Individual Details

Catherine MCDERMOTT

(Abt 9 Sep 1870 - 17 Oct 1954)

Catherine, whose family home was in Castlewrixon, Ballyhea, was one of 14 children. She appears to have had a mischievous streak as there is a story told about the time she visited the United States and called to see her eldest brother, John, in Westfield, Massachusetts; when he opened the door she realised he did not recognise her so she told him she was selling Singer sewing machines. He told her he wasn't interested so she went away but returned and knocked on the door again. John, quite irritated at this stage, told her to go away, that he was definitely not interested in buying a sewing machine. 'Well', Catherine responded, "would you buy one from your sister?!".

Catherine was a dressmaker, according to both the 1901 and 1911 censuses, the 1911 census also telling us that she and Michael had eight children born alive, seven of whom were living at the time of the census. Considering these seven survived to adulthood, it is unusual that Catherine and Michael had no grandchildren (although three of the seven entered religious life and one never married).

Catherine and Michael also raised Mary Ann, Sean and Ellen Roche, three children of her sister Christina who died in 1924 when the children were very young. (It is possible Christina and her husband, John, had more than three children but I only know of those raised by the O'Sullivans.)

Events

BirthAbt 9 Sep 1870Ballyhea, Co. Cork
Christen11 Sep 1870Ballyhea, Co. Cork
Marriage22 Jan 1899Ballyhea, Charleville, Co. Cork - Michael O'SULLIVAN
Death17 Oct 195413 Marina Terrace, Cork
BurialHoly Cross Cemetery, Charleville, Co. Cork

Families

SpouseMichael O'SULLIVAN (1869 - 1938)
ChildMichael Joseph O'SULLIVAN (1900 - 1953)
ChildPeter O'SULLIVAN (1901 - 1921)
ChildEllen (Nellie) O'SULLIVAN (1903 - 1996)
ChildJohn Joseph (Fr. Ephrem) O'SULLIVAN (1904 - 1958)
ChildPatrick O'SULLIVAN (1905 - 1907)
ChildMargaret (Peggy) Mary O'SULLIVAN (1906 - 1966)
ChildDavid O'SULLIVAN (1908 - 1953)
ChildMary Catherine (Sr. Annunciata) O'SULLIVAN (1910 - 1939)
ChildCatherine (Sr. Dympna) O'SULLIVAN (1914 - 1982)
FatherPeter MCDERMOTT (1830 - 1913)
MotherEllen ROCHE (1841 - 1918)
SiblingJohn Joseph MCDERMOTT (1864 - )
SiblingMary MCDERMOTT (1865 - 1909)
SiblingHanora MCDERMOTT (1866 - 1866)
SiblingPeter MCDERMOTT (1867 - 1944)
SiblingDavid MCDERMOTT (1869 - 1946)
SiblingEllen MCDERMOTT (1872 - 1936)
SiblingElizabeth (Eliza) MCDERMOTT (1873 - 1954)
SiblingBridget MCDERMOTT (1875 - 1954)
SiblingMichael MCDERMOTT (1877 - 1967)
SiblingMargaret MCDERMOTT (1879 - 1898)
SiblingChristina MCDERMOTT (1882 - 1924)
SiblingThomas MCDERMOTT (1883 - 1949)
SiblingRichard Francis MCDERMOTT (1886 - )