THE CUNNINGHAMS OF TIPPERARY
TOWN
Ellen Cunningham was born in about 1750 of Tipperary town, County
Tipperary, Ireland. She married William Kennedy in about 1775 in
Tipperary.
Three Cunninghams are listed in Griffiths Valuation in Tipperary
town in 1850: John Cunningham in Bohercrow, John
Cunningham in Carrownreddy, and William Cunningham in
Spital Land.
Only one Cunningham is listed in the Tithe Applotment of 1829 for
Tipperary town: Nicholas Cunningham in Carrownreddy. This
is the townland where several Kennedys are found in the later
Griffiths Valuation (1850).
Tithe Applotment, Carrownreddy townland, Tipperary town
The early parish registers for Tipperary town shown these Cunningham
families:
- Michael Cunningham and Catherine Synott had a son
Martin baptized in 1810
- Dennis Cunningham and Joanna Reynolds had a daughter
Margaret baptized in 1810, a son James baptized in 1815, and a
son Thomas baptized in 1818
- John Cunningham and Bridget Clifford had a son Patrick
baptized in 1811, a daughter Judith baptized in 1814, and a son
John baptized in 1818.
- William Cunningham married Mary Crow in 1811.
- Edmund Cunningham married Elizabeth Heffernan in 1812.
- John Cunningham and Rebecca Williams had a daughter
Margaret baptized in 1810, and a son Dennis baptized in 1812.
- William Cunningham married Eleonor Madden in 1817.
- James Cunningham and Joanna Fahy had a son baptized in
1818.
In the Religious Census of 1766, only one Cunningham is listed in
the city of Tipperary - John Cunningham. He is listed as a
Catholic. John Cunningham is likely Ellen's father. John would have
been born in about 1720 of Tipperary.
In the Hearth Tax for Tipperary in 1666-7, no Cunninghams are listed
in the town of Tipperary, but but these Cunninghams are found within
a few miles of the town of Tipperary, all within the barony of
Clanwilliam. The most likely option is found in Cordangan, just two
miles from Tipperary town, and in the same townland as William
O'Duane. This is Tirlagh Connegan, and he could be John Cunningham's
grandfather or possibly great-grandfather.
Cordangan townland
Parish of Cordangan (only about two miles south of Tipperary
town)
Tirlagh Connegan 1 hearth 2 s.
Parish of Templeniry and Cloneloffe (about five miles
southeast of Tipperary town)
Killoquirke
Mortagh Cuningham 1 hearth 2 s.
Parish of Cullen (about six miles northwest of Tipperary
town)
Cullentowne
Daniell Coningham 1 hearth 2 s.
Parish of Emly (about eight miles west of Tipperary town)
Castle Loghnae
Patrick Cunnogh 1 hearth 2 s.
The name Cunningham in Ireland may be of Irish or Scottish origin.
It seems more likely that the Catholic Cunninghams of Tipperary town
were of Irish descent.
The Irish Cunninghams came from Connacht: "The Connacht
Cunningham families are mostly native Irish and trace their
descent from two sources - one branch from Fiachra, brother of the
famous Niall of the Nine Hostages, which was located in County
Sligo; the other a sept of the Ui Maine (often called Hy Many), a
widespread group of septs centred in counties Galway and
Roscommon."
The Scottish Cunninghams were part of the Plantation of Ulster: "The
name Cunningham, taken from the place of the same name near
Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, was brought to Ireland by settlers from
Scotland who arrived in Ulster during the 17th century Plantation
of Ulster. Descendants of those settlers today form the bulk of
those bearing the surname in that province, where it is most
numerous."
SOURCES: Tipperary RC parish register in www.nli.ie; Tithe
Applotment, Tipperary; Griffiths Valuation, Tipperary; Religious
Census of Tipperary, 1766; www.irishroots.com/cunningham;
Tipperary's Families, Being the Hearth Money Rolls for 1665-6-7,
by Thomas Laffan.