Richard O'Hara took sons Richard (10-12 yrs) and Patrick (8-10) to US, early 1930s
I don't know where to start this story, it seems so sad and unreal to
me, how little i know about my family and myself. It reads like a bad
movie script but apparently it's true. I hope it makes some sense to
someone. Shortly before my father died he informed me that he had some
half brothers that our family never knew about.
Well here goes ... my father, George O'Hara was born
4th june 1928 in Dublin Ireand. He was born outside of wedlock; both
his parents had been recently widowed and became a couple for a few
years but later broke up and he was reared by his mother (first
marriage name Conway, maiden name Uzell).
His father was Richard O'Hara (unknown age) who had two sons from his
first marriage. Their names were Richard and Patrick O'Hara born in the
late 1910's or early 1920's. Their birth mother had died giving birth
and they were removed from their fathers care by the Irish State and
placed in Artane Industrial School - a shamefull practice from
Ireland's recent history which has shocked my nation because of the
abuse suffered by individuals in these institutions.
When wy father was only 2 or 3 years old (circa
1930/3) his father Richard broke his two other sons, Richard roughly
aged 10-12 and Patrick roughly aged 8-10 out of the industrial school
and tried to take my father from his mother's home but she managed to
chase him away and never seen him again. At this point it is believed
that his father took the other boys to the United States, unknown
location, as this is what my father was told by other members of his
family.
So if anyone knows of a Richard O'Hara who
immigrated to the United States with his two sons Richard (10-12
yrs)and Patrick (8-10) in the early 1930s and came from Dublin, Ireland
with what some might think are tall tales like the one I have recited,
could they please contact me. I know these peolpe are most likely
deceased as my father was 77 years old when he told me this story
before he died, but they may have had families that are still alive.
It amazes me and saddens me to the bottom of my hearth how little I know about my family only one generation back.
Dermot O'Hara