The Bowles of New Inn

There was a family of Bowels (pronounced like the body part) in the area of Knockgraffon in the parish of New Inn in the 1700's.

The 1766 Religious Census of Tipperary only records 5 Bowles, of any spelling variation, in all of Tipperary. Two of these are John Bowels (8 in the family) and Thomas Bowels (4 in the family) at Knockgraffon, both are listed as Protestants.

This may indicate two different families of Bowles in this small area though as the descendants of James Bowles of Garranlea have the family tradition that the first Bowles of their family came to Garranlea to work as a Coachman for the Cooney family and that they had come there from Tullamain Castle near Fethard. That would probably mean that their ancestor had also been a coachman for the Maher family of Tullamain Castle as you did not get a job as Coachman without the proper training.

By the 1800's all the references in this area use the Bowles spelling. There is some evidence, however, that despite using that spelling, some of them still used the original pronunciation of Bow-els. The Boles of Cahir have the following family story: their ancestor Robert Boles, the 1852 Robert, recounted a story to my father's father (Bobby the Grocer) of meeting a young boy who opened a gate for him as he was riding his horse somewhere between the village of Golden and New Inn (which would be around Garranlea or Boytonrath) and when he asked him his name the boy said his name was "Bowels" (he pronounced it like the intestinal organ so this suggests it was also spelt that way).

The descendants of the Bowles of Garranlea certainly use the usual "bowls" pronunciation of the name today .

In order to assess whether there are two distinct Bowles lines in this area much further research needs to be done.

I have the following references for Bowles in this area in chronological order. I haven't enough records yet to figure out their relationships but we're getting there.

Matthew Bowles is listed in the Nov. 1, 1825 Tithe Applotment List for Tipperary South, Outrath:

Matw. Bowles Acreage: 9 acres, 1 rod, 13 perches; Tithe per acre 2 s .75 d., Tithe per annum 18 s. 8.5 d.

and he is also listed in the 1831 Tithe Defaulters List as living at Outeragh near Cahir.

Thomas Bowles of Rathgallen m. Catherine Conway of Knockgraffon Apr. 26, 1837 New Inn, co. Tipperary (witnesses: Martin Burke, Bridget Conway) (note: the name Bowes/Bowles is written in the transcription so the transcriber may have been unsure which surname this was)

Michael Bowles of Masterstown m. Margaret Guiry of Knockgraffon July 30, 1843 New Inn, co. Tipperary (witnesses: Thomas Guiry, Mary Farrell)

The first witness listed above may be the same Thomas Guiry who married an Anna Bowles in Cahir (RC) on Jan. 21, 1827.

The Griffith's Primary Valuation of Knockgraffon Parish (Aug. 1850) includes James Bowles at Woodinstown (holding land from the immediate lessor Robert Shapland Carew Esq.)

John Malony m. Bridget Bowles Feb. 15, 1864 New Inn Catholic Church (Malony had previously been married but his marriage had been annulled by Bishop Leahy due to his first wife’s infertility) ref.

Michael Bowles of New Inn m. Ellen Lonergan of Boytonrath July 18, 1875 New Inn, co. Tipperary (witnesses: Denis Guilfoyle and Johanna Lonergan)

The book"County Tipperary One Hundred Years Ago: A Guide and Directory 1889", reprint, by George Henry Basset, Friar's Bush Press, Belfast (1991) lists only one Bowles at New Inn and he is listed as Michael Bowel, clerk of the Petty Sessions (held the 4th Thursday of every month).

The Family Tree of the Bowles of New Inn (and area) (currently in the process of development and is not confirmed)

George Bowles (a coachman)

m. Margaret Ahearn Mar. 1, 1835 Cahir parish

1. James Bowels b. ~ 1854 (lived Garranlea)

m. Ellen Cormack (of Lagganstown in 1874; lived New Inn) Apr. 29, 1874 New Inn, co. Tipperay ref.

(James was a coachman for the Cooneys of Garranlea)

1.1 James Bowels (Bowles) b. Apr. 24, 1879 Garranlea

m. Ellen Carew (b. Jan. 13, 1884 Derryclooney, New Inn; John, Ellen Lonergan)

~ 1900

(they lived at Ballyslateen, co. Tipperary)

James Bowles of Lagganstown

and family in the 1920's

1.1.1 Agnes b. Oct. 26, 1920 Ballyslateen (lived Lagganstown)

m. living

1.1.2.1 living (lives Cashel)

Agnes d. Feb. 12, 1996 Cashel

1.1.2 living b. Dec. 7, 1923 (lives Cashel)

1.1.3 Mary (emigrated to Chicago)

1.1.4 James (emigrated to Chicago)

1.1.3 4 other children

James d. ?, bur. Lagganstown

Ellen d. Jan. 1, 1965 Lagganstown, Golden, Tipperary

1.2 Thomas

1.3 daughter (Margaret?) m. Mr. Dudley

1.4 George b. June 5, 1876 Garranlea d. June 19, 1876 convulsions

1.5 John (Jack) b. July 8, 1879 Tipperary (per death certificate)

(emigrated to the US in 1898 and settled in Chicago)

m. Margaret ~ 1903 Chicago

apparently no children

John d. July 8, 1928 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. Death Certificate

Census records in the US

James d. ?, bur. Lockkent graveyard

2. Ann bp. Mar. 6, 1843 St. Mary's RC, Cahir (lived Garranlea in 1864)

m. John Fitzgerald of Marlhill Sept. 24, 1864 New Inn. co. Tipperary

(witnesses: David Cahill and Mary Bowles)

3. Mary b. 1846

A witness at George's wedding was a Michael Bowles, a possible brother or his father?

Other possible siblings of George Bowles: Thomas Bowles of Rathgallen; Matthew Bowles of Outeragh

Other possible siblings of the first James Bowels: Michael Bowles (see above; married to Ellen Lonergan)

Ann and Bridget Bowles were likely sisters and possibly were the daughters of the Michael Bowles above (married to Margaret Guiry)

Matthew Bowles is the only Bowles mentioned as a landowner in the area in the 1824 Tithe Applotment List (note: this needs to be checked again more thoroughly as this information is from an unconfirmed source). His presence on the Tithe Defaulters List indicates a possibility that he was Catholic (generally but can't be assumed). Both lists need to be checked for other surname spelling variations.

This Catholic line is possibly descended from one of the two Protestant Bowels listed at Knockgraffon in 1776, John and Thomas. Thomas does seem to run in the family but John does not.

There is also a current roadside monument on the R505 about 1 mile out of New Inn:

In Loving Memory of
Patrick Boles
Golden
:Precious son of Tom and Rose,
brother of Tina, Veronica and Stephen,
uncle of Corey and Harry.
Died tragically
30th June 1996
aged 18 years
Sadly missed and always in our hearts and minds.
Love always and forever and ever
Sleep well son xxx