cantwell family

Hello

I have passed this information on to some Cantwell families in Rahan and will get back to you with further information.

Geraldine

Brendan Cantwell owns a field in Killeranny Rahan that has the remains of a house which he calls McCabes house.

Also McCabes were Tailors in Tullamore up until the 60s or 70s. Their sign was still up on the front of their premises until a year ago. Not sure if its still there. (Opposite the Sound Shop)

Could this be of any help

Geraldine

Parish Records - 13th April 1839

Marriage: William Cantwell and Rose McCabe.  Witnesses John and Ann Cantwell

Marriage File attached.  Hope this might be helpful and I will get back to you with more informations from the Cantwells in Rahan.

Geraldine

Hello Geraldine

Firstly my apologies for the delay in replying, I only found your messages last night.

I was thrilled to hear from you and very interested in the information that you had for me. Its great to know there are still Cantwells living in Rahan. I was most interested to know about the McCabes as i had no knowledge of them at all.

I need to study a map to know were these places are and also to do some further research now.

If its alright with you i will be in touch again if there is anything i need to ask you.

In the meantime many thanks, i am so happy that i stumbled upon your site.

Regards, Shelagh

There are lots of Cantwells in Rahan - so anytime you need to be put in contact with any of them just let me know.  Hope you were able to open the Marriage record of McCabe and Cantwell.  The next time I am in Rahan I will see if there are any of the walls of the house standing and if so will send on a photo to you.  

Just one quick question - was Williams parents from Offaly - what were their names?

Attached is a piece about Bishop Cantwell which someone sent on to me.  

Just one other question - was Rose's father Peter of John by any chance

Hello and many thanks for your recent messages. I was able to view the marriage record of William and Rose thank you, this really is the only connection that i have to Rahan about them, but i imagine they must have lived there in order to marry there.

The 1861 Cencus says that william was born in Ireland, Kildare. And Rose Ireland, Kings county.

The 1871 cencus says Kings, Ireland for them both.

I do not know anything at all about their parents or even who they where. I have found referances to other Cantwells in the area at that time on Ancestry.co.uk where i do my research but cant be sure they are relatives. I have found nothing at all about the McCabes

The item about Bishop Cantwell is very interesting. could he belong to my family? Where Bishops allowed to marry and have children?

I wonder if you know where Barrack Street is that William had his Tailors buisness?

Thank you for your offer to put me in touch with some Cantwells, and for your offer to photograph the remains of the McCabe house. i would be thrilled to recieve that, thank you so much.

Regards Shelagh

This is the record of the Griffity Valuations of Offaly carried out between 1847 and 1864.  It was to record every landowner in Ireland.

As you can see the McCabes were in Rahan in Killaranny for the Valuation (carried out in Rahan 1854)  

Occupier Surname  Occupier Forename  County Parish  

MCCABE THOMASKing's County (Offaly)RAHAN
  
MCCABE PETERKing's County (Offaly)RAHAN
  
MCCABE PETERKing's County (Offaly)RAHAN
  
MCCABE JOHNKing's County (Offaly)RAHAN
  

Thank you, I expect there is a connection between these McCabes and Rose,I wonder what it is. I will try and find out.

Hello Shelagh

Just wondering if you got any more information abot the McCabes/Cantwells or how are you getting on with your research

Geradine

HI Geraldine. Thank you for your message. I am afraid i am no further on with my research. But i have recently renewed my subscription to Ancestry, and they have added some new information to their site. So when i have some time i will try again, and will let you know if i have any luck . Regards Shelagh

Hi, my Grandfather was John Cantwell from Killranny Rahan. 

Along with my brother Peter we visited Kilfane church in Kilkenny yesterday to see the Cantwell Fada - the effigy of Thomas Cantwell a Norman knight crusader and forbear. The statue is over 2.0m and reputedly in some chronicles it states Thomas was a big man. Interestingly the Cantwells Are typically tall. myself and my 2 brothers stand well over 6ft. The family originated from England where they had travelled from France in support for William of Normandy in the invasion and war of 1066 to claim the crown of England. 

Further adventures occurred in the feudal war and Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12 century. It appears that our family line was dispossessed of our lands under the Cromwellian intervention in Kilkenny/Tipperary circa 1653. I believe that there is a direct link between the Cantwells of Kilkenny and Tipperary and Rahan.

Regards, John Cantwell.

Hi Shelagh, I have done considerable research on the Offaly Cantwells, being descended from one of Bishop John Cantwell's brothers, Peter.  I still do not have a complete/accurate record for earlier generations, (anyone with suggestions, they will be greatly appreciated).  I have seen mention of your William and will attach a form which states that Rose's father was Peter McCabe.  Best I can make of this form, William's daughter, Catherine was applying for something in 1916 and they took an abstract from the 1851 census.  The form asked for parents and then noted was "Peter McCabe, grandfather".  This is my first time on this site, so I hope I am able to attach the images.  If not let me know and I'll try again.  Elaine

Hi Elaine firstly thank you for taking the trouble to message me and sorry for the delay in replying. I did receive the attachments thanks they were very interesting as i know nothing of the McCabe family and not much more about Williams ancestors. You may be able to help me on that score and any info would be very gratefully received. Are you a decendant living in Ireland? I look forward to hearing from you again with any snippet you can offer me as i have hit a brick wall. Shelagh

HI John Cantwell, I was very interested to read your post on Thomas Cantwell the Norman Knight. My great grandfather also a John Cantwell was born in Kildare in 1842. His parents William Cantwell born in 1818 and Rose McCabe were married in Rahan in 1839. The family moved to Liverpool in 1846 I wonder if we share the same ancestors . Would be very interested to hear from you again with any information you can offer me. Regards Shelagh

Hi Shelagh, sorry for the tardiness of my reply- been busy!

Looking at the previous reply, Brendan is my cousin residing in Rahan Co. Offally. That's where my grandfather originated. I'm sure there is a connection between your relative and our family. From my understanding, The Cantwell's arrived in Rahan after being turned out of lands in Kilkenny ultimately following defeat of king James and in turn the plantation of English settlers. So my estimation is from around the late 17th early 18th century.

For certain the Cantwell's were Norman (French) originally from Conteville in Normandy. It would seem they were warriors and minor nobility responding to the call of William of Normandy in his ambitions to seize the crown of England originally promised by his cousin Harold. They settled in Suffolk England and thence to Ireland during the Hibernian invasion in the early 12th Century. The rest as they say is history! 

Hello all

Geraldine here, I was just wondering if anyone got any further with the research on the Cantwell family.

Also has anyone done their DNA as there is an Offaly DNA group on Facebook you might find some matches on there.

Thanks

Geraldine

Geraldine Buckley Smith I might need your help I'm tracing my cantwell side, I'll explain my great grandmother was mary cantwell and married john Kelly derrycooley and their son Patrick Kelly was my grandfather but im trying to figure the location of were my grandmother resided growing up it's says Tully on her marriage cert but yet the census says aghaclusky. Just thinking of driving out to rahan and having a look at different houses they lived in
I'm only out the road in ferbane

Hello my name is Murray Finnerty from Alberta,Canada. My 3rd grt grandfather was Patrick Finnerty born 1785 Derrynangh (I think). He married Bridget Carroll & emigrated to Ontario in 1834. His brother Peter Finnerty 1793 married to Judith Cantrwell 1795-62 whose grave we observed in Ancient Rahan Churchyard during a visit to Rahan in 2009. Judith's mother was Joanna Kelly whose mother was an unk Finnerty. I have DNA matches to Peter/Judith & would appreciate any relevant information on that family & Finnerty's in the area. Thankyou Murray

Hello User 151798

Ok if you are travelling to Rahan from Ferbane through Pullough you will come to Derrycooley just after Pullough cross.  If you continue on up to Rahan about 4 miles you will come to the Primary School, proceed to Rahan Bridge, turn left for Tullamore, cross bridge and immediately turn left for Clara.  Proceed about 2 miles - you will pass the Jesuit college on your left, keep going, few bad bends then there will be a turn to the right, opposite an older 2 story house.  Up that road is Tully.  Now which Cantwells Mary came from I dont know but if you ask anyone they might be able to help.  There are a lot of Cantwells in this area, 

As you probably wont be out driving for a while (until after 'lockdown'), I will try to draw a map for you if this is of any help.

Geraldine

Hi Shelagh, I've been looking through Ancestry.com and found that I'm a direct descendent of the William Cantwell you're talking of. He's my 3rd Great Grandfather, and then his son Joseph who was born in Liverpool in 1863 was my 2nd Great Grandfather. Hello cousin!

Hello Murray

Sorry was not finished that post.

Hello Murray

replying to your message above - have you a gedmatch kit number, also have you joined Offaly DNA and Genealogy group on Facebook

Geraldine

Hello my name is Murray Finnerty from Alberta,Canada. My 3rd grt grandfather was Patrick Finnerty born 1785 Derrynangh (I think). He married Bridget Carroll & emigrated to Ontario in 1834. His brother Peter Finnerty 1793 married to Judith Cantrwell 1795-62 whose grave we observed in Ancient Rahan Churchyard during a visit to Rahan in 2009. Judith's mother was Joanna Kelly whose mother was an unk Finnerty. I have DNA matches to Peter/Judith & would appreciate any relevant information on that family & Finnerty's in the area. Thankyou Murray

Hi Geraldine,

Do you have any more information about the McCabe tailors? My great great grandfather was Joseph McCabe (born about 1861) who was a tailor from Tullamore and moved to Chicago.

Kyla Burke

Hi all,

I have hit the Cantwell brick wall as well.  My ggg grandfather was Patrick Cantwell, b. abt. 1820.  He married Mary Grogan in Ireland. The story is that she left to America with the children in the late 1840’s.  Their son, John Henry Cantwell was born in 1844 supposedly in Rahan.  He died in Kenosha, WI in 1912.  I can’t find any records on Patrick and Mary, or birth records for John Henry or his sibling Mary.