McIntyre Ancestral Farm, 2011

In August 2011 I visited Ireland and had the opportunity to again stop at the McIntyre ancestral farm.  The farm house had been vacant for over 15 years and my understanding is the land was sold to a nearby neighbor.  The following is a short video of the house and land on the McIntyre/Haran/Cafferty farm.


The occupiers of the land and eventually the owners of the land spanned four generations that I am aware of:

Michael McIntyre (wife Mary) listed in Griffith's Valuation, 1858
son
Lawrence McIntyre (wife Mary Ginty)
daughter
Bridget McIntyre (husband Patrick Haran)
daughter
Tessie Haran (husband Dominic Cafferty), sold the land c1990s

Note, the house in the video was built in the 1930s.  It is believed to be on the site of the older home.

Why Did Thomas McIntyre not stay in Ireland in 1923?

In 1923, Thomas and Ellen (Walsh) McIntyre and their five children traveled to Ireland to visit Thomas' parents, Lawrence and Mary (Ginty) McIntyre, on their farm in Lislea, County Sligo.  Elsewhere in this blog is information about that trip including the passport from the travels.

My Dad, Larry McIntyre, over the years told the family he really believed they might stay in Ireland when they went there in 1923. He said he thought the farm was wonderful and remembered being in the field behind the house and suddenly being confronted with a bull which chased him until he jumped over the fence to safety.  He thought it was great fun.  His brother, Fr. Tom, told me that the family never intended to move to Ireland but was only visiting.  At the time of the visit Dad was about 10 and Tom was 4.  My Dad also said his sister Mary hated the farm and definitely didn't want to live there.  She was 12 at the time.

On our trip to Ireland in 2011, I had the opportunity to meet a second cousin Patrick O'Hara.  Pat is the great-grandson of John and Bridget (Cawley) Walsh.  John and Bridget are also my great-grandparents.  Pat's grandmother Bridget (Walsh) O'Hara, sister of Ellen (Walsh) McIntyre, told his family the story about what Thomas said when his father asked him if he wanted the farm. Pat has graciously shared the story with me and allowed it to be video taped.

Note: Pat refers to Thomas McIntyre's wife as Bridget, but her name really is Ellen.  Filmed on the Walsh Family farm, July 26, 2011, in Knockahoney, County Sligo.

Mary Cecelia McIntyre, 1911

The first child of Thomas and Ellen (Walsh) McIntyre was born on June 23, 1911 in Chicago, Illinois.  The birth certificate notes that the parents were living at 2541 W. Monroe, Chicago at the time of Mary's birth.  The father, Thomas, was working as a motorman for the Street Railway Company.  It also provides the place of birth of the two parents and confirms family history.

By the time Mary was born, her father was already 32 years old and her Mom was 28.  The birth certificate, which was not uncommon for the time, does not include a first name.  However, Mary's baptismal record has been located and it states Mary was born on June 23, 1911 and baptized on July 16, 1911.  The sponsors were Thomas' siblings, Mary McIntyre and Laurence McIntyre.  Mary Cecelia was baptized at St. Malachy's Church in Chicago.

Although Mary lived in California, she was in Arlington Heights for Thanksgiving when she died on November 18, 1994.  Her body was cremated and as of 2009, her ashes had not been buried.

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Blanche Catherine McIntyre, 1914

Blanche Catherine McIntyre, third child of Thomas and Ellen, was born April 9, 1914 in Chicago.   Her parents were living at 2541 W. Monroe at the time of her birth.  Like her sister Mary, Blanche's birth certificate does not include her first name.  I have been unable to locate Blanche's baptismal record.  Blanche died in California on November 15, 1978.

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Ellen Patricia McIntyre, 1916

Ellen Patricia, know as Pat most of her life, was born in Chicago on March 19, 1916.  At the time of her birth, her parents were living at 1035 N. Keeler Avenue.  She was born at home.  Pat died in California on March 14, 1982.

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Thomas Joseph McIntyre, 1919

Thomas Joseph, the fifth child and second son of Thomas and Ellen McIntyre, was born in Chicago on August 17, 1919.  At the time of his birth, his parents were living at 3116 W. Fulton Street.  Thomas was the last child born to the couple.  His mother was 37 and father was 40 at the time of his birth.  The father was still a motorman and employed by the Street Rail road in the city.  Thomas Jr., like all the rest of his siblings, was born at home.

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Tom died in California on November 29, 2009.