Letitia’s parents were Letitia (Burke) and Nicholas Roche of Vauchluce/Vauclause situated in Glenstall Woods on the Limerick side of the Limerick Tipperary border. Letitia’s father Nicholas is described as an Architect in Letitia O’Brien’s immigration papers but I have not been able to find any evidence of his qualifications or work in Ireland. When Letitia O’ Brien’ s mother died, Letitia’s brother, Edward Burke Roche inherited the premises and lands consisting of 470 acres. Prior to emigrating to Australia in 1834, Edward Roche sold the property to the Barrington family from Dublin, who had already been renting a portion of the lands. The Barrington family built a copy of a 12th century (Windsor Castle style) castle as their home, using the Roche family home Vachluce/Vaucluse as a hunting lodge (now in ruins). The nearby village of Murroe was founded to serve the needs of the Barrington Estate. It is possible to see the ruins of our ‘ancestral home’ Vauchluce by following a popular walking trail (The Slieve Felim Way) that starts from the village of Murroe. The Barrington family moved to England in the 1920s and sold their ‘castle’ and lands to a Benedictine Order. Today, the Benedictines of Glenstal Abbey run a farm and boarding school. They also offer accommodation for guests – there are very good descriptions and reviews on Trip Advisor ‘Glenstal Abbey’. My plea (on this blog) for photos of the Vaucluse ruins was answered by the wonderful Pat McCormack who went for a hike to take some photos for me. I have been very tardy in adding these photos to the blog – sorry Pat and thanks again!

Letitia O’Brien died 25 June 1889 at the home of her daughter Letitia and son-in-law John Cavanagh, 19 Brisbane St, Sydney, at the age of 85. Her death notice in the Sydney Morning Herald names her father Nicholas Roach of Vauclause, County Limerick and names her (maternal) grandfather Captain Theophilus (Theobald) Bourke of Castle Connell, County Limerick, (near the boundaries of Counties Clare and Tipperary), Ireland. The Bourke connections and intermarriages with the Roches go back for centuries in Ireland (worthy of another post!) and that’s why Letitia’s grandfather Theobald/Theophilus Burke is mentioned in Letitia’s death notice. I have already mentioned that Letitia’s brother Edward Roche married his first cousin Maria Bourke (related to Sir Richard Bourke ex-Governor of NSW). Contrary to my opening statements about the ‘poor O’Briens’, I have since found evidence that Jeremiah and Letitia O’Brien made the most of their distant familial connections with Sir Richard Bourke on their arrival in Sydney (see post to follow on daughter Fanny O’Brien). The transcript of Letitia’s death names all of her daughters except for Bridget (more on her later – she went to Queensland and died in 1892 at Springsure).

Please note possible transcription error above regarding the name of Letitia’s husband Jeremiah. The abbreviation for James and Jeremiah can look similar in unclear handwriting.