Tarpey Family of Cloncagh - Cloonan

The Tarpeys came to the townland of  Dooghloon near Cloncagh Church. The first known family member to arrive is Martin Tarpey, from the land records in 1855 he had 25 acres. He came from Ardrahan to work as a gardener/steward for Lord Ashtown. He married a member of the Mahon family of Kilmalaw, Kilconnell. She was previously married to one of the Cogavins of Streamsford. Their son William Tarpey (born 1840) from Cloncagh married Bridget Treacy (born 1845) from Ballanabulla on February 4^th  1869 at Cappataggle. She was the daughter of William Treacy. The witnesses were Thomas Phillips and Mary Hynes. William was replaced on the land records by his wife Bridget in 1893 when they now had  increased their acreage to 57 acres.

Thomas Phillips would likely be a brother of George, brother-in-law of William. His sister, Mary (Maria) Tarpey married George Phillips of Castlebin (New Inn) c. 1856. The Phillips Family are included at the end of this piece. 

The Tarpey House at Cloncagh, Co Galway (2018)

Marriage Certificate of William Tarpey and Bridget Treacy (Thressy) 1869

The family were:

1. Dorah Tarpey born in 1879, she became a nun with a French Order who had a house in Donaghmore, Co Tyrone. Dorah died in 1949 in Surrey aged 69.

Dorah Tarpey born 1879.

Dora Tarpey d. 1949 aged 69

Dorah Tarpey (1879-1949)

2. Thomas Tarpey who farmed at Cloncagh, he died unmarried in 1951 aged 82.

3. William Tarpey born in 1870, who lived at Cloncagh died in 1941 unmarried.

4. Fanny Tarpey born in 1884 died in 1919 probably from heart failure

5. (Mary) Agnes Tarpey born in 1872, as given by her birth certificate. Agnes J. Tarpey arrived in New York in 1908 aged 28, likely the same family member. Mary A. Tarpey died on 5th February 1926 and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery and it appears that she may have been a Dominican Nun or a member of the third order?

    Second name shows Agnes Tarpey, daughter of Bridget, Cloncha, Woodlawn arriving on S.S Cidric from Queenstown on 25th Sept 1908.

6. Janie Tarpey died on Christmas Eve 1959 and was buried in Clonkeenkerrill.

Two family members went to New York where they became firemen

7. Patrick (P.J.) Tarpey born 1878 married Ellen McGinn (Helen). He died in 1957

   

Birth Certificate of Patrick Tarpey 1878

Arrival of Patrick Tarpey in 1893 to his brother Martin, above the 'red' line!

                                                             Patrick Tarpey (1878-1957)

    They had five sons:

            i) Thomas A. Tarpey (Tom) (1911-2001) , lived in Kentucky m. Anna Kimmer see:
            https://prabook.com/web/thomas_anthony.tarpey/489178

             

           ii)  William S. Tarpey (Bill) b. 1914 m. 1954 Elizabth (Betty) Connington
                 d. 1987

           iii) John J. Tarpey b. 1916 m. Jean (Jeanne) Sheehan

                 d. 1983

           iv) Richard Tarpey (1918-2004) m. Sally Kimmer (Cousin of Anne, above)

           v) Martin Tarpey (1926-96) m. Dorothy (Dot) Donnelly (1925-67)

8. Martin Stephen Tarpey b. 1875 m. Delia Calahan, their children

            Martin Stephen Tarpey (Jun.) b. 1909/10

            Coralie M. b. 1907

            Rosalie b. 1909 m. Thomas Deely 

Martin Tarpey applies for U.S. Citizenship in 1899

9. The only family member to marry in Ireland was my grandmother Julia Tarpey who married in 1909 (aged 22) John Joe Cloonan of Clough, Gurteen. She died in 1968, he in 1959. 

John Joe Cloonan along with his wife Julia Tarpey on their wedding day in 1909

Their children:

         i) John Willy Cloonan (1916-2006) married in 1944 Julia Coen, 
             Their family was five sons and one daughter

       ii) James Cloonan (1912-92) who was a Columban Priest and spent many years in 
            Burma. He had been captured by the Japanese during the second world war.

       iii) Mary Cloonan (1914-2001), she became a nun in the Poor Clares as Sr Dolores.

       iv) Joseph Cloonan died in 1919 young

        v) Sheila Cloonan (1925-2016) m. 1957 Mick Bellew and their family was five sons 
             and John who died three days old in 1961.

      vi)  Martin (Sonny) Cloonan (1929-2015) m. 1959 Anna Kilkenny and their family 
            was five sons and five daughters.

Sheila, John Willy and Sonny in 1994

10. ? I'm not sure if there was a Sarah?

The Tarpey House at Cloncagh still stands, it was passed onto John Willy Cloonan after Jane died in 1959. He sold the farm to Pa Mellody who still lives nearby.

William Tapey's sister, Maria Tarpey married George Phillips of Castlebin and that family later had a business in New Inn. Their son George Phillips was born in 1864.

Birth Certificate of George Phillips 1864

We are not sure when William Tarpey died, our great grandfather, but his wife Bridget (nee Treacy) died in 1910 aged 62. Perhaps it was before 1893 when Bridget replaced William on the land records.

Death of Bridget Tarpey (nee Treacy)

The Tarpey House at Cloncagh still stands, it was passed onto John Willy Cloonan after Jane died in 1959. He sold the farm to Pa Mellody who still lives nearby.

It is thought that the earlier members of the Tarpey family were buried in Ardrahan. Later on family members were buried in the Cogavin plot in Clonkeenkerrill. The Cogavin gravestone dated 1815 is to Judith Cogavin alias McGann who died aged 54 years. 

Beside this is the Cogavan headstone erected by Patrick Cogavan in memory of his brother Thomas who died in 1846 aged 25 and in memory of Patrick’s son, Thomas who died in 1881 aged 21. This Cogavin family lived in Faha and Patrick was married to Catherine Cormican. Patrick and Catherine died in 1906 and in 1908 respectively. Their son John Cogavin (b. 1865), married in 1903 Margaret, daughter of John Dooley of Lenareagh. One of their daughters, Julia was born in 1912, both she and her son, Sean Hastings are remembered on a recent gravestone beside the Cogavin gravestones. It appears that the Cogavins of Faha were related to the Cogavin family who used to live in Streamsford.

My grandparents were Julia Tarpey from Clooncah who married John Cloonan from Clough in 1909. Her brothers and sisters William, Thomas, Fanny and Jane are buried in the Cogavan plot at Clonkeen. Their grandfather, Martin Tarpey came from Ardrahan to work as a gardener/steward for Lord Ashtown. He married a member of the Mahon family of Kilmalaw, Kilconnell. She was previously married to one of the Cogavins of Streamsford. This relationship has been somehow authenticated through the marriage of Patrick Cogavin and Mary Craughwell in 1858 when William Tarpey was one of the witnesses. This would be in keeping with Patrick Cogavin and William Tarpey being half brothers.

The Cogavin House at Streamsfort 

The Cogavins had a portion of land taken from Lord Dunsandle (Daly) at Streamsford. As the widow, Mrs Cogavin had no inheritance rights, it appears that her family, the Mahons bought the Cogavin homestead. Local knowledge also adds that Mrs Cogavin bought transport works for her son who married a member of the Craughwell family from the Ballinasloe area, again somewhat substantiated from the above marriage. On marrying Martin Tarpey she moved to Clooncah. The Streamsford house and land were inherited by Patrick Cogavin but it was subsequently sold to the Riordan family and the Cogavins went to the States.

Rosalie Tarpey-Deely visits Ireland c. 1973

Sheila Cloonan-Bellew c. 1956

Sr Dolores (Mary) Cloonan

The Phillips Family of Castlebin and New Inn

The Phillips family were a long established family at Castlebin (New Inn), the family gravestones at Killaan goes back to the 1700s including:

Gravestone at Killaan to Maria Phillips (nee Tarpey), died 1876, aunt of Julia Tarpey-Cloonan

As a tribute eminently due to departed worth, this stone was erected by George Phillips in memory of his beloved wife, Maria Phillips who died 23rd March 1876 aged 46 years. Also his daughter, Delia Phillips who died 26th August 1876 aged 16 years. George Phillips who died 15th August 1926. May they rest in peace.

For the other family gravestones, search for Phillips on the following link:

https://gccapps.galwaycoco.ie/Graveyards/Search/results.aspx?cid=13&s=Surname&p=Plot+No.&y=0

Maria Tarpey (c. 1830-1876) married to George Phillips (1831-1926) of Castlebin (New Inn)

They had eight children:

1. Delia mentioned on the gravestone, d. 1876 aged 16. 

2. George Phillips was born in 1864, died in 1935. He married in 1893 Agnes Bowes of Loughrea. In the 1911 census they lived at Knockbrack. George was described as a farmer and there were no children.

3. John M. Phillips (c. 1858-1947) married 1899 to Rebecca Kelly daughter of Richard Kelly, Carrahulla, near Woodlawn. Rebecca died in 1954 at Loughrea. John M. was described as a farmer and postmaster. There were no children.

4. Julia F. Phillips (1867-1932) was described as a merchant in New Inn. The Phillips established the business that was later purchased by the Garvey Family who were well-known throughout the west of Ireland for erecting the familiar haysheds with the Garvey trademark sign. 

The Phillips Family sell the business in 1935.

5. Sr Patricia Phillips died in 1938 aged 79, she was a nun in Hampton, Drumcondra, Dublin

6. The newspaper detail of Sr Patricia's death in 1938 stated that she was one of three members of the family to enter religious life. Her brother was Fr Augustine, and her sister was Sr M. Anthony of the Mercy Convent in Loughrea who had died before her father in 1926.

7. Fr Augustine Phillips O.D.C. (Carmelite) spent many years in Loughrea. He died in 1940 in Dublin.

8. The final family member is Martin who died in 1913. He was recorded in the 1911 census as living with his father Geroge (Senior) a shopkeeper and with his sister Julia. His death cert apparently records his name as John, clearly as mistake as it notes that his brother John M. was present.

From this look at the family, it would seem there are no descendants from Maria Tarpey and George Phillips. The following obituary is to George Phillips husband of Maria.