Memories of Catherine Tynan the Tynan family History

Told to Katherine Punch

 by her mother Catherine Tynan in 1972

·       My Great Grandmothers name was Catherine Flood married to Martin Doran.

·       My Grandmothers name was Mary Doran and was married to Joe Tynan from Ardaloo

·       My name is Catherine Tynan and  I was married to Michael Vincent Gallivan

      Catherine Flood Doran hated her mode of living in Ireland. She wanted to come to America and make a fresh start. She and her husband were offered by the landlord free passage out and some extra money, but Martin Doran would not leave Ireland and that settled it. He was a landscape gardener, terribly poor and terribly proud. In later years he was timekeeper at the Infirmary in Castlecomer. Catherine Flood was from Kilkenny Town. The “Landlord” of the Doran property was the Wandesforde Family. The Wandesforde house was a big house with tennis courts. She said the Wandesforde family owned the bank. Her grandfather paid “half a crown” rent every three months.

   The Tynan’s lived on a tiny farm in Dunmore. Joseph Tynan my father was a lover of horses. He'd go to the “Devils Bit” for a horse. He was very intimate with a well to do young man who was kind of crippled but had all kinds of money for horses. Shine was his name and they made their money on a sugar plantation they owned and ran with slaves in the early days of South America, They came back wealthy and had horses they got for nothing and had a beautiful house in Kilkenny. Joseph Tynan died after only being married nine years. I don't remember my father he was in the hospital in Kilkenny for a year or two. He was not at home was sick all the time. Four of Joseph Tynan and Mary Doran’s children died of diphtheria in a week they all were waked at the same time in December 1878. It was her whole family at that time that died.  Catherine Mary and Joseph were born her children that lived. The Tynan’s lived in the gatehouse of a large estate on a canal. “The Shines” who owned it were a family who “made their money on the backs of slaves” .They had owned a plantation in Jamaica and returned to Ireland to live when the slave trade was abolished. “The Shines: may be a family name or a word to describe the wealthy! Joseph Tynan’s father was from Ardaloo and his sister Biddy lived in Ardaloo. Catherine Tynan left Ireland in 1900 for Belgium. She had directions from her employer to embark from Kingstown for Enver. She had never heard of Enver so she went to all the learned men of the village, the bank manager and Postmaster. They had never heard of Enver, but she decided to go anyhow. Not until she was on the boat crossing the Irish Sea did she discover that it was the French word for Antwerp. She was nineteen years old trying to look twenty one which was supposed to be the age required for her employment and had never been on a train before. She had to wear a red hanky so she would be recognized. They drove seven miles in an open carriage with a coachman and a footman. She said when she saw them she began to get scared. She arrived at a large Castle with wide tree bordered drives which was beautiful, and magnificent. She wore a serge grey dress and a “sac” coat. Katy Tynan had begun her travels. She worked for Baroness Fallon at Chateau Thierry from 1900-1901 moved with them to Holland 1901-1902 then to Antwerp Belgium 1902-1903. The children were Germaine about 12 nicknamed “Memine” and Charles 9 nicknamed “Cocotte”.

Notes: Tynan

Knickerbocker hotel built in 1906. Astor had an interest. The Astoria was built in

 1897.

 Broadway at ^42nd Street. Caruso sang from his balcony at hotel.

The ball dropping at New Years Eve began in 1906

The drink, The Martini was created by head waiter Martini di Arma de Taggia of Knickerbockers famous hotel. Created for John D. Rockefeller in 1910.

Madeleine Force(?) married John Jacob Astor in 1911. He was aged 48. She was 18. They were on the Titanic when it sank in 1912. She was saved but Rockefeller drowned.

MARY TYNAN (Mothers sister) From records at Ellis Island.

Name	Mary Tynan
Ethnicity	Irish
Place of residence	Castlecomer
Date	November 18, 1898
Age	20
Gender      F
Marital status	S
Ship of travel	Majestic
Port of departure	Queenstown, Cork, Munster, Ireland.

KATIE TYNAN (From records at Ellis Island)

Name	Katie Tynan
Ethnicity	Irish
Place of residence	Antwerp
Date of arrival February 18, 1903
Age of arrival	23
Gender     F
Marital Status	S
Ship of travel	Vaderland
Port of departure	Antwerp

NAME TYNAN Teimhneain Tinan Kilkenny numerous all areas especially Kilkenny-Laois‑

Tipperary. Originated in Laois. See also name Tiunan 75 families.