Bedelia “Delia” Mary Kilkenny was born in Kilkelly, County Mayo, Ireland, on the 25th January 1879, the daughter of Michael and Margaret Kilkenny (née Rodgers). At the time of her birth, her father was a publican in Kilkelly, but he later returned to his family farm at Lismeegaun, Aghamore, County Mayo.
In 1907, she had emigrated to the United States of America and settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she became a domestic servant. She had returned to Ireland for a holiday in 1910, and on her return to Massachusetts, she was employed in the home of Professor Francis Peabody and his family, who resided at 13. Kirkland Street, Cambridge. She had a sister, Josephine, who was working and residing in South Boston.
In the spring of 1915, she decided to return home to visit her father who was ill, and as a consequence, booked third class passage on the Lusitania sailing, which was due to leave on the morning of 1st May 1915. She was given a one month leave of absence by her employer to make the trip.
She visited her sister on the afternoon of the 30th April, before she made her way to New York City. She met with her cousin, Hannah Cunniff, who was returning permanently to Ireland and was engaged to be married soon after her arrival. Both ladies joined the Lusitania at her berth at Pier 54 in New York harbour, in time for her delayed sailing, which eventually commenced just after mid-day on 1st May.
Six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May, the Lusitania was torpedoed by the German submarine U-20, twelve miles off The Old Head of Kinsale in southern Ireland and sank only eighteen minutes later. At that stage of her voyage, she was a mere twelve or fourteen hours away from her Liverpool destination.
Delia and Hannah Cunniff were in the process of getting into a lifeboat when Hannah turned back to try and get to her cabin to retrieve some personal items. Whether she succeeded or not, is unknown. Delia never saw Hannah again, and her body was never recovered, or if it was, it was never identified.
Delia survived the sinking of the great liner, and having been rescued from the sea, she was eventually landed at Queenstown, from where she managed to get home. She had her lifebelt and a rug she had been given to keep her warm on her way to Queenstown in her possession when she reached her home.
Soon after her return, she applied to The Lusitania Relief Fund, for financial help. This fund had been set up immediately after the liner had gone down, by The Lord Mayor of Liverpool and other local business dignitaries to help second and third class passenger survivors and the relatives of those who had perished, who had come upon hard times as a result of the sinking. It was thought that saloon class passengers were wealthy enough not to need help and each claim was met on its merits.
The awards committee turned down her application for a grant, however, perhaps as it was thought that she was adequately provided for financially. A document surviving in The Liverpool Record Office concerning this decision simply states: -
Referred to Sec. of State for Foreign Affairs
so it is possible that the refusal was connected in some way with this statement.
On leaving Cambridge, Massachusetts, it was Delia’s intention to return after her holiday, but following her awful experience, she decided never to leave Ireland again. On Easter Monday, the 24th April 1916, Delia Kilkenny married Edward Brennan, a farmer, of Pollagh, Kiltimagh, County Mayo, and they had one daughter.
Delia died at her home on the 4th October 1957, aged 78 years. Her husband had predeceased her.
In later years, Delia’s family donated the rug she had arrived in Queenstown with, and which she had treasured as a memento, to the Kiltimagh Museum, where it is on view to this day.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1901 Census of Ireland, 1911 Census of Ireland, Massachusetts Passenger and Crew Lists 1820 – 1963, Cunard Records, Boston Daily Globe, Connaught Telegraph, Cork Free Press, Mayo News, Liverpool Record Office, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv D92/2/140, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.