Stumbled onto finucane.com. My family of Finucane's
and, I believe, yours, came from Garrison (a local name) in the
Townland of Glentanefinnane (there are various spellings) outside of
Ballydesmond, which is a small town (known before 1922 as King
Williamstown) in northwest Cork on the Kerry border (between
Scartaglen and Newmarket). In 1850 the following Finucane's were
listed in Griffith's Valuation as living in Glentanefinnane: Cornelius
Senior, Cornelius Junior., John Senior., John Junior., Thomas, and
Michael. I think Cornelius Sr. and John Sr. were brothers and the
others their sons. They farmed a total of 80 acres.

My Grandfather, Cornelius Thomas was born 6/1/1865 to Thomas
Finucane and Hanora Connor (she came from Meendurragh) and
came to Cambridge Mass approx 1885. He married Margaret
Bennett and had 2 sons, Thomas and John (the same names over
and over again)! After her death he married my grandmother and
had 8 more children. He had a brother John (who stayed in
Garrison and was known as Jack Tom to differentiate him from
another Jack Finucane -- actually there were probably many other
Jack Finucanes) and 3 sisters, Elizabeth (who married a Lane from
Mt. Collins and came to Cambridge) and Julia (who married both a
Herlihy and a Ring, I think) and Nora who stayed in Garrison.

The Catholic parish of Kilmeen was divided in 1888, with
Ballydesmond constituted as a separate parish. So pre-1888
records are in Boherbue at Immaculate Conception Church.

I have been to Garrison several times. It is very rural. There is a
road to Tralee called the military road and Garrison is on hill, but
local people told us that the name came not from a military
garrison, but from the fact that the Finucane's all lived there
together. There were 5 houses, fairly close together. They would
start with music in one house one night then move to the next
house the next night and so forth. They thought nothing of walking
10 miles to play music and dance. We have a very old photo of a
group of unidentified young people on a rocky beach somewhere.
Always label photos!!

Casey's O'kief, Coshe Mang and Slive Lougher, published by Dr.
Casey of Alabama is a great resource -- although I've yet to use it !
In 15 volumes is has all sorts of info - including parish registers -
on this area known as Sliabh Luachra (rushy mountain). Also A. T.
Culloty a priest and native of Ballydesmond has written several
books about the area. In one of them is a photo captioned "Mary
(Shine) Lane & grandson Pat Casey of Inchatotane" which I guess
is probably your Shine family.

Growing up I hated the name. People would actually ask what it
was. However, when I did marry a man with a simple name, I
couldn't stop using my own name. Some years back, we were told
it meant "fair little son" - a nice translation, whether true or not.


I think it likely that Thomas Finucane and Cornelius Finucane were
cousins. If anyone else knows anything more, please share.

Linda Finucane (lfinucane@CI.NEWTON.MA.US) 1 Aug 2000 18:54:48 EST