McGing Family Genealogy

I will transcribe what my Aunt May wrote about the Morrins. I hope this provides a lot more detail, even if you know the rough information already.

Our great grandfather Morrin was known as Riocard or Richard Morrin. His father was Patrick Morrin. Richard was born about 1820, so his father was born a long way say in or around 1790. They lived in Upper Churchfield,near Paddy Dolan's place and he worked in Lower Churchfield for a widow Mrs. McNally. She was Penelope Flanagan from Bor Na Hanna before she married McNally. She had two young children by McNally when he died young. Later she married her workman Richard.

Tradition has it that he was a good worker and went home in the evenings, but very often returned again later and if he met anyone on the way, he told them that he forgot his pipe and that he had to come for it and a smoke. However, in a short time he married the widow and was considered lucky to marry into such a good place.

He had 5 daughters and they all worked very hard as he was a very thrifty man and wanted to marry his daughters well. Two married in Castletown as you know, and they married two Morrin men. Some say that they were distant relations. My father said that they were not. I really don't think that they were.

I think the fathers first met at the market in Balinrobe where Richard often went to sell his produce. He gave those girls good fortunes. I don't know when his wife died, I can't find her death in the church or state records and she was buried with her 1st husband, McNally and there is no headstone of that McNally in Churchfield. I was told that they were not related to the McNallys who are still in Churchfield, but I have my doubts. Old Mrs.Collins told me that they were related to the McNally's of Bor Na Hannah who were related to her. (This is how I think my mom's people and my dad's people are connected.)

Anyhow, after marrying off his two daughters in Castletown, his daughter Nappy or Penelope as it was known later married Phillip McGing and that was 1876. I wonder why he was anxious for her to marry as she was only 19 years old he was only 56 years by then. Phillip came along and he was about 26 years and had a fortune of 100 pounds. In 1876, that was a lot of money. He was also a fine, strong young man. That money was given to his father-in-law Richard and Phillip was supposed to have the place signed over to him as was the custom to recent years. However, he and Phillip didn't get along very well and after he settled Kate and Martin Walsh in the pub as you know he got married to a widow woman from Treen, just a mile away. He took over a room in the house and managed to get a third of his land back and settled in. As you can imagine that caused a stir.

His daughters didn't like it, neither did the Coens. I must say the poor woman had 3 or 4 children and maybe they were starving. Famine was rampant those years and they had very little land in Treen. She probably did it to feed her children. They stayed in Treen. They were Coens and they mother was Anne Coen known locally as Nancy Joe. Her maiden name was Walsh. I think the children were with the grandparents Coens. Nancy Joes father had a forge near Boitrin a Yard.

However, she had a son for Richard in his old age (not too old) and they called him Richard. He must have been pleased to have a son and they grew up in the room. They had their own entrance though, so they wouldn't bother Phillip and his wife and family too much. I asked my father once if he remembered Nancy Joe and he said and I quite "Well I do, and she was a nice old woman and I remember her giving me bread and jam." My grandfather Phillip also told my mother that she was very nice and said young Richard was like her. So there's good in everybody. She lived to 1910 aged 70 years when she died. My fathers mother Nappy died in 1906. It is nice to know that she was good to him and whatever number of his family were still young at the time.

His sister Penelope was the youngest. She was only 6 years. Richard married a returned yank and they built the house Rita bought a few years ago. So it was at least 1910 before Philip got the house to himself and by that time his wife had died and most of his family scattered off to the 4 corners of the globe.

Old Richard Morrin's son Richard was a very nice and respectable man. We all knew him so well and we were always in and out of that house as if it were our own and they were the same with us. I know our 2nd cousins in Castletown and they seem to be honest people. One of the younger family did the carpentry work in this house, the kitchen and bedrooms. He is a trained carpenter and married to a girl in Connemara. One of the Morrin women in Castletown had a son a priest and one a doctor. They worked very hard. Kate had an easier life in her pub. Mary and Bridget in Castletown. Their families married well locally and we have a lot of distant relations in that area. They were very interested in land and livestock. Someone said to my father "The Morrins were always blessing themselves and putting on their caps as they went out the door" Meaning that they wouldn't rest a minute after their meals.

[Spelling errors are my fault]

Notes for KATE MORRIN:

History of Tigh Phai

(Teach Kate Mór)

written by

Mae (Mc Ging) Lally

Derryveeney

Ayway back in 1879 a young girl named Kate Morrin from Churchfield was supposed to marry a young eligible man from the Cross/Cong area, right across the lake from Churchfield. She already had two sister’s married in Cross and they were well settled in good homes and farms. Their father who was known locally as Riocard O Muirrin, Richard Morrin, was in a position to give his daughters good dowries, or fortunes and in those days of hunger and famine most parents tried to have fortunes for their daughters and get them settled on the land. The more fortunes they had the more security they had, it was either that or take the long dreaded voyage to America.

Kate Morrin however didn’t want any matchmaking or fortune. She had a fine young man whom she loved dearly and they planned to marry, come what may. His name was Martin Walsh. Her father wasn’t pleased as this young fella had no land or no security for his daughter.

One fine Sunday morning the "young eligible man from Cross" and his friend came across the lake by boat to make the final arrangements for his marriage to Kate. Meanwhile Kate was going to Mass with here mother, pretending everything was fine as they walked along the two miles to the Church. Just as they were entering the Church Kate made some excuse and turned out again. After mass was over and everyone was gone home Kate married Martin Walsh. His brother was best man and her friend and neighbour Bridget Boyle was her bridesmaid. In the meantime the boatmen had come ashore in Churchfield and in no time at all the news spread that the couple had married and fled. The men from Cross were dumbfounded and so were her parents.

After a short time her parents forgave her and sent for them. At the time her older sister Penelope, who was my grandmother and her husband, my grandfather Philip Mc Ging who hailed from the Aughagower area, and their young children lived in the old home in Churchfield. They couldn’t all live in the same house so they decided to build a pub on the lakeshore.

In those days a lot of trading and business was carried on back and over between Tourmakeady and Ballinrobe by boat. People from all around the area brought any farm produce they had to spare to the market in Ballinrobe and brought home other necessities of life if they could afford it. A lot of wool was taken by boat and many other products of wool, such as socks and flannel etc.

So Kate’s father along with his two sons in law went to work and built the pub in the ideal location of business. That was 1879. I think it has stood the test of time, as it hadn’t changed at all since it was build until recently. Kevin and Cathy O Toole, the new owners have blended in the new with the old and the place known locally for many years as Teach Kate Mór is still in business.

Martin and Kate had three daughters and had a happy life, but unfortunately Martin passed away when he was still a young man and it wasn’t easy for a woman to carry on the business and rear her children. After some years she married Richard Feeney. He was a very nice man and she had a son and daughter by Feeney.

When I was growing up it was Feeney that was there and his name was over the door but it didn’t matter what name was over the door, the old people always called it Teach Kate Mór, especially the Irish speakers. I went there almost every evening after school for paraffin oil, tobacco or a loaf of bread. Kate Mór was long gone then but her daughter Bridge Walsh and her stepfather Feeney managed the place as best they could. He was an old man then and Bridge was also in poor health so they compensated Feeney’s son and Leo Duffy a grandson of Kate and Martin took over the pub. That didn’t last long as Leo Duffy got killed in Northern Ireland. Then Paddy Walsh a grand nephew of Martin Walsh bought the place and the younger generation called it Paddy’s. The older generation think it should be called what it was originally called – Teach Kate Mór. Teach Máire Luke in Gortmore and Teach Kate Mór in Churchfield were some of the first licensed pubs in the area.

This was a letter from my Aunt May in response to a relation. I transcribed it. Typos are mine.

According to the gravestone in Churchfield Patrick Morrin died in 1860 so he must be born around 1780. A long time ago. He was a grown man in 1798 - The Year of the French. His wife must have been a widow when he married her as she is not buried along with him. As a rule, a woman was buried with her first husband. His son Richard must have been born around 1820 as he died in 1901 aged 81 years. They lived in Upper Churchfield or Barr a T-Sleibhe as it is known locally, near Dolans where Winnie Maree lived in later years. Paddy Mulroe owns the place now.

A Mc Nally family lived in Churchfield and owned a good farm there. A Penelope Flanagan or Napla Ni Fhlanagan as she was known from Barr na Hamna, where Coen is now, married into the place to the McNally. McNally died young and she was left with two children.

Riocard OMuirreart, as he was known, worked on the farm for her, going to Barr a TSleibhe (Churchfield) every night. Tradition has it that he left his pipe after him often times to have an excuse to go down again later to the widow. If he met anybody he would say "Caitfidh me dul sios ar thair mo phiopa, nior imhaidh me amach e thabhairt abhaile liom.” However, he got married to her. He was considered lucky to walk into a fine place. They had five daughters.

Again, tradition has it that he worked them very hard, daughters and their mother. -My Grandmother (Penelope Morrin) who was one of them told her daughter Mrs. Mary McGing Cavanagh, who was my Aunt, that she was digging and cultivating rough land with the big heavy Broigin Laidhe (spade) when she got her first periods.

He always had a bag of flour on the hob near the fire, but it lasted for ages as he wouldn't let them make a cake but very rarely. It was more for show. Anyhow it seems he was a very thrifty man. As soon as they were marriageable age, he had good fortunes for them. Two of them married two Morrin men across the lake in Castletown, Cross.

One was married around 1873 and I think that was the second one. I found that marriage in the Register in Castlebar. They didn’t seem to have the other one. The register goes back to 1860 only. Some of the old people said they were related. More said they were not.

He gave them good fortunes as they were marrying into good farms of land and getting good husbands. An old relation told me they (the daughters and their Morrin husbands) were related and that Riocard used to meet them, his relatives, on market day in Ballinrobe and a match was made for the eldest girl.

She brought her sister there later on. I think they were married to two brothers. They both had big families. One had a son a Priest and a son a Doctor. The Doctor died young. The Priest served here for several years. He died in Caherlistrane, Co. Galway where he was parish priest for a lot of years. He was old when he died. I heard he was a nice quiet man. The people of this area liked him. We have a lot of distant relations in Castletown and around it.

In 1876 the third daughter married Philip McGing from the village of Ardara in Aughagower. She was my Grandmother on my father's side. I don’t know who made the match. He had a 100 pounds fortune - in 1876/and that was a lot of money at that time. He had brothers in America that helped him. He married Nappy or Penelope as it was known in later years, Napla in Irish. She was the one called after her mother. I think her mother had died by then. I couldn't find her death in Castlebar. I can’t understand why Riocard wanted to marry her to Philip McGing and bring him into the place. She was only 19 years and he (Philip) was 26 years.

Riocard himself was only 57 years at that time. He was supposed to have signed the place to Philip and his daughter, as was generally done in those days. However, it was well known that they didn’t get along from the beginning. On the wedding night and the house full of people, Philip said to his friends and family "drinkup boys this is my house." He was known to be a very outspoken man and he didn’t realize he said the wrong thing. Riocard hadn't a word and he went to bed. It was a bad start.

In 1879 a match was in progress for the last daughter Kate. Two men were coming across the take in a boat to make the match. They were from the Cross area as well. It was Sunday morning and Kate was going into mass with her sister Nappy. At the church door, she made some excuse and it turned out that she ran away with her boyfriend named Walsh. This Martin Walsh had no land and her father did not want her to marry him on any account but she married him. After some time, he brought them back and built the pub for them. That house is the same today as when it was built. The same walls and flags in the floor and hob etc. The O'Tooles will make some changes now, but leaving most of it in the traditional way.

It was in that same year,1879, he managed to take a third of the land from his son in law and daughter (Philip and Penelope). On what grounds, I don’t know, but he went to law and got it. To make it worse he got married at the age of sixty to a widow woman from Treen. She was a Mrs. Coen, known as Sarah Joe. Joe was her father. He was Joe Walsh and he had a forge near Boitrin a Yard or Linn Mhor. She left her children inTreen and I think she had four or more children.

I don’t know had they grandparents or what age they were but she was forty years. I found that marriage in Castlebar. They used to say there was a song made about it, that she left her children like a clocking hen would leave her chickens. She married Riocard and lived in the room with him for the rest of her life and brought forth a son for him in his old age. I'd imagine he must be delighted. They called him Richard. He was the nice gentle Richard we knew so well when we were children.

The trouble continued. Philip and his wife had twelve children in a little room and kitchen. There was a separate door into the room so at least the old couple could go in and out and not go through the kitchen. They had a stable as well. He brought them to law a few times at least. On one occasion, he summoned the grandchildren saying they were firing stones at him up in the field. In later years, my father met one of those brothers in Scotland and he told him very seriously that they never fired a stone at him. On another occasion his horse's tail was cut and he summoned them again. They claimed they didn't do it. I know they were wild youngsters but it could be somebody else that did it knowing well they would be blamed for it. Those were two occasions I heard about. I remember Bid Boyle to say to me when I was young, she said in Irish "There was law always here above, but believe me when they were broke and the money all spent the law stopped"(Stop an Dlighe) That was true. Both families went away very young. they scattered to the four corners of the earth, except the eldest girl Mary who married Cavanagh. She was the same age as Richard Morrin. Cavanagh was a teacher and he taught in Treen school at that time. They lived in the teacher’s residence where P. King is now. My father Tommie was the youngest. His mother died in 1906 aged 52 years.

Sarah Joe was still living at that time. My father was only eight years. When I asked him about her when he was old he said "she was a nice little woman, I remember her giving me bread and jam" and thought that was nice. I suppose she felt sorry for him as he had lost his mother. She lived until 1910. Richard was married by then and Pat Morrin and Mary were born in that room. Pat often mentioned it to me. He had great nature for the place, God rest them all.

I haven't mentioned another one of the Morrin family who went to America. She was married to one of the Lally's from Churchfield. The grandchildren came back some years ago in search of their ancestors. Pat Morrin showed them the old house and that he was born there etc. He told me about it. We know Riocard had a sister married in Bun a Chnuick (Bunachrick). She was known as Sow Ni Mhuirrean or Sarah Morrin. She was married to Tom Micheal ??? grandfather and her daughter was married to Myles Joyce who was wrongfully hanged for the Maamtrasna murder. The people of this area and far beyond it know well Myles Joyce was innocent. Many, many years ago, my neighbor Mick Paidin came in and handed me an envelope. "Keep that you" he said They are Myles Joyce’s last words. All that is in Fr. Waldron’s book. The words were “Ta me ag imeacht. Ta me ag imeach. Ni raibh larch no cos agam ann. Ta me chom neamh chiontach leis an leanamh nar rugadh go foil. Go mhoir Dia ar mo bhean is mo chlann.” ["I will see Jesus Christ in a short while - he too was unjustly hanged ... I am going ...God help my wife and her five orphans"]. Her fifth child was born the morning he was executed and when she was able, she went to Galway and mourned and cried for nine days at the gates of Galway jail for her husband The Cathedral is built on the site now. There is a memorial in the grounds to the people who died in in jail. I saw it, and said a few prayers. It was so sad.

The Conroys in Greenaun are also related and the old woman that was married to Steophan Maire Seoighe in Cappaduff was a first cousin to Richard and a first cousin to my father’s mother Nappy. Her father was Riocard’s brother. That woman’s daughter lived until a year ago. I visited her once and asked her about her grandfather or how was it that he was 'in Kilbride. She said "He had to go somewhere when Riocard put him out of the Place." Her mother often told her they should have that place. So, it seems he was land hungry, land grabber as it was known then. Her grandfather is buried right beside the Morrin grave. That explained to me how we had Gurteens the common age up near Barr a TSleibhe (Churchfield). It wasn't in with the rest of the land at all.

Now let’s come to Pat Morin’s grandmother- the Whalen woman. There is some family history here. Away back in 1830 when the ruthless landlord Plunkett arrived here he evicted twelve or more families from Gorteenmore. From the church, over to where Matt Hearty’s was. Among them was a family of Thornton’s. No relation to Joe Thornton. Some descendants of those Thornton’s as well as ourselves are Carmel Garvey and a Mary Thornton who still lives in London. she was married to Staunton Johnnie Peters brother and Nora Duffy from Derryveeney who died recently in Chicago. She knew everything about those Thornton’s and they were a great race of people and thrived in America owning big hotels and had big jobs etc.

After they were evicted, they went up to Gortnalderg and started to dig and cultivate the foothills and made a little home for themselves and managed to survive in it. One of the daughters (Mary) married Whalen from Barr na Hamna and another (Sarah) married Luke Mor Gibbons in Derryveeney and she was my husband’s great grandmother. She was known as Salog or Sarah. The woman in Barr na Hamna (Mary) had a son known as Sean Beag (Tom Whalen’s grandfather).

She (Mary) had two more daughters with Coyne and one of them (Mary) married Paddy Whalen or Pat Stiophan as he was known and became my mother’s grandmother. One of the daughters of the first marriage to Whelan (Anne) married Burke in Upper Churchfield and became Pat Morrints Grandmother. Another daughter (Nancy) married a Joyce back in Scoltach. Sean Beag was reared over in Gortnaderg. The Thornton’s brought him over when his father died. Obviously, he went back again to his father’s place in Barr na Hamna and he married a Boyle woman from Churchfield. She was Bid Boyle’s mother so Bid who was married to Padraig Boyle was originally Whalen and she was a first cousin to Pat Morin’s mother. It sounds strange, Sean Beag married to a Boyle and later his daughter marring a Boyle. He was her second cousin. Incidentally the match is described in this year’s "Waterfall". Sean Beag had another daughter (Ann) married in Glensaul to Casey. She died young and left three boys. Another daughter was married to Dermody in Litterineen. They are not there anymore but a daughter of Dermody married Tom Punch Mulroe and they went up to Wicklow. A son of hers came down again married to the Carr girl from Cloughbrack. She was the district nurse there for some years. They are still in Cloughbrack. I should have stated that the Boyle woman Sean Beag married was an Aunt to John Boyleis father and an aunt to my husband's mother who was Bridget Boyle. The Boyles near the graveyard. The two families of Boyles were evicted in 1860 also the two Lally families in Churchfield but that is another long story.

The Burke people in Drumming or Upper Churchfield were very nice people. It seems there was no son in the family as Padraig Nora Maree from Derryveeney married in there and he was Michael Mareeis father. Two sisters of Pat Morrinis mother lived and died in Cleveland, Ohio. They were very good friends of the Laltys and Kerrigans, my husband’s people.

As I said Sean Beag had two step sisters and they were Coynes. One (Mary) married Pat Stiophan Whalen. It is a bit confusing. Her mother was married first to Whalen and her daughter by Coyne married Whalen. They were no relation, even though the two families of Whalen’s were related. She had a big family. My mother’s mother (Mary) was the eldest. She married Donohue (John) in Gortmor. He was a widower with two children. Nellie Dans mother was another one of that family and Tom Lydon’s mother and Ann was married to Mulroe in Letterineen. Her daughter is David Alton’s mother- a Liberal M.P. for Liverpool who brought two bills before the House of Commons to curtail abortion, but failed. So, Pat Morrin had the same great grandmother - the Thornton woman as my mother and Nellie Dan and all those. He was a step first cousin to my father and was also related to my mother. Those Whalen’s in Barr na Hamna were marvelous people. We think they were in Glensaul and some went back there and worked like mad digging and cultivating the land and their wives gathering the stones and making fences and so on. They weren’t many years there when they had a lot of sheep and cattle. Pat Stiophan fortuned four daughters and one went to America. Sean Beag as he was known fortuned three, and one went to America. Pat Stiophan had six or seven sons as well and Sean Beag had two or three sons. Martin O’Malley by the lake in Drimcoggy is another relation. His grandmother was the second daughter in Barr na Hamna by Coyne. Sean Beag had a lot of sheep. He kept a lot of them out in the Erriff hills Taobh Co Mhuigheo Bid would call it as we were all in Galway at that time.

As my husband’s grandmother in Churchfield was a Hoban from Erriff they often put sheep back to those hills also even up to recent years. The Hobans were herding for a Landlord out there and his herds man names Heusten came and gathered the sheep for shearing with the help of the Hobans. This old man Hoban was telling Tommie about the gathering of the sheep and he said Sean Bog (he wasn’t even able to say Beag as he had not Irish) used to come out and he would be pulling his sheep out of the pen and he'd be saying "Liomsa agus seo, liomsa agus shrill." Heusten was watching him and he said "go blimee, they are all liomsa agus shril" so we would say he had more sheep than the Landlord. I said they give big fortunes to the daughters but I must say i also heard that those girls earned a lot of it themselves spinning and carding and making big bales of flannel. I remember Bid telling us how they used to have to go in the dead of night back to Clifden with big bales of flannel tied on to the horses and the horses going bogging in places and the men cursing them. Nar theigh do bheo abhaile choidhe and God knows what else. I forget them.

Bid was also a great Sean Nos singer. It was a shame she wasn't recorded. Bid and Padraig Boyle had six in family. Nora the eldest married Dick Cloherty who worked in O'Tooles in the thirties. He was old Tom O’Tooles nephew. They lived most of their married lives in Connemara where the O'Tooles hailed from. I wrote a lot of this for them a couple of years ago, as Sean Beag was their great grandfather, so all those and many more are all distant relations of yours as well as mine. What’s more they are related to Tommie through Bid, through Padraig Kitty, Padriags mother. The Boyles and Lallys and Gibbons were mixed and married for centuries and Patricia Boyle is a distant relation of yours as well.

To get back to the Morrin family, Kate who married Walsh ran the pub all her life. She was known as Kate Mor. She was a fine generous woman. She had three daughters with Walsh. One went up to the North and settled there. She was Leo Duffy’s mother who spent a lot of his young life in Feeney’s as we called it in our time. His aunt Bridgie Walsh lived there then. Walsh died young and his wife married Feeney. After a few years, I heard she wouldn’t remarry but the place was in debt and Feeney was after coming home from the States and he had some money, so they got married. She had two children with Feeney. Sarah Kate and Sonny. Sarah Kate also settled in Northern Ireland. Sonny died in England some years ago. Leo Duffy was shot dead in his pub in N. Ireland. Brenda who was Walsh's daughter married Canny. She had five or six in family. The grandson Antony lives in Castlebar. Bridgie ran the pub when we were young. Feeney was also there. An old man then. Poor Bridgie suffered from some form of mental illness which was brought on as a result of an operation she had on her head when she was a young girl. She often showed me the scar. When she was in bad form she told us McGing’s or Morrin’s shouldn't be in Churchfield. McNallys should be there she'd say. She loved the Walshes, her father’s people. She also said her mother should not have married the second time. At times, she thought Fr. O'Malley who was parish priest in Partry was torturing her all night and several other crazy ideas. My mother used to feel so sorry for her. She suffered terribly from varicose ulcers and very swollen legs. Leo Duffy and Sonny Feeney went to the law over the place. Leo Duffy got it but paid Feeney some money. There was trouble always resulting from a second marriage. I think Paddy Walsh had the place bought from Leo before he got killed. Bridgie was in the Sacred Heart Home for years before she died. She was happy there. Her legs got better, so that's the story.

You can keep this separate if you like. I'm between two thoughts should I put it on paper. I'm sorry to say I never heard anything good about our great grandfather Riocard. Mick Paidin, my neighbor here said his father was drinking with Riocard one night in Hervett’s where O'Toole’s is now. He said to Riocard in Irish “You must It have your two step children good and hardy by now and Riocard said "I have and wouldn’t I have been a lot better rearing two Bonhams. I thought that was awful. I find it hard to have any nature for him since. I know the man didn’t make it up. My father in law said his mother used to meet the two women who went to Castletown in Ballinrobe on Market Day now and again and they always went into the snug and had a glass of porter or tea. They told his mother they were mad to their father for getting married secondly in his old age and taking the land off Nappy. They thought Richard would leave it when he'd grow up and give it back to them.

However, I suppose he had every right to stay there. Those women were about the same age as my father-in-laws mother, Tommie’s grandmother. She.was born about 1850. It was said Fr. Morrin was soon to be ordained when the grandfather married Sarah Joe. The people went across by boat from Feeney’s to Ballinrobe in those days. The Morrin’s in Castletown were very hard working thrifty people. Some neighbor of theirs said to my father and Richard "you never saw the Morrins but putting on -their caps and blessing themselves coming out the door after dinner, swallowing the last bite”. The women worked very hard.

It was often said Kate Mor in the pub had an easier life. Richard and my father liked two of their cousins. Pat Morrin was Dick Morrin of Castlebar’s father and Eddie Morrin. When they met in Ballinrobe they were friendly and they'd have a drink together but there was another cousin Watt who would barely say "hello" to them, they called him Watteen. There was another cousin Tommie Morrin who had a shop in Drinneen near Cong. He was a nice man, married but no family. His wife’s family owns the place now. There’s no shop now. Tommie Morrin who is one of Pat Morrin’s sons inherited the place from his father. He married a Philomena Murphy first down the road from them and they have a large family. Tommie’s sister Peggy married Philomena’s step brother. She went into the home Philomena left. She came here to visit us a few years ago, to see where her grandmother came from. I showed her our old house where our roots are. She knows the family history well about the second marriages, etc. She told me when Richard came asking them to his wedding, her grandmother shut the door in his face. He went to the other step sisters house then. At least she received him. They didn’t want him to get married there. Peggy seemed in great health then but she only lived for a year or less after that. I brought her as far as Flanagan’s in Barr na Homna where her great grandmother came from. One of her family is mixed up in marriage with Eileen Whalen from Barr na Howna. Her mother was an invalid for years and Mary Ann had a hard life. She married an alcoholic and he sold some of the land. She has two sons and a daughter. They still live in the old thatched house, but an usual house.

When I lie awake at night I often think of my forebears. Some time Nora you should go up the boreen and see the track of the door in the wall where they went in and out of the room. I often wonder had Richard anybody to play with him when he was small. I Often wonder did they play together. I should have asked my father more questions. Richard and my aunt Mary who became Mrs. Cavanagh were about the same age. I think there was two brothers older than her and more than twenty years between the eldest of the McGing’s to my father who was the youngest. I heard that my grandmother had it very hard. She used to have to go on horseback with Philip my grandfather to those court cases. I remember Clifden being mentioned. Why Clifden, I don’t know. Sarah Joe was known to have said when she got old that she was happy when she married the carpenter, he was a kind man but that Riocard was poking her with a stick when she went to the fire. He was old and crippled and always at the fire and the stick beside him. I suppose he needed it to stand up.

I want to emphasize before I finish that my father and Richard were always great friends and neighbors. My sister Annie spent half her time there with Bridie and on Sunday or any day Richard fixed a nice dinner for her when the dinner was ready. She was younger than me. When we killed a pig or a sheep a big pierce went to Richards and vice versa. He was a great gardener and always sent us vegetables if we hadn’t them. My mother would tell him if she had any trouble. She would tell Bid Boyle. We were in and out of Richards all the time and Bridie in our house. Dick and Walter came often as well. They were all floe4ilve down to earth honest people. I'D love to see Dick coming on a wet day or Walter. They and my father had great conversations going for hours. Your father God rest him would be in Gortmore at that time. Now that reminds of the morning he came from America. I heard the knock on the door as I was sleeping in the Cailleac with Annie my sister. My mother came down and opened the door. She told us she didn’t know who the nice well dressed man was "I don’t know you" I heard say "You don’t know me Bridgie" he said" She thought of her brothers in America and she know it wasn't them. "I'm Pat Morrin" he :ltd. She couldn’t believe that she didn’t know him. The man that was Godfather for two or three of her family before he left ten years earlier. Of course, we all got up and there was great excitement. It seems they arrived early in the morning and the first place he went to was to the graveyard to visit his mother's grave. My mother was so impressed, such a nice thing to do. Even as I write I cant but appreciate his principles. He was a wonderful chaste honest man. He is in a better place now where he belongs. Well I can’t leave out poor Katy. There was a lot of good in her as well. She was a very innocent harmless creature. Wasn't it hard to come in where there were six children. I'd say Walter was only two or three years. It was very hard on the children as well especially the eldest ones, who had such recent memories of their mother. On the other hand it was very hard for Richard to look after six children. Bridie was born 1922 about a year after that. I'd say he went to make money to rear them, as he hadn’t much land. I remember when he came home and Bridie having lovely clothes - I'd say 1927. I'm not sure. I also remember when they roofed the house. I was born in 1924. Pat Morrin was my Godfather. Anyhow Katy worked hard. In winter she was spinning and carding. She made at least four pairs of socks and sent them to England to Dick and Walter and she looked after Richard well. Bridie must be 13 years when Willie was born. Poor Willie met his death tragically.

Mae McGing Lally.

Clonbur Petty Sessions in the Ballinrobe Chronicle Sept 3, 1881

Transcript of Court

Magistrate presiding: Joseph S. Blake Esq, chairman; Richard C. Lynch, Esq; E.M. Causland, Esq

Assault

The first eight cases on the book were in relation to a family dispute between Richard Morren and his son-in-law (Philip McGing). Anne Morren wife of Richard Morren and Philip McGing and his wife Nappy McGing v Richard Morren (her father) and Anne Morren (her step-mother); also against some other members of the united families.

Mr. P.J.B. Daly appeared for Morren and his associates; McGing was not professionally represented, and consequently frequently addressing the court.

Complainant, defendant and several other witnesses were examined on both sides, and the hearing occupied over an hour and a half.

McGing was married some six years since to Nappy Morren, one of the daughters of Richard Morren; since that marriage Mrs. Morren, the mother of Nappy McGing, dies and Morren inter-married his present wife – a Mrs Coen, now Mrs Anne Morren; since that event the same friendly intercourse has not existed between the Morren and McGing families, and they have to some extent indulged in the luxury of litigation, as a panacea for their varied life. As a matter of course, there was a mutual arrangement between Morren and his accepted son-in-law in the first instance as to the Morren farm (held under Mr. Lynch of Petersburg). – Morren to have a certain interest therein for a time, McGing to have exclusive rights on the death of his father-in-law. Morrens subsequent marriage in the eyes of McGing and his wife seemed to imperil their of “being rooted I the soil” of the ancestral holding. The source of litigation on the first occasion was a dispute about their relative ownership or rights of moiety of the clay in the “shough” or furrow between two ridges of potatoes. In June last, Morren and his step daughter “Bridget Coen” were digging a “shough” and moulding potatoes, when McGing, alleging they were appropriating more than their half of same, objected, jumped over the ridge, and then and there the assaults with shovels, complained of on 1st June, were committed.

here were also charges of assault on subsequent days – on 28th June, when Morren alleged that he was struck and knocked down in his own house by McGing with a blow of a heavy stool. The dispute between Mrs Nappy McGing and her step-mother, Mrs Anne Morren seemed to have its origin in a dispute about the “family box” to which heirloom each had laid claim and given preemptory advice to Mr. Whitten on the question and legality of removing an old and putting on of a new lock.

More than once in the course of the proceedings, Mr Daly (for the Morrens) suggested an arbitration as a means of an amicable arrangement of this family quarrel, but McGing objected to such a proposition. He would have his case disposed of at quarter sessions and by no other paely.

Decision – Philip McGing and Richard Morrin each to be imprisoned for one month in Galway goal. Warrant not to issue if the parties are not brought up again within 12 months for a breach of the peace. The two women to enter into recognizance to be of the peace for 12 months.

Clonbur Petty Sessions in the Ballinrobe Chronicle October 29, 1881

Assaults

Richard Morren v. Philip McGing for an assault on complainant at Churchfield on the 13th October instant.

Mr Daly appeared for the complainant and Mr Glynn for the defendant.

There was also a cross-case of McGing v Morren for like, same time and place; and some half-dozen cases between different members of the family for like.

It appears McGing, defendant in the first case is the son-in-law od Morren, complainant, and that there has been for over 12 months several disputes and much litigation between them. At the marriage of McGing over 5 years ago, he was to preside in the house of Morren, and he represented the agreement to be that he would have half the holding until another daughter of Morren’s married, then two-thirds, and all the house and place at death of Richard Morren; the latter alleges that his agreement was, that McGing reside in the house and they to till and manage the farm jointly, as he had no right to to divide his holding with anyone. The two families did reside together and manage the holding jointly for a few years; but Morren having since got married (an event not then calculated on), Mrs McGing and Mrs Morren (her step-mother) did not amicable arrange matters in the house – hence the alleged origin of the litigation. Proceedings in equity were instituted for a partition of the holding, Sc and fixed to be heard at the late Clidfen quarter sessions. The parties attended, but for want of time, or other cause, the County Court Judge adjourned the case to future sessions; they returned home, not, it would seem, on better terms or in better humour from their disappointed hopes, and on the day stated they quarreled – first about the right of stabling their horses together; on Morren bringing in his horse from the great storm and rain prevailing that day. McGing prevented him from doing so; blows ensued; the women next interfered; Mrs Morren was knocked down and kicked by McGing; she was attended by Dr Ingham, medical officer, Cappaghduff dispensary district, who gave a certificate as to the dangerous character of the assault.

The examination of several witnesses (to the foregoing effect), and a legal discussion as to the form of summons – Mr Daly having taken exception to the summons of McGing and his wife against Morren, his wife and her daughter Bridget Cohen – occupied the court over two hours and a half.

Ultimately, by consent of their parties and their solicitors, the matter in dispute was left to the arbitration of Rev P Lavelle PP.

Clonbur Petty Sessions in the Ballinrobe Chronicle January 7, 1882

Philip McGing v. Richard Morren for assault on Complainant of Churchfield on December 6 last.

News item in Ballinrobe Chronicle August 4, 1883

Willful trespass – Clonbur Petty Sessions

Richard Morren v. Philip McGing – that defendant did in June 1883, enter on complainant’s land at Churchfield and willfully damaged and commit spoil by cutting turf.

This was a breach of a family dispute, defendant is the son-in-law of complainant and they have frequently had cases in court. There were also three other cases on the book today between them – the second being by some complaint against defendant for breaking down and changing a mearing fence.

There was an arbitration and division of the land, yard and premises. McGing, having been awarded two-thirds and Morren one-third of his holding; but it would appear either that the arrangement either had not been carried out beyond a separation in the dwelling-house or was not satisfactory, for the family quarrels have not been put an end to.

After some considerable friendly advice to the parties to live on more neighborly terms in the future the court ruled the cases “No jurisdiction”.

News item in Ballinrobe Chronicle November 21, 1885

Clonbur Petty Sessions

At the above sesisons on Tuesday – Mr Brady, RM presiding – there was very little business if any to be disposed of beyond the case of Richard Morren v Philip McGing, which came before the court on adjournment from that day month, when it was left to arbitration of R. C. Lynch, Esq the landlord; but the paeties had not into evidence before Mr Lynch. There was an information in the case, and the charge was that on 14th October defendant did steal two half-doors of an outhouse, the property of complainant, who obtained a search warrant, and was present at its execution when the doors were found in McGing’s house and also a sheep brand and a piece of ash timber alleged to have been stolen some 12 months since from Morren. Defendantwho is the son-in-law of complainant, claims ownership of the articles referred to. This being a branch of a family quarrel, and repeated disputes and litigation about property, Mr Brady suggested arbitration, to which Morren agreed, but McGing desired to have it settled by his worship. Depositions were then taken and returned for trial at next quarter sessions. Defendant, who appeared on recognizance, to renew same.