This week, I finished an index for all the names on all the stones in Rathdowney, Laois(Queen's Co) and I head of into town to go to the graveyard to begin checking the 1300 or so names and with my new magic torch hopefully be be able to read the bits I had a problem with.

As I get into the town, I wonder to myself if an acquaintance of mine who is also director f a funeral home would be interested in the index so I call to ask him.  "Ah Jane", ses he......"I have an index.  I keep the 'funeral books'" Ah Kieran ses I, your books are not alphabetically indexed" Ah Jane", ses he. 'Yes, I'd like a copy of your index - and, would you like to se my books" Ah, Kieran" ses I - as I jump up and down smiling....'Of course I would"

Then he asks me.....'Do you know anything about John Moyney?" 'He's a war vet' ses I - and 'No, I only know a bit but I'll go home and come back to you later cos I'm bound to have something on Moyney's in my computer" (I actually have more information on Laois (Queen's Co.) people in my computer than anyone else in the world.

Off I go home and begin looking and looking and looking.  I find that I have no references to the surname.  That the only Moyney registered in Ireland early on was in the Griffiths and in Tipperary.  I find on the fsamily search site that there were Moyney's in Cavan in the 1870's and then they appear in the Roscrea area in the 1950's.

I go back into town to tell Kieran that his John Moyney is a mystery - and then John ses to me did you try "Miney" and I say no...........and go home to try Miney....and yes, there he is in the 1901 census and his family in the 1911 census.

(Before I go another step father in this message, I would like to say to post editors - when I use the word 'ses' I am using it the way I would if I was talking to someone, do not change it plese and thank you)

I go back in to town to tell Kieran i have him and his family - we're delighted the two of us.  

In the meantime I had asked a friend of mine who is an historian if he knew anything about this John Moyney and he rang me to say yep!!! Tons of stuff and we talked for at least 90 mins about John Moyney.

John or Jack (Jack is a 'pet' name for John) Miney joined the British Army - he is listed as John Miney in the civil records - I believe he died as John Moyney 

This man won a Victoria Cross for his bravery - I'm told that a Victoria is a rare cross and that two men from my home town were awarded one.  

Jane