Jamie (Tam) Cleary`s.

There have been Clearys in Cavanreagh for a very long time, possibly well back into the 1700`s and the time of the Rundale . They may even originally have come from Donegal with some religious order,  as tenants of the Erenagh lands of the Old Church of Moneyconey. The O Cleirighs were clerics by ancient tradition and that is why it could be assumed that they may have had some connection with the church. They were certainly resident on erenagh lands for a long time.

This particular family, known locally as the Tams, after an ancestor, have been living in this part since the 1700`s, at least.

Genealogy Tree
  • John Cleary(sen) as born 1770. He had five children
  • Thomas Cleary Born 1802 – Died 1883 in Cavanreagh.
  • John Cleary Born 1830.
  • Margaret Cleary Born 1830. Died 1910.
  • Francis Cleary Born 1831. Died 1936 Brackalislea.
  • Patrick Cleary Born 1835. Died 1891 Draperstown.
  • Thomas Cleary remained on the family farm and married Una Duffy from Goales, Glenelly on 24/2/1846.
  • They had nine children of which five eventually emigrated.
  • Ann Cleary Born 3/9/1848. She married Hugh Murray and lived in Moneyoney.
  • John Cleary (jun) was born in 1850 and died 18/3/1904 in Draperstown. When his parents died, John took over the family farm. He got married and reared nine children:
  • Ellen Cleary Born 1853 and died 29/1/1913 in New South Wales.
  • Mary Cleary Born 28/6/1855. Died 1941. New South Wales
  • Catherine Cleary. Born 18/10/1857. Died 22/12/1917. New South Wales. (She first emigrated to New York.)
  • Patrick Cleary Born 17/11/1859. Died 26/3/1899. New South Wales.
  • Bridget Cleary Born 10/7/1864. Died of T.B. 13/11/1883. In Cavanreagh.
  • Margaret Cleary. Born 1886. (Died at birth)
  • Thomas Cleary. Born 25/12/1868. Died 22/12/1894. New South Wales.

So, five of this family emigrated to New South Wales.

The next generation.

  • John Cleary (jun) Born 1850. Died 18/3/1904 in Cavanreagh. He married Ann Diamond from Moneyneany, who was born on 14/01/1886. She died 19/4/1944.
Anne Cleary and John Cleary 1938

John and Ann had nine children in Cavanreagh:

  • Bridget Cleary Born 31/12/1886. Died 28/5/1970 in Cavanreagh.
  • James Cleary. Born March 1888. Died 22/4/1960. Cavanreagh.
  • Annie Cleary (McCullagh) . Born 12/10/1880. Died 26/3/1975 in Moneyconey. Annie married Francis McCullagh on 12/10/1889.
  • Mary Cleary (teacher) Born 7/3/1891. Died 2/6/1891. Died 2/6/1982 in Draperstown.
  • Sarah Cleary (nurse) Born 18/10/1892. Died 22/5/1978. Belfast.
  • Catherine Cleary Born 6/2/1895.
  • Margaret Cleary (Civil Servant) Born 24/11/1897. Died 4/5/1987. Belfast.
  • Eileen (Nellie) Cleary (Civil Servant) Born 1900. Died 3/6/1970 in Belfast.
  • John Cleary (Pharmacist) Born 31/3/1902. Died 6/2/1969 in Belfast.

The last Cleary family to live in this house in Cavanreagh.

John Cleary(jun) 1850-1904, married Ann Diamond (Moneyneeny)1886-1944 and lived in Cavanreagh. They had two sons, James and John. James stayed on the farm and did not marry. John was a pharmacist and ran a pharmacy in Cromac St. Belfast. They had seven daughters. Bridget (1886-1970), stayed on the farm and remained single. Annie (1889) married Francis McCullagh and moved to Moneyconey. Mary (1891-1982) was a teacher and lived in Draperstown. Sarah (1892) was a nurse in Belfast. Catherine was born in 1895.Margaret (1897-1987) worked in the Civil Service in Belfast. Eileen(1900 – 1978), or Nellie as she was known, was also a civil servant in Belfast.

Famous Cavanreagh Clearys.

Quite a few of this Cleary family emigrated to Australia in the 1870`s and one of the girls, Catherine, had a son, C.J, Bellemore, who became Prices Commissioner and Under Secretary in the Department of Labour and Industry in the New South Wales Government.

Jon Stephen Cleary, grandson of another Cavanreagh Cleary, Patrick Cleary (1859-1899) who emigrated to Australia. Jon became one of Australia`s best known writers and wrote many novels.

This Cavanreagh Cleary family provided yet another famous person, in the name of Michael Bradley, son of Joseph Bradley of Belfast and Catherine ( Cleary) Bradley from Cavanreagh.