Catharine (Kathleen) F. Ahern : Short Biography

Kathleen Ahern (nee Benson) was born in Limerick City at Dixons Lane in 1874. Her father Terence was a car (cart) driver, her mother was Kate Naughten. In 1885. Kathleen was the third born in a family of seven children, five girls and two boys. They were all born in Dixons Lane, Limerick. Kathleen had two older sisters, Mary Anne and Bridget, two younger sisters, Teresa (known as Babby), Anne (known as Lily), and two younger brothers Joseph and John.

Kathleen's eldest sister Mary Anne died in 1879 in Limerick from scarlet fever, Mary Anne was aged 8 at the time and Kathleen was aged 5. The remaining six children, including Kathleen survived into adulthood.

Kathleen's father Terence died suddenly of a heart attack in Limerick in 1885, he was 45 at the time and the breadwinner, Kathleen was aged 11. His death left Kathleen's mother Kate, widowed aged 35 with 5 small children ranging in age from 3 to 12. Her mother was pregnant tat the time with John, the youngest of Kathleen's siblings. He mother took on dress-making work, and with the help of her family (the Naughtens), they managed. The sisters, Bridget, Kathleen, Babby, and Lily all learned how to sew and helped their mother in dress making. Babby and Lily also learned the art of making Limerick Lace.

Bridget, the eldest sister married Patrick Walsh, a plumber, in Limerick in 1900, and they lived in Wickham Street, Limerick and had children. Kathleen herself married Bill Ahern, a bricklayer in 1904, and emigrated to Kansas City, and had children born there. Babby, Lilly and John never married. Joseph trained as a National (primary) School teacher and taught at a school called Leamy's School in Limerick city, he is mentioned in Frank McCourt's book 'Angela's Ashes' (1996). John, the youngest, got work as a clerk. Babby, Lilly, John, Joseph (all single adults) and their mother Kate moved from Dixons Lane to St. Joseph's Street around 1914. Joseph married Delia Ryan in 1927. The wedding was in Dublin. He moved house with her and lived in Crescent Avenue, Limerick. Joseph and Delia had no children.

The mother, Kate, died at her home in St. Joseph's Street in 1921 aged 72. Then the eldest daughter Bridget, died in 1933 in Wickham Street from breast cancer, she was aged 61. Lily, died in St. Joseph's Street in 1940 aged 62. Babby died in 1948 at home in St. Joseph's Street from breast cancer. John died at home in St. Joseph's Street in 1951 aged 65 from congestive heart failure. Kathleen herself died in Limerick Mental Hospital in 1953 from cardiac failure, she was aged 79. Joseph was the last of the siblings to die, He died at his home in Crescent Avenue in 1959 from multiple sclerosis, he was aged 77, his wife Delia died in the Regional Hospital, Limerick in 1962 from a brain haemorhage, she was aged 71. 

As mentioned earlier, Kathleen married Bill Ahern in Limerick in 1904. Bill was a Limerick born bricklayer who had settled in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Bill was born in Limerick City in 1871. In the 1890s he emigrated to the United States and settled in Kansas City. In 1904 he returned to Ireland to marry, and there he married Kathleen. Kalthleen was aged 30 and Bill was 33. A few weeks after the wedding they sailed together to New York City, and then proceeded to Kansas City where they settled. Kathleen was the only one of her family to emigrate from Ireland, the rest remained in Limerick. Kathleen and Bill had seven children in Kansas City. Mae (1904-1997), Kathleen (1906-1982), Lillie Ann (1907-1982), Jane Josephine (1909-2000), Patrick Terence (1912-1975), Bridie (1915-1958),  and William (1919-1982).  In the 1940s Kathleen's health deteriorated and after the war, Bill sailed with Kathleen back to Ireland to visit relatives and to get medical treatment for Kathleen. This was around 1948. Kathleen became a patient in Limerick Mental Hospital. Bill, her husband returned to Kansas City. Kathleen's brother, Joe, and her nieces Rita and Kitty used to visit her in hospital. She died in Limerick Mental Hospital from cardiac failure in 1953, aged 79. She is buried in Mount St. Lawrence cemetery in Limerick. Her husband Bill died in Kansas City in 1959. All her children died in the States. R.I.P.