Cooney, Patrick and Family

Census of Ireland 1911

Household Return (Form A) for house 5

In 1911 Patrick Cooney (42), a ‘Farmer’ was head of the household and lived with his wife Bridget (32) and their children in the townland of Carnmore West, in the parish of Claregalway. Patrick could not read or write but spoke both Irish and English. Bridget could read, write and spoke both Irish and English. They had three sons, Tom (7), Patt (5) John (1), and one daughter Norah (3). Tom was a ‘Scholar’ and could read, write and spoke English. The Patt, Norah and John were unable to read, write.

There are three new columns in the 1911 census compared to that of 1901, ‘Years Married’, ‘Children Born’ and ‘Children Living’. Patrick and Bridget were married eight years and had four children born to them, and all four alive.

That night Honor Cooney (69), a ‘Widower’ and Patrick’s mother was present. All were born in County Galway.

Enumerator’s abstract (Form N)

The Cooney family were the only family living in the house, there were four males and three females and all were of the Roman Catholic faith.

House and Building Return (Form B1) & Out-Offices and Farm-Steadings Return (Form B2)

Patrick was the owner of his house. The house was a 3rd class stone or brick cottage with a thatched roof. It had two front windows and two rooms occupied. There were three out-offices and farmsteads a stable, a cow house, and a piggery.

The returns were filled out and signed by Patrick. It was witnessed as a truthful return and collected by Constable Thomas Fitzgerald on April 11^th.

Neighbours

1. Peter Fahy, 2. Peter Flaherty, 3. Patrick Lally, 4. Bridget Grealish, 5. Patrick Cooney, 6. James Carr, 7. Matthew Donoghue, 8. John Carr, 9. John Higgins, 10. James Michael Grealish.

Sources: NAI, (National Archives of Ireland) www.nationalarchives.ie, accessed 23/04/2017

Census of Ireland 1926

The next census in Ireland was not taken until 1926. It was not taken in 1921 as Ireland was in the midst of the ‘War of Independence’ against Britain. By 1926 Ireland was a Free State and the government was able to take their first census. The official due date for the release of the 1926 Census is January 1st, 2027 as there is a 100-year privacy law in Ireland. There have been many attempts to have an earlier release date, but to no avail yet.