John Cassidy (1802-1881) of Kilmore was a schoolmaster in Wexford Town at St Peter’s (1826, probably 1823-36), in Castlebridge until 1842, and then back in Kilmore. He joined his younger daughter Margaret Cassidy Kilroy (my gt gt grandmother) in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in 1877. He married Margaret Rea in Wexford Town in July 1826. Margaret Rea’s mother must have been Margaret Devereux; certainly the family were closely connected to the Deveruxes and Redmonds.
He lived at Ballyask, Kilturk as a tenant of Robert Rossiter, and kept up a lively correspondence with other educated folk in Kilmore until his death. It seems that his eldest daughter Ellen stayed on in Castlebridge as the local schoolteacher when he and his wife returned to Kilmore; she married a bone setter called Moses Murphy, and I believe the family persists in Castlebridge. I don’t know if any of his sons (Nicholas, Richard, Robert) lived beyond infancy. I have followed th fortunes of his daughters Bridget (1831-1913) and Margaret (1838-1926) in Canada and the USA. John Cassidy had a sister Catherine (1813-about 1890) who married Raphael Byrne of Carnew and emigrated to Ontario in 1850. John Cassidy seems to have been a much valued person - an educator, and a person at the centre of a highly educated circle in the Bargy area in the 19th century. I am trying to find his parentage (he may have come from a townland called Thelo), and record of his education and teaching - as well as the connection of the Rea, Devereux and Redmond families in the area of Kilmore/Tomhaggard/Wexford town. Margaret Rea was also literate, as was her ancestor Richard Rea, whose 1747 prayer book in English was in the family here for some time.
Jameslconway
Saturday 23rd Jan 2021, 03:38PMMessage Board Replies
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Look up
Cassidy quintuplets .ie born in Bridgetown Co Wexford Bridgetown is near Kilmore
only quintuplets in Ireland ---- Father is Kevin Cassidy I have a memory card of a Laurence Cassidy
My e-mail orchardpark1@hotmail.com
Laurence Doyle
orchardpark12
Thursday 28th Jan 2021, 07:37PM -
John Cassidy's landlord Robert Rossiter was probably the father of Michael Rossiter, who married Margaret Sinnott of Bunarge, Carne in 1864. They lived at Ballask. Has any of John's correspondence with people of Kilmore survived? There are possibly unexplored connections between the Rossiters of Ballask and the Sinnotts of Bunarge.
Rex Sinnott
Pheney
Tuesday 2nd Feb 2021, 09:14PM -
Hi Rex. I have only a photocopy of 4 pages one letter from someone in Kilmore to John Cassidy dated 23 January 1875. A number of local people are mentioned, and the construction indicates a very highly educated writer. There is reference to John Cassidy’s friend Mr Parle, who seems to have died in 1873, and to Father Gaffney, who left the mission (I guess the church at the Quay) and Kilmore because of ill health and was lodgin in Wexford at the time of writing - but who expected to return. The writer met Fr Gaffney “at little Jemmy Rochford’s twelvemonths’ mind”. Fr Gaffney’s place was taken temporarily by Fr Fortune of the Moor, who lodged with Father Mayler (Meyler). A Father Cahill is the Moor curate. Apparently the new church at the Quay was opened 2 weeks prior to writing, though the building was unfinished. He goes on: “Your Old friend or antagonist Dr Davis has taken Fr Gaffney’s house and land, and is now living there. Mrs Blake and family are well and getting on nicely. Dr Barry, Miss Flynn, Mr Ennis, Tom Codd and myself are living in the same stereotyped fashion as ever. Nicholas Bolger and family are well... [here what I have of the letter finishes]
Several of these names I have seen in the parish registers of Kilmore.
James
Jameslconway
Friday 5th Feb 2021, 03:14PM -
Hi James
Thanks for getting back to me, and for the transcript. I got your reply today (6 Feb NZ time). The letter is of a higher standard than most of the old family letters I have, except for Michael Sinnot (1803-1896), a Benedictine Priest who grew up in Carne but lived in England. I am familiar with the name Parle - my great grandfather William was in the shipping business with Thomas Parle of Churchtown, Carne. The name Fortune is also associated with Churchtown, Carne. Mary Meyler (of Carne) was the mother of Margaret Sinnott, Robert Rossiter's daughter -in-law. I doubt that any connections can be made with the people noted in the letter to John Cassidy, as these surnames were common in south east County Wexford in the 1800s. Recently, a colleague in Wexford sent me photos of a memorial in the Tacumshane cemetery, which appears to be for Robert Rossiter, his wife Catherine, and some other family members. This memorial was also recorded by Brian Cantwell. The Rossiters are well and truly on my to-do list now.
Thanks again
Rex
Pheney
Friday 5th Feb 2021, 10:33PM