The Baron's Guestbook
Comments
Date: 10th September 2011
Our Castle: And why wont they let us in!!!
I was looking at your pictures online, reading that these were your husband's ancesters, as these are my ancesters as well. Wondering where you are from, family name, etc. We will be traveling (back home) lol, this april for a visit to our castles in Ireland. Hope to hear from you.
From Blog: Monday, August 4
Our Castle: And why wont they let us in!!!
I was looking at your pictures online, reading that these were your husband's ancesters, as these are my ancesters as well. Wondering where you are from, family name, etc. We will be traveling (back home) lol, this april for a visit to our castles in Ireland. Hope to hear from you.
From Blog: Monday, August 4
Date: 15th March 2011
I heaard about this castle from my great granfather
this is so cool... I heard about this castle from my great granfather Timothy O'Rourke.. thank you for sharing these pictures
I heaard about this castle from my great granfather
this is so cool... I heard about this castle from my great granfather Timothy O'Rourke.. thank you for sharing these pictures
Date: 11th February 2011
O'Rourke DNA project
Ryan, Great blog! I've been to Dromahair and Creevalea Abbey as well...great spot. I'm very interested in learning more about the DNA project. Can you send me more information about it? Thanks, Tim O'Rourke
From Blog: Friday, August 8
O'Rourke DNA project
Ryan, Great blog! I've been to Dromahair and Creevalea Abbey as well...great spot. I'm very interested in learning more about the DNA project. Can you send me more information about it? Thanks, Tim O'Rourke
From Blog: Friday, August 8
look looking at the abbei
i want to read head stones exspelaly in old part of cemetary. looking up john bailie been told he is in the old section i have reseached back togreat great grand came from gilford ireland thank you
From Blog: Wednesday, July 30
Thanks for the wonderful tour of the O'Rourkes. Great job, Well done. Like to see more.
From Blog: Monday, August 4
Date: 16th December 2010
Thanks!
HI, my name is Chris Rooke, and I too, am a decendant of the O'Rourke clan. My great-great grandfather, William Michael O'Rourke, a concert violinist, moved from Dublin, Ireland, to London, England, and changed his surname to Rooke. I have been digging into the family's past, and saw the photos of the O'Rourke lands you posted. We got a raw deal! I'm with you, and think those lands should be returned to the O'Rourkes! Just wanted to say hello, and thanks for posting those photos, and for the history lesson. If you have any more info on our ancestors let me know at the above email address. Thanks again! - Chris "O'Rourke" Rooke.
Thanks!
HI, my name is Chris Rooke, and I too, am a decendant of the O'Rourke clan. My great-great grandfather, William Michael O'Rourke, a concert violinist, moved from Dublin, Ireland, to London, England, and changed his surname to Rooke. I have been digging into the family's past, and saw the photos of the O'Rourke lands you posted. We got a raw deal! I'm with you, and think those lands should be returned to the O'Rourkes! Just wanted to say hello, and thanks for posting those photos, and for the history lesson. If you have any more info on our ancestors let me know at the above email address. Thanks again! - Chris "O'Rourke" Rooke.
Date: 16th August 2010
brian o rourke
Brian O' Rourke was a rebel who disliked the english with good reason at the time he loved poetry and music but above all he loved his native land Ireland . The English failed to tame him and they came up with the idea they would make him a knight which thay did in Atlone Castle but this failed to keep Sir Brian O'Rourke quiet he continued to attack the English any chance he got .The ultimate insult was to give shelter to 1000 sailors and soldiers of damaged ships during the Spanish armada war with England this incensed Queen Elizabeth 1 the baron queen with the smelly breath Sir Brian further angered the Queen by making an efigy of her and tying it to his horses tail draged it through the bogs of leitrim then known as Breffini The Queen was so insensed by this gesture she ordered the Earl of Essex Sir Charles Bingham to capture O'Rourke dead or alive He fled to Scotland with the help of his cousins the Clancys and Mc Sweeney's .King James 4th pretended to help him but sold him to the English behind his back Remember he spoke no other landguage except his native tongue gaelic I have documentation stating he was tried in Westminster hall london in May 1592 and found guilty of 8 counts of treason against the Queen .He was imprisoned in the Tower of London from May till November 3rd 1592 a very wet rainy Wednesday where he was taken to Tyburn Gallows at Marble Arch to be hung drawn and quartered He was offered the last rites by the Bishop of Cashel who was once a Catholic but turned Protestant Sir Brian refused saying he would rather take last rites from the devil himself He then asked his executioner to turn him to the west so he could gaze on his homeland once more Every single person bearing the name O'Rourke are all decended from one of the three lines of O'Rourke nobility bearing in mind the O'Rourke's produced 9 regional kings and 4 provincial kings so you are all princes and princesses of the O'rourke clan Should anyone require proof place you comment on the notice board and I answer you as best I can
From Blog: Monday, August 4
brian o rourke
Brian O' Rourke was a rebel who disliked the english with good reason at the time he loved poetry and music but above all he loved his native land Ireland . The English failed to tame him and they came up with the idea they would make him a knight which thay did in Atlone Castle but this failed to keep Sir Brian O'Rourke quiet he continued to attack the English any chance he got .The ultimate insult was to give shelter to 1000 sailors and soldiers of damaged ships during the Spanish armada war with England this incensed Queen Elizabeth 1 the baron queen with the smelly breath Sir Brian further angered the Queen by making an efigy of her and tying it to his horses tail draged it through the bogs of leitrim then known as Breffini The Queen was so insensed by this gesture she ordered the Earl of Essex Sir Charles Bingham to capture O'Rourke dead or alive He fled to Scotland with the help of his cousins the Clancys and Mc Sweeney's .King James 4th pretended to help him but sold him to the English behind his back Remember he spoke no other landguage except his native tongue gaelic I have documentation stating he was tried in Westminster hall london in May 1592 and found guilty of 8 counts of treason against the Queen .He was imprisoned in the Tower of London from May till November 3rd 1592 a very wet rainy Wednesday where he was taken to Tyburn Gallows at Marble Arch to be hung drawn and quartered He was offered the last rites by the Bishop of Cashel who was once a Catholic but turned Protestant Sir Brian refused saying he would rather take last rites from the devil himself He then asked his executioner to turn him to the west so he could gaze on his homeland once more Every single person bearing the name O'Rourke are all decended from one of the three lines of O'Rourke nobility bearing in mind the O'Rourke's produced 9 regional kings and 4 provincial kings so you are all princes and princesses of the O'rourke clan Should anyone require proof place you comment on the notice board and I answer you as best I can
From Blog: Monday, August 4
Date: 17th July 2010
I had a great time looking at your pics and reading your comments. Thank you for sharing them. I do hope to see it all myself one day.
I had a great time looking at your pics and reading your comments. Thank you for sharing them. I do hope to see it all myself one day.
Date: 6th April 2010
Roark History
Enjoyed your website so much!!! I cut my teeth on Irish history of the O'Roarkes and I appreciate so much seeing those places....I could almost recite "The Valley lay smiling before me, where lately I left her behind...." and have you ever heard, "O'Roarke's noble fare will ne'er be forgot, by those who were there, and those who were not....It is the ballad of a great 3 day feast, I remember someone's pocket was picked and the priest came to try to put a stop to the party and they threw him over the fire.....lots of drinking and all that sort of Irish stuff...very funny poem...I have a book written by M.L. Roark on the history going back the the 1300s and the very first Ru arc. He also tells the story of what happened to Brian O'Roark....seems he drug a picture of Elizabeth I through the streets by his horse's tail....and that was the beginning of his troubles that led to his trial and execution...sad story...Anyway, I am descended from William Roark, one of the 4 brothers who came from Ireland together in the 1700s and fought in the American Revolution. Are you related to them? I hope to hear back from you, and thank you again for your wonderful website.
From Blog: Monday, August 4
Roark History
Enjoyed your website so much!!! I cut my teeth on Irish history of the O'Roarkes and I appreciate so much seeing those places....I could almost recite "The Valley lay smiling before me, where lately I left her behind...." and have you ever heard, "O'Roarke's noble fare will ne'er be forgot, by those who were there, and those who were not....It is the ballad of a great 3 day feast, I remember someone's pocket was picked and the priest came to try to put a stop to the party and they threw him over the fire.....lots of drinking and all that sort of Irish stuff...very funny poem...I have a book written by M.L. Roark on the history going back the the 1300s and the very first Ru arc. He also tells the story of what happened to Brian O'Roark....seems he drug a picture of Elizabeth I through the streets by his horse's tail....and that was the beginning of his troubles that led to his trial and execution...sad story...Anyway, I am descended from William Roark, one of the 4 brothers who came from Ireland together in the 1700s and fought in the American Revolution. Are you related to them? I hope to hear back from you, and thank you again for your wonderful website.
From Blog: Monday, August 4
Date: 1st March 2010
brill
hi there i was going to visit to check out the o rourke clan did you travel by car and what way did you travel i am coming from glasgow thanks peter
From Blog: Monday, August 4
brill
hi there i was going to visit to check out the o rourke clan did you travel by car and what way did you travel i am coming from glasgow thanks peter
From Blog: Monday, August 4
Date: 1st March 2010
Great O'Rourke Trip
Thanks for posting these. I'm using your wonderful entries to illustrate the use of this website - I'm sending the idea to my other "O'Rourkes": Larry, Dorothy, Thomas, Paul, Susan, Dan, David Brian, Jesse, Moira, Ryan, Sarah, Andrew, Katherine, Shea, Colleen, Brendan and Colby! BUAGH! We are scattered all over the U.S., from Vermont to California. Many of us have been to Brefnie and it's fun to see your experiences.
From Blog: Monday, August 4
Great O'Rourke Trip
Thanks for posting these. I'm using your wonderful entries to illustrate the use of this website - I'm sending the idea to my other "O'Rourkes": Larry, Dorothy, Thomas, Paul, Susan, Dan, David Brian, Jesse, Moira, Ryan, Sarah, Andrew, Katherine, Shea, Colleen, Brendan and Colby! BUAGH! We are scattered all over the U.S., from Vermont to California. Many of us have been to Brefnie and it's fun to see your experiences.
From Blog: Monday, August 4
Date: 9th January 2010
Visit.
We visited some of the same areas that you visited, and loved our time in Ireland. Gerald!s family came out to New Zealand in three different lots. One daughter came first, and them 2 more and the rest of the family followed.
From Blog: Monday, August 4
Visit.
We visited some of the same areas that you visited, and loved our time in Ireland. Gerald!s family came out to New Zealand in three different lots. One daughter came first, and them 2 more and the rest of the family followed.
From Blog: Monday, August 4
Date: 15th May 2009
o'rourke
hey my name is morgan and i am also from the o'rouke line. i am going to ireland in a few weeks and was wondering if you guys had any luck with any research while you were over there. if you have any tips or copies of documents i could take with me that would be great! thanks so much and let's keep in touch! morganalu08@hotmail.com
From Blog: Monday, August 4
o'rourke
hey my name is morgan and i am also from the o'rouke line. i am going to ireland in a few weeks and was wondering if you guys had any luck with any research while you were over there. if you have any tips or copies of documents i could take with me that would be great! thanks so much and let's keep in touch! morganalu08@hotmail.com
From Blog: Monday, August 4
Date: 23rd March 2009
omg
hi there im Bethany. my great granda was of the O'Rourke clan but he moved to england many year's ago i was very intrigued when i saw this page. my granda moved to england leaving behind family. we now have a coat of arms with which is on display at my grandparents home
From Blog: Monday, August 4
omg
hi there im Bethany. my great granda was of the O'Rourke clan but he moved to england many year's ago i was very intrigued when i saw this page. my granda moved to england leaving behind family. we now have a coat of arms with which is on display at my grandparents home
From Blog: Monday, August 4
Date: 4th March 2009
Hello, Alayna!
Thanks for stopping by our travel blog. There are actually several sites on which different castles of our ancestors sit. They are in various states of ruin or preservation. The one most people think of is the one to which you refer. It sits on Lough Gill and has that view of Innisfree you were talking about. It's been restored to the state that Mr. Parkes had it in when he lived there (after the English had evicted our family from the land). The real tragedy is that only a few miles away right in the middle of the little town of Dromahaire, another O'Rourke castle sits unpreserved and unprotected. It's in our photos. It's on private property, so we couldn't see very much of it.
From Blog: Monday, August 4
Hello, Alayna!
Thanks for stopping by our travel blog. There are actually several sites on which different castles of our ancestors sit. They are in various states of ruin or preservation. The one most people think of is the one to which you refer. It sits on Lough Gill and has that view of Innisfree you were talking about. It's been restored to the state that Mr. Parkes had it in when he lived there (after the English had evicted our family from the land). The real tragedy is that only a few miles away right in the middle of the little town of Dromahaire, another O'Rourke castle sits unpreserved and unprotected. It's in our photos. It's on private property, so we couldn't see very much of it.
From Blog: Monday, August 4
Date: 26th January 2009
irland
i know alot about irland from my granpa tom.he said that the O'Rourke family castle got reacked many years ago.well just wondering hw long have u stayed their.isnt the view of the innisfree just BEAUTYFUL
From Blog: Monday, August 4
irland
i know alot about irland from my granpa tom.he said that the O'Rourke family castle got reacked many years ago.well just wondering hw long have u stayed their.isnt the view of the innisfree just BEAUTYFUL
From Blog: Monday, August 4
Date: 8th August 2008
Hey, Dad!
Great to hear from you...love you! -- Kelly
From Blog: Wednesday, August 6
Hey, Dad!
Great to hear from you...love you! -- Kelly
From Blog: Wednesday, August 6
Date: 8th August 2008
Hi kids Sorry for not commenting earlier. You have done a great job of documenting your trip and sharing it will all of us less fortunate types. We are really so happy that you are having this experience and can't wait to talk with you when you get back. Love you!
From Blog: Wednesday, August 6
Hi kids Sorry for not commenting earlier. You have done a great job of documenting your trip and sharing it will all of us less fortunate types. We are really so happy that you are having this experience and can't wait to talk with you when you get back. Love you!
From Blog: Wednesday, August 6
Date: 6th August 2008
Re: Irish Music
Hey Jenn! Yes, we've heard a little bit of fiddling. The group we saw last night didn't have a fiddle; just guitars, accordian, and a bodhran (Irish drum). We hope to hear some more in Galway tomorrow or in Dublin this weekend. You have to be willing to stay up late to hear these bands - most don't start until after 10pm!! It all works out because the Irish don't seem to get up until 8 or 9:00 in the morning. Things open later here as well. Love you - miss you! Kel
From Blog: Tuesday, August 5
Re: Irish Music
Hey Jenn! Yes, we've heard a little bit of fiddling. The group we saw last night didn't have a fiddle; just guitars, accordian, and a bodhran (Irish drum). We hope to hear some more in Galway tomorrow or in Dublin this weekend. You have to be willing to stay up late to hear these bands - most don't start until after 10pm!! It all works out because the Irish don't seem to get up until 8 or 9:00 in the morning. Things open later here as well. Love you - miss you! Kel
From Blog: Tuesday, August 5
Date: 6th August 2008
Irish Music
Have you seen or heard any Irish fiddling while you have been on your journey? Judd likes to play Irish reels sometimes.
From Blog: Tuesday, August 5
Irish Music
Have you seen or heard any Irish fiddling while you have been on your journey? Judd likes to play Irish reels sometimes.
From Blog: Tuesday, August 5
Date: 6th August 2008
Yipes!!!!!!
Ok, I was REALLY enjoying all those pictures until TODAY ..... The lovely little Irish town and its charming Gaelic features sound wonderful, but the cliffs, driving conditions and driving on the EDGE of the road is most frightening - I'm sure if I had been in the car you would have thrown me over. Mama and Papa Galloway and I talked about a trip to the Emerald Isle with us, but you can bet those cliffs will NOT be on our agenda. Miss you - don't do anything else dangerous! Mom
From Blog: Tuesday, August 5
Yipes!!!!!!
Ok, I was REALLY enjoying all those pictures until TODAY ..... The lovely little Irish town and its charming Gaelic features sound wonderful, but the cliffs, driving conditions and driving on the EDGE of the road is most frightening - I'm sure if I had been in the car you would have thrown me over. Mama and Papa Galloway and I talked about a trip to the Emerald Isle with us, but you can bet those cliffs will NOT be on our agenda. Miss you - don't do anything else dangerous! Mom
From Blog: Tuesday, August 5
Date: 6th August 2008
Stay away from the cliffs!!!!!
Ryan, you're right, your mom will have a fit when she reads about Tuesday's trip top the cliffs. Something she'd never do, that's for sure. Kelly, it looked like you were ready to jump right in with Ruth and Hazel...the video of Ruth was great! Looks like you are having a dream vacation, so many sights, sounds, people, places and epicurean adventures. Enjoy the rest of your trip. Love, Dad
From Blog: Tuesday, August 5
Stay away from the cliffs!!!!!
Ryan, you're right, your mom will have a fit when she reads about Tuesday's trip top the cliffs. Something she'd never do, that's for sure. Kelly, it looked like you were ready to jump right in with Ruth and Hazel...the video of Ruth was great! Looks like you are having a dream vacation, so many sights, sounds, people, places and epicurean adventures. Enjoy the rest of your trip. Love, Dad
From Blog: Tuesday, August 5
Date: 5th August 2008
Love the pictures
Hey Ry and Kel - The pics and comments are great; I was just cracking up reading all about your adventures in "our kingdom" and I, like you, feel it should be returned to us. Every day we can't wait to see what you two were up to the previous day. Love and miss you Mom
From Blog: Monday, August 4
Love the pictures
Hey Ry and Kel - The pics and comments are great; I was just cracking up reading all about your adventures in "our kingdom" and I, like you, feel it should be returned to us. Every day we can't wait to see what you two were up to the previous day. Love and miss you Mom
From Blog: Monday, August 4
Date: 4th August 2008
We are totally envious!
Okay, okay, okay....we are really jealous of the fun you seem to be having. Kate liked the picture of Ryan in the rocks and Kelly playing dead. We take it there are no Piggley sightings - although it looks very much like his stomping grounds over there. Keep having fun - we can't wait to read the blog and see the pictures every night!
From Blog: Sunday, August 3
We are totally envious!
Okay, okay, okay....we are really jealous of the fun you seem to be having. Kate liked the picture of Ryan in the rocks and Kelly playing dead. We take it there are no Piggley sightings - although it looks very much like his stomping grounds over there. Keep having fun - we can't wait to read the blog and see the pictures every night!
From Blog: Sunday, August 3
frances
non-member comment
just found this site
been looking for information for a long time. my dad was also an o'rourke
From Blog: Monday, August 4