At a recent ceremony in the former Methodist Church in Allihies, County Cork –  the most westerly village in the Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, and the Irish village situated at the greatest distance from Dublin, our capital city (394 km away) – the Church of Ireland community in general, and one family in particular, were honoured.  The Hodges family have a 200 year connection with Allihies.  The former church is now a Copper Mine Museum.

At a recent ceremony Tommy Hodges and Canon Paul Willoughby unveiled a plaque at the Copper Mine Museum in Allihies. The plaque reads;

Allihies Parish Co-Operative Society gratefully acknowledges the generosity given by the Church of Ireland and Tommy and Willie Hodges in donating this site and helping to make this museum possible.

Canon Paul Willoughby and Tommy Hodges unveil the plaque.

Canon Paul Willoughby said:

This is a great occasion for Tommy and…

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

Obligations of Donal 11 )’Donovan to Overlord Mccaarthy 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 eyearly. A ‘cuddihie’ of 14d had to be paid each Christmas for ech ploughland. There was a pomndage 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

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

Tolls claimed by the Earl of Bantry 28th June 1818 collected by Cornelius Mahoney together with Masseytown (Macroom), Timoleague, Clonakilty, Bandon, Enniskeane, Ballylboy (Dunmanway), Castletown Kinneagh, Kinsale, Bridgetown (Skibbereen), Co. Cork.

http://www.dippam.ac.uk/eppi/documents/9679/page/212998

Grand July Presentments of County Treasurer, Co. Cork, James De La Cour, Summer 1818, including Dispensaries for Clonakilty, Crookstown, Bantry, Ballydehob, Dunmanway, Macroom.

http://www.dippam.ac.uk/eppi/documents/10227/page/226423