Donoher Family History

History of the Donogher family, Fisherstown, Kilbracken, Jamestown and Inchacooley.

The first of the Donogher family arrived in Jamestown from Inchacooley (Co. Laois) sometime before the rebellion of 1798. He (name unknown) soon after became a member of the secret organisation, “the United Irishmen“. Founded by Wolfe Tone in Belfast in 1792, the Unites Irishmen was a non-denominational and non-sectarian organisation that sought the overthrow of British colonial power in Ireland by armed struggle. Donogher who was caught making pikes (long handled weapon used by the rebels of 1798 with a sharp blade on its end, ideal for cutting saddle straps from under a mounted Cavalry officer thus knocking him from his mount), was found guilty of treason at the local assizes and sentenced to death. Donogher was placed in a spiked wooden barrel and rolled down the hill from Jamestown cross towards Monasterevin for approximately 200 metres. When the barrel came to a stop, it was covered in pitch and set alight. The hollow, where this happened, no longer exists today but it is estimated that the barrel was set alight in a place opposite what is currently “the Road House” restaurant.

Donogher left three sons. One of the siblings remained in Jamestown while the other two moved three miles down the road to the towns land of Fisherstown. Here, they established a forge at Fisherstown Cross. One, John Donogher, moved the blacksmith shop down the road to Kilbracken. This was around the time of the Industrial Revolution, which brought and saw the arrival of mechanised horse drawn implements on the farm. In this era, there was much need for a blacksmith in Kilbracken. John Donogher had three sons, Daniel, Patrick (Patsy) and John. Patrick and Daniel carried on the blacksmith trade while John married Margaret Nolan from Fisherstown. She inherited her father’s farm in Fisherstown, which John worked (and is now owned by the Luttrell family). After Patrick’s death at the age of 28, Daniel continued the blacksmith trade alone. He married a Miss Rourke from Mountrath (also in Co. Laois). He had five sons (William, John, Patrick, Daniel and Martin) and two girls (Elizabeth and Mary). Patrick inherited the blacksmith trade from his father. He married a Miss Bergin from Mountmellick (Co. Laois) but had no family. He continued as blacksmith in Kilbracken until his death in the 1950’s. After his death, the blacksmith shop and farm (36 acres) in Kilbracken was auctioned. The only remaining Donogher, descended from John, in the area today is Patrick’s nephew, Daniel Donogher. He is the son of Patrick’s brother, Daniel who owned a farm in Courtwood.

LAST UPDATED 05 April 2008