The Donahoos of Victoria, Australia

My DONAHOO surname originated from DONOHOE in Parish of Kilmore, County Tipperary.

Origins

The Donahoos of Victoria, Australia are descendants of an Irishman from CurryQuin, Parish of Kilmore, County Tipperary, Ireland. Darby Donohoe married Ann Mangan and they had at least one child; Patrick. Patrick married Bridget Walsh in 1859. In about 1860, they immigrated to Cape Town, South Africa, where they lived for about three years. They had two sons: John and Michael. They immigrated to Australia in February 1864 on the King of the Seas. On the 23 January 1865 Daniel, my great grandfather was born. His father, Patrick, died of tetanus on the 8th July 1865. Their mother, Bridget, raised the family. When Michael was about 14 years old he went missing. It is thought that he may have gone down to the wharves, which he visited often, and become a ship mate on one of the ships. The story goes that he may have ended up in the Caribbean, where he settled and died. At that time the name was still Donohoe. However, Daniel could not spell. He was quite illiterate as was his wife. At some stage, possibly when he was around 18 years old, he had to have his name written on some documents. He was asked his name. Since he could not spell, he sounded it out as DON-A-HOO, in an Australian accent. So, the person wrote it that way. Daniel must have seen how it was spelt and could recognize it. From then on we were no longer Donohoe, but Donahoo. Later in life when Daniel was asked about it, he said it had always been that way.

Other generations

John Donohoe had only one daughter: Eileen. She married a Frank Hamilton, so the name of Donohoe / Donahoo never continued on that line. Michael Donohoe was never known to have children.

Daniel married Elizabeth Ann Reason Worn in November 1887 in Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia. They had four sons and three Daughters. Their eldest, John, had four daughters. The second in line was Daniel, who had two sons and two daughters. It is this line that still carried the Donahoo name today, with his great great grandson Felix Donahoo. Their third son, Michael Francis, was killed in World War I. The fourth son was Thomas. He had one son, Tommy Donahoo, who then had three daughters.

It was from Daniel Donahoo, the son of the person who changed our name, that the Donahoo offspring are descended. There are now over twenty-one great grand children and two great great grandchildren at this time.

May 2002
Chapter: others
County: Tipperary

Specific research interests