Jeanne began looking for information about her great grandfather James Flynn, a national teacher in Drumlish, County Longford. Born in 1849 in Aughnacliffe, Granard, Longford, he married Catherine Conboy of Leitrim in July 1886 at the local Catholic church in Bornacoola. They went on to have 11 children.
Pictured below is Grandfather John Flynn, son of James, (1897-1965) at his bar in Kew Gardens, NYC, c. 1940s. He left Ireland in 1921.
Jeanne and her first cousin wanted to find the location of the school and the burial place of James. They knew her was alive at age 62 in 1911 Census and that he died on the 14th March 1922 in Carton, Drumlish. Her great-grandmother Catherine (nee Conboy) died 7 years earlier on 8th April 1915 and is buried in Drumlish Old Cemetry with their daughter Susan Josephine Flynn also a national school teacher.
Old Drumlish Cemetery grave of Joanne's maternal great Grandmother Catherine (Kate) Conboy Flynn, 1865-1915. Erected by her husband, James, and children.
Local volunteers David Leahy and Annette Keane had been instrumental in collecting the background information and connected Jeanne with locals Colm Harte, a retired priciple, Fr. Sean Casey the parish priest and Eugene Devaney. Jeanne was able to witness the Dooroc School built in 1888 where her Great grandfather James Flynn was a teacher and later ncipal and the old school desk.
The Dooroc School, built 1888, where Great Grandfather, James Flynn, (1849-1922) was a teacher & later Principal and his daughter, Susan J. Flynn (1887-?), taught. Old school desk. The temporary school, which this building replaced, was housed on Francis Flynn’s land, perhaps in the family house. Schoolhouse photos courtesy of Eugene Devaney.