Courtesy De La Salle, Skibbereen, publication.

The O’Donovans with the McCarthys are believed to be some of the oldest families in Europe. They migrated from Limerick to West Cork c 12th century.

In the upheavals of the 17th century most of the family lands were confiscated by the British State. One branch of the family turned Protestant at Bawnlahan and intermarried with the Beecher and other local Protestant families. From this Sept a long line of British Army officers and Church of Ireland clergy descends. That branch retained the ancestral title of the ‘The O’Donovan’ which still exists.

Branches of the family moved to South Kilkenny from which Dr John O’Donovan, Ireland’s greatest scholar descend. Another branch went to Wexford.

During the emigrations from Ireland many O’Donovans emigrated from which the family worldwide descend.

https://plus.google.com/photos/100968344231272482288/albums/6038770213395295361

Before 1900 it was unusual to have gravestone inscriptions in Irish even for affluent Irish speakers. This is courtesy John Nangle, Gorey, Co. Wexford, who took the shot some years ago.

This part of Australia is still peopled by those of Irish descent an affluent area.

Port Fairy:

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Port+Fairy+VIC+3284,+Australia/@-38.3233759,142.2036649,9z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x6acd2d08c0a21b9d:0x40579a430a0cbf0https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ApeO3TucudVm9ycduQrKunSXsrsX_qikaKQd_kj_2q8/edit

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Fairy

From Richard S. Harrison’s book, ‘Four Hundred Years of Drimoleague”, 1999

Obligations of Donal O’Donovan to Overlord McCarthy from 1584.

This is set out an an inquisition held in 1607.

An item called a ‘dolly’ and a sum of 6 groats and a penny a half acre yearly. A ‘cuddihie’ of 14d had to be paid each Christmas for each ploughland. There was a poundage of a hog for every tenant with more than five hogs.. There were other sums on cattle and a special fee of six shillings towards the marriage of his daughters and two bushels of oats for every ploughland an the ‘half of all frais, strais and bloodsheds’

For ploughlands in early Ireland:
http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/E580000-001/text005.html

Trí Cois-Céim an Coillaigh, 3 steps of the Cock, sign of the Day’s starting to Lengthen, and Nollaig na mBan. poem by Seán Ó Riordáin

http://bigreaders.myfastforum.org/archive/oiche-nollaig-na-mban__o_t__t_113.html
http://oranryan.com/a-translation-of-oiche-nollaig-na-mban-by-sean-o-riordain/
http://www.irelandcalling.ie/oiche-nollag-na-mban/

http://mypowerwagon.com/Sheepwagons.php

Dunmanus School, West Cork, 1890s from Harold Fredreic, ‘Yet these little legged urchins, the young of a population which has hardly changed in a thousand years and lives aloof from the world, without industries or means, and often without enough to eat – these small people wrote out examination papers which would put a village school of Hampshire or Dorset to utter shame.

Death in 1807 of Florence O’Sullivan Esq., aged 111 years, Berehaven West Cork, 215 nephews and nieces, born in 1696, Cork Mercantile Chronicle,

http://corkgen.org/publicgenealogy/cork/potpourri/corkancestors.com/Deathsmarriages2.htm

Some time age there was a gathering in Byron, Wisconsin of 180 descendants of John Salter and his wife Eliza Cole whoe emigrated from Bantry possibly on one of the Dealy Brigs in 1846. John was with his mother Mrs Jane Salter when they left with members of the Cole, Connell and Aldrich families. Mrs Salter settling in the town of Jackson, Washington County. Michael Salter married Eliza Cole and they bought their farm in Byron in 1868.

Emigration Salter, Cole from Skibbereen to Wisconsin