3. Padraig & Nora O’Keeffe | Glountane, near Castleisland, Co. Kerry, 1958
Nora and Padraig O’Keeffe were two of nine children born to John O’Keeffe of Boherbue, Co. Cork and Margaret O’Callaghan of Doonaslea, near Kiskeam Co. Cork. John was the principal of Glountane National school and he and his family lived in the house adjacent to the school. He was joined in the school by his daughter Nora as an assistant teacher in 1913 and when he died in 1915, his son Padraig became principal of the school. Padraig held that position until he resigned in 1920, after which he lived a life of a travelling music master - now recognized as the last and one of the greatest travelling music masters in the history of Irish traditional music. On 28th November 1918, Nora married Thomas Carmody, a farmer’s son from Knocknagoshel, and their son, Thomas (Sonny) was born in Castleisland on 21st November 1921. On 27th July 1948, Sonny married Eileen Sheehan in Birmingham, England; she was born on 17th September 1925 at Tureencahill, Gneeveguilla, Rathmore, Co. Kerry. Sonny immigrated to the US in 1957, arriving in Detroit, Michigan on 30th January. Eileen and their young children joined him the following year, arriving in Detroit on 3rd March 1958. The family eventually moved to Chicago where they remained for the rest of their lives.
Prior to Eileen’s departure to America in 1958, she and her children joined her in-laws, Nora and Padraig O’Keeffe and neighbors in Glountane, to make a recording of music and song to bring to her husband in America. Among those in attendance that evening were Nora Carmody (née O’Keeffe), Padraig O’Keeffe, Eileen Carmody (Sonny’s wife), Mrs. Sheehan (Eileen’s mother), Andrew (?), Noreen(?), Lizzy (?) and Eileen & Sonny’s young children. |