Annie Kilkenny was born in Lismeegaun, Aghamore, County Mayo, Ireland, on the 1st July 1891, the daughter of Thomas and Mary Kilkenny (née Lyons). Her family were farmers, and Annie and her twin sister, Bridget, were the youngest of twelve children. Her father, as well as being a farmer, was also a shoemaker.
On the 29th September 1911, Annie, and one of her older sisters, Katie, boarded the Cedric at Queenstown, and emigrated to the United States of America. They settled in New York City, where another one of their sister, Nora, lived and worked. Annie found work as a domestic servant in the city.
In the spring of 1915, however, she decided to return home, perhaps because of the war raging in France and Flanders, or maybe for a holiday, and as a result, she booked as a third class passenger on the Lusitania.
Having joined the liner at her berth at Pier 54 in New York harbour on the morning of 1st May 1915, she had her last glimpse of her adopted city just after mid-day, as the Cunarder sailed out into the North River and eventually began her Atlantic crossing.
Just six days later, she was killed after the Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk, just hours away from her Liverpool destination and within site of the Old Head of Kinsale in her native Ireland.
As no trace of her body was ever found and identified, she has no known grave. She was aged 23 years.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1901 Census of Ireland, 1911 Census of Ireland, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv D92/2/112, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.Annie Kilkenny was born in Lismeegaun, Aghamore, County Mayo, Ireland, on the 1st July 1891, the daughter of Thomas and Mary Kilkenny (née Lyons). Her family were farmers, and Annie and her twin sister, Bridget, were the youngest of twelve children. Her father, as well as being a farmer, was also a shoemaker.
On the 29th September 1911, Annie, and one of her older sisters, Katie, boarded the Cedric at Queenstown, and emigrated to the United States of America. They settled in New York City, where another one of their sister, Nora, lived and worked. Annie found work as a domestic servant in the city.
In the spring of 1915, however, she decided to return home, perhaps because of the war raging in France and Flanders, or maybe for a holiday, and as a result, she booked as a third class passenger on the Lusitania.
Having joined the liner at her berth at Pier 54 in New York harbour on the morning of 1st May 1915, she had her last glimpse of her adopted city just after mid-day, as the Cunarder sailed out into the North River and eventually began her Atlantic crossing.
Just six days later, she was killed after the Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk, just hours away from her Liverpool destination and within site of the Old Head of Kinsale in her native Ireland.
As no trace of her body was ever found and identified, she has no known grave. She was aged 23 years.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1901 Census of Ireland, 1911 Census of Ireland, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv D92/2/112, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.