People on board

FAHEY, Susan

There is some uncertainty that this is the correct person, but it seems probable.

Susan (Susanna) Fahey was born on the 16th of January 1883 to Patrick Fahey and Mary Anne Morris, the second youngest of their nine children. Patrick Fahey was a Baker in the town of Castlerea in Co. Roscommon, a trade his youngest son Patrick continued. The eldest child was born in 1871 so that by 1911 only the three youngest were at home – Patrick, Susanna and Celia, who gave her occupation as Shop Assistant, possibly in the bakery. Mary Anne had died in 1887.

Susanna gave no occupation in the 1911 census when she was aged twenty-eight (though she declared twenty-six). She has not been found in the 1901 census so she may have emigrated to England by then. She was in Castlerea in February 1914 when she was a witness at her sister Celia’s wedding. She may have been home again in October 1918 because Celia had given birth to a son in July of that year and Patrick had  married in September.

Susan Fahey (or Fahy) was on board RMS Leinster on the 10th of October travelling to London. She survived the sinking, suffering only shock, and was interviewed by the Freeman’s Journal published on the 17th. She said that a male passenger put a life belt on her and when she saw the chief Steward lowering a lifeboat she rushed to it and was taken on with five other ladies. Later they took on three people from a raft. They were rescued by a destroyer after about two hours “where everything possible was done for our comfort”. When they reached Kingstown she was given a change of clothes and taken to Ross’s Hotel. She later returned to Castlerea.