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The Dowling's

Our Paternal Great-grandparents and Family
Standing L to R ; Julie, Philip, Great grandpa William, Charlotte, Jack and Charles
Seated; Frank, Great grandma Mary, May and Willie

This is a studio photo of my mothers father's (my great grandfather) complete family. 17 Parnell Place, Harolds Cross, Dublin is where they lived alongside their Dowling cousins, whose parents were also Dowling first cousins. Charlotte, the youngest, was about 15 and my grandfather (in Eton collar, knickerbockers and laced boots) about 16 years old, he was about 23 or 24 when he married my grandmother in 1914. Great-Uncle Willy and Great-Aunty Charlotte were Uncle Franks godparents in 1915. Gt.Aunty Julie married Willie Marmion, a nephew of Dom Columbia Marmion who is to be beatified this year. Julie died in 1940 and Willie in 1973; they had no children. Gt.Uncle Philip was married to Auntie Jennie; their survivors are cousins Sheila, Brian (who lives in lives in N. England) and Philip. Sheila (Mrs. Maguire) is a widow. Great Grandma Trimby and Uncle Frank used to meet Gt.Uncle Philip when he visited Limerick to audit the books of the main newspaper. Gt.Uncle Willie married Mai Kelly and their eventful life is fully narrated by his daughter (our 2nd cousin Kitty) in her book HOW FAR HOME? Gt.Auntie Charlotte married Mai Kelly's brother Austin (Austie). Gt.Uncle Jack and Gt.Auntie May never married married. For some years they shared their parents home with Gt.Aunty Julie and Gt.Uncle Willie Marmiom and Gt.Auntie Charlotte and family. They then lived with Julie and Willie at EVORA, Howth, until Gt.Auntie Julie died in 1940, when they then moved to Clontarf Kincora Rd., where Gt.Uncle Austie, Gt.Auntie Charlotte and family later joined them from Belgrove Rd .Uncle Frank is the eldest of the grandchildren: about 1929- with Jack (Uncle Willies eldest son) and Willie ( Gt.Uncle Philip's eldest) he spent Summer Hols at his cousin the GRIFFINS' farm at Carberstown, Trim, Co. Meath. the younger Griffins were Mick, Vinnie and Nancy, In 1968 when John and Uncle Frank did a tour of Ireland Mick and Nancy were still in Carberstown : we visited Vinnie and family at Enfield, Co. Meath; regrettably Vinnie has since died. One of Sheila's sons is married to Vinnies daughter. I don't know a lot about Great Uncle Frank. Uncle Frank remembers a photo of him at Fermoy, in a very' Snowy' place (America or Canada). He also recall hearing that about 1920 he was running an American tyre company business in Shanghai. For this historical record we are indebted to 2nd cousin Charlotte Coleman (Auntie Charlottes younger daughter (is this right?). She and her husband. Peter live in Blackrock Co. Louth. They intend going to Rome for Dom Columbia Marmion beatification Gt.Uncle Willie attended our Grandmothers funeral in 1948. Gt.Auntie May and cousin Philip attended our Grandfather's funeral in 1951.

My Thanks to my late Uncle Frank Dowling (RIP) for the information 

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