Mary Ryan was born in Monreagh, Tubber, County Clare, Ireland, on the 17th April 1883, the daughter of James and Catherine “Kate” Ryan (née McInerney). Her father was a farmer and Mary was one of ten children.
On the 22nd September 1907, she boarded the Campania at Queenstown, and on disembarking in New York City seven days later, she made for the home of her older sister, Delia, at 1122. Alexander Avenue, Bronx, New York City. On arrival in New York City, she stated that she was a servant, but she then went to Kansas City, Missouri, where she trained as a nurse, and was employed at St. Joseph’s Hospital in the city. She resided with another cousin, P.J. Clune, 2214. Garfield Avenue, Kansas City.
Her cousin, Father Patrick McInerney, was a curate at the Blessed Sacrament Roman Catholic Church in Kansas City, and he had accompanied his bishop on a visit to the Vatican in Rome in 1907, and might have been influential in Mary Ryan immigrating to Kansas City and helping her secure a position in St. Joseph’s Hospital, which was also a school for training nurses.
In late April 1915, Mary Ryan travelled to New York City where she booked second cabin passage on the May sailing of the Lusitania which was scheduled to leave New York for Liverpool at 10.00 a.m. on the 1st May 1915.
It is not known why she decided to cross the Atlantic Ocean at this time, but perhaps she either wanted to enjoy a holiday with her family back in Ireland, or maybe she wanted to offer her services as a nurse in England or France, tending the war wounded.
Having boarded the liner at the Cunard berth at Pier 54 on the west side of the city on that morning in time for the sailing, she then had to wait until 12.27 p.m. before the liner actually left on what became her last ever trans-Atlantic journey. The delay was caused because she had to embark passengers, cargo and some of the crew from the Anchor Liner Cameronia, which had been requisitioned by the British Admiralty for war service as a troop ship at the end of April.
Then, six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May, the Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-20, under the command of Kapitänleutnant Walther Schwieger, within sight of the coast of southern Ireland. At that stage of her voyage, she was only about twelve to fourteen hours steaming time away from the safety of her home port.
Unfortunately, Mary Ryan lost her life as a result of this action and as her body was never recovered and identified afterwards, she has no known grave. She was aged 31 years, although she gave her age on boarding the Lusitania to be 27 years!
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1901 Census of Ireland, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, 1911 Census of Ireland, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, Kansas City Times, Topeka State Journal, PRO BT 100/345, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Gerry McInerney, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.