John McNamara (abt. 1790)

Born about 1790 in County Kilkenny, Ireland [uncertain]

Descendants

Died [date unknown] in Ireland

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Biography

John McNamara 1790 estimated year of birth based on child born 1815.

Lived in Kilkenny, Ireland.

The McNamara Family

In the Gaelic language the family name is MacCommara, or McConmara, which has been Anglicized - McNamara; MacNamarra, and MacNamarrow.

The name is derived from Cu - mara, which signifies "Champion of the Sea". The McNamaras, who, next to the O'Briens were the most powerful of the Daicassian clans, derive their descent from Caisin, son of Cas, the common ancestor of all the Dai Gcais ( the Dalcassians ).

Their original territory was Di Caisin, corresponding to the present deanery of Ogashin and comprising nine parishes in the east of County Clare; but in later times they ruled over a larger territory,which comprised the whole of Upper and Lower Tulla, and which from their clan name, was known as Clann Cuilean.

The McNamaras were Hereditary marshals of Thomond, and it was their privilege to inaugurate O'Brien. A branch of the family settled in County Down, sometime before the end of the sixteenth century.

A valiant and numerous clan, the McNamaras held a principality that included Connagh, Cratice, Bunratty, and other areas of Thomond. In gratitude for their loyal service during the battle of Dysart, the Prince of Thomond gave them considerable portions of land. Some of the patrimony of the O'Briens, through intermarriage, also came into the possession of the McNamaras of Clan Cullen. Cullen wasthe outstanding progenitor from the McNamaras from whom the tribe name "Clanncullen" originated. However, there were different branches.

Irish records state that in 977 Brian Boru, King of Ireland, assisted by Aod McNamara, Chief of Clancullen, S.E. Clare, stormed the Island of Scattery and drove out the Norse invaders. In the 11th Century, the Prince of Clancullen was given the title of "The Strong McNamara" because of his poise and skill with spear and battle-axe and wearing of the armor. He was looked upon as the Hercules of Thomond and a matchless rival.

One of his sons, Sioda cam McNamara, built the famous Quin Abbey for the Franciscans. Even in its state of ruin, it has an air of majesty about it. It is an attraction for tourists as are Bunratty Castle and Knappogue Castle.

The latter has been in the possession of Teig McNamara, the Lord of W. Clancullen. He died in 1571. The records list forty two castles in 1580 in the possession of the McNamaras. In 1654, there were 293 principal McNamara families with, according to one record, lands held since the 5th century.

One genealogical authority traces the McNamaras back to about 420 A.D. when Cas, a Celtic Chief, made his home in County Clare and became head of the Dalcassians, i.e., the people of Cas. His son Cas, became progenitor of the McNamaras. The record states that this Cas was the descendant of a Celtic King who ruled Munster from 174 A.D. to 234 A.D.

Ireland at a very early period had a rich culture. It came to be known as the land of scholars and saints. Intermingled with its tenacious love of the faith and its undying fondness for its mountains and lakes are its quick impulse to burst into wistful songs and to invoke a smile. The characteristic warmth and sincerity that meet and greet the casual visitor make the " land of forty shades of green" a lovely place, indeed!

Postscripts in July 1983:

As part of the clan, we've come a long way. Our home is our castle, be it humble or great. The diverse personalities and loyalty within it are its assets encircled with a band and bond of gold which is love.

TO ONE AND ALL: AN IRISH WELCOME!

O. Bernadette McNamara, 1983

John and Bridget (Talbert) Talbot McNamara

No information whatsoever is available about our great great grandfather John McNamara except that he was born in Ireland, lived in Kilkenny and died in Ireland. We were told that he disappeared in the war. We know that he did marry Bridget (Talbert) Talbot. According to John's grandson, uncle George, his grandmother's name was Talbert. However, all records available on baptisms are marked Talbot. The marriage certificate of Martin McNamara has his mother's name listed as Talbert. Either way, she is ours.

We had been told that John McNamara had two wives and seventeen, yes seventeen children. However, uncle George, who was very knowledgeable about his father Martin's ancestry said there was only one wife and she was indeed Bridget (Talbert) Talbot. Another baptismal record we have been able to obtain is for a Richard McNamara, born on October 6, 1815 (see certificate), and his parents are listedas John and Bridget Talbot McNamara, it would indeed seem that Bridget was his only wife. Also subsequent birth certificates list John and Bridget.

If, indeed, there was another wife, we believe she might have been a Judy Brennan. But recently, a James Andrew McNamara sent me substantial information, that when broken down seems to point to onlyone wife.

There is positively no way for us to determine the order of the seventeen children.

A marriage record in Canada, indicates Elizabeth was born in 1845. However, this is impossible since her mother Bridget, emigrated to Canada in 1840 and was already a widow. The marriage of Elizabeth to Owen Maney does coincide with all our verified information, so we assume that yet another mistake was made on the church records.

Uncle George told us that in 1840, (verified through Irish records), Bridget McNamara, then a widow, sailed from Ireland with all of her seventeen children and landed in Montreal, Canada. The familylater settled in the Toronto Gore and lived on De Grassi street. We have now been able to locate De Grassi street ( http://map.toronto.ca/imapit/iMapIt.jsp?app=TOMaps) and ( http://vrl.torontopubliclibrary.ca/ ).

Bridget's name does turn up on an 1861 Canadian census, but had disappeared by the time the 1881 census was published. There was no trace of her or what had happened to her. However, through the persistence of James Andrew McNamara, he located where a Bridget McNamara was cared for by the Sisters of St. Joseph in the House of Providence in Toronto. Upon further investigation, he found that shehad died on December 12, 1874 at the age of 84. This would indicate that she was born in 1790, a fact we had previously determined by census records. (certificate re: Bridget's death included)

John was believed to be buried in Tipperary, Ireland, according to Clare McNamara.

Bridget Talbot:

17 children were born to John & Bridget (Talbert) Talbot McNamara - most of them in Kilkenny, Ireland. However at some point John & Bridget did move to Tipperary, Ireland which is the next county to County Clare.

When her husband John McNamara died, Bridget brought all 17 of her children to Montreal, Canada. Fifteen of them stayed in Canada & two of them moved to the United States & were never heard from again. They had always assumed they went to Buffalo or Detroit - since the others settled in the Toronto Gore area.

Note: Another spelling of "Brigid Talbut" is in Marcel McNamara's Family book which is somewhat different than our "Book".

Sources