Individual Details
Elizabeth (Bessie) MCKENNA
(Abt 1846 - 2 Jan 1925)
The 1911 census tells us Bessie and her husband, John, had 13 children born alive, eight of whom were still alive at the time of the census.
Five of their six surviving sons became priests, four of whom ministered in the United States and one in Ireland. One of their two surviving daughters was a nun in the U.S. Their other son also lived in the U.S., while their other daughter remained in Ireland; she never married. It appears Bessie and John had no grandchildren.
Bessie died at the home of her son Michael in Dublin while on a visit to see him.
It seems that Bessie was related to my Cunningham family but I have not yet been able to establish how. According to the obituary of John Cunningham of Irremore, Lixnaw (a member of my Cunningham family) in the Kerry Sentinel of 21 October 1887, John died "at the house of Mr. John Troy, T.O., where he resided a considerable time, being Mrs. Troy's uncle". However John could not have been Bessie's uncle as her mother's maiden name was Thornton (parish of origin unknown). Norrie Cunningham, a probable niece of John's, did marry a James Thornton (parish of origin unknown) in 1844. Perhaps James was related to Bessie's mother, although ths would not make John blood-related to Bessie. Or perhaps John's connection to Bessie was through his wife, Kate Fitzgerald. Any help in identifying the exact relationship between John and Bessie would be appreciated. Please email HelensFamilyTrees@gmail.com. Thank you.
Five of their six surviving sons became priests, four of whom ministered in the United States and one in Ireland. One of their two surviving daughters was a nun in the U.S. Their other son also lived in the U.S., while their other daughter remained in Ireland; she never married. It appears Bessie and John had no grandchildren.
Bessie died at the home of her son Michael in Dublin while on a visit to see him.
It seems that Bessie was related to my Cunningham family but I have not yet been able to establish how. According to the obituary of John Cunningham of Irremore, Lixnaw (a member of my Cunningham family) in the Kerry Sentinel of 21 October 1887, John died "at the house of Mr. John Troy, T.O., where he resided a considerable time, being Mrs. Troy's uncle". However John could not have been Bessie's uncle as her mother's maiden name was Thornton (parish of origin unknown). Norrie Cunningham, a probable niece of John's, did marry a James Thornton (parish of origin unknown) in 1844. Perhaps James was related to Bessie's mother, although ths would not make John blood-related to Bessie. Or perhaps John's connection to Bessie was through his wife, Kate Fitzgerald. Any help in identifying the exact relationship between John and Bessie would be appreciated. Please email HelensFamilyTrees@gmail.com. Thank you.
Events
| Birth | Abt 1846 | Ballyduhig, Listowel, Co. Kerry | |||
| Marriage | 24 Oct 1871 | Listowel, Co. Kerry - John Robert TROY | |||
| Death | 2 Jan 1925 | Dublin | |||
| Burial | Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin |
Families
| Spouse | John Robert TROY (1841 - 1922) |
| Child | Robert TROY (1873 - 1874) |
| Child | Thomas Francis TROY (1874 - 1913) |
| Child | Margaret TROY (1876 - 1877) |
| Child | Ann (Anna) TROY (1877 - ) |
| Child | Margaret TROY (1879 - 1880) |
| Child | Catherine Mary TROY (1881 - 1883) |
| Child | James Joseph Anthony TROY (1883 - 1954) |
| Child | Mary (Molly) Jane TROY (1885 - 1967) |
| Child | Edward Patrick TROY (1887 - 1946) |
| Child | John J. TROY (1889 - 1946) |
| Child | Robert Charles TROY (1891 - 1946) |
| Child | Michael Charles (Charles) TROY (1895 - 1972) |
| Child | James Michael TROY (1896 - 1911) |
| Father | Thomas MCKENNA ( - 1870) |
| Mother | Ann (Annie) THORNTON ( - 1895) |
| Sibling | John MCKENNA ( - 1906) |