..

Full list of delegates:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/186BUgwJdmvib4ojOHp8Y3cmbPcgm7IXZb5zsbM8z49w/edit?tab=t.0

From:

Small borough politics in County Cork, 1832-1868: Bandon, Kinsale, Mallow and Youghal

Continuing our journey around Ireland, this blog from Dr Stephen Ball, of our House of Commons 1832-68 project, looks at politics in the small boroughs of county Cork, where competition between the rival parties encouraged a vibrant political culture, but also prompted sectarianism, bribery, violence and coercion.

The county of Cork was widely referred to as ‘the Yorkshire of Ireland’, due to its extent, wealth and resources. However, under the Irish Reform Act of 1832, Ireland’s largest county returned just eight MPs, compared to Yorkshire’s 37, although the latter was barely twice as populous. Half of Cork’s parliamentary representatives were elected by the four single-member boroughs of Youghal, Bandon, Kinsale and Mallow. The principle that the reformed House of Commons was designed to represent specific and distinctive ‘interests’, rather than numbers, is amply demonstrated by the fact that whereas in 1831 the population of the two-member County Cork constituency was 700,366, and that of the city of Cork, which also returned two MPs, was 107,000, the population of Youghal was only 9,820, that of Bandon, 9,608, Mallow, 7,100 and Kinsale, 6,897. While the county boasted 13,351 electors in 1851, Kinsale had only 139, and Youghal, the largest of the one-member boroughs, 261. However, defenders of the reformed system argued that the continued enfranchisement of such boroughs was justified because they each represented distinct social, economic and political interests, and allowed a diverse mixture of oligarchic and popular influences to decide their own representation in Parliament.

Regarded as the county’s second town, Youghal was a busy seaport on the estuary of the river Blackwater. The pre-reform constituency had been controlled by the corporation and freemen under the influence of the town’s main landowner, the Duke of Devonshire. The Irish Reform Act expanded the electorate and consequently increased the influence of the town’s merchants, shopkeepers, artisans and publicans, making the constituency a hotbed of local politics. The curbing of the duke’s Whig influence after 1832 created opportunities for the Irish popular interest, but also raised the possibility of electoral success for organised popular Conservatism. Consequently, sectarian rivalry, intimidation and corruption were features of the borough’s seven contested elections. Daniel O’Connell’s son, John, defeated the Conservatives on the Repeal interest at the 1832 and 1835 elections, during which the town was, according to the future Chartist leader, Feargus O’Connor, frequently in ‘a state of siege’. His father’s compact with the Whigs meant that O’Connell stood aside in 1837 and at the next two general elections the duke’s nominee held off Conservative challengers before suffering defeat at the hands of another Repealer in 1847. The collapse of the repeal campaign and a loss of confidence in the Whig ministry allowed Isaac Butt to win the seat for the Conservatives in 1852. Despite moving away from orthodox Conservatism as he became increasingly critical of Ireland’s fate under the Union, Butt held Youghal until 1865, when he was easily beaten by a wealthy Liberal banker, who in 1868 was defeated by an ‘heroically corrupt’ London merchant.

Known as the ‘Derry of the South’, Bandon was Cork’s next largest borough. A handsome market town founded by the first Earl of Cork as a plantation settlement in 1610, it had served as a rallying point for Williamite forces in 1689. Its once thriving linen industry had declined by the 1820s, but the town still contained leather works, flour mills and distilleries. A ‘rotten borough’, it had been controlled by a close corporation under the Earl of Bandon before the Irish Reform Act increased its electorate from 13 to 266. Of these 70 were resident freemen who propped up the Conservative interest. Despite being only one third of the population by the 1860s, Protestants, including a substantial number of Orangemen, made up almost three-quarters of the electorate. They were efficiently organised, and the Whig influence of the absentee Duke of Devonshire could not compete with that of the staunchly Protestant and constantly resident Earl of Bandon, whose family dominated the representation until 1868. The Liberals contested six often disorderly and violent elections but could make no headway against the Bandon interest, whose agents were was not above plying Devonshire’s tenants with drink to secure their votes, as some of them were polled with the fumes of the previous night’s ‘debauch still thick upon them’.

Click here:

West Cork Flax, Linen, Textiles.k here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u0vIz1nxG34pJua7qC7jtTCKWLjwVY81jSl0usPdojk/edit?tab=t.0

West Cork Flax, Linen, Textiles, p. 2

1783, Linen Spinners, Co. Down., p. 9

Linen Board, p. 12

Rev. Horatio Townsend (1810), survey, p. 13

1650s, Richard Brockelsby, clothier, Cork persecuted as Quaker d 1696, p. 15

Cork linen Probates, p. 15

Miscellaneous records from 1732, p. 16

Bantry/Beara from  1796, p. 18, 24, 29

1783, Cork Election List of Freemen voters, many from the county

1835.  1st Report From His Majesty’s Commission For Inquiring Into the Condition of The Poorer Classes in Ireland, p. 26

1841 Effects of Cotton, Calico, British Competition. Evidence of William Crooke Esq., Macroom, to 1841 Enquiry on Land, p. 27

1853 Local Loan Reproduction Records, Schull, p. 32

Lord Bandon was an enthusiastic exponent of flax growing in the 1860s, p. 32

Census Extracts, p. 33

1829 Census Inchigeela p. 34

Bandon Clothiers Weavers collapse to trade, p. 39

1790 Coqueberts Irish Visit Bandon, p. 60

Adderly Innishannon, p. 61

Bandon Cotton Manufacturers, p. 85

Duke of Devonshire Estate Correspondence re weavers, p. 85

1830 Distress in Bandon. Number of Active Looks Dropped from 1,200 to 200. Deplorable State of the Cotton Trade. One sixth of Bandon’s Population in Destitution, p. 89

1851 Innishannon Encumbered estates Sale p. 101

Thomas, ‘The Industrialist’ Adderley Innishannon, p. 108

Bantry p. 116

Bantry, Durus 1937 School Folklore Project, p. 131, 408

Flax meitheals, p. 134

Clonakilty, p. 138, 158

Call for revival of flax industry this was probably Written by Eamonn O’Neill, Kinsale TD, 1945, p. 200

1954 flax pays, p. 240

Drimoleague, p. 240, 307

Dunmanway, Richard Cox, p. 263

Kinsale, p. 282

The Kinsale Cloak, p. 292

Skibbereen, p. 295

Using Linen Thread for Candles, Weaving, p. 305

Flax Ponds, p. 307

World War 2, p. 307, 340, 341

Early history, estates, p. 318

Innishannon from Bishop Pocock Tour, 1752., p. 325

The Linen and Flax Industry in Dunmanway, West Cork, Fines for Steeping Flax in the River Bandon and other Rivers , 1835, p. 330

American Civil War, 1864, p. 333

World War 1 Mills, p. 340

Flax Growing 1796, p. 343

Flax Growers of Ireland, 1796 – County Cork, high concentration in Clonakilty/Drinagh/Dunmanway area, spinning wheel premium list p. 344

Exports of Cloth from Cork,1683-1777, p. 398

Distribution of Flax, Ireland, 1796, p. 400

Loom.p. 403

Exports of Linen 1791, p. 406

Fishing Nets., p. 407

Samuel Vickery (1832-1912) Reminiscences to his Daughter Martha Ellen, Evansville, Indiana, USA, Childhood in Rooska, Parish of Durrus and Reendonegan, Bantry, West Cork, p. 408

Flax Acreage Co. Cork, 1939-1945, p. 411

Gírle Guairle, from Dineen Irish Dictionary, 415

Clonakilty Linen Hall 1817  p. 415

Richard  S. Harrison on Flax in West Cork, p.  416

The Sealy, Cornwall and Allin Families, Merchants and Bandon Gentry, Catherine Fitzmaurice, 2017, 422

From the National Archives, Chief Secretary Papers.

Cover letter from James Doherty, F Murphy, Richard Sullivan, John Stewart and John Atkins, church wardens, parish of Fanlobbus, barony of East Carbery, Dunmanway, County Cork, to Henry Goulburn, Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle, enclosing memorial to Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquis Wellesley, Lord Lieutenant, Dublin Castle, requesting information and direction on how to pursue individuals living in adjacent parishes on charges of profaning the Sabbath. Indicates that application was made to local magistrates on the matter, but without satisfaction since they felt unable to act against offenders who lived at a distance of 10 or more miles. Also complains of not knowing how to press for punishment those who are found drunk in a public place. [Names of parish overseers have been cut away from both cover letter and memorial].
EXTENT:	2 items; 4pp
DATE(S):	2 Dec 1824
DATE EARLY:	1824
DATE LATE:	1824
ORIGINAL REFERENCE:	1824/10549

Sketches in Carbery, County Cork (Classic Reprint): Its Antiquities, History, Legends, and Topography.

Subscribers, p. 1

1877 Dr. Donovan, Senior,  Skibbereen Famine Doctor burial in the family crypt of O’Donovan of the Islands., p. 49

1880 Death of Doctor Daniel Donovan, Junior, p. 41

1880 Commemoration Dr.  Daniel Donovan Junior, p. 44

Genealogy, p. 49

1877 Dr. Donovan, Senior,  Skibbereen Famine Doctor burial in the family crypt of O’Donovan of the Islands., p. 50

1898, Miss Mary J, Donovan daughter of Dr. Daniel Donovan Famine Doctor, p. 54

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SbK24LpDBP8rFO_4XqjaRjYC37DyyResH_W_xMHtLuQ/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.f1y03qpey9bk

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How the Parish got the name Barryroe
The history of the name Barryroe for the Parish is quite complicated. To summarise, ‘Barry’ has its roots in the lands under the patronage of Saint Barruch being given to a Norman (therefore French) military clan calling themselves the people of Barruch i.e. de Barri. The ‘Roe’ part refers to Lawrence Barry (c. 1400) who was named Red Barry possibly because he had a red complexion or even red hair? Ruadh is Irish for Red so Barra Ruadh or Barraí Rua anglicised became Barryroe.

The Parish includes townlands such as of Abbeymahon, Ardgehane, Ballycremond, Butlerstown, Carrigeen, Courtmacsherry (where Courtmacsherry Church is), Donaghmore, Dunworly, Grange More/Beg, Lehenagh, Lislevane, Shanaghobarravane, Ternanean (where Barryroe Parish Church is).

Denis Florence McCarthy

MacCarthy, Denis Florence (1817–82), Young Irelander, poet, and translator, was born 26 May 1817 at 24 Lower Sackville St., Dublin, the only son of John MacCarthy (d. 1857), a catholic woollen merchant with premises on Eden Quay, Dublin, and Sarah MacCarthy (née Courtney) (d. 1845). After attending a private school in Dublin, he entered Maynooth College to study for the priesthood, but discovered he had no vocation, and in 1834 enrolled at TCD, becoming a member of the circle of Thomas Davis (qv) centred on the College Historical Society. He entered the King’s Inns, Dublin (1841), and Gray’s Inn, London (1842), and was called to the bar (1846). He never practised law, preferring instead to pursue a literary career.

May have family links to Clonakilty/Dunmanway. His poem Clan of Mac Caura refers to Arigideen river. Champion of poet J.J. Callanan

https://www.dib.ie/biography/maccarthy-denis-florence-a5126

His poem at the dedication of the Church

Ullagone

Irish Gaelic olagōn, olagān, of imitative origin

Observations of Breton traveller Jacques Louis de Bougrenet (De Latocnaye) in West Cork, Bandon, Macroom, Dunmanway ‘The Priest’s Leap’ and Bantry 1796, keening at funerals.

Obituaries would sometimes mention members of junior branches as from an ‘old and respected family’ (who were not wealthy at all) and this can be very useful for genealogical research. In my experience, Catholic families so described in the late 19th and early 20th centuries tend to descend from the wealthier 18th century tenant farmers and have a connection with the Church by providing priests and patronage. In many cases they were a hidden gentry and it was well known they were descended from the landholders of confiscated lands in the 17th century.

1842- died 1890 Dr. John O’Donovan Doctor, Dispensary Doctor North Dispensary, Liverpool, later Ballincollig Son of Dr. Daniel Senior, brother of Dr. Daniel Junior Paddy O’Keeffe, Bantry

His father Heroic Famine ~Doctor

1808-, Edinburgh, died 1877        Dr. Daniel Donovan Senior MD        Ed. Mr. Armstrong Classic School Rosscarbery, Dublin, Edinburgh.  Doctor, Dispensary Officer Union Hall, Glandore 1830-1839, 1840. Magistrate, Donovan Daniel, sen, North street   Retired 1870 succeeded by son.        “Skibbereen 1847 distress meeting. Seeking equality of endowment in Catholic education 1859. Born at Ross of ‘island’ branch who formerly owned Ross town.  Son Henry Solicitor died 1873.  Probate to widow Henrietta £800 1877. 1859, Thomas Burke, M.D.,Skibbereen. Estate £1,500.  Named Daniel Donovan, M.D., David Hadden, M.D., Daniel McCartie, brewer.  1877.   Opening  Skibbereen Railway

Daniel Donovan

David Hadden

John Levis, Glenview

S. W.  Levis, Coroner

Dr. McCormack, Goleen

Dr. Popham, Bntry

Samuel Robinson

Dr. Swanton, Bantry

Dr. Sweetnam, Schull

”        “In 1835 Dr Dan married Henrietta Flynn and they had a family of six daughters and five sons. In 1839

he was appointed to the Skibbereen Dispensary and he was elected the first medical officer of the

new Skibbereen Workhouse.  Famine Diary of Doctor O’Donovan, Dispensary Doctor, Skibbereen,  1877 in poor circumstances plea by British Medical Association for increased pension. 1854 attending Patriotic Concert, Skibbeeen in aid of Crimean war widows and orphans. 1862 donor Skibbereen Relief Fund.   1846 attending famine relief meeting Bandon, Magistrates attending famine relief meeting Bandon, Cork Examiner 28th August 1846. The Earl of Bandon, Colonel Bernard, D. Conner, J.Wheeler, Masekelyne Alcock, R.H.H. Beecher, Rev., T. Tuckey, James Gillman, George Robinson, William J.Payne, Charles Evanson, James Swanston, Arthur Hutchinson, Lionel Fleming, Samuel Townsend, 

”        https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/164a5605c1527277?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1        “Dr Daniel Donovan – heroic figure of the Famine in Skibbereen

By Philip O’Regan, Skibbereen Heritage Centre.1877 Funeral Attendance of Dr. Daniel Donovan, By Philip O’Regan, Skibbereen Heritage Centre.1877 Procession Nearly a Mile and a half in Length.   Buried in Family Tomb at Rosscarbery of The O’Donovans of The Islands.  Sons Dr.Daniel Junior, Dr.John Donovan, Ballincollig.”        “Cholera, Myross, Board of Health.   CSO/RP/1832/1813/2.  Chairman,  Richard Townsend, J.P., 

Names of persons interested in the Board:

Rev. Charles Bushe, Rector, Castlehaven

Rev. James Tuckey, curate

Rev. P. crowley, P.P

Rev. William Goulding, R.C. curate

Rev. ..Bert.., R.C. curate

Thomas Somerville, J.P

Thomas Townsend, Lieutenant, R.N.

Ralph Mansfield, J.P.

Daniel Donovan, M.D.”

Mná chaointe (Keeners) at Church of Ireland and Methodist Funerals 18th and 19th Century, West Cork:  Sir Richard Cox (1650-1733), Dunmanway, and  Some Family Recollections by James Stanley Vickery in Australia 1829-1911, of Childhood in Moloch in Parish of Durrus, 1832-6.

Is it possible that Keening is pre Christian.   There are references to Keeners being employed at Cox’s funeral in 1733 in Dunmanway.  Cox was the founder of Dunmanway and promoter of the linen industry.   For someone who was virulently anti Catholic it is also surprising that there is a praise poem dedicated to him as set out below

https://durrushistory.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=26374&action=edit

Magistrate

John Island Donovan, M.D., North St. Skibbereen, 1880, Resident, £25.    Died 1889, 5th and last surviving son of the late Daniel Donovan (The Famine Doctor) Buried in Family Tomb at Rosscarbery of The O’Donovans of The Islands.