As regards the history of the Gallivans I do not claim to be an expert in tracing the genealogy of families, and I am not to be compared to Con O'Mahony. Who occasionally speaks on the Radio. But a lot of the information I guess I got from the late Owen Sullivan of Lerah Farranfore who was a great authority on Family matters. It appears that Owens mother KITTY AHERN and your grandfather Connie Sullivan were second cousins as both their Grandmothers were HORANS by name, being sisters.

To begin with it appears the Gallivans originated from BREAHIG in the farm where ANDY LEARY now resides.

The present ANDY LEARY, his mother was GULEA GALLIVAN, as apparently an LEARY man got married into the farm he being I believe from BALLINTOURIG. In some far distant days towards the end of the Eighteenth century or the early part of the nineteenth century. A Family of HORANS lived near the present Edenburn Sanatorium in the town land of MAGH on the farm where O'NEILLS now reside.

One of these HORAN girls got married at the early age of sixteen years of age to a GALLIVAN man at BREHIG in the farm where the LEARY'S now live . He was according to OWEN SULLIVAN either DINNY or JACK GALLIVAN.

This HORAN girl and her husband were the Grandparents of your Grandfather Connie GALLIVAN and also to my Grandfather NED BROWNE of MULLEN and I think I could safely assume they were the ancestors of all the GALLIVANS and these live around SCARTAGLIN at the present time. This HORAN woman, married to GALLIVAN, had another sister a MRS AHERNE who lived to the extraordinary age of 108. She lived at SCART GARTAGLEAN near National School in the place where MICK AHERNE now lives. She was the great Grandmother of his father and also to OWEN SULLIVAN. The Mother of these HORAN girls was a Reidy woman. DAVY CONNOR of DROMULTON who lived to the age of 101 or 102 years of age was a great Grandfather Nephew to this Mrs Aherne and a Grand________ I am to her sister long livity runs occasionally in some Families or in some of these messhess any mothers grandmother was JOANNA GALLIVAN. She was an Aunt to your Grandmother. I never herd my Mother say she had any other sisters or I don't think she remembers her. My mother used to say she remembered old JAMES GALLIVAN an uncle to her father. He was either an Uncle or the father to your Grandfather and was a son to this HOGAN woman. Bryan Connor who had a Public house in Castleisland between the Market house House and the Railway Gates, his mother was NORRIE GALLIVAN. I heard the late JACK McELLISTRUM, the Creamery Manager, he knew her well and so did Mrs McCARTHY who lived her at the Railway Station.

Paudrig Groves of Balldwgre an nephew to BRYAN Connor and a Grandson to this NORRIE GALLIVAN he told some years ago her Grandmother hailed from REIHG hence OWEN SULLIVAN's version must be right. This Norrie Gallivan had another sister, JUDY GALLIVAN and she was the mother of MIKE GALLIVAN.

JOHNNY FLEMING of INCH KILCUMMIN, who used to be a member of the Kerry County Council some years ago as far as I know but I am not definite these two Gallivan Women were first cousins to your grandmother and to mine and nieces to my mothers grandmother.

The LANE family of Gortglass are sisters children to MIKE JOHNSON and also the DALY Family of Doonen KILCUMMIN near COLICK Bridge. I well remember a sister to your Grandmother PEG GALLIVAN Mrs BOB TWISS of LISHEENBAWN she died in June 1915 aged about 85 years. She had a sister MARY at MULLEN who was the mother of THADE REARDON.

I remember a good many years ago now a brother to TAHDE REARDON paid a visit home from America. I think his name was DON he stayed for a while GEOFFREY FLEMINGS at Currow. I dare say he must be long ago. THADE REARDON had five sisters whom I know of. The eldest JUDE MRS RAHILLY had a farm in the remote part of Ballymacelligot which they bought some years ago and where her son is now married. Previous to that they were dairying. She lived to a great age and is now dead, five years ago. Her husband, who hailed from Knockahone died in the Summer of 1922.

I remember being at his Funeral to Kilsarcan. Another sister was NORA -MRS GEOFFREY FLEMING who lived in Currow village. MARY was MRS JOHN KEEFFE of GERAGH Farranfore. Maggie was MRS MIKE SUMMERS of Killenturna. There was another sister who never married, I think her name was NELL. I believe she died at Killenturna with Mrs Summers. I am not aware if there were others of the Reardons in America but I know Mrs Geoffrey Fleming was there as I heard her say some time "that she went to the States at the age of sixteen years".

Another Family of Gallivans lived at Bawnaglanna. He was JOHNNY GALLIVAN a brother to your Grandmother. I Knew him quite well, his wife PEG DENNEHY and he had only one Son CON who is dead a long time. But there were five or six sisters in the Family. One was MRS BILL BROSNAN Knockaderry Farranfore. Another was HANNA who married MICHAEL O'CONNOR of Bawnaglanna. Maggie was married to Fred Dwyer of Lyer Currow. Another was Mrs TOM REIDY and the youngest, BRIDGET, was MRS MICHAEL D FLEMING. These last two living at Currowross. There were two other sisters who emigrated to the United States which is not explained in this bit of History, Namely Nor Gallivan and Nellie Gallivan. About the GALLIVANS up at Scartaglin, there was CONNIE GALLIVAN of Mullins whose wife was HANNA KELLIHER from Direen. He had three daughters and one son. The son died about ten years of age and one of the girls also died when young.

Then at home there was MRS TOM HUGH BROSNAN of Killeenturna and another who had no Family was married to TOM LOONEY of Glounthane. CON GALLIVAN had two other sisters and two brothers in America. One sister BIDDY who my mother knew well in America and was a pal of hers was married to an O'CONNELL man. The other sister MARY was a MRS FLEMING. One of the Brothers JAMES who was not over robust who died rather young in America. The other brother was living here was married to a DALY woman from Turreengarrive near Ballydesmond. The father of the Mullen GALLIVANS was JAMES GALLIVAN a first cousin to your Grandmother and also to mine. I remember many years ago an O'Connell boy accompanied by his uncle CON GALLIVAN called to see my mother. He said he she was the only person in Ireland he knew. There was also JOHN GALLIVAN who had a shop near Adreville bridge Scartaglen. His wife was a Kerins woman, one of his sons was the late PP of Brosna. He had another brother DANNY who was in America for some time.

He was married to PADDY REIDY who was also in the States. They had no family. JOHN GALLIVAN of Adreville had an Aunt MOLLY who was the Aunt ?_ of BILL CONNELL and DANNY CONNELL of Adreville, its so I do think these were some sisters of the O'Connells in America also. I believe the friends Brownes, O'Connolls and Gallivans in America were always together in Wallisbury.

Den Prenderville, an old IRA man who now lives in the top of the town near Hartnets Hotel was born and reared at Breahig.

He told me that these four Families of GALLIVANS lived at Breahig at one time but it must be long ago. I think I am now fairly well into the History of the GALLIVAN family and have nothing more to add as far as I know.

You may also like to know who were the descendants of this other Horan sister who lived to the remarkable age of 108 years as I have mentioned already she lived at Scart Gortalea near the present Nohavall school. She was the Great Grandmother to MICK AHERNE father to the late JIM CALLAGHAN of Kilfiction Currans. His mother Mrs BETTY AHERNE. She also was a Grandmother to this HARHAN woman. While the Grandfather of the present Mick Aherne of Kilfeilrn who was a brother to MRS CALLAGHAN was a Grandson to JOE MURPHY of Ranaleen who live on the road to Kilsarcan was a brother to Fr. JOHN MURPHY one time PP of Firies, this the Great Grandfather to Joe Connor who lived at the Cross as go to Edenburn Hospital. This Joe MURPHY was married twice, his first wife was an___________ woman, a sister to Mrs CALLAGHAN. She lived only twelve months after their marriage apparently she may have died in child birth. The mother of OWEN SULLIVAN was KITTY AHERNE. She was not a sister but a first cousin to Mrs CALLAGHAN she could have been reared near Nohossall School as she was an aunt to Jack Aherne and a Grandaunt to the present MICK AHERNE and his brother JACK who had the Garage in Castleisland. I forgot to mention that your mothers Grandmother was JUDE Brosnan. I heard my mother say a few times she knew her quite well.

She died with her Daughter PEG Mrs TWISS at Lisheenbawn and I believe but I am not quite definite that her husband died there also.

As I have already said about the GALLIVANS of Bawnaglanna, there was six sisters two went to America NORA married JOHN HANLON from North Kerry. NELLIE GALLIVAN never married. The two passed away long ago. JOHN Hanlon who was the leader of a band in the USA was on Holidays in Ireland about 40 years ago. He had a brother who was a Priest who was also on Holidays with him. On the last day of his Holiday he went for a nap of sleep and when calling him for his tea they found he was dead.

Addition by TC.

BRIDGET GALLIVAN married MICHAEL D FLEMING OF Knockbee also know as CurrowRoss and they had eight children. (David- Sonny) married Kathleen Murphy of Glounthan, they had one daughter BRIDGET who married SEAN O'Leary of Inch Kilcummun and have two children, JACKIE and GAVIN.

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JOHN FLEMING married NANCY BROSNAN and lives at Drowroe Currow. They have three children MARION, MICHAEL and CAROLINE. Marion married David Fleming of Carker Scartaglen. They have four in Family. MARTINA, PATRICK, PAULA, SAMANTHA.

MICHAEL married MARY PEMBROKE of College Road Castleisland and they have two Children SHANE AND ANN MARIE.

CAROLINE married JIMMY DENNEHY of Fossa Killarney and have four children REGINA, KEITH, DANE & STEPHEN.

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PEG married RICHARD FLEMING of Dublin and they lived in London. Their Children MAUREEN and MICHEAL are both married and living in UK.

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HANNA married Martin McNamara of Ennisdiamond Co. Clare and had three in Family PEGGY, MARTY and KATHLEEN( all in America) Kathleen married a Mr. Paul White from Galway.

Peggy married Jack HEANNE.

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CATHERINE (KIT) YOUNGEST MARRIED JAMES CLIFFORD OF TRALEE in London and had two Sons TIMOTHY and MICHAEL. Timothy married TERESA GAYNOR of Walkinstown Dublin and have two in Family DAVID living presently in Australia and JENNIFER in Spain.

KIT died aged 28 on the 6th January 1955 after a short illness.

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Connie never married lives in America.

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Mary deceased unwed 18th years of Age.

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Michael deceased unwed 21 years of age

NOTE: GALLIVAN, GALVIN, GALVAN, O'Gealbhain, (Geal, bright, ban, white) Originally a Clare SEPT, but now spread into neighbouring counties, very numerous in Kerry where it is spelt Gallivan.

FLEMING (a man from flanders). Usually gealicized PLEAMONN. Established at Slane Co. Meath in the twelfth century. Now numerous in all four Provinces.

CLIFFORD. This English Toponymic is, in mainly anglicised form of O Clumhain. Also Cluvane and Coleman.

Cluvane This name rare now as Cluvane, has been widely changed to Clifford. As such it is mainly, if not exclusively of Co. Kerry. Also was the name of a notable ecclesiastical family in Co. Sligo. 12 clan map of Kerry shows the Cluvanes and O’Gallivans living in close proximity east of single bay.

Start of the Flemings: David Fleming and Michael Fleming of Currow Ross married two Sisters from Muinganair (Knights Mountain) David and ___________ had two sons and three daughters.?? Micky Dave married Bridget Fleming (See Gallivan's above) Kate married Connie Sullivan in America. Mary Married Jimmy O'Rourke and lived in Knockee near the Flemings (the Commons near Kerns Field) The immigrated to America. Another daughter _____________ married a Scott from Rossmore. The other Son David married a Fitzgerld lady they had a daughter Hanna Fleming who married Mossey Connor who lived at Bawnaglanna.The O'Rourkes had a number of children, most of them in America. Jimmy lives at Gloundaigh. Mary married a Mr.Curtain from Kilcummin. Michael, Joseph, Nell Bridy Denny live in America. The other Fleming brother who married the Lynch sister from Knights Mountain also lived at Knockbee/Currow Ross. Who had ______ Children one of them Dave Michael married Julie Carthy. They had Johnny who went to America. with another brother. Eddie and lived at Knockbee with Micky who married Kathleen Sullivan. They have four children Sheila, Mary Anne, Catherine and David.

John Kenny (Farmer) and Timothy Clifford (Farmer) had children married on 17.2.1870 John Clifford born 1849 married Mary Kenny born 1848 both

from Tubrid Ardfert The had a Son Timothy who married the daughter Joanna of Patrick Donoghue and Mary Tealan from Tullig Killorglin . Joanna was born 1874 and Timothy 1873. They were married in They had five sons and two daughters. Children Jerry (1919-2004) married Peg Dillane and they had one son Timothy who is married to Anne. James married Kit (Kathleen) Fleming and had two Sons Timothy born 1951 in London and Michael 1953 born in Tralee. See Gallivan’s.

Please Note: the final part of the letter is a work in progress and we hope to update it as further information become available. We would be grateful for any information you could give us. TC.