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I wonder if there is anyone in the proximity of Castlehaven, who might have local knowledge and contacts, who would have a look at my people and do some asking about?

I have tried the Skibereen Historical Society.

My John Driscoll (b about 1834) and wife Catherine O'Neill (b about 1835) were in the wee mill area of Rineen and were part of the Union Hall RC parish.  First child Thomas (1855) was most likely born in Kinsale where John seemed to be in the W.Cork Militia, but all the rest, Mary, James, Catherine, Johanna and Ellen were born in Rineen before they left for London docks about 1865.

Confusingly there is another couple of the same name in the same parish but their children were born later.

I am stuck - very stuck!

There were other Driscoll's and O'Neills in Rineen at the time, some recorded as in Forenaught, or Carigtishane, or Killangle.  There is a local reference to Blackstaff Driscolls.  I know there is also a Donovan link and a Jeremiah Donovan as a sponsor for a child.  Thomas is an important family name also.  Someone must know which family John was from.  Some would have gone to the States. Unfortuantely most of John and Kate's children died of TB in St Olave's, London, and there are not too many descendants, and no-one who knows of other family.

 

I would really appreciate anyone with a genealogical interest casting their eye over my people.

I shall be visiting in June 2014 from New Zealand.

 

Kerry Driscoll

 

kezdriscoll

Sunday 19th Jan 2014, 11:26AM

Message Board Replies

  • Hi Kerry,

    Thanks for your message. Sorry getting your name wrong on my response to you on the Peterswell page-I read your sign off wrong!

    I have forwarded your message to someone in the Castlehaven area. Hopefully they will get back to you and be able to offer some assistance!

    All the best,

    Emma

    Genealogy Support

     

    Emma Carty

    Saturday 1st Mar 2014, 03:49PM
  • Kerri, 

     I notice you mention Blackstaff. The Blackstaffs were an O' Donovan sept some of whom are buried within the church in Myross Graveyard, Sometime the names of sponsors can lead you astray from my experience. I have just completed a family tree for the Burns family and some of those were married to O' Donovan Buidhes,  Deargs, and Greanys. 

    The cancelled books in the Valuatuion office in Dublin might be of some assistance in finding out exactly which house John O'Driscoll lived in while in Rineeen. It is possible to trace the families who lived in a particular house back to 1851. Thier office is situated in Abbey Street off O'Connell Street in the centre of Dublin anf staff appear very helpful. Did the O Driscolls have any sept names like the O Donovans?

    Denis

    Denisj

    Monday 19th May 2014, 08:52PM
  • Hello Denis

    Thanks for your response.  There was a house recorded as a small two roomed drystone walled cottage belonging to John Driscoll in Forenaght in the 1851 books, but it does not match with the Griffiths Valuation.  It may have been on the boundary of Forenaght and Carrigtishane? It is described as being in good repair.  Plot 18C?

    In 1901 and 80 year old Mary Driscoll is in one house at Forenaght, and in another is Jeremiah and Bridget Driscoll.  I am wondering if Jeremiah is John's younger brother.  Two of his children (at least) were working at Rineen mill (John and Ellen?) up until the 1940's and are buried in Clonakilty's famine graveyard in unmarked graves.

     

    The other name that is definite is that of O'Neill (or Neal/Neale) who also seem to be from that Forenaght area, but records include them as being 'from Rinneen' in baptisms -( could this be because they worked at the mill?).   John Driscoll was married to Kate O'Neill around 1855.

    The baptism's include Donovan, Byrnes, Driscoll's, Murphy and O'Neills as sponsors.  The eldest, Thomas, born 1855, was baptised in Kinsale, but all others were in Rineen, Union Hall, Castlehaven and Myross records.

    I have an awful lot of Hayes dna matches and wonder if John Driscoll (born about 1835) could have had a mother called (Mary?) Hayes?

    I am staying in Baltimore from the 25th June until the 4th July and would like to find any descendants of these families, if at all possible.  

    Thanks for any help you can offer.

     

    kind regards

    Kerry Driscoll (NZ)

    kezdriscoll

    Tuesday 20th May 2014, 12:37AM
  • Keery, 

    Rineen is partly situated in the townlands of Forenaght and Carrigtishane. Those who recordered deaths sometimes used the name of the village, in this case Rineen, rather than the townland when recording sothat explains the mix up. 

    I had no luck with the O'Driscolls. They were so numerous in West Cork that one would need the clan name to be able to find any definite information on them. 

    O' Neills were an old Forenaght family and are to be found in Griffiths,and in the 1901/1911 census. I found a death record for a Florence O' Neill of Forenacht who died on the 20/02/1954 and was buried in Castlehaven on the the 22/02/1954. 

    At the forked junction in the centre of Rinneen stand  deatached house on the left as you travel from Skibbereen in which lived a Dan O' Neill who died sometime in the past 30 years. That house is now being renoveated. 

    My Mother was a member of the Burns clan of Myross as opposed to Castlehaven and recently in Dubline I found a four page written account of the Genaealogy of the family going back to the end of the 17th century. There is no evidence of them being connected to the O Driscolls or O' Neills. The members of the Burns family named as sponsors would seem to have come from the Castlehaven side of the family and so far I have been unable to make any connection between both sides. 

    I wish you wel with your research and I wwill keep digging here and hope that something no matter how small will turn up. 

    Dnis

    Denisj

    Saturday 31st May 2014, 07:15AM
  • Keery, 

    Rineen is partly situated in the townlands of Forenaght and Carrigtishane. Those who recordered deaths sometimes used the name of the village, in this case Rineen, rather than the townland when recording sothat explains the mix up. 

    I had no luck with the O'Driscolls. They were so numerous in West Cork that one would need the clan name to be able to find any definite information on them. 

    O' Neills were an old Forenaght family and are to be found in Griffiths,and in the 1901/1911 census. I found a death record for a Florence O' Neill of Forenacht who died on the 20/02/1954 and was buried in Castlehaven on the the 22/02/1954. 

    At the forked junction in the centre of Rinneen stand  deatached house on the left as you travel from Skibbereen in which lived a Dan O' Neill who died sometime in the past 30 years. That house is now being renoveated. 

    My Mother was a member of the Burns clan of Myross as opposed to Castlehaven and recently in Dubline I found a four page written account of the Genaealogy of the family going back to the end of the 17th century. There is no evidence of them being connected to the O Driscolls or O' Neills. The members of the Burns family named as sponsors would seem to have come from the Castlehaven side of the family and so far I have been unable to make any connection between both sides. 

    I wish you wel with your research and I wwill keep digging here and hope that something no matter how small will turn up. 

    Dnis

    Denisj

    Saturday 31st May 2014, 07:16AM

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