O'Hurley of Ballinacarriga.
That the Hurleys of Ballinacarriga are of Limerick origin is certain, but it can hardly be granted that the Randal Hurley who built the castle of Ballinacarriga was son of Thomas O'Hurley of Knocklong, who attended Perrott's Parliament in 1585. Tradition has it that Randal Hurley, the founder of the castle, spent many years in Spain. Returning he married Catherine O'Cullinane daughter of the physician to McCarthy Reaghs. That they possessed wealth and power is evident from the possessions they had, the connections they made with the McCarthies and De Courcies, and the traditions of the country. In a note by D. McCarthy Glas, on the McCarthys of Gleannacroim, and the Hurleys of Ballinacarriga Castle, he says there is an unbroken succession of Randal Oges from 1530 to 1740, of no fewer than eight.
Randal, son of Thomas Hurley of the Parliament, erected the castle of Ballinacarriga, near Dunmanway in the Co. Cork, and married Catherine Collins (sic) O'Cullinane a chief in Carbery, by whom he had a son:
[p. 27] Randal Oge Duff, who married Ellen de Courcey, daughter of John, 18th Baron Kingsale, by whom he had:
Randal Oge Beg, who was outlawed in 1641. He married twice, first, a daughter of Tadg Onorsie MacCarthy of Dunmanway, by whom he had a son Randal; and secondly, the widow of Gerald, 19th Baron Kingsale, by whom he had Dermod, mentioned in the "Depositions" made in 1641, and Daniel, called of Dromgarra. Randal, the eldest son of Randal Oge Beg was outlawed with his father in 1641. He left a son:
Randal, called of Ballinacarriga, who had a daughter Angelina, married to Cormac Glas McCarthy, ancestor of the MacCarthy Glas, and had a son:
Randal, who had a son:
Randal, who had a son:
Randal Oge, who had a son:
John Hurley, who emigrated to America with his family in or about 1810.—Cronnelly's Irish Family History, p. 353.
On the 23rd March, 1517, Edmund De Courcey, brother of Nicholas, baron of Kingsale, resigned at Timoleague Abbey, when he took the habit of St. Francis, his See of Ross in favour of John O'Murrilly, abbot of "Fonte Vivo,"(1) in the parish of Myross, who is described as being of the Diocese of Cork. Lady Alynora, daughter of the Earl of Kildare, wife of McCarthy Reagh, Kilbrittain; Cornelius Cathalan, guardian of the Convent, and Maurice O'Murrilly, cleric, are witnesses. One of the causes mentioned for his resignation is his great age, over 80 years. John O'Murrilly is described as a learned, grave, and prudent man, also that he, the Bishop of Ross, is connected by certain bond of affinity with the said abbot, John. On the 4th November, same year, the resignation was accepted. John was appointed Bishop of Ross with the retention of the abbey in commendam and one or two benefices.
Theiner Monumenta—Hib. and Scot., p. 519.—DCCCCXVI.
Document of the Resignation of the Bishop of Ross. From Misc. Orig. Doc.
In the name of God.—Amen. May it appear evident and known to all by the tenour of the present public document, that in the year 1517 of the Incarnation, according to the ecclesiastical computation of England and Ireland, in the fifth Indiction, the 3d year of the Pontificate of our Most Holy Father and Lord in God, Pope Leo the 10th, and on the 23d day of March, in the place commonly called Tymoleague. In presence of the undersigned witnesses by me appointed and trusted by me, the respectable and venerable man, John Horryle, Lord Abbot of the Monastery of the Blessed Mary De Fonte Vivo, in the Diocese of Ross, shewing and presenting to me, the undersigned notary, the letter of the resignation of the Reverend Lord and Father in Christ, Edmund Cursy, Bishop of Ross, into the hands of the above Most Holy Father and Lord Pope Leo X., at the instance of his most dear brother, the aforesaid abbot, sealed with the seal of the aforesaid Lord Bishop Edmund, and written with his own hand; and likewise he earnestly prayed me by the best means, manner, [p. 28] and form, by which he could best and most efficaciously do, so that on the consideration of a suitable salary, to certify without doubt in and out of Court, before opportune, necessary and suitable persons, even the Pope, his officials, also the King of England, his deputy in Ireland, and the other officials of the forementioned most powerful and noble King, when and as often as may be necessary (sic). Since these things which are duly executed according to the requirements of the canons and sacred laws usually fade from weak human memory, when not having them in due order transferred to writing; which letter of Resignation is as follows:—
May it appear to the Most Blessed and Holy Father and Lord in Christ, Pope Leo X., and whose feet, though absent, I humbly kiss, and to all other and such seeing the present letters, hearing and reading them, that I, Edmund, by the grace of God and the Apostolic See, Lord Bishop of Ross, in my own mind, and by many long days of deliberation moved and influenced, perceiving that I am weakened in body and mind to discharge the great care of the episcopal dignity, and of so many souls as the weight and requirements of law requires, in my advanced years and nearly decrepid age, the consideration of which, and my aspirations towards the contemplation of my great Redeemer, freely, quietly, of my own accord and peacefully, resign, by word and deed, my episcopal dignity into the hands of the aforesaid Most Holy Pope, especially in favour of and regard of my spiritual lord and brother, John, by the patience of God, Lord Abbot of the Monastery of the Blessed Mary de Fonte Vivo, of the Cistercian Order, in the Diocese of Ross, whom it pleases us with deliberate and willing mind, with the approbation of the Apostolic See, to raise to the same episcopal dignity of Ross. In greater testimony of the faith of all and each, we affix our seal with the above-mentioned sign of the Public Notary, and in his presence.
These witnesses being present, namely—Lady Alynora, daughter of the Earl of Kildare, and Brother Cornelius Cathalan, guardian of the Convent of Friars Minor of Observance of Saint Molagy; Maurice Murryly, clerk, being invited and required.
These presents are given and had, as written above, in the year, Indiction, month, day and place, as above.
L.S.—Et Ego Donatus O'Morthy, clericus Dublini diocesis. Public notary by apostolic and imperial authority, having promised all and each, namely the resignation made in the foregoing form by the foresaid Lord Edmund, and written by his hand and given into the hands of the aforesaid Abbot John, with the request of my office regarding this document, I have been present in person, these all and each as done I have seen, heard, published, written, required and asked in testimony of the aforementioned I have subscribed with my usual sign and name, and the erasure in the end of the second line in the word Tymolage between the word desired and the word in presence, does not harm, as I the same notary have written with my hand, at sessions held at Youghal, 2 August, 1642. Randal Hurly, of Beallanacarrigy, and Randal, his son; William Hurly, Ballinwarde, and James Hurly of same place; William Hurly of Lisgubby; Donagh McDonel Hurly of Bummeondderry; Daniel Oge Hurly of Kilbrittain; James Hurly of Grillagh, Ellen Hurly of Grillagh-Ighteragh.
The resignation was accepted, and John was appointed Bishop of Ross in 1517. He did not enjoy his dignity long, as he died on January 9th, 1519, and was buried like his predecessor in the Abbey at Timoleague.
[p. 29] Besides Ballinacarriga and Ballinivard which they built, the O'Hurleys also owned Derry Castle, and Monteen and Ballinvoher, built by the McCarthys in 1631. Dermod O'Hurley, surnamed Tresalia, or "light-footed," is said to have owned them in James the Second's time (Bennett). A daughter of Randal Oge, who built the castle, and died 1631, married Dermod M'Daniel Carty alias Mac Crimen, of Ballinvoher. Randal is said by tradition to have been at the siege of Kinsale.
Randal Oge fought for James at Limerick, and joined the forces under Sarsfield for France, leaving his disconsolate wife behind, who was his own cousin, Ellen O'Cullinane, daughter of Cúil Fiacal Óir, so called on account of his gold tooth.
Bennett gives a list of immediate descendants of the O'Hurleys of Ballinacarriga. One of these was Parish Priest of Clontead, and he made the graveyards at Clontead, Kilmonoge and Ballyfeard. This latter has the inscription on a limestone slab inserted in the masonry of a gate pillar:
Revdus Renaldus
Hurly Hoc
Presidium
Mortuorum
Fieri Fecit
Anno Domini 1783
He was the son of James, otherwise Seamur Á Turpajn.
Here are several tombs belonging to Irish families of distinction; in centre of choir there is one to the McCarthy Reaghs of Kilbrittain; the O'Cullinanes—"Hic jacet bonus vir Dominus Thade O'Culleine ab totan curn suis filiis eorum et successoribus. Requiescat in pace. Amen. A.D. 1635." There is also a tomb of the De Courceys, Barons of Kinsale.
[The celebrated fair of Ballyboy, near Dunmanway, is called in Irish "Aonac Randall Oge," Fair of Randal Oge. Ranell Oge Hurley, gent. Dec. 19, 1615, Nydenagh More, a Fair, on 25 July and day after; rent 6s. 8d. Ir. (old style)].
There is in the Catholic Cathedral, Cork, a very beautiful chalice, silver gilt. The lower part of the cup is beautifully chased. The nodus is also of exquisite workmanship, while the base, of five sides, has on first panel a simple cross, and beneath "Dns. Ranaldus Hurly." Second panel has, under figure of the B. Virgin, beneath three stars, "Et. Dna. Eulina de Curcy." Third panel, Double Eagles (De Courcey arms), and beneath, "Conjuges Me Dei." Fourth panel has a palm tree, and beneath, "Servitio D.D. 1633." Fifth panel has only "I.H.S." Encircled. On the inside of the base is the inscription: "Ex Dono I. Coppinger d. m. parich Sta. Maria, 1722."
Intermarriages of the Hurleys and de Courceys:—Edmond Oge de Courcey of Kilnacloona, married Julianna, daughter of Dermod Mac Teige O'Hurley, chief of his ancient sept, and was father of John de Courcey, 18th Lord Kingsale, who, 1601, fought against the Spaniards at Kingsale. His only daughter, Ellen, married Randal Hurley, of Ballynacarrigy, Esq. His son, Randal Oge, married Helen, daughter of Sir John Fitzgerald of Dromana, Co. Waterford, widow of Gerald, 19th Lord Kingsale. [Note.—Randal married twice (1) a daughter of Teige Onorsie McCarthy; (2) Ellen de Courcey.]
In the Fiants and from documents in the appointment of John Hurley—resignation of De Courcey, we find there were Hurleys in Co. Cork long before 1585. Indeed, there is a tradition that before the present castle was…
The bracketed page citations above ([p. 27], [p. 28], [p. 29]) mark the original page breaks. The final sentence transcribed here breaks off mid-thought at the bottom of page 29 — it continues onto page 30, which opens the next section. Spelling and punctuation otherwise follow the 1906 printing exactly, including its inconsistent rendering of the resigning bishop's name: "John O'Murrilly" in the prose account, but "John Horryle" in the translated Latin document a paragraph later. Both plainly refer to the same man; we have not attempted to reconcile the spellings, since the discrepancy is the original text's own and may reflect two different transcribers or source documents being spliced together, one Anglicizing the surname as "O'Murrilly" and the other rendering it closer to "Hurley/Horryle." We have also left the two Irish-language fragments (the gun-owner's saying on the earlier page, and "Seamur Á Turpajn" here) exactly as printed; we cannot vouch for the accuracy of the original typesetting in an unfamiliar orthography, and have not attempted our own retranscription into modern Irish.
