Cork Gowens and the IRA

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Following the war of independence against the British, the Irish Civil War (1922-23) pitted the new Irish Free State government against the IRA, who refused to accept the independence deal with the British (apologies if I'm simplifying  too much here).

Family tradition has it that a couple of the 'Ballyhindon' and 'Youghal' Gowens were involved on the side of the IRA in both struggles.

Ellen Gowen of Ballyhooly and the Griffiths Valuation

Ballyhooly Main St. - Late 1880s
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The Primary Valuation was the first full-scale valuation of property in Ireland. It was overseen by Richard Griffith and published between 1847 and 1864.

A search of this document reveals one enterprising lady - Ellen Gowen of Ballyhooly.

Off to Prison!

Cork City Goal
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Not all of the Cork Gowens were always the model citizen. The prison records provide some interesting snippets of bad bahaviour, including punishment for drunkeness and assault.

Happily that type of behaviour is now rare....(well the 'assault' part anyway).

Mich' Gowin (1723-1798) of Ballyhooly and his Gaelic Heritage

 
How Mich' Gowin ended up in Ballyhooly is a mystery. His gravestone is rather grand and finely decorated, implying some kind of social standing - surely something more than the grave of a simple blacksmith or farmer. The stone is also clearly Catholic, as shown by the IHS design at the top of the stone.

Moreover, it has the intriguing inscription 'May he rest in peace' signed with the gaelic script Mac Gobhann. Is this a recognition from the clan of the sons Gobhann to a former leader? Or just a claim to membership of the ancient clan?

Clan Gowan in Scotland

The Scottish surname of GOWAN/GOWEN/GOWIN was originally derived from the Gaelic Mac a Ghobhainn a name meaning 'the son of the smith'. The original bearers of the name would have been skilled workers in metals.

Gowin DNA, Scotland and Robert Burns

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The oldest record of the Ballyhooly Gowens is the gravestone of Mich' Gowin. There is some interesting DNA evidence that connects at least one example of this surname with Scotland.

Gowen & Keating Families in County Cork and New York

There seem to be several links between the Gowen and Keating families, both originally from County Cork.There is a large contingent of Keatings in and around Fermoy in County Cork.

Scottish word of the day: Gowan

The Scottish gowan
Source

According to The Scotsman, it is likely that the word 'gowan' derived from the Middle English term gollan. It is broadly defined as a daisy, and loosely defined as a white or yellow field flower.

Philip Gowen/Goen (1826 - 1878) goes to Missouri


Philip Gowen  was born in County Cork on 1 June 1826 and emigrated to America, arriving in Clinton, Henry County, Missouri in October 1878. It is possible that there is a link between him and the Ballyhindon Gowens.

In the Ballyhooly Church records there is a record of a Philip Gowen born in 1826, who subsequently 'disappears'. It is possible that he may have emigrated to the US and could be the man from Missouri.

If this is correct then he would have been a younger brother of the patriach of the Ballyhindon Gowens - John Gowen of Ballyhindon.

US Brigadier General James Bartholomew Gowen (1872 - 1958): Descended from Cork Gowens

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Brigadier General James Bartholomew Gowen (1872-1958) was a decorated infantry officer who fought in Cuba, the Philippine insurrection and in Europe during the First World War.

His parents emigrated to America from County Cork.