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Owen O'Callaghan, Philadelphia, to his mother Kate O'Callaghan, Kilmacthomas, Waterford, 26 March 1884
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Collection Callaghan/ O'Callaghan Letters
Collection Callaghan/ O'Callaghan Letters
Title Owen O'Callaghan, Philadelphia, to his mother Kate O'Callaghan, Kilmacthomas, Waterford, 26 March 1884
Description Describes the loneliness that emigrants encounter when there's no-one to meet them when they first arrive. But he also describes a rich Irish-American social life in Philadelphia, which helped to mitigate the loneliness. Singles out the Waterford County Society's St. Patrick's Day ball, and reports how happy he was to receive gifts of shamrocks on that day. Mentions some of the principal Irish occupations in Philadelphia, and reports that he and sister Bridget are both content with their jobs: Owen worked for a blacksmith, and Bridget appears to have been a house-servant in a "nice family". Mentions the political situation in Ireland, especially the nationalist victories over the landlords' candidates in the recent elections of Poor Law Guardians.
Date 26/03/1884
Date Issued 27/03/2023
Resource Type Text
Archival Record Id p155/1/1/1
Publisher University of Galway
Extent 5pp
Topic Callaghan/ O'Callaghan Letters
Geographic Philadelphia (city),Philadelphia (county),Pennsylvania,United States,Fallagh (townland),Kilmacthomas,Waterford (county),Ireland
Temporal Nineteenth century,Eighteen eighties
Genre Transcript,Reproduction
Note Transcript, title and description by Professor Kerby Miller. Colloquial place name 'Fallow' is captured as contemporary 'Fallagh (townland)' in location metadata fields. Surname 'Callaghan' sometimes appears as 'O'Callaghan' across letters in this series.
Creator / Author Name Owen Callaghan/ O'Callaghan