Saturday, April 7, 2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
The Hurley-Herlihy-Cahalane Connection
Genealogy is full of cases in which you are unsuccessfully able to research one line but in the process of researching that line you stumble across information that fills out another line. Such is the case with Grandmom's Adrigole Collinses. After relaying this information to a Hurley cousin last night, I thought it would be a suitable posting.
It all started with an obituary from the Southern Star dated November 21, 1903 for one Michael Herlihy, a national teacher from Cloonkeen who died fairly young.
"Mrs. Young", listed as a cousin, had to have been Ellen Hurley December 17, 1852 from Coolnagarrane, who married William Young of North Street. Ellen was already widowed by the 1901 census.
"Lawrence, Jeremiah, and John Collins" were listed as cousins. They must have been out of Adrigole. The question is - how were they related to Michael Herlihy? There were other Collinses in Adrigole and they were notably not mentioned. Specifically, John Collins, son of Jeremiah, was by now a priest and he would not have been listed this way. So I immediately began to think these men were the son of John, and the Herlihy relationship could have come through Catherine Sheely, who married John Collins 30-Nov-1852. However, I have reason to believe Catherine was the daughter of John Sheily and Ellen Corcoran from around Aghadown (mistranscribed as Kelly), and as there was no obvious connection to Herlihys I did not try pursuing it.
My triple-great-grandparents were Michael Hurley and Bridget Cahalane of Coolnagarrane, in Abbeystrowry parish. Michael and Bridget married 25-May-1838 in Kilmacabea R.C. Parish. Witnesses, if I'm reading the record correctly, were Bryan Adams and Cate Sheahan.
Michael Hurley may have had a sister Ellen, who appears in the Skibbereen church registers January 22, 1815. There is other evidence strongly suggesting she was a relative and went on to marry John Sweeney February 22, 1846. Michael and Ellen probably had a brother Daniel. It is through Daniel that the Herlihy connection, and possible second Cahalane connection lie.
This Daniel and his wife Honora McCarthy were the parents of the aforementioned Ellen Hurley Young. Another daughter, Kate (1855) married Michael Herlihy the schoolteacher in 1886. Hence the Herlihy-Hurley connection.
What about Cahalanes?
Michael Herlihy's parents were Denis Herlihy and Mary Regan. If I'm reading the records right they married in Kilmacabea R.C. parish February 8, 1834. One Cornelius Cahalane was a witness.
The odd thing is that I cannot find any children until May 1844, and I think the child's name was Johanna, who went on to marry a Denis Leahy. Then another gap, and Michael Herlihy was baptized April 13, 1851. Then twins John and Thomas, April 7, 1855. John's Godfather was a Denis Cahalane.
The 10 year gap before any children appear, and then the twins some 21 years after the marriage, makes me wonder if I'm reading the records right. But that is what I have so far.
Update: I have found many more children. Patrick, baptized 12-Apr-1835; Daniel, bap. 9-Aug-1840; Denis, bap. 14-Dec-1842; Johanna, bap. May-1844; Catherine, bap. 19-Apr-1846 (her mother is recorded as Catherine, which I think is a mistake); Michael, bap. 13-Apr-1851; William, bap. 18-Apr-1853; and John and Thomas, bap. 7-Apr-1855.
Michael Hurley = Bridget Cahalane had four boys: John 1839; Patrick 1841; Daniel 1843; and Michael 1849.
The Godmother of John 1839, my gg-grandfather, was one Catherine Cahalane. The Godmother of Patrick 1841 was Mary Cahalane. I had assumed they had only the four boys, but last night discovered a missing fifth child. Ellen was baptized September 21, 1845 (mistranscribed as Hooly). Her Godfather was one Michael Cahalane.
I think I know who this Michael Cahalane is, and I have corresponded with some of his descendants. He married Honora Donovan in 1851. The Godfather of son Michael, 1861, was one John Hurley.
The oldest child of my gg-grandparents, John Hurley and Margaret Hourihane, was Michael, 1868. One Michael Cahalane was the Godfather. Then any documented connections with Cahalanes stop. I have not checked the extended family of Daniel Hurley = Honora McCarthy for Cahalane sponsors. Ellen Hurley Sweeney's family did not have Cahalane sponsors from what I have dug up so far.
I cannot find a meaningful death record for a Bridget Hurley after 1863, so I assume that Bridget Cahalane Hurley died before civil registration. What is her relationship to Cornelius Cahalane, who witnessed the wedding of Denis Herlihy and Mary Regan, and to Michael Cahalane? Is this Michael the Michael Cahalane from Cloonkeen, whose descendants I correspond with? And how were the Herlihys linked to Collinses in Adrigole?
It all started with an obituary from the Southern Star dated November 21, 1903 for one Michael Herlihy, a national teacher from Cloonkeen who died fairly young.
"Mrs. Young", listed as a cousin, had to have been Ellen Hurley December 17, 1852 from Coolnagarrane, who married William Young of North Street. Ellen was already widowed by the 1901 census.
"Lawrence, Jeremiah, and John Collins" were listed as cousins. They must have been out of Adrigole. The question is - how were they related to Michael Herlihy? There were other Collinses in Adrigole and they were notably not mentioned. Specifically, John Collins, son of Jeremiah, was by now a priest and he would not have been listed this way. So I immediately began to think these men were the son of John, and the Herlihy relationship could have come through Catherine Sheely, who married John Collins 30-Nov-1852. However, I have reason to believe Catherine was the daughter of John Sheily and Ellen Corcoran from around Aghadown (mistranscribed as Kelly), and as there was no obvious connection to Herlihys I did not try pursuing it.
My triple-great-grandparents were Michael Hurley and Bridget Cahalane of Coolnagarrane, in Abbeystrowry parish. Michael and Bridget married 25-May-1838 in Kilmacabea R.C. Parish. Witnesses, if I'm reading the record correctly, were Bryan Adams and Cate Sheahan.
Michael Hurley may have had a sister Ellen, who appears in the Skibbereen church registers January 22, 1815. There is other evidence strongly suggesting she was a relative and went on to marry John Sweeney February 22, 1846. Michael and Ellen probably had a brother Daniel. It is through Daniel that the Herlihy connection, and possible second Cahalane connection lie.
This Daniel and his wife Honora McCarthy were the parents of the aforementioned Ellen Hurley Young. Another daughter, Kate (1855) married Michael Herlihy the schoolteacher in 1886. Hence the Herlihy-Hurley connection.
What about Cahalanes?
Michael Herlihy's parents were Denis Herlihy and Mary Regan. If I'm reading the records right they married in Kilmacabea R.C. parish February 8, 1834. One Cornelius Cahalane was a witness.
The odd thing is that I cannot find any children until May 1844, and I think the child's name was Johanna, who went on to marry a Denis Leahy. Then another gap, and Michael Herlihy was baptized April 13, 1851. Then twins John and Thomas, April 7, 1855. John's Godfather was a Denis Cahalane.
The 10 year gap before any children appear, and then the twins some 21 years after the marriage, makes me wonder if I'm reading the records right. But that is what I have so far.
Update: I have found many more children. Patrick, baptized 12-Apr-1835; Daniel, bap. 9-Aug-1840; Denis, bap. 14-Dec-1842; Johanna, bap. May-1844; Catherine, bap. 19-Apr-1846 (her mother is recorded as Catherine, which I think is a mistake); Michael, bap. 13-Apr-1851; William, bap. 18-Apr-1853; and John and Thomas, bap. 7-Apr-1855.
Michael Hurley = Bridget Cahalane had four boys: John 1839; Patrick 1841; Daniel 1843; and Michael 1849.
The Godmother of John 1839, my gg-grandfather, was one Catherine Cahalane. The Godmother of Patrick 1841 was Mary Cahalane. I had assumed they had only the four boys, but last night discovered a missing fifth child. Ellen was baptized September 21, 1845 (mistranscribed as Hooly). Her Godfather was one Michael Cahalane.
I think I know who this Michael Cahalane is, and I have corresponded with some of his descendants. He married Honora Donovan in 1851. The Godfather of son Michael, 1861, was one John Hurley.
The oldest child of my gg-grandparents, John Hurley and Margaret Hourihane, was Michael, 1868. One Michael Cahalane was the Godfather. Then any documented connections with Cahalanes stop. I have not checked the extended family of Daniel Hurley = Honora McCarthy for Cahalane sponsors. Ellen Hurley Sweeney's family did not have Cahalane sponsors from what I have dug up so far.
I cannot find a meaningful death record for a Bridget Hurley after 1863, so I assume that Bridget Cahalane Hurley died before civil registration. What is her relationship to Cornelius Cahalane, who witnessed the wedding of Denis Herlihy and Mary Regan, and to Michael Cahalane? Is this Michael the Michael Cahalane from Cloonkeen, whose descendants I correspond with? And how were the Herlihys linked to Collinses in Adrigole?
Friday, March 23, 2012
The Collinses of Coornishal
For quite a while now I have believed that a number of people named Collins in Coornishal were somehow related to my Grandmom's ancestral Collins ancestors in Adrigole. The evidence is substantial. I am going to list my pieces of evidence.
1) There is a Laurence Collins (my ggg-grandfather "Larr" - 1783-1867) in Adrigole in the Castlehaven Tithe Applotment book of 1825. He shared a lot with somebody named Jerry Collins. Other Collinses listed in Adrigole were William and Daniel.
2) There was a Lawrence Collins in adjacent Coornishal in the Tithe Applotment book of Kilmacabea of 1829. He was adjacent to a John Collins. Another Collins there was one Timothy.
Laurence Collins is not a particularly common name, like John or Daniel. For now, I am inclined to think these listings for Laurence were the same man.
3) The father of a recently-discovered relative back east was one Laurence Collins from Licknavar and Gortshanecrone. Her maternal grandmother was the daughter of Jeremiah of Adrigole; her parents were somehow cousins. This relative is of my mother's generation, she is a third cousin in two different ways, and probably a cousin a third way. We are trying to establish precisely how in the third way. In other words, the Licknavar Collinses were related to the Adrigole Collinses and we don't know exactly how.
4) As she remembers her father telling the story, some "Corn" or "Coran" Collinses peeled off from north of Skibbereen and headed south of town probably in the first half of the 19th century.
[note: I am well aware of the townlands of Corran North, Corran Middle, and Corran South in Kilmacabea, and that there were Collinses in this area. So I am keeping the Corran townlands on the backburner.]
5) In the Cullomane East branch (my gg-grandparents), a Catherine Collins was a Godmother in 1863. Who was this Catherine exactly? One of my strongest autosomal DNA matches has a solid family history out of Licknavar. We have not been able to establish a common shared ancestor, but someone in his tree named Sullivan was apparently a baptism Godfather in the tree of my east coast relative with Licknavar ancestry. A Catherine Collins (est born 1800) is also in his tree. Someone named Croston in my DNA match's tree lived on lots shared with Licknavar Collinses in Griffith's Valuation.
6) The May 9, 1903 obituary of Jeremiah Collins of Adrigole in the Southern Star lists John Collins and Denis Collins of Coornishal as cousins.
And now for a digression. There was apparently a tradition of naming women Diana in this extended family group, though it's difficult to understand why the name was popular in some branches and non-existent in others. My gg-grandfather Danny Larr of Cullomane East had a daughter Diana, who emigrated to Australia. Danny Larr had another daughter Margaret who named her daughter Diana. (This latter Diana married a Daniel Hallahan and then sort of disappeared. That family remains one of my open research projects.)
There's more. Larr may have also had a daughter Johanna, who married a John Donovan roughly 1851 and eventually settled in Ardagh, Rosscarbery. They named a daughter Dinah. This Dinah died a spinster.
A Dina Collins pops up frequently as a Godmother in numerous baptisms - for one of Johanna's children, and for children of John and of Jeremiah in Adrigole. These sponsorships occurred from 1852 through 1863, presumably the same woman.
A Diana Collins from Adrigole, with a father named Laurence, married Timothy Sullivan of Clooncugger in 1868. She had three children - none named Laurence or Diana - and she died in 1892.
Neither John of Adrigole, nor Jeremiah of Adrigole, nor anybody down in Licknavar had a daughter named Diana.
But somebody in Coornishal did ! I stumbled upon this family digging through the Kilmacabea church records that are online.
Which brings me back to my evidence list.
Unfortunately the records for Kilmacabea start relatively late, in 1832. So I may have only a partial family. I cannot find a marriage record for Tom Collins and Kate Foley, who lived in Coornishal in the 1840's, which leads me to believe she could have been from Castlehaven parish, which has no marriage records available.
Timothy, baptized 15-Jan-1840. His father was written as John. I think this could be an error. His sponsors were Michael Foley and Ellen Collins.
Patrick, baptized 14-Mar-1841. Sponsors Con Foley and Mary H?
7) Lawrence, baptized 27-Mar-1843. Sponsors Daniel Collins and Kate Collins. This Daniel could well have been my gg-grandfather, before he married Mary Mahony in 1845 and moved to Cullomane East around 1851.
Catherine, baptized 16-Dec-1846. Sponsors Tim Foley and Ellen Foley.
Tom, baptized 25-Aug-1850. Sponsors Jerry? Collins and Mary Collins.
Cornelius, baptized 6-Mar-1853. Sponsors Laurence Collins and Kate Shealy. These sponsors could well be Larr and his relatively new daughter-in-law, married to John of Adrigole in 1852.
8) Dinah, baptized 13-Jan-1856. Sponsors John Collins and Johanna Foley.
So, I have: adjacency in land valuation records; family lore; a newspaper obit; DNA; and family naming traditions all strongly suggesting a link between Adrigole, Coornishal, and Licknavar. Tracking a family naming tradition only works when the names are uncommon or downright rare.
Unfortunately, with Kilmacabea church records starting late (1830's), and Castlehaven & Myross church records starting REALLY late (1840's) and with no marriages, I have to wait for somebody else to come forward or some other evidence to turn up to glue this together. Once I am settled in from my move to Salt Lake City in April, I'll be hitting the land valuation records pre and post Griffith's to see if I can squeeze any additional information out of available records.
1) There is a Laurence Collins (my ggg-grandfather "Larr" - 1783-1867) in Adrigole in the Castlehaven Tithe Applotment book of 1825. He shared a lot with somebody named Jerry Collins. Other Collinses listed in Adrigole were William and Daniel.
2) There was a Lawrence Collins in adjacent Coornishal in the Tithe Applotment book of Kilmacabea of 1829. He was adjacent to a John Collins. Another Collins there was one Timothy.
Laurence Collins is not a particularly common name, like John or Daniel. For now, I am inclined to think these listings for Laurence were the same man.
3) The father of a recently-discovered relative back east was one Laurence Collins from Licknavar and Gortshanecrone. Her maternal grandmother was the daughter of Jeremiah of Adrigole; her parents were somehow cousins. This relative is of my mother's generation, she is a third cousin in two different ways, and probably a cousin a third way. We are trying to establish precisely how in the third way. In other words, the Licknavar Collinses were related to the Adrigole Collinses and we don't know exactly how.
4) As she remembers her father telling the story, some "Corn" or "Coran" Collinses peeled off from north of Skibbereen and headed south of town probably in the first half of the 19th century.
[note: I am well aware of the townlands of Corran North, Corran Middle, and Corran South in Kilmacabea, and that there were Collinses in this area. So I am keeping the Corran townlands on the backburner.]
5) In the Cullomane East branch (my gg-grandparents), a Catherine Collins was a Godmother in 1863. Who was this Catherine exactly? One of my strongest autosomal DNA matches has a solid family history out of Licknavar. We have not been able to establish a common shared ancestor, but someone in his tree named Sullivan was apparently a baptism Godfather in the tree of my east coast relative with Licknavar ancestry. A Catherine Collins (est born 1800) is also in his tree. Someone named Croston in my DNA match's tree lived on lots shared with Licknavar Collinses in Griffith's Valuation.
6) The May 9, 1903 obituary of Jeremiah Collins of Adrigole in the Southern Star lists John Collins and Denis Collins of Coornishal as cousins.
And now for a digression. There was apparently a tradition of naming women Diana in this extended family group, though it's difficult to understand why the name was popular in some branches and non-existent in others. My gg-grandfather Danny Larr of Cullomane East had a daughter Diana, who emigrated to Australia. Danny Larr had another daughter Margaret who named her daughter Diana. (This latter Diana married a Daniel Hallahan and then sort of disappeared. That family remains one of my open research projects.)
There's more. Larr may have also had a daughter Johanna, who married a John Donovan roughly 1851 and eventually settled in Ardagh, Rosscarbery. They named a daughter Dinah. This Dinah died a spinster.
A Dina Collins pops up frequently as a Godmother in numerous baptisms - for one of Johanna's children, and for children of John and of Jeremiah in Adrigole. These sponsorships occurred from 1852 through 1863, presumably the same woman.
A Diana Collins from Adrigole, with a father named Laurence, married Timothy Sullivan of Clooncugger in 1868. She had three children - none named Laurence or Diana - and she died in 1892.
Neither John of Adrigole, nor Jeremiah of Adrigole, nor anybody down in Licknavar had a daughter named Diana.
But somebody in Coornishal did ! I stumbled upon this family digging through the Kilmacabea church records that are online.
Which brings me back to my evidence list.
Unfortunately the records for Kilmacabea start relatively late, in 1832. So I may have only a partial family. I cannot find a marriage record for Tom Collins and Kate Foley, who lived in Coornishal in the 1840's, which leads me to believe she could have been from Castlehaven parish, which has no marriage records available.
Timothy, baptized 15-Jan-1840. His father was written as John. I think this could be an error. His sponsors were Michael Foley and Ellen Collins.
Patrick, baptized 14-Mar-1841. Sponsors Con Foley and Mary H?
7) Lawrence, baptized 27-Mar-1843. Sponsors Daniel Collins and Kate Collins. This Daniel could well have been my gg-grandfather, before he married Mary Mahony in 1845 and moved to Cullomane East around 1851.
Catherine, baptized 16-Dec-1846. Sponsors Tim Foley and Ellen Foley.
Tom, baptized 25-Aug-1850. Sponsors Jerry? Collins and Mary Collins.
Cornelius, baptized 6-Mar-1853. Sponsors Laurence Collins and Kate Shealy. These sponsors could well be Larr and his relatively new daughter-in-law, married to John of Adrigole in 1852.
8) Dinah, baptized 13-Jan-1856. Sponsors John Collins and Johanna Foley.
So, I have: adjacency in land valuation records; family lore; a newspaper obit; DNA; and family naming traditions all strongly suggesting a link between Adrigole, Coornishal, and Licknavar. Tracking a family naming tradition only works when the names are uncommon or downright rare.
Unfortunately, with Kilmacabea church records starting late (1830's), and Castlehaven & Myross church records starting REALLY late (1840's) and with no marriages, I have to wait for somebody else to come forward or some other evidence to turn up to glue this together. Once I am settled in from my move to Salt Lake City in April, I'll be hitting the land valuation records pre and post Griffith's to see if I can squeeze any additional information out of available records.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
James Collins and Catherine Driscoll of Russagh
James Collins and Catherine Driscoll married 4-Mar-1862 and were in Russagh (Skibbereen Rural) in the 1901 census. My eye was first drawn to them when I was researching a girl named Noria Driscoll. Noria was living in Lower Lissane in 1901 with her grandparents Michael Collins and Ellen Driscoll Collins (not known if the two Driscoll families were closely related). Noria's sister Juliann was staying with James and Catherine in Russagh. Juliann is listed as a niece. Whose niece? The girls' father Michael Driscoll lived in Currabeg, in Castlehaven parish, with several other daughters. Michael Driscoll was a widower.
Working on the assumption that Catherine Driscoll Collins of Russagh and Michael Driscoll of Currabeg were siblings, I did some preliminary research in the online church records but did not find THE records that would have clearly identified them. Michael Driscoll of Currabeg apparently went by Cadogan, as evidenced by his and Johanna Collins's first son born September 1880, registered as Jeremiah Cadogan but baptized in Castlehaven R.C. parish as Driscoll. Interestingly, Catherine of Russagh recorded her name as Cadogan for the Skibbereen baptism of her and James's daughter Catherine, 22-Dec-1876. So I think there is a link. Michael Driscoll Cadogan's oldest son was named Jeremiah, and James and Catherine have a Jeremiah Driscoll showing up at several of their family church events. So Catherine's and Michael's father was probably a Jeremiah Driscoll.
I was so absorbed with the Driscolls that it did not initially occur to me that there could also be a Lissane Collins family link with James, but I discovered a relationship while researching Humphrey Collins of Lissane. Besides Jeremiah Driscoll, a Humphrey Collins witnessed the James = Catherine wedding in 1862. Daughter Hanora was born May 1869, and one Laurence Hourihane was the Godfather. There weren't many men named Laurence Hourihane in the area, and there were definitely a few who resided in Tooreen, adjacent to Lower Lissane. Michael Collins was the Godfather of Michael, born Oct 1871. This sponsor could not have been Michael (1790-1870), and married to Mary Donovan, but rather somebody of the younger generation. Similarly, Humphrey Collins was the Godfather of Denis, born May 1879. This could not have been the Humphrey (1785-1873), and married to Johanna Barnane, but a younger Humphrey.
I have the death record of James Collins and he was 67 in 1907. That would place his birth year around 1840. The 1901 census listed his age as 63. That could push his birth year forward to 1838.
So where does that leave me? Very stuck. The oldest son of James and Catherine was named Michael, which would automatically lead me to think that James's father was Michael. There are a Michael Collins and Mary Donovan in Lissane with a son James born 1829. Currently, I model the family with James (1829) married to Honora Collins in 1861. Their first son was also named Michael (1868). Arrgh!
The oldest daughter of James (1829) and Honora Collins of Lissane was named Mary, if Skibbereen Heritage and I are reading very difficult to read church records correctly. This Mary may have been named after grandmother Mary Donovan.
The oldest daughter of James (?) and Catherine Driscoll was named Johanna. This daughter could have been named after Johanna Barnane Collins, but one problem is that there wasn't a son named Humphrey. The other problem is that James, the son of Humphrey Collins and Johanna Barnane, was born in 1833, at least five years before what the 1901 census and the 1907 death record suggest.
There is a third possibility, of which I have absolutely no proof. My grandfather's paternal grandfather, Michael Collins (1822-1901), was the son of a different Humphrey Collins and an Ellen Sweeney. [This Ellen Sweeny may have been related to a Catherine Sweeny who married Laurence Hourihane of Tooreen, but that's a whole other problem.] There are no records of other children of Humphrey and Ellen, and no marriage record, but there is some evidence the same Humphrey later married a Mary Galvin O'Brien and had several more children. Perhaps this James in Russagh was their son, though there is the same problem of James and Catherine not having a son named Humphrey. Finding a baptism record for James would support this theory, but I have not yet found one. Since their other children were baptized in Skibbereen R.C. parish I am looking in the same parish. Some Skibbereen records are extremely faded.
There were so many Humphrey Collinses running around that maybe James and Catherine decided to do something wild and crazy and break tradition.
I got started on this wild goose chase because I was researching Noria Driscoll (1890-1903). Noria's mother was Johanna Collins, whom I believe was the daughter of the aforementioned Michael (1822-1901) and Ellen Driscoll Collins (1830-1919), and my great-grandfather's oldest sister. There is no civil registration record of the marriage of Johanna Collins and Michael Driscoll/Cadogan that I can find in the online index, though there is a church record of a Hannah Collins and Michael Driscoll married in Caheragh November 1879. Nor can I find a death record for Johanna Collins Driscoll/Cadogan.
Working on the assumption that Catherine Driscoll Collins of Russagh and Michael Driscoll of Currabeg were siblings, I did some preliminary research in the online church records but did not find THE records that would have clearly identified them. Michael Driscoll of Currabeg apparently went by Cadogan, as evidenced by his and Johanna Collins's first son born September 1880, registered as Jeremiah Cadogan but baptized in Castlehaven R.C. parish as Driscoll. Interestingly, Catherine of Russagh recorded her name as Cadogan for the Skibbereen baptism of her and James's daughter Catherine, 22-Dec-1876. So I think there is a link. Michael Driscoll Cadogan's oldest son was named Jeremiah, and James and Catherine have a Jeremiah Driscoll showing up at several of their family church events. So Catherine's and Michael's father was probably a Jeremiah Driscoll.
I was so absorbed with the Driscolls that it did not initially occur to me that there could also be a Lissane Collins family link with James, but I discovered a relationship while researching Humphrey Collins of Lissane. Besides Jeremiah Driscoll, a Humphrey Collins witnessed the James = Catherine wedding in 1862. Daughter Hanora was born May 1869, and one Laurence Hourihane was the Godfather. There weren't many men named Laurence Hourihane in the area, and there were definitely a few who resided in Tooreen, adjacent to Lower Lissane. Michael Collins was the Godfather of Michael, born Oct 1871. This sponsor could not have been Michael (1790-1870), and married to Mary Donovan, but rather somebody of the younger generation. Similarly, Humphrey Collins was the Godfather of Denis, born May 1879. This could not have been the Humphrey (1785-1873), and married to Johanna Barnane, but a younger Humphrey.
I have the death record of James Collins and he was 67 in 1907. That would place his birth year around 1840. The 1901 census listed his age as 63. That could push his birth year forward to 1838.
So where does that leave me? Very stuck. The oldest son of James and Catherine was named Michael, which would automatically lead me to think that James's father was Michael. There are a Michael Collins and Mary Donovan in Lissane with a son James born 1829. Currently, I model the family with James (1829) married to Honora Collins in 1861. Their first son was also named Michael (1868). Arrgh!
The oldest daughter of James (1829) and Honora Collins of Lissane was named Mary, if Skibbereen Heritage and I are reading very difficult to read church records correctly. This Mary may have been named after grandmother Mary Donovan.
The oldest daughter of James (?) and Catherine Driscoll was named Johanna. This daughter could have been named after Johanna Barnane Collins, but one problem is that there wasn't a son named Humphrey. The other problem is that James, the son of Humphrey Collins and Johanna Barnane, was born in 1833, at least five years before what the 1901 census and the 1907 death record suggest.
There is a third possibility, of which I have absolutely no proof. My grandfather's paternal grandfather, Michael Collins (1822-1901), was the son of a different Humphrey Collins and an Ellen Sweeney. [This Ellen Sweeny may have been related to a Catherine Sweeny who married Laurence Hourihane of Tooreen, but that's a whole other problem.] There are no records of other children of Humphrey and Ellen, and no marriage record, but there is some evidence the same Humphrey later married a Mary Galvin O'Brien and had several more children. Perhaps this James in Russagh was their son, though there is the same problem of James and Catherine not having a son named Humphrey. Finding a baptism record for James would support this theory, but I have not yet found one. Since their other children were baptized in Skibbereen R.C. parish I am looking in the same parish. Some Skibbereen records are extremely faded.
There were so many Humphrey Collinses running around that maybe James and Catherine decided to do something wild and crazy and break tradition.
I got started on this wild goose chase because I was researching Noria Driscoll (1890-1903). Noria's mother was Johanna Collins, whom I believe was the daughter of the aforementioned Michael (1822-1901) and Ellen Driscoll Collins (1830-1919), and my great-grandfather's oldest sister. There is no civil registration record of the marriage of Johanna Collins and Michael Driscoll/Cadogan that I can find in the online index, though there is a church record of a Hannah Collins and Michael Driscoll married in Caheragh November 1879. Nor can I find a death record for Johanna Collins Driscoll/Cadogan.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Kilmoe Tithe Applotment transcription is now online
Kilmoe parish encompasses Mizen Head peninsula, and includes Crookhaven and Goleen. It appears that the parish was enumerated in 1828.
I was able to get the transcription of Kilmoe completed sooner than I expected. However, the next TA book transcriptions will not be appearing until mid to late summer, after we settle in from our move to Salt Lake City this spring.
Transcriptions for the Skibbereen area.
Submit a correction.
I was able to get the transcription of Kilmoe completed sooner than I expected. However, the next TA book transcriptions will not be appearing until mid to late summer, after we settle in from our move to Salt Lake City this spring.
Transcriptions for the Skibbereen area.
Submit a correction.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Hurleys of Coolnagarrane, version 2.0
I have updated my information on the Coolnagarrane Hurleys. I am waiting for some info from the UK to correct an error in the Tomalin branch; other than that this is the best I can do.
I cannot conclusively prove some of these relationships, and will have to rely on people "in the know" to fill me in.
I think my ggg-grandfather Michael Hurley had a brother Daniel, who married Honora McCarthy in 1850. As far as I can tell, Norry was a McCarthy Sowny from Drominidy. (Their son Daniel married a Julia McCarthy in 1894; she was also a McCarthy-Sowny, and also from Drominidy.)
I think Michael and Daniel had a younger sister Ellen, whose baptism record made it online (1815). (The Hurley records are all in Skibbereen Creagh & Sullon.) Her parents are recorded as John Hurley and Jane McCarthy, no residence given.
I think this Ellen married a John Sweeny in 1846. Michael Hurley and Daniel Hurley were witnesses. I think the Sweeny family lived at various times in Tooreennasillane, Kilnaclasha, and Lakelands.
The parents - John Hurley and Jane McCarthy, show up on the baptism record for a Randal Hurley in Coolnagarrane, 1814, parents James Hurley and Mary Leonard (Linnane). Did this John have a brother James?
Trawling through the online records, I found all these children for James Hurley and Mary Leonard:
Randal in Coolnagarrane 1814
Denis in Coolnagarrane 1816
James on Chapel Lane 1819
Michael on Chapel Lane 1825
There is a John Hurley in Coolnagarrane in the Abbeystrowry Tithe Applotment (1835); there are a Patrick, John, and James Hurley in the Creagh TA (1832) in "Skibbereen town and gardens".
I think I once read that a Dan in the Daniel Hurley branch eventually moved up to Bandon. That may well have been the end of this tribe of Hurleys in Coolnagarrane. I have been in touch with Hurleys living there now, but they are not related.
I am dying to know where the old Coolnagarrane Hurleys originally came from. I realize Ballinacarriga is the Hurley seat in southwest Cork, but how did the southwest Cork Hurleys spread out from there...? The other Hurleys on my Grandmom's side, through the Mahonys, are almost a total blank, other than the names of some Hurley baptism sponsors for the Mahony children.
I cannot conclusively prove some of these relationships, and will have to rely on people "in the know" to fill me in.
I think my ggg-grandfather Michael Hurley had a brother Daniel, who married Honora McCarthy in 1850. As far as I can tell, Norry was a McCarthy Sowny from Drominidy. (Their son Daniel married a Julia McCarthy in 1894; she was also a McCarthy-Sowny, and also from Drominidy.)
I think Michael and Daniel had a younger sister Ellen, whose baptism record made it online (1815). (The Hurley records are all in Skibbereen Creagh & Sullon.) Her parents are recorded as John Hurley and Jane McCarthy, no residence given.
I think this Ellen married a John Sweeny in 1846. Michael Hurley and Daniel Hurley were witnesses. I think the Sweeny family lived at various times in Tooreennasillane, Kilnaclasha, and Lakelands.
The parents - John Hurley and Jane McCarthy, show up on the baptism record for a Randal Hurley in Coolnagarrane, 1814, parents James Hurley and Mary Leonard (Linnane). Did this John have a brother James?
Trawling through the online records, I found all these children for James Hurley and Mary Leonard:
Randal in Coolnagarrane 1814
Denis in Coolnagarrane 1816
James on Chapel Lane 1819
Michael on Chapel Lane 1825
There is a John Hurley in Coolnagarrane in the Abbeystrowry Tithe Applotment (1835); there are a Patrick, John, and James Hurley in the Creagh TA (1832) in "Skibbereen town and gardens".
I think I once read that a Dan in the Daniel Hurley branch eventually moved up to Bandon. That may well have been the end of this tribe of Hurleys in Coolnagarrane. I have been in touch with Hurleys living there now, but they are not related.
I am dying to know where the old Coolnagarrane Hurleys originally came from. I realize Ballinacarriga is the Hurley seat in southwest Cork, but how did the southwest Cork Hurleys spread out from there...? The other Hurleys on my Grandmom's side, through the Mahonys, are almost a total blank, other than the names of some Hurley baptism sponsors for the Mahony children.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Some unsung Cork heroes of Irish Independence
Most Irish family researchers and historians are aware of General Michael Collins and his predecessor, Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa. Considerable chatter has been devoted to these two towering figures of history on forums pertaining to Ireland.
Today I thought I'd post about two individuals geographically closer to my mother's ancestral origins, and therefore somewhat dearer to me as I practically consider them neighbors.
Since I have two Hurley lines and know absolutely nothing about one and only a little about the other, Sean Hurley sparked my curiosity. According to the Southern Star, Sean Hurley, born July 3, 1887, in Maulagow, Leap, was the only Corkman who died in or was executed for his participation in the 1916 Easter Rising. In literature about Michael Collins you'll see Sean's name. Sean's sister Kate was Michael's sister-in-law; she was the first wife of Michael's oldest brother Johnny Collins. However, Sean and Michael were friends before that.
Some literature says that Sean Hurley was Michael's cousin. Other than this well-documented relationship by marriage I have not seen anything specifying this blood relationship.
Sean's father was John Daniel Hurley, whom the Southern Star says was "of Ballinacarriga stock." Well, that doesn't really tell me much because Hurleys in southwest Cork pretty much all originated from Ballinacarriga, the Hurley seat. From my still meager understanding of Hurley history, apparently there was territory divided up between Hurleys and McCarthys in the Drinagh area way back when.
Working backwards, I found the family in the censuses. Maulagow is in the Drinagh District Electoral Division. In the 1911 census I found 69 year old John, 63 year old Kate, and 32 year old son Patrick. John and Kate were married 40 years.
The 1901 census lists John at 50, Kate at 45, Pat 21, John (that would be Sean) 14, Kattie 18, and Mollie 16.
I then looked for the marriage. John Daniel Hurley married Catherine Walsh of Maulatrahane 13-Feb-1872, in the R.C. Parish of Kilmacabea. However, as far as I can tell, the children were baptized in Drimoleague & Drinagh R.C. Parish:
Daniel 1872, William 1874, Ellen 1875, Patrick 1878, and Catherine 1881 were the only siblings of Sean that I could find.
Unfortunately, the ages listed in the census for Sean Hurley's parents slide around. Hurley is all over the place, but Walsh is not quite as common, so I thought I'd try looking for Kate Walsh's family records. Her parents may have been William Walsh and Kate Donovan of Maulatrahane. The children I found were John 1835, Patrick 1837, William 1838, Mary 1839, Thomas 1841, Garrett 1844 (I have seen this name in conjunction with Walsh frequently), James 1846, Catherine 1848, and Ellen 1851.
(Note: I have NOT examined all these records.)
Some day when there is ample time I may take a crack at looking for John Hurley.
The other unsung Cork hero whom I yearn to know more was born as Jeremiah, in Coolnagarrane on January 28, 1891 (which I haven't verified), to Michael O'Sullivan and Margaret McCarthy. Gearóid O'Sullivan hoisted the tri-color flag during the Easter Rising and was the Quarter-Master General of the Free State.
I have the marriage record of the parents. Michael and Margaret were married January 6, 1883 in Skibbereen. Michael O'Sullivan was from Lough Hyne; his father Daniel was deceased. Margaret was from Coolnagarrane, and her father Owen McCarthy was also deceased.
According to online sources Margaret was born in Coolnagarrane. I don't know if that is factually correct; the marriage record stating a residence is not proof that one was born in the same place. Michael went to Coolnagarrane to the McCarthy holding. My Hurley ancestors were from Coolnagarrane, and they may have had McCarthy ancestors, which is why this O'Sullivan family is dear to my heart.
I took a look at the census records. The O'Sullivans were indeed ardent nationalists; their 1911 census return is filled out in Irish. Notice that Gearóid is not listed; he was likely away occupied with his studies. The record says Margaret was 54, which would place her birth year at about 1857.
The 1901 census lists Margaret as 40. That would put her year of birth around 1861.
I have been unable to verify I have identified the correct Margaret McCarthy. After trawling through the online church records, looking for Margarets with fathers named Owen (or Eugene, an alternate name), I came up with at least two families, maybe more.
The family of a Eugene McCarthy and Mary Walsh as far as I can tell lived in Skibbereen. Some of the records for the children list Mill Road, which doesn't particularly bother me, as that is of close proximity to Coolnagarrane. The marriage, if I managed to grab the correct one, was in Skibbereen & Rath, January 28, 1845, and included a Richard Walsh as witness. The children were Catherine 1845, Honora 1847 (Norry McCarthy as sponsor), Helena 1849 (Pat Hurley and Mary Walsh as sponsors), Eugene 1851 (Thomas Walsh sponsor), Timothy 1855 (Mary Hurley sponsor), Mary of Mill Road 1857(Richard Walsh sponsor), Bridget Ann of Mill Street 1860 (Mary Walsh sponsor), Margaret 1862 (Mary Hurley sponsor), and James (Honora Walsh sponsor).
The other Margaret I found was baptized September 4, 1857, the daughter of Eugene McCarthy and Mary Carthy. The residence listed is Russagh, well on the south side of Skibbereen. Jerry Carthy was a sponsor. There are records for an Owen (Mc)Carthy and a Mary (Mc)Carthy going back to 1838, and I am uncertain if they are for the same or for different families. Joanna 1838, Eugene 1842, Timothy 1844, John 1848, Owen 1850, John of North Street 1853, Margaret of Russagh (south of Skibbereen) 1857.
(Note: I have NOT examined all these records.)
So I am a bit stuck there. I have no further information other than a funeral notice for Margaret McCarthy O'Sullivan from the Southern Star, 20-May-1944.
I am fairly certain one of the descendants of Margaret McCarthy and Michael O'Sullivan, another Michael O'Sullivan, was my Grandmother's doctor.
A lady by the name of Joni Scanlon is a descendant, and has been writing a much-needed book on Gearóid O'Sullivan. I am impatiently waiting for it.
Update: For information on General Michael Collins please do not post a question or email me since I have no information other than what is publicly known. Use Google and/or search the Cork genealogy forums.
Today I thought I'd post about two individuals geographically closer to my mother's ancestral origins, and therefore somewhat dearer to me as I practically consider them neighbors.
Sean Hurley
Since I have two Hurley lines and know absolutely nothing about one and only a little about the other, Sean Hurley sparked my curiosity. According to the Southern Star, Sean Hurley, born July 3, 1887, in Maulagow, Leap, was the only Corkman who died in or was executed for his participation in the 1916 Easter Rising. In literature about Michael Collins you'll see Sean's name. Sean's sister Kate was Michael's sister-in-law; she was the first wife of Michael's oldest brother Johnny Collins. However, Sean and Michael were friends before that.
Some literature says that Sean Hurley was Michael's cousin. Other than this well-documented relationship by marriage I have not seen anything specifying this blood relationship.
Sean's father was John Daniel Hurley, whom the Southern Star says was "of Ballinacarriga stock." Well, that doesn't really tell me much because Hurleys in southwest Cork pretty much all originated from Ballinacarriga, the Hurley seat. From my still meager understanding of Hurley history, apparently there was territory divided up between Hurleys and McCarthys in the Drinagh area way back when.
Working backwards, I found the family in the censuses. Maulagow is in the Drinagh District Electoral Division. In the 1911 census I found 69 year old John, 63 year old Kate, and 32 year old son Patrick. John and Kate were married 40 years.
The 1901 census lists John at 50, Kate at 45, Pat 21, John (that would be Sean) 14, Kattie 18, and Mollie 16.
I then looked for the marriage. John Daniel Hurley married Catherine Walsh of Maulatrahane 13-Feb-1872, in the R.C. Parish of Kilmacabea. However, as far as I can tell, the children were baptized in Drimoleague & Drinagh R.C. Parish:
Daniel 1872, William 1874, Ellen 1875, Patrick 1878, and Catherine 1881 were the only siblings of Sean that I could find.
Unfortunately, the ages listed in the census for Sean Hurley's parents slide around. Hurley is all over the place, but Walsh is not quite as common, so I thought I'd try looking for Kate Walsh's family records. Her parents may have been William Walsh and Kate Donovan of Maulatrahane. The children I found were John 1835, Patrick 1837, William 1838, Mary 1839, Thomas 1841, Garrett 1844 (I have seen this name in conjunction with Walsh frequently), James 1846, Catherine 1848, and Ellen 1851.
(Note: I have NOT examined all these records.)
Some day when there is ample time I may take a crack at looking for John Hurley.
Gearóid O'Sullivan
The other unsung Cork hero whom I yearn to know more was born as Jeremiah, in Coolnagarrane on January 28, 1891 (which I haven't verified), to Michael O'Sullivan and Margaret McCarthy. Gearóid O'Sullivan hoisted the tri-color flag during the Easter Rising and was the Quarter-Master General of the Free State.
I have the marriage record of the parents. Michael and Margaret were married January 6, 1883 in Skibbereen. Michael O'Sullivan was from Lough Hyne; his father Daniel was deceased. Margaret was from Coolnagarrane, and her father Owen McCarthy was also deceased.
According to online sources Margaret was born in Coolnagarrane. I don't know if that is factually correct; the marriage record stating a residence is not proof that one was born in the same place. Michael went to Coolnagarrane to the McCarthy holding. My Hurley ancestors were from Coolnagarrane, and they may have had McCarthy ancestors, which is why this O'Sullivan family is dear to my heart.
I took a look at the census records. The O'Sullivans were indeed ardent nationalists; their 1911 census return is filled out in Irish. Notice that Gearóid is not listed; he was likely away occupied with his studies. The record says Margaret was 54, which would place her birth year at about 1857.
The 1901 census lists Margaret as 40. That would put her year of birth around 1861.
I have been unable to verify I have identified the correct Margaret McCarthy. After trawling through the online church records, looking for Margarets with fathers named Owen (or Eugene, an alternate name), I came up with at least two families, maybe more.
The family of a Eugene McCarthy and Mary Walsh as far as I can tell lived in Skibbereen. Some of the records for the children list Mill Road, which doesn't particularly bother me, as that is of close proximity to Coolnagarrane. The marriage, if I managed to grab the correct one, was in Skibbereen & Rath, January 28, 1845, and included a Richard Walsh as witness. The children were Catherine 1845, Honora 1847 (Norry McCarthy as sponsor), Helena 1849 (Pat Hurley and Mary Walsh as sponsors), Eugene 1851 (Thomas Walsh sponsor), Timothy 1855 (Mary Hurley sponsor), Mary of Mill Road 1857(Richard Walsh sponsor), Bridget Ann of Mill Street 1860 (Mary Walsh sponsor), Margaret 1862 (Mary Hurley sponsor), and James (Honora Walsh sponsor).
The other Margaret I found was baptized September 4, 1857, the daughter of Eugene McCarthy and Mary Carthy. The residence listed is Russagh, well on the south side of Skibbereen. Jerry Carthy was a sponsor. There are records for an Owen (Mc)Carthy and a Mary (Mc)Carthy going back to 1838, and I am uncertain if they are for the same or for different families. Joanna 1838, Eugene 1842, Timothy 1844, John 1848, Owen 1850, John of North Street 1853, Margaret of Russagh (south of Skibbereen) 1857.
(Note: I have NOT examined all these records.)
So I am a bit stuck there. I have no further information other than a funeral notice for Margaret McCarthy O'Sullivan from the Southern Star, 20-May-1944.
I am fairly certain one of the descendants of Margaret McCarthy and Michael O'Sullivan, another Michael O'Sullivan, was my Grandmother's doctor.
A lady by the name of Joni Scanlon is a descendant, and has been writing a much-needed book on Gearóid O'Sullivan. I am impatiently waiting for it.
Update: For information on General Michael Collins please do not post a question or email me since I have no information other than what is publicly known. Use Google and/or search the Cork genealogy forums.
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