PATRICK DONOHOE (c.1836-1923)
Co. Clare, Ireland, c.1836-1858.
Patrick Donohoe stated on government records that he was born near ‘Ruane’ (this appears to be a misspelling for the townland of Roughaun) in the civil parish of Killinaboy (Kilnaboy) and Catholic parish of Corofin, Co. Clare, Ireland. His date of birth was around 1836. The Donohoe name is extremely common in Co. Clare. Ruan is also the name of a civil parish adjoining the parish of Killinaboy. There were 51 townlands in the parish of Killinaboy.
WO97/1731 (National Archives, London)
The earliest trace of Donohoes in the parish of Killinaboy is found in the Tithe Applotment Books of Co. Clare listing the occupiers of land. No date is given for the T.A.B. of the Killinaboy parish, however the date would appear to be between 1823 and 1837. According to the T.A.B., Donohoes were living in six of the townlands of Killinaboy: Cloonimulvidane (John), Coad (Patrick, Owen and Thomas), Rinnamona (Thomas, Thomas snr. and John), Ballinphuntha (Conner and John), Garrynafinchoage (John) and Commonage North (John). In all likelihood, one of these Donohoes is the father of Patrick. John Donohoe and Honor Grady of Rinnamona had a son Patrick, born in 1833. Thomas Donohoe and Kate Hynes of Rinnamona had five children: Michael (born 1830), Bridget (born 1831), Patrick (born 1835), Catherine (born 1842) and Margaret (born 1845). This may be Patrick Donohoe's family.
Townlands in the parish of Killinaboy
According to Griffith’s Valuation of 1855 the following Donohoes occupied land in the parish of Killinaboy:
Griffith's Valuation for the Parish of Killinaboy (1855) Name Lessor Townland Area Value 2 3 6
7 0 4
£1 5/-
£3 5/-
13/- £8 10/- 30 1 35 £17 15/- 34 1 11 £21 10/- 0 1 20 8/- £1 18/- 34 2 2 £13 1 2 11 £1 4/- 1 3 20 £1 10/- 8/- 5/- £12
After being a bricklayer, Patrick Donohoe enlisted in the army at Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, aged 22, 10 May 1858. He was 5 feet 7 and three quarter inches tall, had grey eyes and sandy hair. He joined the Fifth Royal Irish Lancers as a private soldier. After two years he was tried and imprisoned at Aldenhot for stealing property (17 June 1860). He was released 4 August 1860. A first good conduct increment was awarded 5 August 1862. He spent another six days in the cell for an unrecorded offence, 10-16 July 1863. A further good conduct increment was awarded in 1864.
5th Royal Irish Lancers, India, 1867-1874
On 25 October 1867, Patrick Donohoe re-engaged to serve in India. A year later (6 April 1868) he was promoted to Corporal and on 16 July 1872 to Sergeant. Patrick Donohoe was placed on the Married Roll 25 April 1872, aged 36. His wife’s name was Elizabeth (‘Eliza’) O’Neill. According to her death certificate she was born in England in 1855. This makes her aged 17 at the time of her marriage. Patrick Donohoe was almost 20 years older than his wife. Stationed at Sialkot, on 2 May 1872, he fell from his horse injuring his left hand. He was hospitalised for two weeks. On 13 April 1873 he suffered an attack of jaundice for which he was purged with tonics for three days. On 1 July 1873 Patrick Donohoe was ordered to revert to the status of Corporal per the authority of the Major General of the Rawal Pindi Division. A first child was born 15 December 1873 at Sialkot in the Punjab Province of modern-day Pakistan and christened James on Christmas Day in 1873. James Donohoe died as an infant.
9th Royal Irish Lancers, India, 1874-1880
After having served in the 5th Lancers for 16 years, Patrick Donohoe was transferred to the 9th Lancers, 1 August 1874 where he was to stay for the next six years. A second child was born at Sialkot 7 July 1875 and christened Elizabeth 26 July 1875. Elizabeth Donohoe later married James Edmund Hinchey at Franklin, 22 February 1898 and died 9 August 1947 aged 72. Patrick Donohoe was granted good conduct pay 16 July 1876 and again 4 July 1879. A third child was born 14 August 1877 at Dagshai in India and christened Thomas the following day. Thomas Donohoe later married Ada Holloway, 20 July 1908 at Franklin and died 29 June 1964 aged 87. The last child to be born in India was Jane at Umballa (Ambala), born 2 December 1879 and christened 13 December 1879. Jane Donohoe later married William Harwood, 16 October 1911 and died 5 June 1956 aged 76.
Tasmania, c.1880-1923
After almost 22 years of service (17 spent in India), Corporal Patrick Donohoe resigned from the Army, 8 March 1880, aged 44. On 18 April 1880 he left India with his family and sailed to Canterbury in England where he was discharged 6 July 1880. He informed the authorities of his desire to set out for Hobart in Tasmania with his wife and three children (Elizabeth aged five, Thomas aged nearly 3 and Jane aged six months). It is not known when exactly the Donohoe family arrived in Tasmania.
Four more children were born after emigration. Patrick Donohoe was born 6 November 1882 and married Elsie Myra Scott, 15 August 1922. He died 30 March 1952. Edward Donohoe was born in 1884 and died 30 January 1912 aged 28. His wife’s name was Rosellen Mansfield. In July 1885, Patrick Donohoe purchased eighty acres of heavily-timbered and very good quality land facing Scotts Rivulet in the parish of Honeywood. He paid eighty pounds and fifteen shillings for the allotment. Ellen Donohoe was born 19 April 1890 and married Ronald Coleman, 5 May 1920. She died 31 March 1973 aged nearly 83.
Frederick Donohoe, the youngest child, was born 20 August 1893 at Franklin. His father was then aged 57 and his mother 38. Frederick Donohoe joined the Australian Imperial Force at Claremont, 20 November 1916, aged 23. He was 5 feet 8 inches tall, had a fair complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He embarked at Adelaide per the Seang Bee, 10 February 1917 and sailed to London, disembarking at Devonport, 2 May 1917. On 19 September 1918 he joined the 40th Btn. in France until August 1919 when it was advised he return to Australia per the Persic. He was discharged from the army 13 November 1919, one year after the end of the First World War. Frederick Donohoe later received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He married Josephine Mary Hill at Geeveston, 15 August 1921 and died at Hobart, 18 December 1973, aged 80.
Elizabeth Donohoe died at Franklin 19 April 1910 of pneumonia, aged 55. At the time of her death the youngest child, Frederick, was aged 17. Patrick Donohoe died at Geeveston 9 January 1923 of cancer of the prostate, aged 86. They are buried with their son Edward at the Catholic Cemetery, Franklin.
Mercury, 21 April 1910
Mercury, 10 January 1923
