In December 2015, my father told me his father played football for Clare, after asking him the name of the town his parents were from.
My father said his father was from Knockatunna Dromandura. I cannot find such a town. There are two towns/locations named Knockatunna in Clare. The one NNE of Ennis is near a river named Dromandura.
When setting my father up with Google Maps on a PC and pointing to the area, he recognized the town of Feakle.
What a lovely story. Do you know any other details about your Grandfather? We would love to add him to the Ancestor Chronicles
Yes, I have more details from my father, but I am new to the site and am not sure how to present the events of the 1900-teens.
I do not know if he played for the senior team, or whether back then, there was a competition for juniors, as there is now. He was about 16 at the time.
1917 was the best season ever for Clare in Football, and my grandfather missed that season, let's say, as guest of the British government.
When he was no longer a guest, he became very popular around town, and his mother did not like the way things were heading, so she shipped him off to Brooklyn, to live with an older sister.
When I get back to Ireland, I want to visit local library with a copy Sunday Independent book of Gaelic games with the scores from all the games from 1887-1993, to see if I can verify if he played for the senior team in the Munster finals of 1916. I went to the national library in Dublin last year and learned there are two library systems and the book I am looking for is the county library system. We stayed in Waterville for a week, and there supposedly was a copy in Tralee, but we never made it that far north until we headed for Clare and there was a lot we wanted to see there.
Hi Clare Football Grandson: I live in neighboring Tulla which is just adjacent to Feakle. What is you grandfather's name? I know several people in Feakle who might have information about the football teams in the 1916/17 era. You can let me know here.
All the best,
Jane
Jane -
His name was Thomas Rodgers. When he came to the US, the "d" was dropped.
My father said he was 16 when he played. I think he was born in 1900, but it could be anywhere from 1899 to 1903. So he might have played anywhere from 1915 to 1919. I had already researched some of Clare's football history, without knowing my grandfather played. My daughter was born in 1992, when Kerry won Football and Clare won Hurling. We named her Kerry, since the older two liked the name. I knew my grandfather and his wife's brother, would go to Gaelic Park in the Bronx to see the games in NY. I ended up playing Association Football (soccer) at Gaelic Park for Manhattan College.
Thanks.
That is very ironic! I only had Michael Rogers here the other day who is from that area. I can ask him about this ancestor if you like. He and his brother are still in that area.
Let me know.
All the best,
Jane
Jane -
I don't know much about my grandfather's family. He was sent to live with his older sister in Brooklyn; I don't even recall the sister's name. My understanding was that the name was Rodgers in Ireland and became Rogers when he came to the US. I don't know how often spelling of names change within Ireland, but I suspect not too often. Whereas, upon immigration to the US, I have heard many stories of names changing when people arrive in the US and not just from Ireland. You can ask about a Thomas Rodgers born around 1899-1903, but based on the name spelling, I suspect there is no relation.
- Bob Rogers
Hi Bob: I was speaking with Michael last week and apparently there were two Rodgers families. I believe that your family may have been from Killanena. The townland is Liss. The Census information for a Rodgers family in 1911 is here: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Clare/Loughea/Liss/371876/
I can make a phone call if you want. You can contact me at: tulla@irelandxo.com.
Happy New Year.
Jane
