Jarlath Tobin’s Ancestor Stories – 2011

Over the years, Jarlath Tobin (1943 – 2011) answered many questions from his Australian cousins about their Irish ancestors. In July 2011, although critically ill, with the assistance of his wife Ann, he painstakingly answered Denise’s further queries including the family stories of Thomas’s brothers – Michael, who died young, his grandfather Patrick (Paddy) Tobin, who rescued three children from drowning in a lake and the machinations of the Daly family, and who inherited John Robert Tobin’s wealth.

Ann Tobin has generously given her permission for Jarlath’s Ancestor tales to be added to this website.

Michael Tobin, the second eldest son of John and Ellen Tobin died aged 24. He had been playing cards all night with a group of men in the old Brosna Railway Station, now demolished. As a result, he got a chill which probably developed into pneumonia or pleurisy from which he died. He probably died at home, since at that time most people would not have wanted to go to the local District Hospital.

Michael and Paddy were avid card players – Paddy playing all his life. Their favourite game was twenty–five. Paddy always had a regular card game in his own house. This love of cards also came down to Jarlath.

Patrick (Paddy) Tobin was Thomas Tobin’s eldest brother. About 1885, three children of the local landlord, Lloyd of Gloster, were sailing on a small lake, called Lough Roe, when their boat capsized in the middle of the lake. There was no one around to hear their cries for help except Paddy. He swam out to the boat three times and rescued each of the children, bringing them safely to shore. He was a very broad man, about 5’8″ and powerfully built like a front row rugby player!

John Robert Tobin, the third son, was an insurance agent in Tullamore, Co. Offaly. Previously he’d sold Singer sewing machines in Co. Kerry until his wife died and he moved back to Co.Offaly. He did very well in Tullamore, building up a successful agency and amassing enough money to buy 7 houses.

As he was dying, his wishes were to leave his property to his nephew, John Brendan Tobin as he was bitter about the lack of communication between his children, (Agnes, Evelyn and Mary Tobin) who had emigrated to America and never kept in touch with him. He would have had a lot of money as well as property. However, Paddy Tobin suggested that he think about it as he felt the property rightly belonged to John Robert’s children. John Robert went back to Tullamore from his visit to Brosna where he had a housekeeper, Mrs Daly. (The Irish Census of 1911 shows John is a boarder with the Daly family.)

As he became older and more infirm, she and her husband gained great influence with him. Nothing had been done to leave the property to John Brendan after what his father Paddy had said. As John Robert was dying, he sent for Paddy and John Brendan to make his will. However, Mr and Mrs Daly had gained such influence by then that Mr Daly interfered in the making of the Will and all the property and money was left to the Dalys.

Jarlath Tobin, 2011

 
For John Brendan’s own Account, read Old letters from Ireland No.4.
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