Timothy Burke (abt. 1848 - 1938)

Born about 1 Nov 1848 in Inchireagh, Dunmanway, County Cork, Ireland

Died 22 Jan 1938 at about age 89 in Dunmanway, County Cork, Ireland

Tim Burke was born in Ireland.

Biography of Tim BURKE of 1849 of Dunmanway

Timothy "Tim" Burke was born about 1849 in Inchereagh near Dunmanway, County Cork, Ireland, the son of John Burke and his wife. He was probably the "Timothy Bourke" baptized November 1, 1848 in Dunmanway, son of John Bourke and Mary Callanan whose baptismal sponsors are Jeremiah McCarthy and Ellen Murphy.

Timothy "Tim" Burke is not the son of Denis Burke, of Inchireagh, Dunmanway, Cork, Ireland, born in 1811 and his wife Julia Unknown Burke, but may be a nephew or cousin.

Timothy "Tim" Burke is probably a nephew or cousin of Helena Burke of Inchireagh townland, Dunmanway Registration District, who married Denis Collins in 1828.

Timothy "Tim" Burkeis one of many siblings born to John Burke and his wife Mary Cullinane:

1. Denis Burke, born in November 1836, and baptized November 21, 1836. His Baptismal sponsors are James Callanan and Mary Collins, who shows up on Griffith's Valuations in 1853 sharing the same farmland with John Burke, who is either his father or his younger brother.
2. Johanna Burke, born 1839 and baptized January 17, 1839. Her baptismal sponsors are Daniel Bourke and Johanna Bourke.
3. John Burke, born 1841 and baptized 1841. HIs baptismal sponsors are John Cullanane and Margaret Wagner, who is likely of German descent. John Cullanane might be his mother's brother.
4. Timothy Burke, Master of Dunmanway Workhouse, born about November 1, 1848 in Inchnireagh, and baptized on November 1, 1848. His baptismal sponsors are Jeremiah McCarthy and Ellen Murphy. Timothy Burke married Catherine "Kate" McCarthy, had children, was Master of the Dunmanway Workhouse from about 1870 to 1920, and passed away at age 89 in Castletown, Dunmanway.
5. Mary Burke, daughter of John Burke, baptized in July 1851. Baptismal sponsors are Peter Mahony and Nel Burke.
6. Nelly Burke, daughter of John Burke and Mary "Calnan", born August 1855, and baptized August 5, 1855. Her baptismal sponsors are James Murphy and Nancy Sheehy.

Timothy "Tim" Burke worked as Master of the Workhouse in Dunmanway from August 6, 1872 to 1920. Workhouses were the institution that took in the poor, the paupers, the unwed mothers, the old and the sick, who were supported by the Poor Law Union Tax beginning in 1838. The managers were locally elected but needed the approval of the Board of Guardians.

Timothy "Tim" Burke, of Dunmanway married Catherine "Kate" McCarthy, daughter of Denis McCarthy. Kate then became the Matron of the Workhouse, charged with all the laundry and cleaning.

Timothy "Tim" Burke lived in the Master's quarters in the Administrative Block of the Dunmanway workhouse. A picture of this building is available at the link below.

Timothy "Tim" Burke had a large family with many children by 1901. Here is the Census Data for 1901 for Dunmanway for Tim Burke and his family: Surname - Forename - Age - Sex - Relation to head - Religion - Birthplace - Occupation - Literacy - Irish Language - Marital - Status - Specified Illnesses

• Burke Timothy 52 Male Head of Family R C Co Cork Master of Workhouse Read and write Irish and English Married -
• Burke Kate 43 Female Wife R C Co Cork Matron of Workhouse Read and write Irish and English Married -

1. Burke Mary 24 Female Daughter R C Co Cork National Teacher Read and write - Not Married -
2. Burke Katheleen 15 Female Daughter R C Co Cork Scholar Read and write Irish and English Not Married -
3. Burke Denis Edmund 13 Male Son R C Co Cork Scholar Read and write Irish and English Not Married -
4. Burke Nora 7 Female Daughter R C Co Cork Scholar Read and write - Not Married -
5. Burke Timothy Patrick 5 Male Son R C Co Cork Scholar Read - Not Married -
6. Burke Agnes Eleanor Female Daughter R C Co Cork - Cannot read - Not Married

Timothy "Tim" Burke and his wife Kate Unknown Burke may have had other children who previously had left home, because there is a gap between the birth of his oldest daughter, who stayed on at the Workhouse to become the resident school teacher, and her next youngest sibling, age 15, still living at home.

Denis Burke is the baptismal sponsor for Joanna Burke in November 1878 in Dunmanway. Joanna Burke is the daughter of Denis Burke's younger brother Timothy "Tim" Burke, Master of the Dunmanway Workshouse, and his wife Kate McCarthy Burke. The other sponsor is johanna McCarthy.. Denis and Johanna are probably both siblings of Joanna Burke's parents.

Timothy "Tim" Burke is listed as "Master of Union" on the 1911 Census of Ireland living in House 1.1 in Ballyhalwick (Dunmanway South, Cork). Here is the 1911 Census Data for his family: Surname - Forename - Age - Sex - Relation to head - Religion - Birthplace - Occupation Literacy - Irish Language - Marital Status - Specified Illnesses - Years Married - Children Born - Children Living

• Burke Timothy 62 Male Head of Family Roman Catholic County Cork Master of Union Read and write Irish and English Married - 35 10 7
• Burke Kate 54 Female Wife Roman Catholic County Cork Watson of Union Read and write - Married - 35 10 7

1. Burke Nora 17 Female Daughter Roman Catholic County Cork Scholar Read and write Irish and English Single - - - -
2. Burke Timothy 15 Male Son Roman Catholic County Cork Scholar Read and write Irish and English Single - - - -
3. Burke Agnes 10 Female Daughter Roman Catholic County Cork Scholar Read and write Irish and English Single - - - -

Timothy "Tim" Burke had lost three children by 1911, as he and his wife are both listed as having been married 35 years, the parents of 10 children, and only 7 are still living. His son Denis was named after his wife's father. We don't know yet if he ever had a son named John, but that is a strong possibility, because Timothy is the son of John Burke.

Timothy "Tim" Burke's son Captain Timothy Patrick James Burke, Jr. was killed in the Irish Wars, on August 28th, 1922, a Free State Soldier, fighting the IRA. He was killed in an ambush with National forces. His actual position in the armed forces is confusing. More research is necessary.

Timothy "Tim" Burke recieved an inheritance when his wife Kate's relative Daniel McCarthy of Liscoreen passed away in October 1896. Timothy Burke shared his inheritance on November 7, 1896, valued at 255 British Pounds which he was to share with Patrick McCarthy, Farmer, of Knuckchaduve townland, another of his wife's relatives.

Timothy "Tim" Burke was forced to retire when aggressive RIC Auxillery British soldiers who burned Cork were sent to Dunmanway, and took over the workhouse in 1920 to use as a barracks.

Timothy "Tim" Burke lost his wife Kate McCarthy Burke, age 78, on June 14, 1936, at West Green townland, Dunmanway Registration District, and became a widower.

Timothy "Tim" Burke, age 89, passed away January 22, 1938 in Castletown townland, Dunmanway Registration District, County Cork, Ireland. His death certificate lists him as a widower and his occupation as Retired Workhouse Master. He outlived his wife by about 19 months.

Research Notes

Timothy "Tim" Burke is said to be the Great Grand Uncle of the former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland Bertie Ahern, who parents Con Ahern, of Ballyfeard near Kinsale, and Julia Hourhane of Castledonovan, West Cork, are natives of County Cork, Ireland. More research is necessary to determine how Timothy Burke is related to the Aherns.

Sources

• Civil Registration of Marriage for Timothy Burke, Master of Dunmanway Workhouse, and Catherine "Kate" McCarthy, 1876 - https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1876/11163/8089569.pdf

• 1901 Census of Ireland for Dunmanway County Cork, Ireland for Timothy Burke and Family -http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Cork/Dunmanway/Ballyhalwick/1164035/

• Civil Registration of Death for Timothy Patrick James Burke, age 26, IRA soldier, 1922, Kilkenny - https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1924/05036/4377834.pdf

• Article about Dunmanway Workhouse and it's manager Tim Burke - http://www.theirishstory.com/2018/12/22/neither-very-good-nor-very-bad-the-dunmanway-workhouse-county-cork-1841-1920/#.XC7BKlxKiyK

• Dunmanway Workhouse with image of Administrative Block where Timothy Burke and his family lived, and which claims he is related to former Prime Minister Bertie Ahern - http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Dunmanway/

• Wikipedia article about Bertie Ahern, who is said to be a great grand uncle of Timothy Burke of Dunmanway workhouse - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertie_Ahern

Possible Sources

• Television production "Who Do You Think You Are?" segment posted on YouTube which talks about Bertie Ahern's grandfather's death in 1933. More research is necessary to determine if Maurice Ahern is related to Timothy Burke or if this is another side of the Ahern family. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6UCkII06PU

• Article about the discoveries Bertie Ahern made while a featured guest on the TV production "Who Do You Think You Are?" which aired September 30, 2018 - https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/tv-news/who-do-you-think-you-are-bertie-ahern-finds-relative-died-fighting-for-the-free-state-army-37360573.html