On a changeable summers afternoon, 26 members of the Tipperary Morans, along with the two Fennessy guests, gathered to commemorate the life of Mary-Ann Fennessy Moran (1857-1947).

The day started with lunch and a most pleasant chat (many cousins meeting for the first time) for all the clan at the Hermitage on Clogheen Bridge Main Street. After lunch, David Moran (Clogheen-Dublin) gave a talk outlining the path first followed by Maurice Moran (Ballygriffin-Cork) right up to the point where Fr. Pat Moran OSA (Croughta), Mary-Ann’s great-grandson, was successful in locating her place of burial in Sunbury, Victoria, Australia. Maurice Moran gave an emotional reply on behalf of her surviving grandsons present, and two surviving grandaughters (both presently unwell and unable to attend). Fr. Pat concluded the formalities with a Prayer.

After lunch all travelled to the nearby Duhill Cemetery and a memorial stone was unveiled by her eldest grandson, Jim Moran, aged 93 (son of David Moran 1878-1952). Her grandson, Jim Moran, aged 88 (son of Thomas Moran, 1882-1965) placed a beautiful bouquet of flowers, picked that morning by Breeda Moran and Jacqui Moran, in the picturesque gardens at Ballyboy House, Mary-Ann’s home for the first 40 years of her life. Fr. Pat Moran OSA performed a most family-orientated religious commemorative ceremony. He outlined the significance of the memorial stone, which was put in place the previous afternoon by two great-grandsons, John Moran (Ballyboy) and David Moran (Clogheen-Dublin).

The memorial stone is a single piece of native granite from Glencullen in Dublin and hand-carved to represent a rolling scroll. The top rolls back to represent the life of Mary-Ann and folds down on to the grave of her husband William and family. A carved Celtic Cross is inset to represent her Irish Catholic conviction and practice, thus returning her spirit to her native valley. Fr. Pat blessed the grave with Holy Water from a receptacle, taken by him, from the Sunbury Cemetery where she is laid to rest. This receptacle is now incorporated into the memorial stone. Paying respect to the Fennessys, Fr. Pat then visited their family graves and all joined in prayer and commemoration.

After a prayer ceremony in the Duhill Church, where a decade of the Rosary was recited, the gathering moved on to the Cemetery at Ballybacon, some 8kms away, to pray at the graveside of James Moran (Ballyknockane, 1736-1805), at this time the earliest recorded Moran in the Clogheen area.

All adjourned to Ballyboy House as guests of John and Breeda Moran for a most welcome cup of tea and refreshment. Everyone was in full agreement that a most historic and commemorative day in the Moran family was celebrated and enjoyed by all.

Address by great-grandson David Moran

Firstly, I would like to say that we are all gathered here in Clogheen today to commemorate the memory of Mary-Ann Fennessy Moran (Ballyboy-Clogheen-Victoria, Australia, 1857-1947).

Thank you all descendents of the 1884 marriage of William Moran (Ballyknockane, 1838-1889) to Mary-Ann Fennessy. We are delighted to be joined by Mike and Margaret Fennessy and indeed you are most welcome.

I think that some explanation is warranted as to how I find myself standing here talking to you all today. When we lived in Main Street, Clogheen back in the 1950’s David Moran, my grandfather, lived with us. During his life he was in postal communication with his mother in Australia and late in her life she sent back home to him her only known memento of her life in her native Ireland. This is a photograph with her handwriting on the reverse. This was passed on to my Dad, Paddy, and subsequently on to me. I recall Dad telling me that this photograph is most important and needs to be minded as one day it will prove pivotal, – how right he was.

In the 1980’s the Morans of Dublin reconnected with Ballyboy and John and Breeda opened their hearts and home to us. On numerous occasions around that kitchen table Mary-Ann’s name came up and it was through these conversations that I came to know of Maurice Moran, family historian in Midleton, Co. Cork. When I met Maurice I had many questions for him and instead of answers, what I got surprisingly were further questions. I can so vividly recall on one such meeting in our home in Kilternan, Co. Dublin when I produced the photograph – to which I was the guardian – Maurice’s respectful silence as he took in the significance of Mary-Ann’s own handwriting. When he did speak, his words were: “We must do something about this you know”. Some years later after our searches in Australia proved fruitless, enter Fr. Pat. He had been independently researching Mary-Ann and located and visited her grave in Sunbury, Victoria. The search was over – success at last.

Last October, in Duhill churchyard, John Moran and I were talking of all the Morans that had gone before us and it struck us both that we were duty bound to respectfully mark, with a memorial stone, the life of Mary-Ann Fennessy Moran. We consulted with Ballygriffin, Ballyknockane, Ballyboy, Croughta, Dublin and all agreed that this indeed was a worthy task. Jacqui and I live in Kilternan, Co Dublin. Our village is on a granite mountain with quarries and stonemasons aplenty. Philip O’Neill is one such man, a gifted stone carver, and a good friend. During the past winter I sat with Phil on a number of evenings and outlined the life of Mary-Ann and our growing wish to put in place a fitting memorial in her memory. I feel confident that you will all approve of his artistic craftsmanship.

Through the generations the Moran family continues to produce leaders and it is most important that we foster this quality in our youth now coming through. I would like to give you one example of family leadership. On Father’s day, four weeks ago my wife Jacqui and I had the great privilege and pleasure to accept an invitation to lunch at Ballygriffin. It was to there that William and Mary-Ann Moran’s children went from Clogheen and from there that my grandfather, David, set out to make his way in life. Around that table four generations of their descendants sat and fondly remembered all seven children. I put it to you that this was the first time in over one hundred years that their collective early years in Clogheen and Ballygriffin were remembered and celebrated – to both Thomas and Patricia I say what a wonderful demonstration of leadership.

Talking of leadership, I now hand over to the family’s learned historian my cousin and dear friend Maurice.

DAVID MORAN (CLOGHEEN-DUBLIN)

Reply by grandson Maurice Moran

A very warm welcome to everyone, delighted that you are all here and enjoying an excellent lunch. I would like to give you an outline to the background as to how David and I came to this day culminating in a memorial event in remembrance of Mary-Ann Fennessy Moran and indeed all seven children raised by her, well into their teenage years. Here I wish to acknowledge the efforts of the many family members who sought over the years to locate the final resting place of Mary-Ann.

In our time, right up to the present day, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren have kept this interest alive, notably wishing to know:

Where she was born?
•••
Her life at Ballyboy and later in Australia
•••
And when she died and where is her place of burial?

For various reasons, the answers to these questions were lost in the passage of time. In my generation’s time, various efforts were made to authoratively answer these, including visiting Australia and slowly the information has come together.

We can now clearly answer these questions, and today we gather together as a family to commemorate our grandmother. We erect a fitting memorial to her at her husband William’s grave in Duhill. Also in the near future, a suitable headstone will be erected on her grave in Sunbury, Victoria, Australia. We would like to thank all and everyone whose searches made this day possible. A memorial stone has, this week, been erected at her husband’s graveside. He was William Moran RIP (Ballyknockane, 1838-1889).

After this meal and gathering, we will proceed to Duhill churchyard. Her eldest grandson Jim Moran (Clogheen-Dublin), age 93 years, will perform the official unveiling. For the record it should be noted that Jim is the only living person today that was in correspondence with his grandmother during her lifetime. Her grandson, Jim Moran (Ballygriffin/Burncourt), age 88 years, will place a wreath of freshly cut Ballyboy flowers. Fr. Pat Moran OSA will perform the blessing and deliver a short sermon in memory of Mary-Ann Fennessy Moran and all her family.

This is the list of Mary-Ann’s children raised in Ballyboy, Ashgrove and Ballygriffin:

David, 1879-1952, Duhill Cemetery.
John (Jack), 1880-1945, Duhill Cemetery.
Thomas (Tom), 1882-1965, Tipperary Town New Cemetery.
James, 1882-1905, Buried at sea.
Mary (Aunt Mai) Riordan, 1884-1960, Castlegrace Cemetery.
William (Willie), 1887-1957, New Jersey, USA.
Michael (Dr. Mick), 1889-1964, Tipperary Town New Cemetery.

In conclusion, I would like to impress upon us all just how important and memorable this day of commemoration and remembrance is in the annals of the vibrant Moran family. We should all be justly proud of this family gathering here in Clogheen, County Tipperary.

MAURICE MORAN, BALLYGRIFFIN-FERMOY

List of attendees

Guests
Mike and Margaret Fennessy, Ballyboy
Jim Moran, Ballyknockane

Moran Grandsons
James (Jim) Moran, Clogheen-Dublin
James (Jim) Moran, Ballygriffin-Burncourt
Maurice Moran, Ballygriffin-Fermoy

Moran Descendents
Fr. Pat Moran OSA, Croughta-Cork
John and Breeda Moran, Ballyboy House
Toby Moran, Ballyboy-Mount Anglesby
David and Jacqui Moran, Clogheen-Dublin
Maurice Moran, Clogheen-Dublin
Thomas and Patricia Moran, Ballygriffin
Rita Moran, Ballygriffin-Ballinahinch
James Moran, Croughta
Conor and Paul Moran, Dublin
Bart Moran, Burncourt
David Moran, Clogheen-Glanmire
Josephine (Jo) Moran, Ballygriffin-Stradbally
Therese Moran, Fermoy-Belfast
Jacinta Moran, Fermoy-Waterford
Paul Maurice Moran and sons, Rory, Daragh & Oscar, Fermoy-Dublin.