Sinon Cleary
Sinon Cleary was the son of Thomas Cleary and Mary Lynch. From the information in the 1901 census (noted below) Sinon would have been born in approximately 1834.
Sinon married Brigid O'Malley. It is believed that they resided in the "second" Cleary house shown in the picture of the Cleary homes in Illaun, the home in which Sinon had been raised.
Information about their children is found with information about Sinon's wife.
The census of 1901 shows the occupants of Sinon's home at that time as :
- Sinon Cleary, head of family, Roman Catholic, able to both read and write, a farmer aged 67, able to speak both Irish and English;
- Bridget Cleary, his wife, Roman Catholic, able to read but not write, aged 68 years, and able to speak both Irish and English;
- Pat Cleary, their son, Roman Catholic, able to read but not write, age 31 years, occupation is stated as "farmer's son", he was unmarried and able to speak both Irish and English;
- Ellie Cleary, their daughter, Roman Catholic, able both to read and write, age 28 years, occupation is stated as "farmer's daughter", she was unmarried and able to speak both Irish and English;
- Honor Lynch; their daughter, Roman Catholic, able both to read and write, age 32 years, occupation is stated as "farmer's wife", she was married and able to speak both Irish and English;
- Ellen(?) Lynch; their granddaughter, Roman Catholic, able to read but not write, age 6 years, occupation is stated as "scholar", and she was able to speak both Irish and English;
Sinon's grandson, Michael O'Looney of New York, recalled that Sinon used to look out over the ocean every morning and perhaps was influenced by some contemporary propaganda that the Germans might come from the sea and invade their country. Michael O'Looney also said that his grandparents never spoke of the famine years and that Sinon died in approximately 1912.
Donal Garrihy, descendent of Sinon, reported one titbit on Sinon Cleary relayed to him by an old man in Miltown some years ago: When Sinon returned home from market he insisted on his wife dancing with him - upon which she was wont to remark "I'm dancing with John Jameson - not my husband!"
Any further information about Sinon Cleary, his wife Brigid O'Malley or their descendants would be appreciated.
