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Hi, I am struggling with yet another vague part of my family tree :-(
My Grandfather was Thomas Nolan (1911-1990), people are a little unsure of where he was born but, it was definitely in Longford, maybe Ballinalee. It is his parents I am struggling with.
Nobody is quite sure where his Father also Thomas Nolan (1875-1943) came from but, it wasn't originally Longford, some guess the North others Carlow (aunts and uncles can't agree). He married a Rose Ann Reilly (1870-1955) who had another child Rose Ann Allen (1909-1970).
No-one knows where Rose Ann came from or where she got her surname only that she was not Thomas' daughter although although my grandfather and her always regarded each other as brother and sister.
I have found a few leads but, the more I find the more confused I get :-(
If you think you might have a clue I would love to hear it, thanks in advance Helen x

Also posted in the Monaghan forum:
A bit complicated this one, I am struggling to get any family help because I get the impression the facts have been rather 'swept under the carpet' over the years. So much so, that even those who remember the events only remember a very vague picture, not I think, because they are hiding the truth but, rather because it has been all they themselves have ever known.
My Grandmother Mary Ann Donohoe (1911-1969) was the daughter Bernard Donohoe 1873-?) and Kate Gorman (1876-1912). Mary Ann's mother, Kate died when she was very young. I can't discover what happened to Bernard after this but, I believe an aunt of Mary Ann's came back from America to look after her however, 12 years later the house where they lived burnt to the ground and the Aunt was tragically killed. At this point Mary Ann was sent to St Louis Convent in Monaghan to be brought up by the Nuns.
If anybody reads or replys to this message I know you will be asking which Aunt? When did she go to or come back from America, I don't know!!!!!
That is where the vagueness kicks in :-(
Also, although it would be frowned upon maybe today, it was certainly common enough practice then for the family of such children to step in and take over the upbringing of an orphan and I am also puzzled to know why this did not happen in my Grandmothers case. I have never been forward enough to confront my elderly Irish relatives with this question but, on skirting around it, I am met with the wall of vagueness.
As far as I can find Mary Ann had a maternal Aunt who was her Mothers twin sister,she married somebody Lynch of Kilcogy and lived until she was 95. She also had 2 maternal Uncles, Patrick and Terrence who I do not know much about as yet.
On her Paternal side she had a further 2 Aunts, Ann and Mary and an Uncle John.
What I am most interested to know is, what would the Convent in Monaghan have been like for her as an orphan who lived and was brought up there and why was she sent there.
I also have about a million other questions about this whole area of vague family history and would be delighted if anyone could help even a little.