Brig Dealy

WHAT BECAME OF THE GOOD SHIP "DEALY"?

THE "DEALY" OF BANTRY, 400 TONS, IS NOW BEING FITTED OUT IN A VERY COMFORTABLE MANNER FOR THE RECEPTION OF PASSENGERS AND, WIND AND WEATHER PERMITTING, SHE WILL SAIL FOR ST JOHN'S NEW BRUNSWICK, ABOUT 25TH MARCH 1847. FOR FREIGHT OR PASSAGE APPLY TO THE OWNER W.J.DEALY, BANTRY.

CORK CONSTITUTION, FEBRUARY 8TH 1847

The Dealys lived at the time at Dromkeal, Ballylickey
Frank O'Mahony, Journal
Cumann Staire is Arsaiochta Beanntrai. 1992

(According to Griffiths' Valuations, the Dalys had the following leases in Dromkeal in 1852: Samuel Daly held, from the Earl of Bantry, a house, offices and about 80 acres: and leased to Jeremiah Shea, Patrick Casey, Patrick Casey Jr, Patrick Casey Sr, Timothy Daly and John Daly each a house, most with a small garden: and to Rev John Murphy a Church. Samuel Daly leased also the Smithy at No 7, the Quay, Bantry, to Daniel Cronin. Mary Daly lived at No 11, and at No 12 William Daly had his office and Deal Yard, leased from John Alexander Bird)


THE "DEALY"

The "Dealy", which had been built by James Smith at Courteney Creek, New Brunswick, North America, in November 1839, and was registered at St John's New Brunswick, 2nd December 1839, was the fifth ship to be given its certificate of British Registration at the small West Cork Port of Baltimore.

The "Dealy" was a two masted, eighty-four foot, Brig, twenty one feet Breadth at Midships with fifteen feet eight tenths Depth in hold at Midships. She was Carvel built, with a square stern, one deck no galleries and was rigged with a standing bowsprit. She had a burthen of 275 942/3800 tons as measured under the Act 5 & 6 Will IX cap 56 at a tonnage of 231 76/94 tons. Somewhat short of the 400 tons advertised in the Cork Constitution!

William Justin Dealy owned all 64 shares. Matthew Stirratt was the first Master (1840 - 1847). At St John's New Brunswick, McNealy took over as Master on 30th November 1847, and on 22nd April 1848, at Skibbereen, Martin Dee became Master. The Crew Lists and Agreements record a voyage from Bantry in April 1847 to St John New Brunswick.

The crew were shown as: Matthew Stirratt (Master), William O'Neill (Mate), Denis Coughlan (2nd Mate), James Barry (Carpenter), Michael Baker, Archibald Molloy and John McCarthy (Seamen), John Connolly (Cook) and Francis Whoolahan and John Donovan (Apprentices). The "Dealy" arrived on, or just before 19th June and sailed on or just after 6th July from Gloster (Gloucester), where the crew were paid off on 25th August.

The "Dealy crossed the Atlantic with 7 crew and 2 apprentices. The Mate (O'Neal) had to be left in the Marine Hospital. The Carpenter (Barry) and a Seaman (McCarthy), both Articled Seamen, were reported by the Master, on 6th July 1847, as drowned after arrival in Port, at St John's and another Seaman (Baker) died at the Quarantine Station there. With only the Master, 2nd Mate one seaman and the Apprentices for the return voyage they had to sign a new Mate (Pugh) and four Seamen.

To procure Pugh's services he had to be paid twice the wage of his predecessor. The Seamen got 5. 10s. Connolly the surviving Seaman was only getting 3 a month. Seaman Molloy, after signing on, failed to appear and was deleted from the Crew List. The Agreement was witnessed by Wm. J Dealy no less.

In September 1847, the "Dealy" sailed for St John's again, from Gloster. The crew were Matthew Stirratt from Salcombe, Master, Denis Coughlan from Baltimore 2nd Mate, Richard Henwood from Cornwall, F. Leary from Hamburg, Samuel Aldridge from New Jersey, Michael Kelly from Galway, M. Thomas from London, Saul Profsen St Davids, John O'Brien, Bantry, John Riley Liverpool and Charley Allen, Galafoh were the seamen.

Crew members were allocated the following rations: 1lb bread 1 ½ beef per man per day; 10 oz sugar, 1 ¾ oz tea, 4 oz coffee, per man per week; and 3 ½ oz sugar to be served with lime juice per week, or vinegar.

Arriving on or just before 1st November, the Master and 2nd Mate were the only crew continuing in the ship. A crew of 5 were recruited in Bristol, and with one (Harm) failing to join, the crew for the outward voyage with a total crew of 6. An interesting entry in the Agreement is the prohibition of sheath knives and spirits! In St John's, Stirratt, the Master, discharged himself, the four seamen all deserted, leaving the 2nd Mate on his own.

A new Master (McNealy) and Mate (Dee) and five seamen were signed on. She departed for Bantry on or soon after 30th November 1847. However McNealy died on 28th December, leaving the Mate (Dee) as acting Master to complete the voyage. In Bantry the crew were paid off on 21st January 1848.

The next voyage was to St John's again, departing in April 1848, and arriving on or just before 22nd June. Martin Dee had been confirmed as Master, and a total crew of 11 was signed, one of whom (Buckley) failed to join. Again, three deserted, one was left in hospital and the Mate (Grainger) was drowned on 27th July 1848. A new Mate, a cook and two extra seamen were signed in St John's. The Agreement was signed, not by William Justin Dealy himself, but by John R. Dealy (his son). The Crew List again shows the places of birth: Martin Dee in Yougal, Frederick Grainger and Jeremiah Crowley Cork, Maurice Donegan Bartholemew Berehaven and John Molloy Baltimore, Thomas Davies Liverpool, Cornelius Sullivan and John Riley, Bere Island, Jermiah Sullivan and John Spillane Bantry, John McAuley Philadelphia, Peter Brown Dublin and John Hooman Ilfracombe. On or just after 20th July 1848 the "Dealy" sailed for Arbroath, arriving 15th September 1848.

The Certificate of Registration is endorsed with a note of the report of the loss of the vessel which, according to Lloyd's List of 1848 was totally wrecked off the Cornish coast on 13th November.

The records show the birth places of other crew members. Matthew Stirratt and William O'Neal were born in Salcombe, James Barry in Bantry, Michael Baker, John McCarthy John Connolly and William Eagan in Baltimore, William Pugh in Reading, William Cooper and Henry Gillicuddy in Halifax, Michael Henery in Dublin John Donovan in Goleen and Francis Whoolahan in Bantry.


Frank Mahony, in Cumann Staire is Arsaiochta Beanntrai 1992

Richard Griffith's Valuation1853

PRO, Certificate of Registration and Crew Lists and Agreements 1847-48, PRO BT.107/381, PRO BT.98/1154, PRO BT.98/15021


1998 addendum by Emery C. Daly: In the book Irish Immigration to New England through the Port of Saint John New Brunswick Canada 1841-1849" by Daniel F. Johnson I found the following arrival dates for the Brig Dealy. All voyages originated in Bantry co Cork Ireland.

May 16, 1841
Sept 15, 1841
May 27, 1842
Sept 4, 1845
May 12, 1846
May 27, 1847
June 21, 1848

I don't know where the Dealy was during 1843 and 1844 but the June 1848 voyage from Bantry to Saint John was obviously the last one across the Atlantic.


Main Page Graphic Return to Front Page

email graphic Send email to preparer: Emery Daly