by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent
A CAMPAIGN to promote the link between Moville and
one of the most famous serving families in US Naval
history is being stepped up this week. The Foyle
Punt Association’s annual open day takes place on
Saturday, September 20, and for the second year
running an official from the American Embassy will
be present.
All five Sullivan brothers were killed in November
1942 when a Japanese submarine sunk the USS Juneau
during the battle of Guadalcanal.
The connection between the Sullivans and Moville is
that Catherine Sullivan, the wife of Albert - the
only brother to marry - was the daughter of Moville
woman Maggie O’Halloran. Maggie used to live at No 1
Bath Terrace Lane but moved to America in 1920.
Catherine and Albert’s children are the only
descendants of the Sullivan line.
Last year, Sergeant James Steelsmith, a Defense
Department attaché, was on hand to launch a new
Foyle Class punt bearing the Sullivan name.
Foyle Punt Association member Lucy White says
efforts to have a formal ceremony involving the US
Navy to mark Moville’s links to the Sullivans are
ongoing and that she expects an announcement from
the American diplomat on the planned link-up during
this weekend’s visit to Moville.
“The American Embassy have said that they would
sponsor a plaque, so I am hoping that we can talk to
whoever comes up and get them to organise the visit
of a boat next year. We had hoped to get an American
naval vessel to call into Lough Foyle this year, and
make a presentation of the plaque, but all their
boats were already scheduled for this year,” she
said.
Market Square resident, John Crumlish, has been
calling for greater recognition of Moville’s links
with the famous WWII fighting family for a number of
years.
Mr Crumlish says the natural place for the plaque
would be on the front wall of Mrs O’Halloran’s
former home.
However a complication is that the house in question
was sold in the spring and although assurances were
sought from the new owners that they would permit a
plaque to be put up on the wall of their property,
it’s not known whether they have agreed to his.
Following the attack on Pearl Harbour five
Irish-American brothers from Iowa - George, Francis,
Joseph, Madison and Albert Sullivan – enlisted in
the navy on the condition that they be allowed to
serve together on the same ship. On learning of
their deaths (and the deaths of four Rodgers
brothers in the same attack) President Roosevelt
decreed that never again were brothers allowed to
serve on the same ship. He ordered the next ship
commissioned to be named after the Sullivans. |
