Nellie (O'Sullivan) Hargaden

My mother's cousin, Ellen O’Sullivan, daughter of Michael O'Sullivan and Catherine McDermott,  was born on 24 February 1903 and was baptized on 1 March 1903.  Her godparents were Peter McDermott and Margaret O’Sullivan.  Ellen lived at home with her parents and her brother David.  After the death of her mother in 1954 Ellen would have been the sole resident of 13 Marina Terrace.  Of her 5 brothers, Patrick, Peter, Michael, and David had died.  John Joseph had been ordained as a Capuchin friar and was living in Raheny, Dublin.   Of her 3 sisters, Mary Catherine (Sister Annunciata) had died and was buried in Lagos, Nigeria, Catherine was a Poor Clare nun and Margaret Mary was married.

Barney, circa 1928

It made sense then that, Ellen, known as Nellie,  married at St. Finbarr’s in Cork City on 10 September 1955[1]  Bernard (Barney) Hargaden, a widower and retired Garda.  She and Barney lived in the O’Sullivan family home at 13 Marina Terrace, Albert Road, Cork. 

In 1961 Barney retired after 39 years with the Garda Siochana.  He was looking forward to spending more time on his favorite pastime, fishing.  Superintendent Delaney, who made the retirement presentation was the first sergeant he had served under in Fermoy, County Cork.  He was presented with a fishing outfit as a token of respect by his colleagues at McCurtain Street Barracks.

The United States Lines vessel America arrived at Cobh on the afternoon of June 29 and 170 passengers embarked before resuming her voyage to New York City.  Sailing from Cobh were Barney and Nellie Hargaden.  They would be spending three months visiting relatives in the US. 

 In March 1969 Nellie won a brand new Ford Capri!  On Sunday 9 February 1969 the Sunday Independent offered the Prize of a Lifetime, ermine white with blue upholstery, as the prize for a single winner in their weekly Fashion Contest.  While the paper had offered cash prizes and various appliances, and even a British Morris Minor, the Ford Capri was new to the European market and had been reviewed extensively in the newspapers.  All the contestants had to do was take fashion pictures and arrange them in first, second, third place, etc., as to their preference.  There was a fee to enter, and competitors could submit as many entries as they wish.  On Sunday, 9 February the fashions displayed were suede and leather garments from June and Peter Morris of Wicklow Street and Henry Street, Dublin.  There were 4 winners in contest #841, but since there was no single winner, they shared a cash prize of 200 pounds and the awarding of the Capri was held over for the next week.  On Sunday, 16 February the fashions displayed were ladies skirt and trousers suits, Hetty Models available at House of Cassidy and stores throughout the country.  In this contest (#842) there were 17 winners who shared the cash prize of 200 pounds and once again, the awarding of the Capri was held over.  On Sunday, 16 February there were 9 photos displayed of young girls’ coats and dresses, manufactured by Cinderella Ltd, Shamrock Villas, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6.  And this time, in contest #843,  there was only one winner, Mrs. Nellie Hargaden of 13 Marina Terrace, Albert Road, Cork!  Nellie worked for many years at Roche’s store in Cork.  Did this give her an advantage on the fashion front?  Barney and Nellie traveled up to Dublin to pick up their new wheels.[2]

Barney Hargaden was born 7 April 1898, at Carrigeenblike, County Sligo, son of Thomas and Maria (Coen) Hargaden.   As a young man, Barney joined the Garda Siochana in 1923 and was originally stationed in Fermoy, County Cork, where he first married Ellen, born 26 July 1901, daughter of Thomas and Mary (O’Mahoney) Lomasney on 3 September 1929.  Ellen (Lomasney) Hargaden died 24 October 1931 of nephritis, pregnancy and oedema of the lungs.

Barney died on 22 February 1991 and was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery, Charleville.  Ellen O'Sullivan Hargaden died on 28 January 1996, at the Catherine McAuley Nursing Home in Charleville, County Cork. Her funeral was held at Holy Cross Church, Charleville, the following day, followed by burial in the Holy Cross Cemetery.  She was 92 years old, the longest lived of her siblings.

 [1] Although Nellie’s marriage record is not yet available on irishgenealogy.ie, notation was made of this date and the name of the church on her baptismal record.

[2] My family owned a yellow Ford Capri when I was in high school, which would have been right around the same time.

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