Catherine (Kitty) O'Conor, Mother of Andrew Myles McDermot

Welcome to the IrelandXO Roscommon Community!

As your questions are rather particular (and pre-19th century) the Roscommon Historical and Archaelogical Society would probably be your best bet for tracking down detailed information on this historical family. 

The County Roscommon Heritage and Genealogy Centre in Strokestown would also be able to advise on recommended tour guides / car hire when planning your visit. (Public transport is limited and won't facilitate your needs I imagine). ​

Here you can also find a list of sites/buildings that belonged to the O'Connor Don as well as archival and printed sources which you may wish to peruse at the National Library of Ireland / National Archives should you be arriving via Dublin. 

Also Bellanagare Castle and Coolavin.

Certainly, any visit to County Roscommon should take in the Strokestown Famine Museum. You might also like to check out some other generally interesting Roscommon destinations here in our Local Guide. ​

I visited Bellanagare last September searching for my Gormley and Costello ancestors.  I walked three cemeteries (finding one grave from 1777).  The genealogist at the County Roscommon Heritage and Genealogy Centre was not there when I visited so you may wish to enquire before your visit if you plan to go there.  I had also hoped to visit the library in Roscommon but that was also closed when I stopped.  The National Library in Dublin has newspapers from Roscommon if you have time to visit.  We did get to the Strokestown Famine Museum, which was very worthwhile.  I couldn't find anyone in Bellanagare itself who could tell me much about local history but perhaps you will have better luck. For what it's worth, in Griffith's Valuation Thomas Gormley (possibly my ancestor) leased property from Charles Owen O'Conor.  Enjoy your visit.

Hello Rua and H. Shimek: 

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply to my message!

If I was going to have access to a car, I would definitely visit the Heritage and Genealogy Centre in Strokestown.  However, since we will only be staying in the Ballintober and Castlerea areas, we will make the best of the few buses available, taxis, and perhaps a private guide.  We can walk to Ballintober Castle from where we are staying, and I am also interested in seeing the old graveyard there and the O'Conor tombs.  Apparently, a new book, BALLINTOBER OLD GRAVEYARD AND THE GRAVE MEMORIALS OF CO. ROSCOMMON - MARY B. TIMONEY, is available at the Rathcroghan Visitor Centre, and so I hope to visit Tulsk via taxi.  A bus is available from Ballintober to Roscommon, so also we hope to visit the Castle, Abbey, Museum and Library there.  The day we move from Ballintober to Clonalis House in Castlerea is the day I hope to be able to hire a private guide to transport us as far north as Boyle and then Monasteraden (to see Coolavin House), Lough Key Forest Park (MacDermott Castle), before moving east and, if possible, driving through the towns of Ballyfarnan and Keadue before heading south to Bellanagare.  I hope to walk through Kilcorkey Graveyard near Bellanagare, as I am assuming it is most likely that Catherine (Kitty) O'Conor is buried there.

We will be in Dublin for two days before our time in the Ballintober/Castlerea area and then for a day before leaving Ireland.  I plan to track down a few references at the NLI, including the "MacDermot of Coolavin Papers" and the following article: "Charles O'Conor of Belanagare: Antiquary and Irish Scholar" by Diarmaid Ó Catháin in The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 136-163, 1989.  There are a number of other O'Conor-related and McDermot-related books I will looking for in bookstores in Dublin.

I know all of the above sounds VERY ambitious, but I'll see what we can accomplish while still enjoying a Guinness or two along the way!

Thanks once again for "reaching out" to me ... and feel free to keep the conversation going!!

GVWK

Kilcorkey cemetery inscriptions and photos are on findagrave.com.  https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2505904/kilcorkey-graveyard

I will try to post some photos.

Hello H. Shimek:

Thanks for the photos!  I’m glad to see there is signage in Bellanagare showing the way to the Kilcorkey Cemetery.  And the photo of cemetery itself illustrates that it will be a challenge to read the tombstones, that’s for sure.  I’m pretty sure that’s where Catherine (Kitty) O’Conor would have been buried ... if not in Ballintober with her father, Charles.  Even if we don’t locate her burial place, it will be interesting to engage in the search at these historic locations!!

GVWK 

Hi GVWK,

Did you get any answers? Just letting you know an Owen O'Conor has been added to Kilcorkey find-a-grave.
Regards Rach

Bán....... means white.

Often there were people with the same names, and even their Dad's or grandfather's had the same name. Thus, using the color of one's father's or grandfather's hair or some other feature tells others what section of the family you are from. I was told that I am from the "white Tom's" meaning one of my ancestors had very blond or white hair, or very white skin, etc. Anyway, I think your "Kitty Bhan" might have something to do with her heritage, not just her skin color.

I think a visit to the Roscommontown library is a must. I found sooo much there. They have records of the time that clans were kicked out of Wicklow, Kilkenny, Laois, etc., and sent to Connaught. 

Good luck,

MaryKathryn

Also, the O'Conor's don still live in Roscommon. I visited their home in Clonalis?  Perhaps you could speak with one of them. All they can say is no.

Also, the O'Conor's don still live in Roscommon. I visited their home in Clonalis?  Perhaps you could speak with one of them. All they can say is no.

Also, the O'Conor's don still live in Roscommon. I visited their home in Clonalis?  Perhaps you could speak with one of them. All they can say is no.

Also, the O'Conor's don still live in Roscommon. I visited their home in Clonalis?  Perhaps you could speak with one of them. All they can say is no.

Also, the O'Conor's don still live in Roscommon. I visited their home in Clonalis?  Perhaps you could speak with one of them. All they can say is no.

Also, the O'Conor's don still live in Roscommon. I visited their home in Clonalis?  Perhaps you could speak with one of them. All they can say is no.