James Kinnane and Emilie Wilson married and lived in Ballarat East. James is the tall engine driver in the featured photograph above. This photograph was taken at Maryborough Station.
THE SURNAME KINNANE
The surname of Kinnane is recorded in many ways. Spellings include O’ Kinane, O’ Kinnane, Kinane, Kinnane, Cannan, Kannan, Cannane, Canane, Quinane, and Quinnane. A medieval Irish surname, it originates from the pre 10th century Gaelic O’Cuinneain. The first recorded spelling of the family name is that of Teag O’ Coinin, dated 1317, in the charters of Thomond, County Clare, Ireland, during the reign of King Edward 11 of England (1307 – 1327).
Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as Poll Tax. Our KINNANE family came from Galway. Cuinane is a synonym of the surname Kinnane which is thought to be Pictish in origin. https://www.irishorigenes.com/kinnane-kinnan
It is thought that the Picts were the descendants of the first peoples to inhabit what became known as Scotland. They were a “confederation of tribal units ‘Kin” who joined together against common enemies”. The word for ‘clan’ was ‘kin’, a word still used in Scotland today, and other parts of the English speaking world, so it is possible this is where the name “Kin”nane came from.
The Picts (the painted people) exist in the written record from at least 297 until the 900s after which no further mention is made of them in Scotland. Some of the many early records researchers examined, around 1120 AD, produced a surname synonymous with Kinnane, where the family lived from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of William at Hastings in 1066 AD.
Recent research around the monastery at Portmahomack, Scotland, found evidence that the area may have been a “settlement, craft-working centre and/or hub of a Pictish community” from 140 AD to 590 AD. The time frame of the demise of the Picts in Scotland may correlate with the movement and appearance of the O Cuinneain/Kinnane family in Ireland. http://www.portmahomack.org/tarbat-discovery-centre–portmahomack.html
IRELAND
Paul KINNANE who died 4 May 1787 is the most likely father of John, and grandfather of Dennis KINNANE who emigrated to Australia. John CUNANE was born around 1755. His wife was Honora CUNANE was born 1761. Her name was possibly Honora BOLAND
FROM IRELAND TO AUSTRALIA
There was a striking difference between the landscape of Killtullugh, Galway, Ireland, the birthplace of Dennis Kinnane, and the place in Australia where he settled.
BALLARAT
After the discovery of gold in 1851 and the Eureka Affair at Ballarat, the Kinnane’s ran a small acreage at Fellmonger’s (now considered part of Ballarat East).
COLEMAN KINNANE & EMMA HAUGHTON
JAMES KINNANE & EMILY WILSON
James died from heart trouble. He was only 39 years of age when he drove the train from Melbourne to Ballarat and then collapsed. He left his wife Emilie pregnant, and with four other children, three boys and a girl.
