In 1946, when I was born, the town of Cobh in County Cork, Eire, was home to the Kavanagh family, consisting of Patrick and Bridget, their sons Patrick (my father), Henry, Hugh and Gerald, and daughter Margaret (Peggy), the Belle of Cobh.

Bridget's father was the bare knuckle boxing champion Charles Mitchell. The Kavanaghs were travellers and strolling players, and Patrick had been a partner in the Kavanagh/McCourt Travelling Theatre before WWII. After the war, my father and mother, Maree Kavanagh (nee Woodruff-Bacon) took a show on the road in Ireland again.

Today I live in Australia, having emigrated in 1969. I married and had seven children (just like my Aunty Kathy Kavanagh, Gerald's wife!) and see many Kavanagh characteristics in them.

I am proud to hold such a distinctive and grand old Irish name, and to be part of such a vast worldwide clan.

• Patrick Charles Kavanagh (38 KB)
  Patrik Charles Kavanagh in his army uniform in WWII
• Abigail Maragaret Kavanagh (75 KB)
  Abigail Margaret Kavanagh in Dublin, 1947 in one of the swingboats owned by her father Patrick Charles Kavanagh.

Abigail Margaret Kavanagh
gailkav@yahoo.com

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