How the Big Flu hit Iveleary

WITH the ever-present cloud of COVID-19 hanging over us, people have a renewed interest in previous pandemics, in particular the last one to have spread worldwide with devastating consequences just over 100 years ago.

Caused by an influenza virus, it resulted in the deaths of 20 to 40 million people globally and over 23,000 in Ireland. News of the pandemic, which struck the world in early summer 1918 while WWI was still raging, was censored by the countries involved in the War in order to maintain morale, but was first reported in neutral Spain and consequently became known as the ‘Spanish Flu’. In Ireland it was called The Big Flu.

Unlike the current pandemic, mortality was high among very young children and also among healthy young adults. Three waves of the disease have been identified in Ireland, the first occurring early in the summer of 1918, the second in the autumn of that year and the third in the spring of 1919.

It was reported first in Irish newspapers in early June 1918 in Belfast, and soon spread to Dublin, Cork and other urban areas but had abated by the end of July.

Fortunately, no deaths were reported in Iveleary in this first wave. By early October 1918, the second wave arrived and exacted a large death toll throughout the country, particularly in Leinster and Ulster, and less so in Munster.

The Iveleary civil records show that three deaths due to the Flu occurred during November and December, while local information has identified two others from the parish who died in Cork. These were brothers Jerome and Daniel Corcoran, aged 18 and 17 respectively, who died in the South Infirmary Hospital.

The two eldest sons of Timothy and Bridget Corcoran, owners of what is now Creedon’s Hotel in Inchigeelagh, these two boys tragically died within a week of each other. Jerome, a medical student, died on November 2 and Daniel, a chemist’s apprentice, on November 9, the cause of death in each case being influenza and bronchopneumonia.

On November 16, John Boyle, a 28-year-old farmer’s son, died in Derrananig, following influenza of one week and pneumonia of four days’ duration; Mary Boyle, his sister, who was present at death, was the informant.

Two days later on November 18, Jeremiah O’Leary, a fiftyyearfarmer from Currahy, passed away, the cause being influenza of five days’ and pneumonia of four days’ duration; the informant in this case was his daughter, Mary, who was present at his death.

Over two weeks later on December 14, Julia O’Leary from Rossmore, a 14-year-old farmer’s daughter, died of influenza and pneumonia, both of four days’ duration; her father Tim, who was present at her death, was the informant.

Unlike the management of the current pandemic, the response by the authorities to the Spanish Flu was haphazard and unco-ordinated.

Some school managers decided to close schools in some areas for a period of time, and some large events were cancelled, but generally workplaces remained open unless the numbers who were ill made the continuation of work impossible.

By January 1919, the country was optimistic that the worst was over and things were beginning to look up, with the opening session of Dáil Éireann takingplace on January 21 and the 1918 All-Ireland Hurling Final, which had been postponed from the previous autumn, played on January 26. However, the third wave in February exacted a large toll on the country in general and on our parish in particular.

Early in its onslaught, at the Inchigeelagh side of the parish, two people died. On February 16, a 55-year-old farmer, William Taylor from Gurtaveredied, succumbed to influenza of four days’ duration and bronchopneumonia of three days’ duration; the informant was his daughter, Maria, who was present at his death.

On 20 February, John Kearney,

a 51-year-old mason from Cappanclare, died of pneumonia lasting 12 days and cardiac failure, his widow, Nora, being the informant.

Over a 10-day period beginning on March 9, eight further deaths were recorded.

Tragically a mother and daughter from the same family died within a few days of each other at the western end of the parish: Margaret and Kate Leary of Rossalougha, aged 43 and 17 respectively, passed away on March 9 and March 14 respectively. The informant in both cases was farmer Batt Leary, husband of the former and father of the latter. They both had endured influenza for three days and pneumonia for two days.

Meanwhile, Mary Riordan, a 40-year-old labourer’s daughter from Inchibeg, died on March 11 of probable influenza, but as there was no medical attendant, this was not certified. William Riordan was the informant, presumably her father or brother, although this is not stated on her death record.

On the same date that Kate Leary died, March 14, Cornelius Riordan, a 67-year-old farmer from Carrignadoura, also passed away of influenza that lasted one week and, ultimately, cardiac failure; the informant was his widow, Mary, who was present at his death.

The death records state that on the following day, Denis McCarthy, a 29-year-old unmarried labourer, died in Bawngarriff of influenza of four days’ duration and pneumonia of five days’. The informant was Margaret McCarthy, of Currahy, who was present at his death.

On St Patrick’s Day, two deaths occurred. One was that of Jeremiah Murray of Derrinclodig, a 34-year-old farmer’s son, who died of influenza of four days’ duration and septic pneumonia which lasted ten days. The informant was his brother, Tom Murray, who was present at his death.

On the same day, Dan Twomey from nearby Lyrnageehy, an unmarried labourer of 50 years of age, died in the infirmary in Macroom of influenza and bronchitis lasting 14 days.

On the following day, March 18, 1919, the last recorded victim of the Big Flu in the parish died. He was Jeremiah Sullivan, a 24-year-old farmer’s son from Tooreenaneen, who died of influenza and pneumonia of five days’ duration. The informant was Eugene Sullivan, who was present at his death.

During the four-month period between the first and last of these deaths, 24 deaths in total were recorded for the parish; influenza and/or pneumonia is registered as a cause of death for 15 individuals.

Thus, it appears that the Big Flu accounted for 62 per cent of deaths in the parish during these four months. There may have been more people from our parish who died as a result of this pandemic while outside of the parish, such as the two young Corcoran brothers mentioned above.

For example, we know from the memoirs of Abbey Cronin (née Moynihan) from Insebeg, Keimaneigh, that her sister, Julia, died ‘from the bad flu’ in Carraroe, County Galway, where she worked as a teacher.

No doubt there were also many survivors of the pandemic and people who lived through it who passed on stories of that frightening time to subsequent generations.

The War of Independence and Civil War that followed this pandemic in Ireland may have served to overshadow what was a devastating period in the lives of ordinary Irish people, to the extent that it was undocumented and almost forgotten.

Just as the people who have passed away in the present pandemic must not be forgotten, it is also important to remember those in our families and parish who died due to the Big Flu of 1918–19.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha dílse.

If you have any stories of life during the Big Flu pandemic that you would like to pass on, or any information on those who died, contact Marian at 087 764 2465 or Seán Ó Súilleabháin at 087 236 8958.

Míle buíochas.

Tragically a mother and daughter from the same family died within a few days of each other at the western end of the parish: Margaret and Kate Leary of Rossalougha, aged 43 and 17, passed away on March 9 and March 14 respectively. The informant in both cases was farmer Batt Leary, husband of the former and father of the latter. They both endured influenza for three days and pneumonia for two.