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Elizabeth McEldowney (1856 – 1932)

Summary

Elizabeth McEldowney was an Irish woman born in 1856 in Redford, Culdaff, County Donegal. She married twice—first to Robert Faulkner in 1875 and later to William McIntyre in 1887—bearing twelve children across both unions. She lived most of her life in Culdaff, Inishowen, and died there on 18 May 1932 after a battle with cancer of the vulva. Her burial took place at St Baudan’s Church in Culdaff two days later.

Early Life (1856‑1875)

  • Birth: 1856, Redford, Culdaff, County Donegal, Ireland.
  • Parents: William McEldowney (1820‑1863) and Jane Wallace (1828‑1876).
  • Sibling: Robert McEldowney (1860‑1888).

Elizabeth grew up during a period of significant social and economic change in Ireland. The 1850s were marked by the aftermath of the Great Famine (1845‑1852), which had reshaped rural communities in County Donegal. The 1860s saw the rise of land reform movements and the early stirrings of Irish nationalism.

First Marriage and Family (1875‑1885)

  • Marriage to Robert Faulkner: 2 March 1875, Culdaff, County Donegal.
  • Children:
  • Isobel Edith Faulkner (1876‑1959)
  • Jane Faulkner (1877‑?)
  • Albert Ralph Faulkner (1879‑?)
  • William Robert Wheeler Faulkner (1882‑1963)
  • George Faulkner (1884‑1953)

Robert Faulkner died in 1885, leaving Elizabeth a widow with five young children. The late 1870s and early 1880s were characterized by continued land agitation in Ireland, culminating in the Land League’s push for tenant rights.

Second Marriage and Extended Family (1887‑1932)

  • Marriage to William McIntyre: 13 June 1887.
  • Children with William McIntyre:
  • Francis Moran McIntyre (1888‑1964)
  • Harriet Elizabeth McIntyre (1889‑1967)
  • Robert Alexander McIntyre (1891‑1969)
  • Catherine Ann McIntyre (1893‑1972)
  • Andrew Frederick McIntyre (1895‑1909)
  • Violet Winifred McIntyre (1897‑1983)

William McIntyre passed away in 1927. During this period, Ireland experienced the Home Rule debates, the Easter Rising of 1916, and the subsequent War of Independence (1919‑1921). The establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922 brought new political structures to County Donegal, although rural life remained largely agrarian.

Later Years and Death (1932)

  • Residence: At age 43 (31 March 1901) and at age 54 (2 April 1911), Elizabeth was recorded as the wife of the head of the household in Culdaff, Inishowen.
  • Death: 18 May 1932, Culdaff, Inishowen, County Donegal. Cause: cancer of the vulva.
  • Burial: 20 May 1932, St Baudan’s Church, Culdaff, Inishowen.

Her life spanned a transformative era in Irish history, witnessing the decline of the Gaelic aristocracy, the rise of nationalist politics, and the transition from a predominantly agrarian society to one shaped by new political institutions.

Legacy

Elizabeth McEldowney’s descendants continued to inhabit County Donegal and surrounding regions well into the 20th century. Her familial ties bridged multiple generations, reflecting the persistence of local community structures in rural Ireland during times of national change.