People on board

LOUGHLIN, Michael

Michael Loughlin was born in Albert Place, Kingstown, on 21 February 1889. He was the second youngest of six (possibly seven) children of Patrick Loughlin, a Sailor, and Mary Connor. According to later censuses Mary was born in Co Wexford, but Patrick’s birthplace is unknown, as is the place and date of their marriage. Over the following years the family moved between Albert Place, off York Road, to Seaview House on Clarence Street to Cumberland Street, all poor housing close to the harbour. The boys were born at regular intervals, Henry 1881, Patrick 1883, Myles 1885, William 1887, Michael 1889 and Laurence 1891.

In the 1901 census his widow, Mary’s, age was given as forty, and she was living in Connors Court, at the rere of Mulgrave Street with all her children except Patrick, with Michael and Laurence still at school. In the 1911 census, when the family were living in Paradise Row, later Convent Road, Michael gave his occupation as ‘General Labourer’.

Michael was working as ‘Officers’ Steward’ on RMS Leinster on 10 October 1918 and his brother Patrick was working as a Seaman. Both survived the sinking of the ship and after the war both received the British Mercantile Marine Medal, as did their brothers Henry and Laurence. Michael continued at sea for some years. He married Mary Ellen Cunningham in Monkstown in November 1921 and there may have been as yet unidentified children.