Would love to get in touch with anyone researching McKennas in Ballymacolgan. Anyone else descended from Redmond McKenna and Catherine Fagan please get in touch.
Hiya Ellis, not a clear connection here, but one of my gt-grandparents was Catherine Fegan (Fagan) resident in her 1870 marriage to Thomas Mooney at Ballyneworeen (Balnavoran), Drumconrath (Owen was resident at Largy, Drumconrath). Witnesses at the marriage, relationships not stated, were Daniel Mooney and Anne Jane MacKenna. Her parents were noted as Owen Fegan and Mary MacKenna.
I think Owen Fegan was the fellow referred to in the book of poetry written by Patrick Reilly, schoolmaster of Drumconrth, "The Rural Harp". One of the poems is on the past glory of Ballynavoran written during the famine, it includes the verse;
Owen Fagan, too was deem'd a man
A lady might admire,
And many a jig I've seen him dance,
Well play'd by Mick Maguire.
His dress once neat as frieze could be,
Is scanty, old and torn -
A crutch sustains his thin - spare limbs
To - day in Ballinavoran.
All the best from Niagara,
Donald.
