Hannah Breen : Short Biography

Hannah Breen (Brien or O'Brien in some records), born Circa 1811, married John Hogan on 19 February, 1829 in Upperchurch, Tipperary.  Hannah's parents are unknown, apart from the reference on her marriage record to "Widow Breen" as a witness.  

Hannah and John farmed in the Coolderry area and had at least eight children; Laurence 1829, Sarah/Sally 1831, Michael 1832-1854, Catherine Kate C1833, Mary 1834, Martin 1837-1851, Johanna/Hannah C1839, and John 1840.   John Hogan senior died in Tipperary on 9 May 1847, leaving Hannah a widow, to raise the children on her own. 

In September 1856, when aged 45, Hannah sailed on the ship 'Alice Walton', for a new life in Tasmania, Australia. She was an assisted immigrant, listed with four of her children; Catherine, Johanna, Mary and John.  The oldest daughter Sarah was the applicant for the family's passage and already living in Tasmania, working in a Launceston drapery store.  Hannah settled at Westbury, outside Launceston, where she worked as a house servant to support her children until they married and settled in other areas. In later years she lived with her son John on his family farm at Turner's Marsh in North Eastern Tasmania, where she died on 10 July 1876. She was buried in the Launceston Catholic Cemetery at Glen Dhu.

A possible half brother of Hannah's also immigrated from Tipperary to Tasmania in 1856, arriving on the ship 'Great Tasmania'.  Martin Breen, aged 43, with his wife Honora 39 and children Dennis 18, Mary 16, John 14, and Patrick 11. Their sponsor, a Michael Breen had arrived in Tasmania in 1851; another possible brother still to be confirmed.

*Pictured - Hannah Hogan with her daughter Sarah (Sally)