Briga Heelan – CBS Films’ “Dean” Los Angeles Premiere – Arrivals – ArcLight Hollywood, 6360 Sunset Boulevard – Los Angeles, CA, USA – Photo Credit: PRPhotos.com
Birth Name: Briga Davis Heelan
Place of Birth: Andover, Massachusetts, U.S.
Date of Birth: April 2, 1987
Ethnicity: Irish, English, some French and German
Briga Heelan is an American actress and comedian. Briga is married to actor and comedian Rene Gube, with whom she has a daughter.
Briga is the daughter of actress Kimball Heelan (born Kimball Sherman Davis) and playwright Kevin Heelan (born Kevin Patrick Heelan). Briga has a brother, Conor.
Briga has said:
It [Briga] is an Irish name. In fact, my last name was O’Heelahan back in the day. And Briga, I read somewhere, is some pagan Celtic goddess, which sounds great, so I really like saying that. But I was named after my grandmother’s best friend, who lives in Dublin.
Briga’s paternal grandfather was Bernard Francis Heelan (the son of Peter Edward Heelan and Elizabeth Sullivan). Peter was born in Illinois, to parents from Ireland. Elizabeth was the daughter of Murty Sullivan, who was from Cork, Ireland, and of Mary Lowney.
Briga’s paternal grandmother was Ann Amelia McManus (the daughter of Thomas McManus/McMann and Marie Louise Catten/Cattin). Thomas was born in Ireland, the son of Bernard McManus/McMann and Ann Leddy. Marie Louise was born in France, the daughter of Julius/Jules Catten/Cattin and Amelia Breitwnsten, who likely were of French and German descent.
Briga’s maternal grandfather was Benjamin Charles Davis, Jr. (the son of Benjamin Davis, Sr. and Edna Sherman). Briga’s great-grandfather Benjamin was born in England. Edna was born in Massachusetts, and likely was the daughter of Alton C. Sherman and Emma H. Tillson.
Briga’s maternal grandmother was Judith Hollis Tyler (the daughter of Daniel Tyler, Jr. and Jean E. Kimball). Briga’s great-grandfather Daniel was the son of Daniel Tyler, Sr. and Ethel Ward. Jean was the daughter of Mark Rees Kimball and Jessie May Bingham.
Sources: Genealogy of Briga Heelan – http://www.ancestry.com
Marriage announcement of Briga’s parents – http://www.nytimes.com