1822. From Diary of Richard O’Donovan, of Bawnlahan, (Bán Chlocháin), Skibbereen, Co. Cork, Ireland, said the Whiteboys had been caught in a pitched battle with police and troops on January 25th nine had been found guilty of Insurrection Act and hanged. This was prompted by an Excise raid on a Poteen Making Operation which developed into a running battle with the Whiteboys. Some Local Customs Personnel.
Attempt to build new bridge at Bealkenmar (Béal Cinn Mara). Covenant in leases to fertilize with 4 boat of sea sand, he builds his own Sand Boat. Mr Hull calls with News of Failure of Roche’s and Leslies Bank in Cork.
Cork Banking Collapses:
https://wordpress.com/block-editor/post/durrushistory.com/23040
Bawnlahan Fair, Ascension Thursday. Flax grown on Estate. Various varieties of early Potato. Tree Planting , Landed by Boat from Cork.
https://wordpress.com/block-editor/post/durrushistory.com/35940

Diary:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/FcwXkJWsPHKy2jAt7
Because of the Penal Laws his father Daniel O’Donovan conformed to the Church of Ireland in 1727. He married firstly Anne Kearney of Garrettstown House, Kinsale.
The O’Donovan’s mother was Jane Beecher who his father married as a widower in his 60s. She was between the age of 15 to 17. The following is from a Beecer relation:
Some really useful information there, especially the social events. 21. 1. 19 Fleming married at Brade.; that is the marriage of Lionel John Fleming to Eliza Townsend. The location is new to me.
31.8.19 M. Anne and Henry went in a car to dine at Brade on Miss Jervis’s marriage with Mr. Scot. This is the marriage of Mary Anne Jervois and William Scott.
25.2.20 Went to Hollybrook and attended the funeral of John Becher to Aughadown church. The date and place of John Becher’s funeral is new to me.
27.11.20 Sent my letter to Richard Edward Hull Esq [married to Henrietta Becher], congratulatory on the birth of his son and heir. Not a child known to me, so sadly, this baby probably died.
2.1.22 Johnston church (between Milford Haven and Haverfordwest). In this church yard my Aunt Evans was buried. [footnote 24]. This one was especially interesting to me, as “Aunt Evans” would be Elizabeth [nee Becher] Evans, wife of William Evans of Bulgaden Hall. I had no idea what happened to Elizabeth.
12.10. 22 Tom Somerville married to Miss Townsend. This is Colonel Thomas Somerville to Henrietta Augusta Townsend.
ON the O’Donovan’sdeath the tithe devolvd to his kinsman Morgan ‘Donovn whose descendant is the currrent The O’Donovan.
The estate of around 3,000 acres devolved to his wife the former Miss Powell from Wales. On her death it went to her nephew Colonel Powell. Apparent he was a fair landlord but not being an O’Donovan he was not hugely popular locally.
From Diary of Richard O’Donovan, of Bawnlahan, Skibbereen, Co. Cork, Ireland, said the Whiteboys had been caught in a pitched battle with police and troops on January 25th nine had been found guilty of Insurrection Act and hanged. This was prompted by an Excise raid on a Poteen Making Operation which developed into a running battle with the Whiteboys.
Quoted p. 50 in Donald McKay, ‘Flight from Famine’ The coming of the Irish to Canada’, Natural Heritage Books, Toronto, 2009.
Some Local Customs Personnel:
Skibbereen | ||||||
1695 | Edward Boyle | Collector | Customs service in London 1701 referes to Mary widow of Edward who had been plundered of £600 by ‘Tories’ in 1695 | |||
Died 1849 | William Brickley | Late Customs and Excise | ||||
1806, died | James Campbell | Gauger | Gauger of up to 30 years | |||
1851 | A. Chatfield | Collector C&E | Signed ‘No Popery Petition 1851’ | |||
1848 | Michael Doyle | Comptroller Customs may be Skibbereen | Married Skib 1848 Mary Jane, 2nd daughter J. Crolwey, Surgeon. | |||
1778- | William Hingston | English Customs service later Light House Keeper Cape Clear | Whitehall one of 21 children of Lt. Edward Hingston adn Lucia Small, he m Jane carroll 1897 she was botn Old Court, 1783-1837. | |||
1864 | G. W. Hughes | Collector | Skibbereen Eagle | |||
Dead pre 1791 | Jones | Collector | Dauaghter died 1791 he is ‘late’ | |||
1862 | Thomas H Love | Receiver of wrecks | March sale of Frederick Brunner Bantry | Skibbereen Eagle | John H. Love married Mary Elizabeth Collins , Skibbereen, may be related, March 1842, eldest daughter of late Thomas Collins Esq. | |
1816 Report | Edward Pentland Surveyor of Excise £130 p.a., Ambrose Allisor, Peter Tatton, Gaugers £80 p.a. | Edward kearney Schull Gaugher £80 pa | ||||
1739 | Luke Mercer | Commander Thompson adn Vessel Bessrig | Creagh, m Mary Townsend (widow of John Becher), later estate Brennanstown, Co. dublin | |||
1867 | Mr. McIntosh | Inland Revenue Officer | Transfered to Castlepollard | |||
1851 | H.H. Lyold | Comptroller, C&E | Signed ‘No Popery Petition 1851’ | |||
1808 | Samuel Morris | Collector Customs | Wife Sarah nee O’Donovan son Danile Kings Inns 1808 he then retired | May be related to Benduff Morrises | ||
1839 | Daniel O’Connell | Excise Officer | Giving evidence Ballydehob licencing prosecution | |||
1860 | James O’Donovan | From Skibbereen prominent in Exise in Swansea | Descended from O’Donovans of Myross one of the oldest in Ireland | Pikes Biography 1909 | ||
1846 | Michael Daly, Comptroller, Custom House, New road, James Lynch Tide waiter, | |||||
1829 | Laurence Regan | Customs man | Bantry voter registration. Regan, Laurence, High-st., Skibbereen, Custom-man | 2 Lives, townland of Gortnaclogh | ||
1829 | John Regan | Customs Man | Bantry voter registration. Regan, John, High-st., Skibbereen, Custom-man | 2 Lives, townland of Gortnaclogh | 10b | |
1822 | Alleyn Roche | Tide waiter | ||||
1761 | Thomas Spaigh | Collector | UK Archives | |||
1806 Died | Edward H Townsend | Collector | Died at Castletownsend | Saunder’s Newsletter 16th September 1806 | ||
1763 | John Sweetnam | Surveyor of Excise adn Gauger | ||||
1796 | John Sweetnam | Surveyor | Bridgetown, married Mrs Christina Attridge widow, dau of later Redmond Fitzgerald Esq., Cork City | Hibernain Journal 1796 | ||
1840 | Townsend | Collector | ||||
1775-1847 | Henry Owen Townsend TCD | Landwaiter, Dublin, 1810 | Malmaison, Castletownsend, son John Mary Morris m Sarah Fenwick, Anne Homan, Vice Chairman Skibbereen Poor Law Union, Secretary Commissioners of Irish Fisheries 1820 | Col John Townsend Australia History item 223 | ||
1737-1810 | John Townsend TCD | One of His Majesties Commissioner’s of Revenue 1799 | Sheperton | MP Dingle, Castlemartyr. Barrister | ||
1851 | Augustus Warren | Gauger | Signed ‘No Popery Petition 1851’ | |||
1781, 1790 | Richard Wright Esq. | Collector | Son Samuel Townsend Wright Esq. married at Christchurch Cork to Miss Louisa Digby, 30th July 1790 | Rosemary Ffoliott | It is likely that he got the Customs job throught the Townsend colllection |
Crookhaven | ||||||
According to legend the Hulls and Coughlas were intermittently involved in smugling | ||||||
1700 | Thomas Dyer | Tide Waiter | Referred to in Dives Downes visitation | |||
October 1707 | Complaint by William Lowdnes to Rev Com Ireland | 6 East India Company Ships arrived and broke bulk to prejudice of Customs Revenue | British History Online | |||
1788 | James McCarthy and Isaac Baker | Revenue Officials | Deed witnesses, O’Driscoll/McCarthy Middle Men | Ther is also a Baker family at the time tithe Proctors to the absentee rector, mortal enemies of newly appointed Daniel Coughlan in 1810s | ||
c1820s | Michael Tisdall | Customs in England | Rockhouse, Clifton, father Rev. Fitzgerald Tisdall, Rector Kiloe, Founder Crookhave Yeomanry Corps murdered Priest’s Leap, 1809 | |||
1759 | Goodwin Swift | Toby Bernard, Mizen Journal 2004. Extract from letter of Godwin Swift (Customs Man), 16th May 1757 from Crookhaven ‘Now with regard to the place and provisions: you are to know that you see nothing here but mountains of rock (not cliffs) and yet those rocks are more dear to poor people or strangers as the lands within 2 miles of Dublin. There is here undoubtedly great plenty of fish, yet the people are so lazy they’d rather live on salt mackerel and potatoes then give themselves the trouble to take fresh fish. There is no garden stuff here, very bad mutton and lamb, and no beef, not a tree or even a shrub within 8 miles of the place…. | 30th June 1757 ‘…nothing but rocky mountains around us for 20 miles, where not even a slide car can go the road, nor any other cattle than little horses bred and used to this country….you can’t conceive the wretchedness of it. We have neither bread to eat nor malt liquor wine or cider to drink, nor meat except a little mutton and bad lamb. Our liquor a bad toddy, our victuals potatoes and fish and lie in a cottage.. |
Baltimore | ||||||
1656 | Roger Haughton | Collector | May be from Shanagarry East Cork Penn Quaker connections | |||
1732, 1753 | Richard Tonson Collector, possible JP | Francis Post died in affray, he Cutoms seized 80 anchors of Brandy from the sloop ‘Conerrt’ belonging to Murtogh mcwn Sullivan Rossmacowen | The Sullivans and Thomas Trenwith attacked the Customs killing Thomas Post a Proclomation was issued for their seizure | Tonson may be an ilegetimate descendant of Hull | ||
1820 | Patrick Harrington 32 years service Cockswain, Murtogh O’Sullivan 24 years service Cockswain, | W Anderson Cockswain 40 years service Jeremiah Denshy 28 years service Cockswain | Parliamentary Report 1820 | |||
November 1826 Died | Hungerford Baldwin Esq. | Port Surveyor | Died at Castletownsend | Rosemary FFolliott | ||
1840 | F Skuse Revenue Boatman, D Buchanan Boatman (Coast Guard) 28 years service retirement bodily debility | Parliamentary Report 1840 | ||||
1761 | Thomas Spraigh | Collector of Baltimore | Freedom of Cork 1761, brother-in-law Jhn Hely Hutchinson, MP, Provost Trinity College | |||
1624 | James Stanley | Searcher | Present at Leamcon at seizure by Sir William Hull of cargo of Dutch Pirate Claes Campane | Caulfield’s Annals of Cork | ||
1824 | SAM YOUNG, | Surveyor, Bantry, Feb. 19. | SAM YOUNG, Surveyor, Bantry, Feb. 19. | Shipwreck |
Reblogged this on West Cork History.
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Great insight to the reason Catholics converted to hold onto property!
What were their sub – sub sub spy names of the Donovan’s?
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