The Children of John Connolly and Brigid Dowling

1. John - marrried Kathleen and lived in 3 Rosary Terrace, Dun Laoghaire. John served in the British Army during the 1914-18 War. He died on 3/9/1939 and is buried in Dean's Grange Cemetery, Dublin. They had three children, Paddy, Lucy and Bridie.

   Lucy (then Mrs. Sullivan) died on 1/12/1984, aged 57 years, and Paddy, died on 7/9/1993. Both Paddy and Lucy are interred in Dean's Grange.

   Brigid Connolly and her grandmother, Mary Dowling

2. BRIGID was born in 1901.

   She was employed in Carlow town by T.P. Igoe, then a successful trader, as tailoress. In 1926 she married MICHAEL HAYDEN. After their marriage in 1926 Michael and Brigid set up a confectionery business in Browne Street. They later moved the business to 42, Tullow Street, Carlow.

   Michael died on 8/9/1961 and Brigid ceased trading in the mid 1960s. Brigid died on 19/4/1982. They had 10 children.

3. Jimmy - married Maggie Brown of Mayo (1935). He inherited his father's farm of 25 acres (an additional 25 acres of adjoining land was purchased in 1936). He resided there and worked the land until the mid 1960s when he moved to Clonee, Co. Meath. He later moved to Navan. Both are deceased (Maggie died on 4/12/1994.) and are buried in Dunboyne Cemetery, Co. Meath. They had the following children:-
   • John - born 1936 and educated in the C.B.S., Carlow. He joined the Garda Síochána and served in Delvin, Dundalk and Navan.
     • Author's Note: While based in Dundalk, he came to the house of my father, Patrick Hand, to tell him of the death of his sister, Carrie. John used also bring us for spins in his car (a Ford Popular?) before we owned a car of our own!

     He later studied at U.C.D. and took a degree which enabled him to teach at Third Level educational institutions. John taught at V.E.C. College of Education, Navan. He was also the proprietor of a business premises in Athboy, Co. Meath - "The Newsbox". He subsequently sold this business and emigrated to the U.S.A. (Boston?)

     
     He married in 1964 and has five children:-

     • Helen (B.A. - residing in Rome),
     • Una (working in St. Margaret's Golf Club, Dublin),
     • Joan (B.A. - married to Oliver Garry, a builder in Boston, U.S.A.),
     • Brian (educated at St. Patrick's, Navan and the Regional College, Dundalk, where he majored in Computers. He is employed in that area with an American company and is based in Taiwan),
     • Owen (educated in St. Patrick's, Navan - very interested in sports - working as a bricklayer in Boston, U.S.A.)

   • Maureen - born 1938. She studied at St. Leo's Mercy Convent, Carlow and took her Leaving Certificate in 1956. She trained and qualified as a nurse in Liverpool. She then spent a year in the U.S.A. and later nursed in London, Letterkenny and Navan before she married farmer Luke Cahill with whom she resides at Carnaross, Kells, Co. Meath. They have three children.
   • Bridie - born 1940. She also studied at the Mercy Convent, Carlow and took her Leaving Certificate in 1958. She took a correspondence course with a school in Eccles Street, Dublin and secured employment with C.I.E. She is married to Pat McDonald. They live in Baldoyle, Co. Dublin and have four children.
   • Séamus - born 1941. All his working life has been spent in the Prison Service. He resides in Portlaoise, and is married and has two children, one boy and one girl.
   • Paddy - born 1943. He graduated with a B.Ag.Sc. in 1965. and worked with the Land Commission between 1966 and 1985 and with the Dept. of Agriculture thereafter. He is unmarried and is based in Navan, Co. Meath.

4. Martin - resided in Josephine Avenue, N.C.R., Dublin. He was a member of the Garda Síochána. He died on 7/8/1970 and is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery. He had six children:-

   Bridie, Bennie, Martin, John, May and Betty (?).

5. Pat - married Nan Brennan. He was a farmer in Billboe, Co. Laois and also farmed in Coolane. He was a part-time worker in the Carlow Sugar Company and also worked for the County Council. Pat died as a result of a fall from the roof of a building on his farm. His children were:-

   Nannie and Bridie.

6. Annie - married John Wade, Ardenteggle, Killeshin. John owned a house and land in Ardenteggle. He was the third generation of the Wade family to have owned the property and was himself born in the farmhouse. Annie died there on 22/6/1986, aged 84 years and John too died at home on 25/12/1988. Both are buried in Killeshin Cemetery. Their children were:-
   • Bridie - worked in Carlow Bakery for 4 years and married Tom Whelan. They have 5 children including John (see below).
   • Nancy - worked as a nurse in Carlow Mental Hospital for 4/5 years and prior to that in Melville's Drapery for 2 years. She married Patrick Carter, Ballinabranna - had children. Nancy died on 28/7/1976 and is buried in Ballinabranna Cemetery, Carlow.
   • Jimmy - was aged 55 years when he died on 8/11/1994. He was highly respected in the community having been a founder member of the Credit Union. He was also involved with Killeshin Pipe Band and with the local drama group. He worked the family farm for many years. On his death this passed to his nephew, John Whelan.

7. Katie - married John Joe Haydon, Graigecullen, Co. Carlow. He was a Postman in Carlow. John Joe died in 1950, aged 48 years. He is buried in St. Mary's Cemetery, Carlow with his wife, Katie, who died in November, 1982. They had three girls:-

   Ollie, Carmel and Evelyn (Evie) - all three were talented violinists and all three married. Carmel and Evie reside in Britain, while Ollie is living in Dublin.

8. Bill - was a tailor - moved to the U.S.A. in 1926 and married Chris. They had sons John T. and Bill Jnr. and a daughter Mary (Moloney). Bill Jnr. himself has a son, Bill.

9. Mary - worked as a hairdresser in Carlow - moved to Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.A. in the late 1920s.

10. Michael - died a baby.