Rourke/O'Connor of Lisheenacannina
I am searching for information on Charles Rourke and Mary O'Connor (parents Mary Horgan and Jeremiah O'Connor) who were living in Lisheenacannina, Parish of Molahiffe, Kerry in the 1830s - 1850s. What I know so far ...
Charles Rourke (born c.1805) was a schoolteacher. Mary O'Connor belonged to a large family in the Firies area and most of her siblings emigrated - mostly to Nelson, New Zealand - in the 1850s.
Charles and Mary had 3 confirmed children - Jeremiah (baptised Molahiffe 1832), Mary Rose (baptised Molahiffe 1834) and Elizabeth (born 1841). Witnesses to Jeremiah's and Mary's baptisms were Patrick O'Connor, Mary Rhourk, and Ellen Rhourk - presumed to be Charles' brother-in-law and his sisters. Mary Rose Rourke later married William Clark in Dunedin, NZ in 1860, and Elizabeth Rourke married John Fitzgerald in Nelson, NZ in 1862. The only record I have of Jeremiah on NZ shores is as a witness to a Fitzgerald baptism in Blenhem (Elizabeth and John Fitzgerald had relocated from Nelson to Blenheim and were farming there).
In 1856 an Elizabeth and Mary Rhourk (sponsored by John and Patrick O'Connor) sailed to NZ aboard the John Masterman.They gave their address as Grawn-rowrough, Kiltalon nr Tralee. This is possibly Charles' sister Elizabeth and daughter Mary.
In 1859 Elizabeth Rourke (Charles and Mary's youngest daughter) and Elizabeth's cousin Garrett Barry sailed for NZ aboard theGolconda. Elizabeth was sponsored by Patrick O'Connor and Mary Rourke. Garrett was sponsored by Michael and Patrick O'Connor. Garrett and Elizabethgave as their address Gurrane Rurrough, Parish Kiltallo,County Kerry and Guran Rowrough, Kiltalo nr Tralee, Co. Kerry (respectively). Garrett's and Elizabeth's mothers were O'Connor sisters.
Also on board the Golcondawere Elizabeth's future husband John Fitzgerald and John's cousin, Denis Fitzgerald from Gortagullane, Ballymacelligott. Elizabeth, Garrett, John and Denis all settled in Blenheim, NZ.
The O'Connors were instrumental in bringing out a large number of people to NZ by guaranteeing their fare. As well as the abovementioned these included: 1.Michael and Timothy Hargin (possibly Horgan); 2.John, Ann, and child Nolan; 3. James, Catherine, Mary, Michael and Ann O'Connor; 4. Edmund Howrane; 5.Edward and Michael Houran (Horan); 6.John Horgan, John Leary, and Humphrey Leary. The Hargins, Edmund Howrane, and theO'Connor partycame from Grawn-sowrough, Kiltalow nr Tralee (no doubt the same phonetically spelt place as Garrett and Elizabeth etc);the Nolans had a London address;the Hourans had an address of Raugh near Castlemain Parish, Firies,and the Horgan/Leary party gave as their address c/o Rev'd Parish Priest of Firies.
An Ireland Reaching Out researcher thinks that the Parish of Kiltallagh is the one referred to as Kiltallo, Kiltalo, Kiltalow etc. There is a Garraunreeragh mentioned in the Name Books of Griffiths Valuations and is paired with Garraudarragh (just outside of Molahiffe), but these places are in the Parish of Currans. This is the closest I have got to finding any reference of a place that sounded like the versions written bythese early immigrants. It probably doesn't exist any more.
If anyone has information on Charles Rourke and his relatives (especially Jeremiah) or on the O'Connors while livingin Kerry (their NZ lives are reasonably well-documented) I would be really grateful. Charles Rourke can be found in Griffiths Valuations in Molahiffe but that is the only other reference Ihave for him.
Thank for reading,