My ancestors - O'Rahilly - Contents

Morgan O'Rahilly

The oldest dated item in my entire family tree (excluding Blennerhassett).
"Murrogh O'Rahilly" in Exchequer Bill, 26 May 1701.

Morgan O'Rahilly,
Murtagh, born est c.1675,
of Raheen, Co.Kerry (thought to be Raheen, Aghadoe par, E of Killarney).
Brother of the Gaelic poet Aodhagán Ó Rathaille.

See note on the wives of Morgan O'Rahilly and Fionn O'Rahilly.
According to our theory, Morgan probably married Julia O'Donoghue "Mourney".
We think this is who he married, rather than Mary O'Donoghue "Mourney", or a dau of Donal O'Sullivan of Meentogues.

The 1701 Exchequer Bill:
He may be "Murrogh O'Rahilly" or "Morrough O'Rahilly" who is party to Exchequer Bill, 26 May 1701.
The original Bill apparently said "Murrogh O'Rahilly" was of Annaghilymore, Aghadoe parish. A farmer with wife and children.
Annaghilymore is on NE side of Raheen, Aghadoe par, right next to it.
[Dineen and O'Donoghue, 1911] says Annaghilymore was "the mensal land of Mac Carthy More" (the chief's personal land under brehon law).

Morgan and his wife had issue:

Dónall 'ac Murchadha ó Rathaille, the poet,
of Raheen, Aghadoe parish, Co.Kerry.
His name means "Daniel son of Morgan" ('ac short for Mac).
Also seen as: Domhnall 'ac Murchadha, Domnall Ac Murchadha, Dónall mac Murchadha, Donal O'Rahilly.
[P102/207(5)] says "he had a big farm at Raheen [illegible] and a stage house. All the traffic from Killarney to Kanturk used go that way in those days" (along what are now just minor roads).
He was also said to have held nearby Lisbabe (or Lisbaby), Aghadoe par, Co.Kerry (see map).
It was said that he "had the whole of Lisbaby to himself" [1910 letter from The O'Rahilly].
He was renting Lisbabe from MacCarthy.
Lisbabe was one of the ploughlands that belonged to Eoghan MacCarthy (Owen) of Lisnagaun (Headfort, Aghadoe par, see map).
He may be "Daniel Rahily" of Lisbabe, who wit the will of Eoghan MacCarthy of Lisnagaun, 6 Nov 1724.
See MacCarthy's will of 1724 printed in [Dineen and O'Donoghue, 1911], showing his lands included Lisbabe and Barraduff.
Dónall was a poet.
He was the author of Cois Brice ("Beside the Bric", refers to River Bric or Brick, which runs past Lixnaw town, NW Co.Kerry) and other verses.
He is said to have erected the O'Rahilly memorial slab in the nave of the church at Muckross Abbey.
He died without issue, c.1784 [Fitzelle, 1986].
[King, 1910] and [1910 letter from The O'Rahilly] say that Dónall and his uncle the poet Aodhagán are buried in the same grave in Muckross Abbey.
Lisbaby was inherited by his brother Fionn's family.
Fionn O'Rahilly,
of Lower Lisbaby, Co.Kerry,
born est c.1710.
Eoin O'Rahilly,
John.

"Morganus Rahilly" the father of Rev. Florence Rahilly

Morgan may be identical with:

Morganus Rahilly,
of "Sancti Cumini" (Kilcummin parish), Co.Kerry,
mar Julia O'Donoghue,
had issue:

Rev. Florence Rahilly,
born est c.1715.
Catholic priest during the Penal Laws.
He was educ at the Irish College, Bordeaux, France.
He was ordained a priest in 1739.

Note on the wives of Morgan O'Rahilly and Fionn O'Rahilly

The O'Rahilly pedigree in [King, 1910] says that:

Morgan O'Rahilly married a dau of Donal O'Sullivan of Meentogues.
His son Fionn O'Rahilly married Mary O'Donoghue "Mourney".

However, we find a couple, "Morganus Rahilly and Julia O'Donoghue", in the right time and possibly right place. They have a son Rev. Florence Rahilly.
[Fitzelle, 1986] proposed a theory that this is our Morgan, and we swap the wives round as a result.
Fitzelle's theory would be that:

Morgan O'Rahilly married Julia O'Donoghue "Mourney".
His son Fionn O'Rahilly married Mary O'Sullivan, dau of Donal O'Sullivan of Meentogues.

Evidence against this theory:

It is not the theory in our family tree.
Rev. Florence Rahilly is not mentioned in our family.
There could be two Morgan Rahillys in the same generation.
Rev. Florence's father is of Kilcummin parish, which may not be the right Raheen.

More confirmation is needed of this theory.

Raheen, Aghadoe par, and Raheen, Kilcummin par

There are two Raheens in the area.
To the W, Raheen in Aghadoe parish (beside Lisbabe and Annaghilymore).
To the E, Raheen in Kilcummin parish (the neighbouring parish, SE of Stagmount).

The evidence seems clear that the O'Rahilly property was Raheen, Aghadoe par:

[P102/207(5)] said all the traffic from Killarney to Kanturk used go through Raheen, and Dónall 'ac Murchadha ó Rathaille had a stage house there. This can only apply to Raheen, Aghadoe par, which is on the old road.
Morgan O'Rahilly may be "Murrogh O'Rahilly" of Annaghilymore, Aghadoe parish, who is party to Exchequer Bill, 26 May 1701.
Annaghilymore is on NE side of Raheen, Aghadoe par, right next to it.
[Dineen and O'Donoghue, 1911] (see p.xii) say the poet's relations were of Raheen near Annaghilymore.

The evidence it was Raheen, Kilcummin parish, is weaker:

Extract from [King, 1931] says our Morgan was of Raheen in Kilcummin.
The records of Rev. Florence Rahilly say his parents are of "Sancti Cumini" (Kilcummin parish). Of course this may not be our family.
The records of Rev. Florence Rahilly also say he is from "Aghadoe", but looking at other people's records this clearly refers to the Diocese, not the parish.

The two Raheens on the same map.
To the NW, Raheen, Aghadoe par (beside Lisbabe and Annaghilymore).
To the SE, Raheen, Kilcummin par (SE of Stagmount).
See full size. From here.

Raheen, Aghadoe par, on 1829 to 1842 map.

Raheen, Kilcummin par, on 1829 to 1842 map.