James Loughnan was my great grandfather.

James was a merchant. He was born in Kennystown, Carnew, County Wicklow and was baptised at St Brigids, Tomacork, County Wicklow on 08 March 1836. His parents were Philip Loughman and Mary Hickey.

He married Mary D’Arcy on 08 February 1858 in Tullow, Co. Carlow and started a provisions business and bakery at 3-4 Slaney Place, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford (pictured right) before 1874.

Some commercial directories give the address as number 3, but the 1901 and 1911 cencii state that the family occupied number 4. So, the family appear to have lived next door to the shop.

In the Wexford Directory for 1885 James is variously described as "Baker and Flour Dealer", "Flour Dealer, Merchant Etc." and "Auctioneer". There are no other Loughnans mentioned in the Directory.

James and Mary had a number of children, including Mary Anne, Margaret, Henrietta, Esther, Philip Francis, James, John, Josephine (my grandmother) and Mary Eliza. There may be other, untraced, Loughnans.

James died on 31 December 1918, the year of the great ‘flu pandemic, although I don’t yet know whether this was the cause of his death. He is buried in the churchyard of St Aiden’s Cathedral, Enniscorthy, with his wife Mary.

Note - The surname was recorded as Loughman up to the registration of the birth of his daughter, Josephine, after which it became Loughnan.