The O'Connell Baronets

THE O'CONNELL BARONETS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY KERRY, WITH 18,752 ACRES

The surname of O'CONNELL, according to authority of Irish writers, emanated from Conal Gabra, an ancient Prince of the royal line of HEBER, son of MILESIUS, from whom likewise the districts of Upper and Lower Connello, County Limerick, acquired their denomination. From this district the O'Connells removed to Iveragh, in the western extremity of Kerry, and remained there for a considerable period, until the rebellion of 1641 transplanted them, with many other victims of that disastrous event, to County Clare.

DANIEL O'CONNELL, of Ahavore, in the barony of Iveragh, second son of Geoffrey O'Connell, Lord of Ballycarbery, who was High Sheriff of County Kerry, 1614, and died in 1635, having taken no part in the insurrection of 1641, preserved his estate.

He married Alice, daughter of Christopher Segrave, of Cabra, County Dublin, and had issue,

JOHN, of whom hereafter;
Maurice, died in 1715.

The elder son and heir,

JOHN O'CONNELL, of Ahavore and Derrynane,

Raised a company of foot for the service of JAMES II, and embodied it in the regiment of his cousin, Colonel Maurice O'Connell. He distinguished himself at the siege of Londonderry in 1689, as well as at the battles of the Boyne and Aughrim; and returning to Limerick with his shattered regiment, was included in the capitulation of that city.

Captain O'Connell wedded Elizabeth, daughter of Christopher Conway, of Clahane, County Kerry, and had issue,

Maurice;
DANIEL, of whom we treat;
Geoffrey Octave;
Anne; Clare; Elizabeth; another daughter.

Mr O'Connell died ca 1740.

The second son,

DANIEL O'CONNELL (c1701-70), of Derrynane, espoused Mary, daughter of Duff O'Donoughue, of County Kerry, and had twenty-two children, of whom the following arrived at maturity,

John;
Maurice, his heir;
MORGAN, of whom presently;
Connell;
Daniel, Lieutenant-General Count O'Connell;
Honora; Joan; Mary; Ellen; Abigail; Anne; Elizabeth; Alice; Catherine.

Mr O'Connell's second son,

MORGAN O'CONNELL (1739-1809), of Carhen, County Kerry, farmer, landlord, and general store proprietor, married Catherine, daughter of John O'Mullane, of Whitechurch, County Cork, and had issue,

Daniel, MP, called The Liberator or The Emancipator;
Maurice Morgan;
John;
JAMES, of whom we treat;
Honoria; Bridget; Catherine; Mary; Ellen; Alicia.

The youngest son,

JAMES O'CONNELL (1786-1872), of Lakeview, County Kerry, wedded, in 1818, Jane, daughter of Charles O'Donoughue, of the Glens, and Chief of the name, and had issue,

MAURICE JAMES, his successor;
Daniel James;
Charles James;
James;
Morgan James.

Mr O'Connell was created a baronet in 1869, designated of Lakeview and Ballybeggan, County Kerry.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR MAURICE JAMES O'CONNELL, 2nd Baronet (1821-96), JP DL, High Sheriff of County Kerry, 1850, who espoused, in 1855, Emily Clunes, daughter of Rear-Admiral Sir Richard O'Conor, KCH, and had issue,

Maurice (1858-81);
DANIEL ROSS, 3rd Baronet;
MORGAN ROSS, 4th Baronet;
James Ross.

Sir Maurice was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

SIR DANIEL ROSS O'CONNELL, 3rd Baronet (1861-1905), JP DL, High Sheriff of County Kerry, 1891, who died unmarried, when the title devolved upon his brother,

SIR MORGAN ROSS O'CONNELL, 4th Baronet (1862-1919), JP DL, High Sheriff of County Kerry, 1907, who married, in 1884, Mary Pauline, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel James Francis Hickie, and had issue,

MAURICE JAMES ARTHUR, his successor;
Donal Bernard;
Basil Morgan;
Lucila Emily; another daughter.

Sir Morgan was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR MAURICE JAMES ARTHUR O'CONNELL, 5th Baronet (1889-1949), MC, Captain, Royal Fusiliers, who wedded, in 1920, Margaret Mary, daughter of Matthew John Purcell, and had issue,

MORGAN DONEL CONAIL, his successor;
Joan Mary Lucilla Margaret.

Sir Maurice was succeeded by his only son,

SIR MORGAN DONEL CONAIL O'CONNELL, 6th Baronet (1923-89), who espoused, in 1953, Elizabeth, daughter of Major John MacCarthy-O'Leary, and had issue,

MAURICE JAMES DONAGH MacCARTHY, his successor;
John Morgan Ross MacCarthy;
Frances Mary Margaret; Susan Jane Anne; Katherine Lucila Jean; Claire Helen Pauline.

Sir Morgan was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR MAURICE JAMES DONAGH MacCARTHY O'CONNELL, 7th Baronet (1958-), who married, in 1993, Frances Susan, daughter of Clive Raleigh, and has issue,

MORGAN, born in 2003.

LAKEVIEW HOUSE, Killarney, County Kerry, is a two-storey, Italianate, stucco-faced house of 1869.

The house was built by Sir James O'Connell, 1st Baronet, shortly before he died.

The Ionic porte-cochère is notable.

The estate and grounds comprise 100 acres today.

Lakeview remains the residence of the O'Connell Baronets.

First published in October, 2019.