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John Dwyer 1802 - 1868

John Dwyer, my GG grandfather, I believe was born in or around Donaskeigh, Tipperary, but he has ties to Fermoy, before emigrating to Boston, Massachusetts in the early 1830s.  John Dwyer had a large family, and there are MANY descendants, lots who have taken DNA tests.  Because of many shared matches with other Dwyers, and one record, we have proof that John spent some time in Fermoy.  In fact, it seems that he had a first wife, Mary McCarty, with whom he had a daughter, Hanora, born  14 Dec 1828 in Fermoy.  The record said she was born in Cowhouse, Fermoy. Would there have been a nickname for such a place near Fermoy, or might have she been born in a stable for cows?  There are many Dwyers from Fermoy who emigrated to Lynn, Massachusetts, who my family shares DNA matches with.  Roger Dwyer, it now has become clear, is John's brother.  Is there any information about 19th century Dwyers from Fermoy?  I am thinking that John (and perhaps his father William) may have left Tipperary during the Dundrum Evictions, and landed in Fermoy before many Dwyer relatives emigrated to the U.S.  Roger Dwyer, and Hanora Dwyer, arrived during the Great Famine.  Thanks for any help anyone can offer!

Maureen Mc

Monday 25th November 2019, 02:28AM
Ireland XO Community
Fermoy (Cork)

Message Board Replies

  • Hi Maureen,

    Not much information yet but in answer to your question about Cowhouse, attached find map of Fermoy area showing Cowhouse almost directly below the name FERMOY on the map. I will have a look at any information I can find about Mary McCarthy but dont hold out much hope  of  much more than you have as I dont think local records go back much further than her possible marriage to John. Using your words as to her possible birth place as maybe being in a stable, I dont think her records would have been as well kept as others born in a stable at this time of year. 

    Frank Fahy

    Abbeystrowry Cork

    Monday 25th November 2019, 10:44AM

    Attached Files

    Cowhouse.jpg

  • Hi Frank,

    Thank you so much for this information!  I so appreciate the map showing Cowhouse.  I thought perhaps that Cowhouse was a sort of stable for cows.  I asked on some other forum about Cowhouse, and no one seemed to think it existed. I didn't find it on google maps either. Do you know the year of your map, more or less?  As for the McCarthys: There is a a John McCarty, born about 1830 in Fermoy, living with a Dwyer relative in Massachusetts in 1850.  This might be a relation to Mary McCarty/McCarthy, who would be my John Dwyer's first wife.  Perhaps a nephew?   As for the Dwyers: Roger Dwyer, born 1825, in Ireland, lived in Fermoy before emigrating to Massachusetts in about 1848.  (Probably he was born in Fermoy.  I see that baptimsal records go back to 1828, so we wouldn't be able to find Roger's baptism.)  He is our John Dwyer's brother.  Also, we relate through Y-DNA and autosomal to a Dwyer fellow who has William John Dwyer, born 15 May 1814, County Cork, married 12 June 1842 in Fermoy, and supposedly died in Ireland.  From the written record I don't know how we match, but it is quite close according to the DNA.  This William John could be another brother to our John.  Or perhaps a frist cousin.  Hanora Dwyer, John's daughter (we believe she is his daughter from his marriage to Mary McCarthy.  Mary must have died before he emigrated to Boston) does show up in the baptismal records in Fermoy on 14 Dec 1828.  Thank you so much for your help!!  It feels like we are very close to making a breakthrough on my Dwyer family in Ireland.  Maureen McCarty (no relation to this Mary McCarty that I mention above!)

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Maureen Mc

    Monday 25th November 2019, 03:02PM

  • Sorry Maureen for delay in answering you but I have only just returned from a few days break and will try to find time to do some research over the next few days.

    Frank Fahy

    Abbeystrowry Cork

    Thursday 28th November 2019, 01:00PM

  •  HI Frank, Thanks for your message.  No rush.  I know this is a long term project.  I do have another question.  I see that John McCarty, born 1830, Fermoy, should show up in the baptismal records.  (He is not a relation to my Dwyers, but perhaps would lead us to learn more about Mary McCarthy Dwyer, who seems to be my GG grandfather, John Dwyer's first wife.)  Is there an index of Fermoy baptisms, or does one need to scan through all the baptisms for 1830 and years around that?  I keep adding the questions on for you.  My apologies for that.  I hope you had a good break, and whenever you have a chance to respond, it will be welcomed!  Best regards, Maureen

     

    Maureen Mc

    Friday 29th November 2019, 01:33AM

  • Hi Maureen, it probably would be quicker to check the information myself and if I find anything, I will get back to you with the info. No worry about adding the questions for me, it's finding the answers is the trouble but also the pleasure.
    Will get back to you soon with or without the answers.
    Frank

    Abbeystrowry Cork

    Friday 29th November 2019, 04:15PM

  • Maureen,

    I think you must have it already but if you have not, attached find Baptismal entry for Honora of Cowhouse Fermoy., It is the 24th entry on left side of left page.

    Not having much success in finding any further entries regarding John Dwyer or Mary McCarthy in the Fermoy area. Can find no record of marriage for them in the Diocese of Cloyne or Parish of Fermoy in ten years before the birth of Honora or years following and the possibility/probability  is that there was no marriage.

    I will ciontinue to look bu it does indeed seem to be a dead end.

    Frank Fahy

    Abbeystrowry Cork

    Friday 29th November 2019, 08:08PM

    Attached Files

    Honora Dwyer 1828.jpg

  • Hi Frank, Thanks for all your work on this!  I do believe my John Dwyer was born in the Dundrum area of Tipperary, and then moved to Fermoy.  There were a lot of evictions around the 1820s and 1830s in this part of Tipperary.  I am thinking it is possible the Dwyers moved to Fermoy, Cork after they were evicted, one by one.  Certainly a sizeable number of Dwyers left Fermoy for Massachusetts, especially during the Famine.  My guess is that Mary McCarthy died sometime after Hanora was born.  Obviously, since you have looked, there are no other children listed for John Dwyer and Mary McCarthy.  The map you found and attached: do you have a date on when that was drawn?  I haven't found Cowhouse on any other map of Fermoy.  Thank you for finding that! Best regards, Maureen

    Maureen Mc

    Saturday 30th November 2019, 08:09PM
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