North Street, Newry, County Down

North Street, Newry, County Down
North Street, Newry, County Down

Monday, 15 July 2019

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 17th 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

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