Paddy McGrath

Among the ladies associated with the Land League, the foremost position belongs to Margaret Corcoran. She was the daughter of Michael Corcoran, on whose land the Land League Hut was erected, and who was elected to the first committee of the National League when the organization was established in Carbally.

Margaret Corcoran provided much of the driving force behind the Ladies' Land League branch in Carbally and possessed a fierce and undaunted character. She later emigrated from Ireland to Australia, where she met and married Paddy McGrath. Paddy was originally from Grantstown in Waterford but had become a successful businessman in Melbourne, breeding horses for the army.

Sadly, Margaret died from tuberculosis, leaving behind four children and is buried in Melbourne. Two of her daughters returned to the homeland of their parents; one of them married Philip Power of Monamintra, a son of Maurice Power who, like Michael Corcoran, was also elected to the first Committee of the National League in Carbally. The other daughter married Sean Matthews of Waterford.

The picture above depicts Paddy McGrath, Margaret Corcoran’s husband.

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