Richard Rahilly

built up his father's business, grocer, shopkeeper, publican, general merchant, draper, baker, miller, fish curer, farmer, landowner, importer, inventor, post office and shipping agent, became the wealthiest man in the area,
these were prosperous times for Ballylongford at the mouth of the Shannon, naval craft were frequent visitors to Ballylongford Bay, and the port served much of the outlying area, even Limerick (the town is much reduced in importance today),
by 1874 he was wealthy enough to build a fine new 3 storey Rahilly house, Ballylongford, beside the old Rahilly house, at corner of main crossroads, the only 3 storey house in Ballylongford,
attended Daniel O'Connell centenary celebrations in Dublin 1875 [Bourke, 1967],
listed as "grocer" at Margaret's death 1877 [GROI],
he was postmaster for Ballylongford,
"you never saw such a deserted place now as Ballylongford. It's Richard Rahilly that holds the Post Office there now ... He is the only person that is doing any business in Ballylongford now" [letter by Eliza Patt, 1881],

he was very progressive, he wanted machine to record sales in the shop, no such device on the market, proceeded to invent one of his own, said to be the first cash register seen in Munster,
story that English salesman saw this, and his company started to design one of their own, Richard considered taking legal action, but was advised not to in the end,
other version of story is that Richard was inventing cash register, got into trouble with someone else's patent, stopped him,
Rahillys were the first people in Ireland with a domestic fridge, he brought it from America,
he wanted to install an ice plant - could have shipped salmon, rail to Dublin, fresh for London market - but wife wouldn't go for it,
years later The O'Rahilly said if they had put in the plant, he might never have left Ballylongford,
Ellen put down almost every idea he came up with, she was against everything,
family story that she stopped him patenting something - he always held that against her,
Aodogán asked Alfred about her, Alfred said he could sum her up in one word - "she was a bitch",
Alfred said Richard was terrified of her, used take refuge with their family,

he was involved in setting up of the co-operative creamery in Listowel,
[O'Rahilly, 1991] says this co-op became Kerry Co-op (now Kerry Group), but Kerry Co-op was founded 1972,
on 22nd June 1886, he wrote to his son Michael Joseph (age 11) regretting his own recent behaviour, "I allude to my having" [perhaps "drunk more"?] "than I ought on our trip to Queenstown, but which I trust that you will never again see from your father" [Aodogán's papers],

a loyal British subject, he was a Justice of the Peace in Co.Kerry, Aodogán said he was JP from c.1880, but [Thom's] only lists him from 1892,
he is listed as a JP when he signs a group letter in the Irish Times, February 12, 1891, from many JPs and notable figures of Co.Kerry, urging John Adye Curran, County Court Judge of Kerry, not to leave the county, and praising his work in reducing crime,
he was JP until his death 1896,
though an anti-Parnellite, he rescued a Parnellite candidate from a mob at a meeting in Astee, nr Ballylongford, July 1892 [Bourke, 1967], this would be in general election, 1892, the first since Parnell's downfall and the split,
think his younger brother's brilliant children were helped through school and college by their rich uncle in Ballylongford,
owned boats, sailed Shannon and Atlantic coast; went to race meetings; trips to England; summer vacations, mainly in Co.Clare,
unlike the Humphrys, the Rahillys and Mangans were very much interested in this world - comfort, beauty, gardens etc,

Richard's last will dated 14 Mar 1893, minor codicil after,
he was a magistrate, sitting on the Board of Guardians in Listowel (Listowel Poor Law Union),
on Thur 19th Mar 1896, he attended meeting of Board of Guardians in Listowel, called to appoint a new solicitor to the board [The Kerry Evening Post, Sat 21st Mar 1896],
he cycled home to Ballylongford in torrential rain for 9 miles, got pneumonia,
died Ballylongford, Tue morning 24th Mar 1896, age 55 yrs [The Kerry Evening Post, Sat 28th Mar 1896],
bur Lislaughtin Abbey nr Ballylongford,
estate valued for probate at £24,945 [NAI], this is about £10m in today's money,
Aodogán said he was worth over £100,000 (£40m in today's money),
left his entire estate to Ellen, estate granted to her 3rd Sept 1897 [NAI],
their son Michael Joseph took over business in Ballylongford, but he was anxious to marry, and he quickly sold it off 1898,

Ellen left Ballylongford 1898 and moved closer to her dau Nell (in Limerick city) by purchasing a grand country house, Quinsborough House, Co.Clare,
Quinsborough was purchased by [Deed, Nov 1898], conveyance to her dau Anno for £3000 (about £1m in today's money), house and lands,
Ellen and her dau Anno lived Quinsborough,
Ellen always wanted to be gentry, never liked being shopkeeper's wife, no matter how wealthy (even though Mangans only small farmers, they looked down on shopkeepers),
after Richard's death, Ellen continued supporting the education of T.F.'s brilliant children,
see entry at Quinsborough in [Census, 31 Mar 1901], Ellen described as "Farmer"; Dick and Sighle staying at Quinsborough that night with grandmother and Anno, without their parents; children not yet living there (each listed as "Visitor"); they seem to have 3 servants - a nurse, a female general servant and a coachman,
Nell and her family moved in with them at Quinsborough when her husband Dr.David took ill, there by Sept 1902,
Ellen attended Dr.David's funeral May 1903,
she died at Quinsborough [GROI], 11th Dec 1903 [grave] and [NAI], age 62 yrs,
poss. died 4th Dec [GROI],
bur Lislaughtin Abbey,
Dick (age 7) and Sighle (age 4) were left alone in Quinsborough while everyone went to the funeral, Sighle told me she remembered they had a tremendous day sliding down the stairs on a tray, their stern grandmother would have been horrified to know how they spent her funeral day,
The O'Rahilly drew up plan for new gravestone post-Dec 1903, "Ór d'ua Rathghaille, Risteárd mac Mhichíl mhac Mhichíl, d'éag 1896" (Tomb of O'Rahilly, Richard son of Michael son of Michael, died 1896),
this new gravestone was NOT erected, but the old one WAS changed,
had issue:

1. Margaret Rahilly, born 5th July 1869, Ballylongford [GROI],
   died of diarrhoea, 25th Aug 1870, Ballylongford, age 1 yr [GROI].

   
   

2. Nell Rahilly,
   born Mary Ellen Rahilly (NOT Mary Elena or Mary Ellena),
   at mar she is written in Latin "Maria Helena" in church records and "Mary Ellen" in [GROI],
   born think 27th [source think family] or poss. 28th [GROI] Apr 1871, old house, Ballylongford, Co.Kerry,
   bapt think 28th Apr 1871 [source think Ballylongford par records].

   
   

3. Anno O'Rahilly, revolutionary,
   Aine, think NOT Anne,
   born Anna Rahilly, "Anna" on grave,
   born 17th Feb 1873 [GROI], old house, Ballylongford, Co.Kerry.

   
   

4. Michael Joseph O'Rahilly, "The O'Rahilly", the 1916 leader,
   born Michael Joseph Rahilly, 22nd Apr 1875, new (3 storey) house, Ballylongford, Co.Kerry [GROI],
   though Aodogán O'Rahilly said 21st Apr,
   bapt 24th Apr 1875 [Ballylongford],
   named after his grandfather Michael Joseph Rahilly.

   
   

5. Margaret Rahilly (second Margaret), born 12th May 1876, Ballylongford [GROI],
   died of bronchitis, 7th May 1877, Ballylongford, age 1 yr [GROI].

Richard Rahilly sign.
Now in Finucane's pub, Ballylongford.
Photo 2006. See full size.

   
The grave of Richard Rahilly, Lislaughtin Abbey.
(Left) Photo some time between 1896 and 1903.
(Right) Photo 1985.

The grave of Richard Rahilly.
See full size and alternative shot and close-up.
See alternative close-up (this photo courtesy of Richard Humphreys).
There is a vault underneath this cross.
Photos 2006.

Send me additions and corrections to this site Updates (please include your name and contacts): Send me a file from your computer: If you don't understand this form, use the long version. Or just email me. Enter this password: