The Gallaghers of Ballinrobe
IN MARCH 2020, Pat Gallagher had an idea. He asked his brother, Owen, what he thought of writing a book about the family of their father, James Gallagher, who grew up in the early decades of the 20th century in the West of Ireland in the small town of Ballinrobe, County Mayo. The shutdown from COVID-19 was just beginning, and the thinking was they would have more time on their hands than usual. What better way to spend quarantine than exploring the stories of our aunts, uncles and other relatives. The task turned out to be much more complicated (and rewarding) than anticipated. It involved sifting through ship manifests, census, birth and marriage records, newspaper archives, and, most enjoyable, sessions delving into the memories of extended-family members. Sorely missed was the chance to hear first-hand the tales from our deceased cousins John O'Brien and Pete Gallagher. This book's stories and more than 500 images are the result of the past year's journey. The goal was both simple and ambitious: making the memories of the Gallaghers of Ballinrobe ours forever.
IN MARCH 2020, Pat Gallagher had an idea. He asked his brother, Owen, what he thought of writing a book about the family of their father, James Gallagher, who grew up in the early decades of the 20th century in the West of Ireland in the small town of Ballinrobe, County Mayo. The shutdown from COVID-19 was just beginning, and the thinking was they would have more time on their hands than usual. What better way to spend quarantine than exploring the stories of our aunts, uncles and other relatives.
The task turned out to be much more complicated (and rewarding) than anticipated. It involved sifting through ship manifests, census, birth and marriage records, newspaper archives, and, most enjoyable, sessions delving into the memories of extended-family members. Sorely missed was the chance to hear first-hand the tales from our deceased cousins John O'Brien and Pete Gallagher. This book's stories and more than 500 images are the result of the past year's journey. The goal was both simple and ambitious: making the memories of the Gallaghers of Ballinrobe ours forever.
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NORA GALLAGHER
1906-1980
Aunt Nora, left, with Aunt Ann around 1940, was defined by her dedication to her
family. During a trip to the 1932 Eucharistic Congress in Dublin, she brought home a
pin for her mother, below. It is still a treasured possession in the family.
Dublin is Ireland’s urban heart, but it remains a grand place
for pedestrians. The country’s capital offers ideal opportunities for “a
wander.” Within easy access on foot are St. Stephen’s Green, Trinity
College, O’Connell Bridge over the River Liffey, the shops of Grafton
Street and not a few pubs.
But for one long weekend in June 1932, foot traffic slowed to
a crawl.
Dublin’s population exploded that June 22-26, as people came
from the south and west, from England and Europe, and as far away as
Australia and the United States for what is still one of the largest
Eucharistic Congresses in the history of the Catholic Church. Ireland
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