Professor J B Whelehan presenting the Melvin trophy in 1958
Whelehan family of Lynwood
Joseph Beningus Whelehan married Mary Philomena Waldron
born 19 May 1882 28 Apr 1918 born 12 Jul 1897
Westmeath Tuam High Street, Tuam
died 29 Oct 1968 27 Jul 1966
Dublin Dublin
Joseph Beningus Whelehan born 19 May 1882 at Tyrrellspass, Co Westmeath. He was the
son of Michael Whelehan and Jane Gavin. He taught at Newry high school before becoming
a secondary school teacher at St Jarlath's College in Tuam, Co Galway and was later a
professor. He was living at Bishop Street, Tuam and married Mary Philomena (Cisty)
Waldron on 28 Apr 1918 at Tuam Cathedral and they had seven children. Mary was the
daughter of Timothy Thomas Waldron, a shopkeeper/spirit dealer of High Street, Tuam and
his wife Sarah Carbury. He was co-opted a town councillor in 1920, elected a Sinn Féin TD
to the 2nd Dáil at the 1921 elections for the Galway constituency and served in the third Dail
1922-1923 as assistant minister of Industry and commerce. He supported the Anglo-Irish
Treaty and did not seek re-election in 1923. A civil servant, he was comptroller of the
stationery office and also served on the Free State Tariff Commission and was on the
governing body of UCG. He was Chief Scout of the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland (CBSI) from
1930 until 1962. It was during his tenure that the organisation chartered Cunard’s Lancastria
for a pilgrimage to Rome via Gibraltar. The visit included an audience with Pope Pius XI during
which he blessed their troop fags. 450 scouts alongside 600 passengers made the journey in
1934. Surplus funds from the cruise along with a donation for the Knights of Columbanus was
used to purchase a National Campsite for the organisation. A number of sites were identified
and it was on the deciding vote of the chief scout that the Larch Hill location was chosen and
opened in 1938. They lived at Lynwood, Dundrum from 1942 to 1946 and moved to Alma Road
in Monkstown in 1947. Mary died at St Columcille’s Hospital on 27 Jul 1966 late of Foxrock
Park. John died a widower at Harold’s Cross Hospice late of Foxrock Park. Both are buried at
Deansgrange.
1 Gerard Beningus Whelehan born 30 Jan 1919 at High Street, Tuam. He was a medical
student and died 20 Jan 1946 at Lynwood. He is buried at Deansgrange.
2 Joseph Mary Whelehan born 24 March 1921 at High Street, Tuam.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - September 2025
Return to Lynwood page
Joseph Beningus Whelehan married Mary Philomena Waldron
born 19 May 1882 28 Apr 1918 born 12 Jul 1897
Westmeath Tuam High Street, Tuam
died 29 Oct 1968 27 Jul 1966
Dublin Dublin
Joseph Beningus Whelehan born 19 May 1882 at Tyrrellspass, Co Westmeath. He was the
son of Michael Whelehan and Jane Gavin. He taught at Newry high school before becoming
a secondary school teacher at St Jarlath's College in Tuam, Co Galway and was later a
professor. He was living at Bishop Street, Tuam and married Mary Philomena (Cisty)
Waldron on 28 Apr 1918 at Tuam Cathedral and they had seven children. Mary was the
daughter of Timothy Thomas Waldron, a shopkeeper/spirit dealer of High Street, Tuam and
his wife Sarah Carbury. He was co-opted a town councillor in 1920, elected a Sinn Féin TD
to the 2nd Dáil at the 1921 elections for the Galway constituency and served in the third Dail
1922-1923 as assistant minister of Industry and commerce. He supported the Anglo-Irish
Treaty and did not seek re-election in 1923. A civil servant, he was comptroller of the
stationery office and also served on the Free State Tariff Commission and was on the
governing body of UCG. He was Chief Scout of the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland (CBSI) from
1930 until 1962. It was during his tenure that the organisation chartered Cunard’s Lancastria
for a pilgrimage to Rome via Gibraltar. The visit included an audience with Pope Pius XI during
which he blessed their troop fags. 450 scouts alongside 600 passengers made the journey in
1934. Surplus funds from the cruise along with a donation for the Knights of Columbanus was
used to purchase a National Campsite for the organisation. A number of sites were identified
and it was on the deciding vote of the chief scout that the Larch Hill location was chosen and
opened in 1938. They lived at Lynwood, Dundrum from 1942 to 1946 and moved to Alma Road
in Monkstown in 1947. Mary died at St Columcille’s Hospital on 27 Jul 1966 late of Foxrock
Park. John died a widower at Harold’s Cross Hospice late of Foxrock Park. Both are buried at
Deansgrange.
1 Gerard Beningus Whelehan born 30 Jan 1919 at High Street, Tuam. He was a medical
student and died 20 Jan 1946 at Lynwood. He is buried at Deansgrange.
2 Joseph Mary Whelehan born 24 March 1921 at High Street, Tuam.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - September 2025
Return to Lynwood page