THE Southern Star and Skibbereen locals have been credited with helping a US man locate his West Cork ancestors after four decades of research, a journey that began way back in 1993.
Over 30 years ago, Massachusetts’ Bill Wolfendale wrote to this newspaper looking for information on the Donovan and Leary families of Dromig and Cloghboola and this letter set him on a long, but rewarding, path.
‘In October of 1993, my wife Nina, and I visited Skibbereen for the first time.
We were in search of my Donovan and Leary ancestral homestead. Our first impression of Skibbereen was a very familiar one; we both felt like we were here in a past life.
We were fortunate to meet extremely friendly people everywhere we went,’ recalled Bill. That proved a fruitful visit in terms of unearthing information about his family, and a few weeks later he wrote a letter to The Southern Star, searching for information on his long-lost family who left Skibbereen in 1847 due to the Famine.
‘This letter gave us a few responses. Denny O’Sullivan of Coronea and Fr Denis Michael O’Donovan, CM Vincentians, were two people who shed invaluable light on my research. Later, Margaret in the Skibbereen Heritage Centre offered abundant help,’ said Bill.
Bill Wolfendale with his wife Nina.
‘This brings us to 2025, 32 years after my first visit to Skibbereen, and after over 40 years of research, I finally have a full picture of who my Donovan and Leary were. By using DNA matches, as well as church and vital records (civil records) I was able to confirm the relationships of the Donovan families from Dromig and Lassanaroe, as well as the Leary’s of Cloghboola,’ he said.
‘The Southern Star was very instrumental in my success! If my letter to the editor of the Star was not published in 1993, I never would have had contact with Denny O’Sullivan or Fr. Denis Michael O’Donovan,’ said Bill, who plans to return to West Cork next year.
The region has felt like home from the first moment Bill and his wife stepped foot in Skibbereen.
‘It was very strange entering a place that we never visited and having an overwhelming feeling of place and home. Everything was very familiar to my wife and I. People are always so friendly and helpful. Unlike America, nobody was in a rush or too important not to say hello.’
