1986-90
MAHEDY - MCKAY
3M
MULLARKEY
VOL I - 2/15/86
DAN TOUSE
RD1, BOX 1269
MARYLAND, NY 12116
LETTER FROM EDITOR
MANY READERS ARE PROBABLY AWARE OF MY INTEREST IN FAMILY HIS-
TORY. I SOMETIMES SUSPECT THAT INTEREST WAS BORN AND NURTURED ON
THOSE EARLY ST. PATRICK'S DAYS WHEN I HEARD TALES OF ANCIENT MAHEDY
AND MCKAYS SAILING FROM IRELAND TO SETTLE IN CANADA. SO ST PAT-RICK'S
DAY HAS
ALWAYS SEEMED TO BE A RATHER SPECIAL FAMILY DAY, NOT
IN THE SENSE OF THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS, BUT AS A TIME TO CELE-
BRATE THOSE ANCESTORS WHO MADE US HEIRS TO SUCH A RICH HERITAGE.
I FIRST COMPILED THE MAHEDY/MCKAY GENEALOGY IN 1959 WITH THE
DATA GIVEN ME BY AUNT MAY AND ZORA. IT WAS ONLY A LISTING OF NAMES
AND DATES, BUT I HAD A TREASURE OF MEMORIES WHICH MADE THOSE IRISH
PILGRIMS COME TO LIFE. IN 1975, WHEN MIKEY WAS ONLY A "GREAT EX-
PECTATION", A FAMILY REUNION PROMPTED US TO BEGIN COMPILING A HIS-
TORY THAT WOULD RECORD THE STORIES AS WELL AS THE NAMES, DATES,
ETC.. I STARTED WITH EIGHT OR NINE FAMILIES. I LITERALLY HAVE
HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES, MANY TO 1600 - EVEN 1400 - AND AM STILL
DIGGING.
IN LIGHT OF ALL THAT SUCCESS SOME MAY WELL WONDER: "WHAT ABOUT
MAHEDY/MCKAY?" IRONICALLY, THE LINE THAT INSTIGATED THE RESEARCH,
AND WAS ORIGINALLY THE MOST EXTENSIVE, HAS BEEN A STUMBLING BLOCK
FOR TEN YEARS. THAT IS NOT TO SAY EFFORTS HAVE BEEN FRUITLESS.
THE 40+ PAGE HISTORY WRITTEN IN 1977 WOULD EASILY EXCEED 100 PAGES.
HOWEVER, THE MAJOR PORTION OF MY FINDINGS DEAL WITH ANCESTORS AL-
READY KNOWN RATHER THAN THE DISCOVERY OF "NEW" [EARLIER] GENERA-
TIONS. NEVERTHELESS, A VARIETY OF RECORDS AND RESOURCES HAVE BEEN
COMPILED WHICH ARE BEGINNING TO PRODUCE NEW LEADS WHICH SHOULD
EN-ABLE US TO
TRACE OUR FAMILY BACK IN IRELAND.
IT STRUCK ME THAT ST PATRICK'S DAY MIGHT BE AN APPROPRIATE
OCCASION TO TRY AND UPDATE EVERYONE ON THE STATUS OF
MAHEDY/MCKAY
RESEARCH. WHILE I WOULD PREFER PUTTING THE WHOLE STORY TOGETHER
FOR YOU, FOR NOW I HAVE INCLUDED A BRIEF REVIEW OF WHAT WE KNEW, OF
RECORDS SEARCHED, LEADS DISCOVERED, AND SOME MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
OF
POTENTIAL INTEREST - SORT OF A GENEALOGICAL IRISH STEW. IT IS
HOPED ALL THE MULLARKEY WILL BE OF SOME INTEREST OR VALUE TO THE
READER, IF ONLY TO INFORM YOU THAT THE RESEARCH CONTINUES.
THIS "MULLARKEY" WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT MY TINY "STAFF
STENO", MAUREEN LEWIS. I SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE THE PROVERBIAL ATTIC
TRUNK IN WHICH FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE PLACED THEIR VARIOUS TREASURES
TO BE STORED FOR SOME FUTURE PURPOSE. SO MANY HAVE CONTRIBUTED SO
MUCH: STORIES, MEMORIES, PHOTOS, RECORDS, ETC.. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE
TO GIVE PROPER CREDIT AND THANKS TO SO MANY BUT, FOR THIS "FIRST
EDITION", I WOULD LIKE TO THANK BOTH ZORA AND JOSEPH BUTLER WHO FOR
OVER THIRTY YEARS HAVE TOLERATED ENDLESS QUESTIONS AND THEORIES AS
WELL AS PROVIDING A WEALTH OF INFORMATION.
ERIN GO BRAGH !!!
2/15/86
DAN TOUSE
MCKAY: IRISH OR SCOTTISH?
WHEN THIS WRITER WAS YOUNG AND FOOLISH HE ONCE ASKED HIS GREAT
AUNT MAY IF "MCKAY" MIGHT BE SCOTTISH (DUMB!)...WITH SAINTLY PA-
TIENCE SHE TOLERATED THIS HERESY THEN, WITH UTMOST AUTHORITY, MADE
IT BE KNOWN THERE WAS NOTHING SCOTTISH ABOUT THIS MCKAY FAMILY.
THE WORDS AND REASONS HAVE LONG SINCE FADED. IT MAY HAVE BEEN RE-
LATED TO THE MANY VARIATIONS IN SPELLING AND PRONUNCIATION OF THE
NAME WHICH HER GRANDFATHER FINALLY RESOLVED. AT ANY RATE, MCKAY
WAS IRISH!
IN IRELAND IT IS LESS CERTAIN THAT THE MCKAYS WERE NATIVE TO
LIMERICK. MCKAY IN FACT IS UNCOMMON IN THAT REGION. PERHAPS WHEN
MORE IS LEARNED OF THOMAS' OWN FAMILY AND THEIR PREDECESSORS, THE
QUESTION OF NAME AND ORIGIN WILL BE RESOLVED.
THOMAS' OWN NAME APPEARS IN RECORDS VARIOUSLY AS MACKAY,
MACKEY, MCKAY, AND MCKIE. IN REVIEWING HUNDREDS OF MCKAYS IN NEW
ENGLAND CENSUSES, THE VAST MAJORITY WERE SCOTTISH OR NOVA SCOTIAN.
NOTED AUTHORITY ON IRISH SURNAMES, EDWARD MACLYSAGHT, IN THE SUR-
NAMES OF IRELAND STATES MACKAY IS OF SCOTTISH ORIGIN. THERE IS NO
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN "MC" AND "MAC". IT DERIVES FROM MAC-AODHA, SON
OF HUGH - OR MACHUGH. HOWEVER, IN IRISH FAMILIES, UNDER MACHUGH,
AN IRISH CLAN, HE LISTS MCKAY AS A VARIANT! MACKEY ON THE OTHER
HAND IS STRICTLY OF IRISH ORIGIN. IT IS DERIVED FROM O'MACHDA AND
IS FOUND IN CO. TIPPERARY, WHICH IS CLOSE TO LIMERICK.
MARGARET'S OWN SURNAME ALSO APPEARED IN SEVERAL FORMS BUT ITS
ORIGIN IS FAIRLY CLEAR. MOST OFTEN IT APPEARS AS DONOHOE, BUT
DONAHUE AND DOUCHOE (!) HAVE ALSO BEEN USED. DONOHOE AND DONAHUE
ARE BOTH VARIATIONS OF "O'DONOGHUE" - FROM "O'DONNCHADHA" (SON OF
DONAGH. THE FAMILY IS NOT NATIVE TO CO. TYRONE. FROM CLOGHER
WHERE MARGARET WAS BORN, A MRS MARY MCKENNA WROTE THE NAME HAS
AL-
WAYS BEEN "DONAGHY". THERE IS ONLY ONE FAMILY OF THE NAME. THIS
LINE SHOULD BE SOMEWHAT EASIER TO RESEARCH THAN MCKAY.
THE MAJOR DISCOVERY OF IS THAT OF DAVID AND BRIDGET AS PAR-
ENTS OF THOMAS AND THAT THEY LIVED IN CASSIAR, CANADA. NO CASSIAR
HAS BEEN LOCATED, BUT ST CESAIRE IS JUST WEST OF GRANBY. THE MEN-TION
OF ROGER,
TIMOTHY, AND H.C. (HUBERT CHARLES?), NOT TO MENTION
THE INFAMOUS ENSIGN, PROVIDE SEVERAL "NEW" LEADS WHICH MAY SHED
FURTHER LIGHT ON THE MCKAY ANCESTORS.
***
MCKAY IN DUEL!!!
WATERLOO, P.Q. 19 MAY 1865 "CAPT. MAYNES IN DUEL...OVER UNI-
FORM OF ENSIGN MCKAY.
THE ABOVE WAS SUBMITTED BY GEORGE PURDY OF KEARNEY, ONTARIO,
WHOSE ANCESTORS SETTLED IN SHEFFORD CO. 1847 FROM IRELAND.
NO DETAILS ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE CONCERNING THE DUEL OR THE
PERSON INVOLVED. INQUIRIES ARE BEING SENT (VIA GERALD CAMPBELL) TO
THE (GREAT ?) GRANDSON OF CAPT. MAYNES WHO STILL IN WATERLOO.
OTHER LEADS ARE ALSO BEING PURSUED.
IT IS FELT (HOPED!) THIS ENSIGN MCKAY MAY BE A BROTHER OF
THOMAS. IF SO THIS COULD BE A VALUABLE LEAD IN IDENTIFYING EAR-
LIER GENERATIONS OF THE MCKAY FAMILY.
MCKAY ANCESTORS - A REVIEW
WE ARE NOW INTO THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH GENERATIONS SINCE YOUNG
THOMAS LEFT OL' ERIN'S ISLE. PERHAPS IT WOULD BE WORTH REVIEWING
THE FIRST TWO GENERATIONS:
A. THOMAS MCKAY b. CO. LIMERICK, IRE.; 7 AUG 1822
m. MARGARET DONAHUE 15 JAN 1848
d. 17 NOV 1898, GRANBY, QUE., CANADA;
CHILDREN
1. DAVID b. ROCKPORT, MA - 8 SEPT 1848; m. BRIDGET
@1875;
d. 31 OCT 1926, CHILLICOTHE, MO.
2. JOHN P. b. GLOUCESTER, 10 MAR 1851;
3. CATHERINE b. GRANBY, P.Q. 8 NOV 1852
m. JOHN MAGUIRE 20 SEPT 1875; d. 18JAN'77
4. WILLIAM C. b. GRANBY, 25 SEPT 1854 m. MARCELLA
CAMPBELL, 1914; d. @ 1930, BROMONT, PQ
5. MARGARET b. 8 JAN 1857 GRANBY
d. 10 JUL 1858 GRANBY
6. MARTHA A. b. 13 FEB 1860 "
d. 7 NOV 1892 "
7. MARY ELLEN b. 16 FEB 1863 "
d. 29 JUN 1881 "
B. JOHN PATRICK b. 10 MAR 1851
m. 9 OCT 1876 MARY E. MAHEDY, WATERLOO;
d. 27 AUG 1924 VERNON, NY; bur ONEIDA;
CHILDREN ALL BORN SO. STUKELY, QUE.
1. ELIZABETH E. 19 AUG 1877 - 8 FEB 1952, VERNON, NY;
2. MARGARET M. 23 OCT 1878 - 28 FEB 1958, INDEPNDNCE, KA
m. H. ALLEN FULMER, 1907, N. SHEFFORD, PQ
3. MYRON M. 28 JAN 1881 - 25 FEB 1850, VERNON, NY
4. T. FRANK 20 FEB 1882 - 18 MAY 1930, "
m. CLARA MYERS 15 JUN 1908
5. MARY-ELLEN 27 JAN 1883 - 1 JAN 1947, WATERLOO, QUE
m. ANDREW CAMPBELL 19 MAY 1902;
6. H. CHARLES 3 FEB 1884 - 1942, FITCHBURG, MA
m. EDITH FULLER
7. EDITH E. 25 SEPT 1886 - 13 JUN 1899, NO. SHEFFORD;
8. MARTHA (REV) 12 MAR 1888 - AUG 1913, CHATEAUGUAY, PQ
9. JOHN DAVID 11 MAR 1890 - 2 JAN 1944, AUBURN, NY
m. MARGARET NEWCOMB 28 JUL 1920, AUBURN;
1O. E. MAY 19 MAY 1891 - 11 JUL 1962, VERNON, NY
THOMAS' TRAVELS
CONSIDERING THE WEALTH OF DATA AVAILABLE ON THOMAS MCKAY
DESCENDENTS IT
SEEMS SOMEWHAT SURPRISING THERE IS SUCH A DEARTH OF
INFORMATION ABOUT THOMAS' OWN FAMILY.
FROM WHAT LITTLE HAS BEEN LEARNED TO DATE IT APPEARS THOMAS
CAME FROM IRELAND @ 1830 AND PROBABLY SETTLED NEAR GRANBY. MOST
LIKELY HE CAME WITH HIS PARENTS AND HAD SEVERAL BROTHERS AND
SIS-TERS. FOR SOME
REASON THOMAS WENT TO GLOUCESTER, MASS. IN THE MID
1840'S, AS DID MARGARET DONAHUE. THERE IS NO CONSPICUOUS EVIDENCE
OF OTHER RELATIVES IN THE AREA. THEY MARRIED AND REMAINED IN MASS.
UNTIL 1852 WHEN THEY RETURNED TO THE GRANBY VICINITY. THE MOVE MAY
HAVE BEEN PROMPTED BY THE AVAILABILITY OF HOMESTEAD LANDS.
ANOTHER
POSSIBLE EXPLANATION IS THAT PERHAPS THIS IS WHEN MARGARET'S FATHER
DIED AND THEY RETURNED TO TAKE IN MARGARET'S MOTHER.
IT HAS BEEN THOUGHT THAT THOMAS SETTLED ON THE FAMILY FARM IN
SO. GRANBY UPON ARRIVING FROM MASS. THE CHURCH RECORDS FOR 1852 -
1892 ALL LIST THOMAS AS "FARMER OF GRANBY." HOWEVER, HE DOES NOT
APPEAR IN THE 1861 CENSUS FOR GRANBY, OR ANYWHERE IN SHEFFORD CO.
RESEARCH CONTINUES TO FIND AN EXPLANATION FOR THIS CONTRADICTION.
BASED ON OTHER RECORDS FOUND IT SEEMS PROBABLE THAT IF THOMAS IS
LOCATED IN 1861, OTHERS OF HIS FAMILY WILL ALSO BE IDENTIFIED.
SINCE THOMAS AND MARGARET, THEIR DAUGHTERS, AND AT LEAST SOME
OF THEIR GRANDCHILDREN ALL SPENT TIME IN MASS. AND NEW ENGLAND IT
MUST BE WONDERED IF THERE MIGHT NOT BE A FAMILY CONNECTION IN MASS.
CATHERINE WAS IN LEOMINSTER PRIOR TO HER MARRIAGE IN 1875. THE
ONLY PICTURE OF MARY ELLEN WAS TAKEN AT PROVIDENCE, R.I., @ 1880.
MARTHA APPARENTLY LIVED IN LEOMINSTER, MASS. FOR A WHILE PRIOR TO
HER DEATH IN 1892. TO DATE NOTHING CONCLUSIVE HAS BEEN FOUND IN
EITHER MASS. OR R.I..
WHILE NOTHING EXISTS IN THE FAMILY RECORDS TO SHED LIGHT ON
THOMAS' FAMILY, SEVERAL LEADS HAVE BEEN FOUND WHICH SHOULD HELP
IDENTIFY THOMAS' FORBEARERS IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
****************************************************************
DONAHUE DATA
ACCORDING TO FAMILY RECORDS, MARGARET DONAHUE WAS BORN 19 MAR
1820 IN CO. TYRONE, IRELAND. MARGARET'S OBITUARY STATES SHE CAME
TO GRANBY @ 1833. MARGARET LIVED TO THE AGE OF 88. DUE TO A FRAC-
TURED HIP SHE SPENT HER LAST YEARS IN A WHEELCHAIR. HER
GRAND-DAUGHTERS LIZZIE AND
MINA MCKAY TOOK TURNS EVERY SIX MONTHS CARING
FOR HER. RAYMOND CAMPBELL SAID MARGARET USED TO SMOKE A CORN COB
PIPE. MARGARET DIED NEW YEAR'S EVE 1908.
ON THE MCKAY HEADSTONE IN GRANBY A TRACING BENEATH MARGARET'S
NAME REVEALED SHE WAS A NATIVE OF CLOGHER PARISH, CO. TYRONE - AN
ESSENTIAL BIT OF DATA IF RESEARCH IS TO BE DONE IN IRELAND. ALSO
BURIED IN THE MCKAY PLOT IS MARGARET'S MOTHER ANN MAXWELL - "WIFE
OF PATRICK DONAHUE. ANN WAS BORN IN SCOTLAND IN 1787 AND DIED AT
GRANBY, 22 FEB 1858. THUS MARGARET'S PARENTS ARE IDENTIFIED. MAR-
GARET ALSO HAD AT LEAST ONE BROTHER, PATRICK, WHO WAS GODFATHER OF
MAY MCKAY. AUNT MAY'S GODMOTHER WAS ANN DONAHUE, PERHAPS PAT'S
WIFE, BUT MORE LIKELY A SISTER. SINCE NEITHER PATRICK NOR ANN ARE
MENTIONED IN MARGARET'S OBITUARY, THEY MOST LIKELY PRE-DECEASED
HER. DESPITE CHURCH RECORDS, OBITUARIES, ETC., THERE WERE NO
DONAHUES IN THE 1861 CENSUS OF GRANBY.
************************************************************
MAHEDY ANCESTORS REVIEWED
THE KNOWN MAHEDY ANCESTRY DATES BACK OVER 200 YEARS. THERE IS
CONSIDERABLY MORE INFORMATION ON MICHAEL'S GENERATION THAN ON
THOMAS MCKAY'S. A BRIEF REVIEW AND DISCUSSION MAY HELP TO ADD PER-
SPECTIVE.
A. JOHN MAHEDY - b. 1782, CO. LONGFORD, IRELAND;
m. @ 1810, ELIZABETH MORAN, b. 1783, CO WEST
MEATH, IRE; d. 3 NOV 1846, SHERRINGTON, PQ
d. FEB 1858, GRANBY, P.Q.
CHILDREN
1 JOHN, JR. b. IRELAND; m. ROSY O'ROURKE
2 PATRICK b. 1813, CO. LONGFORD, IRE;
m. @ 1843, JANE LECLARE, ROME, NY
d. 2 NOV 1875, SHEFFORD, QUE
3 MICHAEL b. 15 FEB 1815, CO. LIMERICK, IRE;
m. 7 MAR 1843, ESTHER GILLETT, ROME, NY
d. 1 MAY 1895, AVA, NY
4 WILLIAM b. IRELAND; d. CAN OR NY
5 MARY b. 1831, SHERRINGTON, QUE; m. ELI CARR;
d. @ 1887/88, TROY, NY
B. MICHAEL 1815 - 1895; m. ESTHER GILLETT, b. 1821,
d. 17 JAN 1893, NO SHEFFORD, QUE;
CHILDREN
1 JOHN b. 184- , SHERRINGTON, QUE; d. young
2 ELIZABETH b. " " " "
3 MICHAEL b. " " " "
4 ESTHER ANN bapt 4 JAN 1850 " " *
m. 1885, SOLOMON BUTLER, N SHEFFORD, QUE;
d. 6 APR 1927, ONEIDA, NY
5 MARY EMILINE b. 4 APR 1851, SHERRINGTON, QUE
m. 9 OCT 1876, N SHEFFORD, PQ; JOHN P MCKAY
d. 2 FEB 1931, VERNON, NY;
6 MICHAEL b. 1 NOV 1852, SHERRINGTON, PQ; d. 1888?
7 JOHN HORACE died young
8 CHARLES HENRY b. 1857, NO. SHEFFORD, PQ;
d. 22 OCT 1936, BUFFALO, NY;
9 PATRICK b. 1859, NO. SHEFFORD, PQ;
d. @1927, TROY, NY;
10 DAVID b. 17 MAR 1863, NO. SHEFFORD, PQ;
d. " "
------------------------------------------------------
* - THIS DATE DOES NOT AGREE WITH RECORDS OF JOSEPH AND ZORA BUTLER
OR EVEN ESTHER HERSELF, WHO IN THE 1900 CENSUS LISTED HER BIRTH AS
FEB 1852. THE 1850 DATE IS GIVEN AS IT CONSISTENT WITH RELATED
DOCUMENTATION.
JOHN MAHEDY, JR., AND ROSY [O'] ROURKE LIVED IN VERGENNES, VT,
AND HAD TWO SONS WHEN ROSIE DIED. THE SONS WERE PLACED WITH
MICHAEL AND PATRICK. JOHN, JR., WANDERED OFF. ONE SON (JAMES)
MOVED WEST AND THE OTHER (WILLIAM) BECAME THE FIRST POLICE CHIEF OF
SARATOGA IN 1864.
PATRICK AND JANE HAD TWELVE CHILDREN AND OPERATED A FARM AND
SAWMILL IN SHEFFORD. JANE'S SISTER MARY ANN MARRIED ADIN BUTLER,
FATHER OF SOLOMON. SOME OF THIS FAMILY MOVED TO LEOMINSTER, MASS.
MARY AND ELI CARR OWNED THE CONGRESSIONAL HOTEL IN TROY, NY..
MARY (MCKAY) AND ESTHER (BUTLER) BOTH WORKED THERE BEFORE THEY
MARRIED.
LONGFORD LOCALE LOCATED:
THE MAHEDY NAME IS DEFINITELY IRISH. IT IS AN UNCOMMON VARI-
ANT OF MAHADY, WHICH IS MUCH LESS COMMON THAN ONE MIGHT IMAGINE.
LITTLE HAS BEEN FOUND CONCERNING ITS ORIGIN THOUGH THE LATE WILLIAM
MAHEDY OF DES MOINES, IA, (GREAT GRANDSON OF JOHN) FOUND MAHEDY IN
GENEALOGICAL FAMILIES OF IRELAND. THIS SOURCE INDICATED MAHEDY DE-
RIVES FROM O'MAOLANEDY, SON OF KING FERGUS AND QUEEN MAUD OF CON-
NAUGHT, DESCENDANTS OF IR, FIFTH SON OF MILESIUS. MAUD, OR MAEVE,
IS QUITE FAMOUS IN IRISH HISTORY. SHE REIGNED BEFORE THE BIRTH OF
CHRIST. MAHEDY IN GAELIC IS O'MOITHIDE.
SINCE MAHEDY IS A RARE NAME AND JOHN'S COUNTY OF ORIGIN WAS
KNOWN, IT SEEMED WORTHWHILE TO CONTACT THE LONGFORD-WEST MEATH
LI-BRARY FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION. IT WAS LEARNED THAT MAHEDY WAS ONLY
FOUND IN THE PARISH OF MOSTRIM, BARONY OF ARDAGH, LONGFORD. THEY
ALSO PROVIDED PAGES FROM GRIFFITH'S "VALUATIONS OF TENEMENTS",
1854, LISTING ONLY SEVEN MAHEDYS IN THE RESPECTIVE TOWNLANDS OF THE
PARISH AS FOLLOWS:
NAME TOWNLAND
PATRICK MAHEDY CORCLARAGH
RICHARD " "
EDWARD " LISNAGEERAH
RICHARD " KILSALLAGH
MARY " "
MICHAEL " BRACKLON
JOHN " CAM
THESE MAHEDYS COULD WELL BE NEPHEWS OR EVEN BROTHERS OF OUR IMMI-
GRANT ANCESTOR, JOHN.
***************************
MORE MORANS
THE KNOWLEDGE THAT ELIZABETH MORAN MAHEDY HAD A BROTHER CAME
A FEW YEARS AGO IN ONE OF ZORA'S LETTERS. IT WAS ZORA'S OPINION
THAT THE MAHEDYS WENT FROM NYC TO SHERRINGTON TO JOIN ELIZABETH'S
BROTHER CHARLES, WHO HAD BEEN THERE SOME TIME.
IN THE PAST FEW YEARS SEVERAL REFERENCES TO CHARLES OR HIS
FAMILY IN THE RECORDS INDICATE THE CHARLES MORAN FAMILY WAS LOCA-
TED IN 1861 IN EASTERN HALF OF SHEFFORD COUNTY, NOT FAR FROM
PATRICK MAHEDY. PRIOR TO THAT TIME CHARLES HAD BEEN IN SHERRING-
TON, WHERE ALL OF HIS CHILDREN WERE NO DOUBT BORN. IN 1861 THEY
WERE LIVING IN A LOG CABIN AND LISTED AS FOLLOWS:
NAME AGE BIRTHPLACE RELIG OCCUPATION
MORAN, CHARLES 76 IRELAND RC FARMER
O'CREATHY, ELIZABETH 53 " " [SPOUSE]
MORAN, MARY 30 QUEBEC " TEACHER
" BRIDGET 24 " " "
" CHARLES 22 " "
" JOHN 20 " "
" ANNE 18 " "
" PATRICK 16 " "
" L.A. (f) 14 " "
" MICHAEL 12 " "
MARY WAS THE GODMOTHER OF ESTHER MAHEDY BUTLER AND BRIDGET WAS
GOD-MOTHER TO
MARY MAHEDY MCKAY. BRIDGET'S SCHOOL WAS LISTED AS THE
DUKE ROBERTS SCHOOL HOUSE. CHARLES HAD ANOTHER DAUGHTER,
ELIZABETH
WHO WAS BORN 11 DEC 1831 AT SHERRINGTON AND MARRIED PETER DUNN, b.
12 APR 1827, QUEEN'S CO., IRELAND. THEY WERE THE GREAT GRANDPAR-
ENTS OF GERTIE CAMPBELL. ELIZABETH'S NAME IS LISTED IN FAMILY RE-
CORDS AS O'GRADY!
SINCE ALL OF CHARLES' CHILDREN WERE BORN AT SHERRINGTON, QUE-BEC,
AFTER 1830 AND IN
LIGHT OF OTHER DATA IT SEEMS MORE LIKELY
THAT HE PROBABLY CAME ON THE SAME BOAT AS THE MAHEDY AND SHERIDAN
FAMILIES.
FINDING CLUES ON THE MORANS IN WEST MEATH IS MORE DIFFICULT
THAN RESEARCHING THE MAHEDYS IN LONGFORD. IN THE 1854 GRIFFITH'S
"VALUATIONS" THERE WERE OVER 200 MORANS IN WEST MEATH. WITHOUT ANY
SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON OUR MORANS OR THEIR HOMETOWN, RESEARCH
MIGHT BEGIN IN THE BARONY OF MOYGOISH WHICH BORDERS THE LONGFORD
BARONY OF ARDAGH. THE MORANS (O'MUGHROIN) ALSO DESCEND FROM IR,
THROUGH KING FERGUS VIA HIS SON CONMAL. SOME 30 GENERATIONS LATER
FINGHIN HAD AT LEAST TWO SONS: MAOLDAGH-REAG AND MOCHAN. MAOL'S
SON SIRIDEN IS ANCESTOR OF THE SHERIDANS. MOCHAN'S SON MORAN
BE-CAME ANCESTOR OF
THE MORANS THOUGH IT WOULD BE MORE THAN TWENTY
GENERATIONS BEFORE TIRLACH O'MORAN BEGAN TO USE IT AS A SURNAME.
***
TINY'S TIDBITS ST. BRENDAN OF IRELAND IS BELIEVED TO HAVE REACHED AMERICA
@ 500 A.D., 1000 YEARS BEFORE COLUMBUS.
MEAD - IS AN ANCIENT IRISH DRINK OF WARM CIDER AND HONEY BE-
LIEVED TO HAVE MANY BENEFITS INCLUDING FERTILITY. NEWLYWEDS WERE
TOLD TO DRINK IT EVERY NIGHT FOR THEIR FIRST LUNAR CYCLE. THUS DID
THE IRISH GIVE US THE "HONEYMOON"!
THE FIRST PARLIAMENT IN HISTORY WAS CONVENED BY EOCHAID, 27TH
MONARCH OF IRELAND (LINE OF IR, ANCESTOR OF FERGUS), @ 1317 B.C..
IT MET EVERY THIRD YEAR THROUGH 1172, A.D. WHEN THE ANGLO-NORMAN
INVASIONS BEGAN.
GILLETT GAZETTE
VERY LITTLE INFORMATION HAS DRIFTED DOWN THROUGH THE GENERA-
TIONS CONCERNING OUR GILLETT ANCESTORS. FROM ZORA AND AUNT MAY
THE
BIRTH AND DEATH DATA FOR EBENEZER AND HIS WIFE, ELIZABETH KEECH
GILLETT, ARE GIVEN. THEY ALSO LISTED FIVE OF EBENEZER'S CHILDREN
INCLUDING ESTHER, WHO MARRIED MICHAEL MAHEDY. ZORA HAD ALSO
FOUND
THAT ELIZABETH WAS AMONG THE LAST TO RECEIVE PENSION BENEFITS AS A
WIDOW OF A WAR OF 1812 VETERAN. STILL, NO "GILLETT STORIES" OR
MEMORIES HAVE SURFACED TO PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO THE GILLETT PERSON-
ALIES.
MUCH MORE HAS BEEN FOUND ON THE GILLETTS THAN ON OUR IRISH
ANCESTORS BUT, LIKE THE MAHEDY-MCKAYS, THE GILLETT DATA PERTAIN
MORE TO EBENEZER'S DESCENDANTS THAN HIS ANCESTORS. A COPY OF
EBENEZER'S PENSION RECORD IDENTIFIED TEN CHILDREN. EBENEZER AP-
PEARS TO DESCEND FROM JONATHAN GILLETT WHO CAME FROM ENGLAND IN
1630 ON THE "MARY AND JOHN", THOUGH A POSITIVE LINK HAS YET TO BE
ESTABLISHED. EVIDENCE TO DATE POINTS TO A CHARLES GILLETT (@ 1760
- 1810+) AND ESTHER HUNTER AS THE PROBABLE PARENTS OF EBENEZER.
THE GILLETTS SETTLED ON WEBSTER HILL IN THE TOWN OF WESTERN, NORTH
OF ROME, NY, @ 1800. EBENEZER SERVED IN TWO DIFFERENT MILITIA CAM-
PAINS AGAINST THE BRITISH AT SACKETT'S HARBOR. HE PROBABLY MARRIED
@ 1813 AND HAD THE FOLLOWING CHILDREN:
ALMIRA 1814 m. FREEMAN BURCH
CHARLES
JAMES
ESTHER 1821 m. MICHAEL MAHEDY d. 17 JAN 1893
EMILINE OCT 1824 m. BERLIN VANDEWALKER d. 1914
DAVID 1829 m. MAHALA ----
EUNICE m. MR. - RICHARDSON
AMELIA m. MR. - FORD
MILDRED 1836
HENRY DEC 1839 m. MARY ---- d. 17 MAR 1906
HORACE JAN 1843 m. SARAH d. (after)1900
EBENEZER d. 20 FEB 1855. WHEN ELIZABETH MADE HER AFFIDAVIT
FOR WIDOW'S BENEFITS ALL THE CHILDREN WERE STILL LIVING EXCEPT
MILDRED. NOTHING FURTHER HAS BEEN FOUND CONCERNING CHARLES, JAMES,
AMELIA OR EUNICE. ALMIRA BURCH SETTLED IN AVA AND HAD AT LEAST
SEVEN CHILDREN. THEY WERE NO DOUBT STILL THERE WHEN THE BUTLERS
CAME TO AVA @ 1885-90. DAVID AND HIS FAMILY WENT TO CANADA @ 1858
AND LIVED NEXT TO THE MAHEDYS. HE HAD TWO CHILDREN BORN AND APPAR-
ENTLY DIED THERE BEFORE RETURNING TO WESTERN @ 1864. THE OTHERS
REMAINED IN WESTERN. HENRY WAS A CARPENTER. HE HAD NO CHILDREN
AND COMMITTED SUICIDE IN 1906. HORACE WAS A FARMER AND CANAL
BOATMAN WITH THREE CHILDREN INCLUDING MYRON (b. 1870)
IN SHORT, IT SEEMS THIS FAMILY MUST HAVE BEEN BETTER KNOWN TO
THE MCKAYS AND THE BUTLER WHEN THEY CAME TO ONEIDA COUNTY THAN
WE REALIZE. THE MCKAY SCRAPBOOK HAS A NEWS ACCOUNT @ 1903 OF EDGAR
GILLETT WHO WAS RUN OVER BY A TRAIN AT THE BOONVILLE FAIR. HE WAS
A SON OF DAVID; SIX FOOT THREE, WITH BROWN HAIR AND BROWN EYES, AND
WAS SURVIVED BY A BROTHER EUGENE, AND A SISTER, MRS. D. BOLSTER OF
ROME. THIS MUST HAVE BEEN MAILED TO CANADA BY ESTHER BUTLER OR
PERHAPS MINA MCKAY.
***
THE (IRVING) BERLIN CONNECTION
A FEW, THOUGH CERTAINLY NOT MANY, OF THE CLAN DO REMEMBER
HEARING THAT THE MCKAYS WERE RELATED BY MARRIAGE TO IRVING BERLIN.
WHAT MADE THE REVELATION REMAIN SO VIVID WAS NOT THE SENSE OF PRIDE
ONE MIGHT EXPECT FROM SUCH AN ANNOUNCEMENT BUT THE FACT THAT IT
SEEMED TO BE A SOURCE OF GENUINE PAIN.
IRVING BERLIN IS MARRIED TO ELIN MACKAY. ACCORDING TO AUNT
MAY, ELIN WAS A COUSIN. JOHN PATRICK AND ELIN'S FATHER WERE COU-
SINS WHO APPARENTLY KNEW EACH OTHER. UNFORTUNATELY THE SPECIFIC
RELATIONSHIP WAS NEVER RECORDED. ELIN WAS CONTACTED IN 1980. SHE
INDICATED HER GRANDFATHER SEARCHED THROUGHOUT THE U.S. AND
CANADA FOR RELATIVES BUT FOUND NONE. ELIN WAS QUITE CERTAIN THERE
WAS NO CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO MACKAY/MCKAY FAMILIES. STILL, IT
IS HARD TO CONCEIVE OF AUNT MAY BECOMING SO EMOTIONAL OVER A
NON-EXISTENT RELATIONSHIP SO RESEARCH GOES ON.
IF A RELATIONSHIP EXISTS IT WOULD SEEM THOMAS AND JOHN - ELIN'S
GRANDFATHER - WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE BEEN FIRST COUSINS. JOHN WAS
BORN IN DUBLIN @ 1840 AND CAME TO NYC WITH HIS FAMILY @ 1844. JOHN'S
FATHER DIED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. JOHN WENT TO CALIFORNIA AT AN
EARLY AGE. HE WOUND UP IN NEVADA IN 1872 WHERE HE MADE A KILLING IN
THE COMSTOCK LODE - SILVER MINES. (REMEMBER BONANZA?) LATER HE
FORMED A TELEGRAPH CABLE COMPANY WHICH LAID THE FIRST
TRANSO-CEANIC CABLE. HIS COMPANY ULTIMATELY BECAME I.T.T.. JOHN WAS
AS
PROMINENT AS THE GOULDS, VANDERBILTS, AND OTHER TYCOONS OF HIS DAY.
BUT JOHN WAS GENUINELY ADMIRED. HE WAS NOT AFRAID TO GET DOWN AND
WORK AMONGST HIS MEN. JOHN DIED IN LONDON @ 1900-1906.
***
GENERAL SHERIDAN - BEHIND THE LINES
NO, IT'S NOT AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW, OR A CIVIL WAR STORY. PERHAPS
EVERY YOUNGSTER WONDERS IF THERE IS SOMEONE FAMOUS IN THE FAMILY
TREE. "GENERAL SHERIDAN...WAS A COUSIN ON THE MAHEDY SIDE." AUNT
MAY SAID THE TWO FAMILIES CAME OVER ON THE SAME BOAT.
OVER THE YEARS BITS AND PIECES HAVE COME TOGETHER WHICH TEND
TO SUPPORT THIS CLAIM. SHERIDAN'S PARENTS CAME FROM CO. CAVAN
WHICH BORDERS COUNTIES LONGFORD AND WEST MEATH ON THE NORTH.
BOTH FAMILIES CAME @ 1830 AND LANDED IN NYC. TRADITION SAYS THE
MAHEDY "BOYS" WORKED IN NYC AS STONE MASONS WORKING ON A ST
PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL (NOT THE 5TH AVE CHURCH) AND APPEAR TO HAVE
WORKED THEIR WAY NORTH. GENERAL SHERIDAN WAS b. 1831 AT ALBANY. IN
1832 THEY MOVED TO OHIO. AMONGST THE PAPERS ZORA SENT TO ME WAS A
REFERENCE THAT MICHAEL MAHEDY TOLD HIS GRANDDAUGHTER (LIZZIE
MCKAY?) THAT HE "WENT DOWN THE HUDSON TO BE GODFATHER TO THE
SHERIDAN CHILD." TO DATE THE BAPTISM RECORD HAS NOT BEEN LOCATED.
RESEARCH CONTINUES.
***
KEECH FAMILY FLEES CHERRY VALLEY TO AVOID MASSACRE:
NOVEMBER 1778 - WARNED BY FRIENDLY INDIANS THAT CHIEF JOSEPH
BRANDT AND HIS TORY TRIBE WERE PLANNING TO ATTACK CHERRY VALLEY.
THE KEECH FAMILY LEFT FOR FT. STANWIX. SEVERAL AREA RESIDENTS ARE
ALSO SAID TO BE SEEKING REFUGE AT THE FORT. SHORTLY AFTER THEIR
DEPARTURE BRANDT'S WAR PARTY MOVED FROM ITS ENCAMPMENT AT THE
FOOT OF MURPHY HILL AND MASSACRED SEVERAL FAMILIES IN CHERRY
VALLEY!
ESSENTIALLY THAT IS THE STORY AS IT HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN.
ELIZABETH WAS NOT BORN UNTIL 1796 SO THE STORY MUST REFER TO THE
PREVIOUS GENERATION. IT IS ANOTHER STORY WITH NO DOCUMENTATION
THOUGH THERE IS HISTORICAL SUPPORT. HURD'S HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUN-
TY INDICATES "...A MAN CALLED KEECH..." LIVED IN ROSEBOOM, FOUR MILES
SOUTH OF CHERRY VALLEY.
ELIZABETH'S OWN ANCESTRY HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. ONE SOURCE
INDICATES SHE WAS BORN IN WASHINGTON COUNTY; ANOTHER INDICATES
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, WHICH ONCE INCLUDED CHERRY VALLEY. THERE
WERE NO KEECHES IN ONEIDA CO. IN 1800. THEY PROBABLY CAME @ 1810 AND
WERE CERTAINLY IN TOWN BY 1812, AS A JAMES KEECH ALSO SERVED IN THE
WAR OF 1812. ELIZABETH APPEARS TO HAVE HAD AT LEAST TWO BROTHERS:
GEORGE AND JAMES. HER FATHER MAY ALSO HAVE BEEN GEORGE THOUGH AT
THIS TIMES JAMES SEEMS A BETTER GUESS. KEECH IS ALSO NOT A COMMON
NAME. MOST AMERICAN KEECH FAMILIES DESCEND FROM A GEORGE KEECH
WHO IN R.I. @ 1640.
ELIZABETH d. 11 NOV 1887 AT THE AGE OF 91. BASED ON THE DATA
AVAILABLE A DEATH CERTIFICATE COULD NOT BE LOCATED. THIS WOULD
TEND TO INDICATE SHE DID NOT DIE IN ONEIDA CO. AND MAY HAVE BEEN
LIVING WITH ONE OF HER DAUGHTERS. ELIZABETH WAS PROBABLY WELL
KNOWN TO HER MAHEDY GRANDDAUGHTERS AND PERHAPS TO THE OLDER
MCKAY GIRLS (LIZZIE AND MINA). SHE WAS STILL LIVING WHEN THE BUTLERS
SETTLED IN NEARBY AVA. HER DAUGHTER EMILINE (VANDEWALKER) LIVED TO
THE AGE OF 91 AS DID EMILINE'S DAUGHTER WHO DIED IN 1946. RESEARCH ON
THIS AND ALL FAMILIES MENTIONED IS CONTINUING. HOPEFULLY THE HISTORY
WILL SOMEDAY BE PUBLISHED. IN THE MEANTIME IF YOU HAVE ANY STORIES
OR MEMORIES YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE, PLEASE PASS THEM ALONG. ALSO,
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO
CONTACT ME. DAN
***
SOURCES & RECORDS
SOURCE TYPE DESCRIPTION
MISC. MARRIAGE 1787 AMENIA, NY - CHARLES GILLETT TO ESTHER HUNTER
ONEIDA CO. CENSUS POPULATION CENSUS DATA FOR FOLLOWING
1800 - 1900
LISTINGS BUTLER, ADIN - 1865
" SOLOMON - 1900
BURCH, ALMIRA - 1860
GILLETT, CHAS - 1800 - 1810
" EBENEZER - 1825 - 1850
" DAVID - 1850 - 1870
" HENRY - 1850 - 1900
" HORACE - 1850 - 1900
KEECH - 1825 - 1900
ST PETER R.C. CHURCH MARRIAGE CERT. MICHAEL MAHEDY TO ESTHER GILLETT
ROME, NY 7 MAR 1843
ST PATRICK D' ANY NONE PRIOR TO 1850
SHERRINGTON
ST ROMAIN D' ANY " " " "; BAPT
FOR HEMMINGFORD ESTHER, MARY, & MICHAEL MAHEDY - 1850, 51, 52;
NOTRE DAME D'GRANBY ANY BAPT FOR CATHERINE, WM., MARTHA, MARY E; BURIAL: CATHERINE, MARTHA,
MARY E;
JOHN MAHEDY, 1857, MENTIONS CHAS MORAN AS WITNESS;
SHEFFORD CO CENSUS POPULATION DATA FOR FAMILY & FARMS FOR 1861 & AGR LISTINGS DUNNS, CAMPBELL, C
MORAN & M & P MAHEDY; NONE FOR T MCKAY;
SHEFFORD CO & PAUL PROPERTY MAP & DESCRIPTION THOS MACKAY
COUTURE - OWNS T (UNDATED) PROPERTY BORDERED BY FARM OF
MCKAY FARM H.C. MACKAY;
1880 CENSUS POPULATION
1 - PROVIDENCE, RI LISTINGS NO CONSPICUOUS RELATIONS FOUND
2 - LEOMINSTER, MASS
& VICINITY " IBID
NOTRE DAME D' BAPTISMS RECORDS FOR ALL J.P MCKAY
BONSECOURS RC CHURCH CHILDREN EXCEPT JOHN D & H. CHARLES; PAT'K & ANN DONAHUE
GODPARENTS OF E. MAY;
MAHEDY - MCKAY
3M
MULLARKEY
1987
FROM THE "EDITOR":
WELL, BY THE OLD CLOCK ON THE WALL IT APPEARS 'TIS ALMOST TIME FOR
THE WEARIN' O' THE GREEN, AND HENCE TIME AGAIN FOR A WEE BIT MORE
MULLARKY.
AS THE AUTUMN LEAVES BEGAN TO FALL AND EARLY NOVEMBER SNOWS
SIGNALLED THE END OF ANOTHER YEAR, I BEGAN TO WONDER WHAT MIGHT
FILL THE PAGES OF 3M. IT APPEARED THAT I AGAIN WOULD BE UNSUCCESSFUL
IN IDENTIFYING THE PARENTS OF THOMAS MCKAY, JOHN MAHEDY, THE
DONAHUES, MORANS, OR EVEN THE GILLETT/KEECHES. THAT IS NOT TO SAY I
LEARNED NOTHING. REVELATIONS ON THE MAHEDY LINE COULD EASILY FILL
THIS NEWSLETTER. INDEED, THEY MOST LIKELY RESULT IN THE PUBLICATION
OF A NOVEL! WHILE CIRCUMSTANCES MAY OCCASIONALLY MAKE IT
NECESSARY TO FOCUS ON A SPECIFIC BRANCH OF THE FAMILY, IT IS INTENDED
THAT INFORMATION BE PRESENTED ON ALL BRANCHES IN A MANNER WHICH
WILL ENRICH AWARENESS OF OUR IRISH HERITAGE. SO, I HAVE RUMMAGED
THROUGH MY NOTES OF THE PAST YEAR OR SO AND THROWN TOGETHER
ANOTHER GENEALOGICAL IRISH STEW. IF I APPEAR TO WANDER OFF ON A
TANGENT NOW AND THEN, I'M JUST POLISHING THE BLARNEY STONE. (BESIDES
I HAVE TO KEEP MY "TINY" STENO BUSY!) IN ANY CASE, I HOPE YOU WILL FIND
SOMETHING OF INTEREST IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES AND WILL ALSO
HAVE A HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY
ERIN GO BRAGH
--------
IN MEMORIUM ESTHER MCKAY CONNIFF DIED 2 SEPT 1986. ESTHER WAS BORN IN VERNON,
NY ON 13 JAN 1912, DAUGHTER OF T. FRANK AND CLARA MYERS MCKAY. SHE
MARRIED JOHN CONNIFF ON 29 JUN 1940. JOHN DIED 14 NOV1952. SHE IS
SURVIVED BY THREE SONS: THOMAS, ROBERT, AND JOHN OF SHERRILL, NY; A
DAUGHTER, MARY ANN JOHNSTON OF ONEIDA, NY; A BROTHER WILLIAM
MORRIS MCKAY OF ROCKVILLE, MD.; A SISTER EDITH ZINZAC OF HAMBURG,
NY; NINE GRANDCHILDREN AND SEVERAL NIECES, NEPHEWS AND COUSINS.
ESTHER WAS MORE THAN "FAMILY"; TO ALL HER KNEW HER SHE WAS A
TRUE FRIEND. THERE WAS ALWAYS A WARM SMILE AND A KIND WORD, AND
PLENTY OF HOSPITALITY. SHE WILL BE SORELY MISSED BY ALL MANY, BUT
SHE LEAVES BEHIND A TREASURE OF CHERISHED MEMORIES
I WOULD LIKE TO DEDICATE THIS EDITION OF "3M" IN HER MEMORY.
DAN
OUR IRISH HERITAGE
LIKE MANY OF YOU - AND MILLIONS OF IRISH AMERICANS - I HAVE GROWN
UP WITH A SPECIAL FONDNESS FOR IRELAND. ON MARCH 17 I WORE THE
GREEN, "SANG" THOSE BELOVED SONGS, DRANK GREEN BEER (GUINESS IS
BETTER!), AND EVEN DANCED A SORT OF JIG. I HAD HEARD TALES OF THOSE
VENERABLE ANCESTORS WHO CAME OVER AND OF OUR OWN IRISH ROVERS,
CHARLEY AND PATTY MAHEDY. THERE WAS A GREAT PRIDE IN OUR
IMMIGRANT ANCESTORS AND OUR ANCIENT HOMELAND.
BUT FOR ALL THE STORIES, THE PRIDE AND HOOP-LA, WHAT DID WE
REALLY KNOW OF IRELAND'S HISTORY OR CULTURE? THOUGH WE HAVE
FORGOTTEN THE BULK OF SPECIFIC DETAIL, MOST OF US ARE COGNIZANT OF
JEWISH HISTORY BACK TO ADAM AND EVE, GREEK HISTORY TO HOMER AND
BEFORE, ITALIAN HISTORY TO CAESAR, AND FRENCH, SPANISH, AND GERMAN
HISTORY BACK TO THE ROMAN EMPIRE. IF WE NEED TO "BONE UP" ON THOSE
HISTORIES, ABUNDANT INFORMATION IS READILY AVAILABLE. ENGLISH
HISTORY IS DRUMMED INTO US AS SORT OF PRE-AMERICAN HISTORY -
THOUGH THE BOOKS NEVER MENTION KING ARTHUR WAS A CELT, NOT AN
ANGLO-SAXON. INDEED, IT ALMOST SEEMS THAT THE HISTORY OF IRELAND
ACQUIRED IN SCHOOL WAS THAT BESTOWED UPON HER BY ENGLAND. FROM
THIS ANGLICIZED PERSPECTIVE CROMWELL'S "VISITATION" AND SUBSEQUENT
PLANTATIONS, IF OCCASIONALLY HARSH, APPEAR AS BASIC ADVANCEMENTS
IN IRELAND'S DEVELOPMENT RATHER THAN THE RACIAL, BARBARIC
UPROOTING AND SLAUGHTER OF A PEOPLE UNPARALLELED UNTIL HITLER. (IN
LESS THAN TEN YEARS THE POPULATION WAS CUT FROM 8 MILLION TO 4
MILLION!) THE TRAGEDY OF THE FAMINE YEARS IS PRESENTED AS ONE UN-
FORTUNATE "ACT OF NATURE". IT IS TRUE THAT THERE WAS A DEVASTATING
POTATO BLIGHT FOR SEVERAL YEARS. IT IS ALSO TRUE, BUT FOR SOME REASON
NOT DISCUSSED IN HISTORY BOOKS, THAT LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION, CORN,
WHEAT, AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE CONTINUED TO YIELD NORMAL
HARVESTS. HOWEVER, THE ENGLISH LANDLORDS AND EXPORT AGENTS DID
NOT WANT TO DISRUPT THEIR AGRICULTURAL MARKETS. SO, AS THE IRISH LAY
DYING OF STARVATION IN ROADSIDE DITCHES, IRELAND'S FOOD FILLED THE
BELLIES OF CARGO SHIPS THAT THE LANDLORDS MIGHT PROFIT. RATHER THAN
RISK THE EXPENSE OF PLACING THE INCREASING NUMBERS OF DESTITUTE ON
THE POOR ROLLS, THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT FOUND IT WOULD BE CHEAPER
TO SHIP THE IRISH TO AMERICA. JUST AS THE SLAVERS A CENTURY BEFORE,
THE IRISH WERE PACKED ONTO SHIPS LIKE ANIMALS. THOUSANDS DIED AT SEA
DUE TO THE DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS ON BOARD. SHIPS COMING DOWN THE
ST. LAWRENCE INTO LAKE ONTARIO HAD SO MANY DEAD THEY WERE SIMPLY
TOSSED OVERBOARD. THE SHORELINE BECAME AWASH WITH HUNDREDS OF
BODIES! I SUSPECT FOR MANY, IRISH HISTORY BEGINS WITH THE FAMINE.
OUR IMAGE OF IRELAND IS LARGELY A HOLLYWOOD STEREOTYPE: A SIM-
PLE, RUSTIC FOLK, DEVOUTLY RELIGIOUS YET HIGHLY SUPERSTITIOUS, FOND
OF DRINK, MUSIC, AND HUMOR, WHO ALL LIVE IN QUAINT THATCHED-ROOF,
WHITE-WASHED COTTAGES AMIDST AN EMERALD GREEN SPLENDOR. ONE
COULD GET THE IMPRESSION THAT IRELAND HAS BEEN LOCKED IN A TIME
WARP, WITH NO TRUE HERITAGE OF THEIR OWN BEYOND THE PERIODIC
UPRISINGS AGAINST ENGLAND. INDEED, WHO EVER HEARS OF THE GREAT
KINGS OF IRELAND, OF THEIR HEROS, THEIR LITERARY ACHIEVEMENTS (PRIOR
TO YEATS AND JOYCE), THEIR MUSIC - BEYOND WHAT WE HEAR MARCH 17,
MOST OF WHICH WAS WRITTEN IN THE U.S.?
IRELAND'S HISTORY AND CULTURE IS AS RICH AND COLORFUL AS ANY
OF THE "GREAT" NATIONS OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION, PERHAPS MORESO, AS
IT PREDATES ALL OF THEM, RIVALING ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME! THE
MILESIAN MONARCHY WAS ESTABLISHED CENTURIES BEFORE CHRIST AND CON-
TINUED UNTIL ALMOST 1200 A.D., PROBABLY THE LONGEST UNBROKEN CHAIN
IN HISTORY! THE FIRST PARLIAMENT IN HISTORY WAS ESTABLISHED IN
IRELAND, ALSO CENTURIES BEFORE CHRIST, AND CONTINUED TO 1172 A.D.,
ALMOST A CENTURY BEFORE THE FIRST BRITISH PARLIAMENT! THE LEGENDS
OF THE ANCIENT IRISH DEITIES ARE AS FASCINATING AS THOSE IN AN-CIENT
GREEK MYTHOLOGY. (SHAKESPEARE'S KING LEAR IS BASED ON LIR, THE IRISH
GOD OF THE SEA.) THE BATTLES, INTRIGUES, AND ESCAPADES OF IRELAND'S
KINGS AND ROYAL FAMILIES ARE ALSO THE STUFF OF A SHAKESPEARE PLAY,
EVERY BIT AS MUCH AS THOSE RIVALRIES OF OTHER EUROPEAN MONARCHIES.
THE POETS AND HISTORIANS OF ANCIENT IRELAND RANKED SECOND ONLY
TO THEIR KING. DRUID TRADITION HELD THAT HISTORY AND POETRY WERE
SACRED AND THEREFORE COULD NOT BE WRITTEN BUT ONLY REVEALED BY
WORD OF MOUTH. IT TOOK ABOUT TEN YEARS OF STUDY TO BECOME A POET
OR HISTORIAN. THEY HAD TO BE ABLE TO RECITE THE GENEALOGY, HISTORY,
STORIES AND POEMS OF THEIR TRIBE IN EXACT DETAIL AS WELL AS CHRON-
ICAL CONTEMPORARY EVENTS. ANY GIVEN STORY COULD TAKE MANY HOURS,
OR EVEN DAYS TO RETELL. THEIR POETRY HAD ACHIEVED A HIGHLY SOPH-
ISTIC LEVEL CENTURIES BEFORE ENGLAND. IN FACT, THE EARLY ENGLISH
POETS STUDIED UNDER IRISH MONKS. THE TRADITION OF IRISH STORYTEL-
LING CONTINUES TO THIS DAY.
I DO NOT WISH TO IMPLY IN ANY WAY A DEGREE OF EXPERTISE IN IRISH
HISTORY. I HAVE ONLY SKIMMED THE SURFACE, AND HAVE BEEN
OVER-WHELMED BY ITS DEPTH AND BREADTH. BUT IF OVERWHELMED, I AM
ALSO
PERPLEXED. HOW COULD ANYONE CLAIM SUCH PRIDE IN THEIR IRISH
HERITAGE AND BE SO WOEFULLY IGNORANT OF IRISH HISTORY? HOW IS IT
POSSIBLE I HAVE NEVER HEARD IRELAND'S NATIONAL ANTHEM? SURELY OUR
IRISH ANCESTORS BROUGHT WITH THEM A HOST OF FOLKTALES AND LEGENDS.
IF THEY WERE LESS FAMILIAR WITH IRISH HISTORY IT WOULD BE UNDER-
STANDABLE. EVERYTHING WAS DONE TO PREVENT IRISH EDUCATION. TO
AVOID THE LAW, A TEACHER WOULD CONDUCT SCHOOL BEHIND A HEDGE,
ASSIGNING A STUDENT AS A LOOK-OUT FOR THE AUTHORITIES. THEY BE-
CAME KNOWN AS "HEDGE SCHOOLS." WHEN PUBLIC EDUCATION WAS FINALLY
INTRODUCED IN THE EARLY 1800'S, THE YOUTH OF EIRE WERE TAUGHT TO
BE GOOD LITTLE ENGLISHMEN! THAT MARKED THE DECLINE OF THE IRISH
LANGUAGE AND WAS NATURALLY NOT WELL RECEIVED.
WHETHER THE IRISH HISTORY AND LEGENDS WERE NEVER LEARNED,
NEVER TRANSMITTED, OR SIMPLY "LOST" WITH THE PASSING OF GENERA-
TIONS, IT IS A HERITAGE WELL WORTH RECOVERING - FOR IT IS OURS!
**********
MORE ON MAHEDYS IN MY 1986 ST. P'S GENEALOGICAL "CAMPAIGN" I WAS SUCCESSFUL IN
ESTABLISHING TWO NEW CONTACTS: JOHN MAHEDY OF AUSTRALIA, AND JEAN
HAYS OF RIVIERA BEACH, FL.
THE SPECIFIC LINK BETWEEN THE AUSTRALIAN AND AMERICAN CLANS
HAS YET TO BE DISCOVERED, BUT UNDOUBTEDLY EXISTS. MOST OF JOHN'S
CLAN APPEAR TO ORIGINATE IN MULLINGAR, CO. W MEATH AND DESCEND
FROM A PATRICK MAHEDY WHO WAS BORN @1790 (OUR ANCESTOR JOHN b. 1782,
CO. LONGFORD). "COUSIN" JOHN HAS MADE THREE TRIPS TO IRELAND AND
VISITED SEVERAL OF THE MAHEDY CLAN THERE. HE SAID IN MULLINGAR
THERE IS AN OLD SAYING STILL HEARD THAT "...IF YOU TAKE THE ROAD FROM
MULLINGAR TO LONGFORD CITY YOU WOULD MEET ALL THE MAHEDYS IN
EIRE." FROM WHAT JOHN HAS LEARNED, THE MAHEDYS APPEAR TO HAVE ONCE
BEEN FAIRLY WELL-TO-DO LAND OWNERS. THEY OWNED COOLAMBER ESTATES
UNTIL THAT PROPERTY WAS CONFISCATED BY THE ENGLISH, WHO PURSUED
THE MAHEDYS ALMOST EVERY TIME THEY INVADED IRELAND.
THE HAYS FAMILY WAS MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS 3M. JEAN IS THE
GRANDDAUGHTER OF WILLIAM F. MAHEDY, SON OF (THE MISSING) JOHN
MAHEDY, JR.. WILLIAM WAS THE FIRST POLICE CHIEF OF SARATOGA (@1875).
LATER HE BECAME A PINCKERTON AGENT WORKING OUT OF NYC. JEAN SAW
HER GRANDFATHER ONLY ONCE AND REMEMBERS HIM AS A BIG, HUSKY MAN.
WILLIAM WAS BORN 1848, VERGENNES, VT. AND WAS RAISED ON THE
MICHAEL MAHEDY FARM IN SHERRINGTON AND SHEFFORD, QUE. BY 1861 HE
WAS WORKING FOR HIS (OUR) UNCLE, PATRICK MAHEDY, AT THE SAWMILL.
HIS OLDER BROTHER JAMES (b.1844) HAD APPARENTLY ALREADY HEADED OUT
WEST TO IOWA. WILLIAM m. FRANCES CARR (B. 1850), MOREAU, SAR. CO., NY. @
1876 AND HAD MYRTLE (1877) AND FRANCES MAUD (1882). F. MAUD m.
FREDERICK RICHARDSON 17 NOV 1914, AND THEY WERE JEAN'S PARENTS.
MYRTLE ALSO MARRIED AND HAD A DAUGHTER WHO CURRENTLY RESIDES IN
FT. EDWARD, NY.
LAST SUMMER JEAN CAME NORTH FOR HER GRANDSON'S GRADUATION IN
SARATOGA. SHE ALSO TOOK TIME OUT TO VISIT MIKEY AND ME. AMOUNG
THE TREASURES JEAN BROUGHT TO SHOW ME WAS A VERY OLD, FRAGILE, BUT
PRESERVED LETTER. AS I SKIMMED ITS LINES I KNEW A FAMILY "MYSTERY"
WAS BEING RESOLVED IN THE MIDST OF A MOST AMAZING ADVENTURE. JEAN
HAD TRUELY SHARED A TREASURE! SHE PROMISED TO SEND ME A COPY AFTER
SHE RETURNED TO FLORIDA. WHEN I REREAD THE COPY MY MIND WENT
REEL-ING - AGAIN! I WAS CERTAIN SOMEONE IN THE WESTERN CLAN (JAMES'
LINE) WOULD BE EAGER TO LEARN THIS NEW INFORMATION. A LITTLE IN-
VESTIGATIVE EFFORT LED ME TO REV. WILLIAM MAHEDY OF SAN DIEGO, CA.
BILL WAS AS EXCITED AS I. WITH HIS BROTHER JOHN HE WILL PURSUE THE
TRAIL OF JOHN MAHEDY, JR. IN CALIFORNIA. BASED ON THE LETTER WHICH
FOLLOWS, BILL PLANS TO WRITE A NOVEL. HE RECENTLY PUBLISHED HIS THIRD
NON-FICTION BOOK. THANKS TO JEAN THE BALL IS REALLY BEGINNING TO
ROLL.
THE LETTER WHICH FOLLOWS HAS BEEN TYPED AS CLOSELY AS COULD BE
INTERPRETED FROM THE WRITER'S HANDWRITING.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, JAN'Y 14, 1864
MY DEAR BROTHERS AND CHILDREN,
AFTER MY ABSENCE OF 14 YEARS I TAKE THIS OPORTUNITY OF
ADDRESSING YOU WITH THESE FEW LINES HOPING TO FIND YOU ALL IN AS
GOOD HEALTH AS THIS LEAVES ME AT PRESENT.
WHEN I WROTE LAST IT WAS FROM RICHMOND VIRGINIA, A DAY OR TWO
AFTER I SHIPED ACCORDING TO YOUR REQUEST ON A STEAMER WHICH I
THOUGHT WAS BOUND FOR NEW YORK AND WHEN SHE GOT TO SEA SHE
CHANGED HER COURSE FOR THE ISLAND OF CUBA WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE
OF WHERE I WAS GOING. THIS VESSEL WENT BY THE NAME OF FILLIBUSTER
AFTER
ARRIVING TO THE ISLAND OF CUBA WELCOME WAS HOT AND SEVERE. THERE
WAS OVER 150 KILLED ON FIELD OF BATTLE OF - ? - DETEDED (?DEFEATED)
MEN. WAS BROGHT TO HAVANA TRIED BY COURT MARSHALL AND THAT I WITH
THE EXCEPTION OF ONE MAN MADE OUR ESCAPE FROM BEING SHOT, THANKS
BE GOD FOR ALL HIS MERCIES: BUT MY PUNISHMENT WAS WORSE THAN DEATH.
I WAS BOUND IN A CHAINGANG FROM AUG 50 UNTIL APRIL 62 WHICH TIME I
MADE MY ESCAPE GOT TO TEXAS ON BORD THE STEAMER GENERAL WILKS A
SOUTHERN VESSAL AND GOT TO GALVESTON TEXAS STILL MY TROUBLE WAS
NOT OVER. I WAS OBLIGED TO JOIN THE SOUTHERN ARMY AND FOUGHT SOME
HARD FIGHTS IN LUSINEA.
I WAS TAKEN PRISONER THEN BY THE UNITED ST. FORCES AND PAROLED
NOT TO FIGHT DURING THE WAR. THE GOVERNMENT OF TEXAS GAVE ME A
PASS TO PASS TO MEXICO. AND THEN FROM MEXICO I TRAVELED TO CALI-
FORNIA AND THE ONE FORTH OF MY ADVENTURES IS NOT AS ABOVE IF MY
CHILDREN ARE LIVING THEY HAVE A FATHER AS YET THAT REMEMBERS THEM.
AND THE MOTHER THAT GAVE THEM BIRTH, AND YOU BROTHERS AND SISTER
FOR TAKING CARE OF THEM. THE REMAINDER OF MY LIFE WILL BE DEVOTED
TO YOUR INTEREST. EVERY DOLLAR YOU SPENT IN CLOTHING AND BORD I
SHALL PAY YOU TO THE LAST CENT. I GOT TO THIS PLACE LAST JUNE AND
TIMES WAS NOT VERY GOOD BUT STILL I AM AT WORK ON THE RAILWAY AND
EVERY DOLLAR I MAKE SHALL BE SENT TO YOU IN GOLD OF UNITED STATES
BILLS AND YOU WILL BE PLEASED TO LET ME KNOW WHETHER YOU WOULD
SOONER HAVE THE GOLD OR UNITED BILLS AND WHETHER UNITED STATES
BILLS TO CURRENT IN CANADA. I HAVE GOLD IN RESERVE FOR YOU UNTILL
THE LAST DOLLARS IS PAID THAT I.O.U. OR MY SISTER MARRY. I SHAL TALK
NONE OF THE LAND IN CANADA OR JOHN ROURKE. I SHOULD SUPOSE THE OLD
MAN IS FAR FROM THIS WORLD TO THE WORLD TO COME. IF HE IS ALIVE I
WOULD BE GLAD TO HEAR FROM YOU ON THE COUNT OF THEM THAT I ONCE
LOVED AND STILL LOVE SO NO MORE I HAVE TO SAY, BUT REMEMBER ME TO
MY CHILDREN THAT THEY STILL HAVE A FATHER PRAYS FOR THEM NIGHT AND
MORNING - I BOUGHT A HOME IN CALIFORNIA WHERE I INTEND TO SPEND THE
REMAINDER OF MY DAYS IF MY FATHER IS STILL ALIVE LET ME KNOW HOW HE
IS GETTING ALONG. IN MY NEXT LETTER I SHALL LET YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT
CALIFORNIA - DIRECT YOUR TO ME STEWARDS FLAT
PLACER CO, CALIFORNIA
JOHN MAHADY
PS I WAS NOT FORGETING LET ME KNOW HOW MY UNCLE AUNT CHILDREN ARE
AND MR HELPINS (KELPYN?) I AM A CONTRACTOR ON THE RAILROAD. MY
WEIGHT IS FROM 180 - 190. WRITE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. P.M.
JOHN MAHEDY JR. DOES NOT APPEAR IN THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES INDEX
OF CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS. THERE ARE SEVERAL POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS
BUT WE WILL CONTINUE SEARCHING FOR RECORDS OF JOHN'S CIVIL WAR
EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS FOR HIS TRIALS IN CUBA.
THERE WAS ALSO NO RECORD OF JOHN IN THE 1870 OR 1880 CENSUSES
FOR PLACER CO., CA. SINCE JOHN SAID HE OWNED A HOUSE AND PLANNED
TO SPEND THE REMAINDER OF HIS LIFE THERE, THE MOST LOGICAL ASSUMP-
TION IS THAT HE DIED THERE BETWEEN 1864 - 1870. AGAIN, RESEARCH WILL
PROCEED IN THE SACRAMENTO - PLACER CO. VICINITY TO LEARN MORE OF
WHAT BECAME OF JOHN MAHEDY, JR.
THE 1851 CENSUS FOR SHERRINGTON, QUE., CANADA SHEDS FURTHER
LIGHT ON THE MAHEDY/MORAN HISTORY AND ALSO ANSWERS SOME
QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE FOURTH BROTHER, WILLIAM MAHEDY. IT WAS
ALSO INTERESTING TO NOTE HOW THE ENUMERATOR SPELLED THE NAME.
MICHAEL MCHADY 35 CATHOLIC b. IRE FARMER LOG HOUSE 1.5
ESTER 29 US STORY
ESTER 2 ST. PATRICK'S *
MARY 1 " "
JAMES 7 ATTENDS HEMINGFORD
WILLIAM 4 SCHOOL "
JOHN MCHADY 72 IRE LABORER
MICHAEL ALSO STATED ONE MALE, 27, b. IRE., DIED IN 1851 OF "INSANITY".
THIS WOULD BE WILLIAM!
THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF MICHAEL'S SISTER MARY OR BROTHER PATRICK IN
THAT PORTION OF HUNTINGTON CO.. MARY WAS PROBABLY STILL SINGLE AND
MAY HAVE RESIDED WITH PAT, PERHAPS AT HEMINGFORD OR EVEN SHEFFORD.
I DID FIND A JAMES SHERIDAN AND FAMILY FROM CO. CAVAN, IRELAND
LIVING IN SHERRINGTON IN 1851. WHETHER THIS FAMILY WAS CONNECTED
TO THE SHERIDANS OF GEN. PHIL SHERIDAN FAME IS UNKNOWN, BUT THE
GENERAL'S PARENTS WERE ALSO FROM CO. CAVAN.
NOT FAR FROM MICHAEL WAS HIS MOTHER'S BROTHER, CHARLES MORAN
AND FAMILY. THIS WAS THE "UNCLE AUNT CHILDREN" REFERRED TO IN
JOHN JR.'S LETTER.
CHARLES MORAN 63 CATHOLIC b. IRE FARMER LOG HOUSE
BRIDGET O'GRADY 43 " "
MARY MORAN 21 absent ST PAT'S ] BOTH MARRIED
ELIZABETH 19 " " ] BY 1861
JUDITH 17 "
BRIDGET 15 "
CHARLES 13
JOHN 11
ANN 9
PATRICK 7
LUCIE 5
MICHAEL 3
JOHN'S LETTER ALSO MENTIONS JOHN ROURK (E). FROM THE 1851 CENSUS IT
WOULD APPEAR THAT JOHN ROURKE WAS JOHN'S FATHER-IN-LAW, FATHER OF
ROSIE ROURKE MAHEDY. READING BETWEEN THE LINES ONE GETS THE
IMPRESSION THAT J. ROURKE SOMEHOW USURPED JOHN'S PROPERTY DURING
THE LATTER'S ABSENSE. PERHAPS THAT WAS WHY THE FAMILY SUMMONED
JOHN HOME FROM VIRGINIA BACK IN 1850. THE ROURKES APPEAR IN THE
CENSUS AS FOLLOWS:
JOHN ROURKE 56 CATHOLIC IRE FARMER
ELIZABETH 56 " "
GEORGE 40 " "
PATRICK 25 " "
*****************************************************************
THE MCKAYS MCKAY RESEARCH CONTINUES TO BE SLOW AND FRUSTRATING, PARTLY
BECAUSE THE RECORDS ARE LESS FAMILIAR AND LESS ACCESSABLE. SEVERAL
DOZEN MCKAY FAMILIES WERE FOUND IN COMPTON CO., JUST EAST OF SHEF-
FORD CO., P.Q., BUT THEY WERE ALL SCOTCH PROTESTANT, AS WAS MOST OF
THE COUNTY. THERE WAS AN ANN MCKAY IN COMPTON TOWN WHO WAS 16
(1861) AND CATHOLIC, WORKING AT COLBY'S INN. STILL, I AM CONFIDENT
RECORDS OF THOMAS' PARENTS WILL BE FOUND IN DUE COURSE.
THE 1871 CENSUS OF GRANBY PROVIDED AN AGRICULTURAL CENSUS AS
WELL AS A POPULATION SCHEDULE. THE AGRICULTURAL CENSUS LISTS THE
SPECIFIC LOT NUMBERS OF EACH FARM. BY FINDING THE 1871 LOT NUMBERS
OF THOMAS' FARM I WAS ABLE TO FIND HIM LISTED IN THE 1861 AGRICULT-
URAL CENSUS LISTED AS MACKIE. IT IS STILL PUZZLING WHY HE AND HIS
FAMILY WERE NOT LISTED IN THE 1861 POPULATION SCHEDULE. ANOTHER
INTERESTING FEATURE OF THE 1871 CANADA CENSUS WAS THE INCLUSION OF
AN "ORIGIN" (NATIONALITY) COLUMN IN ADDITION TO THE COUNTRY OF
BIRTH. THUS, MANY OF THE IMMIGRANTS BORN IN IRELAND CLAIMED TO BE
SCOTTISH OR ENGLISH, EVEN THOSE WITH IRISH SURNAMES! THE REVERSE
WAS ALSO FOUND. IT DOES PROVIDE ONE ADDITIONAL BIT OF EVIDENCE
THAT OUR MCKAYS WERE IRISH, NOT SCOTCH. THE CENSUS LISTED:
MACKEE, THOMAS 48 IRE FARMER IRISH CATHOLIC
MARGARET 48 " " "
(MACKEE) DAVID 22 US CARPENTER " "
JOHN 19 US FARMER " "
CATHERINE 17 QUE
WILLIAM 15 "
MARTHA 11 "
MARY 8 "
(SEE FAMILY FARMS)
THERE WERE ONE OR TWO OTHER MCKAY/MCKEE FAMILIES IN GRANBY,
BUT THEY WERE FROM SCOTLAND AND BELONGED TO THE CHURCH OF
ENGLAND. THERE WERE NO DONAHUES OR MAXWELLS.
OBVIOUSLY DAVID HAD NOT YET MOVED OUT WEST, AND IT MAY HAVE
BEEN ANOTHER TEN YEARS BEFORE HE WOULD. DAVID MARRIED BRIDGET
CECEILIA ANGOL IN 1883, PROBABLY IN MISSOURI. BRIDGET WAS THE
DAUGHTER OF IRISH IMMIGRANTS - ONE OF NINE CHILDREN. THEY WERE
LISTED IN THE 1900 CHILLICOTHE, MO. CENSUS AS FOLLOWS:
PARENTS
DAVID MACKEY b. SEPT 1851 @ 48 mar. 17YR. b. MA IRE IRE
BRIDGET (WIFE) OCT 1861 38 3 CH; ALL MO " "
LOUIS H. (SON) FEB 1884 16 LIVING MO MA MO
MARY H. (DAU) APR 1887 13 " " "
DAVID F. (SON) " 1889 11 " " "
MARY ANGOL MAY 1841 59 9 CH; 6 IRE IRE IRE
(MOTHER - IN - LAW) LIVING
DAVID WAS A RAILROAD SUPERVISOR AND THEY RESIDED AT 220 CLAY
ST. IT SHOULD BE NOTED HE WAS BORN IN 1848 AND WAS 51 YEARS OLD.
JOHN AND JANIS FULMER FOUND A FOURTH CHILD, CHARLES M. MCKAY, b. 5
AUG 1885, d. 9 AUG 1888, BURIED IN ST. COLUMBUS CEMETERY, CHILLI-
COTHE, MO.. SOMETIME AFTER 1900 THE FAMILY MOVED TO KANSAS CITY,
MO.. DAVID MUST HAVE DIED THERE (31 OCT 1926), NOT AT CHILLICOTHE
AS PREVIOUSLY ASSUMED. BRIDGET DIED 9 NOV 1936, KANSAS CITY, AT
THE HOME OF HER DAUGHTER, MRS. L.A. PURCELL. SHE WAS BURIED IN MT.
ST. MARY'S CEMETERY. BESIDES HER DAUGHTER, BRIDGET WAS SURVIVED BY
A SISTER, MRS. TEDDY (MARY) ASHOUR. THE ASHOURS MAY HAVE COME WITH
THE MCKAYS FROM CHILLICOTHE. TEDDY ASHOUR WAS A RAILROAD
CONDUCTOR IN THE 1900 CHILLICOTHE CENSUS AND HAD A SON LEONARD (b.
JAN 1900) AND A DAUGHTER MARGARET (JAN 1896).
DAVID F. MCKAY DIED IN KANSAS CITY IN 1951 AND WAS BURIED IN THE MT.
OLIVET CEMETERY. HIS BROTHER J. LOUIS MUST HAVE DIED PRIOR TO THAT
TIME, AS ONLY DAVID'S SISTER, HORTENSE PURCELL WAS LISTED AS A
SURVIVOR. HORTENSE (MARY H.) PROBABLY COMMUNICATED WITH MINA
FULMER ON A FAIRLY REGULAR BASIS, AND OCCASIONALLY WITH THE VERNON
MCKAYS. I RECALL WRITING HER @ 1958 BUT HER RESPONSE HAS LONG
SINCE DISAPPEARED. WE ARE TRYING TO LEARN IF SHE HAS ANY FAMILY
REMAINING IN THE KANSAS CITY AREA.
*** *** *** *** *** *** ***
THE MCKAY DUEL
THE SECOND BATTLE OF WATERLOO ! THE DETAILS OF THE DUEL REPORTED 16 MAR 1865 WERE FURNISHED WITH
THE AID OF GERALD CAMPBELL AND MR. MAYNES OF WATERLOO, QUEBEC.
IT SEEMS ENSIGN MCKAY HAD FAILED TO PASS HIS EXAM BEFORE THE MILI-
TARY BOARD AND HAD BEEN BRINGING DISCREDIT UPON HIS COMPANY. FOR
SOME REASON THE CAPTAIN (MAYNES) HAD TO PAY FOR A UNIFORM OF
MCKAY'S. THE CAPTAIN SPOKE TO MCKAY ABOUT THE UNIFORM AND POOR
CONDUCT WHEREUPON MCKAY CHALLENGED CAPT. MAYNES TO A DUEL AND
MAYNES ACCEPTED. APPARENTLY ENSIGN MCKAY MADE A HABIT OF
CHAL-LENGING THOSE HE KNEW WOULD NOT FIGHT. CAPT. MAYNES APPEARED
AT
THE DESIGNATEDTIME AND PLACE, BUT MCKAY WAS NOWHERE IN SIGHT. A
SEARCH FOUND MCKAYIN A NEIGHBORING STORE SEATED BY A STOVE "NUR-
SING HIS WRATH TO KEEP IT WARM..." MAYNES CHALLENGED MCKAY VER-
BALLY. MCKAY'S EVASIVE REPLY SO FRUSTRATED MAYNES THAT HE SPAT
SQUARE IN THE ENSIGN'S FACE, STILL WITH NO RESPONSE. FINALLY, THE
CAPTAIN SLAPPED MCKAY ACROSS THE FACE, ASKING HIM IF HE WAS SATIS-
FIED WITH WHAT HE HAD RECEIVED. MCKAY SAID HE WAS INDEED AND WAS
LATER SEEN WALKING DOWN THE RAILROAD TRACKS HEADED OUT OF TOWN.
SO ENDED THE "SECOND BATTLE OF WATERLOO". BARRING EVIDENCE TO THE
CONTRARY (AND WITH THE UTMOST GENEALOGICAL OBJECTIVITY) IT IS
ASSUMED ENSIGN MCKAY IS MOST LIKELY OF THE SCOTTISH CLAN, AND OF NO
DIRECT RELATION TO US "MICKS."!
******************************************************
THE BERLIN CONNECTION INFORMATION IS ACCUMULATING ON JOHN MACKAY (1831, DUBLIN - 1902,
LONDON), GRANDFATHER OF ELIN MACKAY (MRS. IRVING BERLIN) BELIEVED TO
BE A COUSIN OF THOMAS MACKAY. JANIS FULMER REPORTS THAT GEORGE HAD
ALSO HEARD OF A CONNECTION. WHILE THERE IS STILL NO POSITIVE EVIDENCE
OF THE RELATIONSHIP, JOHN PROVES TO BE INCREASINGLY FASCINATING.
DESCRIBED AS A "SOFT SPOKEN MAN OF NATURAL DIGNITY AND
INTELLI-GENCE.", HE WAS CONSIDERED THE MOST SUCCESSFUL OF THE
BONANZA
BARONS. IN ADDITION TO THE MILLIONS HE DONATED TO CHARITIES, HE WAS A
SOFT TOUCH TO THE MAN IN THE STREET. WHEN HE WALKED FROM HIS HOTEL
TO HIS OFFICE IN SAN FRANCISCO HE ESTIMATED THAT IT COST HIM $50 PER
BLOCK. HE QUIETLY PAID PENSIONS FOR PIONEERS OF THE COMSTOCK LODE.
WHEN MINERS WERE OUT OF WORK, HE PROVIDED GROCERIES AT $3000 PER
MONTH.
JOHN COMMISSIONED A COAT OF ARMS. THIS COULD MEAN HE MAY HAVE
HAD ADDITIONAL GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH DONE WHICH SHOULD BE
AVAILABLE - SOMEWHERE.
MORE ON JOHN AND HIS EXTRAVAGANT WIFE IN THE NEXT ISSUE.
(SPECIAL THANKS TO JANIS FULMER, FRANKIE HOLT & MARY ANN PARKER
FOR RESEARCH AND ARTICLES CONCERNING BERLIN/MACKAY.)
BEST WISHES TO TAMI FULMER WHO WAS MARRIED 30 SEPT 1986 AT
PRESCOTT, KANSAS TO MR. J. GILLIS.
DONAHUE SINCE IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE DONAHUES WILL PROBABLY BE FOUND
IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE MCKAYS, IT SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISING TO
HEAR THAT THERE HAS ALSO BEEN LITTLE PROGRESS ON THIS LINE EITHER.
RECENTLY TWO DENAHOU FAMILIES WERE FOUND NEXT TO EACH OTHER IN
DORCHESTER CO. (1861) WHICH EXTENDS FROM THE BORDER OF MAINE TO
JUST EAST OF QUEBEC CITY. THEY WERE OBVIOUSLY TWO BROTHERS, MOSES,
56, AND WILLIAM, 50. BOTH WERE BORN IN IRELAND, CATHOLIC, AND HAD
BEEN IN CANADA SINCE AT LEAST 1835, THE SAME TIME MARGARET DONAHUE
MCKAY ARRIVED IN CANADA. THEY ARE OLD ENOUGH TO BE MARGARET'S BRO-
THERS, THOUGH IF RELATED AT ALL, THEY ARE MOST LIKELY COUSINS. THE
SPELLING VARIATION COULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE FACT THAT THE ENUMER-
ATOR WAS FRENCH. THUS "ON" MIGHT SOUND MORE LIKE "EN" IN FRENCH.
ELLEN BECAME HELENE, AND BRIDGET BECAME BRIGITTE.
IN COMPTON (1861) THERE WAS A 16 YEAR OLD PHILOMENA DONAHUE
WORKING AT THE INN, THOUGH NOT THE SAME IN AS ANN MCKAY.
LESS THAN LITTLE HAS BEEN FOUND ON THE ANN MAXWELL LINE. ANN
WAS BORN 1787 IN SCOTLAND AND IS THE MOTHER OF MARGARET DONAHUE.
MAXWELL IS AN ANCIENT AND PROMINENT NAME IN SCOTLAND. I DID STUM-
BLE ACROSS A SIR EUSTACE MAXWELL WHO OBTAINED POSSESSION OF CAETH-
AVEROCK CASTLE NEAR DUMFRIES SHORTLY AFTER IT HAD BEEN CAPTURED BY
EDWARD I OF ENGLAND IN 1300! SOMETIME AFTER 1313 MAXWELL DECLARED
SUPPORT FOR ROBERT BRUCE AS KING OF SCOTLAND IN OPPOSITION TO
EDWARD II OF ENGLAND. BRUCE HID THERE BRIEFLY. RATHER THAN ALLOW
THE ENGLISH TO REGAIN THE CASTLE MAXWELL DISMANTLED IT AND FLED.
BRUCE LATER JOINED FORCES WITH HIS BROTHER EDWARD OF IRELAND TO
FIGHT OFF THE ENGLISH INVASION. IN ANY CASE, WE HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW
ANCIENT OUR MAXWELL CLAN IS.
---------
THE FAMILY FARMS
THE FAMILY FARM HAS BEEN IN THE NEWS A GOOD DEAL FOR THE PAST
YEAR. DROUGHTS, SURPLUS, AND EVER INCREASING FORCLOSURES HAVE
FORCED THOUSANDS OF FARMS OUT OF EXISTANCE. WE ARE ALL WELL AWARE
OF THE ROLE THE FAMILY FARM HAS PLAYED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH
AMERICA. STILL, THE MAJORITY OF MY GENERATION HAVE PROBABLY NEVER
BEEN ON A FARM AND THE FARM EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE WHO FOLLOW IS APT
TO BECOME AS NOVEL AS A TRIP TO THE ZOO.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, OF ALL THE KNOWN MAHEDY/MCKAY CLAN, ONLY JOHN
AND JANIS FULMER OF PRESCOTT, KA, ARE ENGAGED IN FARMING. THEIRS,
HOWEVER, IS MORE OF THE "PLEASURE" OR "HOBBY" VARIETY. OF THE
PREVIOUS GENERATIONS, I BELIEVE ONLY THE CAMPBELLS GREW UP ON A
FARM. AS A BOY I SPENT SEVERAL WONDERFUL VACATIONS ON THE COSTELLO
FARM IN AUBURN, NY. THOUGH I CHERISH THE MEMORIES, I CERTAINLY COULD
NOT CLAIM TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE OF FARM LIFE.
BEYOND WHAT WE HAVE READ, SEEN ON THE SILVER SCREEN, OR RECALL
FROM TALES OF OUR ELDERS, IT IS STILL DIFFICULT TO TRUELY APPRECIATE
HOW SELF-SUSTAINING OUR ANCESTRAL FARMS WERE. RATHER THAN DISCUSS
THE LIFE AND CUSTOMS OF EARLY AGRARIAN SOCIETY, PERHAPS IT WOULD BE
INTERESTING TO CLOSELY EXAMINE THE VARIOUS ANCESTRAL FARMS AS THEY
EXISTED OVER ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
THE GILLETT AND KEECH FAMILIES HAD MOST LIKELY BEEN FARMING IN
AMERICA FOR OVER 150 YEARS BY THE TIME EBENEZER AND ELIZABETH
GILLETT ESTABLISHED THEIR FARM @1814 ON WEBSTER HILL, TOWN OF
WESTERN, NY. BEYOND THE NORMAL RIGORS OF FARM LIFE, THOSE EARLY
GILLETT AND KEECH PILGRIMS MOST LIKELY HAD TO FIGHT IN THE EARLY
INDIAN AND COLONIAL WARS, AS WELL AS THE REVOLUTION. FOR HIS SER-
VICE IN THE WAR OF 1812, EBENEZER WAS GRANTED A BOUNTY WARRANT OF
FORTY ACRES IN 1850.
IF OUR IRISH ANCESTORS DID NOT FIND THE STREETS PAVED WITH GOLD IN
THIS NEW LAND, THEY FOUND SOMETHING EQUALLY VALUABLE: LAND. IT IS
DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE HOW MUCH THE RIGHT TO OWN LAND MUST HAVE BEEN
TO THE MAHEDY/MCKAY CLANS. THE ENGLISH HAD LONG SINCE CONFISCATED
THE IRISH LANDS. IT WAS ONLY DURING JOHN MAHEDY SR.'S LIFETIME THAT
THE IRISH WERE FINALLY PERMITTED TO LEGALLY HOLD A LEASE! EVEN THEN,
THERE WERE NUMEROUS RESTRICTIONS CONTROLLING THE DURATION OF THE
LEASE, THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY, AND ITS LOCATION. THEY COULD NOT
OWN A HORSE VALUED OVER FIVE POUNDS! SMALL WONDER THEY SETTLED
ON THE LAND.
FREQUENTLY IN MY FRUSTRATION I WISH I COULD JUST SIT DOWN AND TALK
WITH "THE ANCIENTS". I AM NEVER SURE IF IT IS ONE OF MY IDEOSYNCRACIES
OR A GENEALOGIST'S SYNDROME. OTHER RESEARCHERS CONFIDE SIMILAR
DESIRES. STILL I AM CONSTANTLY SURPRISED BY THE AMOUNT AND TYPES OF
INFORMATION THAT CAN BE FOUND ON THOSE WHO LIVED SO LONG AGO. THEY
HAVE CERTAINLY LEFT A TRAIL FOR US IF WE ONLY KNOW WHERE TO LOOK.
HERE ARE SOME DETAILS THEY HAVE "TOLD" OF THEIR ANCIENT FARMS. (NOTE
THE POTATOES)
E G * C M * P M * M C * M M * THOMAS *
B I * H O * A A * A A * I A * MCKAY *
E L * A R * T H * L M * C H * 1861* '71 *
N. L * R A * R E * A P * H E * * *
E * L N * I D * C B * A D * * *
#1 T * E * C Y * H E * E Y * * *
T * S * K * I L * L * * *
* * #2 * #3 L * #4 * * *
__________________________________________________________________
N/A * 225 * 150 * 47 * 300 * 100 * 200 * TOTAL ACRES
15 * 100 * 60 * 46 * 50 * 5 * } * ACRES CULTIV'D
N/A * 50 * 35 * 31 * 29.5 * 5 * 70 }* " IN CROPS
- * 49.5 * 25 * 15 * 20.5 * 2 * 45 * " PASTURE
- * .5 * -- * -- * -- * 3 * .25 * " GARDN/ORCH
- * 125 * 90 * 1 * 250 * 95 * 5 * " WOOD/WILD
- * $1800 * $2500 * $800 * $2000 *$300 * N/A * CASH VALU-FARM
- * $50 * $200 * $10 * $46 * * * " " MACHINE
- * - * - * - * - * - * - * FALL - ACRES
- * - * - * - * - * - * - * WHEAT - BUSHLS
- * 2 * - * - * 1.5 * * - * SPRING - ACRES
- * 60 * - * - * 53 * * - * WHEAT - BUSHEL
- * 1 * - * - * - * * - * RYE - ACRE
- * 25 * - * - * - * * - * BUSHELS
- * - * 1.5 * - * - * * - * BARLEY-ACRE
- * - * 30 * - * - * * - * BUSHELS
- * 1 * - * - * .25 * * - * PEAS - ACRES
- * 30 * - * - * 5 * * - * BUSHELS
- * 5 * 7 * 1 * 3 * * - * OATES - ACRES
- * 175 * 200 * 12 * 100 * * 50 * BUSHELS
- * .5 * - * 1.5 * .5 * * * BUCK- ACRES
- * 15 * - * 40 * 12 * * 15 * WHEAT BUSHELS
- * .25 * - * .25 * 3 * * * INDIAN -ACRES
- * 12 * - * 7 * 140 * * * CORN - BUSHELS
- * 3 * 2 * 1.5 * 1.75 * * 2 * 'TATERS -ACRE
- * 700 * 300 * 140 * 340 * * 350 * BUSHELS
- * 1 * - * - * .75 * * * TURNIPS-ACRES
- * 700 * - * - * 500 * * * BUSHELS
- * 5? * - * * * * * MANGELS -ACRES
- * 160 * - * * * * * BUSHELS
- * * * 1 * 3 * * * CARROTS- " ?
- * * * * * 5 * * BEANS " ?
- * * * * * * * HOPS
- * 75 * 25 * 14 * 37 * * 18.5* HAY- TON/16lb
- * * 4 * * * * * GRASS
- * * * * * * * FLAX - LBS.
N/A * 40 * 60 * 22 * 23 * * 50 * WOOL - "
* 5 * 200 * * * *200 * MAPLE SUGAR "
* * * * * * * CIDER
9 * 20 * 60 * * * * 25 * FULLED CLOTH
30 * * - * - * - * * 14 * LINEN yds
18 * 30 * 60 * 24 * 43 * * - * FLANNEL "
N/A * 2 * - * 2 * 2 * * - * BULLS < 3yrs
2 * 13 * 2 * 12 * 10 * * 8 * STEER/HEFFERS
N/A * 3 * 10 * 7 * 3 * * 6 * MILCH COWS
N/A * 2 * 3 * 1 * 3 * * 3 * OXEN >3 yrs
N/A * $625 * $315 * $30 * $310 * * N/A * VALUE
N/A * - * - * 1 * 2 * * - * COLT ? <3
18 * 15 * 10 * 7 * 7 * * 8 * SHEEP ?
8 * 3 * 1 * 1 * 2 * * 2 * SWINE ?
N/A * $725 * $360 * $374 * $674 * * N/A * TOTAL VALUE
- * 1000 * 300 * 800 * 100 * * 300 * BUTTER (lbs)
- * 50 * - * - * - * * - * CHEESE "
- * 2 * - * 11.5 * 2 * * - * BEEF - BARRELS
- * 4 * 1 * 1.5 * 3 * * - * PORK - "
- * - * - * - * - * * - * FISH
- * 2 * 1 * 1 * - * * - * PLEASRE CARRGE
- * $100 * $40 * $20 * - * * - * " VALUE
- * $60 * - * - * $20 * 4 BEE HIV* ORCHARD PROD
#1 - EBENEZER WAS GRANTED 40 ACRES IN 1850 AS A RESULT OF AN ACT OF
CONGRESS TO
BENEFIT WAR OF 1812 VETERANS.
#2 - PATRICK ALSO OWNED A SAW MILL & OAR FACTORY VALUED AT
$2000. THE FACTORY USED 100,000 FEET LUMBER VALUED AT
$2000 TO PRODUCE 3000 PAIR OF OARS VALUED AT $6000; EM-
PLOYED 7 PEOPLE AT A TOTAL MONTHLY COST OF $140. THE
MILL WAS WATER POWERED.
#3 - MALACHI, b. 1805, IRELAND, WAS GRANFATHER TO ANDREW
CAMPBELL, WHO m. MARY ELLEN MCKAY.
#4 - MICHAEL'S FARM MAYBE BETTER KNOWN TO MANY AS THE J.P.
MCKAY FARM. THE HOUSE IS STILL STANDING AND IN GOOD
CONDITION.
******************************************************************
MIDIR AND ETAIN
A LONGFORD LEGEND
MIDIR WAS A GOD OF THE TUATHA DE DANAAN (CELTIC INHABITANTS OF
IRELAND BEFORE THE MILESIANS) AND LORD OF SIDH (FAIRY MOUND AT BRI
LEITH, CO. LONGFORD, IRELAND). HE WAS MARRIED TO FUAMNACH WHEN HE
FELL IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL IMMORTAL NAMED ETAIN. MIDIR MARRIED
BUT FUAMNACH'S BITTER JEALOUSY EVENTUALLY SURFACED. FUAMNACH
STRUCK ETAIN WITH HER WAND AND TRANSFORMED HER INTO A POOL OF
WATER. AS FUAMNACH GLOATED THE POOL CHANGED FIRST TO A SERPENT,
THEN INTO A PURPLE WINGED DRAGON-FLY.
MIDIR REALIZED A SPELL HAD BEEN CAST AND TOOK GREAT CARE TO
PROTECT ETAIN, WHO FLEW CONSTANTLY AT HIS SIDE. SECURE IN HER
POSITION AS SOLE WIFE, FUAMNACH REMAINED JEALOUS OF THE DRAGON-FLY
AND NEXT CAUSED A MAGIC WIND TO CARRY ETAIN TO THE SEA SHORE WHERE
FOR SEVEN YEARS SHE SUFFERED FROM THE COLD, SALT SPRAY WHICH
DAM-AGED HER WINGS. ANGUS, GOD OF LOVE, CAME UPON THIS BEAUTIFUL
DRA-
GON-FLY, SAVED IT AND BUILT A CRYSTAL CAGE, FILLED IT WITH FLOWERS
AND HERBS, AND TOOK IT WITH HIM EVERYWHERE. NEWS SPREAD RAPIDLY OF
ANGUS' SPECTACULAR DRAGONFLY AND SOON REACHED BRI LEIGH, BUT
BEFORE MIDIR COULD INVESTIGATE FURTHER, FUAMNACH MANAGED TO
STEAL THE CAGE. SHE OPENED THE CAGE AND WHEN ETAIN FLEW OUT
FUAMNACH SUMMONED YET ANOTHER WIND. THE DRAGON-FLY WAS BLOWN
HELPLESSLY ABOUT IRELAND.
EVENTUALLY IT LANDED ON THE ROOF OF A GREAT STRONGHOLD IN
ULSTER, FELL THROUGH THE SMOKE HOLE, AND LANDED IN THE CUP OF ETAR,
THE WOMAN OF THE HOUSE. ETAR SWALLOWED IT UNKNOWINGLY AND NINE
MONTHS LATER GAVE BIRTH TO A DAUGHTER SHE NAMED ETAIN! ETAIN GREW
INTO A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN. THOUGH SHE BORE THE SAME NAME AS IN
HER PREVIOUS LIFE, SHE BORE NO MEMORY OF THAT LIFE WHATSOEVER.
NOW AT THAT TIME EOCHAID AIREM WAS ARD RI (HIGH KING) OF ALL
IRELAND, LORD OVER ALL OTHER IRISH KINGS. HE COMMANDED A ROYAL
FEAST AT TARA TO CELEBRATE HIS FIRST ANNIVERSARY, BUT NO ONE WOULD
COME BECAUSE EOCHAID WAS UNMARRIED, A SERIOUS DEFICIENCY FOR THE
ARD RI! EOCHAID THEN SENT MESSENGERS THROUGHOUT IRELAND TO FIND A
SUITABLE BRIDE. WHEN THEY BEHELD ETAIN THEY KNEW THERE COULD BE NO
OTHER, SO EOCHAID RUSHED OFF TO CLAIM HER AS HIS BRIDE. HE FOUND
HER NEAR A SPARKLING BROOK NEAR BRI LEITH. SO BEAUTIFUL WAS SHE
THAT EOCHAID WAS CERTAIN SHE BELONGED TO THE OTHERWORLD PEOPLE OF
THE SIDH, BUT ETAIN ASSURED HIM SHE WAS A MORTAL - DAUGHTER OF
ETAR - AND THEY MARRIED.
NEWS OF THE BEAUTIFUL ETAIN REACHED MIDIR. HE WAS CONVINCED
THAT THIS MUST BE THE SAME WOMAN HE HAD LOVED AND MARRIED TO SO
LONG AGO. HE HURRIED TO TARA DISGUISED A YOUNG MAN. MIDIR FOUND
ETAIN IN THE GARDEN AND TOLD HER WHO SHE REALLY WAS AND BEGGED HER
TO GO WITH HIM. ETAIN REFUSED INDIGNANTLY, HAVING NO MEMORY OF HER
PREVIOUS LIFE NOR ANY DESIRE TO GIVE UP THE HIGH KING OF IRELAND.
MIDIR DID NOT GIVE UP. HE RETURNED TO TARA IN HIS TRUE FORM AS A
MAGNIFICENT WARRIOR AND CHALLENGED EOCHAID TO A GAME OF CHESS.
THEY AGREED THE LOSER WOULD PAY WHATEVER WAS ASKED.
MIDIR WON AND ASKED THAT HE MIGHT HOLD ETAIN IN HIS ARMS AND KISS
HER. NOT WISHING TO GO BACK ON HIS WORD, EOCHAID AGREED BUT ASKED
MIDIR TO COME BACK IN A MONTH. IN THE MEANTIME EOCHAID CONSULTED
HIS DRUIDS AND ON THEIR ADVICE SUMMONED ALL HIS WARRIORS. THEY
WERE INSTRUCTED TO GUARD TARA TO PREVENT MIDIR'S ENTRANCE, FOR
IF HE COULD NOT REACH ETAIN AT THE SPECIFIED TIME, THE PROMISE WOULD
BE NO LONGER BINDING. THUS THE GUARDS WERE PLACED, THE PALACE
LOCKED, AND EOCHAID AND ETAIN STOOD IN THE INNERMOST SANCTUM
SURROUNDED BY WARRIORS. MIDIR SUDDENLY APPEARED IN THE MIDST OF
THE CIRCLE. NOW ETAIN SAW HIS TRUE BEAUTY AND WHEN HE TOLD HER OF
EOCHAID'S PROMISE, SHE FULFILLED IT. WITH MIDIR'S FIRST KISS HER
MEMORY OF HER PREVIOUS LIFE RETURNED AND SHE KNEW SHE STILL LOVED
HIM. BEFORE EOCHAID COULD REACT, MIDIR AND ETAIN ESCAPED THROUGH
THE SMOKE HOLE. BY THE TIME EOCHAID AND HIS SOLDIERS WENT OUTSIDE
TO PURSUE THEM, ALL THEY COULD SEE WERE TWO BEAUTIFUL SWANS LINKED
BY A GOLDEN CHAIN CIRCLING TARA BEFORE THEY FLEW WESTWARD TOWARD
THEIR BEAUTIFUL SIDH AT BRI LEITH WHERE THEY LIVED HAPPILY IN THE
OTHERWORLD.
*****************************************************************
MORE MULLARKEY:
- THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER, OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM, WAS WRITTEN BY
TURLOUGH CAROLAN, A BLIND COMPOSER/HARPIST WHO ROAMED ABOUT
IRELAND IN THE LATE 1600'S - EARLY 1700'S! FRANCIS SCOTT KEY
ONLY PENNED THE LYRICS.
- ST. COLUMBA, THE IRISH MISSIONARY AND DISCIPLE OF ST. PATRICK,
CONVERTED SCOTLAND TO CHRISTIANITY. IN ADDITION TO TEACHING THE
SCOTS IN MATTERS OF FAITH, HE INSTRUCTED THEM IN THE ART OF BREW-
ING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. AMEN!
OLD IRISH FOLK REMEDIES:
- TO HEAL SORES AND WOUNDS - THE IRISH KEPT A LOAF OF WHITE
BREAD, OR PIECE OF BACON IN A DAMP PART OF THE HOUSE. THE
MOLD WAS APPLIED TO THE INFECTED AREA. (PENICILLIN)
- FOR RHEUMATISM - APPLIED THE PRODUCT FROM BARK OF WILLOW
(SALICIN)
- TO RELIEVE SYPMTOMS OF HEART AILMENT - EXTRACT OF FOXGLOVE
(DIGITALIN)
FOXGLOVE IS ALSO USED TO MAKE IRISH MIST LIQUER (GOOD STUFF)
*****************************************************************
GILLETT GAZETTE:
THE GILLETT AND KEECH FILES CONTINUE TO EXPAND WITHOUT SHEDDING
ANY NEW LIGHT ON THE ANCESTORS OF EBENEZER OR ELIZABETH. AS YOU ARE
PROBABLY AWARE, GILLETT IS SPELLED VARIOUSLY ENDING IN "T", "TT", OR
"TTE". OUR LINE NORMALLY USED THE SINGLE "T". ONE ARTICLE INDICATED
THE MORE AFFLUENT USED THE "TTE" WHILE THE "POOR RELATION" USED ONLY
"T". GUESS THEY (WE) COULD NOT AFFORD THE EXTRAVAGANCE OF TE!
IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY THERE WAS A TRAGIC MURDER COMMITTED
IN THE ADIRONDACK MTS. BY A CHESTER GILLETT WHICH BECAME THE BASIS
OF THEODORE DREISER'S AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY. I THINK CHESTER WAS
PERHAPS THE SON OF A CHESTER WHO WAS A GROCER IN CANOJOHARIE, NY IN
1850. THERE IS PROBABLY NO DIRECT LINK TO OUR TRIBE, BUT A "SHIRT-TAIL"
WOULD NOT BE SHOCKING.
OUR OWN LINE WAS NOT WITHOUT ITS TRAGEDIES. AS MENTIONED IN THE
PREVIOUS ISSUE, HENRY GILLETT, UNCLE OF MARY MAHEDY MCKAY AND
ESTHER MAHEDY BUTLER, DIED BY SUICIDE IN 1900. NOT TOO LONG AFTER,
THEIR COUSIN EDGAR GILLET, SON OF DAVID, WAS KILLED BY A TRAIN.
ANOTHER COUSIN, EDWARD KEECH, COMMITTED SUICIDE IN THE TOWN OF
WESTERN, 2 OCT 1900, AGE 42. EDWARD WAS THE SON OF GEORGE KEECH,
JR. WHO ALSO KILLED HIMSELF 19 NOV 1866, LEAVING HIS WIFE LODELIA
AND THREE CHILDREN.
THERE WERE NO KEECHES IN ONEIDA CO. AS LATE AS 1810. A JAMES KEECH
JR. AND JOHN KEECH, BOTH FOUGHT IN THE WAS OF 1812. JOHN WAS IN THE
SAME COMPANY AS EBENEZER GILLETT, CAPTAINED BY BENJAMIN RUDD.
JAMES, PROBABLY BROTHER OF ELIZABETH, WAS ONLY 17 AT THE TIME OF HIS
FIRST ENLISTMENT. THE 1825 CENSUS LISTS JAMES, SR., JAMES JR., GEORGE AND
JOHN AS HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS IN THE TOWN OF WESTERN. AT THE TIME
JOHN APPLIED FOR VETERAN'S BENEFITS IN 1859 HE WAS 75 AND LIVING IN
"CANADA EAST". SINCE ELIZABETH KEECH GILLETT NAMED HER FIRST SON
JAMES, IT SEEMS MOST LIKELY THAT HER FATHER WAS JAMES SR. JAMES JR.
ALSO HAD A YOUNGER BROTHER, DAVID (b. 1805).
ELIZABETH'S SECOND SON CHARLES WAS LOCATED IN THE 1850 CENSUS
LIVING AND WORKING AT THE BARNABUS VANDEWALKER FARM, AS WAS HIS
SISTER, EMILINE, HER HUSBAND, BERLIN VANDEWALKER AND A FOUR YEAR
OLD DAUGHTER, ELNER. CHARLES WAS AGE 30 AND HAD A WIFE NAMED
SARAH ANN, 20, AND A DAUGHTER, ESTHER, AGE ONE YEAR.
EUNICE WAS 20 IN 1850 WORKING ON THE WALTON FARM. NEITHER JAMES
NOR AMELIA WERE FOUND IN THE 1850 CENSUS BUT A NOTICE OF AMELIA'S
(a.k.a. PAMELA) MARRIAGE TO JOB FORD AT THE TREMONT HOUSE IN ROME, 4
JAN 1856, APPEARED IN THE UTICA DAILY GAZETTE. JAMES BURCH, SON OF
ALMIRA GILLET BURCH, ALSO MARRIED AT TREMONT HOUSE 27 JAN 1862 TO
JANE KEECH. JANE WAS TEN YEARS HIS SENIOR AND PROBABLY HIS COUSIN.
HER FATHER WAS JAMES, JR.
----------
MAHEDY - MCKAY
3M
MULLARCHY
VOL. III - 1988
DAN TOUSE
RD1, BOX 1269
MARYLAND, NY 12116
SPRING 1988
FROM THE "EDITOR",
'TIS A GREAT DAY FOR THE IRISH INDEED! THIS YEAR MARKS THE 1000TH
ANNIVERSARY OF DUBLIN. THE AREA WAS FIRST SETTLED IN 841 A.D.. AS A
VIKING SEA FORT WHICH THEY CALLED "DYFLIN". THE NAME ORIGINALLY
DERIVES FROM THE IRISH "DUBH LINN", MEANING "DARK POOL", REFERRING
TO THE ACTUAL DARK POOL OF THE RIVER LIFFEY WHERE VIKINGS FIRST
SETTLED. HOWEVER IT WAS ITS CAPTURE BY MAEL SECHNAILL IN 988 THAT
PLANTED THE SEEDS OF THIS FINE IRISH CITY. THE VIKINGS CONTINUED TO
POSE A THREAT TO DUBLIN - AND TO ALL OF IRELAND - UNTIL THEIR ULTIMATE
DEFEAT IN 1014 A.D. BY BRIAN BORU (LION OF IRELAND) AT THE BATTLE OF
CLONTARF, NORTH OF DUBLIN. A FEW HUNDRED YARDS SOUTH OF THE DUBH
LINN WAS A WELL USED BY ST. PATRICK TO BAPTISE DUBLINERS IN THE 5TH
CENTURY. THIS IS THE SITE OF ST PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL. THE CELEBRATION
HAS BEGUN. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR DUBLIN IS CELEBRATING WITH SPECIAL
EVENTS IN THEATRE, ART, MUSIC, DANCE, HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY.
GENEALOGICALLY, RESEARCH CONTINUES TO YIELD RESULTS, THOUGH I
STILL SEEM TO BE HITTING A BRICK WALL IN TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE NEXT
GENERATION - OF ANY BRANCH. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF EBENEZER AND
ELIZABETH KEECH GILLET, I AM QUITE CERTAIN THOSE ANSWERS ARE
SOME-WHERE IN QUEBEC. WITH TYPICAL EFFICIENCY ONE RESOURCE IS
"TEMPORARILY MISFILED. I HAVE ALSO LEARNED THAT THE GRANBY GAZETTE
(1855-1877) AND WATERLOO ADVERTIZER (1856-1903) ARE AVAILABLE FOR
INTERLIBRARY LOAN THROUGH THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF CANADA. THEY
MAY CONTAINED OBITUARIES FOR ANN MAXWELL DONAHUE (1857), JOHN
MAHEDY, SR., (1858), CHARLES MORAN (1871), WILLIAM, SON OF TIMOTHY
MCKAY (@1878), AND THOMAS MCKAY (1898), WHICH MIGHT LIST PARENT
NAMES, SIBLINGS, AND TOWN OF BIRTH IN IRELAND.! (ANYONE INTERESTED?)
WELL, I BEST THROW THIS GENEALOGICAL IRISH STEW TOGETHER.
I SINCERELY HOPE YOU ARE ALL WELL AND WILL HAVE A
HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY
ERIN GO BRAGH
DAN
IN MEMORIUM ZORA W. BUTLER, 97, DAUGHTER OF SOLOMON AND ESTHER MAHEDY
BUTLER DIED 28 JUL 1987, LOWVILLE, NY. ZORA WAS BORN 21 JAN 1890,
AND GRADUATED THERE FROM HOLY NAME ACADEMY.
SHE HAD WORKED FOR POHL MFG. CO. OF VERNON; ONEIDA LTD., SHER-
RILL; NATIONAL CASKET CO. AND NIAGARA MOHAWK POWER CORP. OF ONEIDA.
IN 1964 SHE RETIRED AFTER 25 YEARS OF SERVICE AT THE PENTAGON.
ZORA IS SURVIVED BY HER BROTHER JOSEPH M. OF LOWVILLE, TWO NIECES,
MRS. FREDERICK (BARBARA) MARTIN, R.D., LOWVILLE, MRS. EDWARD (SHIRLEY)
GASSNER, NEW HARTFORD, NINE GRANDNIECES AND GRAND-NEPHEWS, AND
SEVEN GREAT-GRANDNIECES AND GREAT-GRANDNEPHEWS.
THE FIRST ISSUE OF "3M" WAS DEDICATED TO ZORA - AND ALSO JOE -FOR ALL
THE INFORMATION AND INSPIRATION THEY HAVE PROVIDED FOR ALMOST
THIRTY YEARS. IN THIS ISSUE THAT INFORMATION PROVIDED THE LEADS
WHICH LED TO "NEW" DISCOVERIES OF THE PATRICK MAHEDY LINE. THERE IS
NO DOUBT THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE NEW AVENUES
FOR RESEARCH. BUT ZORA'S INTEREST IN CURRENT AFFAIRS WAS AS DEEP AS
HER LOVE OF HISTORY. SHE SCRUTINIZED THE NEWS AND KEPT ABREAST OF
THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ISSUES OF THE DAY. HER INSIGHTFUL LETTERS
ILLUMINATED THE EDITORIAL PAGES OF NEWSPAPERS THROUGHOUT CENTRAL
NY. ZORA WAS A UNIQUE SPIRIT AND WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED.
------------------------------------------------------
WILLIAM MORRIS MCKAY, 69, DIED 24 JUN 1987 IN SILVER SPRINGS, MD..
"MORRY" WAS BORN IN VERNON, NY, SON OF T. FRANK AND CLARA MEYERS
MCKAY. HE WAS A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF GRIFFISS AFB, ROME, NY; GENERAL
CABLE, ROME CABLE CORP., AND VERNON DOWNS. IN 1965 HE MOVED TO
MARYLAND WHERE HE WAS A SYSTEMS ANALYST FOR THE ARMY UNTIL HIS
RETIREMENT.
MORRY IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE, THE FORMER ELIZABETH HOOKS;
FIVE DAUGHTERS: MARGARET COSTELLO OF MCLEAN, VA., KATHLEEN WENNER
OF SHEPARDSTOWN, W VA., JEANNE WATERS OF PROVIDENCE, R.I., MARY
WILCOX OF STOCKLAND, ILL., AND MAUREEN VALLEE OF GAITHERSBURG, MD.;
ALSO ONE SON, JOHN PATRICK OF ROCKVILLE, MD.; ONE SISTER, EDITH
ZINZAC OF HAMBURG, NY AND SEVERAL NIECES, NEPHEWS AND COUSINS.
MAHEDY
WHILE NO EARLIER GENERATIONS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, I HAVE
ACCUMULATED CONSIERABLE MAHEDY DATA FROM IRELAND, CANADA, AND
MASSACHUSETTS.
RUMMAGING THROUGH THE SCRAPBOOKS (FOR THE ZILLIONTH TIME!) I
REREAD A FUNERAL NOTICE FOR ALFRED JAMES MAHEDY (SON OF PATRICK -
SON OF JOHN, SR.). WHEN I WAS IN CANADA ('77) RAYMOND CAMPBELL TOOK
ME TO ST. JOACHIM DE SHEFFORD CEMETERY. I SAW A STONE FOR ANNE
LAWLOR, WIFE OF ALFRED MAHEDY, d. 1905. THE AL MAHEDY FARM WAS
LOCATED NEAR THE ONE ROOM SHEFFORD SCHOOL HOUSE WHERE THE
MAHEDY'S USED TO GO TO SCHOOL. OFTEN ON THE WAY HOME, THE MCKAY
CHILDREN WOULD GO AND VISIT WITH ALFRED AND HIS FAMILY. I ASSUMED
ALFRED DIED THERE LATER AND PERHAPS NO ONE UPDATED THE GRAVESTONE.
MY NOTES INDICATED HIS TWO SONS "DIED IN INFANCY, THUS ENDING OUR
MAHEDY LINE IN EASTERN U.S." I FURTHER ASSUMED ALFRED HAD NO OTHER
CHILDREN.
THE FUNERAL NOTICE PROVIDES NO INFORMATION PERTAINING TO DATE
OR LOCATION. HOWEVER, ON THE BACK THERE IS A REFERENCE TO THE YOUNG
MEN OF ANDOVER DOING THE "BOOGEY". THIS WOULD SEEM TO INDICATE IT
WAS IN THE EARLY "SWING ERA" IN MASS. @1938-40. THE ARTICLE INDICATED
CHILDREN MRS. FRANK AND MRS. LEO GUILFOYLE, SEVERAL GRANDCHILDREN,
INCLUDING LT. RONALD CLAMP, RICHARD CLAMP, MRS. R. CRAWFORD, AND
MABEL. IT ALSO MENTIONED MARY ANN MAHEDY. WE KNOW SHE WAS
ALFRED'S SISTER WHO WAS LIVING IN LEOMINSTER AS LATE AS 1944. IT
FURTHER LISTS MRS. MARY DOWNS AND MRS. PETER MCNEIL, WHOM I HAVE
SINCE LEARNED WERE ALFRED'S NIECES, ALSO OF LEOMINSTER. THE CHURCH
AND CEMETERY WERE GIVEN AS IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, BUT THERE IS NO
SUCH PARISH IN LEOMINSTER. NEVERTHELESS, IT WOULD APPEAR THERE MAY
WELL BE A BAND OF COUSINS IN AND AROUND LEOMINSTER.
------------------------------------------------------------------
PATRICK'S FAMILY:
I - PATRICK MAHEDY b. 1813, CO. LONGFORD, IRELAND
m. @1843 ROME, NY MARY JANE LECLEAR
b. 1823, TOWN OF WESTERN, NY
d.@1900 LEOMINSTER, MASS
d. 2 NOV 1875 SHEFFORD, QUE.,
bur. WATERLOO, PQ
II -
1. SARAH JANE b. 1843 T. OF WESTERN, ONEIDA CO., NY
m. 1869 SHEFFORD, P.Q., WILLIAM COBURN
2. PETER JOHN b. 1844, HEMINGFORD, QUE.
3. ELLEN(A) b. 1846, " "
m. SHEFFORD, " MICHAEL HARPER
(PATRICK'S FAMILY CON'D.)
4. ELIZA JANE b. 1849, HEMINGFORD "
(ELIZABETH) m. 1877, SHEFFORD " HENRY MCCAFFREY
5. JOHN BAPTISTE b. 1851, HEMINGFORD "
6. MARY MARTHA b. 1853, " "
m. @1873, SHEFFORD " JOHN MCNEIL
m. " " MICHAEL GALLAGHER
7. MARIE EMACULA b. 1855 " "
(EMMA) m. JAMES MCDONALD
8. STEPHEN P. b. 1857 " "
d.pre 1940 LEOMINSTER, MASS.
9. JAMES ALFRED b. 1860, SHEFFORD QUE.
m.@1890 " " ANNE LAWLOR
d. @ 1905
d.@1940 LEOMINSTER, MASS.
10. CHARLES b. 1862, SHEFFORD QUE
11. MARY ANN b. 1865, " "
d. 1945, LEOMINSTER MASS.
12. MARY JANE b. 1867, SHEFFORD QUE
(JENNY) m. 1888, NY JOSEPH DOWNS
d. pre 1940 LEOMINSTER, MASS
--------------------------------------------------------------
**** BULLETIN **** BULLETIN **** BULLETIN
10 MAR '88
ALFRED J. MAHEDY DIED 9 MAR 1945, LAWRENCE, MASS, AGE 84.
I'VE CONTACTED MRS. R. CLAMP, HIS GRANDDAUGHTER. MORE NEXT ISSUE;
---------------------------------------------------------------
THE 1881 SHEFFORD CENSUS SHOWS THE FOLLOWING:
DIST. #1
NAME AGE B.P. RELIG NATIONALITY OCCUPATION
MAHEDY JOHN 30 QUE R.C. IRISH FARMER
MARY JANE 49 U.S. " FRENCH
CHARLES 19 QUE " IRISH
ALFRED 21 " " "
MARY ANN 16 " " "
STEPHEN 24 " " "
MCNEIL JOHN 6 " " "
PETER 4 " " "
-------------------------------------------------------------
(NEXT DOOR) (MAHEDY, CON'T.)
COBURN WILLIAM 40 " " " "JOURNALIER"
COBURN SARAH 39 " " "
EMILY J 10 " " "
FLORA M 8 " " "
SARAH G 4 " " "
ALFRED 1 " " "
ALBERT 1 " " "
------------------------------------------------------------------
(CLOSE)
MCCAFFREY, HENRY 38 " " " FARMER
ELIZABETH 30 " " "
MARGARITE 3 " " "
ELIZABETH 1 " " "
---------------------------------------------------------------
MAHEADY, MICHAEL 64 " " " "
ESTER A 58 U.S. " AMERICAN
MICHAEL F 26 QUE " IRISH
CHARLES H 24 " " "
ESTER A 28 " " "
PATRICK J 21 " " "
DAVID P 18 " " "
----------------------------------------------------------------
THE 1910 LEOMINSTER, MASS. CENSUS PROVIDED MORE DATA:
PARENT B.P. CAME TO
F M U.S.
DOWNS JOSEPH 43 NY IRE IRE LABORER
JENNY 41 CAN " NY 1879
MARGARET 21 NY " CAN PACKER
ELLEN M 19 " " " CEMENTER
WALTER 16 MASS " "
CLAYTON 11 " " "
PHILIP 3 " " "
MAHEDY, PHILIP 53 CAN " NY 1884 SAWYER- PIANO FACT'Y
" MARY ANN 43 " " " " STITCHER IN SHIRT FACT'Y
MCNEIL, PETER 34 " CAN 1895 HARNESS MAKER
ALL RESIDED 218 MAIN ST; DOWNS MARRIED 22 YRS; 6 CHILDREN, 5 ALIVE;
DAUGHTERS WORKED IN COMB FACTORY
THERE WAS ANOTHER FAMILY LIVING IN THIS HOUSE. THIS IS WHERE
MINA AND MAY MCKAY, AND MARCELLA CAMPBELL STAYED WHEN THEY
WORKED IN THE LEOMINSTER SHIRT FACTORY. MINA WAS THERE @ 1904. I BE-
LIEVE AUNT MAY MUST HAVE BEEN THERE SOMETIME LATER. THE MCKAYS
MOVED FROM CANADA TO VERNON, NY IN 1914.
********************************************************
MARY, DAUGHTER OF JOHN (SR) AND ELIZABETH MORAN MAHEDY, WAS
FOUND IN THE 1870 CENSUS OF TROY, NY. BY THAT TIME SHE WAS MARRIED
TO ELI P. CARR. ELI WAS 38 AND BORN IN NY, AS WERE HIS PARENTS. MARY
WAS ALSO 38 AND BORN IN CANADA. THEY HAD ONE DAUGHTER, MARY E., AGE
9, AND OWNED A HOTEL VALUED AT $6000.00. THIS WAS THE CONGRESS HOTEL
AND PROBABLY THE SAME HOTEL WHERE ESTHER MAHEDY BUTLER AND MARY
MAHEDY MCKAY WORKED BEFORE THEY MARRIED.
THE 1875 CITY DIRECTORY OF TROY LISTS ELI AS PROPRIETOR OF CARR
HOTEL ON NORTH 3RD AVE. HE DOES NOT APPEAR IN THE 1880 CENSUS OR
DIRECTORY FOR TROY, BUT THE '81 DIRECTORY LISTS HIM AS OPERATING A
BOARDING HOUSE AT 32 KING ST. BY 1885 HE APPEARS AS A GROCER AT THE
CORNER OF UTICA ST., WEST TROY. ELI MUST HAVE DIED AROUND THAT TIME.
THE 1888 DIRECTORY LISTED "MRS. ELI CARR, WIDOW, REMOVED TO TROY"
WHERE SHE DIED THAT SEPT AT THE HOME OF DAUGHTER, MRS. MARY
HOAGLAND.
*****************************************************
MAHEDYS IN IRELAND
THE FIRST ISSUE OF 3M LISTED THE EIGHT MAHEDYS APPEARING IN
GRIFFITH'S "VALUATIONS" (1854) FOR THE PARISH OF MOSTRIM, ARDAGH
BARONY, CO. LONGFORD. I HAD BEEN TOLD THEY WERE THE ONLY MAHEDYS
IN LONGFORD - IN IRELAND TOO! RECENTLY I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RESEARCH
THE INDEX TO SURNAMES IN GRIFFITH'S VALUATIONS. WHILE GIVEN NAMES
AND SPECIFIC TOWNLANDS ARE NOT PROVIDED, IT DOES LIST THE FREQUENCY
WITH WHICH EACH SURNAME APPEARS IN EVERY PARISH IN THE VALUATIONS.
THE INDEX ALSO IDENTIFIES SURNAMES APPEARING IN EARLIER TITHE
APPLOTMENT BOOKS (TAP)
THERE WERE NO MAHEDYS FOUND IN CO. LIMERICK WHERE MICHAEL WAS
BORN (1815). PERHAPS THEY WERE ONLY THERE BRIEFLY FOR EMPLOYMENT
-OR TO HIDE FROM THE ENGLISH - AND RETURNED TO LONGFORD LATER.
THERE ALSO WERE NONE FOUND IN CO.'S DOWN, MEATH, LAOIS, LEITRIM,
LOUTH, TYRONE, WATERFORD, WEXFORD, OR WICKLOW. HOPEFULLY, THE REMAINING
COUNTIES WILL BE COMPLETED THIS YEAR.
ACCORDING TO THE TAP BOOK MAHEDY HAS BEEN FOUND IN:
NAME BARONY PARISH YEAR COUNTY
MAHADY ARDAGH STREET 1826 (TAP) LONGFORD
MAHEDY GRANARD KILLOE 1854 "
MAGHEDY (3) RATHCLINE CASHEL 1827 " "
MAHEDY (2) SHRULE KILGLASS 1834 " "
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
MAHODY RATHDOWN KILLUCAN 1830 " W MEATH
" MOYASHEL RATHCONNELL 1854 "
" MAGHERADERNAN
MEHEDY RATHCONRATH BALLYMORE "
MAHEDY CORBAREE MULTIFARNUM 1826 "only "
MAHODY MOYGOISH STREET 1854 " "
MAHADY " RUSSAGH "
MAHADY (2) " RATHASPICK " "
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
MAHODY RATHDOWN 1852 DUBLIN
MAHIDY TIRAWLEY COON 1855 MAYO
" (2) FEENEY " "
MAHODY " KILFIAN " "
MAHEDY " " KILCUMMIN 1856 (1831) " ('31=TAP)
" " RATHREAGH " "
MOHEDY " " "
MEHEDY " TEMPLEMORE
***
MORAN
AS WITH MOST OF THE FAMILIES, THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE PROGRESS
WITH THE CLAN MORAN. CHARLES MORAN DIED IN 1871 AND WAS BURIED IN
ST. JOACHIM DE SHEFFORD CEMETERY. BY THE 1881 CENSUS THERE WERE
ONLY FOUR LEFT ON THE FARM: MICHAEL, 30, WAS MANAGING THE FARM,
ASSISTED BY PATRICK, 32. THEIR MOTHER BRIDGET, 76, REMAINED AS DID
THEIR SISTER ANNA WHO WAS LISTED AS AGE 27 (ACTUALLY 40). JOHN
MORAN DID NOT APPEAR IN THE CENSUS BUT IS KNOWN TO HAVE DIED 29 MAY
1883 AND WAS BURIED AT ST. JOACHIM'S. I DID FIND A CHARLES MORAN
IN THE 1880 ST. LAWRENCE CO., NY CENSUS WHO WAS BORN IN CANADA AND
HIS PARENTS BORN IN IRELAND. THIS CHARLES WAS ABOUT THE SAME AGE
AS "OUR" CHARLES JR., BUT IT IS NOT KNOWN IF THEY ARE ONE AND THE
SAME.
CHARLES SR'S OTHER DAUGHTERS WERE MOST LIKELY ALL MARRIED BY
1881. ONLY TWO OF THE MARRIED NAMES ARE RECORDED. MARY m. MR.
KELPEY AND HAD AT LEAST ONE SON AND ONE DAUGHTER. THEY DID NOT
APPEAR IN THE 1881 SHEFFORD CO. CENSUS. ELIZABETH MARRIED PETER
DUNN AND LIVED ABOUT HALF WAY BETWEEN THE PAT MAHEDYS AND THE
MORANS AND WAS LISTED THUS (1881):
DUNN, PETER 52 IRELAND R.C. IRISH FARMER
ELIZABETH 49 QUEBEC " "
JOHN C. 23 " " "
PETER F. 21 " " "
MARY B. 19 " " " TEACHER
JUDITH E. 16 " " "
LUCY 14 " " "
ANNA E 9 " " "
LIZA A. 6 " " "
PATRICK 12 " " "
ADELAIDE 4 " " "
----------------------------------------------------------------
IN IRELAND
MORAN IS A MUCH MORE COMMON NAME IN IRELAND THAN MAHEDY. FOR
THAT REASON SPECIFIC DATA WAS ONLY NOTED FOR LONGFORD AND WEST
MEATH WHERE ELIZABETH AND CHARLES WERE BORN. HOWEVER, I DID NOTE
THEIR FREQUENCY IN SEVERAL COUNTIES: LAOIS - 65; LEITRIM - 150+; LIMERICK
- 51; LOUTH - 11; MAYO - 520!!; TYRONE - 11; WATERFORD - 30; WEXFORD - 89;
WICKLOW - 34. IN WEST MEATH THERE WERE AT LEAST 128 MORANS. THEY
APPEAR IN EVERY BARONY AND VIRTUALLY EVERY PARISH. THE LARGEST
CONCENTRATION - 39 - WAS IN KILKENNY WEST BARONY, OF WHICH 26 WERE IN
DRUMRANEY PARISH. THE BARONY OF MOYGOISH, WHICH BORDERS MOSTRIM,
CO. LONGFORD, WAS HOME TO 17 MORANS, 11 OF WHICH RESIDED IN
RATHASPICK. IN THE BARONY OF MOYASHEL AND MAGH-ERADERON THERE
WERE 14, 12 IN MULLINGAR PARISH. IT WOULD STILL SEEM THAT MOYGOISH
(RATHASPICK) WOULD BE THE MOST LOGICAL PLACE TO BEGIN LOOKING FOR
ELIZABETH'S PARENTS. IN ADDITION TO THE GEOGRAPHIC PROXIMITY, THERE
WERE SEVERAL MAHADYS IN MOYGOISH AND SEVERAL MORANS IN MOSTRIM.
***
MCKAY
THOMAS MCKAY'S OWN FAMILY REMAINS ELUSIVE. SEVERAL ADJACENT
COUNTIES HAVE BEEN RESEARCHED BUT THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF OTHER
MCKAYS RELATED TO THOMAS. THE ONLY SPECIFIC DATA WAS FOUND IN THE
1881 SHEFFORD CO. CENSUS AND THE 1910 LEOMINSTER, MASS. CENSUS.
GRANBY TOWNSHIP - 1881
MCKAY, THOMAS 60 IRE R. CATH. IRISH FARMER
MARY 60 " " "
WILLIAM 25 QUE " "
MARTHA 19 " " "
MARY 17 " " "
THOMAS 4 " " "
THIS IS THE ONLY REFERENCE TO DATE LISTING MARGARET DONAHUE AS
MARY. THE YOUNG THOMAS WAS NOT THOMAS AND MARGARET'S CHILD, BUT
THE SON OF THEIR DAUGHTER CATHERINE MAGUIRE. CATHERINE DIED
SHORTLY AFTER TOMMY WAS BORN AND HE WAS RAISED BY HIS
GRANDPARENTS.
THE CENSUS WAS TAKEN IN MARCH 1881. YOUNG MARY (MARY-ELLEN)
DIED IN JUNE. THERE IS A PROVISION FOR EACH ENTRY TO LIST ILLNESS,
DISABILITY, ETC.. THERE WAS NOTHING RECORDED FOR MARY-ELLEN, SO IT
WOULD APPEAR HER ILLNESS CAME ON RATHER SUDDENLY.
DAVID MCKAY WAS BY THIS TIME IN CHILLICOTHE, MO.
SO. STUKELY - 1881
MCKAY, JOHN 28 US CATH IRISH FARMER
MARY 28 QUE " "
ELIZABETH 3 " " "
MARGARET 2 " " "
MYRON 2/12 " " "
LEOMINSTER, MASS 1910 BP FATHER MOTHER
FULLER, DAVID L 64 NH NH NH "
(DAU) LOUISA 37 " " MA
(SIS) ELIZ 66 " " NH
MCKAY, EDITH 31 " " MA (DAU) MARRIED 2 YR
CHARLES 28 CAN MA CAN AUTOMOBILE MAKER
IT SEEMS MOST LIKELY CHARLES WENT TO LEOMINSTER, PERHAPS WITH
MINA PRIOR TO 1905, AND PROBABLY INITIALLY STAYED WITH HIS MAHEDY-
DOWNS COUSINS. HE MARRIED EDITH IN 1908 AND OBVIOUSLY LIVED WITH
EDITH'S FATHER. THEY LATER MOVED TO FITCHBURG, MA WHERE HE WAS
QUITE SUCCESSFUL.
MCKAYS OF CO. LIMERICK:
THE EASIEST WAY TO SUMMARIZE RESEARCH ON THE MCKAYS OF CO.
LIMERICK IS TO SAY "THEY JUST AIN'T THERE"; AT LEAST NOT THAT SPEL-
LING. THE SOURCE AGAIN WAS GRIFFITH'S VALUATIONS, COMPLETED 1850-
1852, AND TITHE APPLOTMENT BOOKS DATING BACK TO 1822 - THE YEAR
THOMAS WAS BORN. IN FACT, THE NAME IN ANY FORM IS FAIRLY RARE, AS
SEEN IN THE FOLLOWING LIST:
NAME BARONY PARISH YR TAP
MACKEY (3) LIMERICK ST JOHN'S 1850 N/A
" " CITY ST MICHAEL'S " 1828
" PUBBLEBRIEN " " "
" CLANWILLIAM DROMKEEN 1852 1832
" " GREAN " 1834
" (5) " STRODBALLY " '27,'29,'32
MCKEY " " " "
MACKY OWNEYBEG ABINGTON " 1826 (ONLY)
MCKEY " " 1851 "
MACKEY CLOONAGH DOON " "
MACKAY " GREAN " "
MACKEY " " " "
" GLEN QUINN KILEEDY 1832 "
MACKAY COSHMA ADARE 1851 1827
MACKEY " CROOM "
" SMALLCOUNTY FEDAMORE " 1826
MCKEY " HOSPITAL " ?
MACKEY " KNOCHAINY " 1833
LIMERICK IS A LARGE COUNTY WITH THIRTEEN BARONIES AND 130 PARISHES.
GLENQUINN IS IN THE SOUTHEAST BORDERING CO. KERRY. THE TWO PARISHES
OF COSHMA ADJOIN PUBBLEBRIEN, JUST WEST OF LIMERICK CITY. IN FACT,
CROOM IS IN BOTH BARONIES. THE OTHER BARONIES ALL BORDER CO,
TIPPERARY WHERE O'MACKEY ORIGINATES.
AS SUGGESTED PREVIOUSLY, MCKAY IS FOUND PRIMARILY IN THE
NORTH-EAST, THOUGH THE VARIANT SPELLINGS SEEM TO BE USED SOMEWHAT
INTERCHANGEABLY. (THEN AGAIN, WHO WAS CREATING THE RECORDS?)
COUNTY MCKAY MCKEY MACKAY MACKEY OTHER
DONEGAL 14 - - - -
DOWN 53 1 4 19 3
DUBLIN 4 - 12 12 -
LAOIS - - 2 11 -
LEITRIM - - - 3 4
LOUTH 3 - 1 4 -
MAYO 1 - 2 7 -
MEATH - - - 1 -
TYRONE 22 - 3 14 -
WATERFORD - - - 22 -
W MEATH ( I GOOFED)
WEXFORD - - 10 1 -
WICKLOW 1 - - - -
------------
GILLETT - KEECH IN EARLY SEPTEMBER I RECEIVED A CALL ASKING IF I WAS THE ONE
RESEARCHING EBENEZER GILLETT! THE CALLER WORKED AT THE MORMON
GENEALOGICAL LIBRARY IN SALT LAKE CITY. HIS GREAT, GREAT, GRAND-
MOTHER WAS MARGARET GILLETT, b. @1835, TOWN OF WESTERN. THERE IS
NO DOCUMENTATION OF HER PARENTS BUT HE SEEMED TO THINK IT MIGHT BE
EBENEZER AND ELIZABETH. MARGARET MARRIED IN THE EARLY 1850'S AND
WENT OUT WEST. ACCORDING TO ONEIDA CO. MAPS OF THAT ERA, THE MAN
SHE MARRIED LIVED ON THE FARM ADJOINING EBENEZER'S. FROM SOME LET-
TERS LEFT BY MARGARET, IT APPEARS HER FAMILY STRONGLY DISAPPROVED
OF THE MARRIAGE. SEVERAL - BUT NOT ALL - OF THE SIBLINGS' NAMES
MENTIONED ARE THE SAME AS EBENEZER'S CHILDREN.
SINCE EBENEZER'S WAS THE ONLY GILLETT FAMILY IN THE TOWN OF
WESTERN IN 1850, THE DAUGHTER OF EBENEZER LISTED AS "MILLY" - AGE
14, WOULD SEEM TO FIT THE ABOVE PARAMETERS. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR
FIRST NAMES TO VARY FROM RECORD TO RECORD. FOR EXAMPLE, MARGARET
DONAHUE MCKAY APPEARS AS MARGARET IN CHURCH RECORDS, THE 1850, '61,
AND '71 CENSUSES, BUT AS MARY IN 1881. PAT MAHEDY'S CHILDREN'S NAMES
ALSO VARIED FREQUENTLY. MILLY DOES NOT APPEAR IN SUBSEQUENT
CENSUSES, NOR WAS SHE MENTIONED IN HER MOTHER'S AFFADAVIT OF 1855
LISTING EBENEZER'S LEGITIMATE CHILDREN. FOR THIS REASON I HAVE
ASSUMED MILLY DIED BEFORE 1855, THOUGH SHE IS NOT BURIED WITH HER
PARENTS. IT SEEMS UNLIKELY MILLY WOULD HAVE BEEN OMITTED FROM THE
AFFADAVIT EVEN IF SHE HAD INCURRED THE WRATH OF HER PARENTS FOR A
DISAPPROVED MARRIAGE.
IT SEEMS MORE LIKELY THAT MARGARET IS THE DAUGHTER OF AN
UNIDEN-TIFIED BROTHER OF EBENEZER WHO MET HER BEAU WHILE VISITING
HER
GILLETT COUSINS. THERE WERE GILLETTS IN THE NEIGHBORING TOWN OF
LEE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN RELATED TO EB. A SAMUEL GILLETT WAS A RESI-
DENT OF WESTERN IN 1825 AND LATER MOVED TO LEE.
THE MAN FROM UTAH CALLED AGAIN IN LATE OCTOBER AND PLANNED TO
SEND ME HIS DATA THAT WEEK. I FEAR HE MAY BE ALMOST AS DISORGAN -
IZED AS I, FOR I'M STILL WAITING.
IN 1830 EBENEZER WAS LIVING IN BOONVILLE ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS.
HE WAS IN WESTERN AS LATE AS 1825 AND HAD RETURNED PRIOR TO 1840. I DO
NOT KNOW IF HE RETAINED HHIS FARM WHILE IN BOONVILLE.
EBENEZER'S DAUGHTER AMELIA (a.k.a. PAMELIA, PERMILIA) WAS FOUND IN
THE TOWN OF AVA - 1880 - AS FOLLOWS:
FORD, JOB 40 FARMER NY NY NY
PERMELIA 38 " " "
(DAU)BRUCE, LOUILLA 23 " " "
MARIANN 3 " " "
GRIFFITH, ROBT 21 LABORER " WALES "
BOY! AM I DUMB? COULD AMELIA BE MILLY? (GUESS THAT BLOWS
THE SALT LAKE THEORY!!! THE SURNAME BRUCE WAS LIGHTLY CROSSED OUT
SO IT WAS NOT CLEAR IF LOUILLA AND MARIANN USED THE NAME FORD OR
BRUCE.
THERE WERE NO KEECHES LISTED IN WASHINGTON CO. IN 1800 OR 1810.
ELIZABETH CLAIMED SHE WAS BORN THERE IN 1796. YOU MAY RECALL THEY
WERE NOT IN ONEIDA CO. BY 1810, BUT WERE IN THE TOWN OF WESTERN BY
THE WAR OF 1812. (BACK TO THE ARCHIVES...)
***
THE CHILDREN OF LIR THIS ANCIENT IRISH LEGEND TAKES PLACE IN IRELAND SOMETIME AFTER
THE CONQUEST BY THE GAELS AND THE TUATHA DE DANAAN (TOO-AH-AH DA
DAN-AN) HAD GONE TO THE SIDH MOUNDS OF THEIR UNDERGROUND KINGDOM.
LIR WAS THE FATHER OF THE SEA-GOD, MANANNAN, AND AS MENTIONED LAST
YEAR, IS THE CHARACTER USED BY SHAKESPEARE IN KING LEAR.
THE KINGSHIP OF THE TUATHA DE BECAME VACANT SO AN ELECTION WAS
HELD. LIR, RESIDING AT HIS SIDH IN FIONNACHAIDH (FIN-AH-HI) IN NORTH
IRELAND, EXPECTED THE TITLE BUT IT WENT INSTEAD TO BODH DEARG (BOV
DARG). LIR TOOK OFFENSE AND LEFT IN SILENT RAGE.
SOMETIME LATER LIR'S WIFE DIED AND HE FELL INTO MOROSE DEPRESSION.
BODH SOUGHT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO OBTAIN RECONCILIATION BY OFFERING
ONE OF HIS FOSTER DAUGHTERS TO BECOME LIR'S NEW WIFE. IT WAS A
COMMON PRACTICE IN ANCIENT IRELAND FOR PEOPLE IN HIGH POSITIONS TO
EXCHANGE CHILDREN IN FOSTERAGE. THESE FOSTER CHILDREN WERE RAISED
AS FULL MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY WITH EQUAL LOVE AND PRIVILEGES.
LIR CHOSE BODB'S ELDEST FOSTER-DAUGHTER AEB AND TOOK HER BACK TO
HIS SIDH WHERE A GREAT WEDDING FESTIVAL WAS HELD. AEB SOON BORE
TWINS: A SON AED (A), AND A DAUGHTER FIONNGUALA (FIN-GOO-AL-A). NOT
LONG AFTER, AEB BORE TWIN BOYS, CONN AND FIACHRA (FEE-AH-RA), BUT SHE
DIED IN CHILDBIRTH. LIR AGAIN BECAME GRIEF-STRICKEN AND AGAIN BODB
CAME TO THE RESCUE WITH HIS SECOND DAUGHTER, AOIFE (IF-E) AS A WIFE.
AOIFE CHERISHED THE CHILDREN, AS DID THEIR GRANDFATHER BODB. BUT
AOIFE GREW JEALOUS OF THE ATTENTION THEY RECEIVED FROM LIR. SHE
FEIGNED ILLNESS FOR ALMOST A YEAR, CONFINING HERSELF TO HER
CHAMBERS PLOTTING TO DESTROY THE STEP-CHILDREN. FINALLY SHE
DECIDED TO TAKE THEM TO BODB.
FIONNGUALA HAD A PREMONITION OF EVIL BUT COULD NOT AVOID THE
LONG JOURNEY. EN ROUTE AOIFE ORDERED HER SERVANTS TO KILL THE
CHILDREN. THEY REFUSED. SHE CONSIDERED KILLING THEM HERSELF WITH
HER OWN SWORD BUT LACKED THE COURAGE. THEY CONTINUED THEIR
JOURNEY UNTIL THEY REACHED LOUGH (LAKE) DERRYVERAGH IN WEST
MEATH (WHERE OUR MORAN CLAN ORIGINATED). AOIFE ORDERED THE
CHILDREN TO BATHE IN THE LAKE AND TRANSFORMED THEM INTO SWANS
WITH HER DRUIDIC WAND. FIONNGUALA CRIED TO AOIFE PROPHESYING HER
DESTRUCTION AND PLEADING FOR AOIFE TO FIX A TIME WHEN THEIR CURSE
WOULD END.
"FOR THREE HUNDRED YEARS YOU MUST LIVE ON LOUGH DERRYVARAGH;
FOR THREE HUNDRED YEARS IN SCOTLAND, AND FOR THREE HUNDRED YEARS
IN ENNIS AND INISHGLORY. BUT WHEN A MAN FROM CONNAUGHT IN THE
NORTH MARRIES A WOMAN FROM MUNSTER IN THE SOUTH...YOU SHALL BE RE
-LEASED..." TO TEMPER LIR'S ANTICIPATED RAGE, AOIFE GRANTED THE
SWANS THE POWER OF ELOQUENCE, THE GIFT OF SINGING UNRIVALLED BY ANY
MUSIC IN THE WORLD, AND ALLOWED THEM TO RETAIN THEIR HUMAN SENSES
AND FACILITIES BUT NEVER SUFFER DISTRESS.
LIR AND BODB QUICKLY UNCOVERED AOIFE'S TREACHERY. BODB STRUCK
HIS DAUGHTER WITH HIS DRUIDIC ROD, CHANGING HER INTO A DEMON, CON-
DEMNED TO ROAM THROUGH THE AIR FOR ETERNITY. LIR AND BODB WENT TO
THE LAKE TO SEE THE BEAUTIFUL SWANS. THEIR SORROW AND PAIN WAS SOON
LIFTED BY THE BEAUTIFUL SWAN-SONG. FOR THREE HUNDRED YEARS PEOPLE
CAME FROM ALL OVER IRELAND TO DERRYVARAGH TO HEAR THE ELOQUENT
SPEECHES, POETRY, AND HEAVENLY CHORUSES. AND LIKE BODB AND LIR,
THEIR CARES AND PAIN WERE LIFTED.
AFTER THREE HUNDRED YEARS, FIONNGUALA REMINDED HER BROTHERS
THEY MUST LEAVE THE LAKE THEY LOVED SO WELL. WITH A POEM OF SAD
FAREWELL THEY CIRCLED THE LAKE THRICE THEN FLEW TO A BLEAK EXILE IN
SCOTLAND. THEIR FATE WAS NOT MUCH IMPROVED AFTER THEY RETURNED TO
ENNIS AND INISHGLORY. THEN ST. PATRICK BROUGHT CHRISTIANITY TO
IRELAND AND ST. MO CHAEMOC HAY-VOC BUILT AN ORATORY AT INISHGLORY.
ONE MORNING AFTER THE MONKS SANG THEIR PRAYERS THE SWANS RAISED
THEIR OWN VOICES IN SONG. MO WAS OVERWHELMED WHEN HE HEARD THE
BEAUTY AND PASSION OF THEIR MUSIC. WHEN HE LEARNED THE FULL STORY
HE CALLED TO THE SWANS AND JOINED FIONNGUALA TO AED AND CONN TO
FIACHRA WITH SILVER CHAINS AS A SIGN THAT THEY WERE HUMANS UNDER
ENCHANTMENT.
FINALLY IT CAME TO PASS THAT LAIRGRIN, KING OF CONNAUGHT, MARRIED
DEOCH, DAUGHTER OF THE KING OF MUNSTER. DEOCH HEARD OF THE SWANS
AND SOUGHT TO POSSESS THEM. SHE SENT SERVANTS TO TAKE THEM FROM MO
BY FORCE. VIOLENCE ERUPTED. THE SPELL WAS BROKEN. FOUR ANCIENT
MORTALS STOOD BEFORE ALL. ST. MO BAPTISED THEM, THEY DIED AND WENT
TO CHRISTIAN HEAVEN, LEAVING MO TO MOURN THE LOSS OF HIS CHERISHED
SWANS.
----------
MAHEDY - MCKAY
3M
MULLARKEY
VOL. IV -SPRING 1989
DAN TOUSE
RD1, BOX 1269
MARYLAND, NY 12116
SPRING 1989 WELL! PLANT YOUR SHAMROCKS, DUST OFF YOUR IRISH RECORDS OR
TAPES, BREW YOURSELF A POT O' IRISH "TAY" OR POUR YOURSELF A BREW
OF GUINNESS, OR BUSHMILLS, SIT BACK AND READ SOME MORE MULLARKEY!
I AM SORRY I MISSED YOU AT CHRISTMAS. A LAST MINUTE PROJECT
DROPPED IN MY LAP WHICH HAD FINANCIAL PROMISE BUT ALSO DEADLINES.
SIMULTANEOUSLY, I WAS WORKING AGAINST A PUBLICATION DEADLINE FOR
SUBMISSION OF JEANNE'S LINE FOR VOLUME I OF THE STRONG GENEALOGY.
A SUBSEQUENT VOLUME WILL INCLUDE THE TOUSE LINE TO THE STRONG-
DEAN(E) IMMIGRANTS OF 1638. (I'M BEHIND ON THAT TOO!) BEING BOTH
CONSISTENTLY SLOW AND DISORGANIZED, I SIMPLY COULD NOT GET TO MY
CHRISTMAS CARDS. I DID NOT WANT YOU THINKING I HAD SUCCUMBED TO THE
GRINCH - YET! YOU WERE ALL IN MY THOUGHTS AND ARE THERE YEAR ROUND.
RESEARCH WAS MORE FRUSTRATING AND LESS PRODUCTIVE THAN USUAL. I
ORDERED CANADIAN CENSUS MICROFILM LAST SPRING. I RECEIVED A NOTICE
IN SEPTEMBER (!) THAT I WOULD NEED TO REORDER THROUGH A VENDOR -
WHICH I DID. THE FILM ARRIVED AS I BEGAN THIS MASTERPIECE (FEB '89). I
THINK THE BUGS IN THE CHANGED PROCESS HAVE NOW BEEN WORKED OUT.
SINCE I DO NOT HAVE AS MUCH GENEALOGICAL NEWS AS I HOPED, I HAVE
FALLEN BACK ON THE OLD AXIOM: " A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND
WORDS." WHILE THE REPRODUCTIONS WILL WIN NO PHOTO-JOURNALISM
AWARDS FOR QUALITY, IT IS HOPED THAT GIVING FACES TO SOME OF THE
NAMES IN OUR HISTORY WILL GIVE THE READER A BETTER APPRECIATION OF
OUR ANCESTORS AS "REAL PEOPLE".
AS USUAL, I HAVE TRIED TO INCLUDE A FEW TIDBITS OF IRISH MISCELLANY
WHICH I HOPE WILL ADD A LITTLE FLAVOR TO THIS 3M CONCOCTION.
WISHING YOU ALL THE
LUCK O' THE IRISH
HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY
DAN
IN OUR PRAYERS
BERNICE BUTLER - 95, DIED 27JULY1988 AT LOWVILLE, NY. SHE IS SURVIVED
BY HER HUSBAND, JOSEPH, TWO DAUGHTERS, MRS. BARBARA MARTIN OF
LOWVILLE, MRS. SHIRLEY GASSNER OF NEW HARTFORD, AND SEVERAL
GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN. I HAVE MENTIONED THE
BUTLERS IN EVERY ISSUE. BERNICE WAS A KIND AND GENTLE LADY, AND A
GOOD FRIEND TO OUR FAMILY FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER. SHE WILL BE
DEEPLY MISSED.
MICHAEL SULLIVAN - DIED FEBRUARY 1988 IN MASS. HE WAS THE HUSBAND OF
MARY F. GUILFOLYE SULLIVAN WHO SURVIVES HIM.
ELLEN MACKAY BERLIN - DIED IN LATE 1988 IN N.Y. CITY. SHE WAS AN
AUTHOR, HEIRESS, AND INSPIRATION FOR THE SONG ALWAYS
WRITTEN BY HER HUSBAND IRVING, 100, WHO SURVIES HER.
CHARLES DRAGOON - 68, DIED UNEXPECTEDLY 14 FEBRUARY 1989 AT
PLATTSBURGH, NY. HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE WINNIFRED OF
PLATTSBURGH; TWO DAUGHTERS, SUSAN KIROY OF DANNEMORA, AND
PAMELA OF PERU, NY.; A SON CHARLES OF VA.; SEVEN GRANDCHILDREN
INCLUDING BRIAN TOUSE; AND THREE BROTHERS:
HAROLD OF MONTREAL, CARL OF PLATTSBURGH, AND ROBERT OF
SCHUYLER FALLS, NY.
"CHARLIE" WAS A WARM, WONDERFUL MAN WHO IS SADLY MISSED BY ALL WHO
KNEW HIM.
------------
DEDICATION IN 1977 I COMPILED MY FIRST DRAFT OF THE MAHEDY-MCKAY FAMILY
HISTORY. MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO PUT EVERY-
THING I HAD LEARNED, AND EVERYTHING I COULD REMEMBER INTO A NAR-
RATIVE PERSPECTIVE. LISTS OF NAMES AND DATES BECOME A MASS OF DATA
ELEMENTS. THEY ARE VALUABLE BUT DO NOT TELL A STORY. I SENT A COPY
TO RAYMOND CAMPBELL TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS,
ETC. RAYMOND WAS THE ELDER OF OUR MCKAY CLAN, AND I KNEW HE WAS
BOTH INTERESTED IN AND INFORMED ON THE FAMILY HISTORY. IN OCTOBER, I
TOOK A WEEK OFF FROM WORK AND WENT TO CANADA TO VISIT THE
CAMPBELLS. I REMEMBER AT THE TIME FEELING ALMOST A COMPULSION TO
MAKE THAT JOURNEY AT THAT TIME.
I LEFT OUR HOUSE AT GOODYEAR LAKE AND HEADED NORTH. IT WAS ONE
OF THOSE TYPICAL COOL, CRISP, OCTOBER MORNINGS IN NEW YORK. THE SKY
WAS CLEAR; THE SUN BRIGHT; AND THE LEAVES HAD BEEN PAINTED IN THEIR
MOST BRILLIANT LUSTRE. I WAS IN AWE OF THE BEAUTY THAT ENGULFED ME
AND ENVIED THE ARTIST WHO COULD CREATE SUCH BEAUTY. AS I PASSED THE
CHERRY VALLEY REGION AND CONTINUED NORTH I WONDERED IF I MIGHT BE
FOLLOWING THE SAME PATH OUR KEECH ANCESTORS FOLLOWED WHEN THEY
WERE SAID TO HAVE FLED THE CHERRY VALLEY TO FT. STANWIX TO AVOID AN
INDIAN MASSACRE. I DROVE THROUGH THE TOWN OF COLUMBIA WHERE
ALLEN FULMER'S FAMILY HAD SETTLED PRIOR TO THE REVOLUTION. NOW I
COULD SEE THE MOHAWK RIVER, THE WHOLE VALLEY, AND EVEN THE
FOOT-HILLS OF THE ADIRONDACKS FAR TO THE NORTH. I PASSED DOWN
THROUGH THE VALLEY INTO ROME, PAST FT. STANWIX AND ST. PETER'S
WHERE MICHAEL AND ESTHER WERE MARRIED IN 1843. SOON I WAS IN THE
TOWN OF WESTERN. THERE WAS THE CEMETERY WHERE EBENEZER AND
ELIZABETH KEECH GILLETT WERE BURIED, AND WEBSTER HILL WHERE THEIR
CHILDREN WERE BORN. CONTINUING NORTH, THE RELICS OF THE BLACK RIVER
CANAL BEGAN TO DOT THE LANDSCAPE. MICHAEL AND PATTY MAHEDY
HELPED TO BUILD THESE LOCKS AND OUR GILLETT UNCLES OPERATED THE
CANAL BOATS. BY NOON I ARRIVED IN LOWVILLE. AFTER LUNCH I STOPPED TO
VISIT JOE AND BERNICE BUTLER, THEN JOE AND I WENT TO VISIT ZORA. IT WAS
ALWAYS A WONDERFUL VISIT. AFTER SAYING GOODBYE, I DROVE ON TO
PLATTSBURGH BY THE LIGHT OF A BRIGHT HARVEST MOON. THE NEXT
MORNING I HEADED ON TO WATERLOO.
I HAD BEEN TO RAYMOND'S SOME TWENTY YEARS EARLIER WHEN HIS
DAUGHTER MIMI (ROUNDS) TOOK AUNT MAY, EDNA CAMPBELL, MY SISTER,
MARY ANN, AND ME FOR AN EARLY OCTOBER VISIT. WE WERE TREATED
LIKE ROYALTY. THIS TRIP WAS NO DIFFERENT. I WAS GIVEN A WARM
WELCOME. TO MY SURPRISE - AND HERS - EDNA HAD ALSO JUST ARRIVED
TO VISIT THEIR BROTHER FRANCIS, WHOM I LEARNED WAS SERIOUSLY ILL
IN A SHERBROOKE HOSPITAL. WE ALL VISITED FOR QUITE SOME TIME. ONE
STORY LED TO ANOTHER. I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN NOTES BUT WAS TOO
PREOCCUPIED JUST ENJOYING THE EXCHANGE.
THE NEXT MORNING RAYMOND AND I BEGAN OUR EXPEDITION. WE
HEADED FIRST FOR SOUTH STUKELY, STOPPING BY AN OPEN LOT THAT IN
ANOTHER DAY AND AGE WAS FILLED WITH CHILDREN ATTENDING THE ONE
ROOM SCHOOL HOUSE. NOT FAR DOWN THE HILL, AT THE FOOT OF MT.
AUFORD, WAS THE SITE OF THE J. P. MCKAY HOMESTEAD. IT WAS ALL
OVERGROWN NOW WITH SHRUBS, SAPLINGS, WEEDS AND TREES. RAYMOND
SHOWED ME THE PATH THE HORSE N' BUGGIE WOULD TAKE AND POINTED OUT
WHERE A SMALL WOODEN BRIDGE CROSSED A LITTLE BROOK TO GET TO THE
HOUSE. THAT, TOO, HAD ALL BUT DISAPPEARED. WE CROSSED OVER TO
WHERE THE HOUSE ONCE STOOD. ALL THAT REMAINED WERE A COUPLE OF
SMALL INDENTATIONS IN THE GROUND AND A FEW FOUNDATION STONES!
THE HOUSE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN VERY LARGE. WE PROCEEDED TO GET
LOST, BUT EVENTUALLY FOUND THE CHURCH AT BONSECOURS WHERE THE
MCKAY CHILDREN WERE ALL BAPTIZED.
WE ALSO VISITED THE OLD MAHEDY HOMESTEAD. IN 1956 IT WAS A
DESERTED, DETERIORATING RELIC OF A BYGONE ERA. IT HAD SINCE BEEN
REPAIRED AND REMODELED AND NOW WAS AGAIN AN ATTRACTIVE HOME. WE
GOT OUT TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AND GET SOME PICTURES BUT A RATHER
UNSOCIABLE GERMAN SHEPHERD CONVINCED US THE CAR OFFERED US THE
BEST VIEW. THEN WE REALIZED WE WERE BOTH OUT OF FILM. WE STOPPED AT
THE SITE OF THE DISTRICT SCHOOLHOUSE WHERE THE YOUNGER MCKAYS
ATTENDED, AND AT THE ALFRED MAHEDY HOMESTEAD NEARBY. RAYMOND
TOOK ME TO THE CEMETERY AT ST. JOACHIM WHERE MAHEDYS, MCKAYS,
MORANS AND DUNNS ALL REST IN PEACE.
THE TRIP TO THE OLD THOMAS MCKAY FARM WAS AN ADVENTURE FOR
BOTH OF US. IT HAD BEEN REMODELED SINCE RAYMOND HAD LAST SEEN IT
AND WE MISSED IT ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. WE FINALLY REALIZED THE
CHANGE AND DROVE IN. THE YOUNG CHILDREN RAN FOR THEIR PARENTS.
THEY WERE FRENCH SO RAYMOND EXPLAINED WHAT WE WERE DOING. MR.
COUTUURE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN NICER. HE INVITED US INTO HIS OFFICE
WHICH ADJOINED THE HOUSE. MCKAY, IT SEEMED TO RING A BELL. HE TURNED
TO HIS FILE AND PRODUCED A MAP OF THAT PORTION OF GRANBY TOWNSHIP
DELINEATING THE "THOS. MACKAY" PROPERTY BORDERED ON THE WEST BY
@111 ACRE FARM OWNED BY "H.C. MACKAY". HE MADE A COPY FOR US, THEN
GAVE US A TOUR OF THE HOUSE. IT WAS MATERIAL FOR ONE OF THOSE HOME
MAGAZINES. THE KITCHEN WAS HUGE. IT CONTAINED THE ORIGINAL KITCHEN
PLUS WHAT RAYMOND SAID HAD ONCE BEEN THE "CARRIAGE HOUSE". IT HAD
A CATHEDRAL CEILING TWO STORIES HIGH. THE LAYOUT OF APPPLIANCES AND
UTENSILS WOULD BE THE ENVY OF ANY GOURMET CHEF. THERE WAS A NICELY
TERRACED DINING AREA. JUST BEYOND THE DOORWAY TO THE LIVING ROOM
WAS A CAST IRON SPIRAL STAIRWAY AT THE TOP OF WHICH WAS A BALCONY
OVERLOOKING THE KITCHEN. THE LIVING ROOM WAS QUITE LARGE WITH THE
FIREPLACE BEING THE PRIMARY FOCAL POINT. IT WAS SET OFF BY A LOW CAST
IRON "FENCE" WITH FLAGSTONE FLOOR AND SECTIONAL FURNITURE. THE WALL
SURROUNDING THE FIREPLACE WAS ALSO COVERED WITH FLAGSTONE.
MARGARET D. MCKAY USED TO SIT IN HER ROCKER HERE SMOKING HER CORN
COB PIPE! THE BATHROOM CONTAINED A SUNKEN BATHTUB WITH STEPS AND
GOLD PLATED FIXTURES. THE MASTER BEDROOM HAD SLIDING GLASS DOORS
OPENING INTO A SPACIOUS YARD. MR. COUTURE SAID HE OWNED ALL THE
ORIGINAL FARM EXCEPT A FEW ACRES ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
WE STOPPED AT THE CEMETERY BEHIND THE NOTRE DAME CHURCH IN
GRANBY. ON THE MCKAY HEADSTONE THERE WAS AN ENGRAVING WE COULD
NOT DECIPHER. A TRACING REVEALED MARGARET DONAHUE WAS A "NATIVE
OF THE PARISH OF CLOGHER, CO. TYRONE, IRELAND". WE TRAVELLED MANY
MILES IN THOSE FEW DAYS, SAW MANY SIGHTS, HEARD MANY STORIES, AND
HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS. HE SPOKE OF HIS OWN LIFE AND FAMILY WITH A
GREAT SENSE OF PRIDE AND DEVOTION. I FELT HONORED THAT HE WOULD
SHARE SUCH PERSONAL FEELINGS WITH ME. I ALSO HOPED I WOULD ONE DAY
BE ABLE TO LOOK BACK AND FEEL AS RAYMOND DID NOW.
THE DAYS HAD FLOWN BY RAPIDLY. I HAD HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT
WITH GERALD AND NINA, AND LAWRENCE. I HAD SEEN AND LEARNED A GREAT
DEAL. I HAD BEEN TREATED ROYALLY - AND NOW MY ROYAL POT WAS
BEGINNING TO SHOW THE EFFECTS. NOW IT WAS TIME TO MOVE ON. I WAS TO
MEET JEANNE AND MIKEY AND PICK UP BRIAN FOR HOMECOMING AT
PLATTSBURGH. IT WOULD BE A PERFECT CLIMAX TO A PERFECT WEEK. WE BID
ADIEU, BUT I HAD NO DOUBT I WOULD RETURN SOMEDAY WITH DOZENS OF
DUMB QUESTIONS AND, HOPEFULLY, WITH JEANNE AND THE BOYS TO MEET
THESE WONDERFUL COUSINS AND SEE THEIR ANCESTRAL ORIGINS.
TWO MONTHS LATER I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT. FRANCIS CAMPBELL DIED
THAT WINTER. THE WEEKEND OF MAY 19 I WAS GIVEN A "LEAVE" FROM THE
REHAB HOSPITAL TO VISIT MY FAMILY. WHEN MY FATHER PICKED ME UP HE
TOLD ME RAYMOND HAD JUST DIED AND WAS TO BE BURIED THE NEXT DAY,
MAY 19. I PRAYED IN SILENCE MOST OF THE WAY HOME. LAWRENCE AND
EILEEN DIED IN THE SUMMER OF 1981. I HAVE NEVER CEASED TO BE AMAZED -
AND EVER SO GRATEFUL - THAT DESTINY PERMITTED ME THAT JOURNEY AT
THAT TIME.
I WOULD LIKE TO DEDICATE THIS ISSUE TO RAYMOND AND TO ALL THE
CAMPBELLS WHO HAVE GIVEN ME A LIFETIME OF MEMORIES AND
INFORMATION.
***************************************************************
MCKAY-DONAHUE
AS MENTIONED EARLIER LITTLE PROGRESS WAS MADE IN RESEARCHING
THIS LINE. THE PARENTS AND SIBLINGS OF BOTH THOMAS AND MARGARET
STILL REMAIN GENEALOGICAL MIA'S. ONE OF THESE DAYS I'LL GET
COMPUTERIZED AND ORGANIZED, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER PROBLEM. ANYWAY,
I DID FIND ADDITIONAL CENSUS DATA WHICH MAY HELP TO FILL IN A FEW
GAPS. THE 1891 CENSUS OF SHEFFORD CO. WAS CONDUCTED IN THE MONTH OF
APRIL AND REVEALED THE FOLLOWING:
GRANBY
MCKAY, THOMAS 68 IRE IRE IRE R.C. FARMER EMPLOYS 4
MARGARET 69 IRE IRE IRE R.C.
MARTHA 31 CAN IRE IRE R.C.
WILLIAM 36 CAN IRE IRE R.C.
MCGUIRE,THOMAS 14 CAN CAN CAN R.C.
MARTHA DIED THE FOLLOWING YEAR. THERE WAS NO INDICATION
OF ILLNESS IN THE CENSUS.
SO. STUKELY (APRIL 7)
MACKIE, JOHN 38 US IRE IRE R.C. FARMER EMPLOYS 4
MARY 38 CAN IRE NY R.C.
LIZZIE E. 14 CAN US CAN R.C.
MAGIE M. 13 CAN US CAN R.C.
MCKIE, MYRON I 10 CAN US CAN R.C.
MACKIE,THOMAS F 8 CAN US CAN R.C.
H.C. 7 CAN US CAN R.C.
ADA 5 CAN US CAN R.C.
MARTHA 4 CAN US CAN R.C.
JOHN D. 1 CAN US CAN R.C
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE SPELLING AND PRONUNCIATION OF THE NAME WAS
STILL UNRESOLVED. AS FOR THE CHILDREN, MAGIE WAS MINA; THOMAS F. IS
FRANK; H.C. IS CHARLES; AND ADA I ASSUME IS EDITH. MARY-ELLEN DID NOT
APPEAR IN THE CENSUS. PERHAPS SHE WAS VISITING RELATIVES, OR SOMEONE
SIMPLY GOOFED. MAY WAS BORN A MONTH AFTER THE CENSUS WAS TAKEN.
PATRICK AND ANNE DONAHUE WERE NOWHERE IN SHEFFORD CO. OR NEARBY
SHERBROOKE. HOWEVER, THEY WERE ON HAND THE FOLLOWING MONTH TO
SERVE AS GODPARENTS FOR AUNT MAY.
****************************************************************
MAHEDY-MORAN WHILE RESEARCH WAS NOT PARTICULARLY FRUITFUL THIS YEAR, THERE
WAS ONE NOTABLE SUCCESS. AS THE '88 EDITION OF 3M "WENT TO PRESS"
CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE PATRICK MAHEDY LINE THROUGH HIS SON
ALFRED'S GRANDDAUGHTER, MRS. MARJORIE CLAMP OF LAWRENCE, MASS.
COUSIN MARJORIE SENT A NICE LETTER WITH VALUABLE NEW INFORMATION
ON ALFRED'S LINE.
AS STATED IN THE '88 3M, MY NOTES MENTIONED ALFRED HAD TWO SONS -
EDWARD AND JAMES - WHO DIED IN INFANCY, THUS ENDING THE MAHEDY LINE
IN THE EASTERN U.S. WHILE THIS WAS BASICALLY TRUE, IT WAS INCOMPLETE.
ALFRED MARRIED ANNE LAWLER ON 10 OCTOBER 1886 AT ST. JOACHIM DE
SHEFFORD. BESIDES JAMES AND EDWARD, THEY HAD ERNEST WHO DIED IN
INFANCY. THEY NEXT HAD ARTHUR - 1893; MARY - 1895; AND CORA - 1897. ANNE
DIED @1905 AND WAS BURIED IN ST. JOACHIM DE SHEFFORD CEMETERY. IN 1915
ALFRED, MARY AND CORA MOVED TO LEOMINSTER, MASS., WHERE HIS SISTERS
JENNY (DOWNS), MARY ANN, AND BROTHER STEVE HAD ALREADY SETTLED.
ARTHUR WENT TO WESTERN CANADA WHERE HE DIED @ 1925 AND WAS
RETURNED TO SHEFFORD FOR BURIAL.
ALFRED WORKED FOR THE RAILROAD. DURING WW I HIS DAUGHTER MARY
MET AND MARRIED LEO GUILFOYLE, AND CORA MARRIED LEO'S BROTHER
FRANK. CORA AND FRANK HAD NO CHILDREN. MARY AND LEO HAD THE
FOLLOWING THREE DAUGHTERS:
MARY FRANCES b. 1920 m. MICHAEL SULLIVAN 1948
MARJORIE 1921 RONALD CLAMP 1MAR1944
LEONA 1924 STEVEN O'DONOHUE 1947
MARJORIE REMEMBERS HER GRANDFATHER TELLING HOW HE LOST HIS
RIGHT THUMB IN THE SAW MILL AT THE AGE OF SIX. ALFRED'S SISTER, MARTHA
(GALLAGHER), HAD SETTLED SOMEWHERE IN VERMONT. SHE HAD A
DAUGHTER, "MAMIE", WHO HAD A SON, ARTHUR BALLOU. ARTHUR WAS
MENTIONED IN ALBERT'S OBITUARY, AS WAS MRS. HERBERT (MADELINE)
DEWITT, DAUGHTER OF ALFRED'S SISTER, JENNY DOWNS.
MOVING BACK IN HISTORY, THE RECORDS SHOW MOST OF THE MAHEDYS
HAD LEFT SHEFFORD BY 1891. OF PATRICK'S CLAN ONLY THE MCCAFFREYS AND
ALFRED APPEAR IN THE CENSUS. ALFRED'S BROTHER JACK (JOHN B.) DIED AND
WAS BURIED IN SHEFFORD 13 JULY 1911, BUT DOES NOT APPEAR IN THE CENSUS.
THIS IS WHAT DID APPEAR:
#203- MCCAFFREY, HENRY 40 IRE IRE IRE RC FARMER
LISA 39 CAN IRE NY "
MARGARET 13 CAN IRE CAN "
LIZZIE 11 " " " "
#210- MAHEDY, ALFRED 32 " " NY " "
ANNIE 30 " " IRE "
MCNEIL, PETER 15 " QUE
NOT FAR FROM ALFRED WAS THE MICHAEL MAHEDY - SOON TO BE THE
J.P. MCKAY - FARM:
#206- MAHEDY, MICHAEL 76 IRE IRE IRE RC FARMER
ESTHER 65 US US US "
PATRICK 29 QUE IRE " " "
SWEET, ELLA 28 US US US ANG DOMES
THE CENSUS INDICATED THE HOUSE WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. PERHAPS
IT WAS BEING ENLARGED OR REMODELED.
ESTHER WAS PROBABLY 69 OR 70. THE TWO SONS MICHAEL (JR.) AND DAVID,
LISTED IN VOL. 3, ARE KNOWN TO HAVE DIED YOUNG, AND SO MUST HAVE DIED
BETWEEN 1881-91. AUNT MAY SAID CHARLES WAS A "SOLDIER OF FORTUNE"
AND FOUGHT IN AT LEAST FOUR WARS. I DO NOT HAVE AN HISTORICAL
REFERENCE HANDY, BUT AT THIS TIME (1891) HE MAY HAVE GONE TO AFRICA
TO FIGHT IN THE BOER WAR. DAUGHTER ESTHER WAS NOW (APRIL 1891) IN
ROME WITH HER HUSBAND SOLOMON BUTLER, DAUGHTER ZORA, AND WAS
SEVEN MONTHS PREGNANT FOR HER SON JOSEPH. MARY WAS IN NEARBY SO.
STUKELY (SEE MCKAY).
THERE WAS NO INDICATION IN THE CENSUS THAT ESTHER WAS ILL. NO
DOUBT THE ENDLESS CHORES AND RIGORS OF 19TH CENTURY RURAL LIFE
NECESSITATED ELDERLY WOMEN HAVING ASSISTANCE WITH THE COOKING,
CLEANING, SPINNING, WEAVING, BUTTER MAKING, AND A HOST OF OTHER
TASKS UNKNOWN TO CONTEMPORARY HOMEMAKERS. HOWEVER, THE
FOLLOWING YEAR ESTHER BECAME GRAVELY ILL WITH LIVER CANCER. THE
MCKAYS MOVED INTO THE MAHEDY HOME AND DAUGHTER ESTHER BUTLER
CAME WITH TODDLERS ZORA AND JOSEPH TO HELP CARE FOR HER MOTHER. IF
MY COUNT IS RIGHT, THAT MADE A TOTAL OF AT LEAST SEVENTEEN PEOPLE
IN ONE HOUSE!
SWEETS I HAVE LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SWEETS. THERE WERE SEVERAL SWEET/
SWETT FAMILIES IN SHEFFORD CO., ONE OF WHICH LIVED NEXT TO THE
MCCAFFREYS. I SEEM TO RECALL AUNT MAY BEING TEASED BY RAYMOND OR
LAWRENCE CAMPBELL WHEN WE VISITED THE OLD MCKAY FARM IN 1956
ABOUT A HERB SWEET BEING SWEET ON AUNT MAY IN HER YOUNGER YEARS.
MORAN THERE WERE NO MORANS LISTED IN THE 1891 CENSUS OF SHEFFORD CO.
CHARLES' WIFE BRIDGET DIED AND WAS BURIED THAT YEAR IN ST. JOACHIM DE
SHEFFORD CEMETERY. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SHE DIED BEFORE APRIL, THE FARM
WAS SOLD, AND THE SONS HAD ALL MOVED AWAY, BUT THAT DOES NOT SEEM
PROBABLE. THE MORAN DAUGHTERS HAD PROBABLY ALL MARRIED AND
PERHAPS SOME HAD MOVED AWAY. TO DATE WE ONLY HAVE SPECIFIC
INFORMATION ON ELIZABETH, WHO MARRIED PETER DUNN. IN THE 1891
CENSUS THEY ARE LISTED AS FOLLOWS:
DUNN, PETER 61 IRE IRE IRE RC FARMER
ELIZABETH 59 QUE IRE IRE "
PETER F. 31 " " QUE " "
JUDITH E. 26 " " " "
PATRICK D. 22 " " " " "
ANNE E. J. 19 " " " "
ELIZABETH 17 " " " "
MARY C. A. 14 " " " "
--------------------
GILLETT-KEECH I APPEAR TO HAVE REACHED A PROLONGED STALEMATE WITH THE KEECH
LINE. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING NEW HAS BEEN LEARNED. I HAVE WON NO
AWARD FOR GILLETT RESEARCH EITHER. THERE WERE STILL GILLETT
RELATIVES IN WESTERN AND ROME AS LATE AS 1910. ESTHER'S SISTER EMILINE
AND BROTHER HORACE WERE LIVING, AS WELL AS A FEW FROM THE NEXT
GENERATION. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN OTHERS BUT MUCH OF THE CENSUS
WAS SO FADED IT WAS IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ. THE FINDINGS ARE LISTED
BELOW:
TOWN OF WESTERN:
OSWALD, SYLVESTER 60 m35 (ILLEG)- 1869 FARMER
PAMELIA 56 NY NY
VANDEWALKER, EMILINE 86 wd NY NY (DAU OF EBENEZER GILLETT)
GILLETT, HORACE 67 m42 NY NY FARMER (SON OF EB)
SARAH C. 59 " "
-----------------------------------------------------------
GILLETT, HENRY 37 m9 " " (SON OF HORACE)
EVA 27
EVA 6 " "
ELLIS 4 " "
HORACE D. 2 " "
LOYD H. 3/12 " "
-----------------------------------------------------------
ROME:
GILLETT, MYRON 39 m7 " " ENGINEER, COPPER CO.
CLARA 28 2/1 " "
BERNICE 4 " "
PAMELIA, HENRY, AND MYRON WOULD BE FIRST COUSINS TO ESTHER
BUTLER AND MARY MCKAY. IT SEEMS QUITE LIKEY WE MIGHT HAVE SOME
3RD AND 4TH COUSINS ROAMING ABOUT ONEIDA COUNTY.
-----------------------------------------------------------
MORE TALES PERHAPS THE MOST FAMOUS TALE IN IRISH LITERATURE AND LEGEND
IS THE STORY OF CU CHULAINN (KOO HOOLIN) AND THE TAIN BO CUAILGNE
(TARN BOW KOO-ILE NYEH), OR "THE CATTLE RAID OF COOLEY". IT IS
THE OLDEST EPIC IN WESTERN EUROPEAN LITERATURE. IT EQUALS THE
ILLIAD AND THE ODYSSEY IN DRAMA AND LITERARY QUALITY AS WELL AS
IN LENGTH. LIKE MOST IRISH STORIES TAIN IS A MIXTURE OF FACT AND
FICTION, MYTH AND LEGEND, AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO SORT ONE FROM
THE OTHER.
IT IS A TALE OUR ANCESTORS UNDOUBTEDLY LEARNED AS YOUNG
CHILDREN GATHERED ABOUT THE HEARTH AFTER THE EVENING MEAL.
INDEED, ONE OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS IS BELIEVED TO BE AN ANCESTOR
OF MAHEDYS AND MORANS. BECAUSE OF ITS LENGTH THIS STORY WILL BE
CARRIED OVER THE NEXT TWO OR THREE ISSUES.
THE STORY TAKES PLACE NOT TOO LONG BEFORE THE BIRTH OF
CHRIST, DURING THE REIGN OF THE FAMED KING CONCHOBAR (CONOR)
MACNESSA AT EMAIN MACHA, THE ROYAL STRONGHOLD OF ULSTER. HE WAS
A GOOD KING AND HIS REIGN WAS MARKED BY PROSPERITY AND ABUNDANT
HARVESTS OF ALL KINDS. ONE OF CONCHOBAR'S SISTERS, DECHTIRE,
MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARED FROM EMAIN MACHA WITH FIFTY OF HER HAND
MAIDS. AFTER SOME TIME SHE RETURNED WITH A BABY SON, SETANTA.
HE WAS THE SON OF THE GREAT UNDERWORLD GOD OF THE TUATHA DE, LUGH
LONG ARM.
SETANTA WAS RAISED BY HIS MOTHER AND STEPFATHER IN THEIR
GREAT OAKEN HOME ON THE PLAIN OF MURTHEMME. BY THE TIME HE WAS
SIX HE WAS AS AGILE AND STRONG AS A BOY TWICE HIS AGE. SETANTA
HAD LEARNED OF THE GREAT GAMES OF SHINTY HELD AT CONCHOBAR'S
COURT WHICH INVOLVED 150 BOYS, AND FROM WHICH THE KING WOULD DRAW
HIS FUTURE WARRIORS. HE TEASED HIS MOTHER ENDLESSLY TO PERMIT
HIM TO PLAY BUT SHE INSISTED HE WAIT UNTIL HE WAS OLDER. SETANTA
WENT ANYWAY. HE GATHERED HIS TOY SPEAR AND SHIELD, HIS SHINTY
STICK AND BALL, AND HEADED NORTH TO EMAIN MACHA.
IT WAS THE CUSTOM BACK THEN TO APPROACH A BAND OF SHINTY
PLAYERS AND PLACE YOURSELF UNDER THEIR PROTECTION, FOR SHINTY WAS
A ROUGH AND FIERCE GAME. SETANTA WAS TOO YOUNG TO BE AWARE OF
THIS AND SIMPLY ENTERED THE FIELD AND BEGAN TO PLAY. THE ULSTER
LADS TOOK THIS AS AN INSULT AND SHOUTED A WARNING. THEN THEY
SHOT THEIR SPEARS AT HIM WHICH HE EASILY DEFLECTED WITH HIS TOY
SHIELD. NEXT THEY THREW THEIR SHINTY BALLS AND STICKS, AND AGAIN
HE DODGED THEM. ANGERED BY THIS UNWARRANTED ATTACK, SETANTA'S
HAIR STOOD ON END, ONE EYE SQUINTED AND THE OTHER OPENED AS WIDE
AS A SAUCER, HIS MOUTH GAPED OPEN, AND A RING OF FIRE SEEMED TO
RISE FROM HIS HEAD AS HE CHARGED THE WHOLE CROWD. HE BROUGHT
DOWN FIFTY BEFORE THE REST COULD ESCAPE FROM THE FIELD.
THE TERRIBLE COMMOTION DISRUPTED THE KING'S CHESS GAME.
CONCHOBAR THOUGHT PERHAPS A BATTLE WAS UNFOLDING AND WENT TO
LEARN THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. HE YELLED AT THIS YOUNG BOY FOR
HIS EXCESSIVE ROUGHNESS. SETANTA EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS THE
KING'S NEPHEW WHO HAD COME TO PLAY SHINTY WHEN THE ULSTER LADS
GANGED UP ON HIM. THE KING EXPLAINED THE CUSTOM OF PROTECTION TO
HIS NEPHEW, THEN SETANTA REQUESTED THE KING'S PROTECTION WHICH
THE KING GLADLY GRANTED. AS SETANTA RAN OFF TO JOIN THE OTHER
BOYS, CONCHOBAR SHOUTED OUT ASKING WHAT HIS NEPHEW WOULD DO TO
THE BOYS NEXT. "OFFER THEM PROTECTION FROM ME!"
IN THE WEEKS THAT FOLLOWED SETANTA MADE FRIENDS WITH
THE OTHER BOYS AND BEGAN TO LEARN THE ARTS OF WAR. IT HAP-
PENED THAT CULANN, THE SMITH, HAD PLANNED TO ENTERTAIN THE
KING. SINCE CULANN DID NOT HAVE MUCH PROPERTY, HE ASKED
CONCHOBAR NOT TO BRING A LARGE CROWD. THEREFORE THE KING TOOK
ONLY HIS FINEST WARRIORS AND FIFTY CHARIOTS. SETANTA
WAS TO ACCOMPANY HIS UNCLE BUT, AS USUAL, HE WAS BUSY PLAY-
ING SHINTY - BEATING 150 BOYS SINGLE HANDEDLY - SO HE TOLD
CONCHOBAR HE WOULD JOIN HIM LATER.
CONCHOBAR AND HIS ENTOURAGE ARRIVED AT CULANN'S. AS THE
FEASTING BEGAN CULANN ASKED CONCHOBAR IF HE EXPECTED ANYONE ELSE.
FORGETTING ALL ABOUT HIS NEPHEEW, THE KING SAID NO. CULANN
EXPLAINED THAT HE KEPT A FEROCIOUS DOG TO PROTECT HIS HOME AND
LIVESTOCK. IN FACT, IT REQUIRED THREE MEN HOLDING THREE CHAINS
TO RESTRAIN THE BEAST. BASED ON CONCHOBAR'S WORD CULANN ORDERED
HIS GATES CLOSED AND UNLEASHED THE DOG. LATER THAT AFTERNOON
SETANTA CAME MEANDERING DOWN THE ROAD STILL HITTING HIS SHINTY
BALL WITH HIS STICK. WHEN THE HOUND BEGAN TO HOWL THE KING
SUDDENLY REMEMBERED HIS NEPHEW. EVERYONE FEARED FOR THE BOY'S
LIFE BUT SETANTA REMAINED NON-CHALANT AS HE APPROACHED THE
STRONGHOLD. AS THE ANIMAL CROUCHED TO POUNCE ON THE LAD,
SETANTA HURLED HIS SHINTY BALL AT THE DOG'S MOUTH WITH SUCH
POWER THAT IT PASSED THROUGH THE DOG'S BODY AND CAME OUT THE
OTHER END, KILLING IT. EVERYONE CHEERED. CULANN THEN EXTENDED A
FORMAL WELCOME BUT EXPRESSED HIS SADNESS AT THE LOSS OF THIS
CHERISHED HOUND WHICH HAD PROTECTED HIS LIFE, HIS PROPERTY, AND
HIS INCOME.
SETANTA ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY PUPS. "YES." SETANTA
TOLD CULANN HE WOULD RAISE AND TRAIN THE PUP. IN THE MEAN-
TIME, "I WILL BE YOUR HOUND. I WILL GUARD NOT ONLY YOU, BUT THE
WHOLE PLAIN OF MURTHEMNE, AND NOT A SHEEP OR COW WILL BE LOST
WHILE THEY ARE IN MY CHARGE."
CATHBAD, THE DRUID AND FATHER OF CONCHOBAR, THEN EX-
CLAIMED: "CUCHULAINN, HOUND OF CULANN, SHALL BE YOUR NAME
FROM NOW ON." THIS PLEASED SETANTA VERY MUCH, AND THUS HE
ACQUIRED HIS NEW NAME!
END OF PART I
NEXT ISSUE: THE YOUNG WARRIOR
CUCHULAINN TAKES A BRIDE
THE CATTLE RAID
---------------------------------------------------------
MISCELLANEOUS
NEW GENERATION!
5 FEB 1989, KATELYN MARGARET GORDON-MANNIX WAS BORN AT
PLATTSBURGH, NY TO ELLEN GORDON AND DANIEL W. MANNIX, 60 OAK ST.,
PLATTSBURGH. KATELYN IS THE FIRST CHILD IN THE 8TH GENERATION OF
THE MAHEDY-MCKAY CLAN ON THE J.D. MCKAY LINE. DAN IS A REAL
ESTATE AGENT AND COMMUNICATIONS MAJOR AT SUNY PLATTSBURGH.
FAILTE TO YOUR NEW LEPRECHAUN!
GRANDMOTHER PEG MANNIX (STILL HARD TO BELIEVE) RECEIVED A
B.S. IN NUTRITION IN DEC. AND WILL BE GOING TO IRELAND THIS
SUMMER (AND THIS EDITOR IS GREEN WITH ENVY). KATHLEEN WILL
GRADUATE FROM SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE, MASS. IN JUNE. THERESA IS NOW
STATIONED NEAR STUTTGART, W. GERMANY.
***************
CONGRATULATIONS ALSO TO JENNY PARKER WHO RECEIVED A B.S. IN
MATH FROM I.U.P. AFTER LONG (AND PATIENT) SEARCHING SHE HAS
TAKEN A POSITION AS A PROGRAMMER FOR A PRIVATE SOFTWARE
DEVELOPMENT COMPANY.
GOOD LUCK JEN!
PLEASE SEND US YOUR FAMILY NEWS !!!
O'TOUSES 9TH ANNUAL UNATTENDED ST. PATRICK'S DAY FEST-
IVAL WILL BE HELD MARCH 17-19, 1989 AT DANNY'S SHANTY, GOODYEAR
LAKE, NY. IRISH FOOD, BEVERAGE, AND MUSIC. (DON'T EVEN KNOW IF
I'LL MAKE IT!) CO-HOSTS: MICHAEL PADDY O' AND BRIAN SHAWN
CEAD MILE FAILTE - ERIN GO BRAGH
*********
AN IRISH BLESSING
WISHING YOU ALWAYS
WALLS FOR THE WIND
AND A ROOF FOR THE RAIN
AND TEA BESIDE THE FIRE.
LAUGHTER TO CHEER YOU
AND THOSE YOU LOVE NEAR YOU
AND ALL THAT YOUR HEART MAY DESIRE.
----------
MAHEDY - MCKAY
3M
MULLARKEY
3M VOL V
SPRING 1990
DAN TOUSE
RD1, BOX 1269
MARYLAND, NY 12116
MARCH 1990
GREETINGS!
WOW! WHAT A YEAR! THE PEOPLE OF CHINA DARED TO STAND UP FOR
FREEDOM. POLAND BECAME A FREE NATION; THEN HUNGARY, BULGARIA, AND
SO ON THROUGHOUT THE EASTERN BLOCK. EVEN THE SOVIET REPUBLICS ARE
ATTEMPTING TO SECEDE AS CITIZENS THROUGHOUT RUSSIA DEMONSTRATE
FOR FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY. NELSON MANDELA IS FREE AND APARTHEID
APPEARS TO BE ON THE WAY OUT. ORTEGA IS VOTED OUT IN A DEMOCRATIC
ELECTION. ENEMIES WE'VE BEEN TAUGHT TO FEAR SINCE CHILDHOOD WE NOW
WELCOME TO THE WORLD COMMUNITY. THE POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY WE HAVE
KNOWN SINCE 1945 IS CHANGING BEFORE OUR EYES. WE EVEN SAW VENUS UP
CLOSE AND PERSONAL. WHILE SUCH RAPID AND DRAMATIC CHANGE COULD
EASILY LEAD TO CHAOS AND ANARCHY, AND ANCIENT HATREDS LONG
SUP-PRESSED COULD ERUPT INTO VIOLENCE, THE WORLD SEEMS TO BE MOVING
TOWARDS TRUE PEACE. THE BERLIN WALL IS CRUMBLING (BUT NOT THE WALL
IN DERRY)!!
THE 1989 YEAR WAS SOMEWHAT LESS DRAMATIC FOR GENEALOGICAL
RESEARCH (AGAIN)! IN FACT I HAVE VIRTUALLY NOTHING NEW TO REPORT
ON ANY OF THE 3M CLANS. I PLACED ALL MY EGGS IN ONE BASKET AND
NOTHING HATCHED. I HAVE PUT TOGETHER YET ANOTHER HODGE-PODGE OF
MATERIAL PERTAINING TO OUR ANCIENT ANCESTORS AND THEIR BELOVED
HOMELAND WHICH I HOPE WILL BE OF SOME INTEREST. I HAVE ALSO
PERHAPS RAMBLED OFF THE BEATEN PATH A BIT, SO FORGIVE ME.
HOPEFULLY MOST OF YOU HAVE BY NOW RECEIVED THE 1989 EDITION OF
3M. (OBVIOUSLY I AM STILL BEHIND SCHEDULE.) AS I INDICATED IN
THAT VOLUME WE WERE GOING "HIGH TECH" TO BECOME MORE EFFICIENT,
ETC. AFTER FOUR COMPUTERS, TWO PRINTERS, AND INNUMERABLE WORD
PROCESSORS WE MAY FINALLY BE COMING CLOSE TO A FUNCTIONING
"SYSTEM"!!! WE ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR GOOD (CHEAP) GENEALOGY
SOFTWARE TO HANDLE THE VOLUMES OF DATA ENVELOPING THE HOUSE, BUT I
THINK WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS. IN ADDITION, CANADIAN CENSUS RECORDS
ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR RENT IN THE US, MAKING THEM MUCH CHEAPER AND
EASIER TO ACCESS. ALSO, I MAY FINALLY BE ABLE TO OBTAIN GRANBY AND
WATERLOO NEWSPAPERS FROM @1850-1910 WHICH I HOPE WILL FILL IN SOME
CRITICAL GAPS.
WELL ENOUGH OF THIS! I HOPE YOU ALL ARE WELL AND HAVE (HAD)
A WONDERFUL ST. PATTY'S DAY!
ERIN GO BRAGH!
DAN
AN IRISH BLESSING IN THE LATTER PART OF SPRING '89 SISTER "MO" MENTIONED IN A
PHONE CONVERSATION THAT SHE HAD, MORE BY ACCIDENT THAN INTENT,
BECOME INVOLVED WITH PROJECT CHILDREN. PROJECT CHILDREN IS AN
ORGANIZATION WHICH WORKS TO BRING CHILDREN, BOTH CATHOLIC AND
PROTESTANT, FROM NORTHERN IRELAND TO SPEND SIX WEEKS IN AMERICA.
THE IMMEDIATE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE THE CHILDREN A VACATION FROM THE
VIOLENCE AND HATRED THAT IS A REALITY IN THE DAILY LIFE OF ULSTER.
PERHAPS THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO ENABLE THESE CHILDREN TO LEARN
THROUGH PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT BELIEFS AND
CUSTOMS CAN AND DO LIVE IN HARMONY IN A RELATIVELY STABLE SOCIETY.
PERHAPS SLOWLY THESE SEEDS OF TOLERANCE WILL TAKE ROOT IN BELFAST,
DERRY, DUNGANNON, AND THROUGHOUT ULSTER TO BRING PEACE AND UNITY
TO THIS TROUBLED LAND.
THOUGH IT WAS LATE IN THE SCHEDULING PROCESS, MO SUBMITTED AN
APPLICATION. A FEW WEEKS LATER SHE WAS NOTIFIED THAT THEY WOULD
HAVE A YOUNG GIRL FROM BELFAST ABOUT THE SAME AGE AS THEIR
DAUGHTER HEIDI. SO, ON OR ABOUT JUNE 27 AT SYRACUSE'S HANCOCK
AIRPORT, THE LEWIS CLAN WELCOMED YOUNG LAURA CONNOLLY OF BELFAST
TO AMERICA. IT WOULD PROVE TO BE A REWARDING LEARNING EXPERIENCE
FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED. MUCH OF THE TIME WAS SPENT AT THE LEWIS
TRAILER NEAR ONEIDA LAKE. IN ADDITION TO SEEING SOME OF THE LOCAL
POINTS OF INTEREST, LAURA HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET MANY OF THE
RELATIVES - INCLUDING THE ECCENTRIC UNCLE AT GOODYEAR LAKE. THE
LITTLE LEPRECHAUN WON THE HEARTS OF ALL. WITH HER WIT, GOOD
MANNERS, AND ALL THOSE ENDEARING YOUNG CHARMS, "SHE'S THE STAR OF
COUNTY DOWN".
IT IS DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE ALL ONE MIGHT WANT IN SIX SHORT
WEEKS. SIMPLY BUILDING GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMPLETE STRANGERS
IN A NEW AND DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT IS CHALLENGING ENOUGH. SEEING
PROTESTANT AND CATHOLIC INTERMINGLE WITHOUT HATRED AND HOSTILITY
MUST HAVE BEEN AS SHOCKING TO LAURA AS EXPERIENCING THAT SAME
HOSTILITY AND HATRED WOULD BE SHOCKING TO US. WE ARE TAUGHT " THE
POLICEMAN IS YOUR FRIEND". IN ULSTER HE IS AN OBJECT OF FEAR.
THERE WAS MUCH TO BE LEARNED FROM LAURA AND MUCH THAT SHE COULD
LEARN IN RETURN. IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO MEASURE THE IMPACT OF
THE PROJECT EXPERIENCE ON LAURA OR ON ALL THOSE SHE TOUCHED. I
SUSPECT - AND HOPE - THE INFLUENCES WILL BE FELT OVER A LIFETIME.
BUT IN THOSE SIX SHORT WEEKS LAURA REALLY BECAME PART OF THE
FAMILY. SHE IS LOVED AND MISSED DEEPLY BY ALL. HOPEFULLY SOME
WAY WILL BE FOUND TO HELP BRING LAURA BACK SOON FOR SHE HAS PROVEN
TO BE AN IRISH BLESSING TO MO, AND TO ALL.
ANCIENT PEDIGREES TO SAY THAT TAIN BO CHUCHULAIN IS AN EPIC TALE OF THE "RED
BRANCH" IS PROBABLY MEANINGLESS, JUST AS IT WOULD BE TO STATE THAT
DONAHUE DESCENDS FROM OLIOLL OLUM! THE LATE WILLIAM MAHEDY OF DES
MOINES FOUND REFERENCE THAT MAHEDY BELONGS TO THE CLANNA RORY OF
THE LINE OF IR. IN PREPARING LAST YEAR'S (LOST) DONAHUE SEGMENT,
AS WELL AS THE LEGEND OF CU CHULAIN, IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT I HAD
NEGLECTED MUCH OF IRELAND'S ANCIENT HISTORY AND GENEALOGY.
KNOWING
HOW BORING ANCIENT HISTORY CAN BE TO MANY PERHAPS I SIMPLY AVOIDED
IT. HOWEVER, SINCE MOST IRISH FAMILIES FIND THEIR ORIGIN IN THESE
ANCIENT PEDIGREES, IT SEEMED AN OVERVIEW MIGHT PROVIDE A BETTER
PERSPECTIVE AND APPRECIATION OF OUR OWN ANCESTRY - AS WELL AS THE
RAMBLINGS OF YOUR EDITOR.
THE PEDIGREES WHICH FOLLOW ARE FOUND IN MANY SOURCES DEALING
WITH EARLY IRISH HISTORY AND GENEALOGY AND ARE BASED ON ANCIENT
RECORDS. STILL, IT IS DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHERE FACT BECOMES
CON-JECTURE AND
CONJECTURE BECOMES FICTION. THESE RECORDS COULD WELL
BE ACCURATE TO LONG BEFORE THE TIME OF CHRIST. THE NAMES ARE ALL
BUT IMPOSSIBLE AND THE PEDIGREE IS LONGER THAN ONE MIGHT EXPECT.
FUTURE ISSUES MAY PRESENT MORE NARRATIVE ON THE ANCIENTS. FOR NOW
THE BEST PLACE TO BEGIN IS "IN THE BEGINNING...":
1- ADAM AND EVE
2- SETH
3- ENOS
4- CAINAN
5- MAHALALEEL
6- JARED
7- ENOCH
8- METHUSELAH
9- LAMECH
10- NOAH
11- JAPHET (GRANTED EUROPE & PART OF ASIA)
12- MAGOG (ANCESTOR OF ALL ANCIENT NATIONS
TO SETTLE IRELAND)
13- BAOTH (GRANTED SCYTHIA)
14- PHOENIUSA FARSAIDH - KING OF SCYTHIA
15- NIUL - m.COTA, dau. OF EGYPTIAN PHAERAOH
16- GAODHAL (GAELUS, HEALED BY MOSES OF
SERPENT WOUND)
17- ASRUTH - GOVERNED EGYPTIAN COLONY
18- SRUTH - EXILED FOR SUPPORT OF JEWS
19- HEBER SCUT - CONQUERED SCYTHIA
20- BEOUMAN - KING OF SCYTHIA
21- OGAMAN - KING OF SCYTHIA
22- TAIT - KING OF SCYTHIA
23- AGNON - WANDERED AT SEA
24- LAMH FIONN - WANDERED AT SEA
25- HEBER GLUN FIONN - b. GETULIA
26- AGNON FIONN - KING OF GETULIA
27- FEBRIC GLAS - KING OF GETULIA
28- NUNUALL - KING OF GETULIA
29- NUADHAD - KING OF GETULIA
30- ALLADH - KING OF GETULIA
31- ARCADH - KING OF GETULIA
32- DEAG - KING OF GETULIA
33- BRATH - b. GOTHIA; SETTLED GALICIA,
NORTH SPAIN
34- BREOGHAN - CONQUERED PORTUGAL & MOST
OF SPAIN
35- BILE - KING OF SPAIN & PORTUGAL
36- MILESIUS - b. SPAIN, FAMED WARRIOR IN
SCYTHIA, ETHIOPIA, & EGYPT;
m. SCOTA, dau OF PHARAOH;
KING OF SPAIN; SENT BROTHER
ITH, & LATER HIS OWN SONS
TO IRELAND;
LINE OF HEREMON OF HEBER OF IR
37-HEREMON-d. 1683 B.C. HEBER FIONN-d.1698 IR- d.1700
38-IRIAL FAIDH-d 1670 CANMAOL-12TH MONARCH HEBER DONN
39-EITHRIAL-d 1650 EOCHAID FABHAR GLAS HEBRIC
40-FOLL-AICH EANNA AIRGTHACH - ARTRA
21ST MONARCH
41-TIGERNMAG GLAS ARTRACH
42-ENBOATH ROS SEADHNA
43-SMIOMSHALL ROTHEACTA - SLAIN FIACHA FION
BY SEADHNA SCOTHACH
44-FIACHA LABHRAIN FEARARD EOCHAIDH
27TH R.H.
45-AONGUS OLMUCACH CAS CAIRBRE -
KING, ULSTER
46-MAIN MUNMOIN - 25TH R.H. LABHRADH -
KING, ULSTER
47-ROTHERCHTACH FUALDERGOID - 26TH BRATHA -
22ND MONARCH (R.H.) MONARCH KING, ULSTER
48-DEIN CAS CEDCHAINGNIGH FIONN - R.H.
49-SIORNA - 34TH R.H. FAILBHE IOLCORACH SIORLAMH -R.H
50-ORIOLL AOLCHEOIN RONNACH AGREADMAR -
50TH MONARCH
51-GIALCHADH - 37TH ROTHEACTA - 35T FOMBAR
MONARCH MONARCH
52-NUADHAS FIONNFAIL EILIOMH OLLFHIONACH DUBH - KING
OF ULSTER
53-AEDAN GLAS ART IMLEACH - 38TH SITHRIGHE
MONARCH
54-SIMEON BREAC -44TH BREAS RIOGHACTA - RUGHRAIDE MOR
MONARCH 40TH MONARCH (RORY THE
GREAT)
55-MUREDACH BOLGACH SEIDNAE INNARIDH [TO BE CON'T]
-----------------------------------------------------------
LINE OF HEREMON LINE OF HEBER
56-FIACHA TOLGRACH DUACH FIONN d. 893 B.C.
57-DUACH LADHRACH EANNA DEARG - 47TH MONARCH
58-EOCHAIDH BUADHACH LUGAIDH IARDHONN
59-UGAINE MOR - 66TH MONARCH EOCHAIDH
60-COLETHACH CAOL-BHREAGH LUGAIDH - d. 831 B.C.
61-MELG MOLBHTHACH - R.H. ART - 54TH MONARCH; SLAIN
62-IARANN GLEO-FATHACH - R.H. OLIOLL FIONN
63-CONNLA CRUAIDH-CHELGACH EOCHAIDH
R.H.
64-OLILD CAS-FIACHLACH - R.H. LUGHAIDH LAGNA - d.730 B.C.
65-EOCHAIDH FOLT-LETHAN REACHT RIGH-DEARG - 65TH
R.H. MONARCH
66-AENGUS TUIRMECH - R.H. COBTHACH CAOMBH
67-ENNA AIGHNECH - R.H. MOGHCORB - SLEW MELG (61)
68-LABRAIDH FEARCORB
69-BLATHACTA ADHAMHRA - d. 412 B.C.
70-ESAMHAIN NIADHSEDHAMAN - 83RD R.H.
71-ROIGHNAN RUADH ? (I'LL CHECK MY NOTES!)
72-FINNLOGHA LUGHAIDH LUAIGNE - 89TH R.H
73-FINN CAIRBRE
74-EOCHAIDH FEIDLECH - R.H. DUACH DALLADH DEADHA - 91ST
MONARCH
75-FINN EOCHAIDH GARBH
76-LUGHAIDH RIABH n-DERG MUIREADACH MUCHNA
R.H.
77-CRIMTHAN NIADH NAIRI MOREBHIS - WIFE OF MUIREA-
R.H. DACH LOICH MOR
78-FERADACH FINN-FECHNACH ?? (GOOFED AGAIN)
R.H.
79-FIACADH FINNOLAIDH - R.H. EANNA MUNCAIN
80-TUATHAL TECTMAR - R.H. DEARG THEINE
81-FEIDLIMIDH RECTMAR - R.H. DEARG
82-CONN OF THE ONE HUNDRED MUGHANEID
BATTLES - R.H.
83-ART AEINFER (THE LONELY) EOGAN MOR (EUGENE THE
R.H. GREAT)
84-CORMAC MAC ART - R.H. OLIOLL OLUM - KING OF
MUNSTER (K.M.)
85-CAIRBRE LIFFECHAR - R.H. CORMAC CAS
86-EOCHAIDH DUIBLEIN MOGHA CORB - b.167 A.D., KM
87-COLLA DA CRIOCH FEARCORB
88-IMCADH AENEAS TIREACH
89-DOMNALL LUIGHAIDH MEANN - b.286 A.D
90-EOCHAIDH FER-DA-GHIALL CONALL EACH-LUATH b.312 A.D
91-MANI MOR - ANCESTOR OF CAS - b. 347 A.D.; ANCESTOR
THE UI MAINE OR HY OF DAL CAIS OR DAL
MANY CASSIAN TRIBES
92-BRESAL BLAD - b. 388 A.D.; 4 SONS
93-DALLAN CARTHANN FIONN OGE MOR
94-LUGAIDH EOCHAIDH BALL-DEARB
95-CRIMTHAN CAEL CONALL
96-FEARADACH AODH CAOMH - KING OF CASHEL
97-CARBRI CROM CATHAL
98-CORMAC TURLOGH - b. 641 A.D.
99-EOGAN FINN MATHGAMAIN
100-DICOLLA ANLUANN
101-DLUTHACH CORC
102-FITHKELLACH LACTNA
103-INRACTACH LORCAN - K.M.
104-OLILD KENNEIDIGH - ANCESTOR OF
KENNEDY, REAGAN, LONERGAN
SHEEHAN, CONNELLY, & MANY MORE!
105-FINNACTA BRIAN BORU - KING OF DAL
CAIS; K.M.; MONARCH OF
IRELAND; ANCESTOR OF
O'BRIENS;
106-KELLACH, OR CELLACH
FROM WHOM THE UI
KELLAIGH TAKE THEIR NAME
107-AEDH
108-MURCHAD O'KELLAIGH, OR
O'KELLY; d. 960 A.D.
109-TADG MOR - SLAIN 1014 A.D.
IN BATTLE OF CLONTARF
WITH BRIAN BORU;
110-CONCHOBAR
-----------------------------------------------------------
THE THREE BROTHERS, HEBER, HEREMON, AND IR, WERE SENT TO
CONQUER THE TUATHA DE DANAAN AND SETTLE IRELAND. EN ROUTE, IR'S
FORCES ENCOUNTERED A TERRIBLE STORM AND IR WENT DOWN WITH HIS SHIP.
HEBER AND HEREMON ESTABLISHED A JOINT MONARCHY WITH HEREMON
RULING
THE NORTH AND HEBER THE SOUTH. THE NORTHEAST CORNER, ULSTER, WAS
SET ASIDE FOR THE DESCENDANTS OF IR. HIS SON, HEBER, WAS THE FIRST
TO GOVERN ULSTER. IN THE MEANTIME IR'S BROTHER HEBER WAS SLAIN BY
HEREMON WHO BECAME ARD RI (HIGH KING, OR MONARCH OF IRELAND).
IR'S DESCENDANT RUGHRAIDE MOR (RODERICK OR RORY THE GREAT) IS
ANCESTOR OF CLANNA RORY. HIS NAME TRANSLATES TO "RED-HAIRED KING".
HE RULED IRELAND THIRTY YEARS UNTIL HE DIED IN KILKENNY AT THE AGE
OF 80. AMOUNG HIS CHILDREN WERE BREASAL BODHIABHA AND CONAL
CLARINGHEACH WHO BECAME MONARCHS OF IRELAND; CONRAGH, FATHER OF
THE
MONARCH ELIM; FATCHNA FATHACH WHO MARRIED NESSA AND HAD CONOR
(A.K.A. CONCHOBAR IN OUR TALE OF CUCHULAINN); ROSA ROE, FATHER OF
FERGUS; AND CIONGA.
CLANNA RORY IS COMPOSED OF THE DESCENDANTS OF FERGUS (CLAN
FERGUS), AND THOSE OF CIONGA (CLAN CIONGA). FERGUS IS A MAJOR
FIGURE IN IRISH HISTORY, GENEALOGY, AND LEGEND. HE WILL BE DIS-CUSSED
IN FUTURE
INSTALMENTS OF THE TAIN BO CUAILGNE. IN FACT,
FERGUS IS CREDITED WITH PRESERVING THIS TALE BY RECITING IT TO TWO
IMPORTANT SENACHIES OF HIS ERA IN A POST MORTEM APPEARANCE! WHILE
EXILED IN CONNAUGHT FERGUS AND QUEEN MAEVE, WIFE OF OLIOL MORE,
FELL IN LOVE AND HAD TRIPLET SONS: CIAR, CORC, AND CONMAC - ANCES-TORS
OF MANY
POWERFUL FAMILIES THROUGHOUT IRELAND. FERGUS WAS
SLAIN BY AN OFFICER OF OLIOL MORE.
SEVERAL FAMILIES OF CLAN CONMAC WERE PROMINENT IN LONGFORD AND
WEST MEATH, NOTABLY O'QUINN AND O'FARRELL. THE O'FARRELL WERE
LORDS OF ANALY IN WHAT IS NOW LONGFORD. IN TIME THE FAMILY DIVIDED
INTO DISTINCT BRANCHES. CHIEF AMOUNG THESE WERE THE O'FARRELL
BUIDHE (OR YELLOW), LORDS OF UPPER ANALY, AND THE O'FARRELL BAN (OR
FAIR), LORDS OF LOWER ANALY. THE O'FARRELL BUIDHE APPEARS TO HAVE
BEEN LOCATED IN EDGEWORTHTOWN (MOSTRIM) WHERE THE MAHEDYS ARE
BELIEVED TO HAVE RESIDED. THERE IS MENTION OF A MAHEDY-O'FARRELL
MARRIAGE. INCIDENTALLY, MICHAEL FARRELL'S ("B.J." OF M.A.S.H.
FAME) GRANDFATHER WAS BORN IN CO. LONGFORD.
THE LATE WILLIAM MAHEDY FOUND REFERENCE THAT MAHEDY -O'MOITHIDE
- DESCENDS FROM FERGUS AND QUEEN MAEVE. TO DATE I HAVE BEEN UNABLE
TO LOCATE HIS SOURCES. HOWEVER, IF TRUE, IT WOULD SEEM MOST LIKELY
THAT THEY DESCEND FROM CONMAC. THUS WE WOULD BE FIRST COUSINS TO
CONCHOBAR AND SECOND COUSINS TO CU CHULAINN (A COUPLE HUNDRED
GEN-ERATIONS
REMOVED)! AMOUNG THE OTHER FAMILIES OF CLAN FERGUS ARE
O'CONNOR OF CORK AND KERRY, MCCORMICK, MCRAGHNALL (REYNOLDS),
O'KIELY, ETC.
CLAN CIONGA BOASTS AMOUNG OTHERS, O'CARELON, O'MANNION,
MAGINN, MCGOWAN, O'LAWLOR, O'LYNCH (DAL RIADHE), MAGENNIS AND
O'DUGAN. O'MORAN IS ALSO OF THIS CLAN, OF THE SAME STOCK AS
O'DUGAN. SOMEWHERE IN MY ELUSIVE FILES IS A PEDIGREE FOR O'MORAN
SHOWING COMMON ANCESTRY WITH O'SHERIDAN BACK TO IR. I WILL TRY TO
UNEARTH IT FOR THE NEXT ISSUE OF 3M.
IN THE SECOND CENTURY A.D. THERE REIGNED AS KING OF MUNSTER
MOAG NUADHAT - EOGAN MOR - (#83, LINE OF HEBER). AT THAT TIME CONN
OF THE HUNDRED BATTLES (#82, LINE OF HEREMON) WAS ARD RIGH, OR
MONARCH OF IRELAND. MANY OF CONN'S BATTLES WERE WITH MOAG.
EVENTUALLY MOAG FORCED CONN TO SHARE THE THRONE. IRELAND WAS
DIVIDED IN TWO: THE SOUTH BECAME LETH MOGHA OR MOAG'S HALF; THE
NORTH BECAME LETH CUINN OR CONN'S HALF. THE PEACE WAS SHORT-LIVED.
MOGH SOUGHT TO EXPAND HIS POWER BUT CONN PREVAILED. MOGH WAS
EXILED TO SPAIN WHERE HIS WIFE'S FATHER WAS KING. WITH THE AID OF
HER BROTHER MOGH RAISED AN ARMY, RETURNED TO IRELAND, AND WAS
SLAIN IN BATTLE.
TO HELP RESTORE PEACE CONN'S WIDOWED DAUGHTER SABIA WAS GIVEN
IN MARRIAGE TO MOGH'S SON OLIOLL OLUM. OLIOLL WAS ALSO PERMITTED
TO SUCCEED HIS FATHER AS KING OF MUNSTER. HIS STEPSON LUGHAID, AS
A DESCENDANT OF ITH, WAS BY CUSTOM ENTITLED TO RULE ONE HALF OF
MUNSTER BUT WHEN HE DEMANDED HIS BIRTHRIGHT, OLIOLL REFUSED. WAR
FOLLOWED. THE REIGNING MONARCH OF IRELAND, ART THE LONELY, SON OF
CONN AND UNCLE OF LUGHAID, SIDED WITH HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW OLIOLL.
ULTIMATELY LUGHAID TRIUMPHED, SLEW ART, AND ASSUMED THE MONARCHY.
OLIOLL WAS ALLOWED TO REMAIN AS KING OF ALL MUNSTER BUT HAD LOST AT
LEAST SEVEN SONS. ONLY CIAN AND CAS SURVIVED. HOWEVER, OLIOLL
LATER LEARNED THAT HIS SON EOGAN MOR (OWEN) HAD FATHERED A CHILD
WITH A DRUID. FROM THESE THREE SONS DESCEND ALL EXISTING FAMILIES
OF THE RACE OF HEBER, SON OF MILESIUS.
EOGAN IS ANCESTOR OF THE EUGENIAN OR OWENACHT TRIBES INCLUDING
MCCARTHY, O'DONOVAN, O'SULLIVAN, MCMAHON, AND O'DONOGHUE, TO NAME
BUT A FEW. CAS' LINE IS KNOWN AS THE DAL CAIS, OR DALCASSIAN
TRIBES AND INCLUDE O'BRIEN, KENNEDY, REAGAN, HAYES, AND MALONEY
(O'MOLONY), AND MANY MORE. CIAN IS ANCESTOR OF THE O'CARROLL OF
ELI (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH O'CARROLL OF ORIEL-ANCESTORS OF MAR-
GARET NEWCOMB MCKAY), O'MEAGHER, O'HARA, AND O'GARA.
LITTLE HAS BEEN SAID HERE OF THE DESCENDANTS OF THE LINE OF
HEREMON. HOPEFULLY THAT WILL COME IN FUTURE ISSUES. TO DATE THERE
IS NO APPARENT CONNECTION BETWEEN THIS LINE AND THE MAHEDY-MCKAY
LINES. OF THE MILESIAN FAMILIES, THE HEREMONIANS PRODUCED MORE
MONARCHS, KINGS, AND PRINCES THAN THE OTHER LINES. MOST OF THE
HEREMONIAN FAMILIES TRACE THEIR DESCENT FROM UGAINE MOR (#59), WHO
IS ALSO ANCESTOR OF THE BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY (IRONIC!), AS WELL AS
ROYAL HOUSES THROUGHOUT ANCIENT EUROPE. AMOUNG THE MANY GREAT
FAMILIES OF THIS LINE ARE THE O'MURPHYS, O'NEILL, O'KELLY, AND
O'CARROLL OF ORIEL.
------------
DONAHUE AS INDICATED EARLIER, VIRTUALLY NOTHING WAS FOUND ON OUR
IMMEDIATE DONAHUE CLAN. THERE WAS A JOHN DONAHUE OF ABBOTSFORD,
NEAR GRANBY, WHO ONE FIRST PRIZE AT THE LOCAL AGRICULTURAL FAIR FOR
HIS PUMPKINS AND MUSKMELLON IN SEPTEMBER 1899. WHETHER JOHN WAS
RELATED TO OUR MARGARET IS NOT KNOWN YET. HOWEVER THERE IS MORE
INFORMATION AVAILABLE CONCERNING THE ANCIENT O'DONOGHUE.
IN IRELAND THERE WERE TWO MAIN SEPTS OF O'DONOGHUE: THE
O'DONOGHUE MOR LOCATED PRIMARILY IN COUNTY KERRY, AND O'DONOGHUE
OF
COUNTY CAVAN. IT IS NOT CLEAR IF THERE IS ANY KNOWN CONNECTION
BETWEEN THE TWO. THE O'DONOGHUE MOR CAN TRACE THEIR ORIGIN
DIR-ECTLY TO OLIOLL
OLUM OF THE LINE OF HEBER MENTIONED IN THE SECTION
ON ANCIENT PEDIGREES. THIS PEDIGREE IS AS FOLLOWS:
84- OLIOLL OLUM- KING OF MUNSTER (K.M.)
85- EOGAN MOR - ANCESTOR OF ALL EUGENIAN SEPTS
86- FIACAIDH MAEIL-LETHAN- K.M.
87- OLILD FLANN BEG- K.M. (O'DONOVAN, O'MEEHAN,
COLLINS,)
88- CORC- K.M. (O'MAHONY, O'CRONIN, O'MORIARITY)
89- CAS
+ 90- EOCAIDH- ANCESTOR OF THE UI EACHACH
91- CRIMTHANN
92- LAEGARI
93- AEDH KISRIGH
94- CARBRI RIASTRIM
95- CLARINACH
96- SELBACH
97- EALATHI
98- DUNLAING
99- ANBLETHI
100- FLATHNIADH
101- AENGUS
102- DABDABOIRENN- K.M.
103- DOMNALL- HELD JOINT COMMAND OF EUGENIANS WITH
KIAN AT BATTLE OF CLONTARF, 1014 A.D.
104- DONNCADH- FROM WHOM O'DONNCADHA ARE CALLED
105- CATHAL
106- DONNCADH O'DONNCADHA, OR O'DONOGHUE, FIRST OF
THE NAME
FROM THIS LINE OF O'DONOGHUE MOR SPRANG THE BRANCH KNOWN AS
THE O'DONOGHUE OF THE GLEN, ALSO OF CO. KERRY. OUR O'DONAHUE
COU-SINS OF
MASSACHUSETTS (ALFRED MAHEDY LINE) TRACE THEIR LINEAGE DIR-ECTLY TO
THE
O'DONOGHUE OF THE GLEN. I AM TOLD THE O'DONOGHUE
CASTLE STILL STANDS, THOUGH NO LONGER REMAINS IN THE FAMILY'S
POSSESSION.
IN IRISH O'DONAHUE MEANS "BROWN WARRIOR" OR "STRONG WARRIOR".
THE O'DONAHUE OF THE GLEN WAS ONE OF THE FEW CLANS TO WITHSTAND
THE
CROMWELLIAN ONSLAUGHT. THOUGH ONE OF THE FAMILY CASTLES WAS
DESTROYED IN THE STRUGGLE, NO CROMWELLIAN DARED TO SETTLE IN THE
GLEN. THE O'DONAHUES CONTINUED TO FIGHT VALIANTLY THROUGHOUT
IRELAND'S HISTORY BUT CENTURIES OF BATTLE TOOK ITS TOLL AND THE
CLAN EVENTUALLY LOST CONTROL OF THEIR ANCIENT LANDS. OTHER
O'DONAHUE SEPTS WERE EQUALLY FAMOUS FOR THEIR BRAVERY IN DEFENSE
OF
IRELAND. IN ADDITION, THEY DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES IN THE IRISH
BRIGADES FORMED OF THE "WILD GEESE" THROUGHOUT THE CONTINENT.
THE O'DONOGHUE MOTTO IS "ALWAYS READY".
MCKAY
THIS IS WHERE I PLACED ALL MY EGGS IN ONE BASKET. I WAS
TRYING TO LOCATE A RECORD FOR THOMAS MCKAY THAT MIGHT LIST HIS
PARENTS' NAMES, PLACE OF BIRTH IN CO. LIMERICK, WHEN AND WHERE THE
FAMILY ORIGINALLY SETTLED IN CANADA, AND WHETHER HE HAD ANY
SIBLINGS. IT SEEMED THAT HIS OBITUARY WOULD BE THE MOST LOGICAL
PLACE TO LOOK. AN OBITUARY MIGHT NOT INCLUDE ALL THE ABOVE ITEMS
BUT ANY ONE COULD OPEN UP NEW AREAS FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. SO
I OBTAINED A COPY OF THE GRANBY LEADER FROM 1896-99 ON MICROFILM.
NOTHING!!!
THOMAS MCKAY'S DEATH WAS NOT MENTIONED AT ALL, NOR WAS THE
DEATH OF HIS GRANDDAUGHTER, EDITH MCKAY. THERE WAS MENTION IN THE
PAPER THAT THERE HAD BEEN 91 CATHOLIC BURIALS IN 1898 FOR THE
CATHOLIC PARISH OF GRANBY. VIRTUALLY NONE OF THESE WERE REPORTED.
THIS SEEMS STRANGE FOR A SMALL NEWSPAPER IN A RELATIVELY SMALL
COMMUNITY. THE PAPER ALSO MENTIONED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A LARGE
OUTBREAK OF DIPHTHERIA IN SHEFFORD CO. IN 1899. PERHAPS THIS WAS
WHAT CAUSED THE DEATH OF EDITH MCKAY AT THE AGE OF THIRTEEN. THERE
WAS MENTION OF A J.A.N. MACKAY WHO WAS TRYING A MURDER CASE IN A
NEIGHBORING COUNTY, AND ALSO AN AD FOR MCKAY FLOUR, BUT LITTLE
ELSE. BY THE TIME I RECEIVED AND REVIEWED THE FILM, THERE WAS
LITTLE TIME LEFT TO PERSUE ANY OTHER AVENUE OF RESEARCH.
WHILE THE PAPER DID NOT PROVIDE THE INFORMATION DESIRED, IT
WAS NOT A TOTAL LOSS. IT DID PROVIDE A FLAVOR OF THE LIFE AND
TIMES OF THAT ERA. BY AND LARGE, FEW CATHOLIC EVENTS - OR
CATHOLICS - SEEMED TO BE MENTIONED IN THIS NEWSPAPER. SEVERAL
NAMES FAMILIAR FROM DISCUSSIONS WITH AUNT MAY AND THE CAMPBELL
CLAN
APPEARED FREQUENTLY: SAVAGE, MULLINS, SWEATT, QUINN, MAYNES, AND
PURDY, TO MENTION A FEW. THESE FAMILIES WERE ALL PROBABLY WELL
KNOWN TO THE MCKAYS AND/OR MAHEDYS. THERE IS A PICTURE OF OLD JOHN
MULLINS IN THE MCKAY PHOTO ALBUM. HE RAN A GENERAL STORE IN
GRANBY. BY AND LARGE IT APPEARED THAT THOSE NAMED IN THE PAPER
WERE PERSONALLY KNOWN TO THE EDITOR. SINCE I HAVE ORIGINAL
CLIPPINGS FOR EDITH MCKAY'S FUNERAL AS WELL AS MARGARET DONAHUE
MCKAY'S OBITUARY FROM THE WATERLOO ADVERTISER, HOPEFULLY THAT
PAPER
WILL CONTAIN MORE PERTINENT FAMILY NEWS. THE FORMAT AND CONTENT
OF THE NEWSPAPER OF A CENTURY AGO WAS A FAR CRY FROM CONTEMPORARY
JOURNALISM.
AMOUNG THE TIDBITS I FOUND TO BE OF INTEREST WAS THE GROWING
POPULARITY (IN THE 1890'S) OF THE KODAK CAMERA. IF ONE WAS TO BUSY
TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN PHOTOS THE LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER WOULD DEVELOP
THEM FOR A MODEST FEE. BICYCLES WERE THE CURRENT RAGE. IN FACT,
THE PAPER WAS SPONSORING A CONTEST TO NAME THE MOST POPULAR
BICYCLIST IN SHEFFORD CO. THE WINNER WOULD BE DETERMINED BY
OBTAINING THE GREATEST NUMBER OF SPONSORS. AGAIN THIS SEEMED TO BE
A FEATURE DOMINATED BY THE CRONIES OF THE EDITOR.
MAHEDY-MORAN THE MAHEDY-MORAN CLANS WERE ALSO APPARENTLY NOT NEWSWORTHY
THOUGH THE PAPER DID CARRY NEWS FROM SHEFFORD. SHEFFORD MOUNTAIN
AND SHEFFORD LAKE WERE SUMMER ATTRACTIONS FOR AREA RESIDENTS.
THERE WERE FREQUENT REPORTS OF GROUPS FROM GRANBY PLANNING OR
RETURNING FROM ONE OR THE OTHER. SOME OF THESE WERE BICYCLE TOURS.
I NEGLECTED TO COMPLETE THE ALFRED MAHEDY LINE IN THE PREVIOUS
ISSUE AND SO AM INCLUDING IT HERE:
I-JOHN MAHEDY,SR. & ELIZABETH MORAN
II-PATRICK MAHEDY & JANE LECLEAR
III-ALFRED MAHEDY & ANNE LAWLOR
IV-A- CORA MAHEDY & FRANK GUILFOYLE (NO ISSUE)
B- MARY MAHEDY & LEO GUILFOYLE
V - 1-MARY GUILFOYLE m MICHAEL SULLIVAN
a- M. JUDITH m. ----AZUROWSKI
b- NANCY m. ----STURCHIO
i-ALLISON
ii-ASHLEY
2-MARJORIE GUILFOYLE m. RONALD CLAMP
a-CAROL A.
b-MARSHA A.
3-LEONA E. GUILFOYLE m. STEVEN O'DONOHUE
a-THOMAS O'DONOHUE
i-SEAN
ii-STEVEN
iii-JOHN
iv-HOLLY
v-CAROLYN
b-JOHN
c-MICHAEL
i-HEIDI
ii-KELLY
d-JAMES
i-EILLEEN
ii-KAREN
e-DANIEL
i-BRENDAN
ii-SHAYNE LEE
f-SHEILA m. ---GALLO
i-MICHAEL
THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YET ON THE DOWNS FAMILY OF
LEOMINSTER NOR OF THE GALLAGHER'S OF VERMONT. I BELIEVE MARTHA
MAHEDY GALLAGHER'S HUSBAND MAY BE THE BROTHER OF BRIDGET G. WHO
MARRIED ANDREW CAMPBELL, SR.
GILLETT-KEECH
NOTHING NEW HAS BEEN FOUND ON THE GILLETT LINE BUT THERE HAS
BEEN SOME GENERAL INFORMATION FOUND ON THE KEECH ANCESTRY THANKS
TO
BRENDA KEECH HESTER. BRENDA, WITH WHOM I HAD CORRESPONDED
SEVERAL
YEARS AGO, BEGAN PUBLICATION OF A KEECH NEWSLETTER THIS PAST YEAR.
KEECH (KEACH) IS OF SCOTTISH ORIGIN AND IS A FAMILY OF THE CLAN
MACDONALD (AS IS THE SCOTTISH MCKAY CLAN). KEECH HAS ITS OWN COAT
OF ARMS WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE FUTURE IF 3M'S
"GRAPHICS DEPT" BECOMES MORE ACCOMPLISHED.
I GOOFED! IN THE EARLIER ANCIENT PEDIGREES SEGMENT I
INDICATED THAT NONE OF OUR ANCESTRY APPEARED TO DESCEND FROM THE
LINE OF HEREMON. AS IS THE CASE WITH MANY OF THE SCOTTISH FAM-ILIES,
CLAN MACDONALD
IS OF IRISH ORIGIN. SPECIFICALLY, CLAN
MACDONALD DESCENDS FROM CONN OF THE HUNDRED BATTLES AS FOLLOWS:
82-CONN OF THE HUNDRED BATTLES- R.H.
83-ART THE LONELY- R.H.
84-CORMAC MAC ART- R.H.
85-CARBRI LIFICAR- R.H.
86-EOCHAIDH DUIBLEIN
87-COLLA UAIS- R.H.; ANCESTOR OF MACDOWELL,
MACSHEEY, AND O'CARROLL; HIS BROTHER
COLLA DA CRIOCH IS ANCESTOR OF
O'KELLY, MACMAHON, MAGUIRE, O'HANLON, ETC.
88-CARTHANN
89-ERIC
90-EOCHAIDH
91-CRIMTHANN
92-ERC
93-FERGUS
94-GOFRAIDH
95-MANI
96-NIALLGUS
97-SUIBNI
99-MEDRAIDE
100-SOLAMH
101-GILLA-ADAMNAIN
102-GILLA-BRIGHDI
103-SAMHARLI
104-RAGHNALL
105-DOMNALL
106-DOMNALL OG- ANCESTOR OF MAC DONALD; THIS
DOMNALL, OR DONALD, HAD A BROTHER ALASDRUM
WHO IS ANCESTOR OF THE MACSHEEHY CLAN;
107-AENGUS
108-AENGUS OG
109-EOIN
110-EOIN MOR
111-DOMNALL BALLACH- KING OF THE HEBRIDES
IN EARLIER ISSUES I BELIEVE I SUGGESTED THE PROBABLE FATHER OF
ELIZABETH KEECH GILLETT WAS GEORGE. IN REVIEWING SUBSEQUENT NOTES
IT SEEMS MORE LIKELY THAT HER FATHER WAS JAMES KEECH, SR. THIS
JAMES APPEARS IN THE 1825 CENSUS FOR THE TOWN OF WESTERN. HIS FARM
CONTAINED 25 ACRES, 5 MEAT CATTLE, 14 SHEEP, 6 HOGS, AND PRODUCED
16 YARDS OF FULLED CLOTH, 16 OF FLANNEL, AND 50 OF COTTON AND
LINEN. I STILL HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE THIS FAMILY IN 1800 OR
1810 THOUGH ALL THE KEECHES IN THE TOWN OF WESTERN CLAIMED TO BE
BORN IN N.Y. IF THIS ASSUMPTION IS CORRECT, JAMES' FAMILY WOULD
APPEAR AS FOLLOWS:
JAMES KEECH, SR. b. 17?? d. 1826-29,
GEORGE 1792
ELIZABETH 1796 11NOV1888
JAMES, JR. 1798
DAVID 1805
DOROTHY DUMOND, ANOTHER SUBSCRIBER/CONTRIBUTER TO THE KEECH
NEWSLETTER, DESCENDS FROM ISRAEL (a.k.a. GEORGE R.) KEECH WHO WAS
KILLED IN 1777 AT THE BATTLE OF BENNINGTON. HIS FAMILY SETTLED ON
HIS FARM IN HOOSICK FALLS, NY. THIS IS NOT TOO FAR SOUTH OF
WASHINGTON CO. WHERE ELIZABETH KEECH GILLETT CLAIMED SHE WAS BORN.
DOROTHY HAS FOUND NO RECORD FOR ELIZABETH NOR FOR ANY JAMES KEECH
IN NY FOR 1790, 1800, OR 1810. SHE DID FIND A JAMES KEECH IN THE
1790 CENSUS FOR THE CHITTENDON CO., VT. THIS WAS THE ONLY JAMES IN
ALL OF NY AND NEW ENGLAND.
***
TAIN BO CUAILNGE
(CONTINUED FROM VOL. 4)
WHEN WE LEFT OUR HERO SETANTA HAD JUST ASSUMED THE NAME OF
CUCHULAINN MEANING "HOUND OF CULANN" BECAUSE HE PROMISED TO ACT IN
PLACE OF THE HOUND HE HAD JUST KILLED WITH HIS SHINTY BALL.
SHORTLY THEREAFTER CATHBAD THE DRUID WAS CONDUCTING HIS SCHOOL
FOR
DRUIDS AND WAS ASKED BY A STUDENT TO TELL WHAT THE OMENS WERE FOR
THAT DAY. CATHBAD REPLIED THAT IF A WARRIOR TOOK UP ARMS THAT DAY
FOR THE FIRST TIME HE WOULD BE FOREVER FAMOUS BUT HIS LIFE WOULD BE
BRIEF. OVERHEARING THIS, CUCHULAINN WENT TO KING CONCHOBAR AND
DEMANDED A SET OF WEAPONS, STATING THAT CATHBAD HAD TOLD HIM TO DO
SO. CONCHOBAR GAVE HIM WEAPONS BUT WHEN CUCHULAINN TRIED THEM
THEY
BROKE LIKE TOYS. SO DID ALL THE WEAPONS AVAILABLE FOR BEGINNING
WARRIORS. ONLY THE KING'S OWN SWORD STOOD UP TO CUCHULAINN'S
POWER. CATHBAD NOW HAPPENED BY AND EXPRESSED HIS CONCERN THAT
ONE
SO YOUNG SHOULD BE TAKING UP ARMS. THE KING WAS SURPRISED. "DID
YOU NOT INSTRUCT HIM TO DO SO?" "CERTAINLY NOT." CUCHULAINN THEN
EXPLAINED THAT HE HAD HEARD CATHBAD'S WORDS AND ACTED UPON THEM.
CATHBAD THEN SAID WITH RELUCTANCE THAT THE OMEN MUST PERTAIN TO
CUCHULAINN.
CUCHULAINN WAS THEN GIVEN THE KING'S OWN CHARIOT (THE ONLY
ONE STURDY ENOUGH) AND CHARIOTEER, IBAR MAC RIANGABRA, AND SET OFF
FOR THE ULSTER BORDER TO TEST CUCHULAINN'S WARRIOR SKILLS. CONAL
(DANIEL) CEARNACH WAS ON GUARD AT THE BOUNDARY. CUCHULAINN
IN-STRUCTED CONAL TO
RETURN HOME SO HE, CUCHULAINN, COULD STAND GUARD.
CONAL MOCKED HIM FOR THINKING ONE SO YOUNG ASSUME SUCH
RESPON-SIBILITY. WITHIN
SECONDS CUCHULAINN HAD SMASHED THE SHAFT OF
CONAL'S CHARIOT, FORCING HIM TO RETURN TO EMAIN ON FOOT. CONAL HAD
LEARNED HIS LESSON.
IBAR THEN TOOK CUCHULAINN TO THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN WHERE THEY
COULD SEE THE WHOLE COUNTRY. CUCHULAINN LEARNED THE NAME OF
EVERY FORT, SURVEYED THE DWELLINGS AND FIELDS, AND OBSERVED THE
FORDS AND HIDING PLACES. ONE FORT BELONGED TO THREE SONS WHO HAD
BEEN CARRYING ON A FEUD WITH THE MEN OF ULSTER. TO AVENGE THEIR
FATHER'S DEATH AT THE HANDS OF ONE OF CONCHOBAR'S MEN, THEY HAD
SLAIN MANY WARRIORS. CUCHULAINN TOLD IBAR TO TAKE THEM TO THAT
FORT. IBAR WARNED AGAINST RIDING INTO CERTAIN DANGER BUT
CUCHULAINN WAS ADAMANT. JUST BEFORE THEY REACHED THE FORT THEY
STOPPED FOR A SHORT REST. THE THREE SONS APPROACHED THEM AND
DEMANDED THEY LEAVE THE TERRITORY. CUCHULAINN REFUSED AND SAID
HE HAD COME TO FIGHT THEM. ONE BY ONE HE DEFEATED THEM AND HEADED
HOME FOR EMAIN CARRYING THEIR THREE HEADS. NO MORE WOULD THEY
SLAY THE MEN OF ULSTER.
EN ROUTE HOME THEY ENCOUNTERED A HERD OF DEER. CUCHULAINN WAS
DETERMINED TO CAPTURE ONE ALIVE. HE JUMPED FROM THE CHARIOT AND
FACED THE MIGHTIEST IN THE HERD AND SUBDUED IT WITH POWER OF HIS
EYES ALONE. NEXT HE SHOT DOWN SOME SWANS IN FLIGHT WITH HIS SLING.
A SURGE CAME OVER CUCHULAINN JUST AS IT HAD WHEN HE FOUGHT THE
BOYS
IN THE SHINTY GAME. A BATTLE FRENZY CONSUMED HIM AS HE SPED
TOWARDS EMAIN. THE POETESS LEBORCHAM CRIED OUT THAT THEY WERE
UNDER ATTACK AS SHE SAW A WARRIOR'S FACE TWISTED IN RAGE CARRYING
THREE HEADS, DEAD SWANS, AND THE LIVE DEER TIED TO HIS CHARIOT.
CONCHOBAR REALIZED IT WAS CUCHULAINN AND SENT NAKED WOMEN TO
MEET
THE CHARIOT. CUCHULAINN HID HIS CONTORTED FACE IN SHAME AND WAS
QUICKLY SEIZED BY THE MEN AND THRUST INTO THREE VATS OF ICE-COLD
WATER. THIS QUELLED HIS FRENZY AND HE WAS RESTORED TO HIS NATURAL
BEAUTY, DRESSED IN A GOLD TUNIC, WITH A GREEN CLOAK FASTENED WITH
A SILVER CLASP, AND PLACED BEFORE THE KING WHO GENTLY STROKED HIS
HAIR. CUCHULAINN WAS ONLY SEVEN YEARS OLD!
CUCHULAINN TAKES A BRIDE
THE ROYAL PALACE AT EMAIN MACHA WAS NOTED FOR ITS GRACE AND
SPLENDOR. IT WAS A GRAND CIRCULAR STRUCTURE PERCHED ATOP A LOW
HILL WITH BRONZE PARTITIONS AND PILLARS CARVED OUT OF RED YEW; THUS
THE NAME "HOUSE OF THE RED BRANCH". THERE WERE A MULTITUDE OF
ROOMS, SOME SO LARGE THEY COULD CONTAIN ALL THE WARRIORS OF ULSTER
AND NOT APPEAR CROWDED. THE PALACE WAS FAMOUS FOR ITS HOSPITALITY
AND ENTERTAINMENT. THERE WERE GRAND FEASTS, BOARD GAMES SUCH AS
CHESS, BARDS WHO TOLD THE GREAT TALES OF PAST GLORIES OR SANG POEMS
IN PRAISE OF THEIR KING WHILE IRISH HARPISTS PLAYED SWEET MUSIC.
THE WARRIORS DEMONSTRATED THEIR MANY SKILLS NOT UNLIKE THE
KNIGHTS
OF LATER CENTURIES.
THE MOST FAMOUS AND SKILLED OF THESE WAS YOUNG CUCHULAINN.
YET HE HAD AT LEAST THREE FAULTS: HIS YOUTH, HIS RECKLESS DARING,
AND HIS EXCEPTIONAL BEAUTY. MEN OF ULSTER FRETTED BECAUSE ALL THE
WIVES AND DAUGHTERS WERE INFATUATED WITH HIM. HIS BOLDNESS MIGHT
BRING WAR TO EMAIN, OR WORSE, CAUSE HIS OWN DEATH. THE MEN
AP-PROACHED THE KING TO
ADVISE HIM TO FIND A GOOD WIFE FOR CUCHULAINN.
CONCHOBAR AGREED. BUT CUCHULAINN ALREADY KNEW WHOM HE WANTED
FOR
HIS BRIDE. THERE WAS ONLY ONE WOMAN IN ALL ULSTER WHO POSSESSED
THE BEAUTY, VIRTUE, AND OTHER QUALITIES CUCHULAINN DESIRED IN A
MATE. THIS WAS THE FAIR EMER, DAUGHTER OF A POWERFUL CHIEFTAIN
NAMED FORGALL. IT WAS THE CUSTOM OF THAT TIME THAT CUCHULAINN
WOULD HAVE TO WIN HER BY FORCE. CUCHULAINN WAS DETERMINED TO DO
THIS WITHOUT THE KING'S HELP. HE SET OUT IN HIS SWIFTEST CHARIOT,
DRESSED IN HIS FINEST CLOTHES. AS HE APPROACHED FORGALL'S FORT THE
GIRLS WERE TAKING SEWING LESSONS IN THE COURTYARD. EMER'S FOSTER-
SISTER FIAL DESCRIBED IN MINUTE DETAIL THE APPROACHING WARRIOR, HIS
CHARIOT, WEAPONS AND MAGNIFICENT HORSES. CUCHULAINN ENTERED THE
COURTYARD AND GREETED HIS FAIR MAID. THEY BEGAN TO CONVERSE IN THE
SECRET TONGUE OF THE ANCIENT POETS. CUCHULAINN TOLD EMER OF HIS
ESCAPE PLAN AND SHE WARNED HIM OF THE FIERCE WARRIORS WHO WERE ALL
ABOUT TO GUARD AND PROTECT HER FROM HIM. SHE FEARED FOR HIS
SAFETY. CUCHULAINN RECOUNTED HIS MANY HEROIC EXPLOITS AND TOLD
EMER OF HIS FATHER, THE FAMOUS LUGH LONG ARM OF THE TUATHA DE
DANANN.
EMER TOLD HIM OF HER VIRTUES AND UPBRINGING AND, TALKING IN
RIDDLES, THAT ANY MAN WHO MIGHT SEEK HER HAND MUST PROVE HIMSELF
WITH MAGNIFICENT DEEDS OF DARING. CUCHULAINN TOLD HER HE ACCEPTED
HER OFFER. THEN THEY EACH TOOK THEIR LEAVE. WORD OF THE BUDDING
ROMANCE SOON REACHED FORGALL WHO SWORE HE WOULD PREVENT EMER'S
UNION WITH THAT WILD MAN OF EMAIN MACHA. USING HIS MAGICAL POWERS
HE WENT TO EMAIN IN DISGUISE AND ARRANGED FOR CUCHULAINN TO BE SENT
TO SCOTLAND TO PERFECT HIS WARRIOR ARTS UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF THE
WILD WAR GODS AND GODDESSES WHO DWELT THERE. SURELY CUCHULAINN
WOULD NEVER SURVIVE. DESPITE THE MANY DANGERS AND NARROW ESCAPES
FROM DEATH, CUCHULAINN'S SKILLS AND STRENGTH ONLY INCREASED. HE
RETURNED TO IRELAND MORE DETERMINED THAN EVER TO MAKE EMER HIS
OWN.
FORGALL ISOLATED HIS WHOLE HOUSEHOLD WITHIN HIS IMPREGNABLE
FORTRESS. NEVERTHELESS CUCHULAINN CAME FOR HIS BELOVED, CHARGING
THE FORTRESS WITH HIS BATTLE CHARIOT, LEAPING OVER THE THREE
RAM-PARTS LIKE A
SALMON LEAPING UP A WATERFALL. TWENTY-SEVEN WARRIORS
WERE POSITIONED INSIDE THE FORTRESS TO STOP HIM. CUCHULAINN SLEW
ALL BUT THREE WHO HAPPENED TO BE EMER'S BROTHERS. FORGALL
AT-TEMPTED TO FLEE BY
IMITATING CUCHULAINN'S LEAP OVER THE RAMPARTS
BUT FELL UPON THEM AND WAS FATALLY WOUNDED. CUCHULAINN THEN
GRABBED EMER, FIAL, AND TWO BAGS EQUALLING THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD AND
SILVER, AND AGAIN LEAPED OVER THE RAMPARTS. MANY OF FORGALL'S
FORCES ATTEMPTED TO END THIS ESCAPE AND EACH IN TURN WAS SLAIN.
CUCHULAINN PRESENTED EMER TO CONCHOBAR AND THE MEN OF ULSTER AND
WED HER THAT NIGHT.
NEXT ISSUE
MACHA'S CURSE
THE CATTLE RAID
CONCLUSION
***
TIOCFAIDH AR LA
THE RECENT SURGE OF NATIONALISM WITNESSED IN CENTRAL AND
EASTERN EUROPE HAS QUITE PROPERLY MET WITH WORLD-WIDE ACCLAIM.
SINCE 1945 THESE STATES HAVE BEEN OCCUPIED BY AN OPPRESSIVE FOREIGN
POWER FORBIDDING RELIGION, FREE SPEECH OR ANY ETHNIC TRADITIONS
DEEMED IN CONFLICT WITH THE OPPRESSOR. NOW THEY DEMAND THEIR BASIC
HUMAN FREEDOMS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT OF SELF-DETERMINATION, AND
SEEK
THE REMOVAL OF THOSE DESPISED TROOPS. WE LEARN TOO OF RADICAL
CHANGE IN SOUTH AFRICA WHICH MAY FINALLY BRING AN END TO APARTHEID.
SINCE THEIR INCEPTION THESE EVILS HAVE BEEN DENOUNCED BY
RESPON-SIBLE LEADERS AND
NATIONS THROUGHOUT THE FREE WORLD, THUS KEEPING
SUCH ISSUES IN THE PUBLIC CONSCIOUS. BUT WHAT LEADER OR NATION HAS
RISEN TO DENOUNCE THE FOREIGN OCCUPATION FORCES IN ULSTER, OR THE
SUBTLE POLICY OF APARTHEID PERPETRATED ON THE NATIVE IRISH?
LAURA DID NOT SPEAK MUCH SPECIFICALLY OF "THE TROUBLES". IT
IS ENOUGH THAT CHILDREN MUST LEARN TO SURVIVE IN SUCH A HOSTILE
ENVIRONMENT WITHOUT BEING BURDENED BY THE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND
MORAL RATIONALIZATIONS FOR SUCH INJUSTICE. INDEED, AS THE FIRST
DRAFT OF THIS VOLUME WAS BEING COMPLETED, IT WAS LEARNED THAT A
YOUNG LAD WHO HAD PARTICIPATED IN PROJECT CHILDREN THROUGH THE
NORWICH, N.Y. CHAPTER WAS RECENTLY KILLED BY A BOMB!
CERTAINLY I AM NOT AS INFORMED AS I SHOULD BE. ANY MEDIA
COVERAGE WOULD LEAD ONE TO BELIEVE THE ONLY CRITICAL PROBLEM IN
ULSTER IS THE I.R.A. EVERY VIOLENT ACTION OF THE I.R.A. RECEIVES
THE BROADEST POSSIBLE COVERAGE IN THE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA, AND
AGAIN THE WORLD IS TOLD THE I.R.A. IS BUT A SMALL BAND OF IRRATION-AL
TERRORISTS.
SURELY PEACE MIGHT COME TO THE NORTH IF THIS BAND
OF MURDEROUS THUGS WOULD CEASE THEIR HOSTILITIES AND STIRRING UP
THE CATHOLICS.
THAT THE I.R.A. ACTIONS RECEIVE SUCH SENSATIONAL COVERAGE IS
PERHAPS UNDERSTANDABLE, THOUGH SOMEWHAT DEVOID OF ANY TRUE
PERSPEC-TIVE. SUCH
ACTIONS DO NOT OCCUR IN A VACUUM. WHAT IS LESS CLEAR
HOWEVER IS WHY THE ACTIONS OF THE PAF, RUC, OR THE BRITISH
OCCUPA-TION FORCES
RECEIVE VIRTUALLY NO COVERAGE OUTSIDE OF IRELAND.
INDEED, WHO HAS EVEN HEARD OF THE PAF? THE PROTESTANT ACTION FORCE
IS THE PROTESTANT COUNTERPART TO THE I.R.A. SEEKING TO PREVENT A
FREE, UNITED IRELAND THROUGH MURDER, TERROR, AND SABOTAGE. THESE
NOBLE EFFORTS ARE AUGMENTED BY THE MORE LEGITIMATE ORANGE
SOCIETY.
THE BRITISH SOLDIERS WERE ORIGINALLY SENT IN AFTER BLOODY SUNDAY TO
HELP RESTORE LAW AND ORDER. THEY WERE GENUINELY WELCOMED BY THE
IRISH. BUT THE TROOPS DID NOT REMAIN NEUTRAL. TOGETHER WITH THE
RUC THEY ROUTINELY STOP AND SEARCH THE IRISH WITHOUT CAUSE,
INCAR-CERATE THEM
WITHOUT CHARGE, INVADE AND TRASH THEIR HOMES WITHOUT
WARRANT. THIS COMBINATION OF OCCUPATION FORCES, POLICE, AND
PRIVATE "FRATERNAL" GROUPS (PAF, ORANGE SOCIETY, ETC.) IN ESSENCE
CONSTITUTES A FORM OF STATE SPONSORED TERRORISM DESIGNED TO KEEP
THE IRISH IN THEIR PLACE.
IT IS OF COURSE WELL KNOWN THAT THE FRICTION IN ULSTER MAY BE
DELINEATED BY RELIGIOUS PROFESSION, YET THERE IS LITTLE EVIDENCE TO
SUGGEST THAT IT IS A BATTLE OVER THEOLOGY. "THE TROUBLES" MIGHT
MORE APPROPRIATELY BE CONSIDERED AN ETHNIC CONFLICT WITH POLITICAL
AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC, AS WELL AS RELIGIOUS, OVERTONES. THE STRUGGLE
BEGAN CENTURIES BEFORE THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, OR EVEN
PROTESTANT-ISM, EVER
EXISTED. AS "DEFENDER OF THE FAITH", GOOD KING HENRY
VIII PETITIONED THE POPE TO OBTAIN AUTHORITY OVER THE CHURCH IN
IRELAND ON THE PRETEXT THAT THE CLERGY PREACHED HERESY AND
PER-MITTED PAGANISM.
THE PIOUS ZEALOT CROMWELL LATER RAISED RELIGION
TO AN IRRECONCILABLE ISSUE, JUST AS HE ELEVATED PERSECUTION AND
BARBARISM TO AN ART FORM. THE BRITISH ATTEMPT TO ANNIHILATE THE
IRISH RACE THROUGH MURDER, STARVATION, AND EXILE BEGAN HERE. THOSE
WHO SURVIVED WERE ENSLAVED. THEIR LANDS WERE CONFISCATED; THEIR
LANGUAGE BANNED; EDUCATION FORBIDDEN; AND EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTED
LARGELY TO LABOR AND UNSKILLED POSITIONS (WHICH THE ENGLISH
"PLANTERS" WOULD NOT LOWER THEMSELVES TO PERFORM) FOR SUBSISTENCE
WAGES. IN DERRY THE IRISH WERE FORCED TO LIVE ON THE BOG AND A
STONE WALL WAS ERECTED TO KEEP THEM OUT OF THE CITY. ELSEWHERE
THEY WERE RESTRICTED TO LOW STANDARD HOUSING IN THE LEAST
DESIRABLE
ENVIRONMENT: BOGS, SLUMS, OR ON UNDEVELOPED, ROCKY, UNTILLABLE
SOIL. OBVIOUSLY THE IRISH WERE ALSO DENIED ANY VOICE OR ROLE IN
THE POLITICAL PROCESS. SINCE THE ENGLISH WERE MORE NUMEROUS AND
CONCENTRATED IN ULSTER, IT IS SMALL WONDER THESE POLICIES OF
SUBJU-GATION AND
EXTERMINATION ENABLED THE ENGLISH TO ACHIEVE A NUMERICAL
MAJORITY.
MUCH HAS CHANGED OVER THE CENTURIES YET MUCH REMAINS THE SAME.
MOST OF THE LAWS WHICH HELPED ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN THIS UNJUST
SOCIETY HAVE LONG SINCE BEEN REPEALED; PARTLY DUE TO WORLD PUBLIC
OPINION, BUT MORE PARTICULARLY TO THE TIRELESS EFFORTS OF THE
UNITED IRISHMEN AND THE I.R.A. RECENT YEARS HAVE SEEN LEGISLATION
SIMILAR TO OUR OWN CIVIL RIGHTS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY LAWS. BUT,
JUST AS WE HAVE WITNESSED IN OUR RACIAL EXPERIENCE, LAWS CANNOT
ELIMINATE PREJUDICE, NOR CAN THEY INSURE GENUINE EQUALITY WITHOUT
THE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF ALL SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY. DESPITE LEGAL
CHANGES, DISCRIMINATION AND PREJUDICE HAVE BECOME VIRTUALLY
INSTI-TUTIONALIZED.
AND SO THE IRISH ARE STILL RESTRICTED TO ESSENTIALLY
MINIMUM WAGE, UNSKILLED OCCUPATIONS, WHEN THEY ARE LUCKY ENOUGH
TO
FIND EMPLOYMENT. THEY STILL LIVE IN INADEQUATE HOUSING. IRISH
CHILDREN ARE DENIED EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY AND MOST
TYPICAL-LY SPEND
THEIR "FREE TIME" INDOORS SIMPLY BECAUSE THE STREETS ARE
TOO DANGEROUS. WHILE THE IRISH ARE NOW PERMITTED TO VOTE, THEIR
MINORITY STATUS RENDERS ANY TRUE ATTEMPT AT SELF-GOVERNANCE
MEANINGLESS.
THE OCCUPATION TROOPS WITH THEIR TANKS AND GUNS ARE EVERYWHERE
TO BE SEEN IN THE IRISH SECTORS. KEEPING THE PEACE. KEEPING THE
IRISH IN THEIR PLACE. TOGETHER WITH THE CONSTABULARY THEY PROVIDE
SAFE ESCORT EACH YEAR ON JULY 12 FOR THE ORANGE SOCIETY PARADE
THROUGH THE IRISH NEIGHBORHOODS CHANTING DERISIVELY "CROPPY LAY
DOWN". (CROPPY IS A TERM DERIVED FROM THE REBELLION OF 1798 WHEN
THE IRISH CUT THEIR HAIR VERY SHORT AS A SYMBOL OF UNITY AND
RESISTANCE TO ENGLISH AUTHORITY.) HOWEVER THE IRISH ARE CONSTANTLY
WARNED NOT TO CAUSE OFFENSE TO THE ORANGEMEN. AT THE FUNERAL OF
LAURA'S GR. GR. UNCLE BARNEY BOSWELL, A DEVOTED REPUBLICAN OF
BELFAST, ON 8 JAN 1990 THE FUNERAL WAS STOPPED BY AUTHORITIES EN
ROUTE TO THE CHURCH AND FORCED TO REMOVE THE TRICOLOR (FLAG) WHICH
COVERED THE COFFIN. A SECOND FLAG WAS DRAPED OVER THE COFFIN
DURING THE FUNERAL SERVICE AT THE CHURCH. THE PROCESSION FROM THE
CHURCH TO THE CEMETERY WAS AGAIN STOPPED AND THE FLAG ORDERED
REMOVED. NEVERTHELESS, MR. BOSWELL WAS BURIED WITH THE TRICOLOR.
(IRISH TIMES 9JAN1990) THOSE CROPPIES WILL NEVER LIE DOWN!
TO SUGGEST THAT THE FOREIGN TROOPS AND REPRESSION OF THE IRISH
ARE MERELY EXAGGERATIONS OF I.R.A. TERRORISTS IS PATENTLY ABSURD.
THE TROOPS ARE UNIVERSALLY DESPISED BY THE IRISH. WHEREVER THEY
PATROL THEY ARE MET WITH THE GAELIC TAUNT "TIOCFAIDH AR LA",
(PRONOUNCED CHUCKIE R LA) MEANING "OUR DAY WILL COME". AND IT
WILL! THE QUESTION IS WHEN, AND HOW. CLEARLY VIOLENCE ALONE HAS
NOT BROUGHT ABOUT THE DESIRED GOAL. GIVEN THE CURRENT NUMERICAL
SUPERIORITY OF THE OPPOSITION, DIRECT CONFRONTATION WOULD BE
FUTILE. HOWEVER, SINCE THE BIRTH RATE AMOUNGST THE IRISH IS
CON-SIDERABLY HIGHER,
THEY WILL GAIN THE MAJORITY WITHIN A GENERATION
OR TWO. IT WOULD SEEM INEVITABLE THAT THE IRISH OF THE NORTH WILL
OBTAIN THE POLITICAL AND LEGAL STATUS THEY SEEK AND IRELAND WILL
FINALLY BECOME ONE.
AS DESIRABLE AND (HOPEFULLY) INEVITABLE AS THIS OUTCOME MIGHT
BE, IT COULD BE ARGUED THAT THERE WOULD BE LITTLE SIGNIFICANT
CHANGE IN THE STANDARD OF LIVING FOR THE IRISH. AGAIN, AS IN OUR
OWN RACIAL PROBLEMS, LITTLE HAS CHANGED IN THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC
STATUS OF THE AFRO-AMERICAN A FULL GENERATION AFTER ACHIEVING
LEGAL
AND POLITICAL FREEDOM. TO OBTAIN TRUE EQUALITY THE IRISH MUST ALSO
ACQUIRE THEIR FAIR SHARE OF THE ECONOMIC PIE. MORE THAN THE
POLI-TICAL AND LEGAL
POWER WIELDED BY THE OPPOSITION, IT IS THEIR ABSO-LUTE CONTROL OF THE
WEALTH WHICH
ENABLES THEM TO DOMINATE THE
IRISH. SHOULD THE UNIONISTS LEARN IT IS SAFER TO SHARE THE WEALTH
THAN TO RISK LOSING IT THEY WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO SEEK
ACCOMMO-DATION OVER
CONFRONTATION. IT WOULD SEEM WORTHWHILE FOR THE IRISH
LEADERSHIP AND THE I.R.A. TO CONSIDER A MORE INTENSE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, OR EVEN ECONOMIC WAR. ALLOCATING FEWER
RESOURCES FOR BULLETS IN FAVOR OF INVESTMENT COULD PROVIDE A BROAD
BASIS FOR IRISH PARTICIPATION IN THE ULSTER ECONOMY. A PORTION OF
THE AID SENT BY VARIOUS IRISH-AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS COULD BE
DESIGNATED FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SIMILAR AID IS PROBABLY ALSO
RECEIVED FROM THE CONTINENT, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, AND PERHAPS SOUTH
AMERICA. SUCH FUNDS COULD BE USED TO SEED NEW SMALL BUSINESS
VEN-TURES FOR THE
IRISH. ACQUISITION OF ULSTER-BASED CORPORATE STOCK
COULD FUNCTION NOT ONLY AS AN INVESTMENT, BUT ALSO AS A LEVER TO
PRESS FOR BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS OR TRAINING PROGRAMS.
SELECTIVE BOYCOTTS AND STRIKES COULD BE EMPLOYED AGAINST THOSE
BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRIES KNOWN TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST THE IRISH.
INVESTMENT IN REAL ESTATE, MODERN APARTMENT BUILDINGS, OR LOW
INTEREST HOME LOANS COULD DO MUCH TO ELEVATE THE COLLECTIVE
EQUITY
OF THE IRISH WHILE REDUCING THE RELATIVE FLOW OF IRISH MONIES TO
THE ESTABLISHED FINANCIAL MARKETS DOMINATED BY THE OPPOSITION.
IF IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE IRISH TO ESTABLISH A SOLID ECONOMIC
BASE, IT IS CRUCIAL THAT THEY ELEVATE THEIR EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION.
MERE LITERACY WILL NO LONGER BE SUFFICIENT IN THE RAPIDLY CHANGING
AND EXPANDING TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF THE COMING CENTURY. IF
IRISH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION SYSTEMS ARE NOT ABLE TO
MEET THIS CHALLENGE, AND IF HIGHER EDUCATION IS NOT UNIVERSALLY
ACCESSIBLE TO THE IRISH MINORITY, THEN THEY ARE DOOMED TO REMAIN AN
UNDERCLASS EVEN AFTER THEY ACHIEVE THE NUMERICAL MAJORITY. IN
ANOTHER CENTURY OUR IRISH COUSINS AND ANCESTORS HAD TO ATTEND
"HEDGE SCHOOLS", LITERALLY CONGREGATING WITH A MENTOR BEHIND A
HEDGE, TO OBTAIN AN EDUCATION. PERHAPS IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE TO
ESTABLISH TENEMENT SCHOOLS TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR CURRENT CLASSROOM
INSTRUCTION AND INSURE THAT THE COMING GENERATION IS WELL PREPARED
TO ASSUME PROFESSIONAL AND LEADERSHIP POSITIONS WHEN THEIR DAY
DOES
COME. IF HIGHER EDUCATION IS NOT GENERALLY AVAILABLE COMPARABLE
INSTRUCTION SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE. NATURALLY IRISH HISTORY AND
CULTURE SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED ALONG WITH MATH, SCIENCE AND
TECHNOL-OGY, BUT THERE
WILL ALSO BE A NEED FOR THOSE VERSED IN ECONOMICS,
FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT. THESE "SCHOOLS" SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO
THE YOUNG. THE UNEMPLOYED AND UNDEREMPLOYED SHOULD ALSO HAVE
EDUCATION AND TRAINING AVAILABLE THROUGH THEIR UNION, OR EVEN
SPONSORED BY THE I.R.A. OR SINN FEIN. IT WOULD TRULY BE A TRAGEDY
TO REALIZE "TIOCFAIDH AR LA" AND DISCOVER THE POPULATION IS NOT
PREPARED TO FULLY ACCEPT THE CHALLENGES IT WILL PRESENT.
FINALLY THE I.R.A. IS IN CRITICAL NEED OF A REVISED PUBLIC
RELATIONS CAMPAIGN. THE WORLD KNOWS ONLY WHAT IT SEES AND HEARS.
RIGHTLY OR WRONGLY THE I.R.A. IS LARGELY PERCEIVED OUTSIDE OF
IRELAND AS A BAND OF TERRORIST THUGS. THE DESIRED PERCEPTION WOULD
BE THAT OF FREEDOM FIGHTERS. GETTING THE WORD OUT TO THE WORLD ON
THE TRUE STATE OF THE IRISH IN THEIR OWN LAND AND THE NATURE AND
EXTENT OF THEIR OPPRESSION MIGHT DO MUCH TO SWAY WORLD OPINION IN
THEIR FAVOR. WHEN ACTION IS NECESSARY SOME JUSTIFICATION SHOULD BE
PROVIDED TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD AND IN NO EVENT SHOULD INNOCENT
BLOOD
BE SHED. FIXATION ON POLITICAL TARGETS SUCH AS MAGGIE THATCHER CAN
ONLY HURT THE IRISH CAUSE! BETTER TO MAKE THE IRON LADY APPEAR THE
VILLAIN OR FOOL THAN TO ELEVATE HER TO A MARTYRED HEROINE.
DEMON-STRATING THAT
THE I.R.A. IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN IMPROVING THE
SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITION OF THE IRISH WOULD ALSO DO MUCH TO
IMPROVE
THEIR PUBLIC IMAGE. SOLICITING CLEAR PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR A FREE,
UNITED IRELAND FROM THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND AND PERHAPS OTHER
CELTIC COUNTRIES SUCH AS SCOTLAND AND WALES MIGHT HELP TO SWAY
WORLD PUBLIC OPINION. BULLETS ALONE HAVE NOT SUCCEEDED. THE
APPEARANCE OF AN ENDLESS GAME OF "GOTCHA' LAST" AND RESULTANT LOSS
OF INNOCENT LIFE ON BOTH SIDES MUST CEASE.
IT IS OBVIOUS BY NOW THAT I AM NEITHER A POLITICAL SCIENTIST
NOR AN ECONOMIST. NEVERTHELESS I FELT COMPELLED TO SAY SOMETHING
ABOUT THE "TROUBLES" IN NORTHERN IRELAND. IT IS NOT A PLEASANT
SUBJECT. TOO OFTEN IT IS IGNORED OR BRUSHED ASIDE, PERHAPS IN THE
HOPE THAT IF YOU IGNORE THE PROBLEM IT WILL GO AWAY. IT WILL NOT.
OTHERS MAY SUGGEST WE, OR THE IRISH, SHOULD FORGET THE PAST AND
"JUST GET ALONG". YET THE WORLD SEEMS PERFECTLY WILLING TO ACCEPT,
EVEN APPLAUD, THE CONSTANT BARRAGE OF INFORMATION DETAILING THE
HORRORS OF THE HALOCAUST. THE STORY MUST BE TOLD LEST THE WORLD
ALLOW HISTORY TO REPEAT ITSELF. THIS WOULD APPEAR TO BE VALID.
YET IN ULSTER THE CENTURIES OF BITTER HISTORY IS REPEATED EVERY DAY
AND WE CLOSE OUR EYES. IT JUST SEEMS INCONSISTENT.
READERS MAY NOTE THAT I HAVE PILFERED THE IRISH PHRASE
"TIOCFAIDH AR LA" AS A MOTTO FOR 3M. WHILE THIS COULD BE CONSTRUED
AS AN EXPRESSION OF SOLIDARITY WITH OUR COUSINS OF ULSTER, IT ALSO
HAS PERSONAL CONNOTATIONS WHICH SEEMED TO MAKE IT AN APPROPRIATE
MOTTO.
-----------------------------------------------------------------WHAT I'LL DO?
AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, IRVING BERLIN DIED THIS PAST YEAR IN HIS
101ST YEAR. TO DATE I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DOCUMENT A RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE MCKAYS AND HIS WIFE, THE LATE ELLIN MACKAY BERLIN.
ELLIN SPECIFICALLY WROTE ME THAT SHE FELT CERTAIN WE WERE NOT
RELATED. STILL, I REMAIN CONFIDENT IN AUNT MAY'S STORY.
REGARDLESS OF BLOOD, IT SEEMS ANY AMERICAN COULD REGARD THIS
MAN AS FAMILY. SURELY HE KNEW HIS FAMILY WELL. HE COULD READ OUR
MOOD, SENSING OUR HOPES AND FEARS, OUR ASPIRATIONS AND NEEDS. THIS
LITTLE MAN WHO COULD NOT READ OR WRITE A NOTE OF MUSIC GAVE US
SONGS TO SING AND DANCE TO; SONGS TO GO TO WAR TO, AND MAKE
ROMANCE
TO. IN ERA OF SUCH MUSICAL GIANTS AS THE GERSHWINS, GEORGE M.
COHAN, AND COLE PORTER, IRVING BERLIN STOOD TALL. HE FELL IN LOVE
WITH ELLIN MACKAY. IT SIMPLY WAS NOT DONE IN THAT DAY AND AGE: AN
IRISH CATHOLIC AND A RUSSIAN JEW. WORSE THAN THAT, HE WAS A TIN
PAN ALLEY musician ASPIRING TO ROMANCE A HIGH SOCIETY DEBUTANTE.
CLARENCE MACKAY DID EVERYTHING HE COULD TO DISCOURAGE THE
ROMANCE.
FINALLY HE SENT ELLIN ABROAD HOPING TIME AND DISTANCE WOULD HEAL
ALL WOUNDS. BERLIN WAS BESIDE HIMSELF. IT WAS THEN THAT HE WROTE
THE SONG "WHAT'LL I DO", RECENTLY RE-RECORDED BY LINDA RONSTADT.
TIME HEALED NO WOUNDS; RATHER, ABSENCE MADE THE HEART GROW
FONDER.
THEY SOON WED. BERLIN GAVE ELLIN THE SONG "ALWAYS" AS AS WEDDING
PRESENT. CLARENCE ALL BUT DISOWNED HIS DAUGHTER AND WOULD HAVE
NO
PART OF BERLIN. THEN CLARENCE WAS DEVASTATED BY THE DEPRESSION AND
IRVING BAILED HIM OUT. PEACE. IRVING BERLIN WROTE OVER 2000
SONGS. HE GAVE US A WHITE CHRISTMAS AND AN EASTER PARADE AND
REMINDED US THAT GOD BLESSED AMERICA. HIS GIFTS KEEP ON GIVING.
BITS AND PIECES
JACKIE PARKER WILL RECEIVE HER BS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION FROM I.U.P.
SHE HOPES TO CONTINUE GRADUATE STUDIES ON AN ASSISTANTSHIP.
DANIEL MANNIX WILL BE RECEIVING HIS DEGREE IN COMMUNICATIONS FROM
SUNY AT
PLATTSBURGH. MOTHER PEG (WHO DID NOT MAJOR IN COMMUN-ICATIONS)
SPENT A
MEMORABLE THREE WEEKS IN THE EMERALD ISLE. SHE
DID NOT FIND ANY OF OUR LONG LOST COUSINS BUT FOUND COSTELLOS ALL
OVER THE MAP. HUSBAND MARTY BURNT UP IRELAND'S BEAUTIFUL GOLF
COURSES.
I BELIEVE JEAN HAYS' GRANDSON WILL ALSO BE GRADUATING FROM SUNY
PLATTSBURGH
THIS MAY.
2 JUNE 1990 MARKS THE 99TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF
JOSEPH M. BUTLER
CURRENTLY RESIDING AT VALLEY VIEW COURT, LOWVILLE, NY. DROP
A CARD OR NOTE TO SAY HELLO AND
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE !!!
WHAT'S COOKIN'
THE REVISED EDITION OF VOL. 4 OMITTED SEVERAL IRISH RECIPES. FOR
YOUR EDIFICATION WE INCLUDE THEM HERE!
IRISH SWEET SCONES
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
pinch of salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp caraway seeds
1 c. buttermilk or
sour milk
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sift flour, soda, cream of tartar,
salt and sugar into mixing bowl. Rub butter into mixture with
fingers. Add caraway seeds. Add buttermilk, mixing thoroughly
until it is all absorbed and a pliable dough is made. Turn onto
floured board and work lightly with fingers into a complete round
@1/2 inch thick. Cut into pie-shaped wedges.
Place on lightly greased baking sheet and bake until risen and
lightly browned - @20 min. when cooked, split in half and spread
with soft butter. Return to oven until butter melts. Serve warm
with tea. Makes 6-8 scones
ONION AND POTATO PIE
2 medium onions peeled and chopped
2 tbs butter
2 c mashed potatoes
2 tbs heavy cream
salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Saute onions in butter until limp.
Add to mashed potatoes and blend well. Add cream. Beat until
light and fluffy. Season with salt. Place in greased pie dish;
bake until surface is flecked with brown - @15 minutes. Serves 4
CROAGH PATRICK POTATOES
4 large baking potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup clear fat-free beef stock
1 teaspoon chopped chervil
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and slice potatoes as thinly as
possible. Place in shallow baking dish, dot with butter and cover
with beef stock. Cover dish with foil and bake for about 1 hour or
until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with chervil, top with bread
crumbs and place under broiler flame for about 5 minutes or until
lightly browned. Serves 4-6
STUFFED PORK FILLETS
2 3/4 - 1 pound pork tenderloins
3 tablespoons butter
6 shallots, peeled and sliced
1 c. bread crumbs
1/4 c. white wine
1 teaspoon thyme
1 egg
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
thin strip of pork fat for larding.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Have your butcher slit the tenderloins lengthwise not quite all the
way through and flatten them a bit with his cleaver. Melt 2
tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan, add the shallots and saute
over medium flame until limp but not brown; remove from heat. Add
bread crumbs, thyme and white wine. Blend well. Beat in egg; add
parsley, salt and pepper. Stuff pork fillets with this mixture.
Tie together with butchers string.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy shallow caserole. Add fillets
and place in oven for 15 min. or until nicely browned. Reduce heat
to 300, cover tightly and bake for
30 min. more or until tender. Cool slightly before slicing. Serve
hot or cold. Serves 6
HOMEMADE IRISH CREME LIQUEUR
1 3/4 cup Irish Whiskey
14 oz. can sweetened condensed cream
1 cup Whipped or light cream
4 eggs
2T chocolate syrup
2T instant coffee
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
Combine in blender, blend until smooth. Will keep covered in
refrigerator up to 1 month or more. (Recently submitted and
published in O'Lochlainn's Journal of Irish Families by YT)
AN IRISH TOAST
"SLAINTE 'GUS SAOL AGAT
TALAMH GAN CHIOS AGAT
BEAN AR DO MHIAN AGAT
LEANBH GACH BLIAIN AGAT
SAOL FADA AGUS BAS IN EIRINN."
TRANSLATION:
"HEALTH AND LONG LIFE TO YOU
LAND WITHOUT RENT TO YOU
THE WOMAN OF YOUR CHOICE TO YOU
A CHILD EVERY YEAR TO YOU
A LONG LIFE, AND MAY YOUR BONES REST IN IRELAND."
ERIN GO BRAGH !!!
Contributed by Dan Touse