Thomas Rourke and Mary Byrne were my great grandparents.they had eight children,the younger two being Dennis and Mai.they lived at the Harbour in Athy. It was my understanding that Thomas was the lock keeper until his death in approx 1933.He is buried in the Thomas Moran family plot,Thomas Moran was his son in law and his wife Lizzie died about six months before her dad Thomas Rourke.Mary had to vacate the Harbour after Thomas's death but was offered a house in her sons name Tom in Inchicore the 5th lock.Mary was devoted to her husband and he was affectionately known to the family as Da.Mary moved to Dublin but brought with her some of the children who had been left motherless by the death of Lizzie, my mother was one of the children raised by her Granny. The lock house was taken over in due time by Mai and her husband,and Mary having moved a couple of times settled in a flat in James street where she died in 1947. Mary is buried in Athy with her husband Thomas her daughter Lizzie and some other members of the Moran side.The sons married,Paddy to Mag Haslem. Tom to Janey Brown. Joe to Mag Leary. Fran to Katie Cunningham.Mick to Annie Carpenter,Jim to Mary King, Dinny to Julia O Brien, Mai to Dan O Brien.Eliz to Tommy Moran.Some of the lads lived in Dublin to work but went home to Athy the week end,some settled in Dublin.Mick Jim and Dinny had no children.Some of the lads names are in the heritage centre in Athy as they were active during the troubles.
Edit: I stand corrected regarding Da,my brother phoned me to say Da was a stablesman the stables were in fact over near the Harbour,Perhaps he worked on the lock along with the stables? And I just want to say there is a photo of Granny in a Island of Ireland book at the heritage centre in Athy.
