My ancestors - Maguirk - Contents

Owen McGuirk

• References:
  • "MSS. of the Late Mr. Ignatius Jennings", a note on p.450 of Analecta Hibernica, No. 6 (Nov 1934).
    Says these manuscripts are now in the possession of Rev. Canon McGuirk, parish priest of Rush.

• Sources yet to be consulted:
  • Brother Allen Archival Collection (or "Allen Library Collection"). MAI AL.
    • Sub-collection called the Canon McGuirk Collection (Canon John McGuirk's papers). AL-CMG.
    • This includes the 1855 Rowan transcript of Black Jack's Book. AL-CMG-03-46.

  • Grave of Owen McGuirk. Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin. Location: AB 19.5 SOUTH.
  • When Margaret married in 1907, her brother John McGuirk gave her as a wedding gift a family bible. In this bible is a McGuirk family record.

Owen dies, 1874:
He died 11 May 1874, 21 Great Clarence St [admin of estate]. Described as "Dairyman".
He is listed as "Eugene", "Dairy man", deceased, at birth of Eugene in July 1874. His wife is living 25 Clarence St.
He is also called "Eugene" at son Eugene's bapt in 1874.
He was bur 14 May 1874, Glasnevin Cemetery.
See burial record. He is called "Eugene". He is "Dairy owner", of 21 Great Clarence St.
Anne remarried and had issue.
Admin of estate granted to Anne, 8 Dec 1881.
Owen and Anne had issue:

1. Canon John McGuirk,
   John Daniel McGuirk,
   born 23 June 1871, 21 Great Clarence St, Dublin. See birth cert.
   He was bapt 1871 at [St.Andrew's RC church, Dublin], sp John Fogarty and Mary Anne McGuirk.
   Middle name would be after Fogarty grandfather.
   He was educ O'Connell School (North Richmond St. C.B.S.), Dublin.
   He was educ Clonliffe College and Royal University. BA.
   Ordained priest 1897.
   Listed in [Thom's, 1901] as a curate at Newtownmountkennedy, Co.Wicklow (RC par of Kilquade).
   He is listed at Newtownmountkennedy in 1901 census. His sister is with him.
   Curate at Bray, Co.Wicklow, 1906 to 1928.
   Listed in [Thom's] at least 1910 to 1923 as a curate at Bray, Co.Wicklow.
   He is listed at Bray in 1911 census.
   He became P.P. of Rush, Co.Dublin, 1928.
   He became Canon 1933.
   He became P.P. of North William St church (St.Agatha's), North Strand, Dublin.
   
   [Co.Kerry Society annual report 1934-35] says he has just bought the 1855 Rowan transcript of Black Jack's Book. (18th century Kerry genealogies, by John Blennerhassett, "Black Jack"). Lists McGuirk as of North William St church.
   He had clearly developed an interest in the Blennerhassett family of Ireland because of his sister's marriage.
   
   Listed in [Thom's, 1935] as V.F., P.P. of Rush, Co.Dublin. Slightly out of date.
   Listed in [Thom's, 1939] as Canon, P.P. of North William St church.
   He lived at the Presbytery, beside the church, on North William St. His parish was hit in the bombing of North Strand by the Germans in 1941, and many died.
   P.P. of Rathfarnham 1941 to his death 1948.
   Listed in [Thom's, 1945] as Canon, P.P. of Rathfarnham.
   He died 13 Oct 1948 [death notice] or 12 Oct [death cert], at the Presbytery, Rathfarnham, age 76 yrs (by age in census) or age 77 (death cert, obituary).
   See death cert from here.
   See obituary in Irish Independent, 14 October, 1948.
   See death notice in Irish Independent, 15 October, 1948.
   Funeral 15 Oct, bur Glasnevin.
   W.T. and Liam Cosgrave were at his funeral.

   
   

2. Margaret McGuirk,
   Margaret Anne McGuirk, Margaret Annie,
   born 30 June 1872, Dublin,
   bapt 8 July 1872 at St.Andrew's RC church, Westland Row, Dublin, sp Philip Fogarty and Kate Byrne. See image.
   Listed with brother Fr. John McGuirk in 1901 census.
   
   She married 17 Aug 1907 in London to Arnold Blennerhassett [Arnold Herbert Blennerhassett, born 10 Aug 1884, London].
   (todo) See mar of Margaret Anne McGuirk and Arnold H Blennerhasset, 1907 3rd qr, Islington. [GRO.UK] Volume: 1b Page: 815.
   She was age 35. He was age 23.
   He is from a family of Blennerhassett of Bath. See tree by Bill Jehan.
   His line descends from a John Blennerhassett, born 1757 in Ireland, stay maker in Bath, died 1831 in Bath.
   Relationship of this family to the main Blennerhassett family of Ireland is not known.
   Bill Jehan's tree is wrong to say Blennerhassett's wife is an Annie McGuirk who was born c.1886 in Lancashire, dau of John and Mary McGuirk.
   
   Margaret is listed in 1911 census at Kilmacanoge South, Co.Wicklow. Arnold is in London. Her mother is with her, presumably to help with the children. The census shows the children were born in London.
   Arnold is listed in England in 1911 census without his wife, at 18 Dagnan Road, Balham, London.
   Arnold and Margaret moved to Ireland about 1918.
   They lived from about 1918 to 1922 at 3 Coliemore Villas, Dalkey, Co.Dublin.
   In 1922 they moved to 25 Leinster Road, Rathmines.
   He set up a company, "A.H. Blennerhassett & Co", 73 Middle Abbey St, Dublin, and she set up a business (using maiden name), McGuirk's Fancy Drapery Stores, 91 Rathgar Road (near Rathmines).
   But, perhaps because of the Civil War chaos, they decided to leave Ireland and moved back to London in 1924.
   "Mrs. Blennerhasset", sister of Canon John McGuirk, is at his funeral 1948.
   Margaret and Arnold had issue:
   1. Meg Blennerhassett,
      Margaret Mary, born 1908, London.
      With mother and grandmother in Co.Wexford in 1911 census.
      She mar 1939 to Godfrey Nurse [Godfrey Cecil Nurse, think NOT Geoffrey] and had issue.
      (todo) See mar of Godfrey C Nurse and Margaret M Blennerhassett, 1939 3rd qr, Holborn. [GRO.UK] Volume: 1b Page: 1830.
      "Mrs. Godfrey Nurse", niece of Canon John McGuirk, is at his funeral 1948.

   2. John Blennerhassett,
      John Gerard Blennerhassett, born 1910, London.
      With mother and grandmother in Co.Wexford in 1911 census.
      He emigrated to Argentina.
      He survived the sinking of the Andalucia Star on 7 Oct 1942.

   3. Nancy Blennerhassett,
      Anne Josephine, born 1912, London.
      Emigrated to USA.
      She mar 1stly, 1931, to Matthew Corbett and had issue.
      She mar 2ndly, 1953, to Gordon Lund.

   
   

3. Eugene McGuirk,
   born 2 July 1874, 25 Clarence St, Dublin, after father's death.
   See birth cert from here.
   He was bapt 1874 at St.Andrew's RC church, Dublin.

A notice from "John Hasset" of Bath (John Blennerhassett of Ireland, ancestor of Arnold Blennerhassett).
The Bath Chronicle, 21 Feb 1799, p.2.

1911 census: Anne Reilly and her daughter Margaret Anne Blennerhassett.
From here.