Patrick LYNCH [Parents] was born 15 Feb 1875 in Bunacrick, Binion, Clonmany, Co. Donegal and was christened 16 Feb 1875 in Clonmany, Co. Donegal. He died 11 Nov 1949. Patrick married Catherine MORRISON on 25 Jan 1899 in prob. Straid, Clonmany, Co. Donegal.

Other marriages:

'UNKNOWN',

At the time his birth, Patrick's father was working in Boston. Sponsors at Patrick's baptism were Brian Doherty and Cecilia Doherty.

Patrick inherited the Lynch family farm where he and his wife raised their children. However in May 1911, with bills needing to be paid, he went to New York, on his own, to earn money to send back to his family. He got a job stoking furnaces and worked his way up, doing exams along the way, to become a combustion engineer after five years. He then got a job in charge of heating in the Ansonia Hotel on Amsterdam Avenue. Once World War I started, Patrick couldn't return home and had to wait until 1919 to finally make it back on the first passenger steamer to arrive in Derry after the war.

The plan had been to return to the States permanently with the whole family. However for various reasons, including Patrick's involvement in local politics upon his return to Ireland, and the worry that life in New York wouldn't suit the children, the move to New York never happened. Patrick's eldest daughter, Mamie, however, expecting the rest of the family to join her, did go to New York a few months after her father's return.

Catherine MORRISON [Parents] was born about 1870 in Straid, Clonmany, Co. Donegal. She died 18 Jan 1937 in Binion, Clonmany, Co. Donegal. Catherine married Patrick LYNCH on 25 Jan 1899 in prob. Straid, Clonmany, Co. Donegal.

Catherine was the youngest child in her family.

Michael George MCDONNELL [Parents] was born 1904 in prob. Corgarriff, Kilmovee, Co. Mayo. He died mid 1990s. Michael married Mary LAFFERTY.

Michael, who lived with his wife and family at Woodlawn House, Kilmovee, ran the family farm in Kilmovee.