The O'Reilly family
Derrygarra
Butlersbridge
by
Raymond Dunne

The earliest inhabitants of Derrygarra House that I can trace are Thomas O'Reilly (1746-1820) and his wife Mary (nee Brady) ( b.1756). Thomas and Mary had three children – two boys and a girl.
The boys were named Eugene (1772), John (1783-1861) and their sister was called Brigid (1776).
Thomas is buried in the cemetery at Drumlane Abbey.

His son John Reilly married Elizabeth (Eliza) (1801-1871)
At the time of the 1821 census John described as a farmer and hatter lived at Derrygarra along with his wife Eliza, his mother, Mary Reilly, Owen Reilly an apprentice,Terence Reilly a journeyman, Cecelia Sweeney, a niece and five other people Mick Smith, Phil Brady, Rose Reilly, Bridget Smith and Catherine Brady who were described as servants.

John Reilly had a pub and an extensive range of business interests and employed many men in his various enterprises. He was a farmer, a hatter, had a mill, a post office, acting as Post Master - 1845 - 1859. He supplied the Cavan workhouse and its auxiliaries with potatoes and turf etc and he had contracts to repair and maintain roads.

According to 'Notes on the 1821 Census of Lavey Parish' by Terence P. Cunningham in the 1960 edition of Breifne, p202 note 45 John O'Reilly held sixty acres in Killygrogan and his herdsman was Philip O'Reilly. Griffiths valuation of Ireland,1856, reveals that John Reilly held land at Derrygarra Lower and Derrygarra Upper, in Drummany, Kilnaglare Upper and Tullybuck. There are records too that he owned land in North Kildallon as well.

Cavan Union records also point to John Reilly being awarded on Tuesday 6th June 1854 the contract to supply turf, mud and slane for six months. At another Cavan Union meeting in 1857 there was an unsuccessful tender from Mr Reilly for 23 boxes of turf being equal to a ton of coal, at 1s 2d per box.

T.S. Smyth states in his 'The Civic History of Cavan Town' book p95 that the County Grand Jury had charge of the repair and maintenance of Cavan streets, roads and footpaths and had included in the county-at- large charges a contract to John Reilly of Butlersbridge, one of the sureties in the contract for five years, for 816 perches post road{First Class} Cavan to Enniskillen and Belturbet, between the 55th milestone at the Gaol and 57th milestone, near Coolbuyogue at 2s 6d per perch – contract commencing Summer assizes 1857.
John Reilly had a publican's certificate issued to him in September 1860.

Records show that John Reilly's mill was burgled 4th January 1847 and that 14 and half stone of meal was stolen: that on the 18th June1848 he sought an excise licence for sale of beer,spirits etc by retail; that at the Cavan Union meeting of 5th April 1849 he was looking for payment of £1900 for supplies to the workhouse and also in 1849 he had 14 acres of potatoes to dispose off. In February of that year a sum of money had been stolen from his premises.

Fr Theobald Mathew, the temperance preacher, stayed in Derrygarra House on the 25th November 1840, with John and his wife Elizabeth and their family of two boys, Thomas, James and two girls Elizabeth (1827-83) and Alice (d.1848).

The records of The Kilmore Academy have Thomas, John's eldest son, as a boarder at the Academy in Cavan town from 13th January 1840 until mid 1840. Thomas carried on his father extensive business interests in Butlersbridge and is also recorded as the Butlersbridge Post-Master in the year 1870.

The marriage of Thomas to Sarah McFadden (b1819), youngest daughter of the late coroner Dr Thomas McFadden MD, and a niece of William Babbington, Baggot St, Dublin by Rev. Dr O'Connell, is recorded on the 23rd May 1850. There is a record that Thomas, in July 1850, was requisitioned to attend a Tenant Right meeting in Cavan. There is a record in Breifne 1967, p198, in an article on The Burrows- Hughes By-Election by T.P. Cunningham, that on Easter Saturday,7th April, 1855 in the entrance hall of Cavan Courthouse at ten o clock at the nominations for the seat vacated by the resignation of Sir John Young, among the supporters of Henry George Hughes was John Reilly. Present also were his daughter Miss Elizabeth Reilly and Philip Smith from Carrickvilla, Lavey who were to marry each other ten years later.

The Cavan Observer, in late December 1861, recorded the death of John Reilly as follows:

'It is with feelings of sincere regret we have to record the death of Mr. John Reilly, of Derrygarra House, Butlersbridge, which occurred on last Monday evening. Mr. Reilly had reached the patriarchal age of eighty-four years, and during that period had been in the almost uninterrupted enjoyment of good health until within a few months of his decease. Frank, honourable, charitable, possessed of a truly Celtic hospitable and generous disposition, he enjoyed during his life....Mr. Reilly was a member of the Roman Catholic Church, and there has not been a chapel built in this county for many years past to the erection or improvement of which he did not contribute with an unsparing hand...His generosity, however, had nothing sectarian in it, for he never refused to contribute largely to an charitable project in connection with other denomination than his own....On Tuesday morning crowds flocked to the house to ascertain if the melancholy intelligence were correct, and the grief expressed by all classes on earning its confirmation was deep and heartfelt....On Thursday "High Mass" and the other ceremonies customary on such occasions in the Roman Catholic Church were celebrated in the chapel of Butlersbridge, where the body of the deceased lay. The funeral procession left Butlersbridge about half-past twelve o'clock. In front walked about three hundred men who had been at various times in Mr. Reilly's employment, wearing scarfs.....The melancholy cortege extended for fully two miles in length, and a great number of those present could not get within a mile of Drumlane cemetery, where the body was interred. A good man has been taken from amongst us....'

His son Thomas was the executor of his will and lived in Derrygarra House until 1st May 1863.

The Cavan Observer of the 9th May 1863 reports that on the night of the 4th May there had occurred a 'DARING RIBBON OUTRAGE'.

'Within the last few days, the peace and tranquility of this locality has been disturbed by an outrage of a most wanton and daring character A review of the circumstances must necessarily lead to the conclusion, that the perpetrators of the outrage belong to some secret and unlawful society; and we fear there exists strong grounds for apprehending that the fell spirit of Ribbonism is rampant and vigorous in our midst. The following facts may be relied on as a correct version of the occurrence. Mr. Thomas Reilly of Butlersbridge, held a house and farm at Upper Derrygarra, on the property of Captain ROEBUCK, of London, who bears the character of a kind and indulgent landlord. Mr. Reilly not wishing to retain the farm, served notice of surrender in the usual way, and on the 1st of May gave up possession to the landlord's agent, J. W. FREKE, Esq., of Dublin. It appears the landlord intended to keep the farm in his own possession, and contemplated expending a large sum in improvements, by which means he would afford employment to the labouring population of the neighbourhood; and with this view he put a herd in possession of the house as caretaker. On the night of the 5th inst., upwards of twenty persons, some of them armed with blunderbusses, attacked the house occupied by the caretaker. After forcing the man, his wife, and children out on the highway, in a half naked state, two of the party were placed as a guard over them, who pushed them for some distance along the main road to Cavan. In the meantime the remainder of the party fired the house, and burned it to the ground; after which they set fire to a large unoccupied house close by, the ancient residence of the Reilly family. The scene of this lawless proceeding is quite convenient to the town of Butlersbridge, and in the immediate vicinity of the police. Mr. Thomas Reilly has offered a reward of 30l. for such information as may lead to the conviction of the parties; and, as we understand, the reward is likely to be increased, as the landed proprietors of the locality are determined to do their utmost to put a stop to a system of midnight terrors subversive of the right of property, and, no doubt, concocted and executed by the members of the Ribbon confederacy.'
The Cavan Observer of 23rd May 1863 further reported that
'THE BUTLERSBRIDGE OUTRAGE- Twelve persons have been arrested as belonging to the party who burned the two houses at Derrygarra on the 5th inst. The parties have been taken on the information of Catherine Reilly, the wife of the caretaker, whom Captain ROEBUCK had placed in possession of one of the burned houses, and who, with her husband and children, were turned out of the house by the persons who perpetrated the outrage. W. M. HICKSON, Esq., R.M., has the conducting of the case, and has been engaged during the week privately investigating the matter in the county gaol. We understand the woman and her son--a child of eleven years of age--has identified the prisoners, all of whom belong to the vicinity of Butlersbridge, and resided not far from the scene of the outrage. Constable M'ILWAINE, of the Butlersbridge station, displayed considerable adroitness and activity in effecting the arrest of the parties.'
Four were charged in connection with burning the two houses the property of captain William Roebuck at Derrygarra Upper - 'Butlersbridge outrage', as it was called, but after a short deliberation the jury acquitted the accused after Messrs Thomas Gilhooly, James Teevan and Patrick Wilson had given them good character testimonials.
The Cavan Observer reported the following sequel at the SUMMER ASSIZES, 1863
CAVAN-THURSDAY, JULY 2
The Grand Jury of this County met on Thursday. At one o'clock, the High Sheriff, Nathaniel MONTGOMERY, Esq., came into Court, when the long panel was called over by Henry J. RAE, Esq., Clerk of the Crown.
The following gentlemen answered to their names, and were sworn:
Lieut.-Col. Hon. J. P. MAXWELL, M.P., foreman. Hon. Somerset R. MAXWELL, Ardley Cottage. Lieut.-Col. Henry T. CLEMENTS, Ashfield. George De La Poer BERESFORD, Esq., Aubawn.John E. VERNON, Esq., Erne Hill. James A. DEASE, Esq., Turbotstown.James HAMILTON, Esq., Castle Hamilton.
Henry Owen SAUNDERS, Esq., Kilnevalla House, Borris-'o-kane.
David Fielding JONES, Esq., Nahillah. William A. MOORE, Esq., Arnmore.
John H. ADAMS, Esq., Northlands. John LITTON, Esq., Newtownbutler.
B. S. ADAMS, Esq., Shinan House. Major-General St. John Augustus CLARKE.
William TATLOW, Esq., Dublin. Captain Robert ERSKINE, Cavan.
John Rogers, Esq., Belturbet. C. S. ADAMS, Esq., Kingscourt.
Charles MORTIMER, Esq., Lakeview. John TOWNLEY, Esq., Tullyvin House.
Joseph Green LYNCH, Esq., Roebuck.


The High Sheriff said there was no business to be brought before the Grand Jury that called for any particular observation from him.....The Grand Jury then proceeded with the fiscal business of the County, which occupied the day.
At half-past ten o'clock next day, the Grand Jury resumed the fiscal business.
MALICIOUS INJURIES
The application of Captain William ROEBUCK, for compensation for the malicious destruction by fire of two dwelling house, his property at Derrygarra Upper, on the night of the 14th May, 1863, or early on the following morning. Amount claimed, £50. Recommended at Sessions- to be levied off Derrygarra, Drumany, Kilnaglare, Aghadrumagullion, Tullybrick, and Drumahurk.
After the examination of witnesses the Grand Jury awarded £27 10s for the injury.

Thomas O'Reilly continued to live in Butlersbridge as the Irish Catholic Chronicle And People's News of the Week, Dublin, Ireland of Saturday, 4th October 1867 listed him and Mrs O'Reilly as contributors to the Catholic Institution for the Deaf and Dumb at Cabra, Dublin. Thomas is also listed among the Co. Sligo landowners of 1870 as having 1126 acres valued at 654 pounds and five shillings. As of now I do not where this land was in Co. Sligo or whether Thomas ever resided there. According to Slater's Directory 1870 Thomas O'Reilly was still postmaster in Butlersbridge and letters arrived, from all parts, at forty- five minutes past eight in the morning and at thirty- five minutes past one in the afternoon; and are despatched at twelve noon and five past four in the afternoon. On Sundays letters arrived at forty five past eight and despatched at nine in the morning.

Thomas's brother, James O'Reilly, we know had moved to Lacken Mills; his sister Alice and youngest of the family died on the 25th April 1848 and his sister Elizabeth (1827-1883) married Philip Smith (1818-81), Carrickvilla, Lavey on the 27th April 1865 and moved to Carrickvilla. Interestingly Fr Theobald Mathew, who had stayed at Derrygarra House on the 25th November1840 and had presented Elizabeth with a silver temperance medal also stayed at Carrivalla on 7th June 1841 and presented Philip, later to be Elizabeth's husband twenty four years later, with a silver temperance medal. It was in Carrickvilla that their eldest children were born, Elizabeth on the 13th April 1866 and Patrick Joseph on the 3rd November 1867. It would appear that their youngest daughter Annie([Babies] 1871 - 1917) was born in Derrygarra House in 1871 as the family had changed residence in the Spring of 1870 to Derrygarra House, partly to take care of Mrs Smith's mother (Eliza).

However the relict of John Reilly and the mother of Thomas, James, Elizabeth and Alice, Elizabeth (Eliza) died on the 18th March 1871. The Anglo-Celt of the 25th March 1871 records the 'deeply deplored demise of a venerated and beloved lady whose many virtues and characteristic goodness have made her name as familiar as household words from the mansion to the cabin ... the remains which were encased in a suit of coffins, the outer one of which was of polished oak, fully mounted in black were ... at half past eleven o clock a Solemn Office and Requiem Mass were celebrated .. and at half past two o clock, the remains were conveyed from the Church to a vault specially constructed for their reception, in the ground, in front of the sacred edifice'.

It is recorded that Philip Smith, Derrygarra, owned 173 acres in 1876. Philip Smith had inherited Carrickvilla from his father Patrick (1790-1848) in 1848 and on the 3rd August 1847 he had been appointed by the Board of Guardians for the New Inn area, at £35 a year, to look after the relief of approximately 8000 people. He was secretary to the fund raising committee to build Upper Lavey Church in 1860 and 1861 and in January 1863 he donated a chalice and set of vestments to the new church. He died at Derrygarra on 30th March 1881 and his wife died on 1st December 1883 also at Derrygarra. Both are interred in Cullies graveyard.

James Gilcreest, reputed to be from Lavey, was granted a Spirit Licence in November 1878. About 1884 Derrygarra House was sold to Patrick and Bridget Boylan and the Smith children went to live in Carrickvilla.

Philip and Elizabeth's son Patrick Joseph Smith attended St Patrick's College, Cavan from 1881-82, read medicine, joined the army and served in South Africa. On 1st June 1909 he married Emily O'Grady from Monkstown, Co Dublin at the Church of St Winifred, New Gardens, London. He had by then resigned from the army and was living in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Annie Smith never married and she died at Carrickvilla on 6th November 1917 and is buried in the family plot in Cullies graveyard.
Elizabeth (1866-1917) married John Smith from Mountnugent on the 13th September 1893 and they had their home at Carrickvilla. They had three daughters - Madge who married Patrick Gaffney, from Crimlin and who had their home at Latt, Cavan; Anita who married Jimmy Smith, Mullimagavin and who set up home in Carrickvilla; and Monica who married Dan Mc Donald, Ballyjamesduff.

Despite some research and contacting many people I have failed, to date, to source any further information on the families of James Reilly, Lacken Mills or of Thomas Reilly. It is know that Thomas Reilly was deceased before April 3rd 1874, on which date the following auction notice relating to Butlersbridge House appeared in the local Anglo Celt.

Image to Follow E.FEGAN Anglo Celt 1 April 1874 or close

James who owned Lacken Mill was alive at least upto 18/5/1901 when the following auction notice appeared on the Anglo Celt.......

John Reilly's role as a community leader is evident by the following Anglo Celt article dated 5/08/1852.  The Earl and Countess of Lanesborough visited our village on Wednesday 4th August.  A raptrous reception was accorded to them and they dined with John + Mrs Reilly at their home in Derragarra House.  The article is as follows.