Contributed by Susan Southward.
Susan Southward’s family history is steeped in resilience,
service, and a strong connection to Ireland. Her mother,
Margaret (Rose) Eivers, was one of nine children, born
in 1936 in Ballybay, Athlone, County Westmeath. She
worked as a nurse at Salford Royal and later as a district
nurse. She continued working here into her seventies,
caring for retired priests and the wider community at
Nazareth House in Manchester. Her father, James (Jim)
Cooney, born in 1942 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, was
a man of many trades, including work in an Irish prison
and an enamel factory. Their home in Salford was a place
of music, gatherings, and a deep-rooted Irish identity.
One of the most remarkable figures in Susan’s family was
her uncle, Frank Eivers. Born in Ballybay in 1932, he joined
the Garda Síochána in 1953 and later volunteered for UN
peacekeeping duty. He became the personal security
guard to UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld and
was tragically killed in a plane crash in the Congo in 1961.
At the time of his death, he had been married only a month.
His bravery was later honoured with a posthumous United
Nations Peace Medal, and a plaque outside the Church of
the Risen Christ in Ballybay commemorates his sacrifice.
Susan’s family has a long history of migration. One of her
aunts moved to New York and married Michael Shine, a
high-ranking officer in the NYPD who led the St. Patrick’s
Day Parade in the city. Another aunt, Elizabeth (Lizzie)
Dolan, now deceased as of June 2025, lived in Ballybay.
The family memorial dedicated to Frank Eivers is on her
garden wall. Her father’s side, the Cooneys, from Clonmel,
also had strong connections across Ireland and England,
with some working in coach building and the railways.
Music played a huge role in Susan’s home life. Her
father loved to sing at home which was a gathering
place for local musician friends. Regular sessions
featured well-known members of the Irish community,
including accordion players like Mr. Jim Gallagher
from Salford and Mr. Mick Breen. Tin whistles, spoons,
and singing filled the house, creating a space where
Irish culture thrived in the heart of Salford.
Susan’s childhood was split between Salford and
summers in Ireland. She remembers roaming through her
grandmother’s half-acre of land, walking country roads,
rolling in the hay, and experiencing a freedom that city life
could never provide. Her father had a tough upbringing
under the Christian Brothers, and while he didn’t speak
much about it, his connection to Ireland remained strong.
As an adult, Susan has taken an active role in
preserving her family’s history. She and her sister Maria
organised two major family reunions—one for their
mother’s side, bringing together over 200 relatives
from Ireland, England, and America, and another
for the Cooney side, which saw 80 family members
reconnect. Through these efforts, they pieced together
an extensive family tree with over 1,000 names.
Her mother’s side of the family also carries a deeper
ancestral story. Her grandmother was an O’Connor,
a family/clan believed to be connected to the Kings
of Connacht. Though genetic proof remains elusive,
stories of lost lands and donations to the church
paint a picture of a past intertwined with history.
Today, Susan, her sister, and other cousins remain
committed to collecting and sharing her family’s story,
ensuring that their struggles, achievements, and traditions
continue to be remembered by future generations.