My ancestors - O'Sullivan - Contents

Eugene (or Owen) Sullivan

The father of Fr. John Sullivan of Louvain (born 1633).
And the grandfather of Rev. Florence Sullivan of Louvain (born 1655).
[Prendergast, part 4, 1899] says Eugene or Owen was the father of Fr. John.

Eugene (or Owen) Sullivan,
or O'Sullivan,
of Dunkerron, near Kenmare, Co.Kerry.
He had issue:

1. Fr. John Sullivan,
   or O'Sullivan,
   Irish priest, born 1633, Dunkerron, Co.Kerry.
   He was educ University of Louvain, Belgium.
   He matriculated (entered) 6 Dec 1655. He entered the oldest college, the Pedagogie du Porc.
   He had status of "pauper" (exempt from some fees, most Irish got this status).
   "L Arts" (Licentiate of Arts) Nov 1657.
   He was ordained in stages from 18 Sept 1660 to 16 Apr 1661.
   STB 1661.
   Lector in theology in the Benedictine Lobbes Abbey, Belgium.
   Then missionary in Ireland.
   P.P. in Diocese of Achonry (Connacht), 1665.
   Came back to Louvain in 1666.
   STL 1670.
   He became President of the Irish Pastoral College in Louvain on 27 Aug 1672.
   He was made a Doctor of Sacred Theology in 1682.
   He was known as "Johannes Acutus" ("Wise John").
   Rector of the University of Louvain, Aug 1690 to Feb 1691.
   President of the College de Drieux (Driutius), Louvain, 1692-95.
   He returned to President of the Irish Pastoral College 1695.
   He possibly resigned as President of the Irish Pastoral College in favour of his nephew 1697.
   
   O'Sullivan Bourse at Louvain, founded 1699:
   In 1699 Fr. John set up a "bourse" (bursary) to allow his Irish relations to attend Louvain and study Rhetoric, Philosophy and Theology. The bourse was "for his relations of the second degree, provided they were born in Ireland". This suggests it applied to all descendants of his brothers and 1st cousins, in both male and female lines.
   
   He died 26 May 1699, age 66 yrs.
   He died at a villa belonging to the Irish Pastoral College, between Velthem and Herent near Louvain (see map).
   He was bur in the church in Herent (see map and street view).
   Epitaph: "Collegii Hibernorum Praeses et Benefactor. Obiit in Villa 26 Maji 1699" ("President and Benefactor of the Irish College").
   See [Jennings, 1944]. See entry in [Louvain database of students].

   
   

2. --- O'Sullivan, or Sullivan,
   of Dunkerron, Co.Kerry,
   might be identical with Teige below,
   had issue:

   
   

   1. Rev. Florence Sullivan,
      or O'Sullivan,
      born 1655, Dunkerron, Co.Kerry.
      [Louvain database of students] says he was "from nobility".
      He was educ University of Louvain, Belgium.
      He matriculated (entered) 1681-82 (various dates given). He entered the college of "Lilio" (Lily College or the Pedagogie du Lis). He had status of "pauper" (exempt from some fees, most Irish got this status).
      "L Arts" (Licentiate of Arts) 16 Nov 1683.
      MA (Magister Artium, Master of Arts) 13 Aug 1684.
      STB 30 Mar 1688. [Louvain database of students] says "STBF".
      STL 1690.
      President of the Irish Pastoral College in Louvain. He succeeded his uncle Fr. John as President in 1697, or certainly by 1699.
      He was made a Doctor of Sacred Theology 10 Nov 1698.
      Rector of the University of Louvain, Aug 1715 to Feb 1716.
      Will dated 21 June 1726.
      He died 19 Aug 1731, age 76 yrs, of wounds from a fall at Roeselberg near Louvain (see map).
      He was bur with an epitaph in Church of St. James (St. Jacques), W side of Louvain (see street view).
      
      Irish bursary at Louvain, founded 1731:
      By his will he founded a bursary, for students in Theology, Philosophy, Law and Medicine, "a preference to be given his kindred to the third degree, then to the O'Sullivans of Kerry, the MacCarthy's of Kerry, or natives of Kerry, Cashel or Ulster".
      
      See [Jennings, 1944]. See entry in [Louvain database of students].

   
   

3. Teige Sullivan,
   or Timothy.
   [Prendergast, part 4, 1899] gives him as a brother of Fr. John and gives the following descent.
   But if Timothy of Lisbane is meant to be alive in 1899, then it seems there are not enough generations here.
   He had issue:
   1. Donel Sullivan,
      or Daniel,
      had issue:
      1. Dermod Sullivan,
         or Darby,
         last occupant of Cappanacush Castle, Co.Kerry,
         had issue:
         1. Eugene Sullivan,
            or Owen,
            had issue:
            1. John Sullivan,
               had issue:
               1. Patrick Sullivan,
                  of Lisbane, Co.Kerry (between Cahersiveen and Kells),
                  had issue:
                  1. Timothy Sullivan, of Lisbane.

   
   

4. Mary O'Sullivan.
   [Prendergast, part 5, 1899] gives her as a sister of Fr. John and gives the following descent.
   But it seems there are not enough generations here.
   She mar Charles Brennan and had issue:
   1. Margaret Brennan,
      mar Bryan Kelly [of Sneem, Co.Kerry],
      had issue:
      1. Mary Kelly,
         mar Cornelius Sullivan,
         she was said to have "lived to 115 years of age",
         had issue:
         1. Mary Sullivan,
            mar Richard Fitzgerald,
            she was said to have "lived to 105 years of age",
            had issue:
            1. Michael Fitzgerald.
               "M.D.C., Killarney".
               Think this means "Member of the District Council".
               There is a Michael Fitzgerald listed among the Town Commissioners for Killarney in [Thom's, 1894].
               Clearly there are not enough generations in this descent.
               He had issue:
               1. Edward Fitzgerald.
                  He is described in [Prendergast, part 5, 1899] as then a student at Maynooth

The will of Florence Sullivan.
From [Prendergast, part 3, 1898].

The family of Fr. John Sullivan shown in [Prendergast, part 4, 1899].
Probably from oral tradition in the 1890s, and not very convincing. There are no dates, and there seem to be too few generations.
Fr. John Sullivan of Louvain and his nephew Fr. Florence Sullivan of Louvain are well documented, but the family surrounding them is not.

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The Sullivans in Reusens

References to the Sullivans in [Reusens, 1881-1903].

John Sullivan in the list of "Praesides collegii pastoralis Hibernici" (Presidents of the Irish Pastoral College, Louvain).
From pp.481-482 in [Reusens, 1885].

Florence Sullivan in the list of Presidents of the Irish Pastoral College above.

John and Florence Sullivan in the list of bursaries of the Irish Pastoral College.
From p.485 in [Reusens, 1885]. See also p.486.

John Sullivan in the list of "Recteurs trimestriels".
From p.287 in [Reusens, 1902].

Florence Sullivan in the list of "Recteurs trimestriels".

John Sullivan in the list of "Praesides collegii Driutiani" (Presidents of the College de Drieux (Driutius), Louvain).
From p.268 in [Reusens, 1885].

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References

• Documents relatifs a l'histoire de l'Universite de Louvain (1425-1797), Edmond Reusens, 1881-1903. Some online:
  • "Colleges et Pedagogies": vol.3, 1885 and vol.4, 1888.
  • "Universite en General": vol.1, 1902.

• Ancient History of the Kingdom of Kerry. This is an undated 18th century work, by an unknown Friar, probably an O'Sullivan, probably of Muckross Abbey. Ms in [RIA]. Edited by F. Jarlath Prendergast. Published in JCHAS in 10 parts, issues no.38-47, 1898-1900.
  • It states that Dr. Kent is then President of the Irish Pastoral College in Louvain, so this dates it to 1773-1778.
  • Online here. See transcript (and notes).
  • See pp.128-130 in part 1, 1898.
  • See pp.255-258 in part 3, 1898.
  • See pp.24-25 in part 4, 1899.
  • See p.96 in part 5, 1899.

• The O'Sullivan Bourse in Louvain, by Seoirse De Rís, in the Kerry Magazine No. 8, 1997.
  • See image.
  • See 1912 tracing (and larger).

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Sources yet to be consulted

• Find a map of all the old colleges of Louvain.
• Grave of Fr. John Sullivan, church in Herent.
• Grave of Fr. Florence Sullivan, Church of St. James, Louvain.

• History of Muckross Abbey, pre-1898. Think by F. Jarlath Prendergast. Sullivans and bourses in Ch.13.

• Royal Library of Belgium (KBR)
  • Manuscript Fasti Academici Lovaniensis by Jean-Noel Paquot (1722-1803). KBR Ms 17567-17568.
  • Manuscript Historia Universitatis Lovaniensis by Jean-Lambert Bax (1753-1834). KBR Ms 22172. See also 22173 and 22174.
  • [Prendergast, part 1, 1898] refers to a: "sketch of the life of John O'Sullivan written by contemporary authors (Paquot and Bax)".

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• 18th century Ancient History of Kerry says that of this family is:
  • Dr. Dermod O'Sullivan, "Professor of Physick, lately in Ostend, now in Bruges, under Lieutenant fflorence O'Sullivan of Colonel Rut's regiment."
  • Rev. Cornelius Sullivan, studied at Louvain under the O'Sullivan Bourse, "now chaplain in Colonel Buckley's regiment".
  • Some other O'Sullivans, shown in a confused fashion in [18th century Ancient History of Kerry, part 3].

• Old maps of Leuven
• List of colleges of the Old University of Louvain. From The Irish ecclesiastical record, Jan-June 1886.