My ancestors - Humphrys - Contents

William Humphrys of Brittas

• References:
  • Fr. David Humphreys and New Tipperary, Denis G. Marnane, article in Tipperary - history and society, eds. William Nolan and Thomas McGrath, Dublin, 1985.
  • Land and Violence - a history of West Tipperary from 1660, Denis G. Marnane.

• Sources yet to be consulted:
  • The Justice of the Land League, Rev. David Humphrys, 1880, in the O'Kelley collection, [NLI] special collections, 34.S.14/6
  • The Landlord Relief Bill, Rev. David Humphrys, 1903, bound in a volume of pamphlets, [NLI] special collections, 44.Q.21/14

  • The Logic of the Land Bill, Ronan Hawkins-Fitzgerald, 1881, [NLI] special collections, 2315
  • Portraits of Fr.Humphrys being "shadowed", Ronan Hawkins-Fitzgerald, c.1890, [NLI] special collections, 5712
  • Photograph entitled "shadowing" in Tipperary, Ronan Hawkins-Fitzgerald, c.1885, [NLI] special collections, 5712 A and B
  • The Irish Court of Appeal and the Healy Clause, Ronan Hawkins-Fitzgerald, 1883, [NLI] special collections, 6314

  • Biographical Dictionary of Co.Tipperary.

Grave of Humphrys of Brittas (broken), Abington, Co.Limerick.
See full size.
See wider shot and other shot.
Photos 2009 courtesy of Richard Humphreys.

William Humphrys, born 1794,
of Brittas, S of Abington, Co.Limerick (see map),
mar 6 Feb 1820 [Fedamore RC par records], wit John Humphry and Thomas Quilty,
to Bridget Enright [Biddy, born 1802],
they lived beside the ruined old Brittas Castle,
"William Humphreys" is listed in [Griffiths Valuation, 1848-64] as occupying 98 acres (with a house) in Brittas townland (the largest farm in Brittas townland), leasing from Lord Cloncurry,
Bridget listed as "farmer" at her death,
she died 20th Mar 1870, Brittas, age 68 yrs [GROI],
bur Abington, Co.Limerick, gravestone erected by her son Fr. David,

William was evicted in old age,
think he is William Humphrys who was evicted 18th Apr 1882 [Marnane, 1985],
see 1886 news item reproduced in Nenagh Guardian, November 29, 1986,
he died 20th Mar 1886, Dromlohan, Co.Limerick (see map), age 92 yrs [GROI], apparently NOT 19th,
bur Abington, Co.Limerick,
[Ó Ceallaigh, 1957] says that after this family was evicted, they were "the last to be reinstated on their 75 acre farm on the Cloncurry Estate",
had issue:

1. (probably) William Humphrys.

2. David Humphrys, bapt 1825.
3. Maria Humphrys.
4. Margaret Humphrys.
5. Bridget Humphrys.
6. (think) Margaret Humphrys.
7. Michael Humphrys.
8. Nicholas Humphrys.
9. Anne Humphrys, bapt 1840.

   
   

10. Fr. David Humphrys,
    the famous campaigner for tenants' rights,
    born Brittas, bapt 18th June 1843 [Murroe],
    parish priest of Killenaule, SE Co.Tipperary,
    major supporter of the Land League,
    involved in controversy over the Erasmus Smith Endowment for schools in Ireland,
    he is listed as P.P. at Killenaule in [Census, April 1911],
    died 1930, age 87 yrs.

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• Rev. D. Humphreys, CC of Newport, Co.Tipperary attended dinner to celebrate the granting of the Freedom of Limerick to Michael Davitt 1884.