Looking Back: The funeral of Denis Brennan
I am always fascinated by the obituary notices in the old local newspapers, writes Brian Byrne. It may partly be from my own family's involvement in funeral undertaking in Kilcullen down the generations, but I think that as a journalist, the language and the detail of the funerals as reported exert their own insistent attraction.
When it is somebody of note in the community, as in this example — Denis Brennan — there are stories written and unwritten in the account, many of the latter evident in the listings of those who attended. The unnamed reporter, pencil and pad of paper in hand, worked very hard to make sure that everyone present at the funeral got the fact recorded in the newspaper. Very many of those family names, especially the contingent from Kilcullen, are still relevant in the Kilcullen of today.
Obituary. Death of Mr. Denis Brennan, Kilcullen.
It is with the utmost regret that we have to chronicle the death of Mr. Denis Brennan, Kilcullen, which sad event took place at a nursing home in Dublin on Saturday last. Deceased had been in failing health for some considerable time, but hopes were entertained that he would ultimately recover his former strength and vigour. He went to Dublin for special treatment, but despite the most skilled attention and nursing, death supervened to the great regret of a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, who deeply sympathise with his bereaved widow and children in their great affliction.
Mr. Brennan carried on an extensive and flourishing business as auctioneer and merchant in Kilcullen for a number of years, and was also extensively engaged in farming and other businesses. He was highly respected by all classes of the community, and his death at the comparatively early age of 58 years caused general regret. Mr. Brennan was a true son of his native soil, and in his younger days was great upholder and partaker in all many sports. In those days cricket clubs flourished in every townland, as football does today, and it was quite a common event for a good exponent to be a member of several clubs and in this way the deceased figured in most of the local matches and was a host in himself, especially in the trundling department. The sportsmanlike spirit with which he played the game gained for him the admiration of all.
The following clergy attended at the Office and High Mass:— Celebrant, Rev. Fr. McAuliffe, C.C., Kilcullen; deacon, Rev. Fr. Byrne, C.C., Kilcullen; sub-deacon, Rev. Fr. Kennedy, C.C., Dunlavin; master of ceremonies, Rev. Fr. Kavanagh, C.C., Holloywood; chanters, Rev. Fr. O'Brien, C.C., Ballymore-Eustance; Rev. Fr. Earley, Adm. City Quay, Dublin; Rev. Fr. Macken, C.M., Castleknock College; Rev. Fr. Traynor, C.C., Clondalkin; Rev. Fr. O'Gorman, C.C., Newbridge; Rev. Fr. kearney, C.C., Newbridge; Rev. Fr. O'Reilly, C.C., Crookstown; Rev. Fr. Flanagan, C.C., Donard; Rev. Fr. O'Donoghue, C.C., Moone; Rev. Fr. O'Farrell, C.C., Suncroft.
The chief mourners were:— Messrs. Denis, Basil and Alfred Patrick Brennan (sons), Jas. Brennan, Dunstown House (brother), Mrs. Bagnall, Timolin (sister); Messrs. William Brennan, Delamane; John Brennan, Dunstown; James Brennan, Two-Mile-House; John and P. Bagnall, Timolin, and Matthew Doyle, Calverstown Lodge (nephews); Messrs. John Doyle, J.P., Calverstown Lodge, and P.D. Bardon, Kilcullen (brothers-in-law); Mrs. Doyle, The Chair, Kildare, and Miss Robinson, Kilrainy (cousins); Mrs. Corcoran.
Amongst those present were:— Dr. J.E. Barker, Kilcullen; Rev. J. Wilkinson, M.A., Ballysax; Messrs. P. Pallin, M. O'Connell, Kilcullen; T.P. Brophy, C. O'Connor, Straffan; C. O'Connor, Mylerstown; J. Mallick, Athgarvan; G. Saunders, D.C., Carnalway; R. Alvey, Fontstown; T. Price, Ballyshannon; R. Conlon, Pollardstown; O. Conlon, Brownstown; R.H. Falkiner, Newbridge; J. Imrie, Liffeydale; James and William Coffey, Wellbank; James Walker, Halverstown House; Jos. Harrington, Cannycourt; Jos. Whelan, Curragh; H. and T. Winder, Gormanstown; H.V. Winder, Knockbounce; Wm. Jackson, Ballyshannon; J. Jackson, Wellfield; Jas. Hooney, Ballyshannon; N. Walshe, Kilrush; C. O'Neill, Ballymore; E. Grace, do.; H. Dillon, Two-Mile-House; R. Kearney, D.C., Mullacash; M. Farringtown, Oldtown; P.J. Doyle, J.P., P. Cox, C. Ryan, Wm. Nolan, Newbridge; M. Fitzsimons, Co.C.; D. Dunne, B. Gogarty, J. Whelan, Naas; A Murray, Kilcullen; Jos. Milne, Kilgowan; H. Fay, Brewel; T. Cunningham, Suncroft; Jos. Martin, do.; T. H. Griffin, V.S., Curragh; Jas. Whelan, Rosetown; E. Browett, The Hermitage; John Sandall, Dunstown; Captain Head, Gilltown; John Valentine, Carnalway; J. Dillon, Harristown; John O'Connor, Two-Mile-House; E. and F. Daly, Mooretown; P. Morrin, Calverstown; Denis Cleary, Kilrush; J. Rogan and J. O'Callaghan, Kinneagh; T. Doran, Milemill; T Byrne, Castlefish; J. Byrne, Kilgowan; John O'Neill, The Shoulder; J. Nolan, Kildare; L. Darby, P. Darby, John Collins, A. Nolan, M. Leonard, T. Martin, James Kelly, T. Orford, J. Dowling, J. Barber; P. Norton, P. Daly N.T., P. Byrne, N.T., Peter Neill, S. Clare, R. Crone, J. Lamb, P. Feeley, T. Berney, P. Lawlor, J. Byrne, Kilcullen; Thos. Nugent, Silliot Hill; H. Flanagan, Corbally; J. Gallagher, Gormantown; M. Fay, do., T. Staplestown, Harristown; J. Shannon, Silliot Hill; T. O'Connor, Brownstown; L. Foster, Rosetown; Wm. Kelly, Inchiquire; J. Grady, Martinsown; M. and J. Burke, Old Kilcullen; P. Walshe, T. Walshe, Sunnyhill; F. Corrigan, J. Corrigan, Blackrath; P. Corrigan, Newbridge; P. Flanagan, T. Flanagan, Gilltown; Peter Flanagan, Gilltown; E. Ennis, Knockbounce; M. Byrne, E. Keegan, Harristown; — Kelly, Mullacash; P. Kelly, do., M. Doyle, Ballymount; J. Clarke, Dunstown; J. Flanagan, A. McDonnell, Brownstown; J. Lawlor, Clownings; E. Keogh, C. Wogan, J. Valentine, Flemington; A. and J. Wilson, — O'Leary, V. Knox, T. Farrell, J. Taylor, W. Haslam, Jos. Dooley, R. Conlon, D. Murphy, J. Miley, L. O'Brien, M. Melia, P. Gorman, L. Tougher, Hacklow; Wm. Orford, Sergt,. Doran, Constable Kearney, Constable O'Flaherty, Constable Gormley, Kilcullen; John Doran, J. Doyle, J. Keane, S. and W. Cooper, Dunstown; A. and S. Cooper, Kilgowan; C. Lawlor, J. McGrath.
Mr. Brennan carried on an extensive and flourishing business as auctioneer and merchant in Kilcullen for a number of years, and was also extensively engaged in farming and other businesses. He was highly respected by all classes of the community, and his death at the comparatively early age of 58 years caused general regret. Mr. Brennan was a true son of his native soil, and in his younger days was great upholder and partaker in all many sports. In those days cricket clubs flourished in every townland, as football does today, and it was quite a common event for a good exponent to be a member of several clubs and in this way the deceased figured in most of the local matches and was a host in himself, especially in the trundling department. The sportsmanlike spirit with which he played the game gained for him the admiration of all.
The following clergy attended at the Office and High Mass:— Celebrant, Rev. Fr. McAuliffe, C.C., Kilcullen; deacon, Rev. Fr. Byrne, C.C., Kilcullen; sub-deacon, Rev. Fr. Kennedy, C.C., Dunlavin; master of ceremonies, Rev. Fr. Kavanagh, C.C., Holloywood; chanters, Rev. Fr. O'Brien, C.C., Ballymore-Eustance; Rev. Fr. Earley, Adm. City Quay, Dublin; Rev. Fr. Macken, C.M., Castleknock College; Rev. Fr. Traynor, C.C., Clondalkin; Rev. Fr. O'Gorman, C.C., Newbridge; Rev. Fr. kearney, C.C., Newbridge; Rev. Fr. O'Reilly, C.C., Crookstown; Rev. Fr. Flanagan, C.C., Donard; Rev. Fr. O'Donoghue, C.C., Moone; Rev. Fr. O'Farrell, C.C., Suncroft.
The chief mourners were:— Messrs. Denis, Basil and Alfred Patrick Brennan (sons), Jas. Brennan, Dunstown House (brother), Mrs. Bagnall, Timolin (sister); Messrs. William Brennan, Delamane; John Brennan, Dunstown; James Brennan, Two-Mile-House; John and P. Bagnall, Timolin, and Matthew Doyle, Calverstown Lodge (nephews); Messrs. John Doyle, J.P., Calverstown Lodge, and P.D. Bardon, Kilcullen (brothers-in-law); Mrs. Doyle, The Chair, Kildare, and Miss Robinson, Kilrainy (cousins); Mrs. Corcoran.
Amongst those present were:— Dr. J.E. Barker, Kilcullen; Rev. J. Wilkinson, M.A., Ballysax; Messrs. P. Pallin, M. O'Connell, Kilcullen; T.P. Brophy, C. O'Connor, Straffan; C. O'Connor, Mylerstown; J. Mallick, Athgarvan; G. Saunders, D.C., Carnalway; R. Alvey, Fontstown; T. Price, Ballyshannon; R. Conlon, Pollardstown; O. Conlon, Brownstown; R.H. Falkiner, Newbridge; J. Imrie, Liffeydale; James and William Coffey, Wellbank; James Walker, Halverstown House; Jos. Harrington, Cannycourt; Jos. Whelan, Curragh; H. and T. Winder, Gormanstown; H.V. Winder, Knockbounce; Wm. Jackson, Ballyshannon; J. Jackson, Wellfield; Jas. Hooney, Ballyshannon; N. Walshe, Kilrush; C. O'Neill, Ballymore; E. Grace, do.; H. Dillon, Two-Mile-House; R. Kearney, D.C., Mullacash; M. Farringtown, Oldtown; P.J. Doyle, J.P., P. Cox, C. Ryan, Wm. Nolan, Newbridge; M. Fitzsimons, Co.C.; D. Dunne, B. Gogarty, J. Whelan, Naas; A Murray, Kilcullen; Jos. Milne, Kilgowan; H. Fay, Brewel; T. Cunningham, Suncroft; Jos. Martin, do.; T. H. Griffin, V.S., Curragh; Jas. Whelan, Rosetown; E. Browett, The Hermitage; John Sandall, Dunstown; Captain Head, Gilltown; John Valentine, Carnalway; J. Dillon, Harristown; John O'Connor, Two-Mile-House; E. and F. Daly, Mooretown; P. Morrin, Calverstown; Denis Cleary, Kilrush; J. Rogan and J. O'Callaghan, Kinneagh; T. Doran, Milemill; T Byrne, Castlefish; J. Byrne, Kilgowan; John O'Neill, The Shoulder; J. Nolan, Kildare; L. Darby, P. Darby, John Collins, A. Nolan, M. Leonard, T. Martin, James Kelly, T. Orford, J. Dowling, J. Barber; P. Norton, P. Daly N.T., P. Byrne, N.T., Peter Neill, S. Clare, R. Crone, J. Lamb, P. Feeley, T. Berney, P. Lawlor, J. Byrne, Kilcullen; Thos. Nugent, Silliot Hill; H. Flanagan, Corbally; J. Gallagher, Gormantown; M. Fay, do., T. Staplestown, Harristown; J. Shannon, Silliot Hill; T. O'Connor, Brownstown; L. Foster, Rosetown; Wm. Kelly, Inchiquire; J. Grady, Martinsown; M. and J. Burke, Old Kilcullen; P. Walshe, T. Walshe, Sunnyhill; F. Corrigan, J. Corrigan, Blackrath; P. Corrigan, Newbridge; P. Flanagan, T. Flanagan, Gilltown; Peter Flanagan, Gilltown; E. Ennis, Knockbounce; M. Byrne, E. Keegan, Harristown; — Kelly, Mullacash; P. Kelly, do., M. Doyle, Ballymount; J. Clarke, Dunstown; J. Flanagan, A. McDonnell, Brownstown; J. Lawlor, Clownings; E. Keogh, C. Wogan, J. Valentine, Flemington; A. and J. Wilson, — O'Leary, V. Knox, T. Farrell, J. Taylor, W. Haslam, Jos. Dooley, R. Conlon, D. Murphy, J. Miley, L. O'Brien, M. Melia, P. Gorman, L. Tougher, Hacklow; Wm. Orford, Sergt,. Doran, Constable Kearney, Constable O'Flaherty, Constable Gormley, Kilcullen; John Doran, J. Doyle, J. Keane, S. and W. Cooper, Dunstown; A. and S. Cooper, Kilgowan; C. Lawlor, J. McGrath.
— The Kildare Observer, 1918.
(Credit to Dave Byrne for trawling through the old newspapers for reports from and about Kilcullen.)
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