Any famous/unusual ancestors?

Coolnabacky1873

Have you come across any in your research?

Not many in my family unfortunately, all were desperately poor in the wilds of north west Mayo or tenant farmers elsewhere.

An in-law uncle found an ancestor who emigrated to the US, went to Yale in the late 1800s and became a secretary of state in Illinois. That's about it!

Over to y'all.

pinkypinky

I have one great-great grandfather who was an MP in Westminster and lord mayor of one of our smaller cities.

Jellybaby1

Found an author of a specialist type of book but he would be a distant in-law so not really mine. Nothing of note on my side yet but ever hopeful.

rhapsody

I've always been told my uncle was the first person in Ireland to be jailed for tax evasion but I've never had the time to check it out. I'm fairly sure the prison etc records are too recent to get hold of anyway.
Beyond that I've got a sea captain, a murderer & an RIC sergeant, and a good mix of farmers, musicians, nuns/ priests etc as many of us do I expect.

P. Breathnach

rhapsody wrote: »

... nuns/ priests etc ...

Lineal ancestors? Do you inherit a naughty gene?

P. Breathnach

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Found an author of a specialist type of book ...

I also have a writer. He enjoyed some moderate repute in his day, but did not make much with his pen. I didn't "discover" him: he was esteemed in the family, and before I embarked on my genealogy project he was the only great-grandparent whose name I knew.

zagmund

I would have to check back on who was direct and who was indirect to be sure of some of the 'famous' people.

Great grandfather on one side was the registrar (or other similar role) for Bailieboro and so I gather it's his record book that is the source for birth & death records for that area for a good 30-40 years covering the early years of the last century and the end of the previous one. That's got to make him famous to people looking for births & marriages in his area I reckon.

Other than that there's the obvious one that all my direct ancestors are famous simply for contributing to me . . .

z

Hermy

One of my great grandmothers is a first cousin of Cornelius James Pelly.

And one of my great grandfathers was court crier to The Hon. Gerald Fitzgerald K.C.

Irishlad11

My Grand Uncle was executed during the Civil War for being raiding trains in Kildare for the IRA, he was only 19 at the time.

My Great Great Grandmother was an illegitimate child of the Eustace family of Ballymore Eustace (the town gets its name from the family). The Eustace's were meant to be very wealthy and held powerful positions in the Irish Parliament in the 15th and 16th Centuries.

There's also a family story that we are descended from one of the main designer and engineer of the Grand Canal in the 18th Century

pedroeibar1

I include collateral lines when I can prove the link, so on that basis I have several, some of whom have entered the history books.That is one reason why genealogy keeps me so interested.

A coincidence that fascinates me is that three kinsmen from different strands (paternal & maternal), with no known connection, were involved with railways in Australia in the second half of the 1800’s. From what I’ve researched so far it is highly likely that they would have met (based on projects / address / timeframe) and each would no doubt have been most surprised to learn that the greatgrandniece of one and the greatgrandnephew & distant cousin of the others would marry back in Ireland in the mid 1900’s.:cool:

pedroeibar1

rhapsody wrote: »

I've always been told my uncle was the first person in Ireland to be jailed for tax evasion but I've never had the time to check it out. I'm fairly sure the prison etc records are too recent to get hold of anyway.

Very very very few people have done time for tax evasion - just a handful since 2000, and I cannot offhand think of any before that date. Historically quite a few have been imprisoned for non payment of tax (as a form of protest) which is different to 'evasion'.

rhapsody

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

Very very very few people have done time for tax evasion - just a handful since 2000, and I cannot offhand think of any before that date. Historically quite a few have been imprisoned for non payment of tax (as a form of protest) which is different to 'evasion'.

Oh indeed, I've never taken it to mean much- just something my older aunties say. He might've been the first in our area or something. I'd love to know the exact details but as far as I know it was in the 60s so that's too recent. It was Mountjoy prison apparently; but he was in prison (Portlaoise) in the 80s too so I wonder if the aunties are getting mixed up!

Foxytrot

My Grand-aunt from Cork ended up marrying famous boxer Randy Turpin. He was known for defeating Sugar Ray Leonard!!

Hermy

Not famous but maybe slightly unusual. This is the birth cert of Baptista Pelly, my mothers grandmother, and her father James Pelly is also the registrar.

shanew

dont know if you already have these ...

1870 directory listing for Eyrecourt :

Gentry and Clergy section

James Pelley, Esq. M.D. Main st
also listed as a physician under miscellaneous, and as surgeon at the dispensary

Thom's Medical directory :

1868 : James Pelly, L.R.C.S.I. , Gurtymadden, Loughrea
1877 : James Pelly, L.R.C.S.I. , Eyrecourt

no sign of him that I see in 1880..

L.R.C.S.I. = Licentiate Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland



Shane

Hermy

Thanks for that Shane. No listing for him beyond 1878 as he died that year.

FUNERAL OF THE LATE DR PELLY, EYRECOURT

The interment of this much-lamented gentleman took place on last Friday. From an early hour in the morning masses were offered up in St. John’s Parish Chapel, for the eternal repose of his soul. At 11 o’clock High Mass commenced, at which the Rev James Furlong adm., Loughrea, officiated as celebrant; Rev Father Moloney, deacon; Rev Father Madden, sub-deacon, and the Rev. M. Burns acted as master of ceremonies. In the chair were—Very Reverend Dr Derry, Father Furlong (brother to celebrant) Father Ryan, Rev John McKeigue, Father Green, Father Costello, Father Melville, Father Coen, Father Pelly (brother of deceased); The catafalque stood in the nave of the chapel. During the ceremony the chapel was densely crowded. After Mass a large number of vehicles began to arrive, and take their place on the line of ronte to be taken by the mournful cortegs. The shops of the town were all closed, and business entirely suspended, as a mark of the esteem and respect entertained for the deceased gentleman by those among whom he lived, and to whom he was intimately known from early childhood. The funeral was one of the largest ever witnessed in this part of the country, the line of carriages and cars extending for a mile, Portumna, Ballinasloe, Killimore, Loughrea, Eyrecourt & e being largely represented. At one o’clock the funeral proceeded to Kiltormer, the family burial place of deceased. The chief mourners were—Martin Pelly, Esq, Coroner, J. Pelly, Esq, Poor Law Auditor;— Pelly, Esq, Sub-Inspector R.I.O.; Michael Pelly, Esq, Heronsbrooke; Thomas Pelly, Esq, Patrick Mahon, Esq, Thomas Mahon, Esq, and Thomas Mahon, Esq, (junior). The clergy who attended at the Mass were also present at the funeral. The funeral arrived at Kiltormer shortly after three o’clock. When the hearse reached the upper end of Kiltormer, the coffin was removed and the clergy present meeting it, began to read the sublime funeral service of the Catholic Church. The obsequies at the tomb were performed by the Rev Father Furlong and the Rev. Father Coen. When the last solemn prayers were pronounced, many of those present were unablw to restrain themselves from emotion and slowly and sadly the group around the grave broke up, and at last there was nothing to be seen but the resting place of one who was deeply and deservedly regretted. R.I.P.

DEATH OF JAMES PELLY, ESQ., M.D. EYRECOURT.

…text missing… regret to announce the death of Dr Pelly, which sad event took place, at his residence, Eyrecourt, on last Wednesday, in the 33rd year of his age, while engaged in his heroic discharge of his professional duties. Dr Pelly was taken down by fever which he contracted from a patient he was attending some three weeks ago. Notwithstanding that the seeds of a dangerous disease had taken root in the system, still Dr Pelly attended to the arduous duties of his profession until Saturday last, when he was obliged to succumb. Dr. Coates, of Portumna, was in constant attendance, as also Dr O’Farrell, Kiltormer, Surgeon O’Dwyer, Camden-street,, Dublin(father in law to the deceased) and did all that medical skill could suggest to rescue their brother professional from the bed of death; but all that they could do was not able to avert the sudden and premature decease of one who was ever kind and considerate towards the poor, and a great favorite in the social circle. Dr Pelly died, strengthend and fortified by the rites of holy Church. He leaves a wife and tender family to mourn his loss. The remains were interred on Friday, in the family burial place, Kiltormer, whither they were followed by a large and respectable cortege.
May his soul rest in peace. Amen.

We sincerely regret to announce the death of Dr. Pelly, which took place at Eyrecourt on last Wednesday, in the thirty-third year of his age, while engaged in his professional duties. Dr. Pelly was stricken down by fever contracted by a patient some three weeks ago.

Olliecat

On my mam's side her uncle was Frank Drohan, member of 2nd Dail and IRA leader during War of Independence. The ring road around Clonmel is named after him.
On my dad's side his uncle was Tom Donoghue who was the captain of a small ship called the MV Kerlogue which was only 142 feet long but in 1943 he came across the remains of a sea battle in the Bay of Biscay and spent 10 hours rescuing 168 German Sailors from the sea and brought them back to Ireland. He was carrying a cargo of oranges he had picked up in Portugal and feed them to the sailors to prevent dehydration.

TheQ47

My maternal Great-Great Grandparents were Owen McDermott and Mary (neé McDermott), and my mother (and grandmother) always insisted that Mary was somehow closely related to Sean MacDiarmada, the signatory of the Irish Proclamation.

It's possible, as they were from around the same area of Co. Leitrm (Kiltyclogher/Cloonaquin/Manorhamilton general area, no more than 20 km apart), but I've never been able to prove it. There are lots of McDermotts around the area.

Hermy

Came across this yesterday from Michael Collins and the Making of the Irish State By Gabriel Doherty & Dermot Keogh:

Collins pursued the issue directly in Cork and, on the day before his death, he received two telegrams at the Imperial Hotel from H. A. Pelly, the manager of the Hibernian Bank. Pelly advised Collins to inspect all Bank of Ireland paid vouchers on the Customs Account in connection with the anti-Treatyites, and all paid cheques signed by S. MacSweeney. He also advised inspecton of the Provisional Bank records and Land Bank records of all paid cheques drwan by parties ‘whose names were furnished to Mr. Brennan.’ Furthermore, Pelly confided that £10,000 had been lodged in the Munster and Leinster Bank by the Land Bank, in their own name, and withdrawn a few days later. As the deposit consisted of a cheque for £10,000 drawn by S. MacSweeney in the Bank of Ireland Pelly contended that ‘some explanation be forthcoming as to what was done eventually with the proceeds of this deposit.’ This was particularly questionable since Pelly could not see how the Land Bank could have issued two drafts for £5,000 in the first instance. Collins received the information with uncharacteristic puzzlement. Questions lay in his mind also about the safety of payments from the local breweries, Beamish and Murphy’s, as well as the County Council. In the end circumstances dictated that he would never resolve these issues.

Hyacinth Albert Pelly, manager of the Hibernian Bank in Cork City, was a nephew of Dr. James Pelly mentioned in my earlier post.

Alicat

Arthur Guinness is my first cousin, 8 times removed. Don't think we're entitled to a share of the profits though!

Mumha

a g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g etc grandmother of mine was a sister-in-law of Sir Walter Rahleigh.

notsobusy

My g g g g grandmother was the illegitimate daughter of Charles Grey and the Duchess of Devonshire

mattjack

Irish Constabulary Sub-Inspector at Tallaght, Stephen Burke my gt grandfather x5 (I think).

The ‘Battle of Tallaght’

The Irish Constabulary Sub-Inspector at Tallaght, Burke of Rathfarnham, Dublin, known in the area as “Chief Burke”, was watching the armed exodus from Dublin city to Tallaght Hill. In response he took 14 well armed- constables out onto the crossroads between Tallaght and the two roads from the city, via Greenhills and via Terenure (then known as Roundtown) to intercept the various bands making their way south.

The police knelt and returned fire in volleys, leaving six Fenians bloodied on the ground. The remaining Fenians, according to Burke, “ran away in the greatest disorder”.

One was killed outright. Another was Stephen O’Donoghue, the centre, who was “groaning and asking for water”. The police took him to the barracks at Tallaght, where he died. O’Donoghue, who was described as, “a very poor man”, had been married with four children.

“Although I did my duty, I will regret to my last day that the life of one of my countrymen should have been sacrificed.”: Irish Constabulary Sub Inspector Burke, March 8, 1867


Burke told the inquest, that although, “I did my duty, I will regret to my last day that the life of one of my countrymen should have been sacrificed.”[10]

gosling10

I suppose my research just confirmed what I already suspected, that I am related to a member of U2. I suspected it as we share the same surname. I was surprised about which branch of the family he came from, as my Dad often spoke about them.

artyeva

notsobusy wrote: »

My g g g g grandmother was the illegitimate daughter of Charles Grey and the Duchess of Devonshire

eliza grey?! that's pretty darned cool. :eek:

notsobusy

artyeva wrote: »

eliza grey?! that's pretty darned cool. :eek:

Yup very cool, unfortunately that also makes me related in some way to *fergie*:eek: (please don't throw things at me) it's not my fault!

artyeva

not to mention the spencers! but seriously, that's a fascinating family. i was in chatsworth recently and there's some really cool paintings of her mother. and her mother's 'unsurper'. you ever been there?

Memory Of 98

Seemingly my Great/Great/Great/Great/Great........... Grand Father was an a semi important Norman military tactician who fought at Hastings and was given land in Ireland during the Irish invasion as thanks.

Also expalins why the family name is very, very Norman sounding.

ciarang85

apparently descendant of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_%C3%93_Laoghaire & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eibhl%C3%ADn_Dubh_N%C3%AD_Chonaill who's nephew is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_O%27Connell

P. Breathnach

ciarang85 wrote: »

apparently descendant of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_%C3%93_Laoghaire & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eibhl%C3%ADn_Dubh_N%C3%AD_Chonaill who's nephew is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_O%27Connell

Now, that's one I think cool! Through Conor or Fergal?

Mo chara thu go daingean!
is nuair thiocfaidh chugham abhaile
Conchúr beag an cheana
is Fear Ó Laoghaire, an leanbh,
fiafróid díom to tapaidh
cár fhágas féin a n-athair.
'Neosad dóibh faoi mhairg
gur fhágas i gCill na Martar.
Glaofaid siad ar a n-athair,
is ní bheidh sé acu le freagairt.

ciarang85

P. Breathnach wrote: »

Now, that's one I think cool! Through Conor or Fergal?

to be honest i'm not really sure:o i'll have yo get onto my grandad to find out, i was told about 10 years ago but can't remember:o

Hermy

My great-great-grandmothers sisters granddaughter is Maureen Potter.:p

Jellybaby1

Aw, that's a good one Hermy!

gingernut79

My great great grandfathers brother was prime minister of new south Wales for a while in the mid 1800s

genie

My GG Grandmother was a first cousin of Dr Robert James Rowlette :-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Rowlette

hamsterboy

The family legend goes that I am somehow related to the late Queen Mother.... damn that blue blood in my veins. Now fetch me my swan burger

HB

notsobusy

artyeva wrote: »

not to mention the spencers! but seriously, that's a fascinating family. i was in chatsworth recently and there's some really cool paintings of her mother. and her mother's 'unsurper'. you ever been there?

Oh yeah that's a good point so not all bad! I've never been to Chatsworth, will definitely put it on my to do list. Have loads of places I want to visit in the UK andn scotland due to ancestors and relatives. Funny though I lived in Berkshire for 2 years and never realised the family connection until I was just moving home. Met up with a 2nd cousin I never knew existed till someone mention him and he lived 10 mins from where I lived!!

It's a mad story though isn't it!!! Men got away with everything!!

To Alcohol

Billy The Kid is a bloodline relative of mine.

RGM

Family legend has it we're related to Red Hugh O'Donnell. I don't know if that's just wishful thinking or not, but I do have strong Donegal roots and O'Donnell ancestors.

odds_on

Not famous but I think interesting - my parents are 20th cousins 3 times removed, 24th cousins and many other combinations of being cousins.

JamesM

mattjack wrote: »

Irish Constabulary Sub-Inspector at Tallaght, Stephen Burke my gt grandfather x5 (I think).

The ‘Battle of Tallaght’

The Irish Constabulary Sub-Inspector at Tallaght, Burke of Rathfarnham, Dublin, known in the area as “Chief Burke”, was watching the armed exodus from Dublin city to Tallaght Hill. In response he took 14 well armed- constables out onto the crossroads between Tallaght and the two roads from the city, via Greenhills and via Terenure (then known as Roundtown) to intercept the various bands making their way south.

The police knelt and returned fire in volleys, leaving six Fenians bloodied on the ground. The remaining Fenians, according to Burke, “ran away in the greatest disorder”.

One was killed outright. Another was Stephen O’Donoghue, the centre, who was “groaning and asking for water”. The police took him to the barracks at Tallaght, where he died. O’Donoghue, who was described as, “a very poor man”, had been married with four children.

“Although I did my duty, I will regret to my last day that the life of one of my countrymen should have been sacrificed.”: Irish Constabulary Sub Inspector Burke, March 8, 1867


Burke told the inquest, that although, “I did my duty, I will regret to my last day that the life of one of my countrymen should have been sacrificed.”[10]

I know that this is an old thread, but it looks like your great great x? grandfather killed mine, Stephen O'Donoghue, Don't worry, I won't hold it against you

L1011

First cousin, many times removed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Charles_Boyle

Also related to a member of the Saw Doctors (proven) and allegedly Susan Boyle (not willing to prove!)

Boscod

As my friends here helped me establish, my 2nd cousin once removed Christina Lardi (nee Byrne), became Irelands 34th oldest person. She died in 2000, aged 108 years. Not exactly fame, but noteworthy anyway.

chughes

With the help of a distant family member who I discovered during my own genealogical journey it turns out that I am a third cousin twice removed of Joseph Lyons, prime minister of Australia during the 1930s.

Jellybaby1

I think this is becoming the Brag thread!

Hermy

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

I think this is becoming the Brag thread!

Oh, can I play too?

The maternal side of my Mums tree has thrown up a few interesting people

Farrell Pelly - starred in Darby O'Gill
Brian Lenihan - Fianna Fail TD
Philip Ambrose Lawrence - murdered in 1995 outside the school where he was principal, he is a descendant of the same family for whom the Lawrence Photograph Collection is named

As I've spread the net wider to research some of the in-laws I've encountered some quite famous people

William McArthur Weir - whose family established the well known Grafton Street jewellers
Erskine Childers - Irish nationalist
Daniel O'Connell - The Liberator
Dylan Thomas - Welsh poet
Jane Austen - author of Pride & Prejudice
Trevor Williams - co-founder of HMV
Guglielmo Marconi - radio pioneer
Paul Revere - American patriot

chughes

That would be a difficult one to beat Hermy but when I traced back as far as I could I discovered that, using church records, my many times great grandfather and many times great grandmother may have been Adam and Eve.


Until I have absolute proof though, I won't take it as gospel........

pedroeibar1

Accepting as valid an unproven but very probable generational link in my tree, Winston S. Churchill was the nephew of the wife of my half sixth cousin five times removed!

pinkypinky

Can you plot that on a chart, Pedro?

seanaway

Had a great aunt who was a bit unusual but I don't think that's what you meant .

P. Breathnach

One of my cousins has managed to include (with solid evidence) Gregory Peck on the family tree. I am 15 steps away from the Hollywood legend, two of the steps being marital rather than genetic.

Beat that.