The Luceys of 'Cahireen'

Cahireen, was the name of the family farm which consisted of about 100 acres of mixed tillage and grazing land in the parish of Clondrohid, townland of Baratanaknock. The farm, which is still in existence, is situated approximately seven miles north-west of Macroom in the western half of Co Cork, and was in the hands of the Lucey family until sold to the Creedon family in 1926. Nearby parishes were Carriganima, Ballymakeera and Kilnamartyra, and one of the Luceys recalled that, if weather conditions were favourable, "one could hear the Mass bells ringing in all four parishes". The name 'Cahireen' dates from early times when a fort (or cahir) existed on the land.

One of the sons of Cahireen arrived in Australia on the 'Orvieto' on 10 April 1921. James, the ninth child and sixth son of Cornelius and Julia (Kelleher) Lucey was born 18 March 1892 in Baratanaknock and was a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary until the political climate in Ireland dictated that emigration was a prudent move. James was the only Cahireen Lucey to come to Australia though three of his brothers Jeremiah, Cornelius and Timothy emigrated to USA, and their descendants now live in Chicago.

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