Mayo fire tragedy recalled on 80th anniversary

By Tom Gillespie

IT was 80 years ago this week that eight people perished in a devastating house fire in Kiltimagh.

On Saturday, May 27, 1944, The Connaught Telegraph carried a graphic account of the terrible tragedy.

They reported: One of the most shocking and heartrending tragedies ever to occur in Mayo was that which took place in Kiltimagh in the early hours of Thursday morning last, May 25, and which resulted in the death by burning of eight people.

The licensed premises of Mr. James Ruane (brother of Senator J.T. Ruane) were burned to the ground and the owner, his wife, three of his children and three assistants perished in the conflagration.

The dead people are: James Ruane (50), owner of the premises; Mary Kate Ruane (38), his wife; Thomas (7), Maura (6) and Seamus (5), their children; Kathleen King (20), Main Street, Rathdowney; Kathleen Murtagh (20), Castleroyan, Kiltimagh; and Michael Stritch (35), New Street, Fermoy, shop assistants of Mr. Ruane.

Two-year-old Patrick Ruane, the only survivor of the family, was saved by his 25-year-old aunt, Miss Margaret Byrne, who threw him from a third-storey room into the arms of a man in the street below.

The child was uninjured, but Miss Byrne was badly injured when she herself jumped, having been caught in the telegraph wires outside the house. She was taken to Mayo County Hospital, Castlebar, where she is still undergoing treatment.

The premises consisted of a public house and dwelling house. The fire was first seen by Sergt. Rooney, of the Gardaí, who is on holidays in the town, and Mr. Thomas Murphy, manager of the National Bank, who notified the Gardaí at 5 a.m.

When the townspeople began to gather to the rescue the building was a mass of flames and nothing could be done to succour the residents. Some witnesses said they saw Michael Stritch on the roof of the house, but that he reentered the house again.

About 5.15, when the house seemed to be on the point of collapse, Miss Byrne appeared at one of the top windows - it was a three-storey building - and called to those below that she was about to throw the baby, Patrick.

Men placed themselves in position to catch the child, which was safely held by Mr. Andrew Ruane (who is no relation to the family), to the accompaniment of a subdued cheer from the crowd.

Miss Byrne was not so lucky. While a ring was formed to catch her she jumped, but she became entangled in the telegraph wires. She was rescued from these with much difficulty and removed to hospital.

Only for the work of townspeople, which included L.D.F. and Gardaí, the fire would have spread to the premises of Mr. Gilmartin next door. The burning roof was broken off and the flames held off from the other house.

Mr. Ruane was a member of the IRA and later a captain in the army.

Mr. J.J. Walsh, coroner, held an inquest into the tragedy in Kiltimagh Courthouse on Friday evening.

On the application of the Gardaí, the inquest was adjourned, pending further enquiries.

Voting sympathy to the relatives, the coroner said that the entire parish was shocked at the appalling tragedy. It might sound hard, but he considered it a good thing that none was left to mourn the others, but went before God a united and good-living family as they were on earth.

Kathleen King, one of the deceased, was 20 years of age and was employed in the house for the past five years.

Michael Stritch was also there for five years. Kathleen Murtagh had been only there six months.

Mrs. John Kelly, postmistress, who lives opposite the place, said she was in bed at the time when she heard cries of ‘Fire’ coming from Ruane’s. Barefooted she grabbed blankets and rushed to the scene, where she was joined by Sergt. Rooney.

In the meantime Messers. John Joe and Jerry Walsh with others were endeavouring to force an entry from the back.

Michael Meeneghan and John Joe Walsh succeeded in getting to the adjoining roof, which they broke with hatchets, thus saving the entire street.

William Keegan broke the shop door and endeavoured to reach the stairs leading to the bedrooms, but was overcome by fumes. It is thought that fire originated in the kitchen at the back of the shop and burned the stairs, thus cutting off all possible means of escape.

Everyone was loud in their praise of Michael Stritch, who gave his life in an endeavour to save others.

There were touching scenes as the bodies were taken to the local church, where they were received by Very. Rev. James Canon Gallagher, P.P.; Rev. J. McGrath, C.C.; Rev. P. O’Grady, C.C., and Rev. P. Lavan (cousin of Mrs. Ruane). People came from many parts of the country and many wept on the streets as the cortege passed.

Ald. M. O’Sullivan, T.D., Lord Mayor of Dublin, sent a telegram of sympathy to Senator Ruane. Sympathy with the relatives of the fire victims was voted at a meeting addressed by Mr. Gilligan, T.D., in Dublin.

Kiltimagh was a town of mourning when the eight victims were buried in one grave, with the three children in one coffin at Kilkenure Cemetery.

The chief mourners were: Senator J.T. Ruane and Patrick Ruane (Dublin, brothers of James Ruane); Joseph and Kathleen Stritch (brother and sister of Michael Stritch); James Byrne (father of Mrs. Ruane); Thomas Byrne (brother); Delia Byrne and Mrs. P. Golden (sisters); Mrs. Murtagh (mother of Kathleen Murtagh); Mary Margaret, Anne, Bridget and Nuala Murtagh (sisters); Martin Murtagh (brother); Mrs. T.J. Ruane (sister-in-law of James Ruane); Ivan, Louis, Finbar and Victor Ruane (nephews); Michael, James, John and Patrick Lally (Castlebar, uncles of Mrs. Ruane; Patrick Golden (brother-in-law).

James Ruane’s coffin was covered with the Tricolour, while that of Michael Stritch was draped in the flag of the Catholic Boy Scouts, of which he was a scoutmaster.

All the coffins were carried to the cemetery, a distance of a mile, by Old National Army and Old IRA comrades of Mr. Ruane.