Denis O'Donnell
Encyclopedia
Denis O'Donnell was a well-known entrepreneur in County Kerry
, Ireland
, in the early 1900s.
, County Kerry, to Patrick O'Donnell of Tubridmore, and Bridget (née Griffin) of Lerrig. He was a grandson of John O'Donnell of Ardfert, who lived at Tubridmore, and descended from O'Donnells of Tyrconnell, following on the implantation of O'Donnells in Ardfert by Prince Hugh Roe O'Donnell
en route to the Battle of Kinsale in 1601, as recorded in the Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland. He wrote poetry as a hobby. He initially farmed a family farm at Tubrid until he left to Ballyhaise, an agricultural college .
He married Hannah Leane, from Ballintobeenig, and they had one child, Patrick Denis O'Donnell
. He died of an accident when his son Patrick was only 11 years old, and his widow, Hannah , subsequently emigrated to the United States of America at the outbreak of World War II
, when their son, Patrick, joined the Irish Defence Forces
.
, Ireland, with a Diploma in Dairy Science, having studied there from 1908 to 1910. This was the only such qualification available in the country at the time.
, and others in Black Abbery, Adare
, County Limerick
; in Dicksgrove, Farranfore, and BallymcElligott, and Ballydwyer in County Kerry
. He was influenced by the cooperative movement being driven by Sir Horace Plunkett, well described in the account of country life of the times by Elizabeth, Countess of Fingal
l, Seventy Years Young. Sir Horace Plunkett, MP, and later Senator of the Irish Free State
, third son of Lord Dunsany, was father of the Irish agricultural co-operative movement, and founded the Irish Agricultural Organization Society (now the Irish Co-operative Organization Society), which included several hundred creameries. Accordingly, Denis O'Donnell actively organised farmers in the early cooperative movement in County Kerry, and founded the Lee Strand Co-operative Creamery on April 20, 1920 in Church Street, Tralee, still a going concern in 2009 although it relocated to Ballymullen in 1992. He owned a pub at #2 Edward Street, Tralee, run by his sister Bride, until her emigration to Kimberly, South Africa. The pub was sold in 1938. He also owned shops in Rock Street and Castle Street in Tralee. He was the first to introduce the pasteurisation of milk, much against the prejudice of dairy farmers at the time, and also was the first to market ice-cream in Tralee.
His entrepreneurial streak and outreach to farming communities provided a socio-economic complement to the political mobilisation undertaken by his kinsman, Thomas O'Donnell, M.P. for West Kerry, who campaigned for agrarian reforms. Maurice Moynihan, father of Maurice Gerard Moynihan
, was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood
and the Gaelic Athletic Association
, was Thomas O'Donnell's campaign manager and was a cousin of Denis O'Donnell.
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, in the early 1900s.
Background
He was born in Tubrid, ArdfertArdfert
Ardfert is a village in County Kerry, Ireland. Historically a religious centre, the economy of the locality is driven by agriculture and its position as a dormitory town, being only 8 km from Tralee.-Origin:...
, County Kerry, to Patrick O'Donnell of Tubridmore, and Bridget (née Griffin) of Lerrig. He was a grandson of John O'Donnell of Ardfert, who lived at Tubridmore, and descended from O'Donnells of Tyrconnell, following on the implantation of O'Donnells in Ardfert by Prince Hugh Roe O'Donnell
Hugh Roe O'Donnell
Aodh Rua Ó Dónaill, anglicised as either Hugh Roe O'Donnell or Red Hugh O'Donnell , was An Ó Domhnaill and Rí of Tir Chonaill . He led the Irish forces against the English conquest of Ireland from 1593 and helped to lead the Nine Years' War from 1595 to 1603...
en route to the Battle of Kinsale in 1601, as recorded in the Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland. He wrote poetry as a hobby. He initially farmed a family farm at Tubrid until he left to Ballyhaise, an agricultural college .
He married Hannah Leane, from Ballintobeenig, and they had one child, Patrick Denis O'Donnell
Patrick Denis O'Donnell
Patrick Denis O'Donnell, , was an Irish military historian, writer, former UN peace-keeper, and retired Commandant of the Irish Defence Forces. -Background:...
. He died of an accident when his son Patrick was only 11 years old, and his widow, Hannah , subsequently emigrated to the United States of America at the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when their son, Patrick, joined the Irish Defence Forces
Irish Defence Forces
The armed forces of Ireland, known as the Defence Forces encompass the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force.The current Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence forces is His Excellency Michael D Higgins in his role as President of Ireland...
.
Education
Denis O'Donnell was schooled in Tubrid, in Spa, and later in Chapeltown national schools, and then farmed some years before proceeding to study and become one of the first graduates of Ballyhaise College, County CavanCounty Cavan
County Cavan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Cavan. Cavan County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland, with a Diploma in Dairy Science, having studied there from 1908 to 1910. This was the only such qualification available in the country at the time.
Business career
In his early career he was manager in some small creameries, one in County TipperaryCounty Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
, and others in Black Abbery, Adare
Adare
-General information:Adare's origin is as a settlement by a crossing point on the river Maigue. It is situated 16 km from Limerick City. Renowned as one of Ireland's prettiest villages, Adare is designated as a Heritage Town by the Irish government...
, County Limerick
County Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
; in Dicksgrove, Farranfore, and BallymcElligott, and Ballydwyer in County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
. He was influenced by the cooperative movement being driven by Sir Horace Plunkett, well described in the account of country life of the times by Elizabeth, Countess of Fingal
Fingal
Fingal is a county in Ireland. It is one of three smaller counties into which County Dublin was divided in 1994. With its county seat located in Swords, it has a population of 239,992 according to the 2006 census...
l, Seventy Years Young. Sir Horace Plunkett, MP, and later Senator of the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
, third son of Lord Dunsany, was father of the Irish agricultural co-operative movement, and founded the Irish Agricultural Organization Society (now the Irish Co-operative Organization Society), which included several hundred creameries. Accordingly, Denis O'Donnell actively organised farmers in the early cooperative movement in County Kerry, and founded the Lee Strand Co-operative Creamery on April 20, 1920 in Church Street, Tralee, still a going concern in 2009 although it relocated to Ballymullen in 1992. He owned a pub at #2 Edward Street, Tralee, run by his sister Bride, until her emigration to Kimberly, South Africa. The pub was sold in 1938. He also owned shops in Rock Street and Castle Street in Tralee. He was the first to introduce the pasteurisation of milk, much against the prejudice of dairy farmers at the time, and also was the first to market ice-cream in Tralee.
His entrepreneurial streak and outreach to farming communities provided a socio-economic complement to the political mobilisation undertaken by his kinsman, Thomas O'Donnell, M.P. for West Kerry, who campaigned for agrarian reforms. Maurice Moynihan, father of Maurice Gerard Moynihan
Maurice Gerard Moynihan
Maurice Gerard Moynihan was a senior Irish civil servant, co-drafter of the 1937 Constitution of Ireland, Secretary of the Government of the Irish Free State in 1937, Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland in 1960, and Knight Commander of the Papal Order of St...
, was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood
Irish Republican Brotherhood
The Irish Republican Brotherhood was a secret oath-bound fraternal organisation dedicated to the establishment of an "independent democratic republic" in Ireland during the second half of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century...
and the Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
, was Thomas O'Donnell's campaign manager and was a cousin of Denis O'Donnell.
Related references
- Early records of the Lee Strand Co-operative Creamery including documents signed by Denis O'Donnell, e.g. such as relating to a special general meeting on 5 July 1926 (Family Archive of the O'Donnells of Ardfert).
- Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland (Annála Ríoghachta Éireann) by the Four Masters, from the earliest period to the year 1616, compiled during the period 1632-1636 by Brother Michael O’Clery, translated and edited by John O'DonovanJohn O'Donovan (scholar)John O'Donovan , from Atateemore, in the parish of Kilcolumb, County Kilkenny, and educated at Hunt's Academy, Waterford, was an Irish language scholar from Ireland.-Life:...
in 1856, and re-published in 1998 by De Burca, Dublin. - The Life of Hugh Roe O'Donnell, Prince of Tyrconnell (Beatha Aodh Ruadh O Domhnaill) by Lughaidh O'Cleirigh. Edited by Paul Walsh and Colm Ó Lochlainn. Irish Texts Society, vol. 42. Dublin: Educational Company of Ireland, 1948 (original Gaelic manuscript in the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin).
- A Political Odyssey - Thomas O'Donnell, M.P. for West Kerry, by J. Anthony Gaughan, Kingdom Books, Dublin, 1983 [ISBN 0-9506015-4-3]. Gaughan is Chairman of the National Library Society of Ireland.
- Seventy Years Young, Memoires of Elizabeth, Countess of FingalFingalFingal is a county in Ireland. It is one of three smaller counties into which County Dublin was divided in 1994. With its county seat located in Swords, it has a population of 239,992 according to the 2006 census...
l, by Elizabeth Burke Plunkett, Lady Fingall. First published by Collins of London in 1937; 1991 edition published by The Lilliput Press, Dublin 7, Ireland [ISBN 0-946640-74-2]. This Elizabeth, was a Burke from Moycullen in County Galway, who married the 11th Earl of Fingall, and should not be confused with Elizabeth O'Donnell, 1st Countess of FingalElizabeth O'Donnell, 1st Countess of FingalElizabeth O'Donnell was the 1st Countess of Fingal. She was the daughter of Prince Rory O'Donnell, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell, and Lady Bridget FitzGerald, daughter of Henry FitzGerald, 12th Earl of Kildare. After her father's death in 1608, her mother married Nicholas Barnewall, 1st Viscount...
l (1604-1630).
External links
- Ballyhaise College http://www.teagasc.ie/ballyhaise/index.htm
- Irish Co-operative Organisation Society http://www.icos.ie/content/content.asp?section_id=307&action=details&term_id=585
- Lee Strand Co-operative Creamery wins award http://www.the-kingdom.ie/news/story.asp?j=15606