Brennan family of Finglas

[kristof]

Yep, he fits in; that Charles Brennan (1852 - 1887) was a great grand uncle of the current generation; he was the second son of Patrick Brennan (c.1821 - 1907), who was the son of the Charles Brennan (c.1780 - 1850) i'm trying to find more information on.  How far back did you manage to go?

[finglasman]

I obtained this record from Fingal F.H.S some years ago... it is recorded in St. Margaret's parish church records Finglas

Charles Baptism, 2nd May 1852 Father Patrick Brennan Mother Margaret Lynch

I believe a member of the Mormon church has submitted the same information and is recorded in the IGI

[Donal2305]

I came across this thread while looking for the famous photo from the somme of my great grandfather Charlie Brennan.
http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675048369_British-soldiers_Battle-of-Somme_wheeled-stretchers_carrying-a-wounded-on-a-back
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=63

My name is Donal Flanagan. To my knowledge, Charlie has 5 daughters (Kathleen, Elizabeth 'Ciss', * , * & *) and one son (*), one of which was my granny Kathleen Flanagan (who died in 1996) and also my grand-aunt Elizabeth 'Ciss' Murray (who died in 2009). Charlie would have lived with Ciss and her husband Paddy Murray up until he died (sometime in the early 80's if i remember).

Both Ciss and my granny Kathleen married two best-friends Paddy Murray (originally from Moate, Co. Westmeath) and James 'Jim' Flanagan. Both worked at the famous Dreaper horse racing yard in Greenogue, Kilsallaghan (where my parents, uncle and cousins still live), near Ashbourne Co. Meath. Paddy was head lad and Jim head farrier/blacksmith during the golden years of the yard in the mid-60's when the legendary steeple-chaser Arkle ruled supreme.

I vaguely recollect Charlie from visiting my Aunt Ciss as a young child. He was a tough man! You could tell even at my age that he had a particularly hard life.
http://www.dreaperracing.com/history.html
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Arkle-Memorial-Statue-Fund/199761446728598 - there is a great picture here of the men in Dreapers yard in the mid-60's

It’s ironic also that the Brennan clan are also attached to another famous 20th century image, that of Paddy Murray (* Brennan’s husband) giving Arlkle his daily bottle of the black stuff!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Arkle-looking-shoulder-Paddy-Murray/dp/B003CKHOO0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1321020307&sr=8-5
I will be home this weekend so should be able to provide more information from my Dad (Thomas Flanagan) or Unlce Dessie or Aunt Miriam as they are very knowledgeable on the Brennan family tree.
I found the picture of Charlie and posted the following on my facebook page today. This thread has provided brilliant information so thank you.
Charles Brennan 6087 Royal Dublin Fusiliers
With WWI remembrance Sunday coming up I have been scouring the web over the past week (including joining uber-nerdish WWI forums) for a photo of my great-grandfather Charlie Brennan who fought in the Great War (WWI). Charlie is the man behind a very famous photo, as he carries a dying Tipperary man through the trenches during the famous Battle of the Somme in 1916. Unfortunately the man died an hour later and Charlie as an Irish man fighting for Britain (like so many other Irish men) was awarded no medal for bravery or even a military pension. Charlie was also a founding member of Erins Isle GAA club in Finglas (where this photo proudly hangs). It’s amazing to see the forums on the web dedicated to this image and makes me and the rest of the Flanagan clan very proud indeed.

(*) Moderator Note : Edited in accordance with RootsChat policy of not publishing details of living people here, or details of people who may still be living. This is to protect all concerned from spam, identity abuse, internet abuse, etc, etc.
Please use the Personal Message (PM) system for exchanging personal data - new members require three posts to have full access to the PM system.

[kristof]

Have PM'd you Donal, but for the benefit of the other readers i will provided a extra few details:

Sadly the service number 6087 is indeed of a charles brennan but that particular Charles Brennan died of wounds in 1918; The only other matching Charles Brennan in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers was a captain, while the Charles Brennan we are searching for was a private.  Sadly we are yet to find Charles Brennan's service number as it is entirely possible that he was not in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers at all.  However, expanding the search to other British and Irish units still has not turned up a clear match.  But the search goes on!! 

Other parts of the Brennan family have told me that Charles was definately awarded a medal for his bravery and was entitled to a pension.  However, the medal was loaned to a family friend many years later and never returned and is now presumed lost; and charles refused his service pension, possibly due to his strong republican stance.

If anyone can add something, no matter how minor to the task of identifying an iconic picture of WW1 and the battle of the Somme with a young irish man from Finglas it would be much appreciated.

[SEBLB]

Hi there

[SEBLB]

I'm not quite sure how to use this website, don't really know what I'm doing.  I'm related to "Donal" above.  Charlie Brennan was my Grandfather and my Mother is his daughter and the only surviving member of Charlie and Elizabeths children.  Charlie was married to Elizabeth Farrell from St Margarets in Co Dublin.  I can remember Grandad well, always sang 16 verses of something or other at all the family weddings.  If only he knew how interested everyone is in him now.  The information you have about Charlies service number is exactly the same as what I have, that number belonged to another Soldier who was "gassed", I think.  I tried to find some information on Charlies war career but kept coming up against a brick wall and I gave up, its a bit of a mystery really.  Charlie did get a medal, my Mother can confirm that, but he gave a loan of it to a veteran who wanted to march in a parade and he never got the medal back.  I think a cousin may have tried to get it back some years ago but to no avail.  Anyway get in touch if you want any more information.  The man in the famous photo is definitely Grandad, we have a copy hanging at home as did all Charlie's daughters and one of them even had the original photo. It could still be hanging in her house.  Incidentally, one little anecdote which you might find amusing.  Charlie brought back a german helmet from the front.  One of the ones with the tall spikes.  I can remember that being in the house in Finglas when I used to visit as a child, as I'm sure a lot of my cousins will and my Mother can remember Granny collecting the eggs in it!!  There are plenty of Charlies descendants still living in Finglas and Ashbourne and a few scattered elsewhere.  He has a very large family!!

[ProudFinglasMan]

Hi all,

I am also related to the Brennans. Charlie would have been my great grandfather. My own grandfather was Brendan Brennan now deceased as is his wife Hilda. I came across this topic by googling Charlies picture in the trenches from WW1. It is a picture that is proudly on show in my mothers house. I have come across many stories on the internet regarding the picture of Charlie carrying the wounded soldier in which British families are claiming that the image is of their own father/grandfather which i would love to put right. With the 100 year anniversary of The Great War i have seen stations such as the History channel and Discovery channel actively seeking relatives of certain soldiers. I have mentioned it to my own mother about going forward but it was not for her.

But Chris as was said in a previous post there are plenty of Brennans still left around the Finglas area. Some are still involved in Erins Isle Gaa club, some involved in local soccer clubs also and i think some are still involved in St Margarets Gaa club too

[ROY KILFEATHER]

Hello,

I am a member of the Kilfeather family in Sligo. Margaret Brennan from Finglas was my grandmother. I have photographs of Margaret and the complete family tree of the Kilfeather family. I would be delighted to share this record with any descendant of the Brennan or Kilfeather clan.

Roy Kilfeather

[riaob]

Hi Roy,

That would be fantastic, my father would be a nephew of your mother. He celebrated his 90th birthday two weeks ago and delights in the family history. He constantly asks questions about it. Perhaps I could pm you.

Ria.