Moville's tribute to the Sullivan Brothers

A letterkenny man last week has expressed thanks to the people of Moville for their tribute to five American brothers killed during world war II. George, Francis, Joseph, Madison and Albert Sullivan all served on the US Navy cruiser Juneau. They were killed when the vessel was sunk during the battle of Guadalcanal in 1942. Their death sparked a wave of sympathy and led to the military introducing regulations prohibiting relations from serving together in future.

Maggie O'Halloran, Albert's mother-in-law, had emigrated from Moville in the 1920s. Her sister Jane was a well-known resident of Eden Place in Derry, who related the sad tale to her children and grandchildren over the years. Jane's grandson Seamus McCann, who now lives in Letterkenny, represented the family in Moville on Saturday, 29th September, when Foyle Rowing Club dedicated one of their new punts to the Sullivan brothers. He said he was touched by their kind gesture. "It was very nice of them to honour the family in this way. I'm sure a lot of people never knew anything about their story, and their connection with Moville, he said, "I would particularly like to thank John Crumlish for all the work he has done over the years, researching this sad story and passing all the information on to me.

Seamus has vivid memories hearing the story in his youth, and of a framed photo that always had a place of honour in his granny's sitting room. "In the 1940s, when the boys enlisted, Maggie sent a picture of all boys in uniform over to my grandmother. She had it framed and always kept it on the piano, as I recall. After she died, it was passed on to my sister, who give it to one of her daughters in turn." A spokesperson for the Foyle Rowing Club said they were delighted that Seamus, as well as a representative from the American Embassy, were able to attend the dedication. The dedication of eight punts on Saturday was the culmination of a two-year long community project which involved people of all ages working with Moville Community college and the Greencastle Fisheries School to pass on tradition skills of boat-building and seacraft.

Senior Master Sergeant James Steelsmith, who represented the American Embassy at the dedication, was full of praise for the initiative. "I think it's tremendous that the community is saving their heritage in this way. They're getting the whole community involved from the youngest children to the oldest people in the town. There was a great spirit. I'm going to make a point to come back. It was wonderful.

Additional information
Sent in by Michael Reynolds Greenock

The Sullivan boys parents led the Rosary on the first nationwide radio broadcast in the US by Fr. Patrick Peyton (from Attymass, near Sligo) who went on to become the world famous 'Rosary priest'. Fr Peyton at that time, spring, 1945, had a 15 minute slot on local New York radio and wanted to have a longer nationwide slot. The producers required big-name stars (of whom he new not), but with the help of friends on earth and above, he managed to get Bing Crosby, St. Patrick's Choir in New York and the US President at the time to address the nation. Mr.& Mrs. Sullivan were in exalted company that day, May 8th 1945 which was VE day in the US.

This was taken from a video bought at the Fr. Peyton centre in Attymass called ' A Most Unusual Man' which featured a whole host of stars who appeared with Fr. Peyton on his Family Theatre TV and radio programmes. His theme was ' The family that prays together stays together.'

Moville's link with US war heroes
Inishowen Independent 15th May 2007

A Moville house with connections to the most famous family in US naval history should have a commemorative plaque fixed to its outside wall to celebrate the link. That's the view John Crumlish, former member of the now defunct Moville Historical Society. John wants to highlight the Foyleside town's links to the Sullivan Brothers, all five of whom were killed in November 1942 when a Japanese submarine sunk the USS Juneau during the battle of Guadalcanal. The story of the Sullivan Brothers is one of the most poignant and symbolic in American naval history. Following the attack on Pearl Harbour five Irish-American brothers from Iowa - George, Francis, Joseph, Madison and Albert Sullivan - enlisted in the navy on the condition that they be allowed to serve together on the same ship. On learning of their deaths (and the deaths of four Rodgers brothers in the same attack) President Roosevelt decreed that never again were brothers allowed to serve on the same ship. He ordered the next ship commissioned to be named after the Sullivans.

The connection between the Sullivans and Moville is that Catherine Sullivan, the wife of Albert - the only brother to marry - was the daughter of Moville woman Maggie O'Halloran. Maggie used to live at No. 1 Bath Terrace Lane but moved to America in 1920. Catherine and Albert's children are the only descendants of the Sullivan line. "Maggie O'Halloran and the house she came from is the Moville connection. Anything to do with the Second World War or the Navy would be a big attraction for American visitors. I've been pushing for a plaque this last twelve years or more. I've lobbied the TDs and the Minister for Tourism at the time, Jimmy McDaid, but I got nowhere. They didn't do anything."

The current occupiers of the house, Tracy Cullen and Declan Sheehan are also in favour of having a plaque installed at the Bath Terrace Lane semi. Mr. Crumlish raised the issue with former Irish ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith when she visited the Greencastle Maritime Museum some years ago. The Ambassador was able to give Mr. Crumlish some more information and put him in touch with a Sullivans historian from Iowa, but nothing came of the plan to highlight the Moville link.

"A Mr. Magee is the curator of the museum in Iowa. He has the contact details of the family. They are interested in getting any connection with Moville, the curator of the Museum has made that very clear." The Sullivans were the inspiration behind the Steven Spielberg hit Saving Private Ryan. In 1995 the US Navy named a new guided-missile destroyer USS The Sullivans in honour of the Brothers and a veterans museum bearing their name is set to open in Iowa in the near future.

"There should be some recognition, it wouldn't need to be a big plaque, it's only something that if Yanks appeared next or near the place that you could say to them, look at this. It's important because the only thing that remains of that family relates to Moville. The only surviving O'Sullivan line is half Moville," remarked John.

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