The Driscoll-Sullivan Family

The Irish portion of the family includes the Sullivans (O'Sullivan) and Connors of Bantry and the Driscolls (O'Driscoll), all from County Cork who emmigrated in the late 1880s, settling in Bayonne, NJ. Our Sullivan ancestors were Eugene and Mary whose maiden name was O’Driscoll.

The Sullivans of Ballylickey in Bantry, County Cork

Eugene was the third son of an earlier Eugene Sullivan (Eugene i estimated birth c. 1840) and Nora (Honora Connor) baptized in January 1867 at St. Finbar's church in the civil parish of Kilmocomoge (Bantry). Eugene's father [Eugene i} was married in Kilmocomoge Parish to Nora in 1862 at the same parish in Bantry. They had children in various townlands between 1862-1881 including Reendadisert, Ballylickey, Barnagearagh, and Dromkeal. Their first-born Sullivan son, Daniel (older brother to Eugene ii) was born in 1863. Eugene stated his place of birth was at or near Pierson's Bridge, a crossing on the River Ouvane between Ardnacloghy and Kealkill.  Eugene i was a laborer, and may have worked in the fishery at Reenadisert located there in the period 1858-1860s. The fishery was in operation as a family- owned business into the mid-20th century, owned by the descendants of Samuel (Hurrig) Sullivan
and his wife Ellen Warner Sullivan, a daughter of one of the major landlords mentioned in Griffiths Valuation of 1852.  Although Eugene i and Samuel's son William (b. 1845) were contemporaries, this Sullivan family is unrelated to our line as far as can be determined.

Other Sullivan households of Reenadisert up to about 1852 were Florence and John, Cornelius and Mortimer.  These Sullivans and a Daniel Sullivan of Barnagearagh may or may not be related to our line.  They appear to have left Reenadisert, possibly for American between 1848-1858.
Eugene i might be related to and have grown up in any one of these Sullivan households.

There were at least 3 other contemporary Eugene Sullivans residing in this part of
West Cork along the Beara/Kerry border before 1881 (Eugene, a blacksmith of Glengarriff; Eugene of Bonane, witness at the wedding of John, son of the blacksmith, in Glengarrif, 1881.
and Eugene Sullivan who witnessed the marriage of Eugene i and Nora.  This last could be his father, or another Eugene Sullivan.  Still another Eugene Sullivan with his wife Ellen was a leaser in Bantrytown in 1852 and was a contemporary of Florence and others.  His wife Ellen, appears as a widow by 1858.
The connection of this couple to the Sullivans of Reenadissert  or to our Eugene is not known.

Our Sullivan ancestors were likely one of the subfamilies of O’Sullivan Beare from the penninsula in West Cork where they originated.  When the Lordship of Bantry and Beara was split by Queen Elizabeth I, Owen O'Sullivan became Lord of Bantry and retained the property at Reenadissert and other Bantry lands.His nephew Donal/Daniel and several other closely related Sullivan Beare retianed lands on the Beara Penninsula. After the Cromwell period, all the Irish Lords lost their titles and their lands were forfeit to the English crown in the late 1600s.  However, some O'Sullivans retained their property while others continued to lease from English/new Irish landholders and remained in the vicinity of Beara and Bantry. Descendants of these Sullivan septs or branches each have a distinctive "nickname", for example Hurrig, Ukirre, Eoghan (Owen or Eugene) to name just a couple.  Ours is unfortunately lost to us. There was a family story passed down about an ill-fated Armada that sailed into Bantry Bay.  There actually was such an Armada in 1796, so it is possible that our Sullivan branch family was in that area at that time, regardless of the branch name.

The Connors of Bantry

There also were also Connor households listed in Reenadiset and Ballylickey in Griffiths in 1852. Since there are only a few Connors, Nora is likely connected to one of these. Nora Connor Sullivan was from the neighboring townland of Ballylickey in Bantry. Michael Connor, possibly a relative, was also leasing in Reenadisert in 1852. This suggests how Eugene and Nora might have come in contact with one another.  Eugene i and Nora were married in Bantry in 1862. A John Connor also resided in Ballylickey. Nora named her second son John (after his grandfather?) and her third son, Michael
(after her older brother or an uncle?), following a traditional West Cork naming pattern. We hope to confirm this and trace the Connors back another generation. 

THE  SULLIVANS In HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY 
 
Eugene ii, son of Eugene and Nora (He was never called Junior) was one of at least five children. He and possibly one or more of his brothers and sisters Margaret and Ellen (Nellie) left Ireland sometime between 1880-1890. Eugene's youngest brother, Timothy, was born in Ireland in 1881.  Although it is possible the whole family emmigrated all at once, the evidence suggests that they  came in smaller groups. In any case, family lore says tells us that Eugene was working at a young age, at 14-15 years.
If so, he would have arrived in the US soon after Timothy's birth. Eugene stated on the 1910 federal census that he arrived in the US about 1880, on another 1884, which supports this idea.   Mary (Driscoll), Eugene ii's wife, stated that she arrived in the US in 1886, but this information is not confirmed. Eugene and Mary appear to have met and married in the US (where we have not been able to discover) and settled in Bayonne  by 1888, baptizing their first child in St. Mary's Star of the Sea parish in 1889.
 
Eugene's father and Nora may have arrived in the US prior to the 1895 NJ state census, but this has not been confirmed. A widowed Nora might have arrived at a later date. A a possible arrival record has been found in 1890, but can't be confirmed as yet. A widowed Nora also appears on the 1890 Bayonne city directory, but it is not possible to determine if this is Eugene ii's mother.

We are  certain that the two Sullivan sisters, Nellie (married name Foley) and Margaret
also came to the USA during this period as well and settled in Hudson County. Margaret was unmarried as late as 1912, but is believed to have married subsequently.

Eugene predeceased his brother Timothy, whom we have been unable to trace. A A Timothy Sullivan was found on the 1900 census in Jersey City, residing with his family which included his mother Nora. No documentary confirmation that this is the correct family.

The Driscolls of County Cork

The Driscoll's may have also originated in West Cork, but exactly where is unknown.  A cousin of the family, who came to the US later, listed her place of origin as Skibbereen. Most of the parishes around Skibbereen have been ruled out.  Tullagh and Aghadwon are the townlands that we plan to search next; Castletownbere in Kerry is also a place where Jeremiah and Timohty Driscolls appear at about the right time.

The Driscoll family, consisted of at least 5 daughters, and possibly one or more sons (Michael and/or Mathais). All were the children of Jeremiah Driscoll and wife Margaret, who were married in Ireland sometime before 1860. All of the sisters (and possibly 2 brothers) came to the US, approximately 1886-1890. 

The married names linked with the Driscoll sisters  include Margaret Kashubeck (Staten Island, New York), Nellie Randall (Rye, New York), Julia Fitzpatrick (Winter Haven, Florida), and Nora Blake (Media, Pennsylvania). Mary's sister Julia was godmother to Grandpa Jerimiah Sullivan in 1893. Julia was probably the oldest as her date of birth is given either 1860 or 1861, however, Mary is the closest in age to her and occasionally reports the same date of birth.  Julia was the godmother of our direct ancestor, Jeremiah Sullivan in 1893.  She may have resided in New York City after her marriage and lived as a widow for some years before retiring to Florida.Little else is known about the Driscoll line.

Collateral Surnames Needing a Connection with Sullivan, Driscoll or Connor:

Cousins of Eugene (or Mary) may have lived in Brooklyn and were possibly named RICE.  Another name associated with this family is COSTELLO. The names HURLEY or HEALY appear connected to the Sullivans in both Bantry and Bayonne. Again, the exact nature of the relationship still needs to be determined.

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