Southern Reporter and Cork Commercial Courier 26 March 1825

1825.  Bantry, West Cork.  Grievance of Opulent Catholics excluded from Quarter Sessions Juries in Preference to Protestants Having No Property but a Half Pay of £40 a Year,

Father Collins Evidence to Select Committee of the House of Commons.

The reference to half pay is officers retired from the Napoleonic Wars.  Bantry historian reckoned there were 22 such officers in Bantry including some Catholics.

1824, Half Pay Officers (On £40 a year) from Napoleonic Wars, Bantry, Clonakilty, Macroom and Skibbereen District, Daniel O’Connell 1828 Stating Most of Deposits adn Share in Bank of Ireland Held by Catholics but Only Four Catholic Trainees.

The reference to man worth £3-4,000 is probably John O’Connell, the brewer Daniel McCarthy of Skibbereen:

John O’Connell Esq., Bantry.

Born 1790/1.  1816 deed as John Connell, shopkeeper, eldest son of Jeremiah (shopkeeper) and Catherine, on her death he sells interest in Bantry dwelling house to brothers Morgan 1792-,  (later merchant Liverpool) and Patrick (4th son) 1796, witnesses brothers James (later merchant, Cork), Castletown, Daniel, Reendonegan, all Gents.

1822, property at Glaunathanna leased by William O’Sullivan, Esq., Carriganass Castle to John O’Connell, Esq. Woolen Draper, Bantry.

1824, rent charge granted to him by Simon White, Gent. over lands at Droumclough, Bantry tenant William Pearson.

Gave evidence to 1844 Commission Law and practice in respect to the occupation of land in Ireland. Landlord in fee, middleman, agent to proprietor abroad, merchant, farmer. Property in Skibbereen. Probably the John Connell referred to in evidence of Father Michael Collins. 1825, to Parliament Commission as opulent Bantry worth £3-4,000, as well as a young brewer worth £700-800 a year from Skibbereen excluded from being a juror at  Quarter Session Jury as he was a Catholic. 1825. Wanted an Active Young Man Conversant with the Linen Business, Apply John O’Connell, Bantry or Henry O’Regan, South Main St., Cork,  Must Speak the Irish language.

1833.  Deed, Robert Warner of Capplanaloha, Gent,  leases to John O’Connell, woolen draper, Bantry lands at Cappanahoha, originally held during lives of Robert Warner 50 in 1833 Reendesert, and Robert Warner, manservant, aged 44 Shippool, and 31 years at a rent of £60 12 shillings. 1833 rent charge granted by John Jagoe, Esq., Bantry over lands at Glounthana, Bantry to Morgan O’Connell, merchant, Liverpool, John O’Connell, merchant, Banty witness James Connell, merchant, Cork

1834, William Hutchinson, Clonee grants Mortgage to John O’Connell, Esq., Bantry.

1838 Extract from deed: Recited 1793 deed where by 3 lives one the life of Robert Warner then 2nd son of  Robert Warner, 1838, Robert Warner, shopkeeper, Bantry, assigned western part of Cappanaloha formerly held by William Warner and undertenants to John O’Connell, Esq., Bantry.  Witness Jeremiah O’Connell, Gent., Bantry Edmund O’Sullivan, Woolen Draper, Bantry,

The name appears in Bantry rental for 1837 receiver of Estate rents as a lease of 1796 for 3 lives and 31 years in the town at a rent of £5 5 shillings fairly substantial among other rents.  1826 Rent charge assigned 1833 from John Jagoe (probably the Liberal Protestant) over Glounathana also named Morgan O’Connell, Merchant, Liverpool, James O’Connell, Merchant, Cork Attorney, Timothy Collins.  Around 1830 purchased around 700 acres from Lord Riversdale probably his O’Donovan in-laws estate at Ardahil, Kilcrohane.  Tenants most refractory men in the country, prize fighters, and the head of a faction, they paid no rent. rent in arrears by four years forgave three encouraged tenants who previously were prize fighters.  Now model farmers. Adopted system from Sir William Beecher for cottiers of fixing the rent for an acre of ground at 10s, the rent for the potato garden, the turf bog, the cabbage garden so as to give them the opportunity of rearing pig.  Took 1838 assignment of Warner of Reendesert lands at Cappanaloha witnesses Edmond O’Sullivan, Draper, and Jeremiah O’Connell, Gent.

In 1838 noted for being indefatigable in the Liberal interest where at voter registration 15 were registered as opposed to 6 ‘Orangemen’ the tenants of Timothy O’Donovan J.P. were chiefly among those who registered. Presented Address of West Carbery and Bantry to Liberator at Cork Banquet attended by 550 with Fathers Barry, Freeman, McCarthy Downing, Solicitor, Skibbereen, Daniel Welply Skibbereen. 1841, owed £200 by Richard Clerke, Bantry (Postmaster?). 1841 election vote based on £50 freehold at Glaundart.  

Mary Dowe, testator, Bantry, Spinster.  1842 deed transferring Bantry property to John Connell, Gent., parties Samuel Young, Gent., Bantry, Susanna Ward, Schull, Kyrl Ward, London, John Croston, Gent., Schull his wife Eliza, Joshua, John, Andrew Atkins, shopkeepers, Dunmanway.  1847 organised petition re Board of Works in activity of 1,400 of 4,000 with John Shea Lawlor and was Secretary to meeting at Bantry Chapel with Revs Michael Barry, Freeman, Roger Downing, Dr. Michael Burke. Assisting 1848 Henry J. Fawcett, Practical Instructor on Husbandry of Visit to Bantry brought his to his estates and at a public meeting promised his tenants seeds.  Renting from Bantry estate. 1860 letter from Timothy O’Donovan JP, Durrus to Dr. John O’Donovan, Antiquarian:  In reply to your queries I have to mention Timothy O’Donovan … who was married to a grand niece of Daniel O’Connell died some years ago. leaving a numerous family he left a considerable fortune in land and money.   Member provisional Committee Bantry Bandon Railway 1845.  The lands were let by his sons to the late John O’Connell of Bantry and are now in the proprietorship of his brother Mr. James O’Connell of London.  John O’Connell, Junior, Beach, 1863, Bantry Quarter Sessions, Grand Jury

1823 some half pay officers.

Burke, Stephen, Lieut., Chief Constable, North-st. (NGC).  Probably originally from Galway. Burke, Thos., Surgeon, HP, Blackrock-road (NGC).  May be from Caheragh, port JJ Callanan stayed with him for two years leading anti tithe and repeal activist. Carew, Wm. M., Ensign, HP, Chapel-hill (NGC) Cooke, James, Lieut., HP, Blackrock-road (NGC) Ellis, Dixie, Captain, HP, Whiddy Island (NGC) Kirby, David, Lieut., HO, Strand (NGC).  Originally North Cork Militia family later prominent as doctors in Bantry. McCarthy, Wm., Lieut., HP, Caheir Daniel (NGC).   O”Donovan, Daniel, Lieut., HO, Kealevenogue (NGC). When he died in 1830s describes as last of the Irish Brigade who after the fall of the Bastille joined the British Army retaining their rank.  Probably related to O’Donovan family of O’Donovan’s Cove, Durrus. Pottinger, H., Lieut., HP, Main-st. (NGC) Ratcliffe, Wm., Lieut., HP, North-st. (NGC)