Reference to your letter - re your heritage enquiry, I'm afraid I can only give you a line on my own family, quoting not from official heritage but recorded on facts given me at home and accepted by my people as absolutely correct.

Thomas Cullinan, my grandfather, died at the turn of the century. He was born on a holding in the lands of the O'Brien Estate of Ballyalla and his people had lived on this holding for some several years. His forebears are buried in Templemaley Churchyard, Ballyalla. His holding was required by the landlord for one of the bigger houses and lands, such estates were many in the area.

My grandfather was given instead another holding in lieu, a choice bit of land, etc. on an area called "Cuigaquid", parish of Kilnamona, approximately 3 and a half miles from Ennis. My Grandfather married Honoria O'Regan from "Clouna" Ennistymon. My Grandfather had six children, four boys and 2 girls:

• Patrick Cullinan--emigrated to New York, married and has two children. Thomas Cullinan, a solicitor with the municipal authority in New York and a daughter. Uncle Patrick is said to have become a policeman in New York--he was near 6'4" and worked his working life in a Museum of Arts.
• John (Jack) Cullinan--the unpopular member of the fold emigrated to New York. Returned and lived in the home place. He was married but had no offspring. He died in [.]
• Mortimer Cullinan--emigrated to New York and owned property there and had a bar business. This man did not marry but provided a family point in New York for those others of his family who arrived in the City. He died 22/8/1959.
• Thomas Cullinan--my father, did not emigrate. The family had inherited from a Cullinan brother of my Grandfather who had worked as a Civil Servant with English Customs and Excise Department. The property, my home, passed to my father from his mother. My grandmother died in my father's home around 1900-1906.

Nora Cullinan, myself, born 1913, held a Civil Service post for about 15 years, married in 1948 to Michael Liddy and had four children. Thomas Liddy (1949), a highly qualified engineer working in Shannon Airport for years. Mary Liddy (1951), post with Government Department in Dublin is unmarried, and has a son Tommy. Helen Liddy (1953), works locally with Health Board. Noreen Liddy (1956), works for a public representative.
My father Thomas Cullinan died aged 78 years.
James Cullinan--emigrated to New York. Did not marry. Served with the American army in World War One. He died 12/1/1928.
William Cullinan--emigrated to New York at the time my Grandfather died. Married and has children as set out in your folio.
Mary Liddy (Nee Cullinan)--lived with my father in Ennis for a while, but married John Liddy and moved to the Shannon area. She died young, leaving a boy aged 2 and a half years. This cousin has died lately, leaving a son who graduated as an engineer from Galway University--as did my son Tom. This man from Shannon works with Local County Council Authority.
Bridget Cullinan--died in her teens at home in the farm at Cuigaquid.

Emigration in those days was an infliction on small farm families of the early century. Being near to town at Cuigaquid, boys got National School education and one year afterwards with the Christian Brothers in Ennis, this being considered an "education" to fit them for their future. A passage ticket from a relative in America was a treasured gift. It was an opening to a new world and its opportunities in those days, very attractive, but with the drawback that there was no return ticket offered and travel was beyond the reach of most then. It took 2-4 weeks to travel by steamship to America then--and of course, no air service. It is hard to visualise the tragic lives of the mothers of those days. I think of my Grandmother for instance, her house teeming with youngs lads full of life and living and then seeing them go so young--and so far away. Picture the misery of hearing of the death of a son or daughter. A polite letter perhaps from a kindly priest--so little comfort for the mother who has missed the family for year and lives in hope of seeing her children again. There was no cheap travel then. Letters came and were sent, but after years became impersonal.

Another instance occurs to me to emphasize the trauma of emigration. I was about 16 years and spending a holiday at Uncle Jack's house whose wife I dearly liked. Two men came to the farm where I met them. The farm was their home. They enquired for Uncle Jack and my father and I took them to the meadow, where both men wre making hay. The four brothers met, one who had been in America for forty years (Uncle Mort) and the other in America for thirty years (Uncle Bill). None of the brothers knew each other. They could have been strangers introduced. Such to me was the horror of compulsory emigration. There were no land opportunities available in those men then. The land was in the hands of landlords living the good life on the fat rent rolls. Those emigrant sons did well in America or else went far away but no opportunity was available to those at home, and big families were the order on the small farm. Only one son could eke out a living on such a holding.

Returning to the subject of hereditary and origin, the name Cullinan is all over the place. It occurred in Ennis and surrounding countryside and through North Clare to Ennistymon, Ballyvaughan, etc. Each family was arrogantly independent of each other. I only know one Cullinan, first cousin to my father, who was kind of condescending to the others. He know most of them of course. The general appearance was of a good physique, average height 5'10" and strong features, with a likeness to each other. This cast of features still obstains among the Cullinans I meet.

In Ennis town and surroundings, the name obtained in an odd mixture. Perhaps 90% or more were Roman Catholics but a family or two differed. Those others tended to be more educated and tended toward the professions. The leading protestant family were a firm of solicitors and gentlemen farmers. The man mentioned in your records as having a meritorious record during the first world war was a member of that family from Bindon Street, Ennis. At least two of the family were soldiers and would automatically hold commissions in the British Army. My father was very friendly with the family, so much so that we never had to meet legal fees if same should arise with us. There was one lady, "Miss Millie" whom we sometimes had to visit on state occasions. I still remember the spongecake with the orange cream and lemonade. There were other Cullinan cousins who were mainly old ladies. They lived at a house "Westbourne" then (now a Bishop's palace), and went the short distance to the Catholic Church by carriage. There was still another family of the same stock who came about 3 miles in the same route and drove their carriage to the local protestant church (Church of Ireland). When young there was a very nice man who came to our house, one Marcus Cullinan, who had an estate near town, "Buncraggy". This man was a Roman Catholic. He later sold his home to a family named Cahir and continued to live with this family. I can still remember the horse-carts, etc. he drove. They had a shining brass name-plate on his. Protestant and Catholic stock "Cullinan" in town. I would guess we were as closely related as first cousins. We did not belong, for further details I can only refer you to the Heritage Centre at Corofin, County Clare. The name Cullinan was common too in the near part of Galway. It obtained in Cork and Wexford but with a final e added "Cullinane". The name Cullinan occurs in Ennis but only in a few families.

Well I am sending you the meanderings of an 80 year old, but I'd say some of the details are fairly coherent. This effort filled an hour with nothing else to do. Thank you for affording me the pleasure of my ramblings.

Yours sincerely,
Nora Liddy

P.S.: My grandfather was said to have a sister (or sister-in-law) in Australia (her exact address never mentioned). She died wealthy and Uncle Jack was sent to investigate, only to find she had left her extensive property in Australia to the Christian Brothers.

A first cousin of my father (I think) was one James Cullinan, Ballygriffey, Ruan. My fathers brothers and sisters would have been baptised at Parish Church, Kilnamona, Ennis.

I would have replied much sooner but I was ill in January and February and only came out of hospital later. However, I am well again, thank God. I have looked up the Heritage Centre at Corofin and will send you any particulars I obtain from them later. I may not hear from them for a couple of months.