Drishane Graveyard: Burial place of some Millstreet families from the nineteenth Century.
MacCarthy
Sacred to the Memory of
Donough MacCarthy of Drishane Castle Esq
Whose Great Grandfather Dermot MacCarthy
Second Son of Teige Dermot MacCarthy
Built the Castle of Drishane A.D.1450
Donough was Born 1517 and Died the 3rd March
1639 Aged 122 Years.
His Son Dermot MacCarthy of Drishane Castle Esq
Who Forfeted the Family Estate of Drishane 1641
And Died the First of Oct 1725 Aged 106 Years.
Donough MacCarthy Oge of Dunine Esq
Who Dies A.D. 1763 Aged 96 Years and
His Three Sons Justin, Denis of Glyn
And Alex MacCarthy of Knocknagree Esq.
Who died March 1802 Aged 84 years.
Denis MacCarthy of Coolhelagane Esq
Who died A.D. 1825 Aged 80 Years.
Alexander MacCarthy of Cork Esq.
Who Died the 12th of July 1843 Aged 72 Years
His Family Having Rebuilt the Tomb A.D 1844
Erected this Tablet as a Pious Memorial
Of Their Ancestors.
(Reference No: CO-DRSH 0117)
The arms of the MacCarthy Clan were approved about 1556. It is an elaborate creation including symbols such as the helmet and coronet used only for families of power and wealth. The cresent on the shield denotes a second son probably referring to Donough MacCarthy, the second son of Teige Dermot MacCarthy. It was this Donough who built the tower house or castle in approx 1450.
The Motto depicted on the tomb for the MacCarthy Family reads as follows
Forti et Fideli nihil Difficile which means ‘to the strong and faithful nothing is difficult’ (1).
According to The Kerryman Newspaper article published in 1937, Donough MacCarthy in his final will dated 1718 ‘ordered his body to be buried in Drishane Church and a covered tomb to be erected over it. To the Roman Catholic clergy of Cork and Kerry he bequeathed £200, to be divided asFather Donogh MacCarthy saw fit (Father Donogh was Bishop of Cork but this could not be known publicly). He divided his lands and properties among the MacCarthy and O Leary families, but no attempt was made to prove the will, on account of the stringent Penal Laws relating to land ownership by catholics (2).’ Donough’s second wife was Juliann O Leary of Coomlogane.
McCarthy
+
HIS
Here lies the body of Donough Mc
Carthy of Dunine gent who died
The 1st of Xbr 1725 aged 106 ye
rs this tomb was erected by Donough McCarthy Junr gentle
Man for his posterity June the 17th Anno Dom 1726
Repaired by Denis McCarthy
Of Coomlagane A.D 1813.
(Reference NO: CO-DRSH 0128)
Donogh Óg MacCarthy of Dooneen, descendant of Donough MacCarthy of Drishane, married Jane Barret of Barratstown, County Cork. He died in 1793, aged ninety-six. (Probably the Donough who erected the tomb) Another Denis MacCarthy of Glyn (Probably the Denis who repaired the tomb) died in 1825. This Denis, who was widowed married c.1780 for the second time Helen, the only child of The O Leary, who resided at Coomlogane. They had no children, so it was agreed that the younger Denis from the first marriage would inherit the O Leary family fortune on condition that he would add O Leary to the McCarthy surname. Denis MacCarthy O Leary (1774-1829) married Leonora Howley of Rich Hill in County Limerick and in 1805 built Coomlogane House on the site of O Leary ancestral home. From this period onwards all future generations of the family carried the MacCarthy O Leary surname (3).
McCarthy
To the Memory of
Alenander McCarthy of Curragh
Mount Esq
Formerly M.P for the Co. Cork.
Born 1st May 1802 died 2nd
January 1868
Daniel McCarthy of Ballintemple Esqre
Who erected near Cork
The McCarthy memorial
In grateful and affectionate
Rememberance of his brother.
(Reference No: CO-DRSH-0116)
Alexander McCarthy was the son of Alexander McCarthy of Cork and grandson of Alexander McCarthy of Knocknagree who died in 1802 aged 84 years. Therefore Alexander of Currymount was the great grandson of Donough Óg McCarthy of Dooneen. Alexander resided at Currymount, which lies about three miles west of Buttevant. He also owned a town house at 27 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin. The following newspaper extract details the funeral of Alexander and lists the important legal and political dignitaries from Dublin Society who were in attendance.
Funeral of the Late Alexander
M’Carthy, ESQ, J.P.(This Day).
The remains of the late Alexander M’Carthy, Esq. J.P. ex-M.P. for the County of Cork, were removed to-day from Upper Fitzwilliam Street, for internment in the family burying-ground, Drishane Castle, Millstreet, County of Cork. The body was enclosed in a suite of coffins, the external one being of polished oak, with brass mountings. The breastplate bore the following inscription:- ‘’Alexander M’Carthy , died January 2. 1888.’’
The funeral cortege consisted of a hearse drawn by four horses and two mourning coaches, in which were seated the chief mourners and the servants of the deceased and a large number of private carriages. The chief mourners were – Mr James M’Carthy brother of the deceased and Mr. James M’Carthy Morrogh and Captain Morrogh, 9th Lancers his nephews.
Among those who attended were – Sir James Power, Bart, M.P: Mr Baron Deasy, Mr Justice O Hagan, Judge Lynch. Right Hon Maziere Brady, Mr Maziere Brady, junior: Right Hon W.H.F Cogan, M.P; Hon Charles J Trench, Chairman of the County of Dublin: Mr James Nagle, Clerk of the Crown Court of Queen’s Bench: Mr John Lentaigne, D.L. Inspector- General of Prisons: Me Edward Berwick, A.B. President Queen’s College Galway: Mr. W. O Brien Butler, Mr David Mahony, Clerk of the Crown, County of Kerry: Mr T.M Hutton, Mr Michael B.Mullins, C E: Mr. David Sherlock. Q.C; Mr Thomas Laffan Kelly, J.P: Mr H O’Hara, Q.C: Mr Henry R.Greene, A.B,barrister: Mr Stephen Simpson, Mr, George Grehan, J.P: Mr. Walter Sweetman, J.P: Mr Matthew P. D’Arcy, J.P: Mr Stephen Woulfe Flanagan, Q.C: Dr. Baxter, Rev Mr St. Leger, Rev Mr Curtis &c, &c.
The funeral procession moved along Fitzwilliam Street, Merrion Square North, Clare Street, Nassau Street, Grafton Street, College Green, Dame Street, Parliament Street and the southern line of quays to the king’s Bridge Terminus, where the remainds were plaed in a truck, which was subsequently attached to the one p.m. train for conveyance to Cork (4).’
‘Daniel McCarthy erected the McCarthy Monument near the former Diamond Hill quarry on the Blackrock Road in honour of his brother Alexander McCarthy in 1871. William B. Atkins designed the structure which is 25 feet high and is made from limestone. Richard Evans built the monument and the sculptor was Samuel Murphy. Bronze plaques showing scenes from the history of the McCarthy clan have been lost from the monument over the years.
Alexander McCarthy (1802-1868) was an M.P. for Cork in 1846 and became High Sheriff of the County in 1856. He died on 2 January 1868. McCarthy was a fine public speaker and a supporter of Daniel O'Connell's repeal movement (5)’.
O Donnell
In Loving Rememberence
Of
Herbert O Donnell
Who Died Sept 22nd 1851
Aged 73
And His Wife Sarah
Who Departed This Life Feb 5th
1860
Aged 69 Years
R.I.P.
Erected by Their Son Nicholas Ml
(Reference No: CO-DRSH-0144)
Herbert O Donnell lived at Coole House, Coolemore Millstreet. He was born in 1783, the son of John o Donnell of Egmont, a barrister. In 1811 he married Sarah Ellis of Sycamore House, Millstreet. They had seven children and it was the youngest son Nicholas Michael who erected this headstone as it was he who inherited Coole House upon his father’s death. Herbert was employed by Captain Henry Wallis as the land agent for the Wallis Estate. He served as a Justice of the Peace, farmed 300 acres of land in the townlands Coolemore, Drominahilla and Cooleenaree and owned a mill. Herbert also acted as warden at St Anne’s Church Millstreet for approximately 15 years (6). In 1831 Herbert was appointed as one of the two commissioners responsible for the collection of tithes in the Parish of Drishane. Just over a decade later Herbert O Donnell was called as a witness before the Devon Commission in the early 1840’s.This was a Commissionthat was appointed by Sir Robert Peelto research the issues regarding land leases. It was formed by a queen's proclamation issued 20 November 1843 and a report published on 14 February 1845.
Sarah O Donnell (nee Ellis) was the daughter of Thomas Ellis and Eliza Screech. Thomas built and owned The New Inn in Doneraile which was opened in 1794. Thomas helped Lord Doneraile constitute the Doneraile Yeomanry Cavalry which his son Thomas joined in 1801. Thomas junior met his death in 1808 in Jamacia by mutineers under his command as adjutant 2nd West India Regiment of Foot. Sarah’s younger sister Eliza married Nicholas Leader of Tullig, Millstreet and her younger brother Eyre Green Ellis Married Nicholas Leader’s sister Elizabeth (7).
Justice
In Loving Memory
Of Charles Chenery Justice Died 8th January 1870
His Wife
Margaret
Died 14th December 1894
Their Children
George
Died 16th December 1894
Nicholas C
Died 11 February 1911
Thomas Justice, Died Sept 2 1915
His Wife Mary Died Sept 16 1939
Their Children
Henry 1968 Margaret 1911
RIP
(Reference No: CO-DRSH-0062)
Various branches of the Justice family owned property at Mount Justice in Knockagurrane, Cullen, Gurrane House in the Parish of Dromtariffe, and Duarrigle Castle. They were Church of Ireland landowners and member of the family are also buried in St Anna’s Church of Ireland Graveyard in Millstreet Town. Hajba writes the following as regards the Justice Estate ‘In 1861 Gibson, who was married to Margaret Justice, wrote that Duarrigle Castle had been greatly improved by Doctor Justice of Mallow "whose family has been in possession of the property for nearly 200 years". The Justice family appear to have been resident in the Millstreet area of county Cork from the late 17th century. Thomas Holmes Justice of Mount Justice made his will in 1788. He refers to his wife Jane, his interest in lands at East and West Knockagarrane and the Castle lands of Duarrigle which he held from Robert Wrixon, his two sons Thomas and Robert and his daughter Margaret. At the time of Griffith's Valuation Thomas Holmes Justice held land in the parish of Cullen, Barony of Duhallow, while Henry Justice was leasing land from John C. Wallace in the parish of Dromtarriff in the same barony. In April 1850 the interest of Thomas H. Justice in the lands of Duarrigle and West and East Knockagurrane amounting to 171 acres was advertised for sale in the Encumbered Estates' Court. These lands had been partitioned between Thomas H. Justice and his brother Robert in 1802. By the 1870s three members of the Justice family owned about 250 acres in county Cork. The sale of property owned by John Bolton Cooper Justice in the barony of Barrymore was adjourned in the Land Judges' Court in March 1886.
Duarrigle Castle Originally a tower house of the O'Keeffe family, leased by Henry Wrixon to Thomas Holmes Justice who built a 'mock' castle in the early 19th century. Inherited by his son Thomas Holmes Justice medical doctor of Mallow. Sold in the Encumbered Estates' Court in 1851 and bought by Henry Chinnery (8)’ Henry Chinnery Justice who died in Duarrigle Castle in 1859 was a barrister who lived most of his life in Dublin and returned on retirement, his headstone is in Millstreet Church of Ireland graveyard.
Hajba continues,‘Mount Justice -This was a home of the Justice family from at least the late 18th century. By the time of Griffith's Valuation the house was valued at £3.15 shillings and was occupied by John Bolton Justice who held it from Charles D. Purcell. Members of the Justice family continued to occupy the house until the 1920s. It is now demolished.’ A John Justice of Mount Justice House in Cullen Parish north west of Millstreet town and not far from Duarrigle Castle, was praised for his relief work during the potato Famine of 1845/1850.’
Bryde
Mr. Thos Bryde
Of
Bride Cottage
Has Erected this to
Perpetuate his Fami
Ly Burial Place
March 1st 1831
(Reference No: CO-DRSH-0144)
Thomas Bryde was a landowner who occupied land in the townland of Drominahilla and Lacavane in the Parish of Drishane. He was one of the ten signatories on documentation relating to the Tithes for the Parish of Drishane dated 2nd June 1831 (9). According to the Tithe Defaulter’s List of 1831 a Thomas Bryde of Drominhilly gave his occupation as Gentleman and a Thomas Bryde of Lacabane listed his occupation as process officer (10).
Leader
The Family Burying place of
Leanard Leader
Of Stakehill
Who Died Dec 2nd 1848
Aged 82
(Reference No:CO-DRSH-0073)
Leonared Leader Esq of Stakehill (b 1762: d 2 Dec 1845 or 1848). IN 1796 he married Sarah White daugher of Benjamin White of Knockanemore and Hanover Hall. The Tithe Applotment Books 1825 for the Parish of Cullen Co Cork record him as occupying 105 acres in Clonbanin, 126 acres in Stakehill adn 297 acres in Knockacherachuaish and Meensgeihe.
He was succeeded by his son Benjamin (b.28 April 1815: d.22 May 1901). Ann leader daughter to Leonard married Francis Cooper son of William Cooper, Lawyer and in 1843 he was appointed curate to the Church of Ireland Parish of Dromtariffe (11).
An obituary in the Lancaster Gazette recorded: ‘We have to announce the death, from typhus fever, contracted in the same way (discharge of ministerial duty) of the Rev Francis Cooper, curate to the Rev Henry Bevan. Mr Cooper was a curate for upwards, we are informed of twenty-five years and leaves a widow, nearly blind and ten children, seven sons and three daughters, the youngest only a year old and a we are sorry to say, are utterly unprovided for. It added that Rev Cooper was ‘’greatly beloved and justly respected as a kind benevolent an, a good and humane clergyman, charitable far beyond his mean.’ The notice included two letters composed by Rev Cooper’s fifteen year old daughter Sarah as a means of raising funds to assist the stricken family. The letters described the calamity which had befallen the family and the bewilderment of Mrs Cooper at the loss of her husband for ‘they did love each other dearly’. The letters revealed that one daughter attended and another was due to attend the Clergy School at Casterton, for training as a governess. (Lancaster Gazette, 18 Sept 1847) (12).
McCarthy
In
This are Entombed
The Remains of
The Father and Mother
Brothers and Sisters
Of
Dens McCarthy
Of
Rathroe
(Reference No: CO-DRSH-0007)
It is not possible to state with complete accuracy which Denis McCarthy is referred to here as two gentlemen with the name Denis McCarthy resided at Rathroe (a father and son). Denis McCarthy (Sen) had at least six children and the following gives a brief account of their lives.
1. Denis married Mary Ann Deasy the youngest daughter of Richard Deasy, Clonakilty on 14 July 1836 and they had eleven children (13). Mary Ann was the sister of Rt. Hon Richard Morgan Deasy M.P for Cork between 1855 and 1861 and he also held the position of Attorney General of Ireland in 1862. Denis was actively involved in the political issues of the day. He was Chairman of the local Millstreet Repeal movement in 1844. He was a member of the Finance Committee of the Cork Tenant League, a member of the Royal Agricultural Society of Ireland, a member of the Kanturk Board of Guardians and later the Millstreet Board of Guardians. He served as Justice of the Peace and treasurer of the Cullen Relief Committee. He was a great supporter of Daniel O Connell, Richard Deasy and Alexander McCarthy in their campaigns to be elected M.Ps. Denis and his family left Rathroe House in the early 1860’s and went to live in Dublin. He resided at No 4. Ely Place Upper for a brief period, the current address for the law firm of Deputy Alan Shatter. This was also the address for a period of time for Henry Chinnery Justice (d. 1859) who is buried in St Anna’s Church of Ireland graveyard Millstreet.
2. Jeremiah died in Rome on 25th March 1839 aged 27 years.
3. John married Anne Harding of Firville, Macroom the daughter of Philip Harding on 21 February 1852 and they had six children. John McCarthy J.P. and D.L. went to reside at Rathduane House after the death of his brother Eugene in 1853. He allowed the railway company to pass though his lands, converted workmen’s houses to create a chapel in Rathduane and in 1869 built the local school (14). But eventually in 1874 he found himself in the Landed Estate Court.
4. Catherine married Richard Donovan on 13 January 1841 in Derrinagree Church.
5. Margaret Married Henry Gallwey of Greenfield, Clonakilty c1824, they had eleven children. Their eldest son, Sir Michael Henry Gallwey ‘was admitted to King's Inns entitled to practice as a Barrister-at-Law. He graduated from Trinity College in 1851 with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) (15). He held the office of Chief Justice of Natal between 1890 and 1901. He was Deputy-Governor of Natal in 1897. He held the office of Administrator [Natal] in 1898 (15).
6. Eugene (barrister at law) like his brother Denis was a great campaigner for O Connell’sRepeal Movement and acted a chairman for Repeal meetings in Millstreet and Kanturk. He was treasurer of Dromtariffe Relief Committee and Chairman of Millstreet Tenant Society. Eugene was also a member of the Millstreet Board of Guardians. He went to live in Rathduane House following the death of Jeremiah Eugene McCarthy in 1849 and also inherited the lands occupied by J.E McCarthy prior to his own death on 29 April 1853. The following notice appeared in The Cork Examiner announcing his untimely death.
‘On the 26th inst, at Rathduane, near Millstreet, of fever, Eugene M’Carthy, Esq., Barrister-at-Law. This lamented gentleman was held in the highest esteem by all classes, and his death is deeply regretted by all who had the pleasure of knowing him. The intense anxiety manifested in his own neighbourhood during his short illness, proved how much he was respected and beloved. In all the relations of his life, his conduct was such as to command the in the years of famine, he fed not only the tenantry of his own estates, but those of others. Many a widow and orphan child will have reason to deplore his loss. (17)’.
References
1 The Story of Drishane, To Commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the Garden fete. (Kanturk Printers)
2 The Kerryman, 11 Dec 1937 p37. ‘The Journal of Cork Historical and Archaelogical Society’ , article written by Ms Benedita Wyse Power.
3 Jane O’Hea O’ Keeffe, ‘Voices from the Great Houses Cork and Kerry’ (Mercier Press, 2013)
4 The Dublin Evening Mail: Wednesday , 8 January 1868.
5.www.corkpastandpresent.ie/mapsimages/corkphotographs/michaelolearycollection/mccarthymonument
6 Aubane Historical Society ‘ A Millstreet Miscellany 3 P54’ (AHS 2010 )
7 Aubane Historical Society ‘Millstreet A considerable Town’ P24 (AHS Jan 2003)
8 www.landedestates.nuigalway.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/search.jsp?q=justice
9.www.titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/reels/tab//004587432/004587...
10 www.failteromhat.com/tithes1831/drishane.php
11 Burke’s Landed Gentry of Ireland, 1912 (p351)
12 J.A. Murphy, The Church of Ireland in Co. Kerry. (p85-86)
13 Mary Anne Deasy’s brother was Rt, Hon. Richard Morgan Deasy and he held the office of Solicitor General of Ireland between 1859 and 1861, Attorney-General in 1861, Lord Justice of Appeal 1879 and M.P. for Cork between 1855 and 1861.
14 Seanchas Duhallow, Diarmuid Ua Cadhla ‘McCarthy of Rathduane and Rathroe’ (1991)
15. www.thepeerage.com ‘He held the office of Member of the Legislative Council (M.L.C.) [Natal] between 1857 and 1890. He held the office of Attorney-General [Natal].He was invested as a Companion, Order of St. Michael and St. George (C.M.G.) in 1883. He was invested as a Knight Commander, Order of St. Michael and St. George (K.C.M.G.) in 1888.He was invested as a Queen's Counsel (Q.C.) in 1888.’
17 The Cork Examiner, Friday Evening, 29 April 1835.
