Mary E Regan : Short Biography

Mary E Regan 1846

Skull (Cork)

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Place of migration

Migrated to/Born in USA

Additional Information
Date of Birth	15th Aug 1846
Date of Death	28th Oct 1915

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Mary was the youngest child of Cornelius and Hanory Leary Regan. I have locared DNA matches to descendants of four of her siblings. Ellen 1828-1910; Michael 1830-1887; Cornelius 1833-1860; Daniel 1838-1915.

Maureen

Thursday 21st October 2021 04:21PM

I think we may be related..My great grandfather was Charles Regan born circa 1876 in Cork. I wonder was he a son of someone you mention.

Patrice

Tuesday 23rd August 2022 10:49PM

HI Patrice! The best way we can confirm this is if you take a DNA test. That's how I located 4 of mary's siblings! And I am not aware of any of them having a child named Charles. However, I have no information on Denis 1825, John 1836 or William 1839. Out of this group, Denis would be the most likely since Charles named his child, Denis. But my Denis Regan would have been 51 years old at Charles's birth. Let me know if you have taken a DNA test or if you have additional info you can share. Maureen

Maureen

Wednesday 24th August 2022 12:40AM

I will gather more information and get back to you. Have you looked at the Irish census yet?

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Cork/Buttevant/Spittal…

I believe Charle's Mother was called Mary. Per the actual census form she was 55 in 1901 so she was born in 1846. She was a widow in 1901 so I am asking my family who she was married to.

The census is really helpful so it may help you further.

Where are you based? All my family are in Bandon, Cork but I live just outside London now.

Patrice

Wednesday 24th August 2022 06:23AM

Thank you, Patrice! I look forward to hearing about what your family says.

And yes, I have looked at the 1901 census. It seems like Mary's maiden name may be Murphy since that was her nephews name who was living with her.

What's difficult for me with my Irish research is

(1) I don't understand the geography of the cities/townlands and their relation to other cities/townlands and

(2) there are too many Irish with the exact same names, born around the same location around the same time. Seems like there's no way to confirm other than DNA.

For example, Mary E Regan born 1846 is my 2xs GG. Your Mary was born in the same year. Both are Catholic. So maybe they are cousins. But ...

(a) Since I'm not really familiar with Ireland, one thing I don't know is... would it be reasonable to expect a man born in Bandon would get married and more to East Schull?

(b) Also, I don't know if everyone baptizing their children at St. Mary's in East Schull would actually LIVE in East Schull. Would they have lived in another town and traveled to East Schull to go to church? How far would they travel to go to church back in 1820-1850?

(c) Although I surmised her dad, Cornelius was born in Bandon, it was a lot based on thinking that Cornelius oldest son, Denis (baptized at St. Mary's in East Schull) was named after his grandfather, Demetri... until I just found out last week that Demetri is really Jeremiah and not Denis!! And we don't have ANY Jeremiahs or Jerrys in our family! :-(

(d) I spoke to another Irish girl with a surname O'Regan. And she said, she knew all of her direct ancestors, and none had left Ireland, so she felt no need to take a DNA test. Perhaps you may feel that way too. And I understand. You taking a DNA test probably helps me more than it helps you. Let me know if you or any of your family members have taken a DNA test.

Like I mentioned, Mary Regan born in 1846 is my 2xs GG. I and all of her children were born in Paterson, NY, USA. Her sister Ellen and brothers Michael and Daniel also immigrated to Paterson, NJ, USA. It seems like Ellen (the oldest sister who came first and married an Englishman by the time Mary arrived) and Mary (the youngest sister) and her two youger brothers did not connect with her in Paterson, although they all lived there. Mary was close to her brothers Michael and Daniel. And my family was close to Michael's grandchildren, so even though we are a DNA match, I already knew them. But I found Ellen's and Daniel's descendants entirely through ancestry DNA research. So, I hope you will consider taking the test.

So nice you live in London! I was born in Paterson, NJ the oldest of 10. I moved down south about 33 years ago and have been living in the free state of SC for the last 26 years. My daughter and I will be visiting Ireland Sept 8-18! This will be my 2nd visit there. It would be so cool to meet some Irish relatives. Per ancestry, confirmed by my research, I am 93% Irish!

Sorry to be so long winded... Ellen's descendants are coming to Ireland next May and all of us Regan DNA descendants are hoping to find descendants of the other Regan siblings who may be still living in Ireland! Look forward to hearing from you soon!

Take care and have a great day!

Maureen

Wednesday 24th August 2022 07:27AM

Have you Facebook? Maybe it is easier to chat there..My name on it is Patrice O' Regan Kieling

Patrice

Wednesday 24th August 2022 07:49AM

To answer a few questions, yes it would be reasonable for a Bandon man to marry someone from Schull. My Dad, Denis (same name as my Grandad) actually married my Mum who lives near Schull.

Generally, people live close to the Church even to this day and especially so in the past.

Do you know the name of the O' Regan girl that you spoke to. Maybe she is a relation of mine.

To complicate matters, although my grandad is Regan. At school there was 2 Denis Regan's so his teacher added 'O' to my Grandads name making him O Regan from then on. All my family have been O' Regans since.

Patrice

Wednesday 24th August 2022 07:55AM

Thank you for that info! Yes, her name is *******, she lives in Monkstown. Her cousin is ********* who is a DNA match. Their 3xs GG was Cornelius Regan from Aughaville near Drimoleague. Ironically, I have a 2nd group of Regan DNA matches (confirmed) with Regan/O'Regan descendants who were from the Drimoleague area... not to be confused with the Regans from East Schull who appear NOT to be related to the Regans from Drimoleague via DNA match analysis.