My ancestors - Flanagan - Contents

William Flanagan

• References:
  • Tallaght gravestone inscriptions, St. Maelruain's Church of Ireland graveyard (Catholics are also buried here), The Irish Genealogist 4(1) 1968, p.29-36.

• Sources yet to be consulted:
  • Deed of 15th May 1816, Hartley Hodson, of Green Park, Co.Westmeath, to "Denis and William Flanagan", think of land in or near Greenhills, Tallaght. Try [LR] book 701 p.431 no.480933 and [LR] book 704 p.15 no.482350.
  • Deed of 20th Jan 1825, Denis and William Flanagan to Andrew Corcoran, [LR] book 799 p.292 no.539627.
  • Deed of 27th Nov 1825, Corcoran and Flanagan to Richard Guiney. Can't find in [LR].

Think that plot 15 in this map from askaboutireland.ie is William Flanagan's 15 acre farm on E side of the Greenhills Road.
Think plot 15 on this map is same as plot 15 in [Griffiths Valuation].
Note origins.net has no map with plot numbers.
My notes said the house was at the road side, at the NW corner of the plot. This matches with the above.

William Flanagan, born 1789,
his family became farmers / market gardeners around the Tallaght area in SW Co.Dublin,
Charles Flanagan says he heard that his grandfather (William Flanagan) "was chased by the English soldiers through the Dublin Mountains for having political views", but attempts no date for when this might refer to,
mar 29 Nov 1824 [Rathfarnham RC par records, Co.Dublin], think NOT 25 Nov, to Elizabeth Maguirk,
the Alderman said that "his mother was a brilliant woman and could read and speak Latin and Greek." [Frank Flanagan's memoirs],

farmer in Tallaght, Co.Dublin,
he lived in the old family home at Greenhills, Tallaght - 1 storey house, modest size, but 14 acres of land, including an orchard,
down in valley, down the slope off the E side of the Greenhills Road,
the house was "beautifully thatched" [Frank Flanagan's memoirs],
William is listed in [Griffiths Valuation, 1847] as occupying 15 acres (with a modest house) at Kilnamanagh, Tallaght parish, leasing from "Reps. of H. Hudson, Esq.", plot no.15 a,
he is listed in [Griffiths Valuation, 1850] as occupying 15 acres (with a modest house) at Kilnamanagh, Tallaght parish, leasing from "Reps. H. Hudson, Esq.", plot no.15,
this part of the Greenhills Rd is in Kilnamanagh townland,
he is described as of "Kilnemanagh, Tallaght" later in his son William's death notice 1886,

William listed as a "gardener" (would be market gardener) at his son The Alderman's marriage 1866 [GROI],
Elizabeth died pre-1874,
he is described as "late of Green Hills" at death,
he died 5th July 1874, at the residence of his dau Agnes Stubbs in Newtown, Tallaght, age 85 yrs, listed as "farmer" [GROI],
see death notice in Irish Times, July 6, 1874,
see death notice in Freemans Journal, 6 July,
funeral 7 July, bur Tallaght cemetery, (todo) find grave,
there is no headstone of a William Flanagan in St. Maelruain's graveyard, Tallaght, nor is he found in the published inscriptions,
had issue:

1. Mary Louisa Flanagan, bapt Rathfarnham, 18th Sept 1825.
2. Louisa Catherine Flanagan, bapt Rathfarnham, 20th Apr 1828.

   
   

3. Agnes Flanagan,
   bapt Rathfarnham, 24th Jan 1830,
   mar 1866 to William Stubbs [of Newtown, Tallaght] and had issue.

   
   

4. Elizabeth Flanagan, bapt Rathfarnham, 2nd Jan 1832.

   
   

5. Alderman Michael Flanagan,
   born 1833, must be in family farmhouse, Greenhills, Tallaght, Co.Dublin,
   bapt Sun 29th Sept 1833, Rathfarnham,
   he is referred to as "Uncle Mike" in letters of Charles Flanagan.

   
   

6. John Flanagan,
   bapt Rathfarnham, 22nd May 1836.

   
   

7. William Flanagan,
   Willie, youngest son, bapt Rathfarnham, 29th July 1840,
   lived Walkinstown House, Walkinstown, Co.Dublin,
   there is a Lease, "Rt.Hon. Sir F.Shaw to William Flanagan", 15th Dec 1875, lands of Crumlin, Barony of Uppercross, looks like lands around Walkinstown House,
   this is Sir Frederick Shaw, 3rd Baronet, of Bushy Park, Terenure (nr Rathfarnham), Co.Dublin, MP for Dublin city 1830-32, MP for Dublin University 1832-48, succ 1869, died 1876,
   this is the same family as George Bernard Shaw,
   see SHAW OF BUSHY PARK in [Burkes Peerage], see [Irish Country Houses],

   William mar ----, no issue,
   he was a Poor Law Guardian, member of the board of guardians of the South Dublin Union (as was his brother Michael, and Thomas Cosgrave),
   [Freeman's Journal, 10 Aug 1877, [NLI] microfilm] lists "William Flanagan" as member of South Dublin Union,
   William Flanagan and "Anna Flanagan" sp the bapt of Joe Flanagan 1880,
   listed as "farmer" of "Walking-town House" in will 1886,
   will dated 24th Sept 1886, making his brother Michael of Portmahon House, sole executor,
   seems to have had no family by his will,
   he was still a Poor Law Guardian at the time of his death 1886,
   listed as "farmer and market gardener" at death,
   died 27th Oct 1886, Portmahon House, age 46 yrs, of cirrhosis of the liver [GROI],
   bur Glasnevin,
   a tribute to him was paid at the meeting of the South Dublin Union on 28 Oct 1886, see [Irish Times, October 29, 1886], they express "our sympathy with his wife and relations",
   see death notice in the Nation, Oct 30, 1886,
   think his brother John might have disputed the will, see decree 12th Jan 1887, "Michael Flanagan v. John Flanagan",
   his wife fl 1886,
   [Thom's] 1891 to 1892 lists "William Flanagan, Walkerstown, Crumlin",
   this must be his widow at Walkinstown House, still under his name,
   [Thom's] 1893 to 1895 lists "Mrs. Flanagan, Walkinstown House".

   
   

8. 1 more son, and 2 more daus,
   according to [letters of Charles Flanagan].

Think this is William Flanagan's 15 acre farm on E side of the Greenhills Road.
This is Plot 15 above, highlighted on 1829 to 1842 map.
See unhighlighted.

The same plot highlighted on 1887 to 1913 map.
My notes said the plot was beside Constantine House, on the E side of the road. This matches with this location.
See unhighlighted.
Liam Cosgrave was in the old Flanagan house in Greenhills in the 1940s.
It still existed in the 1950s.

The same plot superimposed on the modern map.
The house is now demolished. No trace of it.
The plot is entirely part of the green area S of the housing estate, part of Tymon Park.

On a satellite view you can still make out the shape of the old farm through the different vegetation.
Click to drag. From Google Maps.

Street view of what I think is the old Flanagan farm, now part of Tymon Park.
View from SE, looking back up towards where the house would have been. Note the whole farm is down a slope.
Click to rotate. From Google Street View.
See also street view higher up, nearer the road.

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• Taylor's Map of Rathfarnham, 1816.

• The marriage entry of Flanagan and Maguirk is marked in the Rathfarnham par records, possibly by:
  • Canon John McGuirk,
    he may have just marked the entry out of curiosity, because he knew the Cosgraves and never said anything to them about being related,
    he is listed in [Thom's, 1945] as P.P. of Rathfarnham,
    died c.1948,
    left his library to O'Connell School (North Richmond St. C.B.S.), Dublin,
    see Le Clerc, Board of Works.

• Listed as "brother in law" of John Flanagan at his death 1894:
  • Mr. P. Doyle.
    Could be related to these Doyles.

• Listed as "nephew" of John Flanagan at his death 1894:
  • Mr. L. Doyle.

• Listed as "niece" of the Alderman at his death 1931:
  • Mrs. Dempsey.