The Cahirdaniel Moriartys

We have learned that Michael Moriarty of Coad married Gobnet Sweeney in 1850. They had a daughter Mary whom we may have found near Loughane. They also had a son who became the Schoolmaster in Inch. We have learned a good deal about his family.

But I want to take a quick detour to another more distant branch of our family.

I had learned from my O'Sullivan cousins in Loughane that there was a cousin Mary/Maura Moriarty running the Cahirdaniel Post Office who probably knew something about the Loughane Moriartys. I did stop in to see her on one of my trips, but she was busy and I was unprepared – I had no questions ready. I later wrote to her as well. Imagine how surprised I was to get this letter a year later.

"St. John's Presbytery

Wingfield Road

Trowbridge, Wiltshire

England

                                                                                                                                                                                                             24th Nov. 1980

"Dear Mary Manning,

Let me introduce myself to you. I am a priest, and my name is Father Edward Moriarty. In May of this year, I was visiting my sister, Mary Moriarty, who is postmistress in Cahirdaniel,  Co. Kerry in Ireland. One day she handed me an American letter which she had received from you. The letter was dated 24 November, just one year ago. She said to me, 'perhaps when you have time, you could reply to that letter, I am so busy.' I have your letter here before me now.

I was very interested in your letter, as well do I know the story of the drowning of your great grandfather Myles Moriarty of Loughane in Kenmare Bay in 1894. I heard of this from my father John Moriarty who was related to Myles, and of course his brother James who was schoolmaster in Inch. I fear that I cannot just tell you the degree of the relationship. I remember many years ago James Moriarty  of Inch calling specially to see my father. On that day his two sons,  Fr. Myles Moriarty later a priest in Scotland,  and Fr. John Moriarty, later a priest, in St. Joseph, Missouri, were with him. They would be the brothers of Nuala and Tess Moriarty.

I have another cousin, Helen O'Sulivan living quite near the town of Cahirciveen. She has five children. Her mother was Margaret Moriarty, who was a sister of my father, and she would be another family connection. I have two other first cousins here in London, Mary Moriarty and Eileen Moriarty. They are the daughters of my uncle Michael Moriarty. They were born and grew up in Sneem. I am surprised to know that you have been in Sneem three times. It is quite possible that the O'Sullivans did not know of all the connections on the Moriarty side. Some Irish people are not always well versed in relationships. But you are evidently very keen about the Irish connections on the Moriarty side, and that is why I am giving you this information. I do know that the Boston Irish love to learn about their Irish connections. The Moriartys are an old Kerry family. Our forebears have lived in Co. Kerry for more than 1,000 years, so you see how deep the roots go. In ancient times the castle of the Moriarty Clan was at Castledrum not too far from Inch. In 1641 they lost all their lands and property, and like many other Irish families of that time became impoverished. In olden times the family was known as O'Moriarty.

There have been two bishops of Kerry of the name Moriarty, Bishop Dennis Moriarty, and Bishop David Moriarty who died in 1877. He was Kerry's most famous bishop, and was a man of tremendous learning and scholarship. He attended the first Vatican Council in 1870. The present Director General of Irish Radio and Television is Patrick Joseph Moriarty, who was born west of Inch, and one of the big Irish sports commentators every week is Michael Moriarty, also born in Co. Kerry. Well now you know something of the Moriartys of Co. Kerry from whom your great grandfather Myles Moriarty sprung from. So you can tell all your family this great story. 

I was in Boston in 1966 visiting many cousins mostly on my mother's side. My sister whom you wrote to spent the Christmas season in Boston in 1977. She was also in California in 1964, where there are more Moriarty connections. On our side there are also Moriarty connections in Boise, Idaho. James Moriarty was the first Mayor of Idaho City in its early days as a mining centre in the last century. He was my father's uncle.

I work here as a priest in England, but I go to Ireland twice each year. I love Kerry, and Kenmare Bay since I was a boy. The scenery there is the most beautiful in Ireland.

I hope you like your new president, and that he does good for America, and brings much wanted employment, as I know that there are many out of work just now. 

With all good wishes for a happy Christmas,
Yours sincerely,
E. Moriarty
Reverend Edward Moriarty

P.S. There are still many families of the name Moriarty in South Kerry but I am afraid it would take much time to write about all of them." 

Father Edward talks about the uprising of 1641 which was put down by the English who then confiscated Irish lands. Then Cromwell came, and the Irish he did not slaughter, he forced west to the worst land in the country. Land was wrenched from the hands of the Irish and given to the British.

We met Bishop of Kerry, David Moriarty, whom Father Edward just spoke about, when he blessed that foundation stone of the new Sneem Catholic Church in 1863 - remember the Earl of Dunraven donated money and the landlord, Bland, donated the land.

And the new president that Father Edward refers to was Ronald Reagan.

I received this St. Patrick's Day card in 1981. 

The enclosed card was "Don't Quit " - 

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,

When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high, 

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As everyone of us sometimes learns, 

And many a failure turns about 

When he might have won had he stuck it  out;

Don't give up though the pace seems slow --

You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out --

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you can never tell just how close you are,

It may be near when it seems so far;

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--

It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Inside the card Father Edward wrote:

"10th March 1981

Thank you for all your letters and interesting correspondence.

I will be writing to you later answering some of your questions but firstly I have to celebrate St. Patrick's Day on the 17th. I hope young Myles is doing well. What will Watertown be like on St. Patrick's Day?

I had an uncle on my mother's side - Daniel Shea. He died in Watertown in 1934 - more later.

Wishing you all the top of the morning for the 17th. Good luck and may St. Patrick be with you,

E. Moriarty"

"Young Myles" is my son Dan - Daniel Myles. I called him Daniel after Daniel O'Connell. The Myles was after my great grandfather - Myles Moriarty - whom we will hear more about later.

Father Edward gave us interesting information about a branch of our family that we had never heard about from Ma. My mother, father and I couldn't wait to hear what else Father Edward had to say!