Dunderrow and the Pierces

We've learned about Kinsale so now let's take a quick look at Dunderrow where I know our relatives lived.  Samuel Lewis, in his Topographical Dictionary of Ireland of 1837, tells us that Dunderrow is "a parish, partly in the county of the city of CORK, partly in the barony of KINSALE, partly in that of KINNALEA, but chiefly in the barony of EAST MUSKERRY, county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER, 4 miles (W. by N.) from Kinsale, on the road to Bandon; containing 2498 inhabitants. (Compare that with almost 7000 living in the town of Kinsale.)

"This parish comprises 6371 1/4 statute acres ... valued at £4167 per annum; about 800 acres are bog and mountain, and 971 1/4 waste; the remainder (4600 acres) is good land, the greater portion being arable. It consists of several detached portions (there are several separated sections of Dunderrow), and has consequently a great variety of surface and soil; Dunderrow proper (I’m not sure if Ballythomas is in Dunderrow proper) is generally composed of a light soil, which is very well cultivated, and produces abundant crops. 

"A new line of road is in progress through the parish, leading from Kinsale to Bandon. In the Bandon river, which bounds it on the south, are several salmon weirs. 

"The (Protestant) church, a small handsome edifice, with a lofty square tower, was erected by aid of a loan of £500 in 1812 ... In the churchyard is a handsome pyramidal monument of marble, erected over the remains of an English lady, who died at Kinsale while on a tour through Ireland. 

"In the R. C. (Roman Catholic) divisions the parish forms the union or district of Kinsale, but the detached portions belong to the several parishes by which they are surrounded: the chapel is at Ballynamona. 

"The parochial (public) school, situated at Leoffney, is jointly supported by Capt. Herrick and the rector; and there is a daily pay school at Ballynamona. About 100 boys and 40 girls are educated in a private school; and a Sunday school is chiefly maintained by the Rev. Robert Halburd. 

"The doon (fort) from which the parish derives its name has been partly removed: the queen's forces secured themselves upon it in 1601, prior to the siege of Kinsale, when the Spanish forces were in possession."


The following is a list of the townlands in Dunderrow parish. We will see our relatives in the colorful  townlands at the bottom.

This map shows some of the townlands in Dunderrow.

I looked in Griffith's Valuation of Ireland for Keohanes in Dunderrow or Kinsale parishes in the 1850s - none. There were over 118 listings of Keohane in Cork - most were in  Kilmocomoge parish - which is near Bantry and Ballydehob.

I think it was Aunt Nellie Keohane who told me that her great grandfather was Charles Pierce. She also said that in the past the Pierces were Protestant. So next I tried looking up Pierces in Cork - this turned up 12 listings in Griffith's Valuation - and one was in Dunderrow!

I found a Cornelius Pierce in the above Horsehill Mor North listing in the Parish of Dunderow in Griffith’s Valuation in the 1850s. Horsehill Mor North borders Ballythomas. Blayney Calnane is renting Lot 1, which is just over 136 acres, from landlord John Cuthbert Kearney, Esq. He is paying 51 English pounds 10 shillings to the landlord - he has a house and farm buildings in Lot 1a.  Cornelius Pierce, one of 7 tenants on Lot 1, is paying 10 shillings annually to rent a house and small garden. Does this mean that Con is a farm laborer for Blayney Calnane?  Is he working for Calnane and renting the house with a small garden to raise his potatoes - maybe some vegetables - to feed his family? 

We saw this same subdivision of land in Sneem before the Great Hunger - more and more people were renting smaller and smaller plots of land and living off potatoes which were nutritious and plentiful.

This Blayney Calnan was listed on www.irishgenealogy.ie as being married to Bridget Casey. He was a family man - I found 3 children - Catherine/born 1848 in Dunderrow, James/born 1850 in Horse Hill, and Bridget/born in 1852. I couldn't find Blayney or his son James Calnan in Dunderrow in the 1901 Irish Census.

I went through the Kinsale records for Pearse/Pierce on www.irishgenealogy.ie.  From 1818 to 1829 I found listings for 2 John Pierces, a Cornelius Pierce, Mary Pierce, Charles Pierce, and Thomas Pierce. These are all names from our family. Cornelius Pierce is likely the one listed in Griffith's Valuation. I wonder if this was one family? 

I found a marriage certificate on www.irishgenealogy.ie for Charles Pearse of Dunderrow and Mary Leary 9 May 1829 in Kinsale. Witnesses were Judith Gibbons and John Pearce.

Then, on www.irishgenealogy.ie, I found a baptimal certificate from the Catholic Church in Kinsale for Con Pearce - whose parents are Charles Pearse and Mary Leary of D Derra (Dun Derra) who was baptized 2 December 1835.  

I don’t know what that small third column denotes.

And look at the sponsors - is that Jon or Jos Cowley & Kate ? Coughlan?

We do know from Aunt Nellie that Charles Pierce from the Kinsale area had 2 daughters – Ellen and Mary. I always presumed there were more children. And when I found Ellen Pearce's baptismal record and saw that her mother was Mary Leary, I knew that the above Con was Ellen's older brother.

According to www.irishgenealogy.ie, Ellen was baptized 28 January 1843 - parents are Charles Pearce and Mary Leary. Sponsors are John Flynn and Mary Pearce. I can't make out where they live. B something - does the B stand for Bally?

So Charles Pearce had John Pearce as a witness for his wedding, and Mary Pearce was a sponsor for Charles Pearce's daughter Ellen. I am presuming that John and Mary are Charles Pearce's siblings.

I couldn't find any baptismal record for our Mary Pearce. 

I did find a baptism in 1826 for a Mary Pierce on 9 January in Kinsale - but her parents are John Pierce and Ellen Cummings. Sponsors are Mary Pierce and James Whitty. (I wonder if it is the same Mary Pierce who was a sponsor for Ellen Pearce?)

There is also a baptism for Ellen Pierce that same year - 28 March 1826 - this Ellen is the daughter of a different John Pierce; her mother is  Ellen Carthy. Her sponsors are Cornelius Pierce and Mary Coveney. I wonder if this Cornelius Pierce is the one listed in Griffith's Valuation in the early 1850s? Is he a brother or a cousin of our Charles Pearce? 

I wonder if we will ever find out how all these Pierces are related?