Margaret Donovan (nee Carroll) : Short Biography

Margaret known as Maggie Carroll was born in Fortwilliam, parish of Kilcolman, Co Offaly in 1872.  Her family later moved to Roscrea and lived at both Monahincha and Benamore.  She worked as a seamstress with Miss Duggan in Roscrea.  She married Patrick Donovan, who was a Prison Officer in 1906. She was living in Belfast according to the 1911 census with Patrick and her son Michael.  Patrick died in 1933.  Maggie moved back to Roscrea at some stage and died there in 1936.  She is buried in St Cronan's Church Graveyard in a grave on her own.  Michael remained living in Belfast and married Catherine Mc Grath there in 1936.  No further information re Michael or his family.

While working in Roscrea Maggie wrote several letters to her 1st cousin Maggie Tehan in St. Louis, U.S.A.  In one letter dated 14th June 1896 she states " there is a terrible lot dying here at present and since Christmas there was very nearly 300 buried there was hardly any day there was not 2 or 3 funerals when you would see the shuts up in the town the people would hardly who the were up for he do be up every dy the do die in two or three day's sickness you would see a fine stout man walk about today andin two or three day you would see his funeral its the influenza the say but I think the doctor does not know what it is"