CO-CVEE-0005

Record Date: 
8 July 2014
Graveyard: 
Canovee (Cannaway)
Exact wording of epitaph: 

                                     IHS

HERE LYETH THE BODY

OF JOSEPH LEARY

WHO DEPARTED THI

LIFE MAY YE 1 1765

AGED 29 YEARS

Memorial Type: 
Ledger Slab
Grave location
County: 
Cork
Latitude: 
51.887165
Longitude: 
-8.8724380555556
Number of people commemorated: 
1
People commemorated: 
Name: 
Joseph
Surname: 
Leary
Date of death - day: 
1
Date of death - month: 
January
Date of death - year: 
1765
Age: 
29
Address: 
Shandangan
Notes: 

According to a descendant of the O'Leary's, Sean O'Leary of Macroom, the O'Learys, who are buried in this plot, were based in Shandangan. This stone is thought to have always lain flat. Patrick O'Leary married Margaret Cronin c. 1800. They had two known sons, Darby b. 1807 and Lewis b. 1813. Lewis emigrated to Boston in 1836 where he married a Hannah Lynch from Aglish, Farran, in 1838. Lewis and Hannah had eight children, Margaret 1839, Dennis 1841, Ann 1843, Lewis 1844, Catherine and Honora 1847, Michael 1849 and Lewis F. in 1852. The youngest Lewis F. married Ann M. Lynch, born in Boston in 1853 and married in Boston Feb. 1884. This Lewis was great grandfather of the present Tom Leary, police chief in northeast Boston. There were two other Lynch brothers from Aglish who went to Boston, as well as a Daniel Crowley from Canovee who was known as 'King' Crowley.

Patrick O'Leary, grandfather of living descendant Sean O'Leary, lived from 1853-1929. His father was John and his mother is thought to have been a Buckley who had six children. These children eventually settled in Tower, Peake, Castlemore, Keame Cross and Shandangan. Up to recent years the O'Learys of Shandangan, Tower, Peake and Keame Cross were buried in the nine graves in Canovee. The last of the Castlemore O' Learys, Dan and Kitty, bought a farm at Rossnascalp, Macroom. After Dan's death Kitty retired to Macroom. These O'Learys are buried in Kilbonane cemetery.

Joseph, in this grave, lived in a house half way up the lane owned by Sheila and Hugh Hurley where their son John has bulit a new house.

Other O'Leary descendants from Shandangan lived at Peake, Coachford. Patrick and Julia and their children Katie, Hanorah, Annie, Denis, Madge and Julianne. Madge and Julianne are buried in Coachford and the rest in Canovee. Other descendants all buried in Canovee lived at Rathonane (Forest) were John, (Johnny) died 23-10-1937, Jeremiah, Julia, Nano. Nano worked at Gollocks of Forest Estate. They lived at Keame Cross in a house later owned by Tom Murphy. 

The baptism of a Denis Leary of Shandangan is recorded on 2 December 1831, Joan Leary on 24th October 1833 and a Humphry Leary on 19 February 1838, children of Denis Leary and Nancy Callaghan. Children of Arthur Leary and Bridget Murphy of Shandangan include Denis Leary, baptised 18th March 1849 and Mary Leary, baptised 2nd February 1851. These are possibly members of the extended Leary family of Shandangan.