1901 Census County Kildare, 1901 Census of Ireland, County Kildare, Morristownbiller District, Rosberry

1901 Census Rosberry Townland Co. Kildare – 32 Houses Synopsis

July 9, 2025

When the 1901 Census was taken on the evening of March 31^st in the townland of Rosberry, just outside Newbridge, Co. Kildare in the Electoral Division of Morristownbiller, 189 people occupied the thirty-two houses recorded. The Census graded twenty of these houses as third class due to their size and the fact the walls were construction of mud and the roofs of thatch. Eleven of the houses were graded second class with stone or brick walls and rooves of slate, tile or iron. Only one house was graded 1^st class and that was Rosberry House, a house of more than 10 rooms that was occupied at the time by Teresa Mary O’Grady (nee Crinnion), four of her children and 2 servants. This is a summary of those 32 houses and who lived in them.

Houses 1 to 17 Rosberry Townland in 1901

The Census enumerator recorded a House number, a description of the house, particulars of the inhabited house, a classification of the house based on its particulars, the number of families living in the house, the name of the head of the family, the number of rooms, the number of residents and the name of the landlord. Click here to access the 1901 Census for Rosberry (spelt incorrectly as Roseberry in the census)

House 1 Rosberry: Bridget Kelly (1835-1901)

Bridget Kelly was the head of household at House 1 Rosberry in 1901, a house of four rooms with mud walls and a thatched roof that was graded 3^rd class in the census. Her outbuildings were a stable and cowshed, and Bridget owned the property. She was a 66-year-old spinster farmer living with 62-year-old farm servant and spinster Julia Doran (1839-1907). Both ladies could read and write.

It appears Bridget died ten days after the census on April 10^th of oesophagitis, a swelling and inflammation of the tissues that line the oesophagus, a condition her death registration says she only suffered from for 6 days. This may have left Julia homeless, for she died in Naas Workhouse May 20^th 1907 of heart disease and chronic asthma which her death registration says she suffered for 14 days. Her occupation was recorded as Charwoman.

House 2 Rosberry: Matthew Kelly (1840-1907)

This Kelly household was made up of five unmarried Kelly siblings ranging in age from 46 to 66, the children of John Kelly and Catherine Doyle. Matthew (60) is listed as the Head of Family and a Farmer, and his siblings are Daniel (66), Patrick (62), Anne (54) and John (46), a twenty-year age spread. All could read and write, although Patrick was listed as an imbecile. They were the children of John Kelly and Catherine Doyle and the family appears to have moved more than once between the townlands of Hawkfield and Rosberry. In 1839, Patrick was born in Rosberry, but in 1840 Mathew was born in Hawkfield as was Anne in 1845. The family were back in Rosberry when John was born in 1851.

In 1901 this family occupied 3 rooms and the house had mud walls and a thatched roof and was therefore graded 3^rd class. Matthew Kelly was the owner of the house and he also owned the two houses next door (Houses 3 and 4) occupied by Martin Hanigan and George Brown. The five outbuildings were a stable, cow house, calf house, piggery and fowl house.

Matthew was born in Hawkfield and baptised February 4^th 1840 in Newbridge. He died of bronchitis (6 days certified) on April 25^th 1907 at The Valleys in Newbridge, with his sister Anne in attendance.

Daniel was the oldest, aged 66, and he died February 29^th 1908 also at The Valleys, this time of Bright’s Disease and Erysipelas, the latter being a relatively common bacterial skin infection, and the former an archaic term for inflammation of the kidneys caused by toxins or infection and is referred to as “nephritis” today . Anne was also in attendance when Daniel passed but interestingly, she is referred to as a stepsister.

“The Valleys” was a road running parallel to Pollardstown Fen on the east side, joining the old Morristownbiller graveyard to the Rosberry to Milltown road. It crossed the townland of Scarletstown and Cornelcourt, which slope down to the fen, hence the name “The Valleys”.

House 3 Rosberry: Martin Hanigan (1824-1902)

Martin Hanigan was a retired 77-year-old bachelor farmer living in a property owned by his neighbour Matthew Kelly that had 4 rooms but was still recorded as a 3^rd class property because it had mud walls and a thatch roof. Attached to the property was a stable, cow house, calf house, piggery, fowl house, and a dairy. Also present that night was lodger, 73-year-old bachelor labourer, James Walsh.

Martin died at home on November 22^nd 1902 from Bronchitis which he suffered for seven days but a Kelly was present at his death. It is likely by then his lodger James Walsh had been taken to Naas Workhouse for he was suffering for 2 years from stomach cancer before he died there February 29^th 1904.

House 4 Rosberry: George Brown (1861-1912)

George Brown was 40 years old, unmarried and lived alone at House 4, which was owned by his neighbour Matthew Kelly. The two roomed house was made of mud walls and thatch and was classified as 3^rd class, but the yards were well stocked with a stable, two cow houses, a calf house, a dairy, a piggery and a fowl house. It is likely George worked for the Kelly family.

With the death of Matthew Kelly, George may have moved on to nearby Scarletstown by 1911, where he was living in a single room house owned by his then neighbour Francies Anderson. However, George was suffering from TB at this time and died after two years on April 21^st 1912 in nearby Hawkfield. His sister, Annie Monahan of the Common townland, adjacent to Rosberry, was present at his death.

House 5 Rosberry: Anne Browne nee Coleman (1847- )

Anne Browne, nee Coleman, was the 54-year-old head of house 5 in Rosberry in 1901. She was a widowed housekeeper who had three children living with her that evening; Thomas (17), Anne (21) and her 25-year-old married daughter Sarah Wright. Also in the house were two grandchildren, Anne Wright (1) and Ellen Burns (2).

The house only had two rooms but was classified as 2^nd class because it had stone walls and a slated roof. The outhouses included a stable, cow house, calf house, piggery and fowl house, and the house was owned by George Colthurst Vesey, one of only 8 out of 32 houses still in the ownership of the original landlord, and descendant of Patrick Sarsfield.

Anne Coleman married Henry Browne (1839-1887), a Commission Agent, on October 31^st 1864 in Kilmeague Co. Kildare when Anne was 17 years old. Henry died of TB May 7^th 1887 at home in Rosberry having suffered the illness for six years.

Sarah Browne married James Wright of the Royal Horse Artillery in 1899

On February 8^th 1899, Sarah Browne married James Wright, a Driver with the Royal Horse Artillery stationed in Newbridge at the time. James was born in Co. Down. Little did James and Sarah know, but within 8 months of their marriage, the 2^nd Boer War would be declared in October 1899 and most military units were shipped to South Africa by November. Sarah would have been at least six months pregnant on the day her husband embarked for the Boer War because her daughter Anne was born in Rosberry January 10^th 1900, with the birth registration stating James was in South Africa.

James Wright survived the Boer War having served from 1899-1902 when it ended. He returned to Rosberry and their second daughter Mary was born there December 17^th 1902. But they must have moved to England shortly thereafter, because their third child, Ruth was born in Stoke Hammond, Buckinghamshire around 1906. They were recorded in the 1911 Census as living at The Hollies, Church Road, Linslade, Leighton Buzzard, Bucks, by which time three more children, Ruth (aged 5 born Nov 10 1905 in Stoke Hammond Bucks.), Kathleen aged 2, and one-year old Thomas James had been born, both at Linslade.

Margaret Brown married Thomas Burns of the 4th Dragoon Guards in 1890

Ellen Burns, aged two, was the daughter of Margaret Browne (born August 15^th 1871) and her husband Thomas Burns of the 4^th Dragoon Guards, who was based in the Curragh Camp when they married August 25^th 1890 in Newbridge. Thomas was a widower and Margaret a spinster. The 4^th Dragoon Guards were posted to Rawalpindi in Punjab India in 1894 and from late 1902 to Muttra, so it is possible Margaret had left Ellen behind. Even though the Census says Ellen was born in Kildare, no record has been found to date to confirm that.

By 1911 Ellen Burns was still lodging with her mother’s extended family, this time with her uncle Thomas Browne, who had married nineteen-year-old Catherine, aka Kate, Lycied of Rosberry in 1905. In 1911 Ellen lived with this young family in Piercetown, Newbridge alongside their three surviving children, Annie (4), Bridget (3) and Henry (1).

The spelling of the name “Lyceid” went through many iterations in official records, but a version of it is recorded in Rosberry as far back as the 1827 Tithe Applotment Books. Catherine’s name in the 1901 Census is Katie Licied and she was living at House 23 Rosberry, the home of her uncle William. Her own widowed father Michael and her siblings Lizzie, Patrick, Edward and Julia were three doors down at House 26 on Census night 1901.

A notable feature of the family is its close connection to those serving in the British Army. Margaret married Thomas Burns of the 4^th Dragoon Guards in 1890, Esther married Henry Tuthill, a Gunner with the Royal Horse Artillery in 1893, Sarah married James Wright, a Driver in the same unit, and their brother Thomas lost his left-hand fighting in World War I.

Esther Browne married Henry Thurlow Tuthill of the Royal Horse Artillery in 1893

Esther was born April 6^th 1878 and married Henry (Harry) Thurlow Tuthill (1871-1946) in Newbridge on August 30^th 1893, when Esther was only 16 years old. Henry was a Gunner in the Royal Horse Artillery in Newbridge. Henry was born in Walpole, Suffolk, the son of farmer George Tuthill. Henry and Esther had two children in Newbridge, Kate (b. 27^th Jan 1894) and Thomas George (b. 26^th Jun 1895) before he was posted back to England, where seven more children were born in Kent. Anne (b.1898-1941), Harry Thurlow (1899-1915), Caroline (1901-1967) Dorothy (1907-1977) and Ellis George (1911-1976), Robert (1919-1964) and Peggy (1924-2012) .

Esther Tuthill’s family in particular continued the military connection down through the generations. Tragically her 16-year-old son Harry was lost at sea with all hands on the HMS Clan McNaughton on February 15^th 1915. Her son Ellis George served with the RAF in WWII in Italy and North Africa and his son, Esther’s grandson, Derek Ellis Tuthill would be rewarded with an MBE in the Queen’s 1981 birthday honours list for his extensive role in the successful development of Britain’s Hydrogen Bomb capability. He was the plotter on the No. 49 Sqn Valiant that dropped the first real British hydrogen bomb southeast of Christmas Island in the Pacific on 8^th November 1958. Known as “Grapple X”, the two stage thermonuclear bomb exploded with a force of 1.8mt at around 8,000 feet.

House 6 Rosberry: John Kelly (1854-)

Three unmarried Kelly brothers, John (50), Patrick (45) and William Henry (31) lived here on Census night. All three gave their occupation as farmers although John owned the house, which was of 4 rooms, but rated third class because it was constructed of mud walls and a thatch roof.

Outside there were two stables, a harness room, three cowhouses, two calf houses, a dairy, piggery, and a fowl house, eleven buildings in total. It had the most comprehensive collection of outbuildings in Rosberry in 1901, so whether they farmed one large farm, or three separate farms, their holdings were likely to be extensive.

Their parents were Edward Kelly and Anne Moore. According to Griffith’s Valuations, Edward was farming 13 acres in Rosberry in 1854. Research revealed Edward and Anne had at least 10 children, all of whom were born in Rosberry, except for the first three, who were born in the nearby Rosberry Common townland. James was born there and baptized 7 January 1844, Mary was baptized on 23^rd April 1846, and Rose on June 11^th 1848, in the middle of the famine. This would imply the family moved to the Rosberry townland at some point between 1848, the height of the famine, and 1854 when Griffith’s Valuations were compiled for this part of Kildare.

The other children were: John (baptized 23^rd Nov 1850) Thomas (b. Jul 10^th 1853 d. Dec 10^th 1903 Noorat, Corangamite Shire, Victoria, Australia), Edward (b. 27^th Jan 1856) and Peter (b. 18 Nov 1860), Margaret (bapt. 4^th Jan 1863) and William Henry on 10^th September 1867.

Thomas Kelly was a Founding Shareholder of the Glenormiston Butter Factory in Victoria, Australia

Thomas married Mary Lourey in Australia and did very well for himself and his family, becoming a founding shareholder and director of the Glenormiston Butter Factory before he died of an appendicitis operation December 10^th 1903.

Peter Kelly was a Justice of the Peace in Newbridge

Peter married Maria Cummins of nearby Caragh on November 22^nd 1892. He was a shopkeeper in Newbridge, and he was a butcher & victualler there at House 10 Main Street, which he shared with his wife and five staff. They had no children. They were still there in 1911 this time with 4 staff, and Peter was now also a Justice of the Peace and the Census tells us they had no children in their 18-year marriage.

In 1901, their widowed brother James Kelly was living at House 2 Hawkfield with his 6 children. His wife Roseanna Farrell died the previous year April 22^nd 1900 from TB and exhaustion at the age of 40.

House 7 Rosberry: Patrick Byrne (1838-1917)

Patrick Byrne (1838- d Oct25th 1917) was a 63-year-old widowed farmer living in House 6 with three of his children: twenty-nine-years-old Michael (b.31^st Mar 1872- 1947), twenty-six years old Mary (b. 5 Jun 1874 in Newbridge) and twenty-two-year old Alice (22), all of whom were unmarried.

Their occupation of a farmer’s son/daughter would imply they worked on the family farm supporting their father.

The house was owned by Patrick and had four rooms, but it was classified as third class on account of its mud walls and thatched roof. The outbuildings consisted of two cowhouses, a piggery and a fowl house, but no stable appears to be present. Patrick’s wife, Catherine, nee Tierney, died in Rosberry November 15^th 1893 of liver cancer, which she endured for four years. Patrick was by her side at the time of death. She was 54 years old and therefore born c.1839. Patrick Byrne and Catherine Tierney married in Newbridge 6^th August 1861. They had at least eleven children.

Their first child, Liam was born Jan 12^th 1862 less than five months after Patrick and Catherine married;
Edward “Thady” (1862-1942);
William (12 Jan 1862-);
John (16 Aug 1863 -16 Nov 1942 in Naas); He would marry Elizabeth Boland (27 Sep 1874 – 23 Oct 1935). They lived in Hawkfield and had a son Patrick in September 1900. Their son Daniel Byrne, who was born 1910, married Margaret Maguire (1908-1996).
Patrick (1866-1933);
Jane (16 Jan 1868-1948 in Newbridge). She first married William Grattan and they lived in Hawkfield in 1901. They had 5 children from 1892 to 1905. When William died, Jane married James Cardiff (1865- ) and they had a son James in 1909. William and Jane Grattan’s children were:
- Bridget (1892)
- Peter (1894)
- Kathleen (1897)
- William (1898) and
- Patrick (1905-1968) who marred Annie McGuff (1913- 1956) of Liverpool.
Bridget (1 Apr 1870 – 3 Oct 1925) married William Boland (b.1873 11 Apr 1955 Milltown). They married October 4^th 1899 one week before their siblings John Byrne and Elizabeth Boland married. They were living at 42.4 James Street off Usher’s Quay in Dublin in 1901 with their son John. Bridget is listed as a Roomkeeper. They had 4 children all of whom emigrated to America and died in Baltimore Maryland. They were John J. (b.16 Aug 1900 Dublin, Baltimore) Kathleen B. Rigley (b. 20 Nov 1902 in Cornelscourt -d.4 Jan 1990) Mary M. (b.12 Nov 1904 in Hawkfield-d. 20 Jan 1999) and Patrick (b. 31 Aug 1907 in Cornelscourt -d. 24 Dec 1949)
Michael (31 Mar 1872 – 1947) at home in Rosberry in 1901
Mary (5 Jun 1874 -) at home in Rosberry in 1901
Catherine (b. 4 May 1876-) and
Alice (b. 1879) at home in Rosberry in 1901
Thomas (6^th Feb 1881 -1899).

House 8 Rosberry: Edward Kelly (1870- )

Edward Kelly was the Head of Household aged 30 and his sister Roseanna, aged 55 was living with him. Both were single at the time of the 1901 Census. The house had four rooms and was constructed of mud walls with a thatch roof but it was classified as a second-class house as it had four windows to the front.

It is most likely that Edward’s age was incorrect here, as there is no death recorded for him between 1901 and 1911 and he appears in the 1911 Census at House 29 aged 54. Roseanna does not appear in the 1911 Census but seems to be the same spinster Rosanna who died Jul 4^th 1901 in Newbridge aged 53. She was a shopkeeper and her sister Anne was in attendance when she died, according to the death registration.

In the 1911 Census, Edward had his fifty-year-old bachelor brother Patrick living with him as well as a twenty-year-old niece Rosie. She can be found in the 1901 Census living at House 2 in the townland adjacent townland of Rickardstown. Rosie was the daughter of James Kelly and Roseanna Farrell who married Nov 13 1884. In the 1901 Census fifty-six-year-old James was a widow living as Head of Household at House 2 in Rickardstown, as Roseanna had died from TB April 29^th 1900 aged 40.

Also living there were his children Annie aged 13, Sarah aged 11, Rosie aged 10, Mary aged 9, Edward aged 7 and Daniel aged 5, all of whom were attending school in 1901, and his eighty-year-old widowed cousin Peter Farrell was also present.

House 9 Rosberry: James Monahan (1851-1919)

James Monahan (51) married Bridget Kelly (40) and Bridget’s sister Mary Kelly (28) was the cook in the house in 1901. James and Bridget married in 1881 and they had 11 children living with them by 1901.

The 1911 Census tells us they had 16 children in total, but only 9 were alive that evening April 2^nd 1911 and seven of them were living with them that census night.

The 11 children living at home in 1901 were: Patrick (18), Robert (17), James (15), Mary (14), Jane (10), Andrew (7), John (5), Bridgit (4), Joseph (2), and two-week-old twins William and Anne, who were born March 18^th at the Common townland, with William arriving at noon, and Anne 25 minutes later. The two twins died young, Anne aged 5 months on August 22^nd 1901 of diarrhoea which she endured for just a day, and William died of Bronchitis on February 20^th 1903 aged 2. Then three children died from Enteric Fever, also known as Typhoid Fever in the winter of 1906/7. 12-year-old John died November 18^th 1906 having endured the fever for 8 days. He died at home in Rosberry. Clearly concerned about their children’s medical care, 10-year-old Bridget and 19-year-old Mary were transferred to Naas hospital, but to no avail. Mary Monaghan died on December 29^th 1906 and her 10-year-old sister Bridget died 10 days later on January 8^th 1907. Bridget suffered the fever for 2 months and must have caught it the same time her brother John did around November 10^th whereas Mary caught it around December 5^th.

The 7 children living at home in 1911 were: Robert (28), James (26), Andrew (18), Joseph (12), Hugh (8), Daniel (7) and Michael (7). Daniel and Michael were also twins and were born in the Common townland on July 8^th 1904, with Daniel delivered at 7pm and Michael an hour later.

James was a Railway worker in 1901 and Bridget’s hands were full coping with such a large family, hence the help of her sister Mary. Their parents were Robert Kelly and Jane Murphy, and their brother Robert was the blacksmith living nearby in the Common.

Their son Andrew Monahan, aged 7 in 1901, would join the Free State Army as a 2^nd Lt. at Beggar’s Bush Barracks Dublin on February 26th 1922 (Pay number 14404). He was single and his mother Bridget was recorded as his next of kin who was still living in Rosberry at that time.

House 10 Rosberry: Christopher Grogan (1823-1906)

Christopher Grogan was a 72-year-old labourer in the railway works living with his 66-year-old wife Rose (1835-1912) nee Morrin, and two children, Mary (31) and John (27) who were both single. John was also a Railway Labourer and all could read and write except Rose.

Research would suggest that Christopher was actually 78 years old in 1901 and born in Newbridge in 1823. He and Rose married in Newbridge April 18^th 1858. They had 9 children, three of whom had died before the 1901 Census was taken. They were Bridget in 1870, Jane in 1889, and Richard in 1898.

Jane, born 17^th October 1858, died 19^th September 1889;
Patrick J., born 13^th May 1860. He was a railway employee, who married Mary Anderson on April 29^th 1897, the 21 year old daughter of John Anderson, a farm from Silliothill townland in Kildare. Patrick and Mary were living at Claregate in Kildare town on Census night together with their two-year-old daughter Rose. Patrick died in Dublin at his residence, 59 Rathdown Road, on 11^th February 1940;
Bridget Ellen Grogan (1861-1870). She was born December 22^nd 1861;
Catherine was born in November 1863;
Margaret was born 15^th September 1866 and died in 1909. Margaret (Maggie) married Michael Goff, the seventh son of Michael Goff, Twomilehouse, on May 9^th 1893 in Newbridge.
Richard was born March 3^rd He was a Railway Milesman who died in Rosberry on 10^th April 1898 of Septicaemia;
Mary was born c1870 and died in 1921;
John was born 11^th October 1871 and died 16^th May 1938. On June 1^st 1909 he married Sophia Manning, daughter of racehorse trainer James Manning.
Christopher Grogan was born 16^th August 1874 and died in 18^th April 1886.

Visiting them that evening was Bridget Carroll (58) and her daughter Sarah (24). Bridget was born in Kildare and was a station master’s wife, although she was illiterate herself, and her daughter Sarah was born in Cork and was a Milliner by Occupation. Rose and Bridget were sisters, being the daughters of Patrick Morrin of the Common.

Bridget married Patrick Carroll, who was also from the Rosberry Common, on August 16^th 1864 in Newbridge. Patrick Carroll was a Stationmaster at Killeagh Co. Cork for 35 years before retiring. He was a brother of John Carroll of the Common and therefore an uncle of Sarah Carroll who married William Burke of Rosberry in 1902. The 4 roomed house was classified as second class as it was made of brick with a slate roof, with three windows to the front. It was owned by landlord George Vesey, who also own the Monaghan and McCann houses on either side of Grogans. The outbuildings comprised a stable, piggery and fowl house.

House 11 Rosberry: Thomas McCann (1862-1922)

Thomas McCann (48) and Mary McCann (44), nee Norton, lived at House 12 with 4 children Christopher (11) Thomas (7) Sarah (2) and Patrick (3 weeks). They would all be living together in 1911 in Rosberry also. Six children were born to them and two were deceased, including John (1895- Dec 9^th 1897 of diarrhoea Syncope). Also living with them was Mary’s 43-year-old bachelor brother Patrick Norton. All were born in Kildare.

Thomas and Mary married in Newbridge February 26^th 1889. Thomas was the son of Thomas McCann (who died in Rosberry aged 74 in 1898) and Mary was the daughter of John Norton.

The house had 3 rooms and was rated 3^rd class with mud walls and thatch roof, with two windows to the front of the house. The outbuildings consisted of a barn, cowhouse and a stable.

Mary died 25^th Oct 1915 in Rosberry of a possible strangulation of umbilical hernia. Bridget Monahan was present when she died, aged 63 (implying a year of birth of 1852). Thomas died May 21^st 1922 in Rosberry of a meningeal infection coma. His daughter Sara McCann was present. His aged is given as 60 which implies he was born in 1862.

House 12 Rosberry: James Galvin (c.1857- 1915)

James Galvin was a 40-year-old farmer born in Co. Limerick according to the 1901 Census and Co. Kerry according to the 1911 Census. He lived here with his wife Elizabeth nee Farrell and 5 children, namely John, Bridget, Margaret, Elizabeth, and Ellie. Bridget and Margaret were born in Dublin, the rest in Co. Kildare.

The 1911 Census tells us they had five children in total, so this was all of their family, and all were still living together in 1901. James and Elizabeth were both living at 5 Moore Street Dublin when they married 11 Aug 1890 at St. Mary’s Pro Cathedral on Marlborough Street. James was a Merchant and Elizabeth was of no occupation. Elizabeth’s father John was dead at this time, but James’ father Michael was still living. Both fathers were farmers. The witnesses were Moses Curtis and Mary Elizabeth Byrne. The Church Registrations tells us James’ parents were Michael Galvin and Bridget Harnett of Abbeyfeale and that Elizabeth’s parents were John Farrell and Margaret Murphy of Newbridge.

Four months after they married, John Christopher was born in Rosberry on 3^rd December. James was listed as a Shopkeeper. Bridget and Margaret were both born in 5 Moore Street but the other children were born in Rosberry. The Rosberry house was owned by James Galvin and had 6 rooms and three windows to the front. As the walls are of stone/brick and the roof of slate, the house was graded second class.

James Galvin died March 17^th 1915 of Aortic Regurgitation, a heart valve disorder where the aortic valve doesn’t close properly, causing blood to leak backward into the left ventricle. His was a farmer and his age was given as 58 which implies he was 43 when the 1901 census was taken. His wife Elizabeth was present when he died. Elizabeth lived another 30 years in Rosberry and died there November 8th 1945 aged 88 of senile decay, in the presence of her unmarried daughter Bridget.

13: "Rosberry House": Teresa Mary O'Grady (1853-1917)

Teresa Mary O’Grady (b1853-), nee Crinion, was a 40-year-old widow heading up the household of the finest house in Rosberry in 1901. House 13, known as Rosberry House, was a house of eleven rooms of brick and slate roof construction, with seven outbuildings: a stable, cowhouse, calf house, fowl house, piggery, barn, and shed.

Teresa was the daughter of gentleman farmer Michael Crinion of Rushwee House, in the townland of Rushwee, a short distance west of Slane Co. Meath. Rushwee House was the Crinion family home for generations before finally selling up in 2020.

According to Griffith’s Valuations, Michael Crinion farmed almost all of the 105 acres in the townland of Rushwee in the 1850’s.

Teresa Mary Crinion was 21 years old when she married Patrick O’Grady on February 11^th 1874 at Rushwee’s quaint St. Patrick’s Church. Patrick was 31 years old and the son of gentleman farmer John O’Grady of Rosberry House, so Teresa and Patrick were well matched in terms of background.

Having just celebrated their 17^th wedding anniversary, Teresa would find herself widowed aged thirty-eight on March 2^nd 1891 when her 50-year-old husband Patrick died at home of diabetes mellitus. He had suffered from this illness for 5 years, but what may have ultimately killed him was facial gangrene he endured for one month, a likely symptom of the primary illness. John Farrell of Loughbrown was present at Patrick’s death.

Teresa youngest child, Gertrude, was going on six when her father died. The four children living at home on census night with Teresa were John Edmond (26) who ran the farm as a Grazier with his mother, James (25) a Solicitor, Angela Mary (20) of no occupation, medical student Michael Joseph (19) and fourteen-year-old scholar Gertrude Mary. Also present that evening was Mary Kane, a 20-year-old domestic servant, and 56-year-old married agricultural labourer, Thomas Connor.

Teresa never remarried and died at home on November 21^st 1917 of pernicious anaemia and heart failure. Her son John Edmund was in attendance, and for some unknown reason, her death was not officially registered until February 12^th 1918. Her death notice in The Freeman’s Journal of November 22^nd confirmed she was buried at Connell Abbey graveyard after 11 o’clock mass at St. Conleth’s Church in Newbridge. Her husband Patrick was buried there also.

House 14 Rosberry: James Grady (c.1836 - 1923)

James Grady was a 63-year-old farmer living with his wife Mary (55) nee Kelly and 5 children, Richard (21), Edward (19), James (17), Bridget (14) and Annie (11). All were born in Kildare.

In the 1911 Census they were living in House 3 with Mary and Richard missing but everyone else was present. None of the kids were married at the time and James was widowed.

House 14 was a 4 roomed house with 3 windows to the front but it was graded third class as it was constructed of mud walls and a thatched roof. James Grady owned the property and the substantial outbuildings consisted of 2 stables, a cowhouse, calf house, a piggery, fowl house, barn and shed.

James and Mary had married in Newbridge on June 20^th 1871 in a ceremony witnessed by Patrick Grady and Bridget Kelly. Neither had married before and both were from Rosberry, and James was a farmer, the son of Richard, also a farmer deceased at the time, and Mary was the daughter of Edward Kelly, also a farmer, so it is likely her unmarried siblings were living in House 6 Rosberry in 1901.

Mary died May 1^st 1908 in Rosberry of Diabetes Mellitus. Her husband James was present at her death.

James died August 7^th 1923 at home in Rosberry in the presence of his daughter Annie. His age was recorded as 87 and he died of myocardial degeneration.

House 15 Rosberry: John Murphy (b.1870-)

Three young unmarried brothers, John (32), Thomas (30) and William (29), were all living together as Farmers, with two unmarried farm labouring servants, Peter Murphy (39) and William Farrell (40), living with them. All residents were born in Kildare.

The house was made of brick with a slate roof and had four rooms. It was owned by John Murphy. The 7 outbuildings were a stable, cowhouse, calf house, piggery, fowl house, a barn and a shed.

They were the sons of John Murphy and Margaret Sullivan of Rosberry who married in Newbridge July 7^th 1868. John was named after his father and Margaret’s father was Thomas Sullivan. Both fathers were Farmers, as was the groom. A John Murphy died in Rosberry 19^th February 1893 aged 75 and still married. A son J. Murphy was present at his death. It is unclear at this stage if this John Murphy was the father or grandfather of the residents of House 15 in 1901.

In 1911 John Murphy was living in the same house but in that Census it was recorded as House 4. He no longer had the calf house, fowl house or shed. His brother William and two servants, Peter Fullam (50) and Michael Reilly (36), were living with him. Meanwhile, Thomas Murphy was living as a Farmer at House 2 Clongownagh and servant Peter Murphy was living with him also. Both were still single.

House 16 Rosberry: Thomas Flood (c.1840 - 1914)

Thomas Flood was 60 years old, born in Kildare, and was living with his wife Jane, nee Meehan, who was born in Co. Meath c.1851. She can read and write but Thomas cannot read. Living with them were five children, namely Patrick (19), James (18), Bridget (16), Mary (14) and Thomas (10).

The house was leased off George Colthurst Vesey and had mud walls and a thatch roof, 3 rooms and two windows to the front. Thomas and Jane (Meehan or Meighan) married in Newbridge May 22^nd 1876, both for the first time. They were both living in Rosberry and Jane was the daughter of Patrick Meighan, and Thomas the Labouring son of William Flood, also a Labourer. Witnesses were John Flood and Anne Farrelly (possibly Farrell). The registration says Thomas was 34 and Jane 27, and if correct, they were born 1842 and 1849 respectively.

1911 Census: The family was living in Rosberry in House 36, which had two rooms with mud walls and a thatched roof. Thomas now owned the property though. He was now widowed as Jane died in Newbridge on April 14^th 1903 of heart disease in the presence of her daughter Bridget. Thomas was living with three children, Patrick, James and Thomas. James, Patrick and their father could not read and they were general labourers. Thomas died of chronic bronchitis in 1914 on July 8^th aged 75 in the presence of his daughter Bridget Cosgrove.

On October 26^th 1910, Bridget Flood married Thomas Cosgrove of Hawkfield in Newbridge. They had 5 children before Thomas died in 1921. (James in 1912, Thomas in 1914, John in 1916, Jane in 1918 and Patrick in 1920). Thomas Cosgrove was the son of Bridget McGarr and James Cosgrave (deceased) and like his father he was a Labourer. In the 1901 Census Thomas Cosgrove was living with his mother in Hawkfield and he had brought his bride home to Hawkfield in 1911. Two of Thomas’ sisters married the Geoghegan brothers of Curraghtown Co. Meath and their sister, Mary Geoghegan, married James Burke of Rosberry in 1906 and was living in Rosberry in 1911.

On August 2 1919 in Newbridge, Mary Flood married Patrick O’Rourke of Ballymany, son of James O’Rourke. The witnesses were J.J. Kearney and G. Gorman.

House 17 Rosberry: Peter Keogh (b.1850-)

Peter Keogh was a widowed farmer aged 50 living in a house of 3 rooms graded 3^rd class as it was made of mud walls and a thatched roof. The house was owned by Teresa O’ Grady of Rosberry House (Household 13). Peter’s 20-year-old son James, an agricultural labourer was living with him.

Research would suggest at the age of 23, Peter married Margaret Kelly of Newbridge, daughter of Edward Kelly, on July 9^th 1877. Margaret was a 26-year-old servant. Peter was the son of Terence Keogh.

Their daughter Mary was born May 27^th 1879 in Newbridge. Margaret died of epilepsy in Naas Workhouse March 19^th 1884.

They are not recorded in Rosberry in the 1911 Census. Research suggests James married Mary Neill of Radanstown on the Meath side of Kilcock on April 30^th 1907 at Kilcloon Church, west of Dunboyne. They were living in Knockanulla just outside Kilcock in 1911, together with their 1 year old daughter, Kathleen, christened Catherine Christine.

Houses 18 to 32 Rosberry Townland 1901 Census

House 18 Rosberry: Ellen Geraghty (1838 - 1911)

Ellen Geraghty was a spinster born in 1834 who lived alone at the time of the 1901 Census at House 18. She was a farmer who could not read, and was christened Eleanor, the daughter of William Geraghty and his wife Catherine Collatin (or Culleton).

Her house had 2 rooms with 2 windows to the front and was classified as third class as it was constructed of mud walls and a thatched roof. She was surrounded my many Geraghty first cousins and relations. Next door in House 19 her cousin Mary Geraghty lived with her husband John Burke and their children. In House 20 her bachelor first cousin and Mary’s brother James was living with his two eldest Burke nephews, and then in House 21, another first cousin, Patrick Geraghty lived with his wife Eliza Murray and their large family.

The Geraghty connection to Rosberry can be traced back to at leased 1768 when Lawrence Geraghty was born there.

1911 Census: Ellen was still living alone in 1911 and died that year on September 2^nd aged 77 of chronic bronchitis and heart failure.

House 19 Rosberry: John Burke (1841-1915)

John Burke was a 60-year-old farmer who lived with his 54-year-old wife, Mary Geraghty, in a 4 roomed house they owned with three windows to the front that was constructed of mud walls and a thatched roof and was therefore classified as third class. Five of their children, Mary (27), John (24), Anne (20), Peter (15) and daughter Eliza (22) with her husband James Morning (24) and their 3-year-old child Michael, lived with them on census night.

Strangely, John can read and write, as could Anne, Peter and James Morning, but his wife Mary, daughter Mary and son John could read only. Their two eldest surviving sons, William and James were living next door with their Uncle James Geraghty who died a few months after the Census, on July 18^th of Sepsis.

Daughter Mary was the only child not to marry, and all others married and had children. John married Mary Hannigan, Anne married John “Jack” Coffey, Peter married Bridget Delahunt of Kilgowan, William married Sarah Carroll and James married Mary Geoghegan. Their son Patrick married Margaret Dunne in November 1899 and was living in Newbridge when the Census was taken.

All this family continued to live in the Rosberry area. John died April 11^th 1915 and Mary died February 16^th 1927, both in Rosberry.

House 20 Rosberry: James Geraghty (1840-1901)

James Geraghty was a sixty-year-old bachelor farmer living next door to his sister Mary Burke and her family. Mary’s two eldest surviving children, William and James, were living with their uncle. Both were bachelors, aged 33 and 31 respectively, and both could read and write which suggests they attended school when younger, even though some of their younger siblings next door could read only. James Geraghty contracted sepsis in the summer of 1901 and died at home July 18^th 1901.

Within a year, William married Sarah Carroll of the Rosberry Common, daughter of John Carroll and Maria Larkin, who were living in Common in 1901. They had three children before their eldest son John died in May 1906 of TB and then William also died of TB in January 1907, leaving Sarah a young widow with two young daughters, Mary (born in 1905) and Sarah (born in 1906).

By 1911 she was working as a domestic servant in the home of a Bank employee in Kilcorkey, Galway City, alongside her sister Lizzie Carroll, and had left her two daughters at home in Common with her parents. As Sarah and Lizzie’s uncle Patrick Carroll (see Household 10 Rosberry), and a number of his sons were station masters, it is possible the transport connection made it easier for Sarah to travel to and from Galway as Newbridge was on the same railway line.

On April 25^th 1906 in St. Mary’s Church on the Haddington Road Dublin, James Burke married Mary Geoghegan who was originally from the townland of Curraghtown, near Dunshaughlin Co. Meath. Mary was a domestic servant in the home of George Perry, Timber Merchant, on Eglin Road at the time she married. James and Mary moved to Rosberry where all 8 children of their children were born, and where grandchildren and great grandchildren live today. Mary died in Rosberry September 29^th 1939 and James died there seven years later on August 25^th 1946.

House 21 Rosberry: Patrick Geraghty (1849-1925)

Patrick Geraghty and his family, 12 in total, were the owner occupiers of a third class, three-roomed house made of mud walls and a thatched roof that had three windows to the front. Patrick was born around 1849 in Rosberry and was the son of Thomas Geraghty and Esther Birmingham. On February 28^th 1870, aged 21, he married Elizabeth Murray, daughter of John Murray of Clongorey. They had 13 children in total between 1873 and 1893 and lived all their lives in Rosberry, where Elizabeth died October 27^th 1918 and Patrick died September 23^rd 1925.

As one would expect in a townland adjacent to a bog, there are a number of drainage ditches traversing the townland that were designed to reclaim more land for farming. Unfortunately, they are a hazard to young infants and two of Patrick and Elizabeth’s children drowned as infants in these ditches. Their third child, John drowned in one in 1876 aged 3, and two-year-old Mary suffered the same fate in 1884 having crawled out of the house unnoticed.

Living with them on Census night 1901 were Thomas (30); Esther (28) who would marry Denis Dempsey in 1913; James (b. 1875); a second son named John (b. 1877) who married Anastasia Dempsey in 1904 in Newbridge; Laurence (b. 1880) who married Bridget Farrell May 26 1913 in Newbridge; Patrick (b.1883) who married Ellen Moore in Carbury, near Edenderry in 1920; William (b.1886); second daughter Mary (1881-1961 who married Patrick Grady Feb 9^th 1916 in Newbridge; Joseph (b1889), and Peter (b.1893). Three sons, Thomas, John and Laurence were Railway servants in 1901.

House 22 Rosberry: William Murray (1850-1906)

The Murray family lived in a 4 roomed house they owned, which was constructed of mud walls and a thatched roof and therefore classified as 3^rd class. William was a 50-year-old Farm and Road Contractor and his wife was Mary Morning from Tankardsgarden, daughter of John Morning. They married November 7^th 1875 in Newbridge. William was the son of John Murray and Anne Dunny who married in 1838 and were recorded in Griffith’s Valuations of 1854 as living in a house on 3 acres in Rosberry.

Five children were living with them on Census night 1901; three sons, namely John (23), Thomas (20) and Michael (18) and two daughters, Mary (15) and Rosanna (8). All residents were born in Kildare, and the three sons were working as Farmers and Road Contractors at the time.

John, aka Jack, was one of the most famous Gaelic footballers of his time and captained Kildare to the All-Ireland Championship in 1905. His brother Michael was also on the team, as were fellow Rosberry players J Scott, F Conlan, M Fitzgerald, J Fitzgerald, J Gorman, T Keogh, and M. Kennedy.

In addition to the five children above, William and Mary had three more children, two dying in infancy in Rosberry. Eliza was born in 1885 and died in 1887 of scarlatina nephritis, and William was born in 1887 and died in 1890 of meningitis. Their eldest daughter Annie Murray (1878-1955) married Patrick Geraghty on April 26^th 1899 prior to the Census, and they lived at House 5 Great Connell when this 1901 Census was taken. They were back in Rosberry at house 23 when the 1911 Census was taken.

When William died Nov 11^th 1906, it may have precipitated emigration, as Michael Murray emigrated to New York in 1908, and later became a naturalized citizen. He married Mary Anne Gilbride of Bunduff Co. Sligo and they had 6 children. They lived in Jamaica, Queens, New York where Michael died in 1957 and Mary in 1963.

John, aka Jack, emigrated much later, arriving in New York August 16^th 1926. John married Julia Reddy of Piercetown, daughter of Thomas Reddy, on October 15^th 1912. They had 7 children between 1913 and 1923 before John emigrated to New York in 1926. The local economy in Newbridge collapsed after the British army withdrawal in 1922 and this may have been the reason for John’s decision to emigrate so much later. But he arrived in New York just 2 years before the 1929 crash and this cannot have helped his circumstance. He had just secured new employment when he was killed in an accident when he was hit by a truck at the corner of 89^th and Third Avenue on August 16^th 1932 and died two days later on August 18^th at 10:30am at Flower Hospital, Manhattan. He was buried at Calvary Cemetery, New York and in October 1932 a testimonial match was played in Kildare between Wexford and Kildare to raise money to help support the family.

House 23 Rosberry: William Licied

William was 50 years old and lived with his wife Mary, nee Heffernan, (51), sons Peter (25), Patrick (18), and 14 year old daughter Lizzie. Also present

was William and Mary’s niece Katie, also 14 years old, who was the daughter of Michael Licied in House 26,
and their married daughter Mary (26), her husband James McGuire (31) and their newborn son Patrick McGuire. James McGuire, the son of Patrick McGuire of Hawkfield, married Mary in Newbridge on October 18^th McGuire is spelt Maguire on the marriage registration and in the Hawkfield family, and Licied can be spelt Lyceth at times.

The ten inhabitants lived in a three-roomed house graded third class as it was constructed of mud walls and thatch roof, and was owned by Patrick Licied who was likely to be William’s father. They had two other children: Julia who married George Conlan in 1899 and was living at Canning Place in Newbridge. Julie and George and their four children ( John (9), Mary (8), William (3) and newborn Katie) would be back living in the Licied family home in 1911.

The sixth child was John Licied who was born May 24^th 1877 in Rosberry.

On June 17^th 1902, their son Peter married Annie Fox (1881-) in Newbridge, Annie being the daughter of Patrick Fox (1845-) and Kate Flanagan (1853-).

William and Mary were still alive in 1911 and lived in the same house, though it is numbered #14 in the Census. The Census records they were married 37 years and had 6 children all of whom were alive that census night, April 2^nd 1911. Patrick and Elizabeth were still living at home, accompanied by niece Mary Maguire, whose parents James and Mary Maguire were now living at the Common, together with their remaining four children, Patrick (10), Ellen (7), Katie (3) and newborn Lillie. James Maguire was employed as a railway servant and Mary as a dressmaker. In 1911, their place at the Licied family home in Rosberry was taken by daughter Julia, her husband George Conlan, and 4 of their children.

House 24 Rosberry: Bridget Allen

Bridget Allen was a 40-year-old widowed farmer heading this household which she shared with a 30-year-old single servant John Morrissy. Bridget owned the house of 3 rooms and was graded 3^rd class as it was made of mud walls and a thatch roof.

Bridget’s maiden name is unknown for certain and she was not living in Rosberry in 1911. There is a marriage registration for Bridget Mullens of Rosberry, a 26 year old spinster farmer and daughter of Thomas Mullens, marrying George Allen, a bachelor farmer from Great Connell. The marriage took place on August 20^th 1866, and it says Bridget was 26 and therefore implying she was born in 1840. This would mean she’d have been 60 years old in 1901, not 40 as recorded in the census. However, she was a widow, and George died 13^th September 1893 and he was buried in Great Connell Churchyard. According to “A History of Christianity in Newbridge” by Paul Cooke (page 153), George and Bridget did not have children, which is consistent with the fact Bridget did not have children living with her in 1901.

John Morrissy was living there with his wife Bridget Redmond of Great Connell who he married April 30^th 1906. They had children.

House 25 Rosberry: William Geraghty (1850-1920)

William Geraghty was living alone in his own home of 2 rooms and two windows to the front. The 3^rd class house was constructed of mud walls and a thatched roof. William was a 50-year-old bachelor farmer who could read and write. The Geraghty family’s links to Rosberry can be proven as far back as the birth of Laurence Geraghty there in 1768 and William is likely to be a first cousin of Ellen Geraghty and James Geraghty in Houses 18 and 20 in Rosberry.

It appears that William died of venereal disease January 23^rd 1920 whilst living in Walshestown on the other side of Newbridge. A John O’Brien was present at his death. He was a bachelor farmer of 87 years, but the age is possibly out by 10 years.

House 26 Rosberry: Michael Licied (1864-1945)

Michael Licied was the widowed brother of William Licied in House 23. Michael house had 3 rooms and was graded third class as the walls were of mud and the roof was thatched. The house was owned by George Colthurst Vesey, the main landlord at one time. 5 people were living in the house that Census night, with 40-year-old Michael employed as an agricultural labourer and head of the house. He was unable to read, but his children Lizzie (18), Patrick (16) and Edward (13) all could, while Julia (8) was attending school as was Edward. Their sister Catherine (14) aka Katie was present in her uncle’s house, number 23 on Census night.

Their mother was Bridget Donnolly who died in Rosberry August 24^th 1893 from Phthisis at the age of 32. She had been sick for 1 year. Michael and Bridget were both living in Dublin’s Northside at 5 Buckingham Place when they married in St. Mary’s Pro Cathedral on Marlborough Street on February 19^th 1882. Their witnesses were William Lysath and Anne Donnelly. Bridget was the daughter of Edward and Michael a Labouring son of Patrick. Edward Donnolly was deceased at this time.

In the 1911 census, Michael was still living in Rosberry (House 16 but his age is recorded as 54) with his son Patrick (26), Edward (22) and daughter Julia (19). Julia would marry John Russell of Hawkfield in April 1912.

Michael died October 10^th 1945 in Rosberry of chronic myocarditis which he suffered for 6 months and senility. He was 81 years old according to the registration, which implies he was born in 1864. His daughter Elizabeth Keogh of Rosberry was present when he died.

House 27 Rosberry: Patrick Grady (c.1862-1947)

Patrick Grady was a 38-year-old Farmer living with his wife Mary Margaret nee Waters, (30) and 4 children, namely Patrick (5), Peter (4), Annie (2) and newborn James (born January 23^rd 1901). Also living with them was Patrick’s year older brother James, a Farmer, domestic servant Katie Lenehan (16), and farm servants, John Monahan and James Dunne, both aged 20.

Patrick owned the 6-roomed-house of stone walls and a slate roof which was classified as 2^nd class. His brother Peter lived at Rosberry Common with his wife Lucy McDonnell and family. Mary Margaret Waters was the daughter of Peter Waters and Margaret Coogan and was born in the townland if Killeen in the Narraghmore Electoral Division. Her parents are recorded in the 1901 Census living there with Mary’s siblings, Thomas, Michael, Bridget, Catherine and Andrew.

Patrick and Mary Margaret married August 23^rd 1893 in Dublin at St. Michael’s Church, despite the fact that Patrick was living in Rosberry and Mary in Narraghmore at the time. The possible explanation for this is that Fr. John Waters officiated at the ceremony, likely to be a relative. The witnesses to the wedding were James Grady and Teresa Waters. When Teresa married James Malone, a farmer from Raheens, Naas, on April 26^th 1898, the ceremony was also officiated by Fr. John J Waters, this time at St. Andrew’s Church on Westland Row. This is most likely the same priest. The witnesses were James Grady and Mary Malone.

By 1911, the Grady family had swelled to 12 children, 3 of whom were deceased by Census night. Patrick, Peter, Anne and James were all there, along with siblings Margaret Mary (9), Martin (7) Mary Teresa (5) Bridget Ellen (3), and Angela (1). Patrick’s 51-year-old brother James was also living there, as were two servants Michael Morning (31) and James Monaghan (20). More children were to follow. Julia Anne was born June 12 1912 in Rosberry, Josephine on March 26^th 1914.

Young Patrick joined the Royal Navy on April 30^th 1919 at the end of the WWI. He signed on for 12 years but was discharged on November 14^th 1922. His military service record tells us he was 5ft 10 ¾ inches in height, with a 39 ½ inch chest, blue eyes, fresh complexion and a scar on his left shin. His occupation when he signed up was a Fitter and Turner. Patrick died at home in Liffey View Rosberry February 14^th 1947 of cardial degeneration. He was 86 at the time and widowed and his son James was present when he died. He was a widower for over six years as Mary Margaret died December 24 1940 of valvular heat disease and cerebral thrombosis aged 70. Her daughter Josephine was present when she passed.

House 28 Rosberry: James Sullivan (c.1848-1912)

James Sullivan was a 47-year-old Farmer living with his wife Maria (28) nee Dunne and three of their children Ellen (2), Patrick (1) and newly born James. Also present were two farm servants Patrick Brown (42) from Carlow, and James Monohan (11), as well as domestic servant Julia Halton (22). Except for Patrick Brown, all present that evening had been born in Co. Kildare.

This 2^nd class 6-roomed-house was built of stone walls and a slate roof and was owned by James. James Sullivan was the son of Tom Sullivan (1803-1892) and Ellen Robinson (1808-1891) who lived and died in Rosberry. James was one of 11 children. His brother John (1831-1887) had lived in the adjacent townland of Rickardstown, where his widow Julia, nee Morrin lived on Census night with 7 children (Joseph 26, Patrick 25, Thomas 24, John 21, Mary 19, Peter 17, and Daniel 14.

James Sullivan and Maria Dunne married June 11^th 1895 at Rathangan RC Church Co. Kildare, and their children Ellen, Patrick and James were all born in Rosberry, Ellen on 13^th June 1898, Patrick on November 6^th 1899 and James on March 1^st 1901, though for some reason the birth of James was not entered on the civil register until 1920. Two children already deceased were Thomas who was born Jun 3^rd 1896 in Rosberry but died there December 20^th 1900 of Laryngeal Diphtheria which he suffered for 4 days and asphyxia. Other children to follow were: John Stephen born December 26^th 1903 in Rosberry; Unknown born June 29^th 1905 in Newbridge but died an hour later of hydrocephalous.

Maria died February 9^th 1908 in Rosberry of a cerebral haemorrhage she had suffered for 6 days and exhaustion. James was present at her death. She was only aged 40. James died December 15^th 1912 in the Drogheda Memorial Hospital on the Curragh, of Bright’s disease, which he had suffered for 1 year. His brother Peter, of Laurel Hill was present when he died. He was a farmer and his death registration says he was 64 years old which implies he was born c.1848.

House 29 Rosberry: Thomas Whyte (1840-by 1916)

Thomas Whyte (or White) was a 60-year-old Farmer lived with his wife Julia nee Morrissey (56) and three of their children, Mathew (25), Annie (20) and Michael (18). All were born in Kildare. Their house was owned by George Colthurst Vesey and had 4 rooms but was classified as second class because it was constructed of stone walls and thatch.

The children born to this family were as follows:

1864 Aug 5^th Bridget. She emigrated to New York arriving there on May 15^th 1889 on board the Ethiopia from Londonderry. She applied for citizenship on 30^th October 1928 at the Superior Court of Litchfield County, Connecticut, and was still single and working as a domestic. She was 5 ft 3 inches, white hair and blue eyes and weighed 156 pounds. She lived at 35 Walnut Street, Winsted, Connecticut, and possibly followed her brother Michael there from New York.

1867 Feb 1^st Mary. Mary died August 18^th 1872 of something she suffered for 4 days.

1871 May 31^st Esther.

1874 Apr 4^th Mathew Whyte who married Ellen Heavey of Clongorey on February 7^th 1912 in Caragh Church and had issue (Anne Whyte was born January 24^th 1913; A stillborn child was born April 13^th 1914 ; Thomas Joseph was born March 6^th 1915 in Rosberry and he would marry Elizabeth Grady, daughter of Patrick Grady and Mary Geraghty.)

1877 Jun 19^th Anne.

1880 Mar 7^th Mary. Mary died January 11^th 1893 of acute phthisis which she suffered for 6 weeks. He sister Anne was present when she died.

1882 May 26^th Michael. Michael emigrated to New York via Queenstown in 1904 and worked there as a carpenter when he applied for citizenship in 1914. His older sister Bridget had emigrated fifteen years earlier and was still there. Michael returned to home to Rosberry at some stage and was present there when the 1911 Census was taken, but returned to America. He was followed by Marcella McCarthy. He died in Winchester Connecticut, USA on December 24^th 1929.

1886 May 24 Thomas born in Rosberry.

Julia Whyte died a farmer’s widow in Rosberry August 31^st 1916 of chronic bronchitis and exhaustion with her son Mathew present. She was a widow at the time and the 1911 Census say she was married, but a death registration for her husband has yet to be found. The 1911 Census confirms they were married for 47 years, had 9 children, with 5 of them alive in 1911. Julia married Thomas of the adjacent townland of Barretstown in Caragh RC Church on October 13^th 1863, I have found 8 of their children. The five children still alive in 1911 included Bridget in Winsted Connecticut, Michael back from America but soon to return there in 1912, as well as Mathew and Anne still living in the house.

House 30 Rosberry: Edward Flood (1818 - 1904)

Edward Flood was an 83-year-old widower head of household. He owned his own six-roomed-home which was classed as 2^nd class with stone walls and slate roof. There were 12 outbuildings, including a stable, cow house, 3 calf houses, one dairy, a piggery, fowl house, barn, potato house and two sheds. He also owned House 31 which was occupied by Thomas Mooney and it had 8 outbuildings.

Edward lived in relative comfort, and his son Patrick (40), his wife Elizabeth (29) nee McNally, and their five-year-old daughter Margaret (born September 10^th 1895 in Rosberry) lived with him. Also present that evening was 19-year-old servant Bridget Farrell, Shepherd George Bunbury (38) and Agricultural Labourer William Murphy (37). Elizabeth McNally was the daughter of Laurence McNally of Allenwood, and she married Patrick in Allen RC Church on October 18^th 1893. The witnesses were James Wilson and Brid McNally.

Edward died April 4^th 1904 of Influenza and then Patrick died October 4^th 1907 of villous tumours of the bladder which he suffered from for three years but had haemorrhaged for 14 days. His wife “Lizzie” was present when he died. Lizzie (40) was still living in the same house in the 1911 Census (now House 17) and was a Farmer by occupation. Also present were three servants: Sarah Dowling (30), George Byrne (28) and John Morning (40). Sarah was a domestic servant and the two men were farm servants.

Her daughter Margaret Flood was not present and no record was found of her death before 1911. However, a Margaret Flood, recorded as 15 years old and born in Kildare, was a boarder at St. Mary’s Girls College in Muckross Park Donnybrook Dublin in the 1911 census and this is possibly her.

House 31 Rosberry: Thomas Mooney (1864-)

Thomas Mooney (36) was born March 28^th 1864 in Rosberry, the son of Thomas Mooney and Margaret Tierney. In 1901 was living in this house owned by his neighbour Edward Flood. The house had 3 rooms and was graded third class as the walls were made of mud and the roof was thatched. It had 8 outbuildings, including a stable, cow house, calf house, piggery, fowl house, barn, and 2 sheds. Thomas was a Caretaker who could not read.

He married Elizabeth Fox of Blacktrench on May 19^th 1887 in Caragh RC church. Elizabeth could read and write and was born May 22^nd 1864 in Blacktrench, the daughter of Lawrence Fox. Elizabeth died March 7^th 1942 at Bow Bridge West, James Street in Dublin, where she was living at the time of the 1911 Census. It seems to have been the family home and a lot of her adult children would die there. Her husband Thomas had pre-deceased her.

Six children lived with their parents in 1901. They were:

Thomas 13. He was born Sep 17 1887 and was living with his mother and siblings in Bow Bridge as a General Labourer in 1911; Laurence 11. He was born August 31^st 1889 and was a Brewery Labourer in 1911, most likely at the Guinness Brewery in Dublin. He died a bachelor December 21^st 1925 at 4 Bow Bridge, from Nephritis cardiac failure. His mother was present at his death.

Patrick 9 He was born November 8^th 1891 in Rosberry and was a General Labourer in 1911. He died 22^nd December 1953 at St. Kevin’s Hospital Dublin of left sided hemiplegia essential hypertension, was married and lived at 4 Bow Bridge James St.

Bridget 7 was born February 9^th 1894 in Rosberry and died December 5^th 1964 at St. Brendan’s Hospital, Dublin.

Margaret 5 was born June 8^th 1896 and died March 12^th 1934 at Bow Bridge James St. Dublin.

Richard born Dec 28^th 1900 he was still at school in 1911. He married Margaret Dooner (26) September 10^th 1927 at the Church of St. Michael and John in Dublin. Witnesses were Charles Graham and Annie Brennan. Margaret was the daughter of John Dooner a tailor and lived at 2 Fishamble Street which Richard was a Labourer living at 4 Bow Bridge. He died there May 3^rd 1933.

William was born February 26^th 1899 but died August 31^st 1899 from diarrhoea which he suffered for 6 days. In the 1911 Census, the family are living in two rooms in House 6 Bow Lane West near the Guinness Brewery. Thomas, Laurence, Patrick and Richard are all present, in addition to Michael (5 – Dec 20^th 1905 Father Railway ganger) and Mary (8- born Jul 30^th 1903 her father Railway labourer)) who were born after the 1901 Census. Lizzie is married so her husband must be elsewhere on Census night. A search would suggest he is working as an Agricultural Labourer at the farm of Frances O’Grady in Rickardstown (House 8) close to Rosberry.

Michael Mooney (1905-1967) married Elizabeth “Lily” Pouch, from Rathcoole, daughter of George Pouch. Michael died at home July 7^th 1967 and was buried in Barretstown townland Cemetery, just outside Newbridge.

House 32 Rosberry: Patrick Fullam (1848-1933)

Patrick Fullam, a 53-year-old Farmer was the head of the household, a house he owned, which had 4 rooms, three windows to the front, was made of brick and a slate roof and is graded second class on account of that. A stable, cow house and barn were the only 3 outbuildings with the property.

Also living in the house Census evening is Patrick’s wife Margaret (42) nee Coffey, were 8 children: daughters Bridget the dressmaker (25), Maria the photographer (18), Catherine the farmer’s daughter (16), scholars Margaret (13), Anne (12), Elizabeth (11), and infants Mary Teresa (5) and Patrick (3). Their son John Fullam was born in Clongorey July 25^th 1881 but died a week later on August 1^st. After the Census, their son Francis was born in Rosberry October 5^th 1902 but died April 2^nd 1905 of Scarlatina. Elizabeth died February 22^nd 1902 of TB aged 12. All told, Patrick and Margaret had 10 children and seven were still alive in 1911, with all but married daughter Maria Spaine and Catherine Grady living with their widowed father and his sister Mary.

Patrick and Margaret married in Caragh RC Church on May 22^nd 1879, both for the first time. Patrick was a bog ranger from Clongorey, the son of a farmer, John Fulham. Margaret was from Blacktrench, the daughter of farmer John Coffey. Their wedding was witnessed by Peter Fulham and Eliza Coffey.

In addition to Patrick’s own family, three brothers and a sister of Patrick are also present in his house in 1901. They were possibly victims of the Clongorey evictions. They were:

Mary (46): Mary seems to have taken on the role of being present at deaths and she died of heart disease November 25^th 1924 at home with her niece Maria Spain of Newbridge present. Mary never married.

John (44): John died on August 2^nd 1902 of TB, six months after his niece died. His brother Patrick was present. John never married. Peter (42): When the 1911 Census was taken, Peter was working at a Farm Servant with single farmer 40-year-old John Murphy at House 4 Rosberry. Also present at House 4 in 1911 was Michael Reilly a 36 year recently widowed father of 2 children, one still living. Peter died March 7^th 1939 in Rosberry of valvular disease, with his niece Therese present. He remained a bachelor.

Thomas (35). Thomas died in Rosberry June 10^th 1905 of TB which he endured for 1 year. His sister Mary was present. He remained a bachelor.

Margaret Fullam nee Coffey died at home in Rosberry July 7^th 1910 of TB aged 50, with her sister-in-law Mary Fullam in attendance. Patrick died August 17^th 1933 in Rosberry of Valvular heart disease aged 85 in the presence of his daughter Teresa Fullam of Rosberry.

The household in 1911 (House #24) included the recently widowed Patrick (62) and his sister Mary (56), and Patrick’s children, Bridget (31), Margaret (24), Anne (21), Mary Teresa (15) and Patrick (11), as well as farm labourers David Flood (55) and Patrick Foley (31), both of whom were single and born in Co. Kildare. Bridget was still a dressmaker but Margaret and Anne had no occupation, while Mary Teresa and Patrick are still at school.

The family lines are carried on by:

Maria the photographer, married Shoemaker Michael Spaine from Newbridge at St. Columba’s Church, Drumcondra, on June 22^nd 1906. Both were living in Newbridge at the time, and their daughter Margaret Mary was born August 8^th 1908 in Newbridge. On their marriage registration their occupations are given as Shoemaker and Photographer and both of their addresses are recorded as Newbridge, so the marriage location appears curious. William and Annie Peavoy were the witnesses and Fr. John Byrne PP officiated. William and Annie are likely to be first cousins of Michael, whose, aunt Sarah Spaine married William Peavoy, a Newbridge shop assistant and son of a publican. Sarah and William’s children included Annie and William who would only have been 16 and 11 years old respectively when this 1906 marriage took place.

Catherine Fullam married John Grady (1887-1952), son of Peter Grady and Lucy McDonald of Rosberry. Their daughter Mary Grady (1924-2006) would marry Eamonn Maher (1924-1972).