John Joyce (1) was a farmer. He lived at Kilmison, near Ballymurphy, in the house now, in 1996, occupied by Terence Kelly and his family. John married Bridget Fenlon (1A). He is buried at Ballymurphy. In the 1820's John and five other male Joyces rented one hundred and forty-eight Irish acres and two roods (approximately 250 statue acres) from the Kavanagh family of Borris House. (Ref.: Kavanagh Estate Records at Borris House). The farm was held under a "partnership" lease, with John (senior) who acted as "headman" being responsible for the payment of rent, etc. In the Kavanagh records the land is divided into six equal parts, as hereunder. Such a division would not coincide with the physical lay-out of the farm but this type of lease arrangement was common in the early nineteenth century.

The division was as follows:

                                Irish Acres. Roods. Perches

John Joyce, Kilmison.    24            3                 0

Henry Joyce, Kilmison. 24                 3                 0

Pierre Joyce, Kilmison.       24                3                  0

John Joyce, Kilmison.        24                 3                  0

Edmund Joyce, Kilmison.    24                 3                0

Thomas Joyce, Kilmison. -------------------------------------------

                            Total    148                   2               0

I am taking the six above-named to be John (senior) and his five sons.

Other Kavanagh lands listed (Irish Acres) under the name Joyce in the 1820's were:

Irish Acres. Roods. Perches

Patrick Joyce, at Kilmison. 1 1 36

Henry Joyce, at Marley. 1 30 30

Luke Joyce, at Tinnahinch. 5 3 30

Henry Joyce, at Coolyhune 14 3 15

Henry Joyce , at Ballyling 1 2 5

James Joyce, at Ballycrinogan. 18 0 0

Henry Joyce, at Ballycrinogan. 1 2 0

Bridget Fenlon (1A) is buried at Ballymurphy with her husband. It is probable that she was a member of a Fenlon family of Newtown, Borris. Although Jim Joyce (94) did not know his great grandmother's name he told me that he had heard from his father that the Joyces and the Fenlons of Newtown were related. This connection probably came through John and Bridget.

Nicholas Redmond (R1), one of my great, great grandfathers, lived at Rathduff, Rathnure, Co. Wexford. The farm, in 1996, is owned by the Carthy family (who are also descended from him). Nicholas Redmond is almost certainly buried at Killane. The eighteenth century Redmond home was located in the fields some distance from the present Carthy home. When I visited Rathduff some years ago, the present Mrs. Carthy told me of how her husband (who was absent on the day of my call) had often wondered as a youth why his father had always attended the Joyce family funerals at Ballymurphy. She remarked when I told her of the connection between the families, that her husband would be very interested to hear of it.

John Joyce (1), although he apparently had five sons, appears to have divided his land among his sons Henry (7), Piery (8) and John (9). Their successors continued to live at Kilmison, but at three separate houses situated within a very short distance of each other. Henry and Piery would appear to have been the antecedents of the Joyce families at Kilmison, who to distinguish the different families became known as "The Harrys" and "The Pierys" respectively. ( See note *[7]* ). John was our ancestor. In later generations his descendants at Kilmison were referred to as "The Nicholases". It is probable that some of the other Joyce families in the South County Carlow area sprang from Edmund (4) and/or Patt (3). I have not sought to trace these.

As the B.P.R. before 1782 do not exist, there is no proof that John (1) and Patrick (3) were brothers. However, the dates of their birth, 1749 and 1756 respectively, when taken with the certain close relationship which existed between the Kilmison and Ballyroughan branches, points convincingly in that direction and I have therefore recorded them as brothers. Others probable brothers of John (1) were Edmund (4) and James (2). These I have already referred to.

Catherine Redmond (2A) was probably a younger sister of Mary (9A).

Margaret Joyce (11), who married her next door neighbour John (Sean Rua) Murphy, received a field as her dowry. (Source: Helena Kelly (110). The descendants of John Murphy still live at Kilmison.

Bridget Joyce (12) married a Ryan (12A) of Ballyjohnboy, Graiguenamanagh. Their Ryan descendants still live there. (Source: Mick Ryan, Graigue).

Around the mid nineteenth century three of John's (9) and Mary's (9A) sons moved from Kilmison to other farms, James (31) to Ballyroughan, Edward (32) to Upper Rathgeran and John (33) to Lower Rathgeran. ( See note *[8]* ). The only daughter Kate (38) went to Askinticloe, Co. Wexford when she married James O'Byrne whose twin sister, Mary Ann, came to Upper Rathgeran to marry Edward Joyce (32). Three other sons, Thomas (34), Patrick (36) and Pierce (37) remained unmarried. The family had hoped and planned that Pierce would become a Priest, but his health was poor and he died as a young man. Mary (9A) survived her husband and Nicholas (35) one of their younger sons, inherited the home farm from his mother, because, it is said, he was named for her father - and was her favourite!

John A. Joyce.

April 1996