Frances Gallagher

Fanny Gallagher was born Stramore, Glendowan, Co Donegal abt 1848, the daughter of Hugh Gallagher and Anne Doherty. Her father was a hedge school teacher and shop owner and Fanny followed in his steps, leading to her being employed as a teacher at the Drumsallagh National School No 2527 from April 1862 to the end of tem Dec 1865.

Average for the school in 1864 - 39 pupils. The Head Teacher was Bridget Fullerton  (now Coleman).
Fanny Gallagher 1/4/1862 (date she began teaching?)

Quarter ending / Amount paid     
31/3/64  = £1-10s-0p                               
30 Sept  = £2.
31 Dec   = £2           
31 March 1865 = £2
30 June  = £2-10s-0p.
Obviously she was very satisfactory otherwise her salary would not have kept on rising.

On 17 May 1866 she married John O'Donnell from Augullies, near Dungloe, Co Donegal and after the birth of 2 sons, they emigrated to Kaikoura, New Zealand, where John's brother James had married and settled.

Fanny continued to be a teacher in Kaikoura, teaching the children on Donegal Flats, from the front room of her house.

Her husband died in 1879 and Fanny remarried in May 1883 - sadly, she died in childbirth 30 May 1884.

John and Fanny had 7 children, the youngest being my gr grandfather, Sylvester O'Donnell.

The other children were John Francis, James Arthur, Hugh, Anne, Mary Jane, Joseph and Sylvester, all born between 1867-1877.