Mr Michael McEvoy was born in Farraneglish Glebe, Cuffsborough, Queen's County (modern day Co Laois), Ireland around 1892.
He was the youngest child of John McEvoy (b. 1844), a farmer, and Bridget Rafter (b. circa 1850). His known siblings were: Patrick (b. 1867), Martin (b. 1878), Mary (b. 1880), Anne (b. 1882), Thomas (b. 1884), James (b. 1886), Catherine (b. 1888) and John (b. 1890).
The family, who were Roman Catholic, appear on the 1901 census living at house 2 in Farraneglish and on the 1911 census at house 1. Michael is not listed with his family on the latter record and his whereabouts at the time are uncertain although he is believed to have been living and working in Kilmacanoge 1, Co Wicklow, a small village just south of Dublin City.
Michael boarded the Titanic at Queenstown as a third class passenger (joint ticket number 36568 which cost £15, 10s). He was travelling with Dublin-born Norah Murphy, a lady over ten years his senior and it has been suggested that they were lovers. Their intended destination was 231 East 50th Street in New York. Michael had a sister already in the USA, Annie Deegan, who had emigrated in 1903 and resided in Norristown, Pennsylvania; it is believed that it was she so sent the money for Michael's ticket.
Michael McEvoy died in the sinking and his body, if recovered, was never identified. Norah Murphy was among the rescued.
His sister in Pennsylvania, Annie, remained living in Pennsylvania and had three daughters, Lizzie, Mary and Annie. She was reportedly shunned by her family back in Ireland who in part blamed her for the loss of Michael. In widowhood, however, she was joined in America by her brother James who emigrated in 1920 and worked in the steel mills, later marrying an Irish woman named Rose. Annie and James are believed to have remained living in Pennsylvania but what became of them is not known. Likewise, the eventual fate of Michael's family back in Ireland is not certain.
Michael McEvoy is remembered on a tablet that is built into the wall at the farm where he lived in Farreneglish Ballacolla County Laois, Ireland.
(Photo: Trevor Baxter)
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Michael was the youngest of eight children born to John and Bridget McEvoy. He was from Ballycolla, County Laois, Ireland. Michael, at the age of nineteen, met and fell in love with Norah Murphy, who at 34 was fifteen years his senior. His family didn't approve of this relationship, particularly since Norah had already been divorced. It appears as though both of them ran away from their respective homes in order to carry on their relationship in the larger city of Dublin. His 30 year old sister Annie Deegan, who worked in Norristown, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, sent him over the money to come to America, and Michael paid for the tickets for the two of them. Michael and Norah booked their passage on the Titanic, where Michael perished. Norah was saved. Following the tragedy, the McEvoys removed Michael's name from their family history, still angry and upset over his relationship with an older divorced woman, and similary shunned Annie for having sent him the money so he and his...
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I was curious about your info. on Michael McEvoy. His 30 year old Sister was my Grandmother, who sent him the Money. Back in those days, it was frowned upon or actually illegal, for Women to travel alone. I have tried on a number of occasions, to contact Relatives from Ballacolla, but to no avail. I was in Ireland about 10 Years ago in the village of Ballacolla, but found no McEvoys. We went to Abbeyleix and I saw a Storefront with the Name McEvoy, but it was a Sunday and they were closed.
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I was curious as to where you had gotten your info. My grandmother, was his sister, who had sent him the money to come over. I had heard that my grand- mother's parents had shunned her, but nothing about Michael being removed from the family history. Are there any McEvoys left in Ballacolla or County Laois from this Family?
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Ballacolla is in county Laois, ireland . there are mcevoys in that parish
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There are McEvoys at a crossroads called( The Four Roads) near Ballacolla town
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Sorry I took so long to get back to you. I was under the weather for a while, but doing good now! Anyhow I was wondering if you had any connections to the McEvoys at this location (The Four Roads), near Ballacolla. Let me know if we are related. I've been trying to get info. on them for quite some time.
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Trying to find out if James McEvoy is from the same Family. Let me know if any McEvoys from Ballacolla still survive.
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I am Mary McEvoy, my father was James McEvoy,my grandfather John McEvoy, lived in the house at trumra which was previously lived in by Michael's family. I am told Michael was a distant cousin of my dad. Some Family still live at crossroads.
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I'm Jo Murphy I'm related to Michael. He's my great great uncle. 814-726-3289 ask for Mary
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Hi Mary, Maybe we're related. Michael McEvoy was my great-great Uncle. His sister, Annie Deegan, was my great grandmother.
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My name is Eugene McSweeney, I grew up in Portlaoise, Co Laois. my mother told me that her Mother Mary Anne Dempsey cousin's Michael McEvoy perished on the Titanic. Mary Anne Dempsey's mother name was Margaret Brophy. They were from Portlaoise, The Ridge Road. I cannot find any family connection so far but if anyone has any I would be delighted to hear from them.
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