Author: Sharon

John Joseph Coughlan (named after his grandfather) born 1862, lost his birth mother at age 4, lost his father(asthma) at the age of 20 inherited a pub which he received on his 21st Birthday on May 31 1883.
See newpaper Irish Examiner Saturday, April 28, 1883 where it published the application was made to transfer the spirit licence from his fathers name to his and approved.

He married Ellen O’Sullivan on Nov 7th 1884, just over a year later when he was just 22 years old. Ellen was from Blackpool and her father was Denis Sullivan whose occupation is listed as Collector(possibly tax, rent or credit) on her civil marriage record. Her mother was Mary Roynane. John and Ellen got married in the North Cathedral, Ellen’s parish.

They appear to also have lived for a time at 46 Bandon road when Charles was born, according to his birth record see below.

In 1885 they had their first child, a daughter called Honora after John’s mother. Charles (named after his grandfather) was next in 1887, Daniel in 1888, William 1891, May 1892, Ellen 1894, Madge 1897, John Joseph (named after his father) 1900, Cornelius 1902, Elizabeth 1906 and Sean 1909.

They lived in the family home and pub at 149 Bandon Road, somewhere around 1897 they moved to 164 Bandon Road (which no longer exists). The family were to stay at this address for the next 30 years approx. John is also listed in the 1901 census as living at 157 Bandon Road and his occupation is listed as Carpenter. It is likely they still owned a number of properties along the street and sometimes moved.

The three eldest boys, Charles, William(Billy) and Danny all followed in their Fathers footsteps and became Carpenters. In the 1911 census all three boys have listed their profession as Carpenter.

Honorah Coughlan b. 2 Dec 1885 (died between 1901 and 1911)
Charles Coughlan b. 25 Jan 1887 d. 30 Aug 1952 [m. 24 April 1917 Kathleen Brosnan]
Daniel/Danny Coughlan b. 5 Nov 1888 d. 16 Dec 1967 [m. Eva Conner]
William/Billy Coughlan b. 31 Sept 1890 [m. Mollie Nason]
May Honorah b. 28 Sept 1892 d. 1933 [m. Dermot O’Brien]
Ellen/Ellie Coughlan b. 24 Feb 1894 [m. 21 Feb 1922 Reginald Augustus Pinker]
Madge/Margaret Coughlan b. 12 May 1897 d. 12 May 1975 [m. 14 Jan 1923 Albert Henry Barnes]
John Joseph Coughlan b. 25 July 1900
Cornelius/Neilus Christopher Coughlan b. 7 Nov 1902 d. 1 May 1960 [m. Jean Murphy]
Elizabeth/Ellie/Lil Coughlan b. 22 Jan 1906 [married Arthur Heapes]
Seán Coughlan b. 25 July 1909 d. 3 Apr 1960 [married Peggy]

Photos of Cork City around this time

Charles Joseph Coughlan was born in 1828/32 in St Finbars Parish in Cork. The evidence suggests his father was John Joseph Coughlan born C 1800 who is listed in Griffiths Valuation with a small farm close to UCC on Magazine Road next to Hayfield Manor. The farm was on the land immediately to the East of Hayfield Manor and is now built up as small houses known as Horgans Buildings. This is mapped in Griffiths Valuation of 1845/7 see no. 10 in the map below. Their farm consisted of 2 acres of land and a House. John Coughlan is listed as being the “immediate lessor” which indicates he was not leasing the land from someone else. He owned it.

The Coughlans home would have been built of stone with a slate roof from the nearby quarry. Their house was just at the edge of the city and would have been surrounded by fields and the lough just a short walk away through two fields. The roads from the outskirts of the city would have had market gardens, nurseries and orchards to cater for the ever-increasing population in the walled city and suburbs.

Following the 1798 Rebellion and prior to 1815, the city was economically and physically growing, after 1815 an economic slump affected the city but the population continued to grow due to the influx of people from harder hit rural areas. Not all of the city’s industries were equally affected by the economic decline of the first half of the 1800s. Shipbuilding, brewing, distilling, tanning and the butter trade still flourished. To give you an idea of what was happening in the area of Bandon Road at the time … UCC was built around 1845-1850, just one field away from the Coughlans. Just a 5 min walk down Bandon Road would have brought them to the start of the houses and cottages that were at the edge of the city.

As far as I can deduce John Joseph Coughlan had five children Charles, John, Margaret, Mary and Dan.

They would have had no running water, no sewage systems and the population in Cork when they had their young family had grown to 80,000 (to put into perspective the population of Cork today is 210k with running water and sewage). The majority of the people in Cork were poor and lived almost exclusively on potatoes. In the years prior to the famine in the 1840s the population of Cork had grown incredibly quickly. There were Cholera and Typhoid epidemics regularly and for example in 1832 it was estimated Cork city housed up to 60,000 paupers living ‘in a state of misery, suffering and destitution’.

When the famine had hit, the winter and spring of 1846-47 witnessed the utmost distress in Cork. This was a period of extreme and debilitating food shortages, spiralling food prices, theft of food and food riots, and a grossly inadequate public works relief programme.

The resident population of Cork City surged with an influx of starving people from the county and further afield who swarmed into the city in search of assistance, “walking masses of filth, vermin and sickness”, as the Cork Constitution described them on April 24, 1847.

Charles Joseph Coughlan would have been about 15 years old at this time.

The government’s response to the failure of the staple food of the poor was grossly inadequate.

In the late 1840s and early 1850s, the people were confronted with a catastrophe of unprecedented dimensions and with morbidity and mortality on a scale never before experienced.

The poorest and most vulnerable were stripped of entitlement and choice. For the more advantaged, there was the option of flight, and some two million people emigrated from Ireland in the decade 1845-1855.

Death and emigration reduced the population of Co Cork from 854,118 to 649,903, or by almost 24%, between the census of 1841 and that of 1851, although the city’s population at the end of the famine increased from 80,720 to 85,745 as a result of the influx of rural migrants.

The demographic impact was the most dramatic and enduring of the Famine’s seismic shocks, but there were others — political, social and economic — that were to rumble for the remainder of the 19th century and into the next.

If you would like to read the Wikipedia page on this topic to give you an idea of the history of Ireland around this time just click here.

In June 1855, with the famine behind the Coughlan family, by the time he was 23 years old, Charles Joseph had met and married Honora Barrett (only 19 at the time).
Over the next ten years they moved 500m from the farm next to Hayfield Manor to Bandon Road where they owned and lived in 156 Bandon Road.

Although the family appear to have been well off compared to most, this did not spare them tragedy. Their first ten years seem to have been happy raising their new family. They had four children, Hannah 1856, Mary 1858, William 1860, John Joseph in 1862.

1863 Is the first time we see Charles listed in the Cork City Business directories as a Spirit Dealer. Their premises is listed as 156 Bandon Road. This would have been a pub and also the family home.

Tragically, in 1866, at just 29 years of age when the children were 10, 8, 6 and 4 their mother contracted Typhoid Fever.

They did not know it at the time but Typhus was transmitted by lice which were inescapable in those days. The fever was particularly virulent and all classes were effected. Honora would have suffered a high fever, mental confusion, body aches and a characteristic rash which covers the body and limbs. Death usually occurred from heart failure after around 2 weeks. Honora suffered for 12 days and was only 29 years old when she passed away with her husband by her side on the 4th March 1866.

Her husband Charles was now left with businesses to run and 4 young children with no mother to care for them.

Mary Anne Dawson was married to Charles 5 months later on August 9th 1866. It is possible she may have been a second cousin as her mother and Charles’ possible mother have the same surname (Saunders)

We can only imagine how he was in desperate need of a wife to look after his children and either he thought of her or she was suggested to him. Whatever way their relationship transpired, he appears to have been very fond of her as she is kindly mentioned as his “dear wife” in his will.

Charles and his new wide Mary Anne went on to have a baby Daniel the following year, December 1867. Sadly yet more tragedy befell and he died a few months later in the first quarter of 1868. They did not go on to have any further children.

Charles and Mary Ann and the four children (of Honora) moved from 156 to 150 and 149 on Bandon Road at some time between 1867 and 1872 where they lived until 1883. At this stage the children were Hannah 20, Mary 18, William 16 and John Joseph 14.

Charles was an asthmatic and died in 1883 at the age of 51 from Asthma and Bronchitis. He died in his home at 149 Bandon Road and a Kate Flynn was present at his death. She signed her name as an X as she could not write.

It is interesting to note a few historical things at this point. Where I have mentioned above that the Coughlans owned or lived in various places or premises, they did not actually own them. The Catholic Irish were not allowed to own property in their own right at that time but between 1870 and 1909 this would gradually change. Up to this point the properties they occupied would have been leased from protestant landowners. They could sublet as they did in the case of 146 and 147 Bandon Road listed above.

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I have previously added the transcription of Charles’ will to this site. It is available by clicking here.

In summary of his will, he chose his sister Margaret O’Leary (neé Coughlan) and John Hurley, Master Tailor, South Main Street as the executors of his will. They were to look after everything in trust until his children William and John reached the age of 21.

He left the following
no. 146 (let as tenements) to his son William
no. 147 to his second wife Mary Coughlan neé Dawson
no. 148 premises and shed initialy to his sister and then to John when he reached 21
no. 149 the Pub also to his son John

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When Charles Joseph Coughlan died at age 51 his children were Hannah 27, Mary 25, William 23 and John Joseph 20. They had lost both parents and although they had a stepmother it seems their Aunt Margaret was a large part of their lives also.

It is at this point we focus on his youngest child, his son John Joseph Coughlan born 1862, who lost his birth mother at age 4 and inherited a pub which he received on his 21st Birthday on May 31 1883 just a few short months after his father passed away .

If you would like to learn more about the famine, I highly recommend the following book Atlas of the Great Irish Famine. Every home should have one!

There are three PDF documents pages 1, 2 and 3

Transcription

(please feel free to suggest corrections, where there are brackets or stars these signify words I was unable to transcribe accurately)

This is the last Will and Testament of me Charles Coughlan otherwise called Charles Joseph Coughlan of number 149 Bandon Road in the City of Cork, Publican hereby revoking all former and other Will and Wills Codicil and Codicils heretofore at anytime made by me.

I leave devise and bequeath all my product of every nature and (kind) whatsoever whether real chattel (real) or personal of which I shalldie posessed or to which I shall be entitled at the time of my decease unto my friend James Hurley of the South Main Street in the City of Cork aforesaid Master Tailor and my sister Margaret O’Leary otherwise Coughlan and the survivor of them and the executors or administrators of such survivors (but upon the *****) and for the several uses intents and purposes hereinafter declared that is to say upon trust in the first place to pay thereout all my just debts funeral and **** expenses and in the next place to hold the dwelling houses, shop and premises known as number 147 Bandon Road aforesaid now in the tenancy and posession of Julia Kilcher Huster which Hold by lease under Doctor Wycherly for the sole use being of and (****) of my wife Mary Coughlan otherwise Dawson and her designs for and during her mutual life only in case my said sister Margaret O’Leary shall be living at the time of the decease of my said wife for the sale and separate are benefit and behoof of my said sister Margaret O’Leary her executors administrators and assigns absolutely for the then residue of the term for which I now hold said house and premises free from the debt control or engagement of her present husband if living or any future husband whom she may hereafter marry but in case of my said sister Margaret O’Leary shall not survive my said wife Mary then I ***** that my said Trustees or Trustee or (other ) the Trustees or Trustee for the time being of this my Will shall upon the decease of my said sister Margaret O’Leary in the life time of my sdaid Wife transfer said house and premises to or hold same for my said wife Mary Coughlan her executors or administrators and assigns for her and their own are and benefit absolutely for the full residue of my term therein.

And as to the dwelling house and premises adjoining said last mentioned premises and known as number 146 Bandon Road aforesaid now let in tenement and which I also hold my lease under Doctor Wycherley I hereby direct and it is my Will that my said trustees or trustee for the time being of this my will shall hold the same with the (appar tenances) upon trust for my son William Coughlan his executors, administrators and assigns for his and their own use and benefit.

And as to the dwelling house, shop and premises known as number 149 Bandon Road aforesaid in which I now reside and carry on my business of a publican and all my term interest and good will therein and also my public licence , shop fixtures, furniture and utensils and book debts if any due to me at the time of my decease and all my hoiuseholdfurniture goods chattels and effects in and about my said dwelling house shop and premises number 149 Bandon Road aforesaid. I hereby will and du**th that my said trustees or trustee or other trustee of this my Will shall hold the same respectively for the saole benefit and behoof of my son John Coughlan his executor administrator and assigns absolutely.

And as to the store and loft adjoining said last mentioned premises and known as number 148 Bandon Road aforesaid in the tenancy and occupation of John Coughlan Coal and Hay dealer and all my term and interest therein I leave and devise the same to my said trustees and trustee upon trust for the sole and ******* benefit and behoof of my said sister Margaret O’Leary and her assigns for and durning her natural life and from and after the decease of my said sister Margaret O’Leary upon trust for my said son John Coughlan his executors administrators and assigns for his and their own benefit absolutely.

And I appoint my said sons William Coughlan and John Coughlan residual devisees and ***** and *** to constitute and appoint my said trustees James Hurley and Margaret O’Leary ***** executor and executrix of this my Will and Guardians of the persons of my said two sons until they shall executively attain the full age of twenty one years In witness whereof **** into subscribed my name this twenty sixth day of February One Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy Nine 1879

Charles Coughlan otherwise Charles Joseph Coughlan signed published and declared the said Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in presence of us who have at his **** in his presence and in presence of each other (all there being present at the same time) subscribed our names and witness hereto.

Walter Thornhill Sol Cork
Patrick Flynn Clk to said Walter Thornhill

John Coughlan & Ellen Saunders c1800
Lived on the farm and land they leased next to Hayfield Manor House. They had 6 children Charles, Mary Anne, John, Margaret, Mary and Dan.

Death of Charles Joseph Coughlan 1952

Through family knowledge the health of Charles Coughlan was never the same after his time in Ballykinlar. At the age of 65 he passed away.

Charles Coughlan died in 1952 and is buried in St Finbarrs Cemetry in Cork

1920 January 7th  Nominated for Cork City Council under Sinn Fein & Transport Workers No.1 South In the South Ward area, Charles Coughlan stood as a candidate for the joint Sinn Fein / Transport Workers grouping. He topped the poll with 485 votes, becoming Alderman of that Ward.

18 October 1886 Born to John Coughlan and Ellen Sullivan

1901 Living with his parents on Bandon Road, Cork

1911 Working as a Carpenter in Timoleague, Cork

24th April 1917 Married Kathleen Brosnan

1920

6 January 1920 Nominated for Cork City Council under Sinn Fein & Transport Workers No.1 South and elected as Alderman

20th March 1920  Murder of Tomás MacCurtain

25th October 1920  Lord Mayor of Cork Terence MacSwiney died on Hunger Strike, part of Cork delegation to funeral.

11 December 1920 Saturday night and Sunday Burning of Cork

31 January 1921 Arrested sent to Cork Prison followed by Spike Island and on to Ballykilnar until end December 1922 after the Anglo Irish treaty was signed 6 December 1921 

1922 January released from Ballykinlar (we think, date to be confirmed)

1922 April 13 Resigned from Office of Public works

1922

1922-1930 Sawmill Street Premesis

1922-3 Built Tempory Library for Cork at 2 Tuckey St

1924 still on cork city council

1930 Sawmill St and South Terrace

1931-33 Worked on the Irish Agricultural and Industrial Fair

1945 Coughlan Bros 1 South Terrace, Blackrock

1952 Funeral of Charles Coughlan

On the 31 January 1921 the first elected Cork Corporation were arrested, including Charles Coughlan.

The group were sent to Cork Prison, then to Spike Island and on to Ballykinlar.

What was Ballykinlar Internment Camp?

Ballykinlar Internment Camp, established in December 1920 in County Down, Northern Ireland, was one of the first large-scale internment sites in Ireland, built to detain those suspected of being associated with the Irish War of Independence. Primarily housing suspected Irish Republican Army (IRA) sympathizers and members, the camp’s population at times exceeded 2,000 men, held under harsh and often inhumane conditions. Prisoners were subjected to strict confinement, with poor-quality food, limited sanitation, and inadequate medical facilities, which contributed to the spread of diseases like tuberculosis and scabies. In response, detainees created their own internal structure, mirroring a “Prisoner of War” setup, with shared educational, cultural, and recreational activities to help them endure the adversity​.​

Conditions in Ballykinlar were intentionally difficult, as authorities aimed to demoralize the detainees. Despite this, prisoners organized classes, sports (including daily Gaelic football matches), and even theater, fostering camaraderie and resilience within their ranks. Though security was strict, some attempted escapes, with a few reaching as far as Drogheda before being captured again. The camp closed in 1921 following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, and the detainees were released, though many were attacked by loyalist mobs on their return journey home​.​

Today, the legacy of Ballykinlar is preserved through projects such as the Ballykinlar History Hut at the Down County Museum, which displays memorabilia and recreations of the original camp huts, offering insight into the challenging lives of those interned there and fostering understanding of this period in Irish history

https://www.facebook.com/BallykinlarHistoryHut is an excellent resource!

Daily Life at Ballykinlar Internement Camp in 1921

There were two internment camps at Ballykinlar, Camp I and Camp II. The camps were separated from one other by a double barbed wire fence which encircled each camp. Communication between the two camps was banned.

This rule was overcome by the passing of notes tied to a stone and thrown over the fence from one camp to the other when it was clear to do so.

Each camp contained 1000 prisoners when full. There were 4 companies of 250 men in each camp, Camp I included companies A B C D and Camp II included companies E F G and H . Each company split into 10 huts of 25 men.

In addition to the huts where the men slept, there were central camp huts used as a chapel, dining hall, recreation, canteen, cook house, workshops etc. The toilets were latrines with buckets.

In early 1921 the companies drilled every day, a roll was called and there were lectures and training. This however was restricted after a few weeks passed. The military training continued in secret after this.

Time was spent in formal classes in subjects such as Irish, Maths and surveying as well as carving, macrame, art. Some of the educational classes offered certificates on completion.

Lectures and debates were frequent. Plays were held with costumes and scenery.

Cork’s Clle Micheal o Cuill also of Cork Corporation who had been arrested at the same time as Charles Coughlan was one of the hard working Irish teachers in the camp. Micheal was also a good friend of Terence MacSwiney and Tomas MacCurtain. He also attended in the guard of honor for Terence MacSwineys funeral in London.

Charles Coughlans Time in Ballykinlar Internment Camp

Alderman Charles Coughlan
Hut 8 – E Company – Camp 2 – Ballykinlar – Co.Down

Charles partook in, amongst other classes, a class in carving in Ballykinlar.

This harp with a swan and scroll with celtic symbols is what he carved from a left over cow bone.

Two similar examples are pictured below.

Personal Note : I was honoured by my amazing family for my 50th birthday and they had a reproduction of the harp carved by Charles made into a necklace by the wonderful jewellers in Cork, Sean Carrol & Sons

Release from Ballykinlar Internment Camp

Prisoners Released following signing of the Peace Treaty on 6 December 1921

I highly recommend the book by Liam O’Duibhir . This is the link to the book on Amazon. It gives an amazing account of Ballykinlar Camp.

Kathleen Brosnan (age 30/31) married Charles Coughlan (age 30) on 24th April 1917 in St Finbarrs South, Dunbar St, Cork Click for Marriage records

Lived at 14 Barrack St, Cork at the time of her Marriage with her sister Margaret. Her parents were Michael Brosnan (b.1857) and Nora/Hanorah O’Connor (b.1864) of Tralee.

Listed as a border at 2 Camden Quay Cork (Boarding House) for the 1911 Census; Occupation : Typist, From : Co. Kerry; Age 25.
Also listed boarding in the same house is a Martha Brosnan; Occupation : dressmaker from Co Kerry age 20. Martha was her sister.
Click for Census link

This is the census record for Kathleen Brosnan in 1901
Click for census record.

Kathleens family lived in Rocket Lane, Tralee
Her parents were Michael (b.1857) and Hanorah Brosnan neé O’Connor (b.Sept 14 1861). Kathleen was one of 9 girls and 3 boys.

Her family appear at the same address in 1911 but without Hanorah (mother) present. They also had a cow shed, a pig shed and a chicken shed.
Hanorah appears on this Census record with three of the other children. Click for Census Record This house 15 Abbey Street is listed as a 1st Class house and is now a restaurant. Rocket Lane no longer exists.

According to multiple family sources the Brosnan family owned up to 12/14 properties in the town and rented many of them out as well as running businesses in them.

43,44 and 45 Bridge St are some of the properties owned.

This is a photo of Mary Brosnan. Working at 45 Bridge St for her Aunt Nora Brosnan. Nora Brosnan was Kathleen Brosnans sister.

According to family sources all the children were given one of the family businesses to run.

Martin Joseph Brosnan b. October 4th 1883 m. Mollie Brosnan
Catherine (Kathleen) Mary Brosnan b. Jan 18th 1885 Castle St. Tralee d. Nov 19th 1955 Godparents Thomas O’Connor and Hanora O’Connor
Anne Mary Josepha Brosnan b March 16th 1887
Mary Martha Brosnan b. July 29th 1888 m. John (Black Jack) Finn
Eileen Mary Brosnan b. Aug 28th 1889 d. 1963
Christina Mary Brosnan b. January 5th 1891 m. Denis Shields
James Joseph (Jim) Brosnan b. April 2nd 1892 m. Jane Scott d. 1958
Margaret Mary Reta Brosnan b. June 1st 1893
Dominick Brosnan b. September 25th 1894 m. Alice Kelly d. 1971
Hannah Mary Brosnan b. November 14th 1895
Honora Mary Brosnan b. February 20th 1897
Thomas (Tommy) John Brosnan b. June 15th 1898 m. Annie Glennon d. 1970
Barbara Mary Brosnan b. August 20th 1900
Lizzie Brosnan b. 1901 m Alexander Cronin
Brendan Joseph Brosnan b. February 23rd 1906 d. 1983

Rita Brosnan