Frances Agnes Bray [1813-1874], Ballycarrane, Thurles, County Tipperary

 Frances Agnes Bray [Fanny] was the third daughter of Luke Bray of Ballycarrane, Thurles, County Tipperary and his wife Ellen Ronayne.

Frances, of Luke Bray, farmer, and Ellen Ronan, Ballycarrane, sponsors Maurice Ronan and Mrs. J. Bray.[1]

She married Francis Bray O’Brien [1806-1870]. Francis was the son of Denis O'Brien and Mary Bray and a cousin of Frances Agnes.[2]  They were married by His Grace the Most Reverend Dr. Slattery on the 24^th of November 1840. A dispensation from a bishop was required on the grounds of two 2^nd degrees of separation or consanguinity.  Francis’s mother was Mary Bray, a sister of Luke Bray who was Fanny’s father. Francis’s grandmother was another Mary Bray which accounted for the second 2^nd degree of separation. William Joseph Burke and Anne Ronan were present at the marriage.

Maurice Ronayne of Knockaderry in County Waterford and Robert Lidwell of Templemore in the County of Tipperary were named in the marriage settlement.[3]

Francis and Fanny had six children:

1. Denis Bray O’Brien [1841-] of Ardfort House, Thurles, County Tipperary.

BIRTHS. At Thurles, Co. Tipperary, the lady of FRANCIS O'BRIEN, Esq, of a son and heir. [4]

2. Ellen [abt.1843-1899]. She is buried in St. Mary’s Graveyard, Thurles.

Ellen Mary O'Brien died at Thurles 30th Dec 1899 aged 56 years  

3. John Bray O’Brien [1844-] of Ardfort House, married Mary Desmond Power, eldest daughter of Richard Power Esq., of Ballydavid House, Thurles, County Tipperary in 1881.

4. Mary O’Brien [1846-]. Charles Tool and Mary Bray were witnesses at her baptism.

5. William Francis Bray O’Brien [abt 1849-1927], Ardfort House, Thurles, County Tipperary, married Kathleen Lloyd in London in 1881. They had one daughter Camilla O’Brien. William and Kathleen are buried in St. Mary’s Graveyard, Thurles.

William Bray O'Brien son of Francis Bray O'Brien who died at Ardfort 8th Dec 1927 aged 78   Also his wife Kathleen (nee Lloyd) of Lisheen Castle who died at Ardfort 22nd March 1953 aged 92 years

6. Francis James O’Brien [1853-] known as Frank.

In May 1855 the lands of Gortataggart, part of Gortnaclogh and houses and premises in the town of Thurles, the estate of Francis O'Brien, were advertised for sale.[5]

Francis Bray O’Brien died on the 1^st of November 1870 aged 64.

Frances, or Fanny, died on the 12^thof January 1874. 

O'Brien, Jan 12, at Ardfort House, Thurles, after a long and painful illness, Francis Agnes, relict of Francis Bray O'Brien, Esq., J.P.[6]

Both are buried in St. Mary's Graveyard, Thurles. Francis Bray O'Brien died at Thurles 1st Nov 1870 aged 64 years   Fanny Bray O'Brien his wife died 12th Jan 1874  

---

[1]  Catholic Church Register, Thurles, 02489/05. P. 71 1813 ? Dec [www.nli.ie].

[2]  Catholic Church Registers. Thurles 02489/04 P. 14. 1806 [www.nli.le]

[3]  Bray O’Brien Registry of Deeds 1840-23-224

[4]  The Freeman’s Journal 12^th October 1841.

[5]  www.landedestates.ie

[6]  The Belfast Newsletter, Jan 16, 1874

James Bray [Abt. 1781-1825] of Thurles

 James Bray was the son of John Bray of Thurles, County Tipperary, and his wife Mary Fogarty.  He was named after his maternal grandfather James Fogarty.

He married Mary Kearney in 1810 in Thurles.

By Doctor Bray, James Bray of Thurles to Mary Kearney of Thurles, pres. John Bray his father and Mrs Kearney her mother. [1]

James Bray and his wife Mary Kearney were present at the marriage of Elizabeth Bray of Fethard to James Lalor of Mount Brilliant, Kilkenny, in 1812, in Thurles. Elizabeth Bray’s uncle The Reverend Thomas Bray conducted the ceremony and her sister Margaret was also present. Elizabeth's father James died in 1783. He had been a doctor in Falmouth. Her mother was Margaret Fullerton. Her sister Margaret never married and appears to have become a nun in the Presentation Convent, Cork. Her brother James [R.N.] died in 1813. Her other brother John Fullerton was in the East India Service. She and James Lalor had four children. Charles, Margaret and Joseph all died in infancy. Their surviving daughter Alicia Bray Lalor married O'Brien Mahony in Clonmel in 1861 and had one daughter Elizabeth Clara Mary. Elizabeth Lalor appears to have died in 1861.

The question is, why were James Bray and Mary Kearney of Thurles people of importance at the marriage? How might they have been related to Elizabeth Bray?

James Bray died in 1825 aged 44. He was buried in Holy Cross Abbey. There is an inscription on his gravestone:

Here lies the body of James Bray Esq., of the Town of Thurles who departed this life on the 1st day of March 1825 aged 44 years. In him the widow and the orphan lost a constant friend and true piety a perfect model. May he rest in Peace Amen.

Luke's second daughter Mary, niece of James, is also commemorated on the gravestone.

Also Mary second daughter of Luke and Niece of James Bray Esqr who died July 17^th 1877 aged 62.[2]

Mary Kearney outlived James by 24 years. She never remarried and died in Dublin in 1849.

Died, Feb 5, at an advanced age at Middle Gardiner-street, Mary, relict of the late James Bray of Thurles, Esq.[3]

She is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin.

---

[1] Catholic Church Registers Thurles 02489/05 1810 P. 153. www.nli.ie

[2]  www.findagrave.com

[3] Freeman's Journal, Wed Feb 7, 1849