Captain Geoffrey Donnelly

[Pat38]

Hello
Does anyone have a Geoffrey Donnelly in their tree? He was from Passage East Waterford and was a seaman all his life and died in the Mercy Hospital Cork aged 65 sometime after 1918. I have received this information from an undated Newspaper Report in a Family Album so do not know the date he died. All I know is that he served as Master during the whole of WW1 as the Report notes certain events that happened during WW1 and he was on the Star and Maindy Lines. The Report also notes that he was Captain on the SS Maindy Court when it successfully navigated Tauranga Harbour in New Zealand and the Harbour was supposed to have also been called Donnelly's Creek in memory of the event.
I think he may have been my grandmother MARY ELLEN DONNELLY's brother. She was born in 1876/1877.
Hoping someone has information.
Regards
Pat Berry in Australia

[aghadowey]

Would this be the family?
William Donnelly m. Frances Hearne
1. Mary Ellen born 8 July 1875 Co.Waterford
2. Geoffry born 27 Jan.1877 Co.Waterford (must have died young)
3. Geoffry born 28 Sept.1879 Co.Waterford

[Pat38]

Would this be the family?
William Donnelly m. Frances Hearne
1. Mary Ellen born 8 July 1875 Co.Waterford
2. Geoffry born 27 Jan.1877 Co.Waterford (must have died young)
3. Geoffry born 28 Sept.1879 Co.Waterford

Hello
Yes I think they may be the family. I found them on the LDS IGI some time ago before I was sent this Newspaper Report. Mary Ellen's father was William who was also a Seaman. She had a sister Fanny (probably Frances) who was 21 on the 1901 UK Census living at Prescot Lancashire England but I can't find her on the IGI. I found Fanny married Thomas Murphy in Prescot in 1901. I have just had news that Geoffrey was in New Zealand in 1922. If the Geoffrey who was born in 1879 is him he must have died around 1944. I didn't know where in Ireland my grandmother Mary Ellen Donnelly came from until this newspaper report turned up. My Dad always said he was from Waterford but I found that he and his brothers and sisters were all born in Liverpool England. It looks like it was his mother who came from Waterford.
Thanks
Pat

[mefein]

I live in Cork, am 75. My mother  nee Donnelly was from Passage East. I recall as a youngster Capt. Geoff Donnelly visiting us regularly in Cork. Geoff looked about the same age +or- as my grandfather who was born about 1865. At this time, late 1940s, Geoff was caretaker on a small ship I think it was a tender berthed at Union Quay, Cork,which used to go out to the liners at Cobh.

[Pat38]

Hello mefein

Thank you for replying to my message. Since posting the message in December 2007 I have found lots of information on Geoffrey Donnelly. I found that his name should be spelled JEFFREY DONNELLY and he was born on 1st March 1879 in Passage East, married MARY CATHERINE MOLONEY in 1908 and had a son WILLIAM JOSEPH. MARY C died in 1928 and then he married ELLEN DAWSON in 1928. Jeffrey died in 1944 in the Mercy Hospital Cork. He would have been my Great Uncle.
His sister MARY ELLEN DONNELLY born 1875 in Waterford married JAMES HIGGINS born 1870 in County Mayo and they became my Grandparents after they married in 1902 in Prescot Lancashire England. They had a couple of children in Prescot and then they went to Liverpool where Mary Ellen died in 1923 and James died in 1938 just a few months before I was born. I never knew my Grandparents. My Dad was PATRICK JOSEPH HIGGINS born 1908 in Liverpool.
I know MARY ELLEN had a sister FANNY born around 1880 as she was living with Mary Ellen in 1901 in Prescot and married a THOMAS MURPHY in Prescot later in 1901.
Jeffrey was a Seaman all his life and I have found a few of his voyages on Ancestry. I have his photo from his Seaman's record.
I have an obituary from a Newspaper which was found in a Family Album belonging to my Uncle which states that Jeffrey had cousins RICHARD DONNELLY, CHARLES MILLER, DAVID HEARNE & JOHN DONNELLY.
JEFFREY'S parents were WILLIAM born 1850 (Fisherman) died 1910 and FANNY HEARNE born 1847 died 1884.
I have found relatives I didn't know I had in Waterford.
Who was your mother's father? Was he a brother of JEFFREY, MARY ELLEN & FANNY?
I would love to hear more from you.
Regards
Pat Berry in Australia

[mefein]

Pat
You said Jeff D. (1879-1944) had several cousins , my grandfather was Richard Donnelly (1868-1954), also Charles Mellor (not Millar) (1897-1975) my 2nd cousin once removed, also Dave Hearne (1906-1950) my 2nd cousin once removed, Dave Hearne's father was John and his father in turn was David who married Ellen Donnelly my greatgreat aunt, also John Donnelly, my uncle was John (Jack) (1902-1975), my great grandfather was John Donnelly known as Daddy Jack to all his grandchildren, and his father was either John, Joe, Tom or Jim take your pick.
I knew most of the mentioned. I met Bill Donnelly , Jeff's Son,I think he had a shop in Waterford.
I was never able to make a connection with Jeff.
 I have 2208 names in my family tree and I hope you will be able to add to that.
The name of the small ship he looked after in Cork was the "John Joyce".
Can we communicate by email rather than through Roots Chat?
Who had you contact with at this end since you first started looking? I have loads of cousins in Waterford etc.
Dick

[Pat38]

Hello Dick

Thanks for your message.

I have sent my email address to your Private Message Inbox.

Regards

Pat

[strongbow1]

Good Morning Pat or should I say cousin
My name is Ray Donnelly and Jeff was my Grandfather
My Fathers name was Bill and I have two brothers Geoffrey and Kevin
Geoff has a house in Passage and my other brother and myself live in Waterford
Geoff has a framed photo of the Maindy Court which was presented to Jeff by the Harbour Board in Tarangua
I am going to send my email details to your pm box if I can

All the best
Ray Donnelly

[aghadowey]

Welcome to Rootschat, Ray, but new members usually need 3 posts to use PM system.