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'The McCafferkey "Jockey" Family. The Gallagher "Steven" Family history from 1600s to Present Day.'

By Kevin Michael McAndrews

Greenhorns, Michael (Mc)Cafferkey, Achill Island, Ireland has been the source of thousands of Irish Immigrants to the northern part of Ohio during the last one hundred and fifty years and their offspring now amount to a considerable populace for this region. Even before the famine of 1849 which caused the wholesale emigration of a considerable part of the population to leave the shores of Ireland and seek a livelihood elsewhere, the Irish set out to seek their fortune in America, Australia, England and even to Africa, because the land would not support them. It was this kind of climate that caused Anthony and Celia to pursue their opportunities on the shores of Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio, where many thousands of Achill born people traveled earlier to pave the way for them. Anthony was familiar with travel before setting out to America because Owen J can recall being told how at the age of 12 he swam out to a boat anchored in Bullsmouth Harbor which was waiting to take the children to Scotland to work on the farms for the summer to tend to the crops and thereafter complete the harvest for a meager pittance.

A man who was known as "The Gaffer" was in charge of these young people and he looked to their well being while under his supervision. The rules were strict and the 'I amenities were observed at all times and no "hanky panky " was tolerated; at least that he could observe.

Owen Jockey can remember in the deep days of the depression in the early days of the Roosevelt Presidency the young "Greenhorns" would come to the house on their day off which was usually on a Sunday and there they would visit and recall the stories from home. The girls mostly worked as domestics on the "heights" and had to travel a long way on the streetcar, which cost three cents each way. Somehow the young single lads heard of these visits and they too joined these Sunday afternoon parlays. These visits later developed into Saturday night dances in the basement of the house at 16604 Pearldale Ave. where each would bring Potluck and chip in fifty cents for a barrel of beer to commence the nightlong festivities. These festivities consisted of John Kelly Masterson playing the fiddle, Pat Kilbane playing the accordion and someone else playing the spoons. The energy emoted into performing the jigs and reels was something to see, what with the dust flying and the heels doing the same. Owen Jockey can still see these happy times when the word dirt poor was a constant companion with all but the smiles and laughter that was shared by all. Eveyone was in the same boat. The work was hard because of a lack of education prevented them from acquiring a job except on the wrong end of a pick and shovel and these were difficult to obtain. It is interesting to note that these same Irish emigrants in later years then went on to form the nucleus of the prosperous Irish-American clubs that provide such excellent entertainment, fairs and fie shes (festivals?) throughout the years in the Cleveland area.

Owen “Jockey” can further recollect the locations of many of the locations of the several clubs on the west side of Cleveland over the last 60 years; namely W163rd and Detroit in an upstairs hall formed in the early 1940's, Mitchell Hall on 73rd off of Madison, and then on to a converted movie theatre on West 98th and Madison, which was so ably, managed by Pat Lynch for so many years. Within the last 10 years new property was acquired in Olmsted Township providing for a beautiful cultural center accommodating a hall holding 400 people, a pavilion for picnics, athletic fields and large acreage for future expansion. Today the children and grandchildren of these same Irish Immigrants occupy the seats of many high and important offices and these descendants revere them for all that they have done for them.

 The McAndrews & McCafferty Family Orgins 

In the middle of the 15th century the leader of the "Roundheads", Oliver Cromwell scourged the countryside of the northern counties of Ireland and rendered havoc upon the inhabitants who resided there since the time of the Druids. Men, women and children were driven out of their ancestral home under the accompanying cry of "to Connaught or to hell". Among these driven souls were the McCafferty Clansmen whose line of ancestors dates back to the time of the "Tuatha Da Dannon" some thousands of years before. The area they then residing in was known as "Six Mile" located approximately 30 miles southeast of the city of “Enniskillen” and very near Lock Erne. Judge John Corrigan of the Cuyahoga Probate Court reminices when he was a young lad attending school in Achill that the children would halt Owen Jockey on his cart and ask him to sing them a song, and of course he would so for he would sing at the drop of a hat. He was also respected for his kindness and generosity for those who needed a hand or a tied me over for some meat on the cuff. Although he has passed on over a half a century ago there are many who still retain his memory in their hearts. Anthony Cafferkey married Bridget Gallagher sometime around 1860 and they raised a large family who later migrated to other countries. Owen Jockey Cafferkey can recollect the names of John, Michael, Mary, and Anthony. John migrated to Cleveland in the 1800's and worked on the ore docks unloading the boats to service the steel mills. In his later years he worked as a janitor at the 17th Precinct station on Lorain Ave. in the West Park area. Michael went to England for his livelihood where he married and had children. Anthony(Jathoc) related to Owen Jockey Cafferkey that one time while in England he remembers picking up a saddle to return it to his Father. He also recalls that one of Michael's sons was killed in WWI while fighting for the English Army. Mary came to the United States like John but little is known of her. Owen Jockey Cafferkey thought she lived in Detroit and died and is buried there. Anthony too came to Cleveland and lived here for a while. His acclaim to fame is derived from the time he was marching in a St.Patricks Day Parade with great spirit and effervescence, someone in the crowd cried out “Look at Anthony the Jathoc". It appears that the word Jathoc means steam or fire. Thereafter Anthony was referred to as "The Jathoc" for the rest of his life and his nephew Anthony J inherited upon his demise.The name of McCafferty is derived from the Gaelic name that defies anyone but a seasoned Irish linguist to pronounce it, but in substance it means," rider on a horse." This then, explains how the moniker "Jockey" has accompanied the descendents of the McCaffertys for hundreds of years. The evacuees were forced to take what they could carry on their backs and commence the arduous journey to the south and to the west to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean where they hoped to find refuge from the scourge of the English invader in the person of Oliver Cromwell. The sword, pike and spear induced their hasty ejection to the wilds of the west in hopes of scratching out an existence from the soil that was unproductive at best. Along with their meager belongings they took with them their strong faith of St. Patrick's teaching which was to be their shield from dejection and despair again and again in the years famine and persecution became their constant companion. The name McCafferty has had many changes over the past several hundred years and the descendents have taken many liberties with its spelling. **{Some have added the McC}and others have dropped it. Some use the [ty and others use the 'ry.'] Thus there area many versions of the name however Owen notes that in 1995 when visiting Achill with his son Owen E that on the tombstone of his Grandfather Owen(Jockey) the name of Cafferkey appears. Perhaps the clerks on Ellis Island made the determination what the future descendants of the Cafferkey clan would be called for posterity and history. The journey of despair and sorrow finally ended on the shores of the Blue Atlantic in the area now called Ballycroy which is probably the next precinct east of Boston where many of the Irish settled. Very little is known of this time when they had to set up a means of subsisting. Owen J recalls his Father Anthony saying that he remembers the story that three Cafferkey brothers left Ballacroy and went to Salia on Achill Island to marry three McNulty sisters which they did and each family had seven sons. The time of this migration and marriages is uncertain but Owen J estimates that it was in the middle 1700's, a considerable time after the Cromwell ejection. Most of the history of the family comes to us through word of mouth from Anthony and Celia who gleaned them from the tales related in the dirt floored cabanas when they were children around the early 1900's.. These were the times before radio, television and movies and entertainment was obtained around the turf fires when the story tellers( Seanachi's) were gifted with elan and imagination and their ability to make your hair stand on end was superb. When Michael T. Scanlon was visiting Ireland in the late 1970's, he went to the place in Dublin where the records are kept relating to the land occupiers in the year 1855, which was some 6 years after the Potato Famine of 1849 (1845-1849). This record discloses the people of Achill who were tenants paying their rent to the landlords of the Island and the area that they were renting. In those days land was not owned in "fee," but only as a tenant. Farming was of little use and only potatoes and hay were grown for human and animal feed. Sheep and cattle was the predominant source of income and grazing land had to be rented in order to raise these animals to sell them a the local Fair which occurred every month at the Sound, This document shows that Anthony Cafferkey paid rent on land in the area around the village of Slievemore during this time. From this we can surmise that he would have been born around 1830 and his son Owen(Jockey) around 1860(actually ~1865). Owen Jockey discloses that his father Anthony stated his Grandfather was a shoemaker and that his father was a butcher who raised the sheep and cattle, butchered, and then sold his wares on a cart to the locals.  Owen Jockey Cafferkey  was a man of renown, not only for being a purveyor of meats but also for his singing ability. He was noted for his great singing and his repertoire was many and varied, One of his more notable was "The Hat Me Father Wore." Owen Jockey Cafferkey can remember when he visited Achill immediately after WWII some of the words even today:

"Its old but its beautiful

its the best hat in the land,

its a relic of old decency,

the hat me Father wore"

The next generation is derived from the union of Owen Jockey Cafferkey and Bridget Gallagher which occurred March 24th, 1887. Bridget was descended from the "Steven" Gallaghers who lived in the Valley on Achill Island. It should be noted that Owen Jockey's mother was a Gallagher from Curran where the Gallaghers reside in multitudinous numbers. Many of these Gallaghers hold high elective office in the local area and one even served in the Dial in Dublin. In due course Anthony was born in 1889 and following him the following siblings entered their appearance: Great Grandmother Bridget(Beatrice), Owen(Owney), Michael, and Helen. The family continued to live in Achill in an area that is not certain however in 1912 the present home was built in Bunnacurry and the relics of it still stand in a weather-beaten condition. After assisting in the construction of the new home Anthony(Jathoc) then migrated to the United States, but prior to leaving, he and a friend bought a "hooker" for about 25 pounds. Of course it was a sailer and it had to be navigated through the treacherous waters flowing alongside the Sound which was a perilous undertaking. When the tide was moving the water accelerated it with great force and speed. The enterprise prospered by transporting lime, turf and porter from Achill Island to Clare Island in the middle of Clew Bay. Anthony observed that the lime and turf always arrive in its original state but the porter somehow always arrived a bit lighter than when it left the dock. After Anthony Jathoc left home in 1914 Owen Jockey and Bridget remained in the newly constructed home along with their children in Bunnacurry. Owen/Oweney and Bridget followed Anthony after the end of WWI to Cleveland where they married, raised their children and died many years later.

Theme: The IRA and The Black and Tans, The Jothoc and the Maritime Venture

In resurrecting his memory of nearly 60 years when he first visited Ireland in September 1945, Owen Jocky Cafferkey has had many flashbacks of stories relating to the times before Ireland obtained its independence. One he heard in the kitchen in Bunnacurry which was the common room where all the social discourse occurred relates to the Black and Tans and the troubled times around 1920. England had not yet capitulated and the Black and Tans were given an open invitation to have their way in maintaining law and order on Achill Island. During this time, Owen Jockey's daughter, Mary, was married to James Graelis and they lived with their two children with Owen and Bridget in the family home in Bunnacurry. The members of the Black and Tan were men who had been imprisoned in England and were given their freedom and clemency along with a military black jacket, tan riding pants, a Buster Brown belt and holster and gun, putttees (?),and a garrison hat to enforce the Will of Britannia upon the hapless, helpless and armorless citizenry of Ireland. During this interval the IRA was active the West and their forays and strikes against the establishment was not only embarrassing but was beginning to to hurt their ego and public image as well. It was in this type of scenario that found a member of the IRA eluding the pursuit of the hounds of the Black and Tans seeking refuge in the barn of Owen Jockey in the quiet, peaceful "' hamlet of Bunnacurry.  At this juncture of the day the men of the house were out in the fields tending to their flocks and Bridget and Mary and the children were home. The barn was in close proximity to the house and the 5 women were unaware of the enfolding drama that taking place as the Black and Tans were setting up their machine guns on the road above them. The Pursuers announced their presence by releasing a burst of fire against the home containing the women and children and with great bravado knocked on the door demanding entrance in the name of the Crown. The frightened women denied any knowledge of a runaway and stood back while the intruders rummaged the home. Upon finding nothing in this fruitless search these recent occupiers of the prisons of England then repaired(returned?) to the barn to continue their search which resulted in a empty outcome also. Apparently the clumsy and inept setting up on the road and following search gave the fleeing fox ample time to evade the hot pursuit of the yapping barking hounds of the hunters.

 Theme: The Jathoc and the Maritime Venture.  Even after 60 years the story remains vivid in the mind of Owen J. along with the memory of the decor of that farmhouse of more than a half a century ago. The huge open fireplace was made of course stone and in it the odor of sweet smelling turf permeated the rooms of the home. In the center of this common room a rough table along with similar textured chairs dominated the room with pictures of the current Pope and the American cousins aligning the wall for all to see. Adjacent to this room was a mud room which contained a long bench, a rack for the outer coats and boots setting neatly in a row. Here the men would sit and discuss the work that was performed that day and what other work was to be performed the following day. On the floor, alongside them, two attentive sheep dogs would rest, alertly looking to their masters for a command to coral the sheep or do some other task that only they could so efficiently perform.. The agility of a working dog is something that has amazed Owen J ever since he first observed them assembling and corralling sheep in Germany and Ireland in WWII. City boys were not familiar with the discipline a working dog on a farm had to possess and only saw a dog as a house pet to be coddled and petted. He stood in equal awe when observing how the young pups were indoctrinated with the skills of their elders by following them and seeing their movements, which ultimately resulted in obtaining the same results.

Mary Cafferkey married James Graelis around 1917 in Bunacurry and continued to live with her parents on the farm for the rest of her life caring for them and her children and brother Michael. Her husband Jimmy had to go to England to work because there was no employment in Achill. This specter has haunted the families of the Island for centuries. In order to survive the husband had to go to other countries to obtain employment to feed their families and as a result they would be away for 11 months out of the year. This cross of sustaining two homes was an onerous one and made the task of supplying sufficient funds to feed both homes a heroic effort.. As a result these conscientious men had to live in very primitive and lowly surroundings in order to insure that the family back home received as much as possible to survive the poverty which was always biting at their heels. This system prevailed in Achill for hundreds of years. Mary was an excellant cook and to this day Owen Jockey Cafferkey still savers the delicious roasts of lamb and fish and chicken that she would cook on an open hearth, fueled by turf. Her generosity equaled her culinary skills and it was difficult to leave her house without her forcing a pound note into your pocket. She attended her parents with great care and concern and her family also was attended to in like manner. Owen Jockey has said that the three siblings Anthony, Michael and Mary could not deny each other because they looked so much alike. Mary lived in the family home till her death and ever since it remains vacant.

 Helen Cafferkey -Helen Cafferkey was the youngest child of Owen Jockey and Bridget and she too came to America to work and live for a period of time. She lived in Toronto Canada for a few years before re tuning to Ireland. For a time she worked in Gallway in a Convent as a cook and it was there that she died.

 Michael McCafferty -Michael Cafferkey arrived in the middle of the siblings and resided in Bunnacurry all of his life. He was the one to oversee the daily workings of the farm and to see that the necessary butchering of needed animals were performed when ordered by the resident and commercial customers. Not only did they sell their own meat products but they also butchered the animals of the other farmers on the Island and packaged the various cuts for the proper refrigeration and storage. Michael was a quiet and gentle man and was highly regarded in the local community. He was a introvert by nature and he enjoyed the peaceful surroundings of the life on the farm but he took great delight in visiting with his brothers and sister when they came to visit from America. Michael never married and choose to live the sedate life of a bachelor on the farm. Owen (Oweny) McCafferty the third sibling of the Cafferkey children was a blond hair youth who could run like the wind and was at his happiest when chasing the sheep on Minaun Mountain, Paddy Jockey, his nephew stated that none could keep up to him when rounding up the sheep for sheering or killing. However the farm could not support everyone and in the 1920's Oweny set out for the North Shore of the United States to join his brother Anthony in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1923 he married Marie English and took up residence on W.105th St. in St. Ignatius parish where many of the Irish settled and where Bridget and Anthony once lived. In 1924 the first child was born and they named her Mary Ellen. Thereafter the following children were born while they resided on W. 105th St.; Margaret, Anna, Owen Jr. and Jean. Oweny found employment with the RTA transit system and worked till his retirement. After living on W. 105th for many years Marie and Oweny moved to Milburn Ave. near his brother Anthony. During these years Oweny made several trips to Bunnacurry and he always enjoyed visiting Anthony and discussing the latest news.

The McAndrews family

Bridget Cafferkey and Mike McAndrews

 Michael McAndrews  was born in The Valley, Achill Island, Ireland in 1898. He was one of six children. He had two brothers named Pat and Tom. He also had three sisters named Mary, Delia, and Margret. All the boys went to England to work on farms in order to pay for a trip to the U.S. His Brother Pat came to the U.S. He stayed until after World War Two and then moved back to Ireland with his wife. Tom came and left before World War Two. He felt the work in America was too hard so he moved back to Ireland. Both Mary and Delia came over after their brothers. We assume that their brothers sent them over money to pay for the trip. Once they arrived in America they settled in the Cleveland area and stayed with relatives until they found work. Margret his youngest sister never left Ireland. Michael McAndrews came to America with his brothers in the late 1910s to early 1920s. When he came to America he was in his early 20s. He settled in the Cleveland,Ohio area as well and got a job as a laborer in the plaster trade. He was a very hard working man. He did the labor work for plasters. Which entailed mixing, carrying, usually up a ladder, for 6 plasters at a time and do all but put mortar on the trowel for them. It was work that very few men could do. Mike McAndrews helped build important buildings in Cleveland, Ohio like the Cleveland Hotel, Terminal Tower, The Hollenden Hotel, and St. Ignatius church. He even traveled on some jobs. He went down to Cincinnati to help after a big flood. He was gone for weeks. He also went down to New Orleans for a while. However he didn’t stay too long because of bad living conditions. His wife Bridget Cafferkey was born on Jan. 9th 1902 in (Bunnacurry, Achill Island, County Mayo, Ireland.) She had 3 brothers, Owen, Anthony, and Dominick. She had 2 sisters as well, Helen and Mary. Owen immigrated to Cleveland and settled down. Anthony was the 2nd to come and stay in America. Dominick came but went back to America Helen tried to immigrate but was sent back after reaching Ellis Island because of a disease. Mary the oldest of the bunch stayed in Ireland. Achill Island has been a source of thousands of Irish immigrants to the northern part of Ohio during the last one hundred and fifty year. Beatrice followed her brother Anthony to America, she settled in Cleveland. She stayed with the McFadden's (also from Achill Island) until she found a job. Her first job was a maid at the Hollenden Hotel. Then she worked as a domestic worker for a family in Cleveland Heights. The rich people were called Swells. Each family had a maid and a cook. Michael McAndrews was a cook for the McCaffertys and lived with the family. Mike and Beatrice married shortly after they met in America. They didn't know each other in Ireland even though they where from the same town. They rented a place on 105th Street. Before buying a house on W. 94th Street They had six kids, James 1925, Coletta 1927, William, Eddie 1930, Michael 1934, and John in 1937. Even as times were tough during the depression there was always food on the table and a roof over their heads. They lived very simple lives. Even though they were poor they still enjoyed having parties. They played fiddle, accordion and just enjoyed each others company. Beatrice “Biddy”McAndrews cooked Irish Soda bread and that was what they ate most of the time. They had tea a lot as well. During the depression the men had to walk downtown for work since they couldn't afford streetcars. They didn't have a phone until my Grandpa John was 7 in 1944. He just celebrated his 84th birthday! The one constant during those hard times was that everyone would help each other when help was needed. It was like an unwritten law!