Hearne family of Dalriada
James Hearne married Elizabeth Cowan
born circa 1876 3 Apr 1905 born circa 1877
Galway Longford Co Longford
died 30 Dec 1964 died 21 Jan 1963
James Hearne born circa 1876 in Galway son of James Hearne, a farmer. John was a
carpenter resident in Longford. He married Elizabeth Cowan on 3 Apr 1905 at Longford RC
Church. Elizabeth was a shopkeeper and the daughter of Michael Cowan, a farmer from
Killsallagh and his wife Eliza Kearney. By 1911 James was a building contractor working
from Main Street, Longford where is wife and sister in law ran a stationery and delph shop.
Elizabeth’s younger sister worked in the shop and the family took in boarders. By the 1920’s
James was winning tenders to build houses for the local council. They lived at Highfield
Road with their daughter Margaret in later years. Elizabeth died 21 Jan 1963 at Our Lady’s
Hospice in Harolds Cross late of 29 Highfield Road, Rathgar, her funeral mass for held in
the Church of the Three Patrons in Rathgar and she was buried at Deansgrange. James
died 30 Dec 1964 at 29 Highfield Road and was buried with his wife.
1 Michael Hearne born 30 Jan 1906 at Main Street, Longford. He was an Irish Fianna Fáil
politician. He was on the Urban district Council of Longford. He married Mary Patricia
Fitzgerald. He was elected to the Longford Urban District Council and was chairman in
1944. He was a member of Seanad Éireann from April to August 1938, and from 1943
to 1954. He was first elected to the 2nd Seanad in April 1938 by the Industrial and
Commercial Panel, but lost his seat at the August 1938 election. He was re-elected at
the 1943 Seanad election by the Administrative Panel. He was again elected at the 1944,
1948 and 1951 elections until losing his seat at the 1954 election. He was a director
various companies including the Irish Press Ltd and on the governing board of UCD.
They had three children and lived in Dalriada from 1948 to 1961. Mary died 16 Apr 1951
at Dal Riada. Her funeral mass was held at St John the Baptist, Blackrock and she was
buried at Deansgrange. Michael died 7 Oct 1961 at the Mater Nursing Home on Eccles
Street late of Dal Riada. His funeral mass was at St John the Baptist Church in Blackrock
and was attended by An Taoiseach, Sean Lemass. He was buried at Deansgrange with his
wife.
2 Margaret Mary Hearne born 13 Nov 1907 at Longford. Professor Margaret Hearne
married Edward Keenan at Longford RC Church on 4 Jul 1932. Edward was a medical
doctor of Lower Leeson Street and the son of Patrick Keenan, a farmer and his wife
Mary Hamill. Edward was born in New York in 1905 and was brought up in
Drumaconvern in Co Monaghan. He was educated by the Patrician Brother in
Carrickmacross. He graduated from UCD and got his MD in 1930 and spent two years
travelling as a student doctor in Amsterdam and Berlin. He was appointed lecturer in
anatomy at UCD in 1940 and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in 1957. They had four
children. He collapsed in November 1961 when presenting awards at the Medical Society.
He died at the Mater nursing home on 11 Feb 1962 late of 29 Highfield Road. His funeral
mass was held at the University Church at St Stephen’s Green and was attended by An
Taoiseach, Eamon De Valera. Edward was buried at Glasnevin.
3 Brigid Anna (Brid) Hearne born 15 Dec 1910 at Main Street, Longford. She attended St
Joseph’s Convent school in Longford and the Dominican Covent School at Tailors Hill,
Galway. She graduated UCD with a masters in science. She worked as a chemist in The
State Laboratory. She married Vivion de Valera of Cross Avenue, Blackrock at St Joseph’s
Church, Terenure on 11 June 1942. The reception was held at 26 Terenure Park, the
home of her sister Margaret who also acted at Matron of Honour. Vivion was an army
officer and son of Eamon de Valera, An Taoiseach. She died on 19 Jun 1951 in London
where she had been for about a week for treatment. Her body was repatriated and
brought to the Sacred Heart Church in Donnybrook for her funeral. She was buried in
Glasnevin and was survived by her husband and two young children.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – November 2022
James Hearne married Elizabeth Cowan
born circa 1876 3 Apr 1905 born circa 1877
Galway Longford Co Longford
died 30 Dec 1964 died 21 Jan 1963
James Hearne born circa 1876 in Galway son of James Hearne, a farmer. John was a
carpenter resident in Longford. He married Elizabeth Cowan on 3 Apr 1905 at Longford RC
Church. Elizabeth was a shopkeeper and the daughter of Michael Cowan, a farmer from
Killsallagh and his wife Eliza Kearney. By 1911 James was a building contractor working
from Main Street, Longford where is wife and sister in law ran a stationery and delph shop.
Elizabeth’s younger sister worked in the shop and the family took in boarders. By the 1920’s
James was winning tenders to build houses for the local council. They lived at Highfield
Road with their daughter Margaret in later years. Elizabeth died 21 Jan 1963 at Our Lady’s
Hospice in Harolds Cross late of 29 Highfield Road, Rathgar, her funeral mass for held in
the Church of the Three Patrons in Rathgar and she was buried at Deansgrange. James
died 30 Dec 1964 at 29 Highfield Road and was buried with his wife.
1 Michael Hearne born 30 Jan 1906 at Main Street, Longford. He was an Irish Fianna Fáil
politician. He was on the Urban district Council of Longford. He married Mary Patricia
Fitzgerald. He was elected to the Longford Urban District Council and was chairman in
1944. He was a member of Seanad Éireann from April to August 1938, and from 1943
to 1954. He was first elected to the 2nd Seanad in April 1938 by the Industrial and
Commercial Panel, but lost his seat at the August 1938 election. He was re-elected at
the 1943 Seanad election by the Administrative Panel. He was again elected at the 1944,
1948 and 1951 elections until losing his seat at the 1954 election. He was a director
various companies including the Irish Press Ltd and on the governing board of UCD.
They had three children and lived in Dalriada from 1948 to 1961. Mary died 16 Apr 1951
at Dal Riada. Her funeral mass was held at St John the Baptist, Blackrock and she was
buried at Deansgrange. Michael died 7 Oct 1961 at the Mater Nursing Home on Eccles
Street late of Dal Riada. His funeral mass was at St John the Baptist Church in Blackrock
and was attended by An Taoiseach, Sean Lemass. He was buried at Deansgrange with his
wife.
2 Margaret Mary Hearne born 13 Nov 1907 at Longford. Professor Margaret Hearne
married Edward Keenan at Longford RC Church on 4 Jul 1932. Edward was a medical
doctor of Lower Leeson Street and the son of Patrick Keenan, a farmer and his wife
Mary Hamill. Edward was born in New York in 1905 and was brought up in
Drumaconvern in Co Monaghan. He was educated by the Patrician Brother in
Carrickmacross. He graduated from UCD and got his MD in 1930 and spent two years
travelling as a student doctor in Amsterdam and Berlin. He was appointed lecturer in
anatomy at UCD in 1940 and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in 1957. They had four
children. He collapsed in November 1961 when presenting awards at the Medical Society.
He died at the Mater nursing home on 11 Feb 1962 late of 29 Highfield Road. His funeral
mass was held at the University Church at St Stephen’s Green and was attended by An
Taoiseach, Eamon De Valera. Edward was buried at Glasnevin.
3 Brigid Anna (Brid) Hearne born 15 Dec 1910 at Main Street, Longford. She attended St
Joseph’s Convent school in Longford and the Dominican Covent School at Tailors Hill,
Galway. She graduated UCD with a masters in science. She worked as a chemist in The
State Laboratory. She married Vivion de Valera of Cross Avenue, Blackrock at St Joseph’s
Church, Terenure on 11 June 1942. The reception was held at 26 Terenure Park, the
home of her sister Margaret who also acted at Matron of Honour. Vivion was an army
officer and son of Eamon de Valera, An Taoiseach. She died on 19 Jun 1951 in London
where she had been for about a week for treatment. Her body was repatriated and
brought to the Sacred Heart Church in Donnybrook for her funeral. She was buried in
Glasnevin and was survived by her husband and two young children.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – November 2022