Letter from Eileen Reidy First Cousin to Maurice Francis Reidy to Philip Michael Reidy

[Page 7]

Saga of the Reidys who are connected with you.

Michael Reidy: Castleisland, Co. Kerry

Two sons and one daughter: John Michael Reidy Maurice Reidy Margaret Reidy

1st son John Michael Reidy daughter Margaret Reidy 2nd son Maurice Reidy

1st son John Michael Reidy married Castleisland. Had one daughter before left for US in 1840s. Left the daughter with a Doctor Williams [page 8] and his wife in Castleisland until he found a home in USA for her. Dr Williams and his wife left Castleisland for either England or USA and the child of John Michael Reidy with them. No one has heard of her since.

In America, John Michael Reidy had three sons:

James Reidy (Worcester) 9 Children Maurice F Reidy (Worcester) Married Bergliot J. Olssen, school friend of Roald Amundsen, Arctic and Antarctic explorer. Maurice F. Jr. Robert Carl James Darney Phillip

Margaret Reidy (NY) married unknown Casey Br. Adolphus de la Salle Christine

[nb. This is confused. The third son was John Michael Reidy, who married Bergliot J Olssen (a Norwegian, who was a school friend of Roald Amundsen, the arctic and antarctic explorer] [page 9]

Maurice Reidy, third son of Michael Reidy of Castleisland was the only one who did not go to USA. He went as a very young man to Tralee and was successful with Healy Brothers. He had nine [?] children most of whom went of USA except:

Michael Reidy - architect Maurice Reidy - killed in Great War John Reidy - missing in Great War Eileen Reidy - in London from Cork College [author of this letter]

There was no issue of Michael, Maurice, John or Eileen Reidy. There was no issue for Cecilia Reidy of Boston. [page 10]

No issue of Elizabeth Reidy [????]

No issue of Noreen Reidy, Boston.

Madge Reidy of Boston married James Finnegan of Killarney. They had one son, James Finnegan. He has one daughter, Pamela.

If your colleague [this was Gill Rainey, of Falls Church, Virginia, whom I met while teaching in the summer of 1985 at The American School in Switzerland's English branch at Thorpe, Surrey. She was related in some way to a Maurice Reidy in Connecticut. This meeting was the catalyst for my letter to Eileen.] is in anyway related to you Michael, it might be through Maurice F Reidy, your grandfather. Probably his missing sister could have issue some place in the USA. That girl would hear Dr Williams or his wife speak of John Michael or Maurice Reidy of Tralee. Otherwise I do not see any relationship. [page 11 - possibly out of order]

There are other Reidy families from Castleisland.

Maurice Vincent Reidy [I don't know if this is the Maurice Reidy, second son of Michael Reidy (brother of John Michael and Margaret] of Castleisland who children are:

Gabriel Reidy - Fr Gabriel OFM d., 1966 [he was with the Benedictines at the priory in East Bergholt, Suffolk, and a published scholar]. Mary Elizabeth Reidy - ??, Oxon. [Oxfordshire] Nancy Reidy - Malahide [Co. Dublin] Robert Reidy - Malahide (latter Flight Lieutenant in last war until now L[???] Sta[??] of all Aer Lingus accidents [???] out brings us marvels in any country [???]

Maurice Reidy , Castleisland Proff. London (Highgate) a daughter Margaret, sons who reached very high in War Office. [page 12]

As I was considered a replica of that Margaret Reidy, I was invited to their home but possibly taken [??] with youth and colleagues I did not go.

I do not know if any of those are alive or if there is issue.

Then there are the 'Baron' Reidys of Castleisland. I think that the 'Baron' was nick name as they were reputedly rich. Baron Reidy had three very handsome daughters. One married J K O'Connor of Castleisland and their shop stands out as the show pieced of Castleisland. You must have seen it on postcards of Castleisland.

The second daughter [page 13]

The second 'Baron' Reidy daughter married Colo [Colm? Col.?] O'Riordan of Tralee. He had two children

Mabel O'Riordan (my colleague) Douglas O'Riordan

The third and most beautiful of 'Baron Reidy's' daughters married Doctor MacSweney of Killarney. He was Michael's doctor and she was our very great friend. She had no children. She always introduced me as her cousin from Castleisland but Michael my brother said the he did not think it anything more than courtesy on her part. She was indeed loveable. [page 14]

Those are all the Maurice Reidys I know of.

There is John Michael Reidy of Killarney was and perhaps still is the largest two shops in Killarney. Mrs John M was too our very good friend.

There is John Reidy of Tralee who had several sons, one is a chemist in Tralee and one a priest here in England recently.

There was a daughter Elizabeth who was at school with me. I do not know much about them but there is no Maurice.

There is a James Reidy of Castlegregory near Dingle. [page 15]

He had three sons and a daughter Eileen Reidy but there is no Maurice. He looked very Reidy-ish. He was in my Department [Eileen worked for the Department of Heath] and reached a great height. He was as brawny as big. We used to walk home together as we lived near and the same homes [???]. He moved to Buckinghamshire. There was no Maurice Reidy in that [????] but he did originate from Castleisland.

There is a Michael Reidy a publican in Killarney but I do not know if he had children.

There are Reidys up Rock Street, Tralee, but no Maurice Reidy.

There was a further family of Reidys in Tralee who had a business house. I doubt if any are left. There was no Maurice. [page 16]

I have told you all I know to the best of my ability and my dearth of sight.

There is a Major Reidy here in Bournemouth. As far as I know, there is no Maurice three. He is from Limerick. He is very nice and invited me to his home to see the missus but I did not go. He has stuck to his 'major' title as it emanates from the first war. But what of it?

My gardener is or was a major in the last war and we both laugh about it. HE is a grand man and does my small pieces for pastime - and pay, of course,

Love and prayers as always, Michael,

Eileen.

[NB Eileen lived in Catford, Southeast London, and was bombed out during the war. Ironically, when I moved to London, I lived in Hither Green, in the same borough (Lewisham), just over the hill from Catford. During the war, my father (Philip Reidy) was one of the first handful of ordinary American soldiers in England, arriving in February 1942. He had been commissioned after volunteering in September 1941 and was taken quickly as he had just received his degree in Physics and Math from Holy Cross. While working in London, he was walking down the street one day and a woman walked up to him and said, 'You're Philip!' and he replied, 'Yes, and you're Eileen.' Such was the family resemblance.] [page 17]

[second letter]

56 B Browning Av Friday

Dear Michael

You must be as puzzled as I am.

The letter to you seems part of your query and part of my final letter to the Reidys of Malahide.

My eyes are so helpless. Kathleen was out when I enclosed your letter.

I am sending what is part of my letter to you. If you are a Sherlock Holmes or a mystery solver please return the voluminous pages addressed to Mollie Reidy. [in fact, there were none] I could never all that to her. [??]

They are grateful and kind. They keep on writing with I do not.

I am sorry for proving such a duffer.

Dear Michael,

I find now that I have not sent you the Malahide Reidy letter but I did omit several pages of the Reidy saga. This must have [given] you a big headache. I am sorry. I do hope that [page 18] your Reidy brain will be equal to sorting the blind pages to some sense.

??? and Nancy are now in Kerry where she may find a [??] looking few hours to explore my wandering ways. [??] I told her to:

Go now to Innisfree And there will she find peace For peace comes slow (apologies to W B Yeats)

I do now know Innisfree but I do know Rossbergh [west of Killarney] for there I did find peace for many years, Michael's lodge nestled in the mountains and the blue blue sea smiled at us. The golden sands and soothing [quiet? Comfort?] for tired lives. Memories of Rossbergh, how I love you.

Forgive this patter.

Eileen Reidy [page 19]

Three is one VIP Reidy that I missed.

John and Mary Reidy of Beaufort, Killarney, Kerry. Issue: Rev John Reidy, Professor of Theology, Killarney Seminary. Lager Dean Reidy of Kerry living at St John's Presbytery, Tralee. Mary Reidy, Domestic Science teacher Kerry. No issued. Died unmarried [??] Joe Reidy, Barrister of Law, Dublin and Killarney Joe had great Reidys which at [???] your grand father M F [Maurice F] Reidy when he met him at Michael's house Kilcoolaght [parish of Dunkerren North; site of ancient stones] Killarney. Joe was a frequent visitor to Michael's by whom he was greatly helped in his early studies. Brains were again in the air around us [???] in this case.

A young American girl wealthy came to be educated in our Loreto Convent in Killarney as was her mother's wish, Her mother had been educated here in ??? [looks like "heyWent"] [page 20] In school days she and Joe fell in love. Joe went to American and practised law near to where Margie Murray [???] lived. The Love affair was resumed. Joe did not want to live in the USA. Mary did not wish to live in Ireland. Stalemate.

Joe had a lawyer's office in Killarney with several partners. Your grandfather met him several times at Kilcoolaght. He heard Joe ask me to go to the Lakes with him for salmon fishing of which Joe had the rights. Your G. father took me aside and advised me not to geo to the lakes in such weather. I told him not to worry as I had no intention of doing so. I was not one of Joe's admirers. I seemed to be married to my job.

Later Marjorie Murray arrived from USA with her maid, walked into Joe's office. Joe walked out with her and I believe married her in USA. I do not know if there was any issue here.

In 1960 I went to see Dean Reidy [page 21] in Tralee. I wanted to give something to ST John's in memory of my parents. The Dean said that with part he would buy good candlesticks for the altar on which he said daily Mass.

The Dean then spoke of Joe and Marjorie but not of any Children. Joe was my senior and may be gone. Marjorie would be old as me.

There was no Maurice in that family. There was never a relationship. Joe did not originate from Castleisland.

Your grandfather had a great admiration for him as did Michael. The ladies of family used to dodge the late hours of talk that seemed to on onto the dawn. ?? we hard Joe's and Michael's voices hanging up coats (interruption here, cannot see to go on.)

In telling of the students strike in my nephew Edward Reidy-Karly's [?] school I forgot to say that Edward said, "Now students, we'll all go back to work and uphold the honour of the Housatonic." They went.