Introduce Yourself :)

[Sherry]

Hi Everyone,

Let’s get to know a little about each other.

I’m Sherry Donovan, my husband is Jeff Moser, and we have four adult children, (two boys & two girls) two daughter-in-laws, a quasi son-in-law, and two wonderful grandchildren who will all be coming to the Gathering 🤗

We are originally from San Francisco, but moved to Las Vegas about
20 years ago. Our family still lives in San Francisco, so we travel home often.

The Gathering will be in our third year in a row that my husband and I have travelled to Ireland. We haven’t seen much of Ireland besides West Cork.

Hopefully next year, after the Gathering, we can do a little traveling around and discover the rest of the country.

I’m looking forward to meeting every one of you in person next June!

[johnjoe]

Hi Everyone,
John Joe Donovan, Im originally from New York where my parents landed from Ireland. Mom was Waterford and My Dad was from Kilcrohane, on the Sheepshead Peninsula near Bantry where I still have many cousins to this day.
Im Married to Debbie, who I met in the US Navy while going thru schools, two sons John and Bill. both grown.

I have lived in Texas the past 38 years first in Odessa the last 17 in Ft Worth.

I have done deep DNA testing and am the Admin on the O'Donovan clan Y DNA group in FTDNA , where after several years , we finally have enough testers to help us move along and we were able to prove ancient Irish ANNALS that we were descended from Eoghan Mor a 3rd Century King of Ireland. Its not just the O'Donovan DNA that helped prove our results, but its our resulting ties to others in groups such as the Eoghancht Septs that has helped. We were lucky enough to have help from some great researchers in Ireland that verified our results.

I was at the 2000 Worldwide Gathering in West Cork for our Clan and have high hopes for this one and hope to make it to this one.

all the best
John Joe

[randa]

Hello, everyone. My name is Randa Phillips. I live in Oklahoma, am a retired teacher and my husband is also retired from his job in machine maintenance. Our daughter and son-in-law moved from the Dallas, Texas, area recently to live 1/4 mile from us, so the tempo of our retirement years has picked up quite a lot. They are coming with me to Ireland in June, and my sister and cousin are coming with us, too. My husband, who doesn't like to travel much, has semi-volunteered to stay home and do farm chores while we are gone.
We still haven't quite traced our Donovan family all the way back to Ireland. My grandfather, Jim Donovan, was born in Lincoln County Kansas.---> His father, Andrew J. Donovan, was born in Iowa. Andrew's father,----> James Donovan, was born in New York and married Eliza or Louisa-she seems to have used both names--in Iowa. Eliza (Henkle) was born in Spain. I believe it was James's father----> Ira O'Donovan who came from Ireland to NY. Then recently my cousin said Ira came to America with 2 brothers to Alabama or Georgia in the 1850's to take possession of a large farm there. Ira eventually moved west--so that opens up an entirely new direction to try. Anyway, that's a little of who I am and how we may have left Ireland and traveled around the country a bit before finding a home in Oklahoma Territory.

[Sherry]

Very interesting, John Joe and Randa! Thanks for sharing.

Randa, where “out west”? My Donovans moved to San Francisco
and Oregon.

[joe]

Joe Donovan.
Born in Southern California, currently living in Waterford, Ireland.
Maternal side goes back to 17th/18th Century Colonial America.
Paternal side more recent Irish. Paternal grandfather arrived in U.S. in 1914. Paternal grandmother born in Boston, her father from Newfoundland and her mother from Connemara.

[Kathleen]

Kathleen Lyons:

I'm an O'Donovan by way of my maternal GM - Mary Magdalene O'Donovan Mahoney, who emigrated to Ellis Island in 1906. Our O'Donovan roots are in Ballyrisode, Goleen; Ballydehob (home of legendary Danno O'Mahoney) was my O'Mahoney grandfather's home village.

My grandparents never met in Ireland as they lived 10 'long miles' apart, so got together when both were working in Norwich, CT, subsequently settling in South Boston, where they raised a family of 7 that included my mother.

We have maintained a surprisingly close kinship with our West Cork relations since Nana left for the USA; today I count the Cork O'Donovans among my most cherished family members, and they graciously tolerate us Yanks. I attended both the 2000 and 2005 Gatherings - very much looking forward to 2020!

I'm a passionate advocate of all things Irish in my work as a travel professional. I've been on the Register of Foreign Births since 1978, and spend 3-6 months of each year in Cork.

[valeria]

I found the email to join--must have missed it earlier. My name is Valeria Greenwood and I live in Nova Scotia on the Eastern Shore just east of Dartmouth. I was born in Nova Scotia and have lived here most of my life. I did some travelling for a few years, lived in Calgary, Alberta, and then in Australia for a year, also did some travelling in Europe and ended up back here in Nova Scotia in the early 70s.

I worked with the RCMP here in Nova Scotia for 30 years and retired 13 years ago. Retirement has never been boring because I had become interested in genealogy shortly before retiring and I find that to be much more interesting that housework!!

I have a son in the air force and is stationed in Ontario, which means I have to make two trips a year to Ontario--pretty brave for someone who hates flying.

My great grandmother was Mary Donovan and she was born in Mill Cove/Downeen, Rosscarbery, County Cork.  She married Florence Barnane/Barnett and gave birth to 10 babies, with only six surviving. I have not been able to find anything at all on two of her children; however, Mary, the eldest sister, immigrated to Boston, married there and died in 1896. My great grandmother and her four other children: Margaret, Nora, John, and Katherine all emigrated from Ireland in 1903 and settled in the Boston area. Nora, my grandmother, married Clifford Cook and settled in Danvers, MA, where my dad and his sister were born.

[randa]

Nov 27, 2019 20:19:04 GMT Sherry said:

Very interesting, John Joe and Randa! Thanks for sharing.

Randa, where “out west”? My Donovans moved to San Francisco
and Oregon.

Sherry, the only paper trail I have of our branch of the Donovan family begins in Iowa, where my gggrandfather (James) married Eliza (born in Spain, whose maiden name was German (Henkle.) Iowa is also where my great-grandfather, Andrew Donovan, was born (1866). My cousin, who is relating the verbal story as he heard it, says that, from Georgia or Alabamea, our family moved west and north, probably through Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri. I'm guessing that they then to Iowa. The next generation moved to Kansas, and then to Oklahoma Territory, with a detour across the state line into Texas for several years. If any of them ever went to San Francisco, I haven't heard about it yet, but that doesn't mean there isn't a connection through a brother or cousin that I don't know about.

On second thought, there is one Calif. connection that I will mention on the chance that you or someone else is related to them/ or us. My great-uncle Dail Donovan, died here in Oklahoma when he was still in his 20's, I think in 1926. My mother said Dail's wife and their son then moved to California, and the families eventually lost touch with one another. She thought the boy was a step-son of Dail's, but that he might have been Dail's son. She thought he went by the Donovan name, though.

[peterspencer]

G'Day My name is Peter Spencer, from Brisbane in Queensland. I am a semi-retired Australian Soldier - still a member the Strategic Reserve of the Royal Australian Artillery. I was born in the suburb of Coorparoo in Brisbane - at a time where the large majority of the population was of Irish descent.
Our family is as follows:

Spencer: originally of the Cenel Connell of Kilkenny. Name changed when our original John was knighted by Henry V and given the Spencer name.
My YDNA has proved to be close to 100% Connell. I have researched and written the short story of our Spencer lot from about 1380 onwards.
My Father's mum was a Dore (O'Doghaire) of Gortnagloss and Cregan of Shanid Lower near Shannagolden (both Limerick).

On my Mum's side, her father was Thomas Donovan of Clonakilty. Son of Daniel Donovan and Mary (Collins, aunty of Michael). His brother, my Uncle Bill was a missionary and Vatican librarian, and a major figure in my development.

Tom was an interesting character. Hidden by the IRA by getting him into the Royal Artillery on the Isle of Wight, where he pinched the identity of a recently deceased retired Gunner, and next turning up in Australia in 1915 successfully trying to join the Army.

Mum's mother was a Griffith originally recorded on Jersey Island off Brittany in the 1600s, in a call up of the Island's Artillery (is there actually a Gunner Gene?). They came to Australia on an assisted passage in the 1840s to help run a vast sheep station (originally about 1/2 the size of Wales) near Armidale in our New England region. The family is still there and we often stay on the original station for holidays.

My wife Helen and I are actively involved in the Celtic Community here in Queensland, and I proudly raise the Irish Banner at all sorts of Scottish festivals etc.

[danad]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Dana Donovan.  My wife is Michele Lepine.  This is our 2nd marriage. In our blended family we have 9 children, 25 grandchildren, and a 5th great grandchild due any time.  We live in Connecticut, ironically enough in a small town named Cromwell.  My parents were originally from Boston, MA.  I am one of 6 siblings.  My father was Timothy J Donovan and had one sister, Jean.  His father was Timothy J Donovan and was one of six children: Richard, b1888, Timothy, b1889, Mary Ellen, b1890, John, b1892, Peter b1894, Annie, b1897. My great grandfather was also Timothy J Donovan.  He was one of 4 children: John, Rose, Mathew, and Timothy. He was born in 1859 in Cork, County Cork, Ireland and arrived in New York in 1874, age 14, and later moved to Boston.  His parents were Rickard Donovan and Mary McInnis of Cork.  I have not been able to find any records of Rickard and Mary in the United States.  Nor have I been able to get any  more information on my family in Ireland.

Continuing the genealogy forward, my older brother was Timothy J Donovan IV.  His son is Timothy J Donovan V, and his son is Timothy J Donovan VI!

2019 was a rough year for our family with several of our members passing away.  The last was my sister, Mary, who turned 61 in August and passed away unexpectedly but peacefully in her sleep in November.  Mary and I had promised each other that we would visit Ireland together and I was expecting her to accompany my wife and I this summer to the reunion.

[lkdonovan]

Hello,

My name is Kathy Donovan, my husband is Larry Donovan and we live in Murrieta, CA - which is north of San Diego. We moved here from San Diego about two years ago, when we retired. We have four children who all live in the area, as well as five grandchildren and three great grandchildren. My husband and I were in Ireland for the first time in 2013 and always knew we would come back one day.

My husband's family is from New Brunswick, Canada. His grandfather was Burwell Stewart Donovan (1870-1933) and his great grandfather was John Donovan (1818-1881). He was a farmer in Bath, Carleton, New Brunswick and was married to Rhoda Kinney. They had 13 children. Family stories say he was a priest who left the Catholic church when he married but I find very little information on him other than census and marriage records. Needless to say, with 13 children, there are many of his grandchildren and great grandchildren in the New Brunswick area.

He is my "brick wall." I believe, due to parish records, that his parents are Johanna Callahan and Edward Donovan. His siblings - Timothy, Margaret, Michael and Edward However, I have never been able to confirm parents or siblings. So I am hoping to find out more during our travels.

We will be in Ireland for two weeks, for the reunion and sightseeing and then we will travel to Scotland for two weeks to the other home of our ancestors. Looking forward to meeting everyone.

[dichad]

Hi,

My name is Diana Chad. I was born in London, England, I lived there all my life until 2014. I was a Civil Servant in the UK and took early retirement in order to move over to Ireland, where I now live with my partner, Tim.

My Father was Timothy Donovan from Skibbereen, West Cork. He moved to London in 1936, aged 25, along with some of his 7 siblings. One sister, Margaret, and one brother, Dan-Joe stayed in the Irish family home for the rest of their lives. I now live in that family home, and though I do not have any living close Donovan relatives, I have a few second cousins that I know of; some in America/ Canada and some in the local Skibbereen area. I am very honoured to live in the home of my Donovan ancestors, I believe from my Great-Grandfather's time.

I have sent off my DNA for testing and am looking forward to meeting everybody.

[Sherry]

How exciting, Diana. Have you joined O’Donovan DNA and Genealogy Facebook group?

[shawn]

My name is Shawn Donovan born in Buffalo, NY.
Raised in in and around Buffalo.
Moved to Westcherter just outside NYC. Now married with Ivy my wife. We have two young men for sons Jonathan 25 and Michael Donovan 30.
Ivy is retired. I still work.
Most of my Donovan family still live in the South Western of NYS and PA.
We went to Ireland 2017 for 10 days. On Go Ahead Tours. Ivy and I took one day off the tour and took a cab to the Castle Donovan. Awesome lived it.