Patrick Kearney was born in Sallagher, Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland, on the 1st July 1890, the son of Patrick and Bridget Kearney (née Kenny). He was one of ten children, and his family were farmers.
He immigrated to Liverpool, Lancashire, England, in the early 1900’s where he found work as a labourer in the building trade before joining the Mercantile Marine as a trimmer and fireman on steam ships operating out of Liverpool.
He was unmarried, and in 1915, he was lodging at 15, Walmsley Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool, Lancashire.
He engaged as a trimmer in the Engineering Department on board the Lusitania at Liverpool on the 12th April 1915, at a monthly wage of £6-0s.-0d. and joined the vessel at 8 a.m., on the morning of the 17th April.
He was killed, three weeks later when the vessel was torpedoed and as his body was not recovered and identified afterwards; he is commemorated on the Mercantile Marine Memorial at Tower Hill, London.
He was aged 25 years.
Fireman Thomas Kearney who was also lost in the sinking of the Lusitania, also lodged at 15. Walmsley Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool, and was also from Castlebar, County Mayo. It is likely that the two men were cousins.
Register of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1901 Census of Ireland, 1911 Census of England, 1911 Census of Ireland, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, PRO BT 100/345, PRO BT 334, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 2nd February 2024.