THE death has occurred in Killarney of Lady Elizabeth O’Connell, of Lakeview House in Fossa, whose family line includes Daniel O’Connell, The Liberator.
A member of the MacCarthy-O’Leary family of Coomlogane House, Millstreet, in earlier life she joined the Voluntary Aid Detachment, a team of civilians providing nursing care for military personnel during World War II, just as her own mother had done in World War I, and she worked as an auxiliary nurse in various military hospitals in Kent and Oxford.
Lady O’Connell was a member and former chairperson of the Trustees of Muckross House. She also spearheaded the important ‘sponsor a slate’ fundraiser that helped fund the building and maintenance of the Prince of Peace Church, close to her home in Fossa.
Her late husband, Sir Morgan O’Connell, who died in 1989, at the age of 66, was the 6th Baronet O’Connell of Lakeview, Killarney and Ballybeggan, Tralee. He was educated at Abbey School, Inverness, Scotland and he fought in World War II with the Royal Signals.
Lady O’Connell (born 1923), who passed away at her home on Thursday, is survived by her children, Frances, Sue, Maurice, John, Katie and Claire, her grandchildren and extended family.
Reposing at O’Shea’s Funeral Home, Killarney on Monday from 6.00pm, removal will take place at 8.00pm to Prince of Peace Church, Fossa with Requiem Mass on Tuesday at 11.00am, followed by burial in the family plot at St. Lelia’s Church, Fossa. [1] [2] [3]
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Much sadness as Lady O’Connell laid to rest (The Kerryman)
Irish Life and Lore have extensive audio recordings of Lady O’Connell.
Question: Was Elizabeth the last of the McCarthy O’Learys to be born in Coomlogane House? No, she was born in Kent, England [1]
We were privileged to welcome Lady O’Connell to Millstreet Museum in the 1980s and she also attended an excellent illustrated talk by historian, Kevin O’Byrne in the renovated Court Room in the Carnegie Hall a few years later. She was truly impressed by the theme which dealt with the history of Coomlogane House and the McCarthy-O’Leary Family. May Lady Elizabeth O’Connell rest in peace. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.
The recent death of Lady Elizabeth O Connell marks another chapter of the McCarthy O Leary family with Coomlogane which commenced with the acquisition by Denis O Leary of the lands of Coomlogane from Lord Muskerry on 29th September 1781.
Elizabeth was a surviving member of the Coomlogane line of the family. Her grandfather William died in the Boer War on 27th February 1900 survived by his widow Mary (nee Considine) and their children John (Elizabeth’s father), Mary Ellen, William, Heffernan (Donagh) and Amy. They were the last children born in the Great House.
John, William and Donagh served in the Great War. William was killed in action in 1916. John and Donagh survived but John who had married Rose Mary Fogarty died in the early 1920s.
Elizabeth was the only child of the marriage and she later married Sir Morgan O Connell. Both Elizabeth and her husband had family connections with Daniel O Connell the Liberator. Her great grandmother Jane Frances McCarthy O Leary (nee O Connell) was a niece of Daniel O Connell.
Elizabeth’s mother Rose Mary McCarthy O Leary lived in London and died on 9th May 1953 survived by Elizabeth who went on to have a long and happy life in Killarney.
The abiding legacy of the family will be the gift of the lands for The Church, Cemetery, Presbytery and Schools by Eileen McCarthy O Leary in 1811.
Here is a picture of a statue and some information on the William McCarthy O’Leary referred to by Maurice Linehan.
http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-statue-of-lt-col-william-mccarthy-oleary-in-queens-gardens-warrington-54385554.html
Oops. Looks like that’s all been very well covered here already.
http://www.millstreet.ie/blog/2015/10/02/lieutenant-colonel-william-maccarthy-oleary-coomlogane-house