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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OWEN GALLAGHER
1916-1999
A photo shows Uncle Owen, the youngest brother in his
family, out for a ride near the old Gallagher farm.
For many years, Uncle Owen was a bit of a
mystery to his nieces and nephews in America.
When letters from Ireland would arrive for Uncle
Owen’s brothers and sisters, they were usually written by
Aunt Nora or sometimes Aunt Mary. Owen would be
mentioned, but he remained in the background as the last
of the brothers who stayed at the family farm in Ballinrobe.
Uncle Jim and Uncle Tom would at different times
Uncle Owen was eager to talk about his family during a
1993 visit by his nephew who was named after him. He
said he regretted not having the opportunity to talk
over many events with his brother Jim and the others.
discourage the idea of visiting Uncle Owen. Uncle Jim, in
particular, would say that Owen and his best friend, Aunt
Nora’s widower Paddy Murphy, were just a couple old men
who wouldn’t be happy to have visitors come knocking.
Uncle Mike O'Brien and his son, John, were warmly
greeted but did not get to go into Uncle Owen’s home when
they traveled to Ireland in 1977.
The picture developed of Uncle Owen as a bit of a
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