Katony

In the first post of this series, I wrote about Kathleen and her brother, Paddy, reminiscing and lamenting the early loss of both their father and grandfather. As a result of those sad losses, they did not know their grandfather’s family well and didn’t know if he was an only child or part of a wider family. Their conversation was the prompt for these posts and for extending the research I had been engaged in for some years.

Kathleen’s, Paddy’s and their siblings’ grandfather was Harry Cleary. He also known as Henry F Cleary, HF Cleary and HF O’Cleary. He was a prominent nationalist and active in many nationalist causes including various Parnellite committees.

Henry’s marriage record from 1892 shows his father’s name was William and his birth record from 1866 shows his father’s name was William Cleary and his mother’s name was Julia, formerly, Lawlor. At the time of Harry’s birth, they were living at either 11 or 22 Charles Street. Charles Street is located close to the Four Courts on Dublin’s quays and was part of the markets complex in that area. The area was rebuilt in the early 20th century when the tenements were replaced with terraced, red-bricked houses. Charles Street is sometimes called Charles Street West to distinguish it from Great Charles Street located near the Rotunda.

As a prominent nationalist, Harry’s death, in 1911, received newspaper coverage. An account of his funeral in the Freeman’s Journal (16 March 1911) indicated that…

The chief mourners were Mrs. Clery (wife), Mary J Clery (daughter), Henry F Clery (son), Mrs. Fitzpatrick (sister) John Grant, W. and H. Corrigan (nephews) Mrs. Flood (sister-in-law) Michael Cole (brother-in-law)

Clearly, Harry was not an only child. He had at least three sisters who were married to men called Fitzpatrick, Grant and Corrigan. There is no indication at this point of a brother.

The Census of 1901 lists a woman named Julia Cleary (60), a widow, living at 111 Capel Street, Dublin. Living with her were a sister, Ellen Lawlor (50), a daughter, Mary Fitzpatrick (58) Ellen Fitzpatrick (18), and two granddaughters, Anne (16) and Mary Grant (14). Ellen Fitzpatrick is listed as a niece but is a granddaughter surely? Julia’s age is given as 60 but her daughter is 58.

Cleary, Harry Cleary has a several sisters and nieces and nephews.

Further research on the children of William Cleary and Julia Lawlor indicates, at least, four other children: Patrick, Elizabeth (Eliza), John Joseph and Sarah. William and Julia had at least eight children, so Harry was far from being an only child.