Public renunciations against Popery and Conversions in Clonakilty, Inniscarra, Kilnagross and Caherconlish, Co. Cork, 1769-70 from John T Collins, Newspaper Abstracts. He was a historian and genealogist in Cork in the 1940s onwards. Professionally he worked at the lee Road Psychiatric Hospital. He was part of a network of historian who shared sources.

He had access to mid 18th century newspapers sone from the collection of Mr. Cussen, Solicitor, Newcastle West. From some of these he compiled abstracts which he sent to Basil O’Connell to aid him in his work ‘The O’Connell Tracts”,

http://www.houseofireland.org/oconnell/index.htm

Some of this is reproduced in Dr Casey’s O’Keif Cishe Mong Vol 6.

Included are a number of reference to Renunciation of Popery in Co Cork. These for the Landed and Mercantile and Professional Catholics were done sometimes out of practical necessity to avoid the evil effects of the Penal Laws. Sometimes they operated as Crypto-Catholics and maintained relationships with Catholic relations. Some of the conversions were obviously genuine and the lack of Catholic Churches and clergy may have contributed.

31st January 1768, Inniscarra:

William Barrett Denis Hallisey, Read Recantation of Popery

April 1769, Kilnagross:

Cornelius Donovan, Tim Collins, Tim Sullivan,

12th June 1769, Caherconlish:

Renunciation Rev. Morrough Hurly late Popish Priest, from C.E.D. Newspaper

10th April 1770, Clonakilty:

Daniel Crane and William Hieas (O’Hea or Hea) renounce Poperty and embrace Protestantism.