Jeremiah Driscoll or O'Driscoll : Short Biography

   Jeremiah Driscoll was born on 23rd December 1835, near Lough Hyne, (near Baltimore in County Cork) at a place I think was called, Ardagh (South). There were three Driscoll families listed in the Griffith's Valuation, which I think we are connected to. Jeremiah's parents were Timothy Driscoll and Mary (Driscoll) Driscoll. Timothy was believed to have farmed at Ardagh and then at Poundlick townland on the outskirts of Skibbereen town. Jeremiah's elder brother was Patrick Driscoll who was born in 1834. The family had an adherence to the Irish Naming system, which infers that young Patrick was named after his grandfather, Patrick Driscoll, maybe of Ardagh. Young Patrick must have died early in life. It means Jeremiah was then the oldest in the family. 

   Timothy Driscoll was born around 1799 in Ardagh and died in 1881 in Ardagh. After his death his wife Mary and some of the children then lived in the town of Skibbereen. The family lived in Chapel Lane, near to the Police complex at the bottom of the hill, close to High Street and the CBD of Skibbereen. There were three in the household, Mary, the mother, Catherine her spinster daughter and Patrick a bachelor, the youngest in the family, who worked at a mill in Skibbereen. All three died at this address. Other siblings, that reached adulthood, were Johannah (1844-1888) and Michael (1852-1906). Patrick was buried in the family grave at Tullagh, near Baltimore. 

   Johannah was enticed to leave Ireland, probably by the advertisements of the Lands Commission, to settle in the Colony of The Swan River, in Western Australia. She left Skibbereen in 1866 and was sponsored to Western Australia, indentured to her new employer, Edmund Ralph Brockman. Johannah was employed as a domestic servant for a two year period. This indentureship was repaid by Johannah from her wages, deducted by her employer. Soon after arriving in Western Australia, she married a Convict, James McClymans, settling on a property at the Boramin Well, between York and Northam.

   In 1868 Jeremiah married Catherine Carey (1840-1918) from the Castlehaven Parish, which adjoins Skibbereen. Catherine's parents were Patrick Carey and Mary Brien. They were farmers and had interests in tailoring. Catherine had at least one brother, Cornelius Carey who was married to Ellen Holland. Later in 1868 Catherine and Jeremiah had their first child. His name was Timothy, named after his grandfather, Jeremiah's father, Timothy Driscoll.

   Michael Driscoll (1852-1906) was a bit of a black sheep in the family. He was sentenced to serve time in the Cork City Jail. It seems that he did not return to Skibbereen, but remained in Cork City. He has a few offences in Cork City. He married Mary Thompson on 04 Nov 1877 at St Finbarr's Church in Cork City and had quite a few childern in that City. Mary Thompson was born in Cork City on 16 October 1857 dying on 15 January 1932. Michael was born in 1852 at Poundlick townland near Skibbereen, dying on 14 November 1906 in Cork City. 

 In 1869, Johannah McClymans contacted .Jeremiah and advised him that life in Western Australia was promising and that her employer, Edmund Brockman was prepared to Sponsor the family to Western Australia. Jeremiah had to decide on remaining in Skibbereen and staying with Daniel McCarthy at his North Street, Brewery or take up the challenge to move to Western Australia. Jeremiah had started to work in the Brewery when he was 14 years years old. Daniel McCarthy had sympaties for the people around Lough Hyne and offered him a job. The Potato Famine was just finishing and the family would have been eternally grateful that there was a (Catholic) employer willing to help a family in these testing times. Jeremiah worked at the Brewery from 1850 to 1869 a period said to be 19 years and 9 months.

   Jeremiah and Catherine decided to leave the Skibbereen Brewery, departing London in April 1869 and arriving in Fremantle on 26th July 1869. The family probably walked the 120 Kilometre trip to "Seabrook" farm and the Boramin Well. Life for the family had dramatically changed. The brewer was now a shepherd. Fences were non-existant and sheep had to be guarded by shepherds. Jeremiah was indentured to Brockman for two years. It seems that he stayed with Brockman for maybe three years at least. In the last year of his Brockman service, he had purchased land at Grass Valley, around 4 Km away. They had a small stone cottage at Boramin. His sister, Johannah and brother-in-law James McClymans also lived at Boramin. The McClymans continued to work at the Boramin and the O'Driscoll's began the task of purchasing land. The land they were developing was virgin bush. It had never been cultivated meaning it was a hard task clearing the property and developing it so that stock could be raised and crops grown.

   Jeremiah and Catherine had 5 children, and farmed at Grass Valley for the rest of their lives. Jeremiah at the age of 75 decided to revisit Skibbereen in 1910. At this point of time he had only 1 brother still alive in County Cork. He was a little dismayed with what he found back in Ireland. The Irish were still subjugated by the British System. He had become accustomed to living as an equal in Australia and the step back into Ireland seemed to have unsettled him somewhat.

   On 10th December 1911 Jeremiah had a Stroke and died soon afterward. Catherine lived until 22 August 1918. Both are buried at York Pioneer Cemetery.