Pictures from our trip to Ireland
August 2001
Genealogy
Catherine O'Neill Holland
1866 - 1933
My Irish ancestors were all from the Beara Peninsula, County Cork. They worked in the copper mines near Allihies, then known as Cluin. Their surnames were Houlihan (Holland), O’Neill, Hanley, Leary, O’Sullivan, Neenan, and Lowney.
The Houlihans and O’Learys lived in Allihies, the O’Neills in Gour, and the Hanleys in Bawnard. The Houlihans worked in the copper mine northeast of Allihies. (map) The following pages have photographs of these areas.
They survived the potato famine in the 1840’s, but times were difficult in the 1870’s because the mines were not very productive and the copper miners were paid little for their 12 hours of labor each day. Children of miners weren’t educated, and often went to work in the mines as early as 11 years old. My great-great-grandfather, Jeremiah Houlihan emigrated from Allihies, County Cork, Ireland to the United States in 1877, with 5 of his children, including my great-grandfather Michael Holland. Jeremiah’s wife Mary and their 6 youngest children followed in 1879. Their name was changed to Holland when they immigrated. The Hollands lived in Houghton County, Michigan until 1889, when they moved to Butte, Montana to work in the copper mines.
Children of Jeremiah Holland and Mary Leary:
James (1857-?) stayed in Ireland
John/Jack (abt 1858-1935)
Patrick (1859-1907) m. Mary O’Sullivan
Catherine (1861-?)
Michael (1862-1922) m. Catherine O’Neill
Daniel (1864-?)
Timothy (1865-1933) m. Elnora Malvey
Honora (1867-1867)
Johanna (1868-1869)
Margaret (1870-1947) m. James Shea
Julia (1872-1926) m. Dennis Joseph Riley
Jeremiah (1873-1923) m. Mary Sheehan
James (1877-1913)
Dennis Joseph (1878-1910) m. Mary Elizabeth Malvey
Michele’s great-grandmother Catherine O’Neill and her two sisters emigrated from Gour in County Cork to Butte, Montana in the late 1880’s. Catherine married Michael Holland November 19, 1889, in Butte. (marriage certificate)
My Irish Family Tree
The Hollands in Butte
None of the Holland children were married prior to moving to Butte. The sons worked in the mines. Most of the Hollands married other Irish immigrants in Butte.
Mary (O’Leary) Holland is listed in the 1890/1891 city directory for Butte as the widow of Jeremiah. Sometime prior to 1890, Jeremiah left to go back to Allihies to die so he could be buried there, as was the custom. There are no records to indicate if he made it back to Allihies or where he is buried. Mary lived on East Summit in Dublin Gulch, Butte, where many of the Irish miners lived. Several of her sons lived with her during the 1890’s.
Butte City Directories:
1890-1891
Holland, Mary (wid Jeremiah), residence 521 E Summit
Holland, Daniel, miner, boards 523 E Summit, Dublin Gulch
Holland, Jeremiah, miner, boards 523 E Summit, Dublin Gulch
1891-1892
Holland, John, miner, boards 523 E Summit, Dublin Gulch
Holland, Mary (wid Jeremiah), residence 523 E Summit, Dublin Gulch
Holland, Michael, miner, boards 523 E Summit, Dublin Gulch
Holland, Timothy, miner Mountain Con mine, boards 523 E Summit, Dublin Gulch
1893
Holland, Jeremiah, blacksmith Colusa mine, boards Mrs. Mary Holland,
Dublin Gulch, Meaderville
Holland, Mary (wid Jeremiah), res 523 E Summit, Dublin Gulch
? Holland, Michael B., laborer, res 523 E Granite
1895
Holland, Jeremiah, helper Colusa Mine, boards 523 E Summit, Dublin
Gulch
Holland, John, miner, boards 523 E Summit, Dublin Gulch
Holland, Mary (wid Jeremiah), res 523 E Summit, Dublin Gulch
Holland, Timothy, miner, boards 523 E Summit, Dublin Gulch
1896
Holland, John, miner, boards rear 523 E Summit, Dublin Gulch
Holland, Michael, miner, res rear 523 E Summit, Dublin Gulch
1897
Holland, Michael, miner, r 523 E Summit, Dublin Gulch
1899
Holland, Patrick, miner, r 523 E Summit, Dublin Gulch
1900 Butte, Silver Bow County, Montana
Census records
ED 97, sheet 5, 47 E Woolman
Riley, Dennis, born Jun 1864, Ireland, immigrated in 1876, miner,
Julia (Holland), wife, b. May 1871, Ireland, m. 12 years, 6 children,
4 living, immigrated in 1880
John P., son, b. Jan 1890, Montana, at school
Emmett, son, b. Mar,. 1892, Montana, at school
Joseph E., son, b. Apr. 1894, Montana
Winnifred J., daughter, b. Apr. 1898
Holland, Dennis, brother-in-law, b. 1878, Ireland, miner
ED 91, sheet 3, 117 Boardman
Holland, Richard [Michael], b. Oct 1862 in Ireland, immigrated in 1879,
naturalized, miner
Katie, wife, b. May 1867, Ireland, m. 11 yrs, 7 children, 5 living, immigrated
1886
Jerry, son, b. Apr. 1890, Montana, at school
Joseph P., son, b. Mar 1894, Montana
Bernard, son, b. Jan 1896, Montana
Leo, son, b. Sept 1897, Montana
William, son, b. Sept 1899, Montana
ED 91, sheet 26, High Ore Terrace
Holland, Patrick, born Mar 1862 in Ireland, miner
Mary, b. May 1863, Ireland
Patrick, b. Apr 1882, Colorado
Denis, b. Dec 1882, Montana
Mary, b. Aug 1886, Montana
John, b. Sep 1888, Montana
James, b. Dec 1890, Montana
Josie, b. Jun 1894, Montana
Edward, b. Jul 1896, Montana
Frank, b. Aug 1899, Montana
ED 97, sheet 4A, 608 N Main
Shea, James H. b. May 1863, Wisconsin, miner, rents home
Margaret E (Holland) b. Feb 1873, Ireland
Ellen I., b. Apr 1897, Montana
Margaret A., b. Aug 1899, Montana
1910 Butte, Montana
119 West
Boardman