One more mystery solved

Bernard (Barney) O'Connor

Do you remember this chap? 

A few months ago, I published this little photograph and asked 'Who's in the picture?' His was an 'orphan' photo, from 'Black Raven', our house in Malahide, Co. Dublin. 

Well, somewhat to my surprise, a lady found my post and contacted me this week, saying:

Hello Dara, I am so excited by the photograph of Who's in the picture as the photograph is of my Father Bernard (Barney) O'Connor.  Barney was the son of Bartholomew and Winifred O'Connor (nee Earley) from Irishtown, Dublin.

Isn't that wonderful! 

I now know exactly who he was.

Barney O'Connor was Arthur O'Neill's step-son. Arthur was my granduncle, my Granny Lena's brother. Lena obviously received a copy of this picture and kept it, which is how it came to be at 'Black Raven'.

Barney's father, Bartholomew O'Connor, died in a tragic accident at work, in January 1913. He worked for Dublin Corporation, in the City's main sewage works, which was situated at the Pigeon House Fort. When his colleague was rendered unconscious, eleven feet under, in a culvert at the pump house, Bartholomew immediately went to his rescue. However, he too was overcome by the fumes. The first man died at the scene and Bartholomew died two days later in hospital. He was only about twenty-nine years old. 

The Royal Humane Society posthumously awarded him a medal for his bravery. His son Barney kept the medal in a silver box, and treasured it all his life. But, at the time, Winifred was left alone with four young children - Barney was five years old, Ellen was three, Winnie was nearly two, and Bart was born eight months after his father's passing. According to her granddaughter, when Bartholomew's died, Winifred earned her living by running the shop and Post Office at Bath Street, in Irishtown. 

And, it was there she met Arthur. He came into the shop one Sunday morning to buy a packet of cigarettes, on his way to watch a band playing in Sandymount. They obviously hit it off. They were married on 1 December 1917, in the Star of the Sea Church in Sandymount. 

In 1925, Arthur answered a newspaper advertisement seeking a hairdresser in Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo. The job supposedly came with a three bedroom detached house with lots of space. By then, Arthur and Winifred had four children of their own, to add to Winifred's four. Arthur got the job, and the whole family moved West. Barney trained as a hairdresser with Arthur, in Mayo. 

And, they all lived happily ever after, or so the story goes. 

Thank you so much to Arthur's step-granddaughter for all the information she has provided about my O'Neill family. I do hope you enjoy the photograph of your father, which is making it's way to you in the post.