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MA’S FAMILY AND ROOTS
MA’S MOTHER
(Mary McCarthy/Horrigan) came to the US at “16”, her mother COAKLEY, came from Killarney-located in the South of Ireland about 100 miles from Dublin. The Blarney Castle where you kiss the Blarney Stone is very close…digression about Blarney Castle…Ma’s Mother and her brother brought their mother and the rest of the kids to this country – they hired an apartment and furnished it before they came.
MA’S FATHER, PATRICK HORRIGAN
Patrick Horrigan was born in Killorglin – about 25 miles north of Killarney as I remember the place. A river goes thru the town which is quite hilly – once a year they put a goat on a dressed up raft w/the goat dressed as a king – and send the raft to the center of town – kill the goat and have quite a celebration for 2 or 3 days – however, in this town I couldn’t find the name of Horrigan. Ma’s father came out here at about 12 years old – he was educated in this country and leather men were still talking about him when Leo left the business – he was Superintendent of the largest leather company in Peabody – he was only 46 years old when he died. He brought so many of his relations over here from Ireland (it was the time of the black Famine in Ireland) he gave so many of these jobs in the his factory that he had to kind of alter their names – like Horgan which Pat and Katie always used.
PA’S FAMILY AND ROOTS
His father and all his people come from Cork – this is just south of Killarney on the seacoast of Southern Ireland. His name was Bartholemew (sic) Whelton – we looked up the Wheltons in the telephone book….another digression…Pa’s mother was Ellen Conners (sic). Her mother Cox. She came from Leitrim – this is about 100 miles north of Dublin on the east coast – just south of Sligo. Her father had a good-sized farm – her mother’s name was Cox. Her mother died when she was quite young and her father remarried – she came here to a cousin’s in Nashua N.H. – she was very young, 14 or 16 – she had a half sister – we used to visit her on Lynnfield St when we were kids. Her name was Carroll (married name). Also I can remember Aunt Katie telling us about the Hunts and how the English Lords would ride thru their land w/their red riding pants and black swallow tail coats and high hats. The farm always is inherited by the oldest son so more than likely there is a descendant who still owns this farm – we expect to look them up. They live in Leitrum in the township of Drumshambo.
END