Margaret's Cottage - Open Day's

The replica Cottage of Margaret of New Orleans (Margaret Gaffney - Haughrey ) will be open to the public on Sunday afternoons during July + August.

She left Tully Carrigallen at 5yrs old for America which took 6 months she soon lost both her parents and her sister to yellow fever, her brother also went to America but left her early on. she was married and had a child of which both died before she was 25yrs old. She offered support to the running of the orphanages in New Orleans and after a short time found her true calling as a business woman and was made a Manager. She could never read or write.

Over time she obtained an bakery and it was a massive success where she fed the poor with 1/2 loaf of bread and sold bread to the rich , from the money she made she opened more orphanages and they were able to look after more children whom lost parents and loved ones in the yellow fever. Margaret was often call "the bread woman of New Orleans" from this offering.

At the age of 69 yrs Margaret contracted a serious incurable illness and Pope Pius IX sent her a blessed crucifix. She died on 9th February 1882 and was honored with a state funeral - the first woman in America to receive such an honour. A marble statue was erected in her name with "MARGARET" on it - it was paid for in nickels and dimes.

This wonderful woman has been and is honored by a voluntary organisation whom set up a committee in 1980 and have been going from strength to strength since in getting her story out there in Ireland and in New Orleans while making her endeavors known far and wide.
we have many more stories about margaret to offer on visiting the cottage

Margaret's Cottage as its known has recently been rethatched and painted by the committee members and was a great attraction at the recent Leitrim Gathering where we held events over the may weekend.

In 2024 the group obtained a building in Carrigallen Co Leitrim and opened it up as a Community center " Margaret's Corner " in honour of this great woman and we provide a space for all people to meet chat create and learn in.
its open to every one and for all events and activities we are not here to make profits but to provide a much needed space for people of the locality and surrounding areas.

This cottage is open on Sundays in July and Aug 2-5pm also open to others on request by contacting us by phone or email