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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Mary Kathryn, shown with her mother in August 1944 and father in 1948, was her parents' only child. She was born
when Uncle Pat was shipping out for his service during World War II. Below, she is 4 years old.
she was an infant. Eventually, with Uncle Pat off to war, the
house became too much for Aunt Catherine to handle with
a young child. She sold it and moved in with her mother on
Van Kirk Street.
After the war, Uncle Pat and Aunt Catherine spent
the late 1940s and early ’50s raising both Mary Kathryn
and the family’s economic status. As the family’s situation
improved, they would move to more affluent
neighborhoods. But they would stay in close proximity to
Kate Heraty and Ange, as well as the families of Ange’s
two sons, Ed and Joe. Ed Rodriquez even purchased Uncle
Pat and Aunt Catherine’s house on Colgate Street.
Extended family would regularly gather at Kate’s
for Sunday dinner. Mary Kathryn remembers those meals
always included her Uncle Ed’s family. Uncle Joe was
living in Buffalo by then. “We were always encouraged to
include boyfriends and any other friend to join us,” Mary
Kathryn says. “(Her grandmother) would make tons of
roast chicken. It was the most missed tradition when she
died. It was always loud and fun and, of course, time for
adults to indulge in their ‘high balls.’” She says her cousins
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