The Cooney's of Raheenduff


At the time of the 1911 census, William aged, aged 73, who had lost his wife at the start of the century, remained head of the family, working as a farmer and grocer. William's son, named John, a 40 year old single man, worked as his dad's farm hand. John learnt to read at Oulart School in his youth and passed on his skills to his father, enabling him to run the shop and keep the accounts. William's grand-daughter Catherine, also resided with them. Aged 7, she had not learnt to read and write, but was attending Oulart Primary School.

In the year of 1910, James Fitzgerald from Wexford, aged 16, fresh from school, started work as a grocer's assistant at William's Raheenduff Store. He took up residence with the Cooney family, whilst learning the trade. As William spent more time in the store, he employed a general labourer to help out in the house and the fields. James Kinsella, aged 23, moved in with the Cooney’s at the house. William's entrepreneurial skill, led him to rent out the spare bedrooms to the Doyle sisters. Annie Elizabeth aged 24 and Mary Anne aged 20 boarded with the family for many years. Thanks to the current owner, Kevin Cooney for the manuscript displayed left. In short, reads that on the 15th of June 1916 William Cooney ages 78, transfered the holding of the Local Pub over to James Cooney.



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