A great photo of my great-aunt Margaret Neary aged in her early 20’s shortly after her arrival in New York from Tullinaglug in 1905. My grandfather Ned was aged 10 when he waved goodbye at the Sligo homestead to Maggie and his 18 year-old brother Matthew (who traveled with Maggie). He next saw Maggie 30 years later when she visited Tullinaglug in 1935 to show off her youngest child named Eileen [O’Rourke]. Later that year, Ned named his second daughter Eileen – yes, my godmother Auntie Eileen [Jones]. Shortly after 1935, Ned and his growing family left the tiny Sligo cottage and moved to Withnell, Lancashire in England.

At least Ned did meet his siblings Maggie and Matthew. His eldest sister Mary left Tullinaglug for NY before Ned was born – meaning that he never ever saw her! This year, I had the pleasure of showing one of Mary’s American grandsons around the Tullinaglug homestead.