Roger McSwiney

Birth recorded in Registration of Births, at St. Marys and St. Annes, North Parish, Cork, Ireland.

Roger (1789-1862) and his wife Mary nee Hegarthy (1793-1863)

They had four sons: * Patrick, William, Daniel and Denis two daughters: * Ellen and Mary Ann:

1819, April 22 Birth of William McSwiney, son of Roger McSwiney and Mary (nee Hegarthy) - recorded in Registration of Births, p. 4159, at St. Marys and St. Annes, North Parish, Cork, Ireland.

William was born at Montpelier Terrace, Cork (as recorded on Mary Ellen's marriage registration), before Roger and his family moved to Ballyvolane House (see below).

Roger and Mary were sponsors at the following baptisms (source Ken Long):

• 1819 Patrick McSwiny & Julia McSwiny
• 1821 James Fitzgerald and Johanna Dorgan
• 1823 Redmond Fitzgerald and Hannah Murray

His son Denis in a family letter, said gout and rheumatism were a 'family failing - "my Uncle Patrick, rector of the Irish College, suffered from them from his youth, but left them after him at Vichy, many years before his death in 1865: Daniel, Parish Priest of Bandon, Cork, who died of fever, in 1845 (time of the Famine), suffered from them, as did John and Denis: 'my father, Roger, very little'."

1820s to 1990s LEASED 'BALLYVOLANE HOUSE' FROM THE COPPINGER FAMILY

[The Archive - The Journal of the Cork Northside Folklore Project - Issue 15, 2011 article by Breda Sheehan]

"The impression left on his mind by Baron Pigot's information was that the title to Ballyvolane there proved was a title without patent, and went back to a period prior to the date of the first Charter of the Corporation of the City of Cork. The Coppinger family owned Ballyvolane House and its lands from the 17th century.

In 1795 they leased the house and lands to the Roman Catholic church for Cork's first RC seminary.

In the 1820s the lease passed to the McSwiney family.

Coppinger's Stang comes from the French word "étang," a fish pond, and there is a tradition of a lost bit of land where nets used to be dried.

1823, March, there was a lawsuit (suit at law) between the father of the late William Coppinger of Barryscourt and the Callaghan family about a bit of land near a pond in part of Ballyvolane, Mr. Coppinger being the victor. It was very likely this identical bit.

[Cork City and County Archives Reference Code: IE CCCA/U229 Title: O’Flynn Exham Solicitors Fonds / IteU229 / O’Flynn Exham Solicitors Papers Bundle 45/18, Sept. & Nov. 1833] :

Coppinger rental with names only. Includes:

'Roger McSwiney, N.E. Mahony

representatives Forster McSwiney

addresses not stated '

1845 Post Office Directory

'Prominent Citizen':  Roger McSwiney, '''Corn Merchant''' at 71 York Street, Cork''' - his business address.

Roger McSwiney Born c. 1789 -

'''Died 1862 10 Aug. Ballyvolane Hse  age 74''' (Source:  Cork Examiner 1862_08_11, cork East)

Married Mary (Hegarthy)

Owner of the Estate of Coolowen, Barony of Cork, County of Cork

Born c. 1793 - Died 1862 Ballyvolane Hse (Source: Cork Examiner)

Probate Beneficiary of Roger - his son Denis, Dean of Cork

1865 2 August Probate of the Will of Roger McSwiney of Ballyvolane

Left all to his wife Mary and son Denis, Dean of Cork - his other sons having been well provided for in his lifetime. He mentions "I lately purchased under a sale by the commissioners of Incumbered Estates in Ireland an Estate in fee simple called or known as Coolowen, situate in the Barony of Cork and County of Cork. [Cork District Will Books: Folio 874-876, Wills & Probate, District Registry 15 Feb 1895 - 10 Dec 1897] However, it transpired that his son William inherited Coolowen, leaving it to Rev. Denis when he passed on c. 1902.

1865, 10 August Probate of his Will by his son Denis, Dean of Cork.l

Effects 352 Pounds.

Denis, in a letter to his cousin Herbert McSwiney's son said that his brothers and parents had died by 1899 and they died from illness that prepared him for their death.

Father Daniel McSwiney (1787-1845) informed his nephew - Denis McSwiney, Dean of Cork - that he had a copy of the McSwiney Coat of Arms with the motto "Malo Mori Quam Foedari" - "I would rather die than be dishonourable". This was also conveyed in a letter to Herbert McSwiney's son, Fred.