Our father's name was Michael Behan. We don't know as much about the Behan Family as we do about the Bourke Family.
Our paternal grandmother was an O’Connor from Swinford, so I started there. I came across a reference to The O’Connors of Swinford County Mayo: a family history, by Patrick O’Connor (1952-) published in 1998. Thanks to the University of Wisconsin interlibrary loan service, I got my hands on a copy of the book from Princeton University. Subsequently my husband tracked down a secondhand copy for sale and gave it to me for Valentine’s Day. He’s a book lover… say no more.
It’s wonderful to see your name in a book. There, on page 144, are Mary Behan and Valerie Behan, children of Michael Behan. The entry reads:
“Michael (Behan) was born on 11 February 1918 and became a Dentist. He married Carmel Bourke who was also a Dentist, on 25 April 1945. They had two daughters, Valerie born on 15 February 1948 and Mary born 24 May 1950.”
I’ve copied some of the information from Patrick O’Connor’s wonderful and thorough family history.
We never got to know our Behan grandparents, Anne and William (see below).
Anne O’Connor (1877 – 1943), was one of twelve children, eight of whom survived. She was the youngest. Their parents were Thomas O’Connor (1814 – 1878) and Mary Mulligan (1837 – 1901). Our grandmother’s siblings were John P. (1856 – 1913), William (1859 – 1885), Thomas (1869 – 1893), Margaret (1874 – 1930), Bridget (1872 – 1953), Mary (1865 – 1919) and Patrick (1875 – 1942).
Our grandmother was educated at the Ursuline Convent in Sligo. She married our grandfather, William Behan on 28 April, 1915 in the Pro-Cathedral in Dublin. William was manager of the Hibernian Bank in Granard, County Mayo. She died “after a short illness” at her residence in Greenhills, Drogheda and is buried in St. Peter’s Cemetary, Drogheda.
The Drogheda Independent of 22 May carried the following obituary:
“We regret to announce the death, which occurred suddenly on Wednesday, of Mrs. Anne Behan, Greenhills, Drogheda. Wife of Mr. William Behan, former Manager of the Hibernian Bank, Drogheda, the late Mrs. Behan was a native of the West of Ireland. A cultured and kindly lady, she devoted not little time and energy to charitable work and was one of the most active members of the Ladies Association of Charity, the NSPCC and kindred organizations; her eldest son is Mr. Michael Behan, the well-known Drogheda Dentist. Other members of the family are Messrs John Behan, BE, now in England; Mr. William Behan, who is in the banking service and Miss Mary Behan.”
William Behan died on 21 July 1949 at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. He was a native of Monastrevin, Kildare. He started his banking career in the Hibernian Bank in the Letterkenny Branch and later worked in the Mayo, Granard and Ardee branches before coming to the Drogheda branch where he was manager for a long time. When his health began to fail he retired from the bank in 1938. He was one of the founders of the Gate Club, and was Captain of the Baltray Golf Club. As well as golf, he was interested in Bridge and his main hobby was gardening.
Anne and William had four children: Mary (1916 – 1992), Michael (1918 – 1993), Billy (1919 – 1990) and John (1920 – 1990).
Now we are going to have to try and track down the Behans of Monastrevin, County Kildare and find out more about our grandfather, William. Who were his parents and what did they do for a living? Did he have siblings? Where did he go to school?
Update (July, 2023)
Mary Behan isn’t a common name. I found one once – on a memorial plaque in Quebec. It was on an island in the St. Laurence River, Grosse Isle, where Irish famine boats had been quarantined. Mary Behan died there of typhoid fever, aged 27 in 1847. She had left on a boat out of Cobh harbour during the famine.
Today I found another Mary Behan. She and her sister, Ellen, aged 18 and 15 respectively, were sent from an Irish workhouse in 1849 to Australia. The scheme was devised by Earl Grey, the Secretary for the Commonwealth, to take some of the pressure off Irish workhouses during the famine by shipping orphans to Australia. This Mary Behan came from Aidstown or Alliganstown in County Kildare. John and Martha were her parents, but John must have died as only her mother was listed as living in Aidstown/Alliganstown.
Update (May, 2020):
Imelda Behan (daughter of Uncle Johnny, living in Milan, Italy) wrote to say that she visited the Behan family home near Monastrevin, in a place called Ballyfarsoon. Apparently our grandfather had a brother who lived there all his life. He married but had no children.
Ballyfarsoon is Baile an Phearsuin in Gaelic which roughly translates to "Town of the people". Known also as Ballyfarson, it is a townland in the parish of Monastrevin in County Kildare. Ballyfarsoon borders the following other townlands:
The property is off the R417 south of Monastrevin, 200 meters south of the southern border of Moore's Woods (part of Moore Abbey), past the M7 underpass. There's a modern houses on the property now.
Here's what Imelda gave me. It's current up to 2012. I have queries out to all my cousins to fill in the missing information.
Michael Behan, our great grandfather, was born on the 10.07.1819 in Monasterevin, Co. Kildare, Ireland, his parents being Dan Behan (our great, great grandfather) and ? Dowling. Michael Behan married Mary Kelly, born in 1831, whose father was John, on the 23 June, 1864 in Monasterevin. Michael was 45 years old at that time and Mary was 33. They lived in the area called Ballyfarsoon and were farmers – probably tenant farmers on the land of the Marquis of Drogheda. They had 5 children: Mary, born on the 14 March, .1866, John, born on the 24 February, 1867, Anne, born on the 20 November, 1870, William (our grandfather), born on the 7 July, 1872, and ? It seems that the females didn’t survive because in the 1901 census records 2 surviving children out of 5 born. Michael died between that census and the following one in 1911, presumably in 1909, as his widow Mary declared to have been married for 45 years in the 1911 census. William was no longer living in the family home in the 1901 census. In the 1911 census there was John, a farmer, 42 years old, unmarried, and his widowed mother, Mary, 80 years old. In Griffiths valuation (1847-1864) the house, office and land occupied by the Behan family in Ballyfarsoon was valued at 2 pounds five shillings. In the same valuation, the house of John Kelly’s family was valued 5 shillings and was also in Ballyfarsoon.
William Behan, our grandfather, worked in banks in Letterkenny, Mayo, Granard, Ardee and Drogheda. He is listed in the 1911 census, living in Swinford and working as the branch manager of the Joint Stock Bank. He married Anne O’Connor (born in 1877 in the Old House, Swinford) in the pro-Cathedral in Dublin on the 28 of April, 1915. They had 4 children, Mary, Michael (Mick), William (Billy) and John. Anne O’Connor died on the 19 May, 1943, aged 66, and William on the 21 July, 1949, aged 72, both in Drogheda where they had settled in Greenhills. He was manager of the Hibernian bank in Drogheda up to 1938. They are both buried in St. Peter’s Cemetery in Drogheda.
Mary was born on the 21 August, 1916 and died from cancer in Drogheda on the 31 August, 1991. She married Joe Matthews in 1945 and they had 2 children, Paul and Michael. Joe died in ………. and Mary married again to Olan Allen, a widower with …. children, all adults, in 19…..
Paul Matthews was born in May, 1946. He is married to Eimear McCawley since 1978. After spending .. years in the States, they have now returned to Ireland and live in Dundalk. They have 3 children, Emma, Conor and Ciara.
Michael Matthews was born in Drogheda in October 1947. He is married to Miriam Flannery and they have 2 children, James, born in 1978 and Joanne born in 1979. They live in ……….., Dublin.
Michael (Mick) Behan was born on the 11 February, 1918 and became a dentist. He married Carmel Bourke on the 25 April, 1945. She was also a dentist. They lived in Greenhills, Drogheda for most of their lives and moved to Killineer, just outside Drogheda for the last years of their lives. Mick died from cancer on 15 May, 1993. Carmel died on 11 November, 2003. They had 2 daughters, Valerie and Mary.
Valerie Behan, born in Drogheda on 15 February, 1948. She married Guy Pelletier in Rome in 1977. She worked as a Research Scientist for Agriculture Canada in Ottawa for almost 30 years, and remains associated with the Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes. She discovered many new species of soil mites, including ones named after her Dad and her sister: Eueremaeus michaeli Behan-Pelletier and Oribatella maryae Behan-Pelletier. She and her husband live in southern Quebec, Canada. They have no children.
Mary Behan was born in Drogheda on the 24 May, 1950. She was a Professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine for almost 30 years. She married Tim Heggland on 24 May, 2010. They live near Madison. They have no children.
William (Billy) Behan was born in ….. on the ……….. He spent ……. He married...
They had four children, William, twins Mary and Owen, and Michael.
John (Johnny) Behan was born in Granard, Co. Longford on the 2 September, 1920. He spent.... He married...
Anne Doyle neè Behan was born on the 24 May, 1946 in Warrington. She grew up in Dublin and especially in Sutton. After her schooling she spent 3 years in London She married Paul Doyle (born in Howth on the …………) in Sutton on the 27 June, 1969 (?) and they have 3 children, Devin, Stuart and Julie. They came back to Ireland in 1970 and live in Portmarnock. Paul has retired from the ESB and now writes stories for children and Anne teaches bridge and English to foreigners.
Devin Doyle was born in London on the 27 June, 1970, grew up in Portmarnock, County Dublin and married Nadege Bourdet(Nanou), born in ……………, France on the ..01.19….. in …………….., France on the …….on the ……. 2007. They went to live in Sydney, Australia in 2007 and came back to France in 2012. Devin is a script writer. They have a daughter, Valentine, born on the 2 March, 2009 in Sydney.
Stuart Doyle was born in Portmarnock on the 27 July, 1973 where he also grew up. He now lives in Dublin and is a musician.
Julie Doyle was born in Portmarnock on the 30 March, 1981 and grew up there. She has a son, Jamie, born on the 13 November, 2000 and now lives and works in Kinsale, Co. Cork with her partner, Ronan Daly, born in Waterford on ………. Ronan works in the family business of making glass crystal and both himself and Julie are musicians.
Imelda Behan in Vezzoni was born in Warrington, U.K. on the 3 September, 1947, grew up in Dublin, after leaving school, went to Modena, Italy for 6 months, returned to Dublin to work in the Revenue Office for 18 months and then went again to Italy to work in an orphanage. She married Carlo Vezzoni, born in Milan on the 7 April, 1948, on the 5 February, 1972. They live in Segrate, Milan since that time and have 3 children, Anna, David and Marta.
Anna Vezzoni was born in Milan on the 28 December, 1972 and grew up in Segrate. She has a son, Momo Picchioni, born in Monza on the 5 April, 1994 and now lives in Milan and works in Segrate and Milan.
David Vezzoni was born in Milan on the 13 January, 1975 and grew up in Segrate. He married Angela Scioti, born in Bari on the 22 March, 1981. They have two sons, Edoardo, born in Monza on the 29 May, 2008 and Alessandro, born in Monza on the 25 October, 2012 and live in Monza. Both David and Angela work in Milan.
Marta Vezzoni was born in Cernusco S/N on the 2 March, 1980 and grew up in Segrate where she now lives. She works as an educator in schools in Segrate.
Monica Begg neè Behan was born on the 24 September, 1948 in Warrington, UK and grew up in Sutton, Dublin. She went to London after working in Germany and Dublin and Australia and married Daniel (Danny) Begg, born on the 20 June, 1947 in Newry, in London on the 3 June, 1978. They lived in London and Chandlers Ford and have settled in the village of Grundisburgh, near Ipswich. They have 2 daughters, Fiona and Carolyn.
Fiona Wallis neè Begg was born in London on the 8 June, 1981 and now lives and works as a doctor in York. she married Sebastian Wallis, born on in April 1982 in Winchester in York on the 14 September, 2012.
Carolyn Begg was born on the 24 April, 1983 in London. She now lives and works in London.
Fiona Staunton neè Behan was born in Dublin on the 19 November, 1951 and grew up in Sutton. She worked in Dublin and went to Australia for ……. She married Paul Staunton (born on the ………. in Dublin(?) in Sutton on the ………. They have 3 children, Nicola, Colin and Catriona, and live in the family home in Corrbridge Terrace in Sutton.
Nicola Staunton was born on the 15 December, 1979 in Dublin and grew up in Sutton. She lived and worked in Dublin and went to New Zealand with her companion, Stephan …………., born in ………… in August 2012.
Colin Staunton was born in Dublin on the 6 May, 1982, grew up in Sutton and after spending 2 years travelling and in Australia, now lives and works in Dublin
Catriona Staunton was born in Dublin on the 22 January, 1983, grew up in Sutton and is now living and working for Google in Sydney, Australia.
Sheelagh Behan was born in Dublin on the 11 April, 1953 and grew up in Sutton. After living first in Germany and then in Italy, she went to South Africa with her companion, Claudio Manferdini (born in …… on the …) in 1979 (?) where they lived in Johannesburg and had their son, Luca. Claudio died there from lung cancer on the ……….. 1986. Sheelagh and Luca returned to Ireland and Luca grew up in Portmarnock where Sheelagh now lives. Sheelagh is a qualified Homeopath and also teaches English to foreigners.
Luca Manferdini was born in Johannesburg on the 17.06.1985 and grew up in Portmarnock, Dublin. He now lives in Killaloe for 8 months of the year where he works for the outdoor sports and leisure centre of the Limerick University. During the rest of the season he is sailing yachts to various destinations.
Catherine Behan was born in Sutton on the 30 April, 1959 and grew up there. She spent many years travelling and lived in Italy, Greece, Canary Islands and Spain. Her partner/companion’s name is David …………., born in ………. on the ……………. She has a daughter, Eriu Scopel Behan. They have now settled in Dublin and Catherine is attending Trinity University.
Eriu Scopel Behan was born in Gomera (?) on the 9 July, 1985 and grew up in Spain, Ireland and Italy. She lived and worked in Paris and is now living and studying in Milan.
Our paternal grandmother was an O’Connor from Swinford, so I started there. I came across a reference to The O’Connors of Swinford County Mayo: a family history, by Patrick O’Connor (1952-) published in 1998. Thanks to the University of Wisconsin interlibrary loan service, I got my hands on a copy of the book from Princeton University. Subsequently my husband tracked down a secondhand copy for sale and gave it to me for Valentine’s Day. He’s a book lover… say no more.
It’s wonderful to see your name in a book. There, on page 144, are Mary Behan and Valerie Behan, children of Michael Behan. The entry reads:
“Michael (Behan) was born on 11 February 1918 and became a Dentist. He married Carmel Bourke who was also a Dentist, on 25 April 1945. They had two daughters, Valerie born on 15 February 1948 and Mary born 24 May 1950.”
I’ve copied some of the information from Patrick O’Connor’s wonderful and thorough family history.
We never got to know our Behan grandparents, Anne and William (see below).
Anne O’Connor (1877 – 1943), was one of twelve children, eight of whom survived. She was the youngest. Their parents were Thomas O’Connor (1814 – 1878) and Mary Mulligan (1837 – 1901). Our grandmother’s siblings were John P. (1856 – 1913), William (1859 – 1885), Thomas (1869 – 1893), Margaret (1874 – 1930), Bridget (1872 – 1953), Mary (1865 – 1919) and Patrick (1875 – 1942).
Our grandmother was educated at the Ursuline Convent in Sligo. She married our grandfather, William Behan on 28 April, 1915 in the Pro-Cathedral in Dublin. William was manager of the Hibernian Bank in Granard, County Mayo. She died “after a short illness” at her residence in Greenhills, Drogheda and is buried in St. Peter’s Cemetary, Drogheda.
The Drogheda Independent of 22 May carried the following obituary:
“We regret to announce the death, which occurred suddenly on Wednesday, of Mrs. Anne Behan, Greenhills, Drogheda. Wife of Mr. William Behan, former Manager of the Hibernian Bank, Drogheda, the late Mrs. Behan was a native of the West of Ireland. A cultured and kindly lady, she devoted not little time and energy to charitable work and was one of the most active members of the Ladies Association of Charity, the NSPCC and kindred organizations; her eldest son is Mr. Michael Behan, the well-known Drogheda Dentist. Other members of the family are Messrs John Behan, BE, now in England; Mr. William Behan, who is in the banking service and Miss Mary Behan.”
William Behan died on 21 July 1949 at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. He was a native of Monastrevin, Kildare. He started his banking career in the Hibernian Bank in the Letterkenny Branch and later worked in the Mayo, Granard and Ardee branches before coming to the Drogheda branch where he was manager for a long time. When his health began to fail he retired from the bank in 1938. He was one of the founders of the Gate Club, and was Captain of the Baltray Golf Club. As well as golf, he was interested in Bridge and his main hobby was gardening.
Anne and William had four children: Mary (1916 – 1992), Michael (1918 – 1993), Billy (1919 – 1990) and John (1920 – 1990).
Now we are going to have to try and track down the Behans of Monastrevin, County Kildare and find out more about our grandfather, William. Who were his parents and what did they do for a living? Did he have siblings? Where did he go to school?
Update (July, 2023)
Mary Behan isn’t a common name. I found one once – on a memorial plaque in Quebec. It was on an island in the St. Laurence River, Grosse Isle, where Irish famine boats had been quarantined. Mary Behan died there of typhoid fever, aged 27 in 1847. She had left on a boat out of Cobh harbour during the famine.
Today I found another Mary Behan. She and her sister, Ellen, aged 18 and 15 respectively, were sent from an Irish workhouse in 1849 to Australia. The scheme was devised by Earl Grey, the Secretary for the Commonwealth, to take some of the pressure off Irish workhouses during the famine by shipping orphans to Australia. This Mary Behan came from Aidstown or Alliganstown in County Kildare. John and Martha were her parents, but John must have died as only her mother was listed as living in Aidstown/Alliganstown.
Update (May, 2020):
Imelda Behan (daughter of Uncle Johnny, living in Milan, Italy) wrote to say that she visited the Behan family home near Monastrevin, in a place called Ballyfarsoon. Apparently our grandfather had a brother who lived there all his life. He married but had no children.
Ballyfarsoon is Baile an Phearsuin in Gaelic which roughly translates to "Town of the people". Known also as Ballyfarson, it is a townland in the parish of Monastrevin in County Kildare. Ballyfarsoon borders the following other townlands:
- Clonegath to the east
- Gorteenoona to the north
- Kill to the north
- Moore Abbey Demesne to the west
- Stramillian to the south
The property is off the R417 south of Monastrevin, 200 meters south of the southern border of Moore's Woods (part of Moore Abbey), past the M7 underpass. There's a modern houses on the property now.
Here's what Imelda gave me. It's current up to 2012. I have queries out to all my cousins to fill in the missing information.
Michael Behan, our great grandfather, was born on the 10.07.1819 in Monasterevin, Co. Kildare, Ireland, his parents being Dan Behan (our great, great grandfather) and ? Dowling. Michael Behan married Mary Kelly, born in 1831, whose father was John, on the 23 June, 1864 in Monasterevin. Michael was 45 years old at that time and Mary was 33. They lived in the area called Ballyfarsoon and were farmers – probably tenant farmers on the land of the Marquis of Drogheda. They had 5 children: Mary, born on the 14 March, .1866, John, born on the 24 February, 1867, Anne, born on the 20 November, 1870, William (our grandfather), born on the 7 July, 1872, and ? It seems that the females didn’t survive because in the 1901 census records 2 surviving children out of 5 born. Michael died between that census and the following one in 1911, presumably in 1909, as his widow Mary declared to have been married for 45 years in the 1911 census. William was no longer living in the family home in the 1901 census. In the 1911 census there was John, a farmer, 42 years old, unmarried, and his widowed mother, Mary, 80 years old. In Griffiths valuation (1847-1864) the house, office and land occupied by the Behan family in Ballyfarsoon was valued at 2 pounds five shillings. In the same valuation, the house of John Kelly’s family was valued 5 shillings and was also in Ballyfarsoon.
William Behan, our grandfather, worked in banks in Letterkenny, Mayo, Granard, Ardee and Drogheda. He is listed in the 1911 census, living in Swinford and working as the branch manager of the Joint Stock Bank. He married Anne O’Connor (born in 1877 in the Old House, Swinford) in the pro-Cathedral in Dublin on the 28 of April, 1915. They had 4 children, Mary, Michael (Mick), William (Billy) and John. Anne O’Connor died on the 19 May, 1943, aged 66, and William on the 21 July, 1949, aged 72, both in Drogheda where they had settled in Greenhills. He was manager of the Hibernian bank in Drogheda up to 1938. They are both buried in St. Peter’s Cemetery in Drogheda.
Mary was born on the 21 August, 1916 and died from cancer in Drogheda on the 31 August, 1991. She married Joe Matthews in 1945 and they had 2 children, Paul and Michael. Joe died in ………. and Mary married again to Olan Allen, a widower with …. children, all adults, in 19…..
Paul Matthews was born in May, 1946. He is married to Eimear McCawley since 1978. After spending .. years in the States, they have now returned to Ireland and live in Dundalk. They have 3 children, Emma, Conor and Ciara.
Michael Matthews was born in Drogheda in October 1947. He is married to Miriam Flannery and they have 2 children, James, born in 1978 and Joanne born in 1979. They live in ……….., Dublin.
Michael (Mick) Behan was born on the 11 February, 1918 and became a dentist. He married Carmel Bourke on the 25 April, 1945. She was also a dentist. They lived in Greenhills, Drogheda for most of their lives and moved to Killineer, just outside Drogheda for the last years of their lives. Mick died from cancer on 15 May, 1993. Carmel died on 11 November, 2003. They had 2 daughters, Valerie and Mary.
Valerie Behan, born in Drogheda on 15 February, 1948. She married Guy Pelletier in Rome in 1977. She worked as a Research Scientist for Agriculture Canada in Ottawa for almost 30 years, and remains associated with the Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes. She discovered many new species of soil mites, including ones named after her Dad and her sister: Eueremaeus michaeli Behan-Pelletier and Oribatella maryae Behan-Pelletier. She and her husband live in southern Quebec, Canada. They have no children.
Mary Behan was born in Drogheda on the 24 May, 1950. She was a Professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine for almost 30 years. She married Tim Heggland on 24 May, 2010. They live near Madison. They have no children.
William (Billy) Behan was born in ….. on the ……….. He spent ……. He married...
They had four children, William, twins Mary and Owen, and Michael.
John (Johnny) Behan was born in Granard, Co. Longford on the 2 September, 1920. He spent.... He married...
Anne Doyle neè Behan was born on the 24 May, 1946 in Warrington. She grew up in Dublin and especially in Sutton. After her schooling she spent 3 years in London She married Paul Doyle (born in Howth on the …………) in Sutton on the 27 June, 1969 (?) and they have 3 children, Devin, Stuart and Julie. They came back to Ireland in 1970 and live in Portmarnock. Paul has retired from the ESB and now writes stories for children and Anne teaches bridge and English to foreigners.
Devin Doyle was born in London on the 27 June, 1970, grew up in Portmarnock, County Dublin and married Nadege Bourdet(Nanou), born in ……………, France on the ..01.19….. in …………….., France on the …….on the ……. 2007. They went to live in Sydney, Australia in 2007 and came back to France in 2012. Devin is a script writer. They have a daughter, Valentine, born on the 2 March, 2009 in Sydney.
Stuart Doyle was born in Portmarnock on the 27 July, 1973 where he also grew up. He now lives in Dublin and is a musician.
Julie Doyle was born in Portmarnock on the 30 March, 1981 and grew up there. She has a son, Jamie, born on the 13 November, 2000 and now lives and works in Kinsale, Co. Cork with her partner, Ronan Daly, born in Waterford on ………. Ronan works in the family business of making glass crystal and both himself and Julie are musicians.
Imelda Behan in Vezzoni was born in Warrington, U.K. on the 3 September, 1947, grew up in Dublin, after leaving school, went to Modena, Italy for 6 months, returned to Dublin to work in the Revenue Office for 18 months and then went again to Italy to work in an orphanage. She married Carlo Vezzoni, born in Milan on the 7 April, 1948, on the 5 February, 1972. They live in Segrate, Milan since that time and have 3 children, Anna, David and Marta.
Anna Vezzoni was born in Milan on the 28 December, 1972 and grew up in Segrate. She has a son, Momo Picchioni, born in Monza on the 5 April, 1994 and now lives in Milan and works in Segrate and Milan.
David Vezzoni was born in Milan on the 13 January, 1975 and grew up in Segrate. He married Angela Scioti, born in Bari on the 22 March, 1981. They have two sons, Edoardo, born in Monza on the 29 May, 2008 and Alessandro, born in Monza on the 25 October, 2012 and live in Monza. Both David and Angela work in Milan.
Marta Vezzoni was born in Cernusco S/N on the 2 March, 1980 and grew up in Segrate where she now lives. She works as an educator in schools in Segrate.
Monica Begg neè Behan was born on the 24 September, 1948 in Warrington, UK and grew up in Sutton, Dublin. She went to London after working in Germany and Dublin and Australia and married Daniel (Danny) Begg, born on the 20 June, 1947 in Newry, in London on the 3 June, 1978. They lived in London and Chandlers Ford and have settled in the village of Grundisburgh, near Ipswich. They have 2 daughters, Fiona and Carolyn.
Fiona Wallis neè Begg was born in London on the 8 June, 1981 and now lives and works as a doctor in York. she married Sebastian Wallis, born on in April 1982 in Winchester in York on the 14 September, 2012.
Carolyn Begg was born on the 24 April, 1983 in London. She now lives and works in London.
Fiona Staunton neè Behan was born in Dublin on the 19 November, 1951 and grew up in Sutton. She worked in Dublin and went to Australia for ……. She married Paul Staunton (born on the ………. in Dublin(?) in Sutton on the ………. They have 3 children, Nicola, Colin and Catriona, and live in the family home in Corrbridge Terrace in Sutton.
Nicola Staunton was born on the 15 December, 1979 in Dublin and grew up in Sutton. She lived and worked in Dublin and went to New Zealand with her companion, Stephan …………., born in ………… in August 2012.
Colin Staunton was born in Dublin on the 6 May, 1982, grew up in Sutton and after spending 2 years travelling and in Australia, now lives and works in Dublin
Catriona Staunton was born in Dublin on the 22 January, 1983, grew up in Sutton and is now living and working for Google in Sydney, Australia.
Sheelagh Behan was born in Dublin on the 11 April, 1953 and grew up in Sutton. After living first in Germany and then in Italy, she went to South Africa with her companion, Claudio Manferdini (born in …… on the …) in 1979 (?) where they lived in Johannesburg and had their son, Luca. Claudio died there from lung cancer on the ……….. 1986. Sheelagh and Luca returned to Ireland and Luca grew up in Portmarnock where Sheelagh now lives. Sheelagh is a qualified Homeopath and also teaches English to foreigners.
Luca Manferdini was born in Johannesburg on the 17.06.1985 and grew up in Portmarnock, Dublin. He now lives in Killaloe for 8 months of the year where he works for the outdoor sports and leisure centre of the Limerick University. During the rest of the season he is sailing yachts to various destinations.
Catherine Behan was born in Sutton on the 30 April, 1959 and grew up there. She spent many years travelling and lived in Italy, Greece, Canary Islands and Spain. Her partner/companion’s name is David …………., born in ………. on the ……………. She has a daughter, Eriu Scopel Behan. They have now settled in Dublin and Catherine is attending Trinity University.
Eriu Scopel Behan was born in Gomera (?) on the 9 July, 1985 and grew up in Spain, Ireland and Italy. She lived and worked in Paris and is now living and studying in Milan.
Grandparents ca. 1920
Our Behan family at Greenhills, 1940. Sitting on the bench (left to right): Johnny, Mary, Granny, Grandad. Standing: Michael (our Dad) on the left, Billy on the right.
The Cottage in Swinford, County Mayo. Home of the O'Connors.
Carmel Bourke (our Mum) is third from left, at back. She has the fashionable hair-cut.
Billy and Mick
Mary and Val
Dad's idea of the perfect picnic spot in Spain ca. 1959 - "loads of activity"
Great Grandmother Mary O'Connor née Mulligan who died on 21st. September 1901