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THOMAS CHARLES McNAMARA
Originally published in 1900 |
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THOMAS CHARLES McNAMARA, physician and surgeon, of 715 Park
Avenue, Hoboken, N. J., was born at Annagh in the suburbs of Ballyhaunis,
County Mayo, Ireland. His parents, John McNamara and Bridget Kilduff,
were both born in Ireland and are still living. They were brought up in
England, where they
were married in 1456.
Afterward they went to
reside at the old family
seat at Annagh, where a
branch of the Clan McNamara had settled immediately after the
memorable convention
of the Irish chieftains in
1541. At this convention, when Donogh
O'Brien, who was then
tanist of Thomond, and
to whom the Clan McNamara then paid tribute
as their chief, swore al-
legiance to Henry II. of
England, the McNamara clans refused to
obey, and hence they
were driven out, their
castles and possessions
being confiscated. (For a more detailed description see The History of a Clan, by Major McNamara) Dr.
McNamara's mother's
ancestors were of
Scotch origin, and were
fosters of the O'Malleys, princes of Hymania,
down to the second half of the last century.
Caisin, a younger son of Cas (founder of the Dalcassian septs of Munster), was ancestor of the Clan Mac-con-Mara, which means the family or descendants of "Son of the Sea-Warrior," anglicised McNamara. Caisin was seventh in descent from the renowned warrior Cormac Cas, who in the second century of the Christian era died from spear wounds re- ceived in battle from Eochy, King of Leinster. From Caisin the McNamaras, with their correlative septs of O'Grady, O'Hurley, O'Hickey, O'Hea, etc., were called Clan Caisin, but from Callin, seventh in descent from Caisin, it was most frequently called Clan Cullin. The McNamaras were anciently "Princes" or "High Chiefs" of Tullugh, County Clare, ranking also as " lords " of the now Barony of Bunratty, County Clare, and were hereditary marshals of Thomond. Armorial Insignia.–The simplicity of the heraldic blazon bespeaks its extreme antiquity, containing the single rampant lion of the original Milesian shield. It is tinctured "argent" on the field gules, expressing in heraldic language "wisdom combined with power or majesty." The golden spear heads, placed in chief, commemorates the killing of their remote ancestor, Cormac, by Eochaidh or Eochy, King of Leinster, in the battle of Samhna Hill, County Limerick. Dr. McNamara received his primary education at the Carrownedan and Ballyhaunis National Schools. From the former he was graduated as a teacher, after having served therein a monitorialship of six years, under the Commissioners of National Education, in 1878. From 1878 to 1880 he took a special course of training in mathematical and mechanical science at Ballyhaunis National School. During all those years of training he was under the direct supervision of Archdeacon Kavanagh, Rector of the famous "Shrine of Knock." In 1880 he entered as a student St. Jarlath's College, Tuam, which was then under the direction of John, Archbishop McHale, or, as Daniel O'Connell used to call him, " The Lion of the fold of Juda." The inveterate hatred of John of Tuam toward English oppression in Ireland was well grounded in the youthful minds of his students, as recent history has testified. Accordingly, having imbibed his teachings, it is no wonder that in a few months Dr. McNamara found himself allied with the physical force party of Ireland, a branch of which was then ripe within the college. This band of young students carried their principles through the turbulent West, especially among the small tenant farmers of Mayo, with the result of establishing the Land League under the guidance of the ablest tactician and leader of modern times, Charles Stewart Parnell. The part they played in its establish- ment culminated at the first meeting at Irishtown, but others, such as Michael Davitt, took the credit. During the three years Dr. McNamara spent in Tuam College he was regarded as a close student, and was amply rewarded by carrying off the highest honors in his class in Latin, Greek, English, French, Irish, mathematics, history, and literature. The distinctions he acquired gained for him the approbation of the then Coadjutor, Archbishop McEvilly, who nominated him to study for the Catholic priesthood in 1883. On September 5, 1883, he presented himself for examination at Maynooth College. He took up for study an advanced course on arts, the next year passing into higher mathematics, natural philosophy, and mechanics, while the year after was taken up with moral philosophy (embracing logic, natural theology, and psychology), and in his last year he studied dogmatic and moral theology. The language spoken in Maynooth is more or less confined to the Latin tongue. About this time his health began to give way and he decided to take a rest from study. In October, 1886, he left Maynooth College, having obtained therein the Order of Tonsure. At his departure he received the following letter from the President of the college:
DEAR MR. MCNAMARA: I have much pleasure in sending you the testimonial letter you ask. Your conduct, during the four years you have spent in our college has been very good in every way, and gives the strongest reason to hope that, by your attention, application to your business or profession, and your high character for virtue, you will succeed in the secular life on which you are now entering of your own free choice. 'I shall be glad to hear of your success, for your honorable career in our college has had the effect of giving your superiors here an interest in your future. I remain, dear Mr. McNamara,
Yours faithfully,
Mr. Thomas C. McNamara,
Having formed many branches of the League in the West, Dr. McNamara
determined no longer to live under the ban of coercion. The detectives
of Scotland Yard were ever upon his track since the incarceration of
his brother, John, under the Foster Act; but he always evaded arrest. In
the spring of 1892 he sailed from Queenstown to make his home And the humblest may gather the fruits of the soil." He took cabin passage in the "City of New York" and in seven days ar- rived at New York. In the autumn of 1892 he entered Bellevue Hospital Medical College. New York, and from there graduated M.D. on the 25th of March, 1895. On April 17, 1895. he was graduated from the University of the State of New York. He applied for a license to the State Board of Examiners to practice medicine and surgery in the State of New Jersey, which was granted on the 31st of May, 189:. During his years of study in medicine, along with the ordinary college course. he took almost all the private courses of instruction, and did practical work for one year in the outdoor department of Bellevue, in the surgical as well as in the heart and lung wards. In the autumn of 1897, having applied for and receiving a law student's certificate, he entered the New York Law University, remaining one term. By this time his medical practice had grown so extensive that he could not devote much time to the law. For over five years he has practiced medicine and surgery with excellent results. He was employed as expert witness in the case of the State v. Dr. Colletti, appearing for the plaintiff. In 1897 he received the unanimous vote of thanks from the assembled delegates to the county convention of the Foresters, of America, New Jersey. In 1899 he was elected High Court Physician to the State of New Jersey by the Independent Order of Foresters. He was appointed Township Physician in Weehawken on March 29, 1900, and became visiting surgeon to St. Mary's Hospital in Hoboken. He was the first President of the Shamrock Club, founded by him in 1897, and one of the prime movers in the establishment of the United Irishmen of Hoboken. He was President of the O'Brien Football Club and a delegate to the Gaelic Central Council in Ireland. He is a member of the Hudson County Medical Society, a member of the Society for the Relief of Widows and Orphans of Deceased Medical Men, a charter member of the Knights of Columbus, and a member of the Irish National Club of New York, the Shamrock Club of Hoboken, the Coyles Democratic Club, the Anchor Club, the Hibernians, the Clan -na-Gaels, the Foresters of America, the Independent Order of Foresters, the Companions of the Forest, and the Wood-Choppers. He is examining physician to the U. S. A. Letter Carriers' Mutual Benefit Association, the Ladies' Branch of the Catholic Benevolent Association, the Independent Order of Foresters, the Companions of the Forest, and Courts America, Stevens, Minturn, Pride of Hoboken, and George Washington, of the Order of Forestry. Dr. McNamara is unmarried. He had three brothers and one sister: Pat- rick, John, James, and Mary. James died at the age of seventeen. Patrick and John, who are living, married sisters, nieces of Rev. M. Loftus, Rector of Our Lady of Angels' Church, Brooklyn, N. Y., and nephew to Rt. Rev. Anthony O'Regan, third Bishop of Chicago, who was consecrated on the 25th of July, 1854. Mary married John Healy, of Chicago, who at the time of their marriage was an extensive merchant in the Town of Ballinasloe, County Galway.
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