more DONOVANs from Clonakilty

[llea52]

Hi Brendan,

My name is Lesley and I am your mum's cousin. Your granddad (Tony) is my mum's (Margaret, known as Beanie) brother. It would be fantastic if we could get in contact.

Lesley

[jatol]

Anne.
I came across this site and your entry by accident.
I am descended from Mary Donovan, the brother of Timothy Donovan and who came to Australia with another brother Daniel on the ship the "Tasmania".
Are you aware of the documentation of the Donovan's by a Fr Browne undertaken during the 1970s and 1980s. I presume Fr Browne has died by now, but I can refer you to someone who has access to some of his documentation.
My current interest in the Donovan's is because I will be visiting Clonakilty in the near future.
Regards
John

[Westozi]

Hello John
How exciting to hear from another Donovan descendant.
Yes, I have a copy of Father Browne's booklet, thank you.
How fabulous to be visiting Clonakilty.  I didn't make it there when I was in Ireland two years ago.  I do have a tiny bit of information that might be of interest to you when you make your trip.  Below is an extract of a letter written by Timothy Donovan's nephew (another Timothy), son of Daniel who was a soldier in WWI. 
Hardcott 10.1.1918 letter to Maggie:

"Well, I had a great time over Christmas visiting my relations in Ireland. ...
Well, I had to leave Balinderry on Saturday before New Year as I wanted to go to Clonakilty where Dad came from.  I did not like leaving the people as they were so nice, but had to go as I was due back here on 2nd January.  It took me all day to get to Clonakilty. I had written to the Parish Priest about three weeks previously, giving him all particulars I had about Dad's folk.  I thought he would easily be able to trace Dad's sister that was married to O'Brien - or some of their family.  However, when I went to see him on Sunday morning, he said he had got my letter and was waiting until I came along to make enquiries. He must have thought I was a tourist with plenty of time.  He told me there were 70 odd families of Donovan in the parish, and several O'Briens, but could not enlighten me any further. I went out to the Virgin Mary's Bank, and I enquired at several houses but most of the people had come there of late years and could not enlighten me. I could not even find out for certain where the old home was, but saw one place, still inhabited, that Donovans lived in some years ago.  Also another old house that had been deserted for years - only the stone walls remain.  One of the two, probably the latter, must be it. They told me that a family of O'Briens left that locality about 15 years ago. I think they were Dad's sister's children."

How did he know to look for "Virgin Mary's Bank"?!  But it may be a clue for you!

Best wishes
Ann
 

[jatol]

Ann

Glad to hear that you are aware of the work undertaken by Fr Brown.

Mary Donovan married Arthur O'Leary, the son of Michael Leary and Mary O'Neill. On their marriage certificate Arthur's place of birth is given as Knocklea, Conakilty, County Cork, Ireland. From this info, my brother was to find info on Michael from the Griffiths Valuation and Arthur's baptism entry.  My brother has visited Clonakilty and was able to find Michael Leary's gravesite.

By ocontrast, Mary's place of birth on both her marriage and death certificates is given as County Cork, Ireland.  The marriage certificate gives her parents names as John Donovan and Mary Cuhane.

It is only through Fr. Browne's documentation that we know that Mary was from Inchydoney.

I am not sure what you have learnt about the Donovan's from when you first posted a couple of years ago.

I have been able to find reference to John Donovan in the Griffiths valuation.  The timing of the Griffiths valuation for Inchydoney seems to have been around 1851.  So Mary, Timothy and Daniel would have been born, but a few years away from leaving Inchydoney for ever and migrating to Australia.

I am hoping to learn more about John Donovan before I go overseas.

Although Mary arrived in Australia almost 150 years ago, she has a special place in our family.  Apparently my father was very sick when he was born and was not expected to live.  His paternal grandmother Mary Donovan nursed him back to health.  My father would have been about 5 Years old when Mary died.

Please let me know if you have any additional information about the Donovan's from Inchydoney.  I will let you know what I find out.

John

[Westozi]

Hello John

I've looked through my files both on computer and hardcopy and made a few notes for you.

1)   Yes, Daniel Donovan and Mary Donovan came out on the “Tasmania” in December 1858 but Timothy’s name is not on that passenger list (and neither is Michael’s).
2)   Timothy came out as an assisted migrant on the "Broughton Hall" in April 1857.  As the age is given as 25, this is most likely the right person.
3)   Daniel Donovan and Margaret Maguire married 1865 in Warrnambool, Certificate 3 of 1865. Daniel’s parents’ names given as John Donovan and Mary Kuhane.
4)   Note that there are various spellings of Mary’s surname (Cuhane, Kuhane, Keohane).
5)   I have found possible baptism records for Daniel Donovan of parents John Donovan and Mary Keohane (address Gurrancagoleen, Recorded Parochial Area: Rossalettiri & Kilkeraunmor (Roscarbery & Lissevard)) and another for Timothy Donovan with same parents and same address, etc. (Found on churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie)  Are these our family?  I’m not sure.
6)   What Australian certificates I have all just say the same as you found for Mary – Co Cork, Ireland.
7)   I haven’t noticed the place name Inchydoney in Father Browne’s booklets.

Not sure how helpful any of this is!!  But I do hope you can find out more information on your travels and look forward to hearing from you.

Regards
Ann

[jatol]

Ann

(a) Are you aware of the https://thedonovans.wordpress.com/ website?  It contains files from Fr Brown.  It is from attachments on this website that I determined that Mary Donovan came from Inchydoney.

(b) Were you aware that there was a Donovan reunion held in Colac Victoria in 1974?

(c) I have a copy of "A genealogy of the descendants of Timothy Donovan and Margaret O'Dowd, Australian pioneers" by Francis X Brown O.P. dated 1974. It runs for about 10 pages. According to this document Timothy and Margaret had seven children: Mary, John, Rose, Margaret, Helen Elizabeth, Catherine and Anne.  Which of these seven would be your grandparent?

(d) I also have a copy of the family tree of Daniel Donovan and Margaret McQuire as at 1974.  it contains 252 names.  Fr Brown is a descendant of Daniel and Margaret.

(e) Not surprisingly I also have a copy of the family tree of Arthur O'Leary and Mary Donovan as at 1974.

(f) From what I can discern Mary Donovan of "Island" was baptised in Clonakilty Catholic Parish on the 3rdApril 1844. Her parents were John Donovan and Mary Cahalane. The sponsors were John Donovan and Kath Driscoll. These details would be consistent with Mary coming to Australia in 1858 aged 16.  The spelling of her mother's name is different from what is on her marriage certificate, but this is understandable.

(g) My understanding is that "Island" is an administrative parish in the County of Cork and the island of Inchydoney is part of the parish of "Island'. 

(h) There was a Tim Donovan also of Island whose parents were Jno Donovan and Mary Cahalan  baptised on the 31 October 1846.  His sponsors were Jno (John?) Cahalan and Ellen Deasy. I  am presuming that these are the same parents as Mary's parents.

(i) I agree with you that only Daniel Donovan and Mary Donovan came out on the “Tasmania” in December 1858 and that there was a Timothy who came out as an assisted migrant on the "Broughton Hall" in April 1857.  If this is correct, it is unlikely that this is the same Tim Donovan who was baptised in 1846.  Also on the "Tasmania" was a lawrence Donovan.  Not sure where he fits in.

(k) According to Fr Brown eleven Donovan children were born to John Donovan and Bridget Kuhane. [I think the Bridget should be Mary, but never discount anything.] Some Donovans went to America, some to Australia, and some (mostly spelling it O'Donovan), carry the name in Clonakilty to this day.  Four came to Australia: Timothy, Daniel and Mary who arrived together in Melbourne at the end of 1858 and Michael who arrived later.

(l) So if John and Mary Donovan had eleven children, who were the others and when and where were they born?

(m) My limited research to date is leading me in the direction as you.  A Tim Donovan of Guarranangoeen was baptised on 2 October 1830  in the Catholic parish of Rossalettiri and Kilkeraunmor.  His parents were John Donovan and Mary Keohane. Are these the same parents as Mary's parents?

(n) Others who were baptised from Guarranangoeen (or different spellings of the same name) and who seem to have the same parents are:
    Patrick   7 December 1822
    John      11 February 1824
    Ellen      30 August 1825
    James    15 May 1828
    Daniel    28 December 1933
    Denis     31 December 1836
    Honora   27 October 1839 
    Michael   26 August 1844 
    Patrick    9 June 1848
    Kate      24 September 1849
Given that Mary was baptised in April 1844 and that Michael was baptised on 26 August 1844, my guess is that we are looking at two different families.   It is starting to get confusing.

(o) the Tim that was baptised in October 1830 would have been aged around 26-27 in 1857.  This is consistent with the the age of the Tim Donovan that arrived on the "Broughton Hall" in 1857.

(p) From my understanding "Virgin Mary's Bank" is a prominent landmark on the island of Inchydoney.  The Inchydoney Island Lodge hotel is located nearby.
 
Hope this helps.  It answers some questions, but raises many more and as I stated earlier i have just started trying to make sense of the Irish records.  There may be other information that I have missed.

Regards

John   

[auntmarycat]

Checking in with my Clonakilty Donovans to try to make a connection. 

My great-great grandmother Catherine Jane (Kate) Donovan was born in Clonakilty in April of 1856. Her birth record shows her parents as John Donovan and Cath Lyne.  Other siblings include: Mary Donovan born 1840, Ellen Donovan born 1846, Honora Donovan born 1848, Cors Donovan born 1851, Randals Donovan born 1858. These are the ones for which I can find records.

I know from an old article that there may have been more as Kate's son, Robert Dorgan, mentions his cousin John Thomas (J.T.) Donovan, a former M.P. from Ireland. And I can't place a John with Cors or Randals. Kate married Patrick Dorgan and emigrated to Boston to join her children. Patrick Dorgan and several children died in Ireland and are buried in the old cemetery above the town. I have an old photo of their headstone and records of all of the Dorgan children's birth.

I've not been able to connect John Donovan to any other Donovans from the area.

I note that in the year that in the months surrounding Ellen's baptism in 1850, the following other Donovans are listed in the register:


John to Tim Donovan and Mary Neil-  June 26 1846
John to Michael Donovan and Julia Carroll July 1 1846
Ellen to John Donovan and Mary Sawny July 3 1846
Cath to James Donovan and Cath Moor July 12 1846
James to Pat Leahy and Ellen Donovan July 24 1846
Thomas and Rich to John Sullivan and Anne/ Donovan Aug 5 1846
James to Tim Donovan and Ellen Carthy July 25, 1846
Mary to Pat ? and Mary Donovan Aug 8, 1846
Ellen to John Donovan and Cath Lyne Aug 23 1846
Andrew to John Donovan and Mary Lehane  Aug 26, 1846

[sarah]

Welcome to RootsChat auntmarycat.

I have just moved the topic to county cork, this was a little confusion to what county this comes under hopefully it now in the correct place.

Westozi has been notified of your reply and was only online just yesterday so hopefully will reply to your first post very soon.

Regards

Sarah

[Westozi]

Hello Auntmarycat
I apologise for taking so long to reply. Sorry, but I really don't think there's any connection between our Donovan families - or at least, no obvious one.  I don't recognise any of the names that your were Donovans married to, and even some of the Donovan names such as Cors and Randall. 
Hope you find more connections soon!
Best wishes
Ann