Brennan (Brannan) Families Identified as being from the Townland of Cloonbunny, Tibohine Civil Parish, County Roscommon, Ireland
The Town of Cloonbunny was composed of 631 acres when the Griffith's Valuation was conducted around 1857. It lies within Frenchpark Barony, Tibohine Civil Parish, Castlereagh Poor Law Union, Artagh South electoral division in Loughglynn Roman Catholic Parish.
Of the 20 Brennan Families that I identified in the Loughglynn Roman Catholic Parish records on LDS Microfilm # 989753, only one Brennan family specifically mentioned the townland of Cloonbunny. The family of Cath Brennan and ? Grady acknowledged Cloonbunny as their home Townland in the baptism of their son Dominic on the 10th (uncertain month) 1833. Pat Finan and Cath Duffy were sponsors for the baptism. Unfortunately, relatively few Brennan records in this film gave the Townland of origin.
I think it is likely that there were other Brennan families from Cloonbunny in this Catholic Parish. I am hoping to open a few doors on this Townland through other sources and genealogists whose origins are in this area.
The 1901 Census of Ireland did not show any Brennan (or Brannans) residing there when the Cloonbunny census was conducted. (National Archives of Ireland, 2007, 1901 Census Cloonbunny).
When the Griffith's Valuation was conducted for Tibohine Civil Parish, there were no Brennan occupiers listed for the Townland of Cloonbunny. Rt Honorable Reverend Lord John De Frayne was the primary Landlord for all but two parcels in Cloonbunny. There was an inordinate number of "bog-type" parcels in Cloonbunny of varying degrees of quality. Several were documented as of no value one was reclaimed bog, one was pasteurable bog and many parcels included bog portions. There were no Corn Mills, Forges, Fair greens or other signs of economic activity in this Townland. (Griffith, Richard, 1847-1864, Tibohine Civil Parish (Cloonbunny). There were 9 Brennans listed in other Townlands around Cloonbunny that were part of Tibohine Civil Parish. There is a significant amount of information on Lord John De Frayne and his evictions in the Hansard Papers that are online (Official Report of Databases in Parliament), and Cloonbunny is mentioned, but I have yet to find detailed lists of the evictions he made in the 19th century in the famine and post famine era. The National Library of Ireland has manuscripts detailing the Rental of Estates of Lord De Frayne in Counties Leitrim and Roscommon for years 1875-77 on MS.907; unfortunately, I didn't have to time to look at it while I was there.
This is a work in progress! I will add to it as I uncover more Brennan families with a proven connection to this area. Please contact me if you feel you have Brennan, Grady, Coffey, Corcoran or Gahagans from Cloonbunny or the surrounding townlands or if you have feedback or suggestions that might enhance this compilation. I would love to hear from you.