This charming, thatched-roof house in the tiny crossroads hamlet of Churchtown South, County Cork, is where my great-grandmother Ellen Ivers was born in 1874. She was married in the church behind the house and emigrated to Rhode Island in 1906 with her husband, Daniel O’Keefe, and her two baby boys. Other Ivers and O’Keefes preceded her to the city of Providence, along with more from East Cork, south of Cloyne. On a recent visit to the area, I was excited to meet some distant Ivers relatives, and to realize I’m related to seemingly everyone living in the area — Walshes, Lanes, Roches, and Murphys, other names in my family tree.
Ellen Ivers O’Keefe lived to almost 102 years old, and my family visited her many times while I was growing up. Her Irish accent was the only brogue I ever heard in my family. To me, it was the sound of a distant past, and during my time in Ballycotton, Churchtown South, and Cloyne, the lilting sound of her voice was everywhere, bringing back strong memories for me.
In 1938, a local school child — writing as part of an Irish nationwide project — said this of the Ivers, who were blacksmiths: “The Ivers’ forge is situated at a cross of three roads…The People who own this forge are good smiths and get much work to do.” “The Ivers…have been smiths for generations.”
While the Ivers don’t live in this house anymore, they do still live nearby, and the current owner of the house has done a remarkable job preserving and updating this very old home. It’s called “The Forge,” which is most fitting. It’s as pretty as a picture.
Visiting the Relatives 