A Carrigallen woman who emigrated to America as a child, was orphaned by age nine, and later built a bakery empire to fund orphanages across New Orleans is drawing fresh admiration decades after her death. Following Micheál Martin's recent retelling of her story on Capitol Hill, volunteers in Leitrim are bracing for record crowds at the cottage built in her memory.
When Taoiseach Micheal Martin met President Donald Trump on St Patrick’s Day, he used his visit to the US Capitol to tell the US President about the extraordinary life of an Irish immigrant who he said had greatly enriched America’s story.
Margaret Haughery was born in Carrigallen in 1813 and emigrated to the US with her parents when she was five years old. Orphaned at age nine, Margaret lived in Baltimore before moving to New Orleans at 21.
When her husband and daughter died following an outbreak of cholera and yellow fever, Margaret devoted herself to supporting local orphans, becoming a wealthy philanthropist and pillar of New Orleans and American society.
She became known as "The Bread Woman of New Orleans" and ‘The Mother of Orphans’ and, following her death in 1882, was given a state funeral. A statue was erected in New Orleans in her honor, the first of its kind in US history to honor a member of the public.
Now, after the Taoiseach’s powerful account to President Trump about how Margaret’s life “embodies the best of what it means to be Irish in the United States and back home in Ireland”, interest has surged about the Leitrim woman’s life and origin story.
In 2013, local volunteers from the Margaret of New Orleans Community Association led a campaign to develop Margaret’s Cottage, a replica of her original home, on a site near Margaret’s homeplace in Tully South, Carrigallen.
A team of volunteers has spent the last few weeks preparing it for an expected influx of visitors throughout its summer season, which begins this week. The cottage is maintained by the voluntary committee, which has forged strong links with the people of New Orleans, where Margaret’s legacy continues to be honored.
Margaret Haughery.
In 2024, the volunteer organization led a second project to redevelop a property in Carrigallen, transforming it into the Margaret’s Corner Community Center. The center served as a meeting point for displaced Ukrainians following Russia’s invasion of the country, and currently hosts language courses, exercise classes, and other community events.
The group has also published a children’s book, Margaret of New Orleans – from Carrigallen to New Orleans, by Jon Berkley.
Visitors to Margaret’s Cottage will hear how the Carrigallen woman set up a bakery, providing bread to orphanages throughout the American Civil War and Reconstruction periods. Despite being unable to read or write, Margaret enjoyed remarkable success in business, which led her to invest in the construction and refurbishment of orphanages in New Orleans.
To kick off this year’s opening of Margaret's Cottage in Carrigallen, families were invited to visit on July 12 (Sunday) to mark the occasion with a special Family Craft Activity Day, featuring live music, poetry, storytelling, boxty-making, arts and crafts, and other activities.
During the summer, visitors can enjoy a guided tour of the cottage and grounds, then relax by an open turf fire, enjoy tea and scones, and learn about Margaret’s life, in which she overcame extreme hardship and personal tragedy.
Commenting on the renewed and much-welcomed interest in Margaret’s life, Maura Williamson of the Margaret of New Orleans Community Association said:
“We have seen great interest in Margaret since the Taoiseach recounted her story on St Patrick’s Day to an audience of lawmakers on Capitol Hill. For a group of volunteers committed to highlighting her deep impact on American life, it was fantastic to hear her hailed by Micheál Martin as the embodiment of what’s best about being Irish in the United States. On foot of that, we’re preparing for what could to be our busiest ever summer at Margaret’s Cottage.
“Our volunteer group seeks to honor her extraordinary resilience, humanity, and courage in everything we do, whether it’s the development of Margaret’s Cottage in Tully South and Margaret’s Corner Community Centre in Carrigallen, or the publication of the Margaret of New Orleans children’s book by Jon Berkley.
“Margaret’s Cottage is a place where families can come together to celebrate that legacy, learn about her remarkable life, and enjoy an afternoon of music, storytelling, craft, and community. We look forward to welcoming people to our Family Craft Activity and throughout the summer.”
*Margaret’s Cottage can be found at Tully South, Carrigallen, Co. Leitrim, H12 X003. For additional information, see www.enjoyleitrim.com.
Comments