Who are the parents of Denis Keenan my great grandfather, born in the area of Belleek, December 7, 1830?

I have been searching for many years to try and find connections in the area of Belleek to my great grandfather's and great grandmother's families  The church records were destroyed and two of the churches that I have visited no longer exist.  They were torn down and replaced. Online databases don't always go back as far as 1830.  I'll be taking one more trip to Ireland in September and would love to have some more information to uncover the "needle in the haystack."

Greatgrandfather -  Denis Keenan born in Belleek, Ireland December 7, 1830 1830 died in Canada 1916 (I have  the information about G grandfather Denis and his wife G grandmother  Mary Jane Ovens born in Belleek Ireland June 2, 1945) plus their children but none about their parents and siblings.

Belleek wasn't that big (fewer than 300 residents) during that time and so there must be some connections there to other Keenans who lived in the area at the time.

I do know that many of the Keenans moved to Australia and New Zealand, plus my grandfather Dennis Jr. and his brother moved to Canada. 

An interesting tidbit from a possible cousin in New Zealand:

The family story goes as follows:  During the famine years in Ireland our young relative, the eldest of a large family at the age of 14 was caught poaching a rabbit.  Poaching fish and game had the penalty of transportation.  Rather than face the local constabulary he did a runner and swam out to sea where he was picked up by a Scottish fishing boat.  His mother Ellen Freeburn had   come from Scotland and he sought refuge with her relatives.  He worked as a guide at Fotheringay Castle where Mary Queen of Scot’s was beheaded.  Pointing out the  blood stain  on the stone floor while telling the gruesome tale of how her dog   lapped up  her blood .   We were told he took the Queen’s shilling, that is he joined the army or was press ganged into joining the army.  He came to Australia as a soldier on a convict ship.  One of his duties was to flog the prisoners.  This he hated doing and when he arrived in Sydney he absconded to New Zealand.

And for those who went to Canada, G Grandfather, G Grandmother and their children: 

They didn't have enough shoes for everyone in the family nor heat in the wintertime in Quebec where there is snow several months a year.  My grandpa used tell stories about when he went into town if there were only two pairs of shoes available  he would choose the larger pair and stuff enough paper in the toes so they would fit and he could walk in them.  It was a long walk into town and a mile down the mountainside before the road could be reached.  I remember as a child the farmhouse only had the stove in the parlor and I don't think they had heat upstairs until 1990.  I don't know how they survived. Grandpa lived into his 90's!  Bless him.

Great Grandfather Denis' son, my Grandpa, Dennis Francis Keenan known as Frank:

Name : Denis (Dennis) Keenan

Gender : Male

Birth Date : 7 April 1880

Birthplace : Lisahully, Donegal, Ireland

Father's Name : Denis Keenan

Mother's Name : Jane Keenan Ovens

FHL Film Number : 256051

 More Info that I have uncovered:

Great Grandfather Denis Keenan & Jane Ovens married 15th January 1862 at Garrison RC Church, Witnesses were Patrick & Anna Flinn. I believe that Jane Ovens was born about 1845 in Drumbockany, to John Ovens & Margaret Armstrong

Children of Denis Keenan & Jane Ovens

Patrick baptised 7 Dec 1862 Garrison Church Register Sponsors John Maguire & Illegible. There is no Civil Birth record.

Civil Registration Records Ballyshannon Registration District

John b. 27 Feb 1866, Glen East, (Griffith’s Valuation 1862, owned by Marquis of Ely). Father’s occupation Herd. Denis father present,

Catherine b. 12 Mar 1868, Glen East, (Griffith’s Valuation 1862, owned by Marquis of Ely), Father’s occupation Herd. Catherine McNellis present. Catherine was baptised in Garrison RC Church on 6 Mar 1868, Sponsors Denis McGuire & Catherine Mc ?

Alice b. 6 Mar 1870, Glen West, (Griffith’s Valuation 1862, owned by Marquis of Ely) Father’s occupation Care Taker. Catherine McNellis present. Alice was baptised in Garrison RC Church on 7 Mar 1870, Sponsors Bernard McGuire & Mary McGuire.

Mary Jane b. 23 May 1873, Gortnalee, (Griffith’s Valuation 1862, owned by Marquis of Ely). Father’s occupation Herd. Denis father present. Mary Jane was baptised in Garrison RC Church, Sponsors James McManus & Mary McManus.

Ellen b. 26 July 1875, Gortnalee, (Griffith’s Valuation 1862, owned by Marquis of Ely) Father’s occupation Herd. Denis father present. Ellen was baptised in Garrison RC Church on 12 July 1868. Sponsors Daniel McGurl & Mary Anne Mc Gonell

Rose b. 22 Oct 1877, Gortnalee, (Griffith’s Valuation 1862, owned by Marquis of Ely). Father’s occupation Caretaker. Denis father present. Rose was baptised in Garrison on 28 Sept 1877, Sponsors William Ferguson & Rose Dolan

Denis b. 7 April 1880, Lisahully, (Griffith’s Valuation 1858, owned by William Tredennick, Camlin Castle). Father’s occupation Labourer, nobody listed present. Denis was baptised in Ballyshannon RC Church on 9 April 1880, Sponsors Thomas Rourke & Mary McCafferty.  Grandpa

Edward b. 29 Mar 1883, Lissahully, (Griffith’s Valuation 1862, owned by William Tredennick, Camlin Castle).  Father’s occupation Labourer. Catherine daughter present.

Patrick & Alice Keenan (are they my great great grandparents?)

I believe these to be the parents of Denis Keenan Sr because he named two of his children Patrick (his oldest son) & Alice after them.   The naming conventions are consistent through my generation plus they include several other references to names likeFrancis, Ellen and John, etc.

Patrick Keenan d. 17/03/1878 aged 78 years at Fassagh, Belleek, James Keenan Present at Death. (Chronic Bronchitis). I assume James is related but don’t know how.

Alice Keenan d. 03/01/1893 aged 82 years at Fassagh, Belleek, Patrick Keenan, nephew, Present at death. (General Debility). I assume this is the nephew of Patrick Keenan. I found a Patrick Keenan, born around 1865 in Brallagh to a William Keenan. Perhaps he was another sibling to Patrick.

Daughter of Patrick & Alice Keenan (Is she a sister to Denis Sr?)

Anne Keenan Fasso m. James McDermott, Widower, Brallagh, 03/12/1868 at Garrison Church. Anne’s father Patrick Keenan. James’s father Patrick McDermott

Children

James b. 15/08/1870 Brallagh

Ellen b. 02/09/1872 Brallagh

Patrick b. 04/09/1874 Brallagh

I have not found Marriage or Death Records for these children or births of any more children, which leads me to believe that Anne & James McDermott emigrated also.

I believe Francis Keenan buried at Keenaghan Abbey is a brother to Patrick Keenan.

I am sure Denis Sr also had more siblings, they either emigrated or married in Ireland before civil registration began in 1865.

Griffith’s Valuation Listings

Denis Keenan is listed in Killy More (Griffith’s Valuation 1862, owned by Marquis of Ely)

Patrick Keenan is listed as living in the town of Belleek on a property owned by John C. Bloomfield

Francis Keenan is listed as living in the town of Belleek on a property also owned by John C Bloomfield.

Thomas Keenan is also listed as living next door to Francis. I wonder if this is Thomas Keenan who had the gravestone erected at Keenaghan Abbey who later emigrated to New Zealand. 

This block of buildings was torn down and now the Lemon Tree restaurant resides there.

Details of Francis & Ellen Keenan’s death Records.

Civil Registration District of Belleek in the Union of Ballyshannon

Ellen Keenan d. 19 March 1874, Belleek, 56 years, Occupation - Lodging House Keeper, Cause of Death General Decline 18 months, Francis Keenan present at death.

Francis Keenan d. 7 March 1877, Belleek, 94 years, Widower, Occupation - Lodging House Keeper, Cause of death General Debility 2 years, Catherine Keenan present at death. 

Catherine Keenan listed on Francis Keenan’s death certificate may be the youngest of their nine children who later emigrated.

Inscription on Gravestone at Keenaghan Abbey ‘Erected by Thomas Keenan in memory of his beloved parents Ellen Keenan who died 27th July 1874 Aged 68 years Francis Keenan who died 7th March 1877 Aged 96 years’

Are Francis and Ellen related to Denis Sr.?  If so then perhaps I'm related to their descendants in New Zealand and Australia.

The New Zealand story is attached.

Many thanks for reading this story of epic length.

Kindly,

Sharon Keenan