Bartholomew Ryan - King of Owney

We are in search of a lost “King” and we are looking for your help!

We have found the grave of a man noted as the “King of Owney” in Tipperary and we are trying to find his living descendants. 

His name was Bartholomew Ryan, he was born about 1750 and died at Carrowkeale near Newport in County Tipperary in 1828. His “title” as “King of Owney” is alluded to in an old parish register recording the birth of his grandson Bartholomew Carey in Birdhill.

We think that it may be a reference to him being descended from the Chiefs of Owney O’Mulryan which roughly encompassed the modern area around Birdhill, Newport and Murroe. We hope to find some of his living Ryan ancestors and encourage them to take part in the Ryan DNA Project. We already have over 50 Ryans that have taken detailed DNA tests and it would be interesting to see how his ancestors compare with these.

Bartholomew Ryan is buried within the ancient church walls of Ballymackeogh outside Newport. To learn more about him and his family we need help to find his living descendants, of whom we know many remained on a small farm in the parish of Carrowkeale in Tipperary well into the turn of the 20th century.

Background.

Bartholomew Ryan was married to Margaret Collopy of Limerick, and we know they had at least one son and four daughters, and we know some of his grandchildren were still living at Carrowkeale in the 1901-1911 era.

Children:

Son PIERCE RYAN, Esquire:  c1792 – 1831, died Carrowkeale possibly unmarried.

Daughter ELIZABETH CAREY / CAREW  of Birdhill, c1794 – 1849, innkeeper and wife of Michael J Carey whose family had owned an inn previously where Elizabeth ran her business. Had a son BARTHOLOMEW CAREY 1827 – 1860 who lived in Birdhill, and married KATE SMITHWICK. Following Bart Carey’s untimely death his widow Kate remarried to JOHN HAYES of Killaloe.

Daughter ELLEN DARTNELL of Ellen St, Limerick, 1796 – 1852, wife of printer JOHN DARTNELL, who had a daughter MARY DARTNELL born 1835 in the parish of St Michael in Limerick.

Daughter BRIDGET CARROLL nee Ryan, 1799 – 1884, wife of PATRICK CARROLL of Kilteely and Carrowkeale. Large family lived on Carrowkeale up until at least 1911-1921 era.

Daughter MARY BOURKE nee Ryan, 1801- ?, wife of WILLIAM BOURKE whose father CAPTAIN ANDREW BOURKE was murdered near Newport, Tipperary in 1839.

So we are particularly looking for the families of the following, known to have lived at Carrowkeale (also spelt Carrickeal, Carhuecaoil etc)

- His grandson: Bartholomew ‘Bart’  Carroll (1840-1920) and wife Kate Young, who had 6 children at Carrowkeale between 1875 – 1889 (Bart Carroll was the son of Patrick Carroll and Bridget Ryan and inherited a farm at Carrowkeale from his uncle Pierce Ryan.)

Carroll children who survived to adulthood and who lived at Carrowkeale:

Margaret Carroll born 1877 and married PATRICK HOURIGAN and lived Carrowkeale

Mary Carroll 1878 – 1963

Katie Carroll born 1881 who married Jeremiah Hartnett

Samuel Carroll born 1882 died 1961 in Shannon Home, Limerick, but lived Carrowkeale

Annie Carroll born 1889 and died 1945 Carrowkeale.