..From the mid 17th to early 18th century something under 10,000 Huguenots moved to Ireland from religious persecution in France. In Cork City where many settled they had a French speaking church and minister. This group tended to be well educated, affluent, and involved as merchants, apothecaries, surgeons and as property developers reclaiming the Cork City marshes. Over time they became English speaking and drifted into the mainstream Church of Ireland and gradually into the wider Catholic community.

No one knows for definite when the various Huguenot families arrived in to the Mizen/Durrus areas. In the main they were unlike their co religionist in Cork as they were artisans, small to medium farmers or labourers. Oral tradition has it that they arrived by boat to Dunmanus Bay. Their arrived perhaps c 1750s co incident with various attempts throughout West Cork by Landlords to develop weaving, linen and flax. The old village of Carrigbui (Durrus) was sometime described as a weaver's colony.

They may have been being involved in Thomas Addisons1 failed silk enterprises in Innishannon and leaving Kilmacsimon Quay for Dunmanus Bay.

1760. Peter Cortez, Licensed to Preach in French for French Congregation at Innishannon Church of Ireland. This is likely in connection with Adderly's silk enterprise. Reputedly it attracted Huguenot artisans and may explain the later migration west of such families when the enterprise failed.

The late Mary Dukelow the Brahalish historian of the Dukelow family was told by Bernard O’Regan of Aughadown a local historian, that the Bernard family of Bandon had great sympathy for them. The Bernards (later Lord Bandon) were the head landlords of the Durrus and some Mizen townlands.

The Durrus Evanson family came c 1690 and after getting into financial difficulty sold their estate to Francis Bernard ancestor to Lord Bandon. They later had another estate across Dunmanus Bay centered on Ardgoena House. It seems that on their estate were a number of weaver colonies at Crottees, Durrus, Ahagouna, Brahalish and Droumreagh with possibly Coolculaghta on the Blair estate.

1 Thomas Adderly, (1721-1791) Innishannon, Co. Cork, Industrialist, MP Armagh, Wide Street Commissioner Dublin, Developed flour mill, carpet, linen, silk, salt, corduroy, cotton, industry in Innishannon, involved in setting up Charter School. Collapse of Silk Industry may have Propelled Huguenot Workers Westwards.Thomas Adderly , Innishannon, Co. Cork, Industrialist, MP Armagh, Collapse of Silk Industry may have Propelled Huguenot Workers Westwards. After the silk industry collapsed apparently the damp climate did not suit mulberries on whom the silk worms depend the workforce dispersed. He had introduced Huguenot craftsmen. The Dukelow name appears in the area early 18th century and it may be that the family later settled in Durrus. Other Huguenots such as Camier my have been involved.

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The absence pre 1900 of significant memorials to Catholics in graveyards on the Evanson/Bandon estates suggest a wholesale 18th century clearance of the local population who then either became servants or moved to the congested uplands such as Coomkeen of Upper.

The Evanson had close Bandon links and also with the woolen business as one married into the Cork Shaw family of woolen merchants. Charles Evanson born in Durrus in 1805 Lord Mayor of Cork married into the Cork Huguenot Hardy family wealthy merchant and property owners.

Quite a number of West Cork names are sometimes listed as Huguenot such as Jagoe, Jermyn, Jervois, Skuse. Some may have originated in France but came via the West Country of England.

Another family sometime describes as Huguenot are the Notters of Crookhaven in fact they are of German Protestant descent from the Rhineland c 1640s.

Recent DNA testing especially in the USA, Canada and Australia of people with West Cork ancestry suggest that regardless of name or religion the population base is quite mixed to an extent surprising to people used to separate religious communities...

Deeds

From Registry of deeds Project:

https://irishdeedsindex.net/deeds_index/name_index.php..1876, John Camier, Ballydehob, grocer in deed.

29th April 1882. Julian Camier, Gurtenakilla, Ballydehob aged 36. Buried in grave of old church, Schull 13th February 1886 Sarah Camier Coolcaha, Schull 60. Buried in grave of old church, Schull 13th February 1893 Mary Camier Gubeen, Schull 73 Buried in grave of old church, Schull.

16th June 1905 Thomas Camier Ballydehob 55 1901 Ballybane, cannot read, farmer, wife Eliza 34, Michael Sullivan Catholic servant. Buried in grave of old church, Schull.

6th March 1931. Julian Camier, Gubeen Schull 86 Buried in grave of old church, Schull

Connell anglicisation of Quesnell not to be confused with Gaelic O’Connel/Connell. Common in Schull East and West.

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Post 1823 Letter from William Hull, Lemcon, Skibbereen, County Cork, to Henry Goulburn, Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle, referring to his former letter, emphasising the need to provide a simpler and less expensive means for the lower classes to recover small debts owed to them. Encloses, in support of his claim, a document entitled ' "a Manor Court Decree" taken by Richard Connell against Edward Butler, both of Kealfada, County Cork, demonstrating that the legal costs far outstrip the amount of the original debt; decree originally signed by John Sweetnam, seneschal [of Aghadown and Schull Manors], 4 October 1823. Chief Secretary Papers.

Genealogy of Sweetnam family of Clehane/Cloghane, Caheragh, West Cork, arising from Marriage 1812 of Mathew Sweetnam (Murrahin) to Elizabeth Connell with descendants, USA, Canada, Australia, England, Northern Ireland compiled 1952 revised 1988.

1813, Thomas Connell, Dromatinaheen, Durrus, deed

Post 1848 Parish of Kilmoe Dan Connell, Jack Connell, Little Bill Connell, Martin Connell, Tim Connell, Tom Connell, William Connell Ó Casaide collection, National Library Ms. 10692.

Post 1875. Schull District, Principal Landholders.

Connell, Samuel, Carravoley. Connell, Thomas, Arduramore. Guys 1875.

28th April 1906 Laurence Connell Kealfadda, Goleen 75 1901 'Lawrence' speaks Irish farmer wife Margaret, 60, sons William and Thomas. Buried in grave of old church, Schull

Dukelow

On the Bandon genealogy site there is a reference to Rev. Paul Duclosse, Vicar Ballymodan marrying Frances Massiott (Huguenot) 1682 he died 1717, 5 daughters. It may be a version of Dukelow.

In Mazier Brady’s history of the Dioceses of Cork, Volume 1, p 73 dealing with the Parish of Desertmore, he places Paul Duclos as Rector in 1689 and also P. Island, Ross. Originally from Metz in France.

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The late Jim Dukelow of Coomkeen heard that the original Dukelow settlement at Crottes in Durrus was not the present cluster of houses but south down near the Bantry Road.

Early mention in deeds:

1701 Peter Duclos, Youghal, vitner, Incidentally the first pub in Durrus was owned by Avis Dukelow and there was a Dukelow pub in Aughadown in the 1840s

1731 Peter Duclos (Dukelow), Brinny, Innishannon, servant to John Nash, Senior

1737?, James Dukelow in Ballydehob held a land lot.

Charles Dukelow (1779-1878), Ballycomane, Durrus.

Thoma Dukelow, (1872-1878), Crottees, Durrus.

James Dukelow, (1799-1875), Crottees, Durrus.

Marriage 1781 Robert Dukelow to Elizabeth Hurley.

Mary Dukelow gies details of the land ownership in Crottees as per the Tithe Applotments in 1830, Two Dukelow farmers of 15 acres, one of 16 and one of 19.

On one of the Crottees farms was a stone venerated by the family. Many travelled from the US to view it.

..Charles Dukelow, Carrigboy (Durrus).

Father Quin’s (PP Durrus) application for National School, 16th November 1830 ED1/13/74/22, signed by for Roman Catholics Richard O’Donovan, Timothy O’Donovan, Richard Tobin, Edmond Tobin, Daniel Daly, Richard O’Donovan, John Murphy, John Carthy, Thomas Cormack?, Elias Roycroft, Andrew Caverly, Richard Caverly, Protestants E. Evanson, Richard L. Blair, Thomas Ferguson (Clashadoo), Thomas Duklow (Clashadoo), Charles Ducklow, John Ducklow. Rev Alcock of the Church of Ireland was asked to consent but declined but his parishioners signed. He is listed as a Cess Payer for the Barony of West Carbery in 1834 with other locals including Rev. Edward Alcock of Clashadoo and William Vickery of Ballycomane. This nomination was by the County Grand Jury to sit with Magistrates on road presentments.

Thomas Dukelow, Clashadoo, Durrus.

Probably from Crottees married into Clashadoo on his 1810 marriage to Frances Coughlan. She is probably of the extended Coughlan family of Carrigmanus likely pre Celtic in origin. Converted to Protestantism c 1600 associated with Hulls and Boyles. Jeremy/Jeremiah of

2 1838 Grand Jury Presentments, Bere, Bantry Carbery Ridings, Cork Archives GJ CO/PR/5 (1)

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the family an Attorney, seneschal and manager of Devonshire Waterford Estate renting with his brother in law Nathaniel Evanson from c 1720 including Clashadoo. William Vickery member of Select Vestry St James, Durrus, with Thomas Dukelow. 1845 Quarter Session Juror. The Durrus Dukelows part of an emigration of Durrus and Schull Protestants to Rochester, New York. Through the Republican Party they created a political machine known as the ‘99 cousin’ which dominated city government in the mid and late 19th century a pelia of the Irish Catholic machines in other US cities. The Catholic branch of the family descended from John Dukelow emigrated to East London and with Durrus Swantons and Hurleys were active as Fenians in the 1860s. Later one of the extended family provided accommodation in a lodging house to Michael Collins when he went to London to work as a Post Office clerk.

Levis, pre 1800 name usually written as Lavers

Marriage Licence Bonds:

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Wills:

1686, Eleazar Lavers of Cork will probated 1686.

1708. Israel Laves, witness to deed Becher to Donovan, property at East Carbery. His will of Skibbereen is probated 1713.

1777, multiple entries for Rooska/Leighcloon, Ballydehob. Re Rooska there may be an O’Donovan connection as Morgan O’Donovan had interested there mid 18th century. The levis family fanned out to Skibbereen and wee family of significance collection cess tax, merchant and later doctors.

In Rooska townlands good soil in the Bantry Drumlin belt, Parish of Durrus, Bantry, the Levis family are associated with the Vickeries, Roycrofts, Varians, and Protestant O’Sullivan,

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Hurig family3. This network of families later in the 19th century become merchants in Bantry, Skibbereen and Bandon. From mid 19th century some become professionals.

The Levis family of Skibbereen from the 1820s are contractors to Cork Grand Jury in road and bridge building and maintenance.

1838 Collector of Public Cess, East Division, Barony of West Carbery:

Samuel Levis, Skibbereen, Collector4 of Public Cess, sureties Thomas Somerville and Thomas J. Hungerford. Premium on collection of Cess since last Assizes, (half year), £85.

Pere/Pier/Peer

In Crookhaven mainly, the Durrus O’Mahony family of Ahagouna and their descendants the Rosses of the village of Durrus descend from Peer.

Caheragh:

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Post 1848 Parish of Kilmoe Bill Pear (Peer/Pier), JohnPear, Ó Casaide collection, National Library Ms. 10692.

1892 Kate Pier aged 80 Peer/Pier Buried in grave of old church, Schull

..Madras, this family moved from France to Cork via Amsterdam c 1750. They are included as the Rev. John Madas married Miss Evanson of the Durrus Landlord family c 1805.

3 Possibly of Huguenot extraction.4 National Archives

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Numerous descendants Protestant and Catholic. A grand daughter Miss Curtis married Damie O’Connell’s grandson, his father was a Resident Magistrate in Bantry.

Church Records Dioceses of Cork and Ross.

Many of the local Church of Ireland records were destroyed in 1922 in the destruction of Public Records in Dublin. Those that survived have not been digitised.

Many of the Huguenot family names occur in the local Catholic records which are online at irishhgenealogy.ie The people appear as spouses, births, witnesses or sponsors. In the case of some families like the Piers/Peers there has been very significant intermarriage with the result that the name disappears in the 1901 census but the descendants are all over under descendant different names

Dukelow 23, Duclos 2, Duclow 3, Muintervara, Schul East.

Levis, 427, Lavers 17 pre 1800 the Levis family aften named Lavers.

Peer, 108, Pier 96, Schull East and West, Skibbereen, Caheragh.

Emigration to Canada and Rochester, New York

With the agricultural depression commencing post the Battle of Waterloo and the decimation of the textile industry large scale pre famine emigration commenced. It was primarily poorer Protestant artisans and smaller farmers with a smattering of Catholics. Canada was favoured pertly as there was no poll tax on revival unlike the USA. Certain areas of rural Ottow still have clusters of families with a West Cork and Huguenot background.

The Erie canal was being built in the USA linking the Great Lakes to the Hudson the city of Rochester attracted many settlers from West Cork, many of the Durrus/Mizen families came to dominate the City Government in the 1860s being known and the ‘99 Cousins’ Who number many of Huguenot background.

…Census, Co. Cork 1901. Quite a number of the older cohort have Irish and English probably an understatement as the area was bilingual mid 19th century.

Camier, 63, all Church of Ireland

Dukelow, 103, Methodist 2, Church of Ireland 101

Levis, 218Methodist 7Catholic 60Church of Ireland, 148

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Pier/Peer

The only appearance is Susan le Pier Byrne of Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, Protestant

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1830 The Tithe Applotment Books.

Tithes5 were a tax on agricultural produce which was payable by the occupiers of agricultural land. They were the main source of income for the parish clergy of the Church of Ireland (the largest Protestant church and the church established by law). However, in many parishes a large part of the tithes were ‘appropriate’, which meant that they were payable to a bishop, cathedral chapter or other ecclesiastical recipient, or were ‘impropriate’, which generally meant that they were payable to a local landowner. The parishes used in the Tithe Applotment Books are civil or Church of Ireland parishes, which often differ in name and territory from Catholic parishes.

Acts of Parliament of 1823 and 1832 provided for the conversion of tithes into a fixed charge on land, and specified the average price of wheat or oats in the parish in the seven years before 1821 as the basis on which the tithes would be calculated. They also extended the application of tithes to pasture, where previously they had been levied only on tillage.

They can be searched by name which gives the townland where the family lived. Howee if any of the families are artisans, labourers or not living on fames they are not listed

Search: http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/index.jsp

..Irish Reproductive Loan records 1853 Durrus, Co. Cork area

5 Ancestor of Coomkeen Dukelows probably originally from Crottees.

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..http://www.dippam.ac.uk/eppi/documents/11941/page/282493

Durrus Irish Reproductive Loan Fund Records:

The National Archives UK (PRO)T 91/142b Irish Reproductive Loans Fund Records. County: Cork.

2nd and 3rd person usually sureties

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Ahagouna (Clashadoo)

John Dukelow6 Charles Dukelow7 Skrehanamucca (Coomkeen) Timothy Daly

Rossmore 1853 at present a poor shoemaker?

Carrigboy (Durrus Village)

Bartholw. Mountain John Dukelow Ahagouna8 Michl. Brien Droumreigh A poor labourer

1853 in England

Coomkeen

Charles Dukelow9 listed as Skehanenamucca (Coomkeen) A farmer in middling

circumstances

Cruttees (Crottees) Richd. DukelowJohn Dukelow Ahagouna Michael Hurley10 Ballycomane

Resides at present 1853 in Carrigboy in poor circumstances

James Dukelow A poor farmer Gone to America?

Glebe (At Protestant Rectory Clashadoo)

Jehr. Hayes John Dukelow Ahagouna Philip Spelane Lady’s Well 1853 being poor resides

in Murreagh

John Carthy Poor resides 1853 in Drimoleague

Kilcrohane

Michael Gallagher John Moss Carrigboy James Dukelow Crottees 1853 a poor

shoemaker

Rossmore

John Patison John Dukelow Ahagouna A poor labourer dead since 1847

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6 Most of the Ahagouna entries were probably in the present Crowley farm yard7 Likely to be the Charles a Poor Law Guardian , Banatry, 1860s. Dillon possibly from Clashadoo also one and Vickery http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/about.jspBallycomane..8 Hurleys and Dukelows associated with Durrus Swantons in East London Fenian circles 1860s9 National Archives of Ireland, http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/about.jsp10 Married a Catholic founder of East London, Dukelow family who with Swanton, Hurleys active in Fenians

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..Schull Reproduction Loan Records 1850s, Huguenot families

Flor Cunningham Thomas Bennett and Mary Connell11 both Ardnamana A pauper labourer

went to England 1847

Tom Connell Jim Donovan fehow/ and Daniel Collins both Gurrans Transported for 7 years

for sheep stealing

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Probates:

Camier:

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11 This very extensive family date from marriage of Michael O’Sullivan, Heart Tax Collector and property owned and Mary Vickery of Whiddy Island. Various O’Sullivan families Protestant and Catholic ae influential in the Baronies of Bantry and Bee and closely associated with the Whites (Lord Bantry). Some in the Hurrig family claim a direct line of descent from O’Sullivan Bere.

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Lavers/Levis:

Old Cork Wills:

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http://www.willcalendars.nationalarchives.ie/search/cwa/results.jsp?deceasedSurname=&deceasedForename=levis&beneficiarySurname=&beneficiaryForename=&dateDay=&dateMonth=&dateYear=&placeDeath=&probateOrAdministration=&search=Search

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Widow Ann Connell:

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Probably Dunscomb had interest in lands around Ballydehob:

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Levis:

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William Levis, Skibbereen, very substantial estate:

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Substantial Estate:

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Dukelow:

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