Contributed by Anthony Haughey
The Haughey family farm is located in Ballymacnab, near Keady in County Armagh. The holding was modest, just 30 acres; barely enough to sustain a growing family. Grandfather Mick Haughey married twice; his first wife, Patricia died young. Mick was an IRA Volunteer in the War of Independence, was shot and wounded in 1921. Nursed back to health by Sarah; he later married her, a fateful event that ensured the family’s continuation. He later married Sarah, a highly intelligent and determined woman, and together they had five children. Sarah was committed to education and worked hard to ensure her children escaped the limited opportunities available in the North of Ireland before the Troubles.
Tony, the eldest, trained as a psychiatric nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital in Armagh. At the time, many Catholics faced systemic discrimination, making career advancement difficult, if not impossible. Tony married Anne Greene, a chef from nearby Keady. They had eight children: Colm, Cathy, Fiona, Anthony, Paschal, Sharon, Deirdre, and Orlaith. The Greenes also faced economic challenges. Anne’s brothers were encouraged to leave for London as soon as they had completed their education. Like many Irish migrants, they settled in London and Liverpool, where established Irish communities provided support. They were joined by Anne’s sister Kathleen and brother Brian who both settled in Liverpool with their families.
Following the birth of their fourth child, Anthony, the Haugheys moved to Liverpool in 1963. They made regular trips home and witnessed the outbreak of the Troubles firsthand. On 1 August 1969, Anthony, aged six, recalls being on a ferry from Liverpool as British troops disembarked to quell the Battle of the Bogside – an event that marked the start of the conflict. That same night, John Gallagher was shot dead outside his grandmother’s house on Cathedral Road, Armagh. Tony Haughey, working as a nurse, attended to the dying Gallagher, one of the first victims of the Troubles, a traumatic moment that left a lasting impression.
In Liverpool, Tony and Anne purchased a large house on Kinross Road, which they sub-let to help make ends meet. Alongside his full-time NHS role, Tony worked in property development, often renting to Irish immigrants. Eventually, extended family members joined them in Liverpool.
Life in England during the vibrant Swinging Sixties was exciting and colourful. Hard working and ambitious, Tony’s career as an administrator in the NHS saw him progress to senior management roles and eventually led the family to relocate to West Wales in 1979. Despite establishing a life in England and Wales, Tony and Anne returned to Ireland in 1987, a difficult decision, particularly for Anne, who had grown fond of their life in Wales. Tony was appointed Chief Nursing Officer for Northern Ireland, based at Stormont, an appointment made during a highly sensitive political period. Tony and Anne’s children are dispersed across England, Wales, the North of Ireland, Republic of Ireland and Southeast Asia where they raised their families.
Today, the Haughey family legacy lives on through photographs, oral histories, and the artistic work of Anthony Haughey, which explores themes of borders, displacement, identity, and belonging. Their family’s journey from a small farm in Armagh to Liverpool, Wales, and back to Ireland mirrors the complex and often turbulent story of 20th century Ireland.