Michael McGuigan was born in Newry, County Armagh, Ireland, in the summer of 1868, the son of Michael and Rose McGuigan (née Garrigan). His father was a carpenter, and Michael was one of six children in the family. The family home was at 2. Collins Court, Newry, Co. Down.
He engaged as a trimmer in the Engineering Department on board the Lusitania on the 12th April 1915 at Liverpool at a monthly wage of £6-0s.-0d., and was killed when she was sunk. He was aged 46 years.
His body was not recovered and identified afterwards and as a result, his name is embossed on the Mercantile Marine Memorial at Tower Hill, London.
There is no Trimmer Michael McGuigan shown as a crew member in a list published by Cunard in March 1916, but there is a Trimmer Walter McGugan. In the absence of any other casualty with this rank or similarity of name, it must be assumed that Walter McGugan is the same person as Michael McGuigan, whose name is recorded by the Commonwealth War Grave Commission.
Ireland Catholic Parish Registers 1655 – 1915, 1901 Census of Ireland, 1911 Census of Ireland, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Grave 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 – 21st December 2024.