I spent many happy hours with the blacksmiths in the lane near my home in Skibbereen.
Jack McCarthy was particularly welcoming and involved me in simple tasks which made me feel important. Cranking the bellows was really exciting and handing him tools, first in a confused state when asked for and later handing each tool before any request.
I still love to watch people with skill in their hands at work.
Note how welding has crept in
Blacksmiths Durrus, Kilcrohane, Schull and Tumbarumba, New South Wales:
Elihu Burritt (1810-1879), ‘The Learned Blacksmith’, of Boston, USA, Visit to Skibbereen, West Cork, 1847 to ‘Fathom The Cause of Extent and Cure of Ireland’s Misery, his Pamphlet ‘Four Months in Skibbereen’ raised $100,000 for Famine Relief and his Project the Jamestown Relief Effort.
1905 The O’Dalys of Muinteiravara, Kilcrohane, West Cork, by Dominick Daly, Barrister of The Inner Temple London.
Background, p. 1
1905 History, p.2-41
Probate, Kings Inns Entrym, p. 42
Dalys Distillery, Cork, p. 42-44
West Cork Daly clusters, p. 44
Marriage Licence Bonds, p. 44
TCD admission, p. 46
Daly Cork Magistrates, p. 47
Memorials of Daly Deeds, p. 47
In memory of Vincent Daly, businessman and genealogist of the O’Daly family of Dromnea, Kilcrohane. Vincent spent an enormous amount of time tracking worldwide their descendants and comparing their DNA. He had got back as far as 1740.
In relation to Dominick Daly’s history his legal training made him careful where possible to rely on verifiable and primary documentary sources. A lot of this will come as a surprise to family members. Such as the descent of the O’Dalys from Niall of the Nine Hostages as do quite a number of West Cork families such as the Crowleys, Gallaghers, Hegartys, O’Donnells, O’Neills.
He was descended from James Daly who died in 1776 in Carrigtwohill a trader and landowner and was locally regarded as head of the Sept and claimed ownership of the family tomb in Kilcrohane he in turn was the grandson of Cornelius Cam O’Daly, Chieftain of the Sept in the 17th century. HIs son James established the successful Daly Distillery in Cork about 1820.
He put it himself aptly ‘These fragmentary records and memoirs will not survive my lifetime if I did not make an effort to preserve them for posterity. Hence this production of 50 copies.
Christmas was formerly observed in the Highlands on what is now known as “Twelfth Night”. In the Celtic lands, the people did not at first take to the introduction of the New Style calendar in 1752, and tenaciously clung to the ‘old way’ of things, including their conviction of Jan. 6th as the “real” Christmas day. Still celebrated in Ireland as Nollaig na mBan:
Skibbereen Eagle 1913. Excerpts from Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa. Recollections. Faction Fighting in Drimoleague, doing Business as Gaelige in Skibbereen, Fenian Drilling, Funeral of Dr. Jerrie Crowley,
John O’Connor, Esq., Landlord, Middleman, Merchant, Bantry came into an estate of 700 acres in 1825, 4 years of arrears by Tenants of Lord Riversdale, Prize Fighters, Head of a Faction, He forgave 3 years and a More Industrious Tenantry, Instead of Being in the Public House at Fairs and Market Fighting, you have Slated Houses and Barns, where there was nothing but Poverty and Indigence 13 £10 Freeholders and one £20.
1962 Proposal in Skibbereen by Michael O’Driscoll, Chieftain of the O’Driscoll Clan to Petition the Pope to Restore a Bishop to the Ancient Diocese of Ross.
Some of the papers of the great scholar Dr. John O’Donovan (https://www.libraryireland.com/biography/JohnODonovan.php) are in the Royal Irish Academy https://www.ria.ie/ (Graves Collection). In these he is satisfied that the Wexford Donovans/O’Donovan who he described as ‘Rabid Orangemen” are part of the O’Donovan of Carbery. It is not known how they got to Wexford.
Robert Donovan, Linen Draper, Bride St., Dublin, brother?
Richard Donovan, in one of the memorials he is in, there is a Driscoll, Wexford mentioned you would wonder if from Carbery:
Glascott:
The Phairs mentioned her have West Cork connections:
Subscribers Dr. Daniel Donovan, History of Carbery 1876.
Subscription lists often yield hidden connections either or extended families by placing people’s original birthplace.
John Glasscott, Dublin Castle, (2 copies), mother Wexford Donovan, a Protestant sept of the O’Donovans originating in Carbery described by Dr. John O’Donovan as ‘rabid Orangemen”. 1659 census a Glascott listed for Bandon.
Anne Beata (Glascott) O’Donnavan
Birth: 19 May 1832, at 17 Leeson Street, Dublin, county Dublin, Ireland
Married: William John (Donovan) O’Donnavan on 10 October 1872, in New Ross district, county Wexford, Ireland
William was Anne’s first cousin. He was born on 9 June 1832, the son of William Donovan and Elizabeth Dallas. William Donovan, of Tomnalosset, was the son of Richard Donovan and Anne Richards, and the brother of Anne’s mother, Mary (Donovan) Glascott. William was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, graduating B.A. in 1855, LL.B in 1859 (both in the name William John Donovan) and LL.D. in 1860 in the name William John O’Donnavan. He was a Member of the Royal Irish Academy, elected on 8 May 1865 (Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy vol 9 p224)and the Royal Dublin Society, elected in 1874 (Kerry cattle herd book p48). William’s name change from his father’s Donovan was deliberate, and presumably occurred between 1859, when William was awarded the degree of LL.B. in the name of Donovan and 1860 when he graduated LL.D. in the name O’Donnavan.
Morgan William O’Donovan, Esq., of Montpelier, in the county of Cork, has not only re-assumed the O’, which his ancestors had rejected for many generations, but has styled himself “the O’Donovan,” chief of his name, being the next of kin to the last acknowledged head of that family, the late General Richard O’Donovan, of Bawnlahan, whose family became extinct in the year 1841. His example in resuming the O’ has been followed by Timothy O’Donovan, Esq., of O’Donovan’s Cove, in the county of Cork, head of a very ancient sept of the same family, and by William John O’Donnavan, a junior member of the Wexford Clan-Donovan.
Teach an Bhaile Mhóir aka Ballymore House (built 1721) was erected by Richard Donovan (1697-1763) whose estate has since enjoyed long-standing connections with the Donovan family including: Richard Donovan (1752-1816); Richard Donovan (1781-1849) ‘of Ballymore’ (cf. 15612001); Richard Donovan (1819-84) ‘late of Ballymore Camolin County Wexford’ (Calendars of Wills and Administrations 1885, 217); Richard Donovan JP DL (1858-1916), ‘Gentleman late of Ballymore County Wexford’ (Calendars of Wills and Administrations 1916, 172); Richard Charlie Donovan (1898-1952); and Richard Alexander Donovan (1927-2005). The house was “Improved” in 1740 and damage during the1798 Irish Rebellion (and repaired in 1815). Adjacent outbuildings (extant 1839) included a mill showing an enclosed waterwheel; a wedge-shaped walled garden (extant 1839); At the time of the 1911 Census the house continued to be Donovan occupied. Burned in an accidental fire in 1955, they removed to a nearby cottage until the house was restored in 1956.
West Cork History 