Old Caheragh Church and Caheragh Poets in Irish, Na Baróidigh, (Seán, Seámus, Riocárd) Lissane, Donnacha, Muiris and Paul Ó h-Anngáin, Donnacha Ó Briain, Diarmuid Ó Crualaoich, Mícheál Óg Ó Longáin (lived later Glanmire), Church Bell Provided by Patrick Rocky Mountain O’Brien of Dromore.

Thanks to Peter O’Driscoll, Aughaville now San Francisco.

It is difficult as you drive from Drimoleague to Skibbereen over the improved farmland now used for intensive dairying that pre Famine, Caheragh was one of the most densely populated, non urban areas in the world.  The parish had a population of more than 10,000.  It was along with Drinagh and Castlehaven in the 18th century  a centre of Gaelic Poetry.   Eugene Daly in the Skibbereen Journal has recently published an article giving more details:

In the records of mid 18th century the Catholic Church in  Caheragh was a small shed and cabin:

Further Report Conveyed to His Grace Lord Primate of the Church of Ireland in Dublin 17th December 1731 on the State of Popery including, Aughadown, Ballinadee, Caheragh, a small shed and cabin, Drimoleague, an altar moved from place to place, Fanlobbus (Dunmanway), three small huts open at one end, Drinagh one small hut open at one end, Kilbrittain, Kinsale, Desertserges, Innishannon, Ross, in a field under a hedge, Rathclarin, Schull and Kilmoe three Mass houses three thatched cabins Priests mostly Friars daily moving to and from France and other Popish Countries from Crookhaven, in the Parish of Kilmoe

The old church was built by Fr. Dore, one of a number of Tipperary Priests seconded to the Dioceses of Cork.  Father Dore appears as an elector for O’Connell/Roche in the 1841 election.  It is believed that the church was built with stones from Ballyourane Castle formerly a McCarthy castle.

The Priests were dynamic school and church builders, introduced Parish Registers and were highly active politically.   Included were Father Quin in Durrus, Father Ryan Drimoleague and Father Doheney in Dunmanway.

Father Quin:

The Progression of the Parish Priests of Durrus, West Cork. from having the Tithe Proctors of the Rev. Alcock attempt to seize the bed of Father Quinn in the 1820 to Father Michael Daly 1875 Living in former Landlord Evanson House at Friendly Cove, and Father Bowen living at former Evanson Landlord House Ardgoena and Various Clergy living in another Evanson House, Durrus Court in the early 20th Century and some 19th and early 20th century Priests, including Father Bernane, Kearney..

The Tithes in 1833: ‘The year’s tithe due to Mr. Alcock, the Rector Durrus, was nearly collected in one day. The summary collection was effected by the police who act as drivers. In the case referred to the determination to to obtain ‘Tithe Distress’ was so great that I have been informed that the house where the parish priest the Revered Quin was saying Mass was forcibly entered and a bed the only item of value would have been taken but for the suggestion of some Protestant who objected to that mode of insult to a Clergyman.

Father Ryan:

Dublin Penny Journal, Journey to Durrus 1836, from Butler’s Gift (Drimoleague), West Cork, John Windle Cork Antiquarian and Father John Ryan, Drimoleague to the Rev. Alleyn Evanson.

Old Caheragh Parish Church, the church was built by Rev. David Dore about 1823, There are are four or five priest buried in the grounds Rev, Dore, Rev Palmer, Rev Wall, Rev Stack & Rev Hayes. Two outside on the grounds and three inside under the church floor.

The arch over the front gate with the bell tower was donated by a Patrick O’Brien who was related by marriage to the O’Driscoll of Coolbawn. He is better known as Patrick Rocky Mountain O’Brien.  He did write a book still available, Title Birth and Adoption: A book of Prose and Poetry.

Patrick Rock Mountain O’Brien was involved in the Fenian Movement in New York where he died about 1925. He was born in the townland of Dromore and one of the few people to board a ship bound for America at Bantry Bay. He would be a relative of the O’Brien family in Dromore.

The grounds where the church was built was part of Nick Keohan (Keohane) farm also the new graveyard.

In the 1960s after the new parish church was built the parish then purchased land for the new graveyard attached to the east side of the old church grounds. During the purchase they had the area mapped. nearby was part of a Goggin family farm and the old Murphy home. The original Murphy home was on no-mans land a rocky place by the side of the road. (Better known as a home built by a family that had been evicted by a landlord a family that found shelter by the side of the road) .

When you entered the gate to the church grounds on your right stood the old parish hall and attached to the hall was Danny & Nell O’Neil’s home. Just a few feet away was Jerry & Mary Murphys home where they raised 12 children on Jer Murphys wages as a shoe (cobblers).

On the stage in that Parish Hall in the winter of 1959 a play called the Damsel from Dublin was performed involving the match maker stage name was Brian Cleary that trick-ster.

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Caheragh Poets, courtesy  Eugene Daly’s 2015 article in Skibbereen Historical Journal:

1920s, Dorothea Browne, 2nd Woman to Qualify as a Solicitor in Ireland.

 

Her mother was Mrs. Brown, nee O’Mahony, Ahagouna.  her grandmother was Mercy Peer that family probably originally from around Crookhaven of Huguenot extraction. She went on to found the firm of PF O’Reilly with her husband which is still operational.  He husband was a Fine Gael Senator and later Taxing Master of the High Court.   Her sister qualified as a doctor and was the first female Area Health officer in East London.

 

Some Cork Lawyers:

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mMDGaZCW9Z6Cq_C_gwm_FB2orzTe2WxR0WcLXjZZO40/edit#gid=0

 

 

Thanks to Peter O’Driscoll, San Francisco.

“This Classic report of 1948 score” this is a report on a famous (road bowling contest between Jimmy Crowley and Dan Dempsey, Glandore, it was reported in The Kerryman a newspaper on Saturday, April 3rd 1948.

The contest took place on the Skibbereen Castle Townshend Road on Sunday, March 21st, 1948.

The two reasons this contest became famous are:

One the score was never finished.

Two it took place when bowl playing was making a transition from been played on a rough surfaces road to played on tar surfaced road.

Jimmy Crowley and two brothers: his older brother John and younger brother Joe are better know as the Crowley family of Colomane that owned and operated a Ransom Thrashing Machine. They were one of the first to bring this modern type Thrashing Machine to West Cork. They traveled from farm yard to farm yard to thrash the local farmers grain crops of oats, barely & wheat.

This Crowley family were first or second cousins to Jeremiah Wholey that is listed in the new post on West Cork History (of May 2015) Bringing the Iron Wheeled Threshing Machine from Kealkil, West Cork from 12th October to West Waterford in the 1940s and other areas. These Crowley also followed in the foot steps of Jeremiah Wholey to some area of County Waterford.

Jeremiah Wholey, Bringing the Iron Wheeled Threshing Machine from The Mealagh Valley, West Cork from the 12th October to West Waterford in the 1940s and others in the area, 1910 Threshing Photographs, Coomkeen, Durrus, Jack Attridge’s home built Threshing Machine.

Bowling:

Possible origin of Bowl Playing in West Cork from North of England Weavers via Armagh, Bowling in Caheragh and Mick Barry training UCC Bowling Team 1970s

Bowlers Aughaville, Dromore, Colomane, Durrus, West Cork. Bill Barrett, Patrick O’Driscoll, Richard Barrett, John Connolly, Jimmy Crowley, J.j. Sullivan, Donald Crowley, Eugene Daly and Possible Origins in Co. Armagh and The North of England.

Flor Crowley, Founder An Ból Cumann:

Out for a day with the Ferret in Dunmanway, West Cork, Long Ago.

1700 Bishop Downes Visitation. ownership Drimoleague:

 

 

 

 

From Dublin Journal, 1st November 1748, Rent Roll of Tenants 1748, Drimoleague, West Cork. Estate of Robert Sandford, Agent James Harris, Boulteen, Bandon.

Rent Roll of Tenants 1748, Drimoleague, West Cork.  Estate of Robert Sandford, Agent James Harris, Boulteen, Bandon.

Morgan Donovan is one of the O’Donovans, Mountpelier (Douglas, Cork) acquired through Ronayne marriage who converted to the Church of Ireland some of  whose descendants became ‘The O’Donovan’ though disputed among other branches.  This branch of the O’Donovans originated in Union Hall.  On the death without issue of Lieutenant General O’Donovan of Bawnlahan (Myross) early 19th century the Chieftainship passed to this branch i.e. the tithe ‘The O’Donovan’.  In the 19th century there was a marriage between the Ronaynes and Evans of Caheragh, both are buried in old Caheragh graveyard.  Possibly the magistrate:

Morgan Donovan, 1733, possibly Ronayne’s Grove, Great Island, Cobh, widow Mary died 1770.

He holds Lisangle in Caheragh.  One of the families there were the Evans one of whom Rachel married 1805 James Crowley, probably from Ballyourane, an Apothecary in North St., Skibbereen and a brother of ‘Dr’ Jerry Crowley also an Apothecary of North St.

The Tonsons are descendants of Sir Richard Hull of Leamcon Manor, Schull.  later they lived outside Fermoy.

Tim Donovan is the ancestor  of Timothy O’Donovan, Richard O’Donovan and Dr. Daniel O’Donovan, all Magistrates,  of O’Donovan’s Cove, Durrus Timothy is buried in the old Caheragh churchyard.  According to tradition the rents for Caheragh were received by the the O’Donovans at The Cove in gold sovereigns al all washed in boiling water.

The Kingstons became one of the most numerous families in the area with Church of Ireland, Methodist and Catholic branches.

Harris/Daniel connection, The Harris family are also in Durrus 18th century possibly linked to the Evansons:

 

….

 

The Limrick house is the large one to the left in the 1900 Lawrence photo.

Limrick Family of Union Hall, (earlier Goleen), Kinsmen of Benjamin Sulivan (Ó Sullivan Mór) Beneficiaries of Prize £1 million after Battle of Seringapatam, India and Reach of East India company to West Cork.

The East Company recruited for their Army and Navy well into West Cork  There are references to recruits from the most remote townland from Beara from c 1760.  The Skuse family of Clashadoo Durrus and Deerrynafulla, Ballydehob is descended from an ancestor born in India the father presumably from Glengariff serving as a soldier in the service of the East India Company.

Chronology of Limrick name, including historical events in West Cork, by Reverend H.L.L Denny, including East India Company, Relation, O’Sullivan Mór.

Criss-crossing the North Atlantic mid to late 18th century, and letter November 1752 by Rev. James MacSparran from Narraganset, Rhode Island, New England, to his friends back in Ireland including one to Paul Limrick, Rector Schull, West Cork, which commiserates with him about his son Robert marrying a Catholic. “Papists are Christians, and are to be preferred to many Protestant heretics I could name to you”

John Limrick, Esq., (1812-1890), 1860, Union Hall, 2nd son of Captain William Somerville Limrick who died 1831, Union Hall, patron Masonic concert, Skibbereen, 1862, sitting Skibbereen 1850, subscriber Dr. Daniel Donovan ‘History of Carbery, 1876. 1870 return, 8,181 acres. Some of his wealth came from his father who, having probably served with Arthur Wellesley (Wellington) at the battle of Seringapatam in 1799, gained a substantial amount of prize money in India. The prize money after Seringapatam was over £1M distributed among the victors. Col. Limrick then became a member of the East India Company on his retirement, maintaining a London address.  Col. Limrick’s brother, Rev Paul Limrick, garrison chaplain at Fort William in Calcutta, is also believed to have owned considerable property in India. I guess that family connections to the Sullivans  (Benjamin Sullivan Cork Attorney self styled Ó Sullivan Mór kinsman to Laurence Sullivan, Chairman East India Company) would have helped.  It  assumed John Limrick’s daughter Lucy inherited his estate which then passed onto the Spaight family.    Executor of brother Dr. William Limrick 1869, £3,000.  Probate  1890 to William Tower Townsend JP, Myross Wood, effects £3,647.

 

Other Limerick Magistrates:

Rev. Paul Lymerick, 1729, Goleen. m daughter of Doctor Robert Gourney, Prebendary of Comber, daughter Bridget m Sir Benjamin Sullivan (styled Ó Sullivan Mór), Clerk of the Crown Co. Cork and Waterford 1742.

 

Benjamin Sullivan:

 

1720-1751, 1767

Benjamin Sullivan, self styled O’Sullivan Mór, according to Denny Lane

Attorney, Barrister, Notary Public, 752 Clerk of the Crown (State Solicitor) for Counties Cork and Waterford. Thomas Harrison writing clerk to him 1742, Married Bridget Limerick daughter of Dr. Limerick, Rector Kilmoe (Ballydehob), 1742

Father Philip mother Elizabeth Irwin a Presbeterian, Parish of St Paul. Benjamin Sullivan Senior Esq., eminent Atttorney died London 1767, May have been Recorder of Cork 1765. son Sir Benjamin Sullivan, Kt, Judge Supreme Court Madras, the Right Hon John Sullivan of Richings Park, Co. Bucks, Privy Councillor, MP Old Sarum, Sir Richard Joseph Sullivan Captain RN and MP for Seaford Baronet UK 1804.

Protest against him being appointed Freeman as he allegedly did not serve 7 years as an apprentice, 1742, Memorial 77771. May be related to Laurence Sullivan speculation the Laurence was an illegetimate elder brother, d so Lawrence may be variation of Lábhrás a name common among tthe O’Sullivan Beres, Chairman of East India Company. Parlimentary biography gives his address as Dromeragh. (Dromreagh Durrus?)

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

Oldest son Benjamin, 2nd son John,Memorial 1764, 161080, Thomas Lloyd Councellor mentioned with John Lloyd Victualler, deed of 1750 mentioned wit George Dunscomb and Nicholas Weekes, Councillor Cork

 

 

Dr. William S. Limrick (1812-1869), Pre 1831, Union Hall, brother of John, family descend from Rev. Limrick in Goleen early 18th century, Probate from Ballinacollah House, Cork to Paul Limrick, Union Hall, JP, brother,  £3,000

For Sale:

http://www.healyrarebooks.com/rare_book_list_ireland.html

Cork Interest.

40. Bantry. Copy of correspondence relating to Proposed Pier to be erected in Bantry Harbour. London. House of Commons. 1866. p.p.34. Folio. Marbled boards with morocco label. Fine. €135

Pat Crowley

Meeting Urging the Building of Pier At Bantry at a cost of £2,000, November 1862.

Building of Old Pier, and Stables Cupola and Winged feet Bantry House, 1840-2.

Inscription Kilcrea Graveyard to Art O’Leary,  (Outlaw), Died 1771 aged 26 Years Having served The Empress Maria Theresa as Captain of The Hungarian Hussars and Treacherously Shot by Order of the British Government His Sole Crime ‘That He Resisted to Part with a Favourite Horse or The Sum of …’, his son Cornelius O’Leary (1768-1846), Captain of The Guard, French Service, Barrister-at-Law, C.F. Purcell O’Leary, Barrister-at-Law (1815-1846), son of Cornelius.

 

Interestingly the Christian name Edmund runs in this branch.  The scholar Dr. John O’Donovan also had this name in his extended family.

For his researches:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GCiBrLiBZtDkU8Ug5hZn9HnIZgfN1dvK2kkfaDUb600/edit

https://docs.google.com/document/d/16VJptRac8CKsG_ylR0Zm78DLE-rPwWHJ_q2n4HKpW5s/edit

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eq_IayaxdUyWZWbpDf6LWlLNg7o-3tNJiqPGYIALy80/edit

Rev. Patrick Ernest Donovan (1861-1953), Foronaught, Myross, Skibbereen, West Cork, Irish Speaking Methodist Missionary.

Courtesy Wesley Weir.

His daughter was one of the early girls to attend Wesley College.

The First Girls To Enter Wesley College As Pupils In 1911

Both his Dublin and English house were named Myross.

Over the years members of the Donovan/O’Donovan families changed religion.  From the early 18th century the title  ‘The O’Donovan’ was held by family members who converted to the Church of Ireland.  Probably now in the USA members of the Diaspora are Mormons or Evangelists.

Census Years1901DublinMountjoyGt. Charles StreetResidents of a house
Residents of a house 32 in Gt. Charles Street (Mountjoy, Dublin)
Show all information
Surname Forename Age Sex Relation to head Religion Birthplace Occupation Literacy Irish Language Marital Status Specified Illnesses
Donovan Eileen Averell 7 Female Daughter Methodist City of L Derry Scholar Read and write – Not Married –
Donovan Norah Gwendolen 5 Female Daughter Methodist City of L Derry Scholar – – Not Married –
Donovan Muriel 3 Female Daughter Methodist Belfast, Co Antrim Scholar – – Not Married –
Hardy Sarah Ann 29 Female Domestic Servant Church of Ireland Co L Derry General-Housemaid Domestic Servant Can read and write – Not Married –
Donovan Patrick Ernest 40 Male Head of Family Methodist Co Cork Superintendent Methodist Minister Read and write Irish and English Married –
Shillington Sarah Averell 65 Female Mother in Law Methodist Co Armagh – Read and write – Married –
Donovan Thomas Eric 1 Male Son Methodist Belfast, Co Antrim – – – Not Married –
Donovan Mary Elizabeth 33 Female Wife Methodist Co Armagh – Read and write – Married

DONOVAN, Patrick Ernest

1888 Swanlinbar 2

1890 Portadown 2

1892 Coleraine (Portrush) FC 1

1893 Londonderry (City Mission) 2

1895 Holywood 2

1897 Belfast, 3

1900 Dublin, Abbey St &c 4

1904 Dublin, General Missionary 24

1928 Dublin, HM Supt of Colportage Sup 21

1949 Dun Laoghaire Sup 4

b. Forenaught, Myross, Skibbereen, Co Cork. 17 March

1861, son of Michael Donovan and Johanna (née Sheehy)

[RC]. Converted while working as an apprentice at R.S.

Wolfe’s Corner House, in Skibbereen. Founded

Londonderry City Mission, and rebuilt Abbey St, Dublin.

Appointed General Missionary in 1904 and served as such

for 24 yrs.

m. 5 Sept 1892 at Approach Rd Chapel, Victoria Rd,

London, Mary Elizabeth (Elsie), (Sister Eileen Children’s

Home, Bonner Rd, London), eldest dau of Rt Hon Thomas

Shillington of Portadown [CA.92.ii457 cf CA.22.4.21 p.63]

She d. 19 Dec 1939 [Obit ICA.6.1.39 p.14].

issue: Eileen Averell b. Marlborough Crescent, L’derry

Nov 29 1893 [CA’93.11.17] ent MCB 1905, and stayed on

as a student music teacher(MCB) LRAM. She moved to

Penrhos College, Colwyn Bay to teach singing where she

met and m. 12 Apr 1922, at Kingstown MC Charles

Dudley Yonge, School Master at Rydal School (1918-

1958), Colwyn Bay, N Wales. In retirement they went to

live at Myross, Havant, Hants to be near their daughter,

Patricia. She was b. 1928 m. Fred Dart and they in turn

had two boys: Patrick b. 1965 and Andrew b. 1970; Norah

Gwendoline b. 12 June 1895, at Bond Hill, L’derry

[CA.1895.ii297 & Holywood 60A.1.153] ent WCD 1911.

Gwen was an invalid who died 1960; Muriel (Patricia) b.

78 Cliftonpark Ave, Belfast, 25 March 1898 [Agnes St

#2.119] ent MCB 1911. She took such an objection to her

name Muriel that in her teens she refused to answer to it

and subsequent documents were signed ‘Patricia M.’ She

helped her father in the Bookroom in Abbey St, Dublin

and subsequently worked in various schools in England as

housekeeper or asst matron. On retirement lived in a

lonely cottage in Co Wicklow without running water. She

was persuaded by her bro Charles to move to Hants to be

close to her sister Eileen. There she had a small

modernised cottage at Emsworth where Patricia Dart kept

in touch with her. She d. 31 July 1982; Thomas Eric b.

Belfast, 11 Apr 1899 [Agnes St #2.161]. He hoped to be a

surgeon but did not succeed. m. May Searight. He d 1977

in the Gascoigne Home, Dublin having been predeceased

by his wife; Charles Ernest, b. 18 July 1902 [Dublin

Abbey St #966] ent WCD 1912-21, Dir of Ed, Sierra

Leone, WA. He was awarded the CBE. He m. Vi a

Rhodesian woman. When he retired they went to live in

Horley and finally to Somerset. He d. 27 Jan. 1979 and Vi

d. ca 1983. They had two children (1) Charles Desmond b.

1931 who married, lived in Hungerford, Hants and had

three children, Anne, Jane (d. aged 3) and Patrick and (2)

Barrie, b. 1934 who married, lived in Petersfield, Berks,

and had three children, Anna, Rebecca and Andrew.

Rep(c) 1907

Ref: ‘Evesdropping: Fragments of Methodist History’ by

R Lee Cole, ICA 15 Jun 1960 p7; Jones, G, Who

remembers P E Donovan? MN.91Oct, p. 2

d. at Myross, Sandycove, Dublin, 28 June 1953, interred

Dean’s Grange Cemetery, Dublin.

Abbreviations

aet. Aged

b. born

c. converted

ca. circa

cs Circuit Steward

d. died

ed. Education

e.m. entered ministry

ent entered

ƒ portrait

lp Local Preacher

m. married

mms manuscript

per permission to

qv quod vide = ‘which see’ – cross reference

s. son

wpc Without pastoral charge

Asst. Assistant

B Brethren (Plymouth or Christian)

BoE Board of Examiners

BOG Board of Governors

C. Curate

Chap Chaplain

CI Church of Ireland

CE Christian Endeavour

CD Chairman of District

CHC Crookshank’s History of Methodism in Ireland (3 Vols)

CS Circuit Steward

DCM Dublin Central Mission

DcM Distinguished Conduct Medal

D. Deacon

DS District Superintendent

DCS Dublin Connexional School

Ed Editor

EMP Education and Maintenance Fund (PMW)

FC Received into Full Connexion as a Methodist Preacher

Gov Governor

HM Home Mission station

HMF (His/Her) Majesty’s Forces

I Incumbent

(I)CA (Irish) Christian Advocate

IE Irish Evangelist

IM Irish Mission station

IR Impartial Reporter (Enniskillen)

Inst. Installed

JPL Letters of John Pawson, 3 volumes (1995)

M Methodist

MC Methodist Church or Chapel

MD Physician

MCB Methodist College Belfast

MCI Methodist Church in Ireland

MCSP Member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (UK)

Mins Minutes of Conference

MM Methodist minister

MPC Methodist Publishing Company

NWT Taggart, The Irish in World Mission, 1760-1900

OBA Old Boys Association

Obit Obituary

Ord Ordained

OT Received On Trial as a probationary Methodist Preacher

P Presbyterian

Pr Priest

PC Presbyterian Church

PHSI Presbyterian Historical Society in Ireland

PES Public Elementary School

Pr Priest

PWM Primitive Wesleyan Methodist Society

QUB Queen’s University Belfast

R. Rector

Rep Representative to the British Conference

Ret. Retired

SC Secretary of Conference

Sup Supernumerary Minister, i.e. Retired

TCD Trinity College Dublin

ThT Theological Tutor

UCA Uniting Church in Australia

W. The Watchman [Pro-Bunting weekly]

WC Wesleyan Chapel

MCA Methodist Church of Australasia

WCD Wesley College Dublin

WMM Wesleyan Methodist Magazine