Cornelius Cahalane was a witness. Their known children, all baptized in Drimoleague:
William Young 28-Jul- 1845, godparents Michael Hurley and Bridget Cahalane
John Young 26-Jun-1848, godmother Barbara Cahalane

With further searching, I found a Cornelius Cahalane m. Anne Kingston 28-Feb-1843 in Kilmacabea. James Young was a witness. The family moved around. Their known children, all baptized in Kilmacabea:
James Cahalane 29-May- 1844
Bridget Cahalane 9-Nov- 1845
Tom Cahalane 24-May-1850
Michael Cahalane 25-Oct- 1860, godparents Michael Cahalane and Catherine Cahalane

In addition, I found a couple Tim Cahalane and Mary Cleary in Kilmacabea. The family lived in Ballyriree. Their known children:
Mary 2-Jun-1838
Ellen 2-Mar-1843, godmother Barbara Cahalane

Finally, I found John Hurley m. Julia Regan, possibly 19-Oct-1829 in Caheragh. They lived in Ballyriree. Known children, all baptized in Kilmacabea:
Michael Hurley 8-Sep- 1834, godmother Barbara Cahalane
William Hurley 15-Oct- 1839
Mary Hurley 18-Jan-1844 James Hurley 8-Apr-1846

The Michael Cahalane who was godfather to Ellen Hurley (1845) may have been the one who married Honora Donovan 22-Feb- 1851 in Kilmacabea. I have corresponded with some of the descendants of this family. Their known children, all baptized in Kilmacabea:
Denis Cahalane 28-Mar- 1852
John Cahalane 30-Jun-1853
Mary Cahalane 18-Apr- 1855, godfather James Cahalane
Cornelius Cahalane 15-Mar- 1857
Bridget Cahalane 8-Mar- 1859, godmother Catherine Cahalane
Michael Cahalane 8-Apr- 1861, godfather John Hurley
Catherine Cahalane 28-Sep- 1863
Thomas Cahalane 11-Feb- 1868

I have not been able to pin down the baptism godmothers Catherine Cahalane or Mary Cahalane yet. Anyway, here are the Cahalanes I have found, who could be closely related:
Bridget Cahalane m. Michael Hurley
Ellen Cahalane m. James Young
Cornelius Cahalane m. Anne Kingston
Tim Cahalane m. Mary Cleary
Michael Cahalane m. Honora Donovan

In addition, Barbara Cahalane, Mary Cahalane, and Catherine Cahalane

Could John Hurley m. Julia Regan of Ballyriree have been a relative of the Hurleys in Coolnagarrane? And can anybody shed any light on these Cahalanes?

Fanny Collins and Denis Crowley of Castlehaven

I think I have found another daughter of Larr Collins (1783-1867) of Adrigole, though I have substantially less confidence in this child than I have in the others. The records of Fanny Collins (1829-a. 1901) aren't tightly coupled to her siblings like the records of her siblings are to each other.

"Fanny" is an old variant of Francesca no longer in use. Fanny Collins married Denis Crowley 5-Feb-1854 in Skibbereen R.C. parish; there were neither Collins nor Crowley witnesses recorded as present.

Daughter Mary was baptized 8-Feb-1855 and recorded in Adrigole; the godfather was one Daniel Collins. Whether this is the girl's uncle is not clear as my gg-grandfather Daniel Collins had relocated to Colomane East a few years prior.

Jane Crowley (8-Feb-1857) was recorded in Adrigole and had one Ellen Collins as a godmother. Jane's mother is recorded as Ann.

A second reason why I thought Fanny may have been Larr's daughter was because the Crowleys resided for a time in Adrigole. But the main reason why I thought Fanny was Larr's daughter was because Larr was the godfather of Patrick, baptized 27-Feb-1859. These are the only two pieces of evidence I have implying such a relationship.

John Crowley (9-May-1861), baptized in Castlehaven & Myross R.C. parish, is recorded in Rineen. The baptism of Kate (6-Mar-1865), also baptized in C&M parish, is recorded with mother named Johanna, which I think is an error. Michael (15-Jul-1869), C&M parish, is recorded in Gortbrack. The mother's name was mistakenly written in as William Brown, then crossed out and not rewritten.

Now comes more confusion. Jerry (11-Aug-1875) is recorded in Gortbrack. However, Ireland Births and Baptisms shows a Cornelius Crowley born about that same time to the same parents. In addition, that same data source lists a "Coomeshall Crowly" born 17-Jun-1872. I suspect that Dennis and Fanny had a child born in Coornishal, who perhaps didn't live long enough to be baptized. I will know when I see that civil registration record.

Clearly I need to trawl civil registration and perhaps the revision books to bring some clarity to this family. The 1901 Ireland census shows Fanny Crowley as a widow, age 72, living with her son John, in Farrandau. Though their son John is there, Fanny is not listed in 1911, and civil registration does not provide clues to her death.

A third reason why I thought Fanny, or Francesca, could be Larr's daughter is because the man's name Francis pops up as a middle name in this extended family, especially with "Denis." The discovery of Fanny has compelled me to revisit the 20-Jul-1856 Caheragh R.C. parish record of a child of Daniel Collins and Mary Mahony that is unreadable. It has been transcribed as Johanna and as Jeremiah but I think it is neither. Could it be Fannia - another form of Fanny?