Cole: My Ancestors in County Tipperary, Ireland

Where did my Cole ancestors come from?

In an earlier blog post, Cole: An Irish Palatine Family's Timeline, I talked about the broader movements of my Cole/Kohl/Kolle ancestors - from their flight from Palatine Germany in 1709 to their settlement by 1772 at the Barker estate in County Tipperary, Ireland. 

In this blog post, I will briefly describe the last-known location of my Cole ancestors - Henry "Harry" Cole (abt 1790-1849) and his wife Elizabeth "Eliza" Churchill (abt 1790-1875) - before their emigration from Ireland to Canada around 1825.

County Tipperary, Ireland

Historically, what is now Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland was known as "Ireland" and consisted of four provinces: Connaught, Leinster, Munster and Ulster. These provinces were divided into a total of 32 counties. 

Tipperary is one of six counties within Munster province. It is one of three counties located along Munster's easternmost border, sandwiched between County Clare to the north and County Waterford to the south (see Maps 1 and 2 below).

Map 1: Munster Province and Its Six Counties
(Photo Credit: Encyclopaedia Britannica)

Map 2: County Tipperary
(Photo Credit: Logainm.ie)

Barony of Slievardagh: Kilcooly and Fennor Civil Parishes

County Tipperary is subdivided into 12 regions called baronies; these baronies are further divided into civil parishes, and then into townlands. My ancestors Harry and Eliza grew up in neighbouring Kilcooly and Fennor civil parishes, situated in the east of the Slievardagh barony (see Map 3 below).

Map 3: Barony of Slievardagh, Co. Tipperary
(Photo Credit: Townlands.ie)

Harry Cole was born in Bawnlea townland within Kilcooly civil parish and Eliza Churchill was born to the east, probably in Fennor townland within Fennor civil parish (see Maps 4 and 5 below).

Map 4: Kilcooly Civil Parish - Harry's Birthplace
(Photo Credit: Townlands.ie)

Map 5: Fennor Civil Parish - Eliza's Birthplace
(Photo Credit: Townlands.ie)