Delia Cooney (abt. 1894)

The following is not an extract from a Catherine Cookson novel.....

Delia was married to Thomas Carroll and had two children, Teresa Bridget, born April '21 and died Sep '21 of diahrrea (note death recorded as Bridget Teresa not Teresa Bridget) and John Carroll. Not a 'peaceful' marriage as shown by entries in Irish Petty Sessions documents (several failure to provide for wife and children, drunk and disorderly in a public street and assaults of Delia going back to 1920, also in January 1921 when Delia would have been ~5mths pregnant and applications for maintenance by Delia - after a number of 10 shilling fines, he was sentenced to one month in Sligo Gaol with hard labour 21/7/1921 - mind you Delia was also 'up before the Beak' on 24/5/1921 for the 'unlawful use of abusive and scandulous language' directed at the sister- and mother-in-law! She was on the receiving end from her in laws too it seems! (Irish Petty Sessions Order Books 2004/85/1, CSPS 1/877). A similar series of events happened in September 1921, interestingly the same time as Delia's daughter died. Interesting family....

Her sister, Margaret, had married, was married to Thomas Henry Augustin Bannon and living in Drumgooland, Down. Whilst her sister was pregnant having her son James, Delia left her husband, Thomas Carroll and her child and moved to Down to help her sister through the birth. However, she formed a relationship with Thomas Henry that resulted in them hastily departing Ireland for Scotland where Delia gave birth to twins, Florence, my aunt, and my father Daniel, then to another daughter Eva. Delia and Thomas never married, indeed shortly after the birth of Eva, Delia left Thomas Henry Bannon and returned to Ireland back to her husband Thomas Carroll and had three further children with him.

Footnotes:

• The birth certificates of my father and aunt show Margaret's and Delia's sister, Mary, as being their mother, in an effort to cover up no doubt.
• Delia remained married to Thomas Cooney throughout this period.
• The births of Delia's and Thomas Bannon's children are technically out of wedlock