They were Donovan Scartagh (Skorta). - meaning courageous ! 

 

Leap or its Irish name, Léim Uí Dhonnabháin means "O'Donovan's Leap" and is derived from the story of a local chieftain called O'Donovan, who was pursued by enemies, but escaped them by jumping across a ravine at the bottom of the village, thus the name.

Leap lies within the Civil Registration District of Skibbereen and birth, marriage and death records were only recorded by the State from 1864 to date. So no such records before 1864 are available from Government sources. For data pre 1864 we have to rely on Church baptismal records and Church marriage records. These are only available from 1832 onwards for the Catholic Parish of Kilmacabea. So we do not have any records of births or marriages for this area prior to 1832.
 

Children born in Keamore (Keymore), Leap and baptised on dates shown:

 

Patrick Donovan, (29 Oct 1834, Sponsors: John Kearney, Joan Kearney)

 

Julia Donovan, (29 Oct 1836, Sponsor: Julia Kearney)

 

Mary Donovan, (7 Sept 1840, Sponsors: Denis McCarthy, Mary Hourihane)

 

Margaret Donovan, (23 Feb 1843, Sponsors: Charles McCarthy, Peg McCarthy)

 

John Donovan, (3 Sept 1844, Sponsors: Charles McCarthy, Mary Sullivan)

 

Daniel Donovan, (21 Jan 1849, Sponsors: Pat Crowley, Eliza Hourihan)

 

 

Deaths:

 

Mary Donovan died on 21 May 1882 at Keamore.  From her death record she was married, aged 70 years, a farmer's wife. Present at her death and the Informant to the Regidtrar was her son, Patrick Donovan of Keymore.

Jeremiah Doovan died at Keamore (Keymore), Leap on 20 February 1887.  From his death record he was a widower, aged 86 years, a farmer.  Present at his death and the Informant to the Regidtrar was his son, Patrick Donovan of Keymore.

 

 

In the Tithe Applotment Books in Keymore in 1829 we see:-

Charles Donovan

Denis Donovan

John Donovan Scartha
John Donovan

 

From A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837 by Samuel Lewis we quote what he says about Kilmacabea

"KILMACABEA, a parish, partly in the Eastern Division of the barony of WEST CARBERY, but chiefly in the West Division of that of EAST CARBERY, county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER, 11 ½ miles (W.) from Clonakilty, on the road from Cork to Skibbereen; containing 5800 inhabitants. It is situated at the head of Glendore harbour, and comprises 11,559 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £3965 per annum: there are about 100 acres of plantations and 1400 of bog, besides several small lakes. The land is generally rocky; about two-thirds are under tillage; but agriculture is in an unimproved state. The substratum is clay-slate, with some calcareous schist and magnesian limestone. It is a vicarage, in the diocese of Ross, united to Kilfaughnabeg, and in the gift of the Bishop: the rectory is partly impropriate in the Gumbleton family, and partly united to those of Kilfaughnabeg, Kilcoe, Aghadown, Kilcaskin, and part of Tullagh, which form the corps of the archdeaconry of Ross, also in the patronage of the Bishop.

The tithes amount to £590, of which £99. 5. 6. is payable to the impropriator, £195. 14. 6. to the archdeacon, and £295 to the vicar; the entire tithes of the vicarial union amount to £435, and of the corps of the archdeaconry to £774.16. 9. The church, which is a handsome building with a lofty square tower, in the village of Leap, was erected in 1827, at an expense of £900, which was granted by the late Board of First Fruits. There is a handsome glebe-house, with a glebe of 8a. 10p.

In the R. C. divisions it is the head of a union or district, comprising also Kilfaughnabeg, and has a large and commodious chapel at Leap. The parochial school is endowed with an acre of land by the late General O'Donovan, and there are three other public schools, in which about 620 children are educated, also a Sunday school supported by the rector and curate. The ruins of the old church are near the village of Leap, the neighbourhood of which is very romantic and beautiful."

 

The primary valuation of Ireland or Griffith's Valuation was carried out between 1848 and 1864 to determine liability to pay the Poor rate (for the support of the poor and destitute within each Poor Law Union) provides detailed information on where people lived in mid-nineteenth century Ireland and the property they possessed.

In Griffith's Valuation in Keamore we see:-

 

Plot4	Jeremiah Donovan has house, offices and land of 53a 3r 11p
Plot 6	John Donovan has house office and land of 18a 3r 33p
Plot 10Bb	Charles Donovan has house, office & small garden (see also Plot 14)
Plot 11	Denis Donovan has house, offices and land of 49a 0r 20p
Plot 13Bg	Jeremiah Donovan has house and garden of 0a 0r 18p
Plot 14	Charles Donovan has land of 5a 0r 24p
Plot 16b	John Donovan has house and small garden, also a tuck-mill