WRIGHT FAMILY IN BALLINGARRY
Truth be told, we Wrights don’t know much about our ancestors before, Richard Wright (Pop’s grandfather), married Jude Ryan on January 12, 1827 in Ballingarry in the County of Tipperary. We believe that the Wrights came to Ireland from Scotland, Wales or England. The name “Wright” meant some kind of craftsman, usually associated with the broad term “carpenter.” We may have been given land for service to the king or queen or simply immigrated for work (coal mining, of course).
A cousin of ours by the name of Thomas (Tom) Wright who now lives in Ferbane, County Offaly, has done extensive research on the Wright Family in Ballingarry.
His research:
Richard Wright married Jude Ryan (in 1827) in Ballingarry, County Tipperary. They had seven children:
Thomas (4/08/1927)
Mary (08/15/1829)
Michael (02/05/1832)
Catherine (07/05/1834)
Richard (06/17/1838)
John (11/13/1840)**** This is Pop Wright’s father
William (04/20/1845)
Pop’s father, John Wright, married Mary Meany in Ballingarry on January 12, 1868. Existing records show that John was 21 years of age, his condition (?) was “Bachelor” and his rank or position was “Labourer”; his father, Richard, is listed as a “Collier”.
Pop’s mother, Mary Meany, was 23 and attained the rank of “Servant”; her father was Michael Meany, listed as “Labourer”. Both signed the Marriage Solemnization (X) for each signature.
John Wright and Mary Meany were blessed with five children:
Johanna (03/32/1869)
Richard (01/06/1871)
Bridgit (09/28/1873)
Michael (09/30/1877)
James (01/ 14/1880) **** This is our Pop
John Wright (Pop’s father), emigrated from Ireland to America and was naturalized as an American citizen in October 1888. (Naturalization paper exists.)
Ballingarry in County Tipperary was the site of the great uprising led by the Young Irelanders in 1848. The leaders consisted of William Smith O’Brien, Thomas Davis, and Thomas Meagher(“Meagher of the Sword”), among others. While they were all captured as enemies of the crown (Queen Victoria) and either arrested or sent to Tasmania and Australia, each went on to serve in various leadership roles in Ireland and America.
Ballingarry was also where the Irish tri-colored flag was flown by the Young Irelanders. It was patterned after the new French tri-color (red, white and blue) but the colors are green, white and orange (some will say gold).
Suffice it to say, we Wrights are a prolific bunch. We are many, we are proud, and we are loyal. We must keep the interest in our roots moving so those loving ancestors of ours cannot ever be forgotten. Each of us has an earthly mission to keep us all together and in touch. Pop Wright would have had it no other way. Our remembrance of our past will foster a proud, close and pride-filled future for the Wright legacy. Up Tipp!
SLAINTE (slawn-chuh) Irish for “To your health”.
Bill Yosh
To learn more about the home of our ancestors, you might want to click on the following websites:
www.Ballingary.net
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Tipperary
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Ireland