Byrnes originally from Dunleer - mystery

byrne_arnold

Hi

I am looking for a missing relative. Are you a Byrne from or around Dunleer? Do you have Byrne ancestors from Dunleer?

You might be able to help. It's not an urgent matter - the missing person has been missing for over a 100 years.

His name is John Byrne (b. 1870's d. 1960's). He was purposely wiped from memory by his entire family, sons and daughter. I have no idea why.

I'm trying to figure out what happened to him. He was married with 3 children and suddenly was no more. There are no photographs and little oral history about his whereabouts. I have about 500 postcards belonging to his daughter (Norah) from 1902 to 1913 and there is no mention of him. He did not likely emigrate and did not likely die until the 1960’s. Wherever he went , it was between 1900 and 1930.
His daughter Norah would not talk about him when prompted by my sisters in the 60’s. My father (his grandson) knows nothing. He thinks John Byrne may have been institutionalized but was kept completely in the dark. My grandfather used to go on secret ‘visits’. One day he came back from these in the 60’s and the person he visited had died, according to a sister of mine.

I know he came from Dunleer. Indeed, the family had a farm there- possibly at 'Dunleer House'. This is backed up by the family census returns of 1911 (attached).
This John Byrne married Thomasina Arnold from Gormanstown, Co. Meath and they had 3 children; William Byrne (Liam, Billie - my grandfather), Francis (Frank) Byrne and Norah Byrne
Liam and Frank (sons) were raised at Dunleer and later at Dalkey by aunts Evelyn and Pauline. Norah Byrne (his daughter) was raised separately by his wife Thomasina at the large farm at Gormanstown along with her aunt Christina and uncle Pat Arnold . All these people are long gone and the secret gone with them.
The Arnold's owned that farm in Gormanstown for generations. It is now owned by John Byrne’s grandson (my uncle).

Here is John Byrne's Family in 1911

Mother - Margaret Byrne B. 1842
Father - James Byrne (not alive in 1911)
himself - John Byrne b. prob. 1870's died prob 1960's
Brother - Vincent Byrne b. 1872
Brother - James Byrne 'Jim'
Sister - Pauline 'Paul' (Later moved to Dalkey)
Sister - Evelyn - a nurse (Later Moved to Dalkey )
Sister - Anne Byrne b. 1869
Sister - Mary Byrne b. 1866

Margaret Byrne states in the census she had 11 children; 10 alive at the 1911 census. Interestingly my grandfather William and his brother Francis were noted as ‘sons’ of Margaret Byrne. They were not.

The big question is; why was he put away? What was so heinous or embarrassing that he was completely erased. I am keen to find out the truth to discover what his crime was – or wasn’t. We are oft to point fingers across the water at opressors who took our freedom but many in Ireland lost their liberty at the hands of family members to spend miserable years in places literally named ‘Lunatic Asylums’. Regardless of what occurred then - no-one deserves to be wiped from memory today.


Any helpful information would be much appreciated.

macadam

hi, there are several Byrne families still living in the Dunleer area, also markey and kierans families are still in the area .

Maybe you should start with the local parish preist who should have all relevant records.

Pm me if you need contact numbers.

Regards Maca