Curran family reunion in Drumphea, and a brief visit to Kildavin and Clonegal

It was a very interesting day I had yesterday, I was invited along to a Curran family reunion, my grandfather’s two brothers, Frank and Peter Curran’s descendants had all met at Bunclody Golf Club. Then they were going on to Bunclody old Cemetery, to see Peter Currans grave, I didn’t make it to meet them there as there was a bit of a mix up. I actually had a bit of a mini tour of a few cemeteries before I met up with them.

My Great Great Grandfather, Thomas Doyle and his wife Anne Willis's gravestone, and other family. also the various inscriptions around the grave

Firstly, I visited Kildavin old cemetery, where my GGGP’s Tom Doyle and Anne Willis are buried, I used to have a picture of this grave but lost a whole pile of genealogy pics on an old card I had. So I needed to redo them. So my main objective here was to take pictures of all Doyle and Curran graves that I saw, I also had a request from a genealogist to look out for Devereux graves too, of which I found one, so happy days. I also found a grave for one James Curran, who after much thought, I now know was my GGF’s Francis Currans brother. I know this because my Grandfathers sister, Catherine had moved up to Kildavin, and was registered as living there when she married Michael Ralph. Like most other older Curran’s, they tended to go and live with or close to wherever other family members were, on this occasion it was with Uncle Jim in Kildavin. There are other Doyle graves in Kildavin, and in time I will connect them.

Gravestone of my great grandfather Peter Doyle and his wife Mary Redmond, also in this grave is my Great Great grandparents James Redmond and Catherine Kenny

Next up, I went to Clonegal, where I took pictures of all Doyle and Redmond graves, as this is the graveyard that my GGF Peter Doyle and Mary Redmond are buried, Mary is from Clonegal, so there has to be other Redmond relatives here.

After this, I was supposed to go to Bunclody cemetery, but it did not happen. I did visit, however the protestant cemetery in Clonegal. There were a few Doyle’s in there, but I don’t think they are connected, or are they?

After this, I headed toward Drumphea, though I was slightly delayed in my journey with a bit of a bump with another car. But in good time I made it to Drumphea. The Currans were all there, my camera was now broken by this time too. So I took no pics here. Later we went to the local hostelry called High Nelly’s Pub, where I then found that I had a puncture. There was a big crowd of Currans in the pub, but as I said, no camera, so will just have to wait for the next reunion. I will hopefully be holding it in conjunction with my brothers visit in September, so plenty of pics then. They are a lovely family, and though not 100% percent the same as my own family, there is still those traits, which were quite extensively discussed. The men all very grey haired, even the ones in their forties, like myself, the ‘big blue eyes’ as someone described them, it was true, I saw a picture of Peter Curran, my grandfathers brother, and they had the same features, notably the chin, which seemed to show on a few people in the room, and the nose, I showed them a picture of my dad, and it was noticed that this is a similar nose to alot of people in the room. The picture of peter really reminded me of my sister’s dot and carol, especially across the eyes, and it even reminded me a bit of one of carols boys. I also had the pleasure of meeting Joan Curran who would be my father’s first cousin. I also had the pleasure of meeting Winnie, whom I had spoken to on so many other occasions, and finally had the pleasure of meeting her face to face. As well as all the other Currans, Daly’s and Hoolahans, whom some I had met in Dublin previously, but met a few more this time round. We had a great afternoon, which in view of the other events that happened in the day to me with the car, really outshone them, and left me on departure, alot more upbeat and uplifted. These Currans are a really nice family, and I am really grateful that they have let me into their fold.