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A Story of Faith
The Year: 1897
The Place: Nenagh and Borrisokane, County Tipperary, Ireland
The People: John and Jane Ann Corcoran, and their family

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A very ‘different’ and fundamental faith came to South Central Ireland in the year 1897. Two young homeless ministers, one of them named William Irvine, came to the home of John and Jane Ann Corcoran, where they lived in a large stone house called “Finnoe House”, near Nenagh, Tipperary County, Ireland. This couple had ten living children and were quite prosperous farmers in the area. Nenagh was said to be a ‘very dark place’ at that time; John Corcoran was a heavy drinker.

During the meetings that were held in Nenagh, many people embraced the faith which faithfully adhered to Bible teachings only, taking the life of Christ as an example in every phase of living. Among these were Jack and May Carroll, John and Jane’s oldest daughter Katie Swanton and her husband, and also one of John and Jane’s sons, Jack; Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, (Ida Corcoran Robinson’s mother and father-in-law); a Mrs. Bradshaw, and several others.

Later, there was a mission held at Borrisokane in 1898, and it was here that the mother of “Finnoe House”, Jane Ann Corcoran, made a profession in this faith; some who did so with her were several of her family, the Dennison family, (whose sons Frank and Harry and their sister Mae entered the ministry); possibly John Corcoran’s brother George’s family; another Robinson couple, the Longs, Brays, and Falkiners.

Another mission was held a little later, near “Finnoe House” in the home of the Burgess family. John and Jane’s children Lydia, Jim and probably Bill Corcoran embraced the faith at this time.

Eight years later, in 1906, John Corcoran, the father of “Finnoe House” made a profession, but died only two years later.

Four of John and Janes’ children went into this ministry: Sally, Jack, Bill and Jim. Bill went to Toronto, Canada, at the age of 21, where he felt called into the ministry; he went back to Ireland and England as a minister for two or three years – and later came back to the U.S. to be Jack Carroll’s companion in 1907. His sister Sally came to the U.S. also, and was on the West coast (Elizabeth Jamieson was one of her first companions here in the U.S.). Jim Corcoran went to New Zealand and was in the ministry there for several years.

John and Jane’s youngest daughter, *Ida (Corcoran) Robinson, had two young daughters who went into this ministry: Ruth, and Jean. John and Jane’s oldest daughter Katie (Corcoran) Swanton, had a daughter Mabel Lockhart, two of whose children went into the ministry: Marjorie, and David. John and Jane’s fifth child, Bill, had two sons, Gerald and Myron, each of whom had a child in the ministry: Dan Corcoran and Muriel Corcoran. They both went into this work in 1978. A brother of the original John Corcoran, George, had three children; one of whom, Annie, went into the work. His son Jim had two daughters, Bessie and Nellie, who either went into the work themselves or had children who did so: Bessie was in the work in Scotland for many years – and Nellie had a son, Robert Wood, who was in the work in Peru.

*Ida Robinson also had a son, Herbert, whose daughter, Arlene is in the work in Ireland.

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Dates the above entered the work:

Harry Dennison started 1905
Mae Dennison is listed as 'pre 1913'
Tom (NOT Frank) Dennison is listed as 'First Year Out pre 1913'
Jim Corcoran started 1903
Sarah Corcoran started 1905 (aka Sally)
B. Corcoran is listed on one list as 'First Year Out 1900'
Ruth Robinson First Year Out 1950
Jean Robinson First Year Out 1953
David Lockhart First Year Out 1961
Marjorie Lockhart First Year Out 1961
Robert Wood 1966-1984
Arlene Robinson 1982-
Added by TTT:  Mollie Long, home Finnoe (pre 1913)

(Dates are not known for the others mentioned.)