Researching the Egan Families from Kiltartan, Gort

Hello Paula,

My wife's Egan, sometimes Eagan family is from Kiltartan, Gort....we were just there for the Week of Welcomes this past June. Email address is edpo@verizon.net if you'd like to compare notes....my wife's family for the most part ended up in western Massachusetts but there was a part of the family that went much farther to the west..

Ed O'Connor

I have received the following communiqu? from Des Dineen, who has asked me to handle it.    For starters, I am in Australia and I don't know where Kiltartan  Gort is. From the address, I presume you are in Ireland.    I will be going to Ireland in June of this year, for the Egan Clan gathering, which starts at Bunratty, about 24th June, and we travel by bus around the south west portion of Ireland, for a week, passing through Killarney to Macroom, Beal na mBaith, Carrigafroihid, onto Cobb, Rock of Cashel, Roscrea, up to Athlone, Fuerty Roscommon. Return to Bunratty, via Loughrea, Redwood Castle, and Nenagh.   Are you anywhere near any of those places?   You should join with us, Egans from all over the world meet for a week, every 2 years.

I have traced my forbearers back to my great grandfather, James Egan. who came to Australia in 1841.    His story is;  James Egan, son of Patrick Egan and Johanna Purcell, was born at Castletown-arra, a parish in Co. Tipperary, near the River Shannon, probably between 1811 and 1823.  We don't have proof of date of birth, as death and marriage certificates, and shipping documentation, all give different ages, not to mention the birth certificates of his children.   We do know, James sailed out of Plymouth, England, on October 11, 1840, on "The Marquis of Hastings", supposedly aged 22 years.  There were 255  people on board when they left.  They arrived in Sydney 113 days later  on February 4, 1841, with 251 passengers. (4 deaths on the way).   James was in good health, a Catholic, and could read and write.   A document from the shipping line, suggested his "Probable Usefulness" to be good.
Contrary to his shipping records, his death certificate states he was 85 when he died, on December 1,1896, thus indicating he would have been born in 1811.   His marriage certificate; further confuses the issue, by stating he was 30 when married November 25, 1853, thus suggesting he was born in 1823. I think James played games with his age, depending on the situation of the day.    After finding his way to Melbourne, he met a gorgeous girl named Catherine Crowe, who hailed from Co. Clare.    Catherine was the daughter of Michael Crowe and Catherine Hastings.   They were married in Melbourne November 26, 1853.   From that marriage 9 children were born, all here in Australia, and they have continued to multiply ever since.
I believe, James had a brother Michael, who followed him to Australia, but never married.
That's our James Egan. I don't know if there is any family connections. What I have been trying to find out for the past 10 years, is information on his place of birth, and any brothers/sisters he may have had.  Also where his parents Patrick and Johanna may have been buried.