Genealogy research by Mark Humphrys.
Michael Flanagan,
See Michael attending
funeral of Laurence Dunne in 1886
with his father.
Michael
wanted to be a solicitor, but the Alderman wanted him to get involved in the farming.
Liam Cosgrave said:
"Whatever else the sons were, none of them were farmers".
The result was, like his brothers, he became a "gentleman".
Michael used play tennis with
Irish player
Joshua Pim,
who won
Wimbledon
in 1893 and 1894.
The story was (of course) that he could beat him.
He didn't marry.
Finola Flanagan heard that Michael
travelled on business and spent time out of Ireland.
He is listed
in 1901 census living at home with parents in Portmahon House.
Occupation listed as "farmer's son", unmarried.
He had a long relationship, starting in 1904 or earlier, with
Muriel Jackson
[born 9 Apr 1882].
With her
he
had a secret family,
whose existence was only uncovered in 2021.
His mother died 1910.
He is listed
in 1911 census living at home with widowed father in Portmahon House.
He is listed as an "agriculturalist" along with his father. Not married.
Also living there are his brother
Frank and sister Louisa.
His sister Louisa married
W.T. Cosgrave
(first prime minister of Ireland) in 1919.
Their son
Liam Cosgrave (born 1920)
recalled Michael Flanagan living at Portmahon House in the 1920s
with father and
Frank.
Michael dies, 1929:
He
died before his father.
He died of cancer of throat.
They said "he didn't change his pipe"
[Liam Cosgrave].
He died at Portmahon House, 19 Mar 1929, age 56 yrs.
See death cert
from here.
Lists him as bachelor, of independent means.
See item
in
Irish Independent, March 20, 1929.
Funeral 21 Mar 1929.
Mass celebrated by
Fr. Paddy Flanagan.
Also present was
Fr. John Flanagan.
He was
bur with his mother at
Glasnevin Cemetery.
(Father buried there in 1931.)
See item
in
Evening Herald, March 21, 1929.
Identical item
in
Irish Independent, March 22, 1929.
Funeral of Michael Flanagan.
From Evening Herald, March 21, 1929.
Michael Flanagan is clearly father of at least 4 of Muriel's children.
Two are proved by DNA matches with Flanagan. And the other two are proved by the birth certs.
Having fathered 4 he must be father of the youngest too.
So
those children are 1st cousins of my mother.
That would sure explain the DNA matches!
Those children are also 1st cousins of the Taoiseach
Liam Cosgrave.
We can only speculate as to why he did not marry her. She was Church of Ireland. This may be why he kept the relationship secret and never married her, for fear that his father would cut him off. Though his father's own sister married a Protestant in 1866 and the families stayed friendly. Note that Michael died before inheriting from his long-lived father.
He must have supported the children to some extent, or why would she keep coming back to him and having more children? But he did not marry her. Unless some letters turn up, we may never know why.
Michael Flanagan,
Muriel is listed at her son's birth 1905 as of
17 Ovoca Rd, South Circular Road, Dublin
(see map).
No father is listed on the birth cert.
At her son's birth 1906 Muriel is listed at
10 Upper St. Columba's Rd, Drumcondra, Co.Dublin.
No father is listed on the birth cert.
At their son's birth 1907, Michael Flanagan is listed as the father.
He is commercial agent, of 5 Prussia St, Dublin.
Jackson family lived at 9 Somerset St, Ringsend, from 1910-1911 to 2002.
Muriel lived from 1910-1911 to her death in 1934 at
9 Somerset St, South Lotts Rd, Ringsend, Dublin
(see map),
and her family lived there afterwards until 2002.
They were not yet at 9 Somerset St in
[Thom's, 1910, p.1804],
which lists a
"Mrs. Killeen" there.
Muriel
and the children are
listed
in April 1911 census at 9 Somerset St (census numbers match house numbers).
Lists them as using her surname Jackson.
It has a "Michael Jackson" living with them, but that is clearly a fake name.
"Michael Jackson" is a "commercial traveller", age 38, born Co.Dublin.
1911 census lists them all as Church of Ireland.
But that would just be Muriel's faith.
Children were brought up Protestant.
At their dau's birth in June 1911, Michael Flanagan is again listed as the father.
He is listed as a commercial traveller, of 9 Somerset St.
"Michael Jackson" has vanished.
"Ml. Jackson" (could be Muriel or Michael) is
listed
at 9 Somerset St in
[Thom's, 1914, p.1834].
Her mother
came to live with her in old age.
She has an address of 9 Somerset St
when she
died in 1919 in the Workhouse, South Dublin.
Michael Flanagan died in 1929.
"Ml. Jackson" is listed at 9 Somerset St in
[Thom's, 1931, p.1646] and
[Thom's, 1935, p.1548].
Muriel dies, 1934:
At death 1934 she is "Muriel Jackson".
She and son Ronald are living 9 Somerset St.
She is listed as widow of (commercial) traveller.
She died 9 Somerset St, 28 Oct 1934, age 52 yrs.
See death cert
from here.
Death registered by her son Ronald.
She was bur Mount Jerome Cemetery, Dublin.
"Muriel Jackson" on grave.
No husband listed.
Michael Flanagan and Muriel had issue:
Birth cert of Cecil Jackson, 1905. No father listed.
Birth cert of Ronald Jackson, 1906. No father listed.
Birth cert of Henry Jackson, 1907. Father is Michael Flanagan.
1911 census form showing Muriel and the children at Somerset St, using the name Jackson.
Has a "Michael Jackson" living with them, but that must be a fictional reference to Michael Flanagan.
Birth cert of Muriel Jackson, 1911. Father is Michael Flanagan.
Jackson grave, Mount Jerome Cemetery, Dublin.
From IGPArchives.
Inscription says:
"Erected | In Loving Memory of | our dear mother | MURIEL JACKSON | who
was called home | 28th Oct. 1934, aged 52 years | Also CECIL | eldest
son of above | Died 17th August 1956 aged 51 years | Devoted and dearly
beloved husband | of MAURA | "Thy will be done" | Also her son RONALD |
Died 17th Dec. 1972 | "Yea, though I walk through the Valley of the
shadow of death, I will bear no evil | For thou art with Me" Psalm 23.
4."
9 Somerset St, Ringsend
(brown door to RHS of no.11).
Click to rotate.
From Google street view.
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