THE O MAHONY SOCIETY

01 August 2001

2001 O MAHONY GATHERING

When I woke on the June Sunday morning at 6.00am, it was raining …. and I wondered what would happen during the afternoon for this particular O Mahony Gathering. The meeting was arranged at the farm of Sean O Mahony, Cooladerreen, Leap, Co. Cork. This O Mahony family has lived in this farm for fourteen generations, over 400 years. However, by ten in the morning, the sun was shining, and although rain clouds were sometimes overhead, the weather continued to be dry and pleasant throughout the day. We thank Sean and Rose, and their families for allowing the gathering to take place and for providing every facility – including mowing the hay/silage a little early for car parking. The large local attendance was due to their invitation to their relations and friends to join the Muintir Mhathuna.

The Speaker at the 2001 Gathering was Mary Leland, author, journalist and travel writer. Mary is a regular contributor to The Weekend supplement of The Irish Examiner. After a brief talk about the O Mahonys of West Cork, Mary read her latest short story. This will be published in September.

Dermot O Mahoney conducted interviews. Among the interviewees was Sean of Cooladerreen. He told of the sadness of his grandmother, who buried three infant sons named Bartholemew. She wished to continue the traditional naming pattern of remembering the paternal grandfather in the Christian name of the eldest son. When a fourth son was born, it was decided to name him Timothy, and he survived. Timothy was Sean’s father. This O Mahony Dubh family was originally in Bandon, but travelled westward after the confiscations of the late 16^th century.

Another first time visitor was Peter O’Mahony. He is English-born, but now lives in Scotland – having married a Scots girl. Peter is descended from a Dublin city family of boot-makers. His grandfather joined the Royal Irish Constabulary, and Peter’s father was born in Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny.

Among the American participants were Taoiseach Donald and his wife Priscilla, Kathy and Dan Mahony from Las Vegas, Jean Eustis from upper New York State, Paul Mahoney from Long Island and Nanci Mahoney from Maryland. Ken Gannon and Donal O Mahoney, together with the newly appointed Tanaiste, Tony O’Mahony, represented members in the United Kingdom. Denis and Madeline O’Mahony were also present; they live in both London and Union Hall.

Among the Irish members who attended were Jim O Mahony [Kilcrohane], Dermot and Emer O Mahoney [Cork city], Mary O’Mahony [Caherbeg], Pat Canniffe of Bandon, Eileen O Mahony [Ballymichael], Theresa O Mahony [Ceim Hill Museum] with her niece Una and her husband, Paul, Donal, past Taoiseach, and his sister Una, with their spouses. Also present was Kathleen O Mahony, late of Fuschia Bed & Breakfast at Fivemilebridge. Kathleen has now retired and is living in Innishannon.

Thanks are due to Noreen and Michael O Mahony of Rosscarbery for all their hard work in taking over all the local arrangements for the 2001 Gathering.

Missing from the usual attendance were John F. & Dianne O Mahony, who had travelled to England for a wedding. And deepest sympathy to Dianne for the recent loss of her very close friend, Sheila, mother of the groom. Sheila was very close to Dianne, the sister that she never had.

Attendance at the Saturday morning Genealogy Session was very British Isles orientated – Peter & Mary, Tony, Ken and Donal – until the arrival of Dan & Kathy. During the day some of the members were taken to see a Bowling match by Michael O Mahony.

The 2001 Muintir Mtahuna Dinner was held at the Celtic Ross Hotel, Rosscarbery. The Society Guests were Sean and Rose from Cooladerreen. The dinner was followed by entertainment – Irish dancers and music. Eileen Mahoney McConnell and Sister Mary Lorraine were there, together with Eileen’s four daughters – Linda, Jean, Mary Lorraine and Maeve. Eileen Caverly and Mrs. Caverly from Ardintenant Castle also joined us at the banquet, as did John O Mahony from Galway. Rosscarbery and local O Mahonys present included Denis, Caroline and Stephen, Mick and Eileen, together with Timothy Vincent, Sean’s brother.

NEW OFFICERS, 2001

Taniaiste           Tony O Mahony, Manchester, England

Runai                Priscilla Mahoney, Wellesley, MA, USA

Noreen O Mahony of Rosscarbery [local organizer of gathering and banquet] was added during the past year

FUTURE GATHERINGS

2002

Dun Locha, Three Castle Head, The Mizen – a favourite O Mahony site. The web page contains photographs of the last Gathering at Dun Locha in 1996, when Jim Mahoney of Melbourne, FL, was installed as Taoiseach.

2003

Dunmanus or Dunbeacon, again on The Mizen. During 2003 the Pan-European Walkway from Beara to Leitrim commemorating the O Sullivan Beare march will be opened. The organizers of this walkway – Jim O’Sullivan of Beara & Donal Casey of Glengarriff – faxed information to Jim O Mahony of Kilcrohane. He brought the documentation to the Council meeting. Funding for this project came from Europe and Duchas. All county councils, statutory bodies, local communities along the route are involved. Clans and local communities are organizing a series of events along the walkway during 2003.

2004

This will be the 50^th Annual Gathering of The O Mahonys

O MAHONY Journal.

As there were so few US volunteers to carry back the 2001 journal for mailing in the USA, there will be a delay in their arrival. Jim Mahoney, Melbourne, FL, will send me the labels, and I will mail this as soon as I can – certainly by the end of August. Due to cost, these will be sent by very slow snail mail, so please be patient, and if yours has not arrived by mid December, [and if you are a paid-up member], please let me know.

Email address is nmhickey@indigo.ie; telephone # is +353 21 477 3440; and mailing address is Church Square, Kinsale, Co. Cork, Ireland.

O MAHONY COLLECTION - I

Nora M. Hickey

I am in the process of organizing the various documents and records that I have collected during my membership of Muintir Mhathuna since 1985. This is a list as at June 2001. I do have much mare material to be added – when I get the time and energy. Meanwhile members of Muintir Mhathuna are advised that I hold the 16 volumes of O Kief, Coshe Mang, Slieve Lougher & Upper Blackwater in Ireland, edited by Dr. Albert O’Casey. This set was donated to the society by Jim Mahoney of Melbourne, FL, and is available for consultation at my home office in Kinsale. I have prepared an O Mahony Index to the first 15 volumes, and this is available to fellow members for the cost of photocopying and postage. Perhaps this could be located on the O Mahony web page in the near future. Society members are encouraged to add their own research and family histories to this collection. Please let me know if it is possible to include your O Mahony family story in the annual O Mahony journal.

FAMILY HISTORIES

North American Emigrants

LEGAL RECORDS