Ina seasamh: Séamus, Hiúdaí, Seosamh agus Domhnall;
ina suidhe: Máire, Feidhlimidh, Annie Bhán; chun tosaigh: John Bán.
Pioctúir: Inniu.
Feidhlimidh 'ac Grianna (c1851–1944) of Rannafast, Annaghery, Co Donegal
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According to the information recorded on the Doegen speaker questionnaire in September 1931, Feidhlimidh 'ac Grianna was born in Rann na Fearsaide, and was aged 83 at the time of recording. His father was a farmer, and both parents came from Rann na Fearsaide. In response to questions, he stated that he spent all his life in Rann na Fearsaide, but with seasonal visits to Scotland between the ages of 16 and 64. He had not been to school. His occupation was given as a farmer. Irish was his mother language, and he could also speak English. He could not read or write. The recording team noted "voice rather weak but steady".
Feidhlimidh Dhomhnaill Phroinsias Dhomhnaill Phádraig Mhóir 'ic Grianna gives the speaker's line of male descent back to one of the two 'ac Grianna
brothers who settled in Rann na Fearsaide from An Stacarnaigh near Mín a' Labáin in 1736. Feidhlimidh was born in 1851 or 1852; his parents were Domhnall
'ac Grianna and Sorcha Ruadh Ní Ghallchobhair, who was a daughter of Ned Jack. The family was a large one and included the following (dates of birth are
approximate):
Sorcha (c1847–1940, married Jimmy Eoghain Jack Gallagher, Loch na nDeorán)
Feidhlimidh (1851or1852–1944/01/26)
Beil (c1855, married Maurice Coll)
Frainc (c1855, married Rose Duffy; father of Doegen speaker Éamonn 'ag Grianna)
Gráinne (c1859, married Frainc Beag Greene)
Donnchadh Mór (c1863–1937/07/13, not married, died Linlithgow)
Edward (1867/01/27–)
Bridget (1870/01/15–)
Máire (Tyrone?)
Anna (Tyrone?)
At Kincaslagh on 26 February 1884, Feidhlimidh married Máire Eibhlín Néillín Ní Dhomhnaill (c1866–1950/08/12), sister of Doegen speaker Seán Ó Domhnaill. They had 11 children:
Sorcha (1885/09/01–1962/12/18), Newtownstewart (1901), Scotland (Bellshill), England (Chester-le-Street); twice married (Cairns 1914 Belfast; Simpson 1923 Bellshill)
Eibhlín (1887/01/09–1887/01/16)
Brighid (Bidí) (1888/02/29–?1961/05/13), An Dubhcharaidh; married John Bonner on 1910/12/28;
7 children, including James (1911/11/29), Mary Ellen (1913/04/02), Margaret (1914/12/23), Philip (1919/11/07), Dan
Séamus (Jimmy) (1889/11/18–1969/11/27), Bail' Áth' Cliath; writer, married Connie McDonald, 8 children
Annie Bhán (1892/05/02–1963/02/20), Rann na Fearsaide; unmarried
Dómhnall (1894/03/14–1962/09/03), Béal Fearsaide; writer, married Treasa Doherty, 5 children
Máire (1896/01/15–1896/04/30)
Sibéal (Bell) (1898/04/02–1992/09/04), Rann na Fearsaide; married Mícheal Ó Baoighill (c1899–1986/10/25);
6 children, including Máire (c1934–1971/10/13, married McGlinchey); Domhnall (c1932–2004/11/24);
Micí (c1943–03/2007); Feilimidh Dubh; Éamonn
Seosamh (Joe) (1900/08/22–1990/06/11), Bail' Áth' Cliath / Leitir Ceanainn; married Peggy O'Donnell, 1 son
Aodh (Hiúdaí) (1902/12/12–1943/08/26), Rann na Fearsaide; unmarried
John Bán (1904/09/02–1979/03/15), Rann na Fearsaide; unmarried
The above dates of birth for Sorcha, Séamus, Máire and John are taken from the Donegal Genealogy website,
presumed to be based on church baptism records. In the case of Seosamh, his baptism record of 1900/08/24 gives date of birth as 1900/08/22, while his civil birth record
gives 1901/01/15; such post-dating of the civil birth record was commonplace.
The birth dates given for the others are civil dates, being the only dates available to me.
In 1901, the household consisted of Phillip (Feidhlimidh) 50, a farmer; Mary 35; and children Bridget 13, James 11, Annie 9, Daniel 7, Bella 3, Joseph 7 months; also a visitor John O'Donnell 94, married. All were bilingual except Bella, who had Irish only, and Joseph who was not yet speaking. In 1911, it consisted of Phill 60, Mary 45, Anne 19, Daniel 17, Bella 13, Joseph 10, Hugh 8 and John 6. The couple had been married for 27 years, and nine of the eleven children were still living. All the household were bilingual.
Ina seasamh: Séamus, Hiúdaí, Seosamh agus Domhnall; ina suidhe: Máire, Feidhlimidh, Annie Bhán; chun tosaigh: John Bán. Pioctúir: Inniu. |
 Pioctúir ó Bhreandán Ó hAirbhith, Béal Fearsaide, nach maireann. Bhíodh máthair Bhreandáin, Caitlín Ní Labhradha, i Rann na Fearsaide in aimsir Fheidhlimidh. |
 Ina seasamh: Hiúdaí, Annie Bhán agus John Bán, eadar dhá shagart de chuid na Coláiste; ina suidhe: Feidhlimidh agus Máire. Pioctúir: Pádraig Ó Baoighill, Amhráin Hiúdaí Fheilimí. |
 Máire, Annie Bhán, agus Feidhlimidh. Pioctúir: Conall Ó Grianna, Rann na Feirsde, Seanchas ár Sinsear. |
 Hiúdaí, Séamus, John Bán, Domhnall agus Seosamh. Pioctúir: Conall Ó Grianna, Rann na Feirsde, Seanchas ár Sinsear. |
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Feilimidh 'ac Grianna died on 1944/01/26. The headstone in Anagaire cemetery reads as follows: A great deal has been written about — and by — the talented family of Feidhlimidh and Máire Eibhlín Néillín, and biographical material about Feidhlimidh
can be found in many such sources. Recent references to Feidhlimidh 'ac Grianna include: |
 Reilig Anagaire (Photograph © Irish Graveyard Surveyors). |
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