People on board

O’CONNOR, Patrick

Patrick O’Connor of Charleville, among others, was named by the Cork Examiner as ‘Missing’ on the 12th of October 1918, two days after the sinking of RMS Leinster. However the newspaper added the caveat “In connection with these names, it must be borne in mind that no definite information is yet available as to whether or not they were on the steamer”. Of the seven people named in this report one turned out not to have been on board. Nothing has been found to date to prove or disprove the presence of Patrick O’Connor.

It is likely that this Patrick O’Connor was born in Charleville, Co Cork on the 8th of April 1891 to Michael O’Connor and Margaret McAuliffe. He was the second surviving of their six children, five being alive in 1911. The family lived at New Line in Charleville. Michael O’Connor was a well-known Cattle Dealer in the area and two of his sons followed him in that trade. The youngest son, William, died in 1926 a Medical Student, and given that Patrick, aged twenty, was a Scholar in the 1911 census it is possible that he also attended university. However, being a Cattle Dealer would have been a reason to travel to England.

Given the common name, it has not been possible to confirm or otherwise that Patrick O’Connor was alive after 1918 through marriage or death certificates. If he was on RMS Leinster his body was not recovered.