Genealogy research by Mark Humphrys.
Genealogy research by Mark Humphrys.
The old Irish O'Meara family (O'Meadhra in Irish)
had lands in the Barony of Upper Ormond, N Co.Tipperary.
The village of
Toomyvara,
or Toomevara,
is named after them.
In Irish it is Tuaim ui Mheadhra
(or Tuaim ui Mheara), "Tomb of the O'Mearas".
Toomyvara is in
Aghnameadle par, E of Nenagh
(on the Dublin road),
N Co.Tipperary
(see map).
See notes on
O'Meara of Toomyvara, Co.Tipperary.
There is a tradition that our family
was originally from Toomyvara.
Stephen O'Mara
called his house "Toomyvara"
around 1920.
Dr. Frank O'Mara
called his house "Toomyvara"
around 1940.
However, in 2020 (see below) I discovered that
before they came to Limerick,
our O'Mara family was from
near
Clonmel, Co.Tipperary.
This is nowhere near Toomyvara.
Any Toomyvara origin, if it exists, would have to be further back.
Perhaps, when they moved to Limerick, they were taken with the fact that Toomyvara was on the road to Dublin.
And they were taken by the name and considered it as their ultimate ancestral home.
Letterhead of letter of
17 Aug 1897,
from
Hartstonge House.
Shows that our family used the O'Meara crest.
See also letter of
13 Sept 1899.
Letterhead of
1905 letter
in our family, showing use of O'Meara crest.
See full size.
Extract from O'MEARA
on p.238
of [O'Hart, 1915, vol.1].
This explains that the O'Meara crest on the letterhead above
is a pelican
vulning herself.
Motto:
"Opima spolia".
In 2020, I worked it out in two ways, first by looking at James' brother Andrew:
The top of
O'Mara family tree, post-1961,
gives the mother as Peggy Casey.
"Peggy" is of course Margaret.
The grave of Andrew O'Mara in Canada
says he was born in Clonmel in Jan 1817.
See full size.
Baptism of twins John and Andrew O'Mara,
8 Jan 1817, Clonmel,
sons of Peter O'Mara and Margaret Casey.
From here.
Marriage cert of John in Liverpool in 1842
shows his father as Peter O'Mara, "farmer".
Marriage of John in parish records in Liverpool in 1842.
Shows his father as Peter O'Mara.
See full size.
James Mara, woollen draper,
and Margaret Mara, milliner,
40 Main St, Clonmel,
listed
in
[Slater's directory, 1846].
William Mara, blacksmith, Irishtown, Clonmel,
is
listed
in
[Slater's directory, 1846].
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