FAMILY OF FRANCIS (FRANK)
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Francis Gerard O'Donnell (Frank)
24th August 1918 - 18th November 1961
Born on 24th August 1918 in Kilcar, County Donegal.
1946/1947 Frank left Kilcar for Kingston upon Hull in Yorkshire UK. The city desperately needed outside help to re-build it after it was all but destroyed during the Second World War. Dad was one of many builders from Ireland who answered the call. Did any of his friends or family leave with him? Did any return to Kilcar?
1947/1950 Frank met and fell in love with Sheila Young at Saint Patrick's Social Club. Photos show they had lots of fun times with a variety of friends, some from Sheila’s school and parish and also with the ‘Irish lads’.
Daughter Moira’s memories
Mum told me that all her friends loved the lads who had come over from Ireland particularly Frank ‘ He was so handsome, kind, smiley....and 10 years older than me. Everybody liked him’. A trip was arranged to Ireland ( probably by our Granny Elizabeth Young, who was housekeeper at the church and a great organiser) Mum took the opportunity to travel to Kilcar to meet the in-laws for the first time. She remembered being sick on the rough ferry crossing and also Frank’s mum trying to persuade her to live in Ireland by promising to get her a washing machine. When she mentioned that they themselves didn’t have a washing machine his mum said ‘Oh no we’re Irish!’
26th March 1951 Frank and Sheila were married at St Patrick's Church in Hull. (Photo below)
Sheila ran the Cubs so they had Scouts and Cubs as guards of honour at the wedding. Frank’s brother Phil was Best Man, his sister Leila a bridesmaid. Other members were maybe there too. Perhaps Genevieve and Jack from Leicester? (Martina had a photo taken outside the Church we hadn't seen before so hoping there might be a few more out there.)
March 30th 1952 A son Kevin Francis was born ( whilst living in their first rented home 9 Albert Avenue Hull)
July 25th 1953. A daughter Moira Elizabeth was born (a flat above the doctors surgery 95 Greenwood Avenue Hull)
July 8th 1958. A son Anthony Michael (Tony) was born ( 8 Victoria Avenue, Stepney Lane Hull)
1958/59 New York Dream - At some point Frank and Sheila made a decision that a move to New York was going to be in all our interests. The work in Hull was drying up and it was hard to make ends meet. Phil and Leila were already over there making new lives for themselves. So Frank went over on his own and stayed with Phil. It was thought that it would be too much for Sheila to go with him at the time with two young children and a baby. So they stayed and waited for Frank to find work and accommodation. Anxious times.
Son Kevin’s memories.
1957 Victoria Avenue. Hull - Our house was rented, a terraced house (2 up, 2 down) outside toilet and no bathroom. There were swimming baths at the top of our street with separate bathrooms we could use rather than the tin bath in front of the fire! We have a photograph in the garden of Mum and Dad, Leila, Phil, Genevieve and Jack. (Not sure when it was taken but they may have been discussing our move to America or it may be after he returned because he looks quite frail.)
The house was walking distance from our school and Church with lovely parks near by. I have a fond memory of dad, a gentleman, chasing the school bully away after he started picking on our Cousin Steve in the park.
1958/59 New York.
The night before dad left for America he went to the pub with our Uncle George. Our cousin Steve asked his dad years later if dad was ok about leaving. George said he was not as talkative as usual. He said he was nervous but excited about doing what in time would be good for his family.
There are photographs from his time in New York showing happy times. Leila may have taken them. Cousin Maureen posted some of him on our "Kilcar Cousins" FaceBook group page some time ago. Brothers and Sisters celebrating Christmas at someone's apartment and one of him at a family wedding. He was probably there about a year.
There were no telephone calls in those days only letters that took a long time to arrive.
We often wondered what life was like for Dad in New York
Apparently Dad told Mum ( either by letter or when he returned) that he was homesick and was very upset because a young boy not much older than me had shot his parent with a gun. This had happened in the same apartment block where Dad was staying. Could this trauma have affected his mental health so devastatingly? We will never know.
Moira’s memories
Dad’s last letter to Mum told her to prepare to move to New York as he would be sending flight tickets soon. Furniture was quickly sold and vaccinations arranged for travelling. I was very excited. I told all my friends that I was going to be an American and proudly showed the vaccination mark on my arm. Kevin doesn’t remember anything about that time. Tony was a baby and oblivious to all the excitement!
The big move never happened. Dad returned home to Hull from New York a sick man. No one seems to know what happened and why but he was ageing so rapidly and getting weaker. Later he was diagnosed with ‘pre senile dementia’ Mum and Granny took him to Lourdes hoping for a miracle but sadly he died. That was within a year of his return from New York, November 1961 at the age of 43.
All who knew Frank said that he was a gentle, kind, friendly man who loved singing and dancing. Kevin and I don’t remember much about him and Tony was too young to know him. I remember him singing to me and laughing as we were playing.
I also remember him ‘saving my life’ when I swallowed a boiled sweet and was choking. He held me upside down by my feet and shook me! He apparently also saved me when I was about 18 months dying of a rare throat disease as there were no antibiotics then. The priest was saying prayers with all the family. The doctor as a last resort sent a telegram for a prescription to his relative (a dentist in Ireland). Dad had to knock on the chemist’s door late at night and persuade him to make up the medicine which cured me within a day or two!
Kevin’s memories:
Kilcar: Moira and I holidayed in Kilcar with Mum and Dad when we were infants. Dad went back each year to help bring in the hay in the summer. The ferry across the Irish Sea was an ordeal Mum always used to say. One infant under each arm and all three of us throwing up for much of the crossing. We had dad’s cousin Father Sean O'Donnell (from Falcarragh) living close to Hull to remind us of our heritage. After dad died It was he who made sure that each child when they were old enough got the chance to visit Donegal.
August 1966 or 1967 - My first time in an airplane : I flew with Fr. Sean from Leeds to Belfast. Then we were picked up at the Airport and taken to Kilcar, Passing a few historic O'Donnell sites along the way I was reminded that there was royal O'Donnell blood running through my veins!
There were days working in the field bringing in the hay with cousins Micheál, John and a very young Martina. I also remember the cows being walked down Main Street to and from the field. I have a photograph of Father Sean in his shirt sleeves working in the fields. He liked his golf. I remember being on a course near Kilcar caddying for him. I also remember being on the alter with him early in the morning in an empty St Cartha's Church while he said Mass. I have photographs from my time in Kilcar of Auntie Mary-Ann, Micheál and Martina.
We returned to Kilcar in 2018. Moira, brother Tony, my wife Elaine on a flying visit whilst on a coach Holiday to Letterkenny. We met with our cousins the Clarke brothers and Sineád. We visited the Giant Causeway and Donegal Castle. We made our way from the Castle on the Bus to Killybegs where Cousin Martina met us to take us to some of the places from Frank's Childhood. Then lunch with her daughter Christina before taking the bus back to Letterkenny. We managed to do a lot in a couple of days and it was so nice to meet our cousins. We vowed that we would return and stay longer.
Falcarragh memories: On that trip to Ireland as a teenager with Fr. Sean I spent some time with Dad’s other cousins in Falcarragh, Great Uncle Peter and Auntie Annie and spent a night in the big house with the family. I have photos. We visited a fair few relatives at that time all over the place. Should have taken a notebook.
Father Sean was Curate at St Bede's In Hull when dad died. He made it his business to offer plenty of support for Mum and the rest of us through those difficult times whilst in Hull and afterwards in nearby Market Weighton. When he got his own Parish in Filey Mum still got to see him often. It was such a shock when he died so soon after he retired back to his home in Falcarragh in 2014
I returned to Falcarragh in 2019 with my wife Elaine and my brother Tony. We met up with James O'Donnell his famous dog Iggy "Ignatius" named after his Uncle! Father Sean. We payed our respects at the family graves then got to have a drink at the Shamrock (his local). We went back the next day and met with Dads Cousins Maura, Shamus and his wife in there homes.
Moira’s memories:
August 1969 I remember my two week holiday in Donegal. really well. I had just had my 16th birthday. My Mum accompanied me to Leeds Bradford airport but then I flew to Dublin on my own. First time ever in a plane!
An auntie met me in Dublin and I stayed with her. She lived above a grocery shop in the centre of Dublin. While she worked in the shop I explored the streets of Dublin and bought a record called ‘O’Donnell Abu’’ The next day I travelled up to Letterkenny on the bus and stayed with Auntie Anne. Jacinta and Joseph Clarke took me to Derry. ( Joseph remembers me buying a Dionne Warwick record) In spite of the soldiers, tanks and barbed wire defences on the streets people were getting on with their lives as usual. Back home in Hull, Mum was watching the news and was so worried about me being where all the troubles were breaking out she rang a local MP who tried to reassure her that I would be okay. ( No phones in those days and my postcard didn’t arrive til I returned. )
Meanwhile I was having a wonderful time with Jacinta. We hitched a ride ( with Jacinta’s mum Auntie Anne) to Kilcar and stayed in the home where Dad and all the family had been brought up. Mary Anne made us very welcome with a cooked a meal and seaweed soup! At 10pm we went to a bar down the road to listen to a band and then back at the house all the women and girls crowded into two beds to sleep Mary Anne, Anne, Jacinta, Me, Martina and Mai !
The next day I went to the Irish School with Jacinta in Teelin and stayed in a dormitory with all the girls. I was told not to speak English when the teachers were around so I just kept a low profile! We had fun at the local dance and the following day at a folk festival nearby. I can’t remember how I got back to the airport or anything about the flight back but I will never forget my exciting adventure in Donegal and the friendliness of all the family.
Son Tony’s memories:
I was too young to have any memories of my Dad but I have memories of his sister Auntie Genevieve and her husband Jack. They were good fun and often visited us and we always got a Christmas present. Mum used to also get a gift for us all sent from Auntie Lelia in New York. We all had to write Thank you letters. I remember she came to visit one year with Genevieve.
August 1973 My visit to Ireland with Fr. Sean is rather disjointed. I remember going to Dublin’s Croke Park to watch a game. The car was full and we got stopped at the border by the army. In Kilcar I remember Martina and her older brothers and also meeting a couple of cousins from America. One of them was really proud of his new camera. I also remember going for a ride on a tractor to see a Bruce Lee film and that’s about it!
FAMILY FACTS
28th February 1976 Kevin O'Donnell (Junior) married Elaine Saunders at St Columbus Church in Hull (Photo above)
They have two children and four grandchildren:
7th March 1980 - Emily Sián O'Donnell. (Granddaughter to Frank)
Grandchildren:
22nd January 2006. Phoebe Caitlyn Rice born to Emily and Craig Rice (Great Granddaughter to Frank)
2nd May 2008 Chloe Frances Rice born to Emily and Craig Rice. (Great Granddaughter to Frank)
21st February 1983 Philippa (Pippa) Louise. Granddaughter to Frank
29th September 2012 Tobias (Toby) James Collett born to Pippa and Adam . (Great Grandson to Frank)
2nd June 2015 Edward (Eddie) George Collett born to Pippa and Adam ( Great Grandson to Frank)
20th April 1974 Moira O’Donnell married Stan Monahan (Photo attached)
Father Sean O'Donnell was the celebrant. They married at St Patrick's the scene of many a family occasion. (Our mum and her mother before her were house keepers at the presbytery for many years.)
Two children and four grandchildren:
2nd October 1974 Daniel (Dan) Paul Monahan (Grandson to Frank)
23rd February 2006 Henry Daniel Monahan born to Daniel and Cathy Monahan ( Great grandson to Frank)
25th July 2008 Martha Grace Monahan born to Daniel and Cathy (Great Granddaughter to Frank)
11th July 2013 Archie Monahan born to Daniel and Cathy ( Great grandson to Frank)
27th August 1982 Joseph (Joe) Francis Monahan ( Grandson to Frank)
9th August 2007 Chance Darcy Monahan born to Joseph and Katy ( Great grandson to Frank)
1983 Tony met Ann Brannon the love of his life whilst working together for B&Q in Hull
16th May1987 Anthony (Tony) O'Donnell married Ann Brannon (Photo attached)
(Genevieve and Jack came to the wedding)
23rd December 1991 Ann O'Donnell died
4th June 2015 Sheila O'Donnell passed away peacefully in her sleep after a long illness. Aged 86 Her ashes are buried with her husband Frank. Reunited after 53 years.
15th January 2017 Stan Monahan. Moira's husband died after a week in hospital following a sudden heart attack. He never regained consciousness.