Write a commentOne of the many tragic stories of local passengers who died in the Connemara Retriever disaster one hundred years ago tomorrow.
Frontier Sentinel 11th November 1916
Mr Patrick John Kearney (whose body has been recovered) and Miss Katherine Kearney, son and daughter of Mr Charles Kearney, principal teacher of the Drumilly National School, near Whitecross, Co Armagh.
The deceased young man had just completed his training in Waterford for a national school teacher, and the deceased young lady was an assistant in her father's school. Both were en route for Liverpool to meet a married sister, who was due to arrive in that city on Saturday on a visit from America, where she resided for a number of years.
While waiting at the Edward Street Railway Station, Newry on Friday evening for the departure of the boat train for Greenore, Mr. and Miss Kearney had a conversation with Sergeant Fitzpatrick, R.I.C., Newry, who is constantly on train duty at the Station. He advised Mr. Kearney the in all probability the Greenore boat would not sail, the weather being so wild, and that he should go to Dublin. Mr Kearney hesitated and then said he would abide by the spin of the coin. He spun a penny in the air, and on the result decided to go by Greenore. The police sergeant remarking the the chance of the coin might be unlucky still advised him to alter his route, but Mr. Kearney persisted in going by Greenore, adding that an aquaintance was to meet him on the arrival of the Greenore boat, and that he would not like to disappoint. In less than twelve hours his body was washed ashore at Cranfield.
