DUNMANWAY has celebrated its direct link to one of Europe’s long-ruling emperors with the visit of a golden chalice from the 17th century.
Over the August bank holiday, the West Cork town hosted the three-day Homecoming gathering, attended by around 120 descendants from around the globe with family links to the area.
Among the event’s highlights was the return of the treasured artefact, courtesy of the North Cathedral in Cork city and Fr John O’Donovan—along with the revelation that the local Hurley and De Courcy families were linked to Charlemagne.
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The chalice entered divine service in 1633 in memory of Randal Hurley and his wife Ellen de Courcy, a direct descendant of Charlemagne who ruled from 768 to 814.
And as the history books reveal, Ellen was the daughter of the 18th Baron of Kinsale, while Chalremagne was recognised as the first Roman Emperor since the fall of Rome.
He conquered large parts of what is modern day France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Italy, Spain and Austria.
It is believed that Ellen de Courcy and family had the chalice created in Randal’s memory after his death in 1629-30. The Hurleys were a Gaelic family based around Ballinacarriga Castle near Dunmanway, built in 1585.
‘It was wonderful that so many Hurleys were in attendance and others were able to hold this ornate chalice,’ said Michelle O’Mahony, of OM History Consultant.
Bud Hurley, Prof. David Sheehan and Kathleen Hurley from New Hamshire with the Hurley Chalice at the Homecoming event. Picture: David Creedon‘Fr. Pat O’Donovan, Dunmanway parish priest, was in attendance and told the audience that the chalice is still in use, being used most recently last Easter during the Holy Thursday Chrism Mass ceremony.’
During her talk at the Homecoming Festival, Michelle O’Mahony also pointed out that many McCarthys have the same lineage to Charlemagne: Ellen and Randal’s granddaughter, Angelina married Cormac MacCarthy Glas of Togher Castle.
As part of a series of lectures at the festival, Professor David V. Sheehan, an expert researcher on the Hurley family and genetic genealogist, gave more insight into Dunmanway’s Charlemagne heritage.
The golden chalice is a rare church artefact, dating back to the time before Oliver Cromwell invaded Ireland. It survived wars, famines and pandemics.
