From The Researcher ~ Irish Fant and Faunt family in late Medieval and early modern era

 The following area series of quotes in John McDermott’s own words:“We have Patrick Fant at Knockrour in Kilbeheny in the Valuation. That is an adjacent parish to Galbally, south of it. But living as far away  (not far) as Bansha in the mid-18th century.

 

The Robert Fant in Kilmeedy in the Valuation is a good distance from this area. Just south of Ballingarry.  West of Kilmallock, where we know the family were in the late Middle Ages. ”There was a pardon granted to John Faunte, kern, of Ballyderonty in 1567. This is in the Co. Limerick. The name does not survive in that form. I wonder if it might be Ballydoorty, Mahoonagh parish, Newcastle district. There was a pardon granted to John Faunt, horseman, of Fantstowne in 1584.”

“Any Fant in this region is possibly related to every other, no doubt. Bansha is as close as we get to Fethard and Galbally is not far from Bansha, no. There is a direct road from one to the other. Galbally is in Co. Limerick, Bansha in Co. Tipperary, Emly diocese. Bansha is in Cashel diocese. One might possibly suggest the families are related There is little distance between Galbally & Bansha, so that may be where  the family was from. . I think we can assume that Edmund in 1824  and Patrick in 1766 are related. And that Fr. Patrick was born in the Galbally area. Clonbeg (R.C. Galbally) is adjacent parish to Templeneiry (Bansha), so they came from that area. Kilbeheny/ Mitchelstown  is just south of Galbally. We have Fant records from there. I cannot see what brought them to Templemore, apart from the army connections. That we have proven.”

 

” There was a grant of the lands of James & Robert Fant, both attainted (of treason, I assume) in the town of Kilmallock, Co. Limerick in 1595. They may have gone to Robert Collum Esq. as there are a good many names of people attainted who had their lands confiscated at this time in the county.” 

“A pardon was granted to Richard Faunt, yeoman, of Thomastown (Co. Limerick) There is a Thomastown in the parishes of Kilbreedy Minor & Kilfinnane  there Fannistowne, Kilfinnane is recorded in the 1659 "Census". There were 15 people living there then. John Condon & Robert Oliver were landowners in that area then. Gibbon & Fitzgibbon were other names of tenants. Patrick & Robert Fant were in Griffith's Valuation in 1851-2 in Kilbeheny &  Kilmeedy parishes in the area.”” James & John Fant of Clangibbon are also mentioned in pardons at this time. Condons &  Clangibbon is a barony “ 

“Patrick Fante of Ballingarry, Kilmallock, gent, was an assistant juror of the inquisition for the survey. He was not recorded as a major landholder in Ballingarry. John Burgatt lived at Fantstown then, a Catholic. So the Fants had left Fantstown by then. Which was 1554- or 1556”