The Gallaghers of Ballinrobe

The cover of a menu Uncle Tom kept from the RMS Scythia shows the Cunard ocean liner that brought him from
Ireland to New York in 1940.
188th St., Apt. 32. That would be Bridget Mullin, the
granddaughter of Owen Gallagher and Peggy McCormick,
and daughter of Anne, who married Thomas King in
Ballinrobe in 1906. Bridget was born in 1911, immigrated
to America in 1929 and married Thomas Mullin in 1933.
Uncle Tom must have been looking forward to seeing his
cousin in New York. Tom, Uncle Jim and probably Aunt
Ann attended the ordination of Bridget Mullin's son
Thomas (born 1937) when he became a Catholic priest in
August 1965. Father Mullin celebrated his first Mass at Our
Lady of Mercy Church in The Bronx, N.Y.
Until at least July 1941, Uncle Tom lived with his
brother Pete at 704 N. Clayton St. in Wilmington. It is that
address where the U.S. Selective Service sent Uncle Tom a
notice to appear for a physical exam at the Armory at 10th
and Dupont streets. Pete is listed as “the name of the person
who will always know your address.” But Uncle Tom soon
lived with Aunt Delia, Uncle Mike and their young family
on Van Buren Street in Wilmington. Uncle Pete’s address is
crossed out on the draft registration card, with 610 N. Van
Buren St. added
Patsy DeAscanis remembers the comfort she felt
as a young girl when it was Uncle Tom behind her as she
was first learning to ride a bike. “I was closer with my
mother and father than with anybody, but with Uncle Tom,
I could let him touch the back. I would never be thinking
that he wasn’t still touching it when I was riding off on my
own,” she said in explaining the quiet sense of security and
order that Uncle Tom provided for his nieces and nephews.
Among Patsy’s fond memories was how Uncle Tom would
take the time to ask her or other children questions about
some topic of adult conversation. He would never
contradict the answer, Patsy said, but he might look at you
in a certain way and simply say, “Hmmm.” It was Uncle
Tom who gave Patsy her first doll, a toy from Germany
named Maimie.
Patsy also remembers a walk she once took as a
child with Uncle Tom to the rectory at nearby St. Paul's
Church. Uncle Tom went there to arrange to have a Mass
said for his parents, who both passed away in 1942, two
years after Uncle Tom left Ireland for America. On their
way home, Patsy asked when the Mass would be celebrated
and how he could be sure it would happen. Uncle Tom,
whom Aunt Delia would often refer to as “a scholar and a
gentleman,” told Patsy it was their job to ask for the Mass;
God would take care of the rest.
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