O'Grady's Gortavalla/ Castlegarde

Thanks for the info Roger.  I knew that my great grandmother Johanna was a Ryan and I had the pleasure of meeting a distant cousin, Nonnie Bray Ryan, at the family home years ago (1982).  My "uncle" Paddy O'Grady drove us there from Fermoy, where he had been an all Ireland GAA footballer  Nonnie was in her seventies or eighties then and came peddling down the road on her bicycle steering with one hand while holding a chicken by the neck in the other. Good stock that one.  

I had much of the info you sent me with the exception of John and Isabella O'Grady, he 85, she 60.  I dare say I hadn't heard mention of them at family dinners.  I am trying to learn about the lineage of my great, great grandfather,  Bridget's husband, and the details of the story Mr. Maher told about one of the acestors from Castlegarde converting back to Catholicism for the love of a village girl.  Tres romantic, unless of course that was John who was living with Isabella in 1901. But you can't choose your family can ya.  Thanks again for your help.  

Paul. My grandfather was John O'Grady and was born in Lackamore which is near to Castleguard. His father was John but he was married to Bridget Walsh. I do have the family history from there back but not sure that we are talking about the same John. Perhaps you can get in touch and we can swap info.  Mary

lhi mary.  paul here from new mexico.  not sure where you are at but would love any info you have relating to the family/ies.  so, below is link to the 1901 cencus record on my o'grady's.  my grandfather's older brother was a john o'gray, as was his father who was married to bridget, but i don't know bridget's maiden name.  i have read a post by tom ryan concerning your o'gradys from (lackamore and doon).  interesting coincidence of names, and cousins at least i assume.  the gentleman maher who i mention above knew more about my family than any living relative.  super interesting man.  he owned the house where my granfather was born which adjoins and is below the big o'grady estate of castlegarde. funny, my mother's version of the family history was that her o'gradys never converted to protestantism and were given the farmhouse by the o'gradys that did.  maher's version of historical events, which i beleive to be true since his family has been in the area uninterrupted for a long, long time, was that my great or great great grandfather was protestant and converted back to catholicism.  needless to say, my family is not crazy about that version of events. maher also has a strong knowledge/belief regarding the ruthlessness the protestant o'gradys inflicted upon their catholic brethren.  not a history well recorded since standish o'grady, a relative and ireland's great historian, was protestant.  maher's family were itenerants, and i believe he told me that his grandfater left home to labor in the area at 12 years of age.  men like that don't write history, but they live it and tell it.  i look forward to hearing from you cuz.

http://census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Limerick/Doon_South/Gortav…

attached is a photo of me and a young resident of the farmhouse circa 1982

Hi Paul. I live in Kinsale on the south coast of Ireland. I fear that we have 2 different John's. My grandfather was John and his mother was Bridgid as in your list but his wife was Sarah McCarthy. I am attaching what I understand to be the census for them for 1901. There is bound to be a connection. My grandfather and his wife are not in this as they would not have ever lived there during their married life as he was not the eldest son. They were living in the US at the time but came back to Ireland later.

my grandfather thomas came to the states as a jesuit semenarian but left the seminary and sold ecclesiastical wines during prohibition. i have a slew of o'grady first cousins once removed living in cork, primarily fermoy, and have passed through beautiful kinsale traveling about cork with them.  beautiful place, although my personal favorite local is sheep's head penninsula.  though i have only been there in the summertime.  i am getting a mitochondrial dna test done so may have more info down the road.  i'm a bit obsessed with learning where my o'gradys and the viscount's people seperated- assuming mr. maher's oral history to have some merit.  pleasure chatting with you mary.

Paul. Please email me on m.minihane@gmail.com and we can go through the story of the O'Grady that changed religion for the love of a girl because we have a similar story so maybe we should be both on the same track. We may need a chat on the phone to get through it.

Mary