The Horish Family of Donabate

The surname Horish is likely an Anglicized version of Whoriskey, from the Gaelic, Ó hUisce, meaning, descendant of he 'of water'.

My 4th great grandmother was Elizabeth Horish-Leonard (1792-abt 1873), the eldest of four children born to Mathew Horish and Mary Carty of Portrane.  Around 1818, she married Patrick Leonard of (1795-1865), who lived in the Burrow of Portrane, County Dublin.  Their son Thomas migrated to Portland Maine in 1850, leaving the Famine to set up a successful florist business.  In 1888, several of Elizabeth & Patrick's grandchildren, through their son Mathew, followed their uncle Thomas.

Elizabeth and Patrick had seven children in total.

This post will attempt to assemble the various Horish family households of Donabate, after having conducted an exhaustive review of baptismal, birth, marriage, and census records:

Family 1
Nicholas Horish (born 1755) & Mary Murry:
4 children (Elizabeth, Patrick, Mary and Thomas)

According to Padear Bates' "Donabate & Portrane - A History", 18-year old Patrick Horish was on the list of Donabate Parish parishioners who possessed arms during the 1798 Rebellion.  It's interesting to imagine what it might have been like for such a young soldier.  He certainly survived the War, since he was married with two children by 1807.  Patrick and his brother Thomas were listed as the tenant farmers on the 1847 Griffith's Valuation in House 10a of Beaverstown, Portrane.

Family 2
Mathew Horish (born 1775) & Mary Carty:
4 children (Elizabeth, Unnamed, Catherine, John) - I've confirmed my descent from this family.

Family 3
Michael Horish (born 1800) & Mary McArdle
2 children (Ann, Bridget)

Family 4
John Horish (1819-1891) & Monica Keane
6 children (Bridget, Michael, Mary, Elizabeth, Bartholomew, Annie)
This family is all buried at the Old Donabate Cemetery

Family 5
Nicholas Horish (born 1820) & Rose Monks:
7 children (Mary, Margaret, Michael, Patrick, Thomas, Margaret, Annie)

Family 6
Catherine Horish (born 1820) & Bartholomew Martin
5 children (Patrick, Mary, James, Mary, Anne)

Family 7
Kelly Horish (born 1830) & Anne
1 child (Mary)

It's possible, of course, that these families all roll up into Family 1 (perhaps the elder Nicholas).  I just haven't found records to back it up.

Many other Horish families appear to have come from Roscall in Balrothery West, about five miles west of the Burrow, as well as in neighboring Swords.