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The funeral of the 18 children killed in the Upper North Street School bombing in 2017. Tralee woman Mary O’Donnell saved many other children from the school.
A TRALEE woman who saved the lives of many schoolchildren during World War 1 will be remembered in London this summer.
Teacher Mary O’Donnell ran into the Upper North Street primary school in the London district of Poplar in 1917 which had been bombed and pulled the children from the burning building. However, 18 children perished in the bombing.
She was later awarded the OBE for her bravery. A special 100th anniversary commemoration is taking place this summer and organisers are trying to track down Mary’s Kerry relatives.
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They contacted Kerry genealogy researcher Martine Brennan last year and she is asking the public for help.
Mary was born in Tralee in 1881 to father Michael O’Donnell from Annascaul, and mother Julia Hanafin from Rathass, Tralee.
The family left for London before 1901. In London Mary later married Rueben Montague Cunnington.
The Upper North Street Group want to invite Mary’s family to the ceremony.
There were Hannafins living in Rathass in 1901 who are possibly the family of Julia Hannafin, Mary’s mother.
Michael O’Donnell and Julia Hannafin also appear as the godparents of a girl called Mary Shea of Rathass in 1881 whose parents were John Shea and Mary Hannifin.
If you can shed any light on finding Mary’s relatives, email mbrennankerry@gmail.com
