The Gallaghers of Ballinrobe

Photos from a 1970 trip to Ballinrobe by Uncle Tom and Aunt Ann show Aunt Nora with her husband and visiting
sister. Nora would often express hopes to see family from America travel back to Ireland.
and a chat in our kitchen,” Margaret's daughter Breege
remembers.
Aunt Nora took care of both her own and Uncle
Owen's households until her death only days after suffering
a stroke in November 1980. The priest at her funeral was
Pat's brother Sean, known as Father Marcellus.
A Franciscan, Father Marcellus Murphy’s call to
the priesthood came relatively late. He was in his late 30s
when ordained at St. John Lateran Seminary in Rome in
1952. A Western People newspaper report said his mother
was among the happiest women in Ireland as she “sat by
her radio through which came the blessing of her son ... in
faraway Rome.” He died in Rome in 1990, with his body
brought back to Adam and Eve's Church in Dublin. He is
buried in Glasnevin Cemetery. A story in the Mayo News
on his silver jubilee mentioned he was popular all over
Ireland from his work on missions and retreats. He was
then serving as chaplain to the Dublin City Bus Services,
where he was well known to all busmen. Father Marcellus
played a role in a story involving Eugene Gallagher’s wife.
Ann once found herself in Dublin and thought it would be a
good time to go to Confession, being far away from all the
priests who knew her back in Ballinrobe. But, apparently,
God has a sense of humor. The priest behind the screen in
the confessional she chose was Father Marcellus, known all
too well to her from back home. Her sins must not have
been too bad. Father ended up giving her two tickets to the
All Ireland final, possibly between Kerry and Galway. Not
the harshest of penances.
Soon after Nora's death, Pat's sister Sarah moved
in to help him at the New Street home. Aunt Nora's passing
(Aunt Delia died five years earlier) added to a steady series
of funerals over the next two decades. Uncle Pete died in
1983, then Uncle Pat (1986), Uncle Jim (1992), Uncle Tom
(1994), Uncle Owen (1999), Aunt Ann (2003), and finally
Aunt Mary (2006).
In 1980, Aunt Mary wrote in a letter to Uncle Jim
that “Paddy and Owen are stunned” by Nora’s passing.
“They know they have lost a great friend and much more
than a friend, but they will have to make the most of things
now. Won’t we all miss her very much.”
She was buried in the New Cemetery in Ballinrobe
after what Aunt Mary said was “a wonderful funeral.”
Mary, who lived in Leeds, England, added: “Well Jim, that’s
the end of the letters from Cornaroya.”
The writing may have stopped, but the letters Aunt
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