Red Annie O'Donnell
Annie was born on 14 August 1903, the second of seven children born to Mary Sweeney and Barney O'Donnell of Loughanure, County Donegal. Annie was not unlike her namesake, her mother's sister Annie Sweeney of Butte, Montana. Like her aunt she was a petite lady but could hold her own against anyone.
Annie O'Donnell about 1925
"Red Annie" O'Donnell had bright red hair and a temper to match.
Annie's sister Fannie was a year and a half older, but having been partially crippled since an accident in childhood, it fell to Annie to help her parents earn a living and raise her younger brothers and sisters. In 1923 Annie embarked a ship to the USA to try her luck there.
Ellis Island records at www.ellisisland.org show Annie arriving there on 1st May 1923 on the turbine steamship T.S.S. Tuscania.
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The T.S.S. TUSCANIA (II) was built by Fairfield Co Ltd, Glasgow
(Ship #595) for the Anchor Line of Glasgow. Maiden voyage 16 September 1922
Glasgow-Moville-New York.
(Note: The original SS Tuscania built in 1914 was the largest and finest ship of the Anchor line but was sunk off the Isle of Islay in 1918 by a German U-boat.) |
| Annie boarded in Londonderry, Ulster (Northern Ireland) with her cousin Bridget O'Donnell. Bridget and Annie disembarked together and are recorded in the ship's manifest on page 171 as passengers 17 and 18 respectively. (Click here to see the original ship's manifest.) They both gave their residence as Dungloe, Ireland, and were going to stay with their cousin Dan Brennan and his wife at 37 West 16th Street, Bayonne, New Jersey. They each arrived with $35 having had their fares paid by their cousin. Annie said she was 22 when in fact she would have been 19. This was presumably to avoid being underage. Bridget was 24. | 
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Arriving in New Jersey Annie soon found work as a housemaid and was able to send
money back to the family in Loughanure, County Donegal. She got engaged to a
young man in New Jersey and in preparation for the wedding returned to Donegal in
1932 to see her family one last time. During this trip she fell for a local man,
Peter Duffy. Although three years her junior (he was born 25 September 1906),
Annie was smitten and on the spur of the moment they decided to get married. As
can be seen from this letter written by Peter to Annie suggesting they get married
- the next day!
| Letter from Peter Duffy to Annie O'Donnell dated 24th September 1932 | |
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Loughanure
24 Sept 1932 Annie Darling It's always a rush with me. I was talking to the Rev. last night and of course explained that I wanted everything done on the q.t. we talked things over and we decided that Sunday morning at 10 o.c. that is an hour before Mass would be the quickest so if you can make it here goes. I suppose you would like to see Jimmy and if so you would need to be in Dungloe before 12 o.c. today. I will be going to Dungloe about 5 this evening, if there is anything in particular you would like to see me for you could send a note with little Paddy. Au-re-voir from yours affectionately Peter |
Presumably they met as agreed. Their marriage certificate is dated 25th September 1932. The two witnesses were James McBride, a relative and long time friend of the groom, and Ellen (Nellie) O'Donnell, Annie's youngest sister.
Annie and Peter Duffy c. 1985
Peter Duffy (left) and his brother Manus in Bayonne, New Jersey
about 1950
Peter Duffy and his younger brother Manus (1908) were born and raised in Bayonne, New Jersey until the untimely loss of their mother on 24 February 1910 to tuberculosis. Their widowed father Neal Duffy returned home to Ireland shortly afterwards with his two young sons. He eventually remarried to Rose Boyle of Loughanure, and her family gave them the Old Boyle House in Loughanure where they raised the boys. Peter was still living in the Old House when Annie met him, and it was later their home when they had a family of their own:
- Roisin Duffy - born 1 September 1934, married Hubert O'Hanlon
- Francess Duffy - born 28 November 1935, married Francis McEleney
- Mary Theresa "Moira" Duffy - born 25 May 1937, married Joe Robinson
- Grace Philomena Duffy, - born 14 May 1939, married Hubert Ward
- Evelyn Duffy - born 12 November 1940, married Jackie McCafferty
- Neil Joseph Duffy - born 21 June 1944, married Breda Fitzgerald