I actually made a mistake in my original post.
First of all apologies that I mentioned living descendants, rookie error and I reported it to the moderator to help me remove it.
Secondly, my great grandfather Anthony Ruane is not Anthony from Edward Ruane. The more I have researched the more I have pieced together. He is Anthony from Patrick Ruane. Both Anthony’s were born in 1886 and from Ballina.
Patrick Ruane b. 1853 in (xxx ? area) married Mary (xxx ?last name) (from xxx ?area) on (date, place)..
Their sons were:
1. Patrick
2. Anthony (6th May 1886)
3. John
4. William
5. Martin
Anthony Ruane b. 1886, married Mary Commons/Commins on 15th June 1922 (Thursday)
and had the following children:
1. Mary (May) Ellen b. 1922
2. Annie b. Dec, 1923
3. John b. 1925
4. Joseph. ? AKA Michael (died as a child of meningitis)
5. Pat b. 1927
6. Eileen b. 1929
7. Anthony (Tony)
8. Martin
9. James
10. Frank
11. Kathleen (died as a child of gastroenteritis)
They initially lived on St Muredach's Terrace, then later they lived on Bunree Road, Ballina (we think number 3). They kept a pig here and chickens in the back garden. They would fetch water from the spring well, spilling from the wall at the bottom of the steps of the river Brusna opposite. Separately to the family home, they had a small quarry on some land in Ballina and kept dairy cows on there and they had the contract for repairing the pot holes in the road.
When my Grandma (May), was a little girl. Her and her siblings would milk the cows before school, then walk 6 miles to school. After school, they would have to weed the pot holes, so that their Dad Anthony could fill them with the chipping from the quarry. They had a huge cart horse called Paddy, who would pull a cart of aggregate for the repair work. My Grandma and her sister Annie would knock on doors and sell raw milk, they would carry jugs and go door to door topping up peoples milk jugs. When they got tips, they would hide the pennies in a hole in the wall to save them up. When they had enough, then on Sunday after church, they would go to ‘Tobins’? Shop on the end of Bunree Road and buy themselves some sweets.
Anthony d. 25th Feb 1945 - buried at Leigue Cemetery, (plot: 3084)
Mary d. (Unsure of exact date) in 1970 - buried in the same grave at Leigue Cemetery, (plot: 3084)
Years later after Anthony and Mary had died, the eldest son of Patrick (Anthony’s older brother), John built a small farmhouse on the land and lived there until he died. He had a housekeeper called McBride, who ‘took’ ownership of the land when he died, so it was lost to the family and we don’t really know what happened next.
The things I’d like to find out most, is my great Nana Mary (Commins) date of birth. We know that Anthony was apparently about 40 years old when he married her and was apparently a lot older. My Grandma said it was controversial at the time because the Commins were relatively wealthy and they disowned her fro marrying Anthony and refused to pay the dowry. So I’m curious to learn how big the age gap was?
