The Monahans, Musicians of Loughrea

Edmond (~1791-1874) and Catherine (Mahon, ~1793-1876) Monahan lived in The Hill and Garrybreedia sections of Loughrea town.  Married in 1816, they had eight known children.  Edmond was a professional musician as were most of his children.  Their oldest child Michael (1821-1910) was a shoemaker and married Mary Cronin of Ballygar (Athleague Parish) around 1845.  Michael and Mary fled the Famine to Coventry, England along with many Cronin relatives of Ballygar.  One of their children, Michael (1854-1920) married Julia Devaney (1855-95) in England and emigrated to Boston.  They are my great grandparents.  

Edmond and Catherine's other children were Bridget (1823-1900), Thomas (1826-?), Mary (1828-1888), Catherine (1830-?), Judith (1831-?), Martin (~1838-1894), and John (1840-1942?).  Bridget married Stephen Mullins in 1848 in Loughrea and lived in Salford, England until their deaths.  Her sister Mary went to Salford with them and died there a spinster.  I don't know what happened to Thomas.  Catherine married John Martin in 1854 and I believe they moved to England where there were so many other John & Catherine Martins it is difficult to know which one is my relative.  Judith likely married Patrick McHugh in Cummer in 1851 and settled in the Tuam area.  A Martin McHugh, of parents Patrick and Judy Monahan, was born there in 1864 but nothing else is known of them.  Martin Monahan joined the Connaught Rangers and remained a bachelor.  He retired from the Rangers to The Hill after his service.  He was a military pensioner and died there in 1894.  He purchsed a monument for his parents in the Loughrea Carmelite cemetery when they died.  John Monahan, also a professional musician, married Mary Whelan in 1874 in Loughrea.  Their youngest child Edward (1880-1959) emigrated to New York City in 1900.  He married twice and had two daughters, Edna (1905-?) and Irene (1909-?), who never married.

If anyone out there in cyberspace knows more about this family, including the fate of Thomas and Judith, I would be grateful if you would contact me.  Thanks.

Michael McGuire

Sarasota, FL