The D'Arcys of Fairview and Phibsboro', Dublin [Gen-043]

The D'Arcys of Fairview and Enniskerry Road, Dublin.

Mrs. A.C. D'Arcy Rahilly said that her father, Patrick (Robert) D'Arcy, frequently said that their family home had been burnt by the "Redcoats" (i.e. English soldiers) and that the family then moved to Dublin. He also said that the original family home was near the junction of Counties Carlow, Wicklow and Wexford.

Patrick D'Arcy's father Michael died in Dublin in March, 1873, aged between 40 and 46 years (40 years is given in the Cemetery Records and 46 on the Death Certificate: the Cemetery Record information was probably supplied by Michael D'Arcy's wife; the age on the Death Certificate was supplied by his son, Patrick.) Michael was probably born between 1827 and 1833. Michael's father would likely have been born about 1800 and his grandfather would have been of arms-bearing age at the time of the Rebellion of 1798.

Counties Wexford and Wicklow were the main areas of fighting during the Rebellion, with action also in Counties Antrim and Down. Antrim and Down may be ruled out as possible locations of the D'Arcy homestead. The fighting in Wexford and Wicklow was particularly ferocious and the "Redcoats" (including mercenaries) ravaged the countryside. Few homes were safe and that of the D'Arcys was probably destroyed during the period of hostilities.

The town of Shillelagh, Co. Wicklow, is in the south of the County about 10 miles from the borders of Counties Wexford and Carlow. It is also on the road from Gorey to Tullow and Carlow town which was likely to be travelled by the military: this would render the surrounding countryside more likely to be pillaged as the troops lived off the land. There is a possibility, therefore, that the original D'Arcy home was in the Shillelagh area.

It is interesting to note that the following births are recorded in the General Registry of Births for the year 1864:

17th February James, son of Denis D'Arcy of Coolbawn, farmer, and Mary Lacey.
9th April Michael, son of John D'Arcy of Rathbawn, farmer, and Anne Neil,
30th May Eliza, daughter of James D'Arcy, labourer, of Ballyrahine and Mary Reiley.

There is no evidence at present to connect any of these families with the Enniskerry Road D'Arcys. However, if the D'Arcys did come from the Shillelagh area, the families mentioned may be relations.

The earliest definite information regarding the Enniskerry Road branch of the D'Arcy family concerns his father, Michael D'Arcy. It is based on information supplied by the Glasnevin Cemetery authorities regarding the burials in Grave QE 196½ Dublin Section.

Michael D'Arcy (1833 - 1873) married Mary ... (1823 - 1884),  probably about 1850
Their children were:

• Marian (1850 - 1862). Buried 11-4-1862. 17, Lr. Mecklenburgh St.
• William (1851 - 20th October, 1854.) Poole St., off John St., Coombe.
• Bridget (1853 - 7th December, 1854.) Nth. Earl St.
• Eliza (1860 - 26th July, 1864.) 5, Pitt St., off Chatham St.
• Michael (1861 -     )
• Robert Patrick (15-3-1857 - 30-6-1928)

Michael and Robert Patrick (who used the name "Patrick" in preference to "Robert") are the only children known to the Enniskerry Road D'Arcys as having survived to adulthood.

There are two infants buried in the above grave in addition to Marian, William, Bridget and Eliza D'Arcy. They are:

James Brabazon, 4 Lad Lane, off Baggot St., Dublin who died 28th January, 1859, aged 6 months and 
John Brabazon, 6, Mespil Road, off Leeson St., Dublin who died 27th November, 1860, aged one year.

Nothing is known regarding these two children or how they came to be buried in the D'Arcy grave, which had been bought by Mary D'Arcy in January, 1855, four years earlier. A search of the Baptismal Register of St. Andrew's R.C. Church, Westland Row, Dublin for the years 1857 - 1861 did not reveal any entries of interest. (Nat. Library Microfilm P5607). 

Editor's addition, 2025

Brian Toolan has since resolved the mystery of the Brabazon children.

The family address at the time of each child's death is given above. The cemetery records give Michael D'Arcy's address as 5, Pitt St. (presumably supplied by his widow). His death certificate based on information supplied by his son, Patrick, gives his address as 17, Lr. Mecklenburgh St. (This street joined Gardiner St., Lr. to Buckingham St., Lr. and has since been demolished.) When Mary D'Arcy purchased the grave in January, 1855, her address was 29, Montgomery Street. (This street joined Abbot Street to Amiens Street in the North Dock Ward.)

A search of the Baptismal Register of St. Catherine's Parish, Thomas St. Dublin, (National Library of Ireland Microfilm P 7139) did not reveal any entries of interest.

Michael D'Arcy's occupation as given on his death certificate is "labourer". This information was supplied by his son Patrick. On Patrick's marriage certificate, however, his father is stated to have been a clerk. Michael's widow is described on her death certificate as having been a dressmaker.

Mary D'Arcy, Michael's widow, is stated to have died at 53, Summerhill, Dublin. This address appears both on the death certificate and in the cemetery records. Mrs. A.C. D'Arcy Rahilly is quite certain that the address on her father's books, of which he had a large number, was 57, Summerhill. He may have lived at No. 57 in the interval between his mother's death in 1884 and his marriage in 1888.

D'Arcy Families

Census of 1901. 9, Palmerston Place, Dublin North

Michael D'Arcy, Head of Household. R.C. 40 years. Carpet Placer, married. Born Dublin.
Anne Eliza D'Arcy, wife, R.C. 38 years, married, born Dublin.
George M. D'Arcy, son, R.C. 17 years. Silver chaser. Single, born Dublin.
John P. D'Arcy, son, R.C. 13 years. Scholar, born Dublin.
Francis D'Arcy, son, R.C. 11 years. Scholar, born Dublin.
Isabella D'Arcy, daughter, R.C. 9 years. Scholar, born Dublin.
Edward D'Arcy, son, R.C. 6 years. Scholar, born Dublin.

Isabella Watson, boarder. Church of Ireland. Shop Assistant, 40 years, born Belfast.
John Watson, boarder. Church of Ireland. Plumber, 25 years of age, born Dublin.
Annie Nolan, boarder, 30 years, R.C. Domestic Servant, born Co. Kildare.

Note: Anne Eliza D'Arcy's maiden name was Watson. Presumably the two boarders named Watson were relations of hers despite the difference of Religion. It will be noted that Anne's only daughter was christened Isabella.

Census of 1911. 9 Palmerston Place

Occupants as in Census of 1901, except that George M. D'Arcy is not named.

Census of 1911. 4, Enniskerry Road, Phibsborough, Dublin

P.R.0 Ref: Dn.49/109

Patrick D'Arcy, Head of Household. R.C. 53 years of age. Ex-Civil Servant. Married. Born Dublin.
Mary D'Arcy, wife. 46 years of age. 23 years married. No. of children born alive, 12, Number alive 9. Born England.
Margaret Mary, daughter. 21 years. Book-keeper. Single.
William Patrick, son. 19 years. Sorting Clerk and Telegraphist. Single.
Amelia Clare, daughter. 17 years. Telephone Operator. Single.
Patrick, son. 15 years.
Daniel Dominick, son. 13 years.
Mary Cecilia, daughter, 11 years.
Kathleen M.J., daughter, 10 years.
Leo Joseph Edward, son, 7 years. 
Joseph, son, 5 years.

Note: All the children were born in Dublin.
There were two other children born alive - Mary Elizabeth (born 1888, died the seme year) and Winifred (born 9th August, 1907: died at birth). Nothing is known about the twelfth child.

Patrick (otherwise Robert) D'Arcy and his family

Patrick D'Arcy (1857-1928), son of Michael and Mary D'Arcy, married Mary Connell (1865-1918), daughter of William Connell and Mary Bourke of Newbridge, Co. Kildare, in Newbridge Parish Church on 8th February, 1888. Their children were:

• Margaret Mary, born 1st September, 1889.
• Amelia Clare, born 2nd August, 1893.
• Patrick O'Connell D'Arcy, born 7th June, 1895.
• Daniel Dominick, born 13th May, 1897.
• Mary Agnes Cecilia, born 31st May, 1899.
• Kathleen Mary Josephine, born 21st March, 1901.
• Leo Joseph Edward, born 9th July, 1903.
• Joseph Victor, born 30th January, 1906.
• Mary Elizabeth, born October, 1888 (approx.). Died 11th Dec.,1888.
• Winifred, died at birth, 9th August, 1907.
• William Patrick, born 4th December, 1891.

According to the 1911 Census Return they had twelve children of whom nine were alive at that date.

Mary Elizabeth and Winifred are buried in their grandparents' grave in Glasnevin Cemetery - QE 196½ Dublin Section.

In 1888 the family lived at No. 39 Clonliffe Road, Fairview, Dublin. They moved later to No.1, St. Joseph's Tce., Fairview and remained there until they went to No.4 Enniskerry Road, Phibsborough, Dublin, sometime prior to1907. This was the family home until the early nineteen-thirties when it was sold.

Margaret Mary ("Daisy") married William Francis Toolan (see The Clontarf Toolans).

William Patrick was educated at St. Joseph's Christian Brothers' School, Fairview, Dublin. He won an exhibition (an award for a particularly high standard) in the Junior Grade examination which corresponded to to-day's [1984] Intermediate grade examination. The brothers wished him to remain at school with a view to going to the University later. However, he was successful in a Civil Service competition for posts as Sorting Clerk and Telegraphist in the Department of Posts and Telegraphs and took up duty.
He volunteered for service in the British Army during the 1914-1918 war and was attached to the South Irish Horse, a cavalry regiment. Mrs. A.C. Rahilly says that he was a Sergeant-Major and she remembers visiting him at Wellington Barracks, Dublin. She mentioned that he was very friendly with the McCalmots of Kilkenny and that he hunted in Co. Louth with a friend of his who kept deer. (This may mean that they hunted with a local pack of stag hounds.)
He eventually retired from the Irish Civil Service under Article 10 of the Treaty of 1921. This provided that any member of the British Civil Service who transferred to-the Civil Service of the newly set up Irish Free State could retire at any time without penalty if he felt his conditions of service had worsened.
After retiring he lived in Bristol, England, as an agent for the Irish Hospitals' Sweepstake. He returned to Dublin eventually and lived on Ballymun Road. Later he moved to Walkinstown where he lives at present (1984). He is unmarried.

Patrick 0'Connell D'Arcy left home before the death of his mother in 1918. He never returned to Ireland. Up to 1918 he corresponded infrequently with his mother: after her death the correspondence ceased and all trace of him was lost. Eventually his sister, "Daisy" D'Arcy Toolan, succeeding in tracing him ta a Veterans' Hospital on
Staten Island, New York, United States of America. In the meantime he had become an officer in the USA Merchant Navy, apparently with a Master's Ticket, as he was known as Captain D'Arcy. His address in 1984 was Sailors' Snug Harbour, Sea Level, North Carolina 28577, United States of America. He is unmarried.

Amelia Clare ("Amy") was a Telephonist in the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, mainly in the Crown Alley Telephone Exchange, Dublin, from the age of sixteen until the date of her marriage to Walter Rahilly of Tipperary Town, then employed in the General Post Office (Secretary's Office), Dublin. (He was later Assistant Principal Officer in the Establishment Branch, Department of Defence, Parkgate, Dublin.) She married in 1927.
They had four children:

• Walter who married Connie ... and had seven children: Marcus, Maeve, Claire, Barbara, Stephen, Gearóid and Kathleen. Address: Tincone Lodge, Ferrybank, Wexford.
• Denis who married Iva Saunders and had three children: Nuala, Mona and Catherina. Address: Quin, Co. Clare.
• Gerard who married Maureen ... and had three boys: Simon, David and ... Address: "Montpelier", Ballyroan Park, Templeogue, Dublin 14.
• Conor who married Rina Flanagan of Athlone. They have no children, and live in Athlone.

Daniel Dominick was employed in the Post Office Savings Bank in London. He served in the British Army during the 1914-1916 war, probably in the South Irish Horse. He married Elsie ... and lived in Chiswick, London. They had three sons: Daniel, Alan and Kevin, who died about 1945. Alan served in the Royal Air Force (as a Squadron Leader ?). Daniel is employed in the British Broadcasting Corporation.
Daniel Dominick died in Nth. Dublin on 21st November, 1958. His widow, Elsie, later became Mrs. Hooper and lived at "Ashfield", 23 Seafield Road, Barton-on-sea, Hants. England.

Mary Agnes Cecilia married William Joseph Lacy, later Principal, St. Peter's National School, Phibsborough, Dublin, on 22nd July, 1932. They had four children: James ("Jim"), William ("Bill"), Leo and John. Address: 85, Mobhi Road, Glasnevin,. Dublin.

Kathleen Mary Josephine emigrated to Australia in 1930 and there married Thomas Francis ('"Frank') Morgan, from Randalstown (?), Navan, Co. Meath. Address: 57 South St., Strathfield, Sydney 2135, Australia. They had three children:

• Patricia, a librarian, married John Collins and lives in Sydney (?). Their children are: Martin, Theresa, Maria, Susan, Simon and Mathew.
• Frank, a pharmaceutical chemist, married Robyn. Their children are: Anthony, Peta (?), Patricia, Andrew and Justine. Their home is in Canberra.
• Kathy, a teacher, lives with her mother (1984).  

Frank Morgan died on 2nd May, 1980, aged 83 years.

Leo Joseph Edward emigrated to the United States (New York?) in 1929. He married Ann Wren (?), an American, whose parents are reputed to have come from Co. Wexford. They had one child, Michael. He married Renata and they had two children - Michael (?) and Patrick. Leo died in Australia.

Joseph Victor married Mollie Dempsey and they live [1984] at 115, Ammaly Road, Cabra, Dublin. He was a commercial representative for Cartons, Food Wholesalers, until his retirement. Their children are: Phyllis, Amy, Hilary, Pauline, Adrian, Joseph, ...

Patrick D'Arcy (1857 - 1928) was employed in the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, initially as a Temporary Sorter and eventually as a Sorting Clerk and Telegraphist. (He must have been one of the first Telegraphists in the country). A summary of his career in the Post Office obtained from the Post Office Archives in London (Ref: Post 1/ Vol. 291/1908/ 495) follows.
Patrick D'Arcy's main occupation after his accident was reading and, according to his daughter, Amelia, he had quite a large library. This was unfortunately scattered after his death. He dabbled in Stocks and Shares but with little success, however. He owned two houses in addition to No. 4 Enniskerry Road. These were situated on the canal bank, near the State Cinema, Phibsborough. (That portion of the canal has been filled in and is now a small public park.) Amelia says that the tenants were very slow in paying their rents: the houses were sold eventually.

Mary Connell D'Arcy was an excellent manager, according to her daughter Amelia. She was an excellent dressmaker and made all the clothes for the children, including dresses for the girls and suits for the boys. She often walked to the municipal fruit and vegetable market at first light for supplies. These would be delivered later by a carter. Any items surplus to her own requirements would be sold to her neighbours who were of course very glad to get them. Mary D'Arcy was very active in getting jobs for her family. Once they reached working age (fourteen years in those days) she would scrutinise the newspapers seeking employment opportunities. If she saw anything suitable, she would march off with the teenager in tow to interview the prospective employer to assess his suitability.

Leo D'Arcy mentioned above was a great outdoors man and an excellent shot. At various times he kept pigeons and ferrets in the back garden at Enniskerry Road.

Summary of information received from The Post Office

Postal Headquarters, Post Office Archives, Room SG 26-28, Headquarters Building, St. Martin's le Grand, London EC1A 1HQ.
Ref: Post 1 / Vol. 291 / 1908 / 495. Letter of 13-4-1984. [Original documents from 1908]

Patrick D'Arcy, Sorting Clerk and Telegraphist, Dublin.
Age 51 (Date of Birth: 15th March, 1857.)
Service: 34 years, 9 months.
Salary: £146:1s:4d. actual. Including emoluments, £180:14s.
Career:
3rd November, 1873 - Temporary Sorter.
8th August, 1877 - Letter Carrier. (Starting Pay: 18s a week)
1st July, 1882 - Letter Carrier, 1st Class
30th July,1883 - Sorter, 2nd Class, afterwards styled Sorting Clerk & Telegraphist.
Civil Service Certificates dated 2nd August, 1877 and 18th July, 1883.
Date of Cessation of Duty: 8th April, 1908: Salary paid to 7th August, 1908.

"Mr. Patrick D'Arcy has discharged his duties with diligence and fidelity to the satisfaction of his superior officers."

"On the 18th of November 1907, Mr. D'Arcy was working in the Great Southern and Western Railway (Ireland) Travelling Post Office when the train met with an accident. Mr. D'Arcy was injured and has since 3rd of December been unfit for duty, with the exception of the period 13th to 25th December and 4 hours on the 8th April. He is certified to be permanently incapacitated but the Government Medical Referee is not in a position to state that Mr. D'Arcy's present condition is the result of the railway accident...."

" Mr. D'Arcy has recovered £600 in damages from the Railway Company in respect of the accident and he is aware that he has no title to compensation from the Postmaster General (Workmen's Compensation Act, 1908, Section 6)"

"The Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury have ... been pleased to award him a pension of £102: 7s: 2d."