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The farthest I can go back in my family on the Fay side is to my great grandfather Laurence/Lawrence, died 1888 aged possibly 79. In the Griffith's valuation of 1845 Lawrence Fay farms at both Togherstown and Killeenerk, in the Civil Parish of Conry. And later his two sons Edward and John farm those lands. In a letter written from Argentina in 1891 son Timothy speaks of the Killare family graveyard as needing repair and says his brothers should get together with the families in Cloonagh and Bishopstown. I take this as implying that they are close relations.
Cloonagh In the Griffiths valuation Patrick Fey has two properties in Cloonagh (one bog). In the 1901 census, house 1 in Cloonagh is occupied by Catherine Fay (his widow?) aged 79 and her son Thomas aged 44 In the 1911 census the only Fays in Cloonagh are William Fay aged 60 and his sons Michael Joseph,23 and James, 19. Catherine and Thomas are not to be found; Catherine obviously died, perhaps Thomas also. In 1901 William Fay had been living at Sraneeg in Castletown with wife Mary A (40)and sons Michael J 14, James J 10 and William 7. [in 1911 William is at school in Irishtown in Mullingar]
Bishopstown In the Griffiths we have John Fay farming in Bishopstown, Killare.In 1901 we have James Fay 50 (his son?), wife Bridget/Bedelia (nee Nugent whose mother was a Dardis) with children Edward 18, Luida (Linda?)16, Dominick 15, Augusta 13, James 11, Michael 10, Eveline 6. In 1911 James is a widower and Dominick 26, Oswald 23, Michael 21, Evelyn 17 are with him.
So where does that leave me? In 1845 we have Lawrence, Patrick and John, possibly brothers. Would it be safe to say that Bishopstown was the original farm since it's the site of the family graveyard?