A New Zealand man researching his family tree came across the graves of Bantry people in his native country and is wondering if anyone knows who they are.
A NEW Zealand man researching his family tree came across the graves of Bantry people in his native country and is wondering if anyone knows who they are.
Chris McCarthy was looking into his descendants when he came across two O’Sullivan graves with local connections.
One headstone is of a Geffrey Timothy O’Sullivan (O’Sullivan Beare) who died aged 68 in 1916, a descendant of Donald O’Sullivan, Prince of Beara and of Bantry; and his wife Julia O’Sullivan who died in 1930.
The other is of Mary, Margaret, John, Florence, Patrick and Bridget O’Sullivan.
Chris, who is head of Logistics for the New Zealand Herald, and seven other daily newspapers in the country, said: ‘Last year I managed to get in touch with relatives from the birthplace of my great grandmother from Bere Island. I was also fortunate to visit the island with my family during that time as my great grandfather, a stonemason from Dunmanway, was instrumental in building the Ardnakinna Lighthouse there in the mid 1800s.
‘Having had my interest piqued from the visit, I am now in the process of completing a family tree which I might add is an arduous but enjoyable exercise.
‘In the process of doing the family tree, I visited a cemetery here in Taradale, New Zealand, where my grandfather is buried and discovered a couple of interesting headstones unrelated to my family. I contacted my cousin from Bere Island and he suggested that the pictures I took may be of interest to you or your readers, given they are Irish from the Bantry region buried in a foreign land.’
Anyone with information can contact Chris at [email protected]
