Of the Ancient Desmond CORK AND KERRY, the O'Crowley Chiefs of Kilshallow, west of Bandon, and originally a clan from Connaught. Uí Echach was described, in early texts, within the ancient principality of Muskerry, in mid County Cork, to the west and southwest of the town of Cork. Raithlinn or Raithleann is described (Onomasticon Goedelicum) around the area of Bandon, in the same area. Archaeologists believe that Garranes Ringfort in Templemartin parish, near Bandon, County Cork may have been Rath Raithleann, the royal seate of the Éoganacht Raithleann.
As early as perhaps the 6th century the Uí Echach Mumhan split into two major groups; the Cenél Láegaire and the Cenél nÁeda. The Cenél nÁeda gave their name to the barony of Kinalea in southern co. Cork. An important sub-sept of the Cenél nÁeda (of Ui Echach Muman) were the Cénel mBéicce (e.g. O Mathghamhna or O'Mahony), who gave their tribal name to the barony of Kinelmeaky. The Cenél Láegaire expanded westward toward Bantry as early as the 8th century, and were later represented by Ua Donnchadha, or O'Donoghue, a sept whose chiefs later settled in county Kerry; such as the Dingle Peninsula, Owneybeg, Ross Cenélnd Whithorn. In the 12th century the formation of the diocese of Cork is said to outline the extent of the territory of Uí Echach Mumhan and Éoganacht Raithlind at that time, the eastern portion of the diocese perhaps reflecting the territory's ancient beginnings.
To Elizabeth's plantation policy, after the Desmond rebellion, Bandon owes its origin. In the Bandon area the O'Mahonys, who supported this rebellion, were uprooted from their castle at Castle Mahon (later Castle Bernard). Their lands in the Bandon area in the barony of Kinalmeaky were confiscated. This land was given to the English undertaker Phane Beecher. Around this time the town was being developed to the east of the castle. In 1604 Phane Becher's son leased all this land to Captain William Newce and John Archdeacon. Newce's land was to the north of the river. All the streets faced their backs to the river itself. Several bridges, over a period of time, were built crossing the river and the town became known as Bandon-Bridge or in Irish Droichead Na Banndan. Munster Annals: (Thomond)
This list of original settlers in Bandon, Co. Cork, as found in the book "History of Bandon" by G.E. Bennett 1869. In 1585 a group of what we would call well-to-do men from Somersetshire Co., England were granted acreage on condition that they bring over settlers to work the land.
One gentleman , Fane BEECHER (12000 acres) brought over the following settlers-(not in alphabetical order) ABBOT, ALCOCK, ADDERLY, AMOS, BERNARD, BURNHAM, BALDWIN, BLAIR, BENNETT, BOSWELL, BLUET, BROOKS, BLACKWELL, BEAMISH, BROAKE, CORKWELL, COLE, CAREY or CAREW, CROFTS, COX, CLAMPETT, CECIL, COBB, DAUNT, ELLWELL, ELMS, FLEMMING, GRENVILLE, GREATRAKES, HEWITT, HOOPER, HARRISON, HOSKINGS, HERRICK, HARRIS, HICKEY, JUMPER, JIFFORD, JOYCE, LAUGHTON, LEWELLIN, LODWEEKE, LANE, LAMBERT, LAKE, KENT, MASKYLINE, MARTYN, MANSFIELD, NEWELL, NUEE, NICHOLAS, PROWTE, PRESTON, POOLE, PEYTON, RASHLEIGH, RADLEY, RAKE, RICHMOND, SPENCER, STAMMERS, SKIPWITH, SNOOKS, STANLEY,SELBY, SKIPARD, SHORTRED, SHORTCLIFF, STEPHENS, STOKES, SEYMOUR, SAUNDERS, TURNER, TATE, TAYLOR, VICK, WHALEY, WIGHT, WARE, WARREN, WARREN, WARRING, WOODHOUSE, WITHERHEAD, WITHERS, WINIFRED.
The second group of settlers to Bandon in 1620. They were Puritans and were called "the English Protestants" when they came over. They were principally from Taunton and Kingston in Somersetshire Co.,England. Barrett suggests in his book "History of Bandon" that one group of Puritans left on the Mayflower and this is another group. The names listed are:
ALLEN, ALDWORTH, ALCOCK, ANSTICE, ARTHUR, AVENY, BALL, BROWNE, BASS, BAKER, BURCHILL, BANKS, BANFIELD, BUTTERFIELD, BRADFIELD, BRADFORD, BEECH, BOND, BEEK, BIGGS, BARBER, COOMBES, COOK, CONZELL, CHINNERY, CLARKE, CASTLE, CHONOCK, DAVIS, DAWSON, DRAPER, DOWDEN, DUN, DANGER, EMERSON, EVERETT, EDWARDS, FRANKLIN, FULLER, GATES, GABRIEL, GILES, GASH, GOOD, GARDINER, GOODMAN, GOSNELL, GOSS, GOODWIN, GIBSON, GIBBINGS, HOPKINS, HARMAN, HOLMES, HAWES, HILL, HARTE, HAMMETT, HENDLEY, HUDSON, JEFFRIES, KNIGHT, KING, LEISTER, LEDBETTER, LYNDSEY, LEGGE, MAY, MEDLEY, MORRIS, MAYBERRY, MANDERS, PALMER, POWELL, PETERS, POPHAM, QUARRY, ROE, ROGERS, RUSSELL, RICE, RUBIE, RICHARDSON, SEMISTER, STEED, SERGEANT, SERAGGS, SHAW, SLOANE, SIMMONS, SHORTEN, SKUSE, SHORTRED, STROUD, TAPE, TURNER, TREMAN, TRINDER, VARIAN, WILSON, WILMOT, WILLIAMS, WHEELER, WHELPLEY, WOODLEY, WERFERED, WEEKES.