Earliest Records of Lomasneys

The following extracts are the earliest references to Lomasneys which I have encountered in written records to date.

Unfortunately sufficient records have not been found to firmly establish if all individuals mentioned are related to a common ancestor. However, when taken collectively the references would seem to suggest that the Lomasneys were probably all related and that they possibly did have a common ancestor. The small geographic area where the surname was originally most common, and the repetition of some Christian names in different families through successive generations, points to probable common ancestry.

These early records seem to suggest fairly strongly that the Britway/Castlelyons district Co-Cork was the ‘seat’ of the Lomasney ‘Clan’ prior to 1800. These villages are just a few kilometres south of Fermoy in the northeastern portion of Co-Cork. From 1800 onwards the name seems to be more common in the adjacent Kilworth district just a few kilometres to the north of Fermoy.

The distance between these places is not great. From Kilworth, it is approximately 14.5 kilometres (or 9 miles) south to Britway. Castlelyons is located roughly between these two places and is just 8 kilometres (or 6 miles) south of Kilworth.

Earliest Known Reference

Local Roman Catholic Parish records contain the earliest known reference to a Lomasney:

on 14 February 1659 (?) at Wicklow

Other Early Records

Albert Eugne Casey (and others), compiled an impressive array of material on the history of Co. Cork and Co. Kerry. The material is quite varied and was bound into a 15 volume set entitled ‘O’Kief, Coshe Mang, Slieve Lougher, and Upper Blackwater in Ireland’. These were published between 1952 - 71 by the Knocknagree Historical Fund (later volumes published under its new name, the Amite and Knocknagree Historical Fund). There are numerous references to Lomasneys (under various spellings). No doubt a full search of these volumes would turn up considerable information. However, the following references are worth mention. They show that the name was clearly around from at least the early 1700s.

In the published version I saw in the Australian National Library in Canberra, the printing on the page containing the following reference is almost illegible. It would be good to examine the reference against a better copy or original documents.

Volume 15 page reference no 892:

Grave inscriptions in Ballymaddagh (?) (near Charlisle(?))

Colir** | Lemasne | aged 68 years | 1705 R.I.P.

A slightly more legible reference to a grave inscription is at Vol 15, page ref no 1010.

Cloyne Cathedral, in the graveyard (south)

Erected in memory of Cornelius Lumasy [dec] who departed this life the ___ 1772 aged 49 years also his wife Ellen Lomasy aged 22 years. May their souls rest in peace. Amen.

Volume 8 contains a number of references to the family. There are returns (listings), by Parish, of Protestant and Papist (also called Popist or even Popish) families. It seems Churches compiled these returns to meet a House of Lords requirement.

Parish Entry Page ref

Ballyhooly & Killatty (date 1766) Corns. Lomasney (page ref 966)

Castlelyons (date 31 Mar 1766) David Lomasney (page ref 982)

Litter of Castlehyde (date 1766) Edward Lomasney (page ref 976)

(family 2 males 3 females)

Kilworth & Union of Macroney (1766) John Lomasney (page ref 961)

James Lomasny "

Matthew Lomasny (page ref 962)

John Lomasny "

William Lomasney (page ref 963)

Thomas Lomasney "

Maurice Lomasney (page ref 964)

Knockmourne & Ballynoe (1 Apr 1766) John Lomasny (page ref 984)

Volume 8 also contains what appear to be death/probate records.

Lomasny ?, Darby____ North Ballyogaha, d of w., probate not dated 1802

(Note: Page ref 1255: d of w means ‘date of will’ which is 1802)

The above references are very difficult to read due to the poor quality of the reproduction, so some of the details may not be accurately transcribed. However, these miscellaneous references seem to indicate that the family name was well established by the early to mid 1700s, and possibly even in the 1600s. Spelling of the surname seemed to vary somewhat, presumably depending on the literacy of those who created the records at the time. The Lomasneys were always listed as Papist.

While the family is recorded in various locations around southern Ireland they definitely appear to be most numerous in the Mallow/Fermoy area of eastern Co. Cork.

Extract: from an Early Manuscript Book Compiled in Castlelyons

The following reference is particularly interesting. It appears to be the earliest record uncovered to date which provides general information about an individual member of the Lomasney family. It also seems to indicate that some of the family were educated and literate people. Accordingly, I consider this reference to be the most authoritative on the early Gaelic spelling of the surname:

"The tradition of Gaelic poetry in Castlelyons died out at the end of the 18th century. The last recorded compositions from the district were written by Tadhg Ó Loimeasna in 1792. He lived in Ballyogaha where his family were part of a small tenant partnership.

(Note: Tadhg Ó Loimeasna is Irish, it is Timothy Lomasney in English).

 

Extract from: The Journal of the Cork Historical Society, Jan - Dec 1963

The above Journal contains a section entitled Gravestones of Historical Interest at Britway, Co-Cork which provides further information on Tadhg Ó Loimeasna and his family. Other early Lomasneys and their families are also mentioned:

"Another inscription undated but evidently belonging to the late 18th Century reads: "THIS IS THE BURYING PLACE OF DARBY LOMASNY OF BALLYOGAHA AND FAMILY." Two members of this family, perhaps sons of the above named Darby, were Gaelic scholars in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Tadhg Ó Loimeasna wrote some verses to Micháel Ó Longáin in 1792 from Ballyogaha, in Uí Laitháin (which is about 2 miles south-west of Britway). Some poems of Seán ó Loimeasna of the same place to Donnchadh Ó Floinn, the Cork scribe and scholar, also survive.

Another inscription touches on an unwritten page of Irish history, the story of our Gaelic clergy who perished during the famine fevers of the 18^th and 19^th centuries. It reads: "HERE LIE THE REMAINS OF THE LATE REVD. JEREMIAH LOMASNEY WHO DIED OF FEVER IN THE DISCHARGE OF HIS PROFESSION AND DUTIES IN MALLOW THE 14^TH OF AUGUST, 1819, AGED 26 YEARS." This inscription is all the more interesting as less than three decades later the patriotic priest of Mallow, Rev. Denis Collins, succumbed to that same fever on 5 July 1847. There are altogether seven gravestones belonging to families of the name Lomasny. To one of these families belonged the well known figure "Captain Mackey". He was Captain William Mackey-Lomasny of the American Army who came to Ireland during the 1867 rising. His parents had emigrated from the Britway area to Ohio in 1841."

of the Parish of Castlelyons, Co-Cork

Brother Dennis Lomasney provided the following extracts from the Parish Registers for Castlelyons and Kilworth. The above Parish records appear to not be complete but the surviving portions contain the following entries:

William Lomasney married Mary Scanlan 13 May 1862

of the Parish of Kilworth, Co-Cork

These Parish Registers appear to be reasonably complete and include the following entries:

" " " Michael Mar 1881

Extracts from other Parish Registers

I have found very few references to Lomasneys in other local Irish Parish Registers which I have been able to access in Australia. The references which I have found in other Registers show interesting variations in the spelling of the surname.

Catherine LOMASNY married Maurice Burke

on 8 March 1859, at Kerry Castleisland.

Mary LUMMASANA

Daughter of Dan LUMMASANA and Mary LUMMASANA (nee Foley)

Christened 4 May 1866, at Kerry Castleisland.

Thomas LOMASORY married Margaret O’Brien

on 11 August 1867, at Middleton, Cork.

Vestry Book Notes for the Church of Ireland, Molanimy Castle, which is 1 mile north of Killarullen Village, includes the entry:

Rent charge payable to the Revd. George E. Cotter in lieu of Tithe Composition ploughlands, Ballineraig - Mr John LOMASNY

 

Written 1983 - Revised 1998

By Stephen James Lomasney                                                

Canberra, A.C.T., Australia

Additions from www.familysearch.org (Sept 9 1999 K. J. Lomasney):

John lomasney