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Timothy Flynn
17th March 1878 - 5th January 1916
Page managed by Timothy's Great Grand Daughter, Judie Russell
with special thanks to Eiblis White (née Flynn) and Charles Hayes
Early Life
Timothy was born in Carrignavar, County Cork in the spring of 1878. Ireland was still under British Rule and The Great Famine had come to an end just 28 years prior. The price of food had increased and so Irish farmers raised their prices and were doing well. Timothy's father, James, is recorded as a 'farmer'.
However, the 'food-bubble' burst a year after Timothy was born. There were poor harvests for three consecutive years and the landlords would not reduce the taxes. Many farmers found they could not pay their rent and were evicted from their cottages. I wonder if this affected Timothy's upbringing because it certainly had an effect on the Irish State. During Timothy's life, he would have witnessed the people splintered into several groups with differing opinions on the future of Ireland.
Married Life
Timothy married Minnie Lyons in 1907. Around this time in Ireland, the average age for men to marry was about 22 and about 20 for women. Timothy was 29 and Minnie was 26 so they were older than most to tie the knot. They were married in Aghada and Minnie was later buried in Aghada so I assume that that's where Minnie was from.
Nowadays, you can drive from Carignavar to Aghada in 40 minutes. But at that time in Ireland, cars were extremely expensive and in 1904, only 38 motor vehicles were registered. So how did they meet each other and how did they maintain a relationship before they were married? The types of transport available were walking or horse riding. It would have taken almost 9 hours to walk!
Minnie and Timothy Flynn had five children
Maud, Jo, Lizette, Tim and Patrick
(unsure of the correct order and which child is in the first picture below)
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Working Life
Timothy's mother, Anne Coleman, had been a vintner and this may have been what drew Timothy and Minnie to renting a pub in Cobh, or Queenstown at that time, called The Holy Ground. His story may have tapered off there and into a peaceful retirement but Timothy had other plans and this tale is best told by Charles Hayes in the story below. The image Charles is referring to from the Cork Examiner is at the top of this page.
After His Death
Timothy's medal record noted him killed in action on 5th January 1916, the day before his wife's, Minnie's, 35th birthday.
The Church of Ireland asked Minnie to vacate their house and The Earl Hague Fund {the Poppy Appeal} also turned down the request for financial help because Timothy was an Irish “volunteer”. Minnie couldn't raise all of her children so Jo went to live with Minnie's stepsisters.
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