This biographical information and additional backstory about several of the Walshes comes from one of our Irish cousins, Linda McCann. Linda is a granddaughter of Briege Walsh (a sister of Nan and Clare). You will notice some varying spelling of names. This is something common in genealogy. Linda is a member of this website, so leave her some questions or comments in the comments below.
PATRICK WALSH
Patrick Walsh was married to Bridget Moley and lived in Shelagh. Both are buried in Crossmaglen graveyard. Patrick died on 3/12/1895 while Bridget died on 6/11/1881 at Shelagh. They had at least one child, Michael, who was born in 1849.
MICHAEL WALSH, “Town Councillor” (1849 – 20/5/1897)
Michael Walsh came from Shelagh but his business was based in Dundalk. He was quite wealthy. He owned 2 pubs (Dixons and one in Church St.) and a mineral water company based also in 25 Church St. He also owned a farm outside Dundalk. He lived above the business premises in Church St. These buildings are now “Pennywise” and “Young’s Restaurant”.
He was described in “Strattens’ Dublin, Cork and South of Ireland”, 1892 book as ‘Wholesale Wine and Spirit merchant, Grocer, and Mineral Water Manufacturer, Dundalk’. It goes on to describe his business as follows:
‘The business was founded in 1877 by the present proprietor (Michael Walsh), who then confined his operations to the grocery and wine and spirit trade, subsequently extending the concern by adding the manufacture of mineral and aerated waters. The premises in Church St. are of extensive proportions, comprising a large and well-appointed shop conveniently arranged for the working of the several departments of the business. The stock includes every description of family groceries, teas, wines and spirits of exceptional quality and value; home-cured bacon and hams, and native American provisions of the finest brands; flour, meal, bran and pollard; dried fish; and a wide selection of household requisites,etc., in great variety. In the rear are the well arranged mineral water and bottling departments, replete with new and improved plant and machinery capable of producing large quantities of beverages of this description of the purest and best quality. Mr. Walsh also bottles for the wholesale trade Guinness’s XX Porter and Bass’s and other Ales, which are supplied in fine condition to the numerous customers of the firm. A well-sustained demand exists for the various goods for which the house is noted, a daily delivery by vans being arranged by Mr. Walsh to his widespread and influential family connections, extending throughout the counties of Louth, Armagh, and Monaghan; and a large wholesale trade is also established by this gentleman in mineral waters and bottled stout and ales in these districts.’
Michael Walsh appeared to be a progressive employer as he was one of the first to recognize and arrange outings on bank holidays for his employees.
His first wife was Margaret (Roddy from Ardee) who died on 15/6/1884. Michael is buried with his first wife in the old graveyard at Crossmaglen, along with his parents.
Michael had 2 daughters and 2 sons by his first marriage:
Pat 1876-1969, married Jane Gaskin, 1876-1941, bookie in Dundalk where Conlon’s Deli is now – childless. They adopted Myna, his brother Johnny’s daughter. Myna married John Mc Keown from Brid-a-crinn who bought a shop/pub in Bridge St.. They had 2 sons and 3 daughters: Eilish (nurse), Claire (whose husband worked in Harp), Pat (eldest), Jack (joined the English Navy), Declan (bank manager).
Cissie (married Paddy Deery, Dundalk) – see below for family.
Johnny (went to New Ross). In addition to Myna, he had at least 2 sons, Jack (died young) and Robert. One of Robert’s daughters lives in Annagassan and married a Bellingham. (Tony Gaskin had details as nephew of Jane Gaskin).
Michael – emigrated to South Africa.
Michael Walsh’s second wife was Mary Clinton (Annagassan) 1866 – 20/4/1946. Mary Clinton’s parents were Thomas Clinton and Mary Harmon (Salterstown, Dunleer).
Michael and Mary’s eldest daughter, Briege, married Patrick Feehan, Castlecarra. Mary is buried in Dundalk with her sons, Tom and Harry, along with Jennie and Tom, Harry’s wife and son.
Mary married Michael Walsh at 20 years old in 1886 to save the family business in Annagassan (farm, grocery and pub) which was heavily in debt at the time.
Michael and Mary’s family were also brought up in Church St.. Mary was left a widow at 31 in 1897. She managed the businesses and farm for a number of years but sold up around 1916 and moved to Dunanny House, 7 Seatown Place, Dundalk where she kept boarders. Mary had her own car (a Chrysler) and chauffeur, Gerry Mandeville.
She held shares in Castlebellingham Brewery, which she left to Harry Walsh upon her death. The Seatown Place house was to be auctioned off and the proceeds split between the four daughters (of the second marriage). There were indications that a Mr. Corr would bid £4,000 for the house but on the day Harry Walsh’s wife, Jennie, bid unopposed and got the house for £2,500. (Did the first family receive anything in the will?). Michael subsequently bought the house after Harry died.
Michael and Mary had 4 daughters and 3 sons;
Briege 1887 – 1977, eldest, married Patrick Feehan, Castlecarra. Briege had gone to the Convent School in Dundalk so St. Vincent’s were not keen to admit her to secondary school there. Her mother applied to Rathfarnham school in Dublin for her but she was turned down as her mother was a businesswoman rather than a professional! Mary Walsh visited Rathfarnham and Briege was subsequently admitted!
Nan married Jim Gibbons in Alabama. She was a primary school teacher. She had 5 sons and 2 daughters. Bob (an author), Harriet, Clare, Jimmy, Elliot, Mike and Howard (involved in the NASA space programme).
Claire youngest daughter, married to Peter O’Connor who was a Customs and Excise Officer in Carlingford. She died July 1981 and is buried in Dundalk. 2 daughters to Peter O’Connor- Dorothy (spinster) and Claire (married David O’ Brien, 4 daughters – Sue, Oonagh, Sheila and Helen).
Also a third daughter, Aileen who was reared by Nan in Alabama. She married Leo Holden, who was in the USAF and now lives in Orlando. She has 4 children.
Mary Teresa, 1893 – 23/6/1978. (married Dick Kernan, Castleblayney).
Harry married Jennie Byrne from Louth village. He died on 21/3/1953 while Jennie died on 14/5/1980. Harry was a rep. for a mineral water company, Cantrell & Cochrane.
Tom – younger than Harry – bachelor. 2/2/1896 to 22/7/1924. He was a sniper in WW1 with the Royal Dublin Fusillers and lost an eye. He was also gassed. He started the first taxi business in Dundalk and his mother built a garage by the side of the house in Seatown Place for him. He died from pneumonia which had been exacerbated by the gassing. He was 28 when he died on 22/7/1924.
Matthew – born on 22/4/1897, just one month before his father died. He was the youngest and died at just 8 months old, 7 months after his father. He is buried in the family plot in Crossmaglen along with 3 other siblings who died young.
MARY TERESA
Married Dick Kernan, Town Surveyor of Castleblayney. Dick was born in Yokahama, Japan. See Spotlight article for more detail on Dick.
They had 5 sons and 5 daughters:
Zita ? – 19/1/1994, married John Callan. 3 daughters, Gillian, Dorothy and Gemma and 1 son, Brendan.
Valerie (spinster) 1918 –
Miriam married Scott Grey , US . 3 children – Scott, Valerie and Alison.
Barbara married Len Maxwell in London – childless.
Carmel 1929 – 15/9/1973 married Terry White. They had 3 sons and 1 daughter who are all in the UK: Jane, Mark, Paul and Iain.
Des A sniper in WW2, married Hilda Corr – childless.
Aidan UK based, married Margaret Fox, one son, Richard.
Ronan 1928 – 1999. Dublin, married Margaret Cashel from Rush in 1960. They had 2 sons and 1 daughter: Martin (a doctor of sciences), Anthony (a Shakespearean actor married to Katie) and Ann (studied Art and design).
Raymond married Maura Frost from Tuam, who was a nurse in Dun Laoighire. They have 1 son, Gareth and 1 daughter, Irene.
Brendan – died in 1925 aged 2.
HARRY WALSH
Married Jenny Byrne from Louth Village
They had 4 sons and 2 daughters:
Charlie married Rita ?. They had 1 son ( a travel agent) and 3 daughters. His second wife is Eugenie, a sister of his daughter-in-law.
Tom – bachelor. Died on 25/7/1946 in his mid-teens from TB.
Michael accountant, married an O’Connell from Bellurgan, 7 daughters.
John – nearly became a Franciscan priest. Worked in RTE and married.
Rita married Jack Barry (same as Barry’s Tea in Cork.)
Monica married an engineer, Michael Kelleher.
CISSIE (Mary Alice), 1880-1937. Married Paddy Deery (1864-1944).
They had 4 sons and 6 daughters;
Johnny – the eldest. He shared the shop with Paddy. Had Deery’s bar and grocery (wholesale and retail) – nothing to do with the current clothes shop. Paddy Feehan worked there. He married Cissie Kangley (?), a nurse – childless. He died in 2001, aged 101.
Owen married Margiere Begley, Kilcurry. They had 1 son and 3 daughters – Patrick, Helen (an army nurse, died in air crash in the Mediterranean in the late 1940’s), Pearl (Sr. Peter) and Alice.
Paddy got 50% of shop, – married Janie White, childless.
Michael married Ursula Flanagan. He lost his leg. They had 1 daughter, Vivienne, who lives in Australia and 3 sons.
May married Des O’Connor and had 3 daughters and ? sons. She moved to Fethered-on-Sea, Wexford.
Cathleen 1910-1992 married Gerry Mc Donald. They had 3 sons, Gerry, Paddy and Maurice and 2 daughters, Ann and Carol.
Alice a nurse, married Arthur Murphy, 2 sons and 2 daughters.
Teresa youngest, married O’ Byrne, a RAF pilot. They had a number of children, including daughter,
Claire, who lives in NZ and Gerry O’Byrne, who has played the oileann pipes on TV.
Joshie (Sister Rosario) who is based in Longford.
Mary Bridget, died in 1912, aged 8.
