“LEAHY (KILCATHERINE)
There were a number of Leahy families in Kilcatherine around 1827. Just before the famine there were 8 Leahy men there: Paddy, John, Batt, James, Daniel, Michael Denis and Timothy. The only one of the Leahy families still in Kilcatherine is Timothy. Timothy was great-grandfather of the present John Leahy.
(A) TIMOTHY LEAHY & MARGARET LEAHY (KILCATHERINE)
We can trace 6 children: (1) Paddy settled in the home farm and married Peig McCarthy (Rohane), daughter of Mort Mor Rohane & Ellen O Shea, Knockeanabracca, Kilcatherine; (2) Dan (Jan 1844) was married twice – first to his cousin Brigid Leahy, Kilcatherine, and later to Margaret O’Neill, daughter of Darby O’Neill and Brigid Harrington, Direenavogig. Dan and Margaret lived a few years in Ardgroom village before emigrating to the USA; (3) Johanna (July 1846); (4) Julia (Sep 1848) married Michael O’Sullivan, son of Daniel O’Sullivan, Inisfernard; (5) Mairin (Mar 1851) married Curly Moriarty from the Lauragh, Co. Kerry side. They lived in the eastern part of Eyeries village and had a shop in the house where Mrs Nora Forde was later; (6) Margaret (June 1866).
(B) PADDY LEAHY & PEIG McCARTHY (ROHANE) (KILCATHERINE)
Paddy & Peig had 10 children: – (1) Mary was the first wife of Sean McCarthy (son of Mort Rohane and Mary Rahill) Kilcatherine; (2) Abbety (Feb 1869) went to Aspen, Colorado, and married a Harrington man from Thornhill, Rosmacowen; (3) Paddy (born in Mar. 1871) and died on Mar. 31st 1955 aged 84) settled down in the home farm and marred Mary Downey, daughter of James Downey and Catherine Murphy, Fay, Kilcatherine; (4) Margaret (Sept. 16th 1873) went to Butte, Montana and married an O’Neill man from Gour, Castletownbere; (5) Helena (May 28th 1875) died young; (6) Julia (July 20th 1877) married Quinlan O’Sullivan, son of Sean Island O’Sullivan and Mary Bawn Downey, Kilcatherine – parents of the present Quinlan O’Sullivan; (7) Mike (August 25th 1879) was killed in a mine shaft accident about a year after going to Butte, Montana (8) John (Dec 16th 1882) died young; (9) John (June 19th 1884) was a barber in Butte, Montana; (10) Daniel (Sept. 4th 1887) went to Butte, Montana and married a Michigan born McCarthy girl – a niece of Jack Rohane of Boffickil. Daniel died in Seattle, Washington State.”
Riobard O’Dwyer. Annals of Beara – Volume 2. Gold Stag Publications, 2009, Pp 354-355 (n.b. text originally appeared in ‘Who were my Ancestors” published in 1976)
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