KITTY TRAINOR
August 22, 1928 - MARCH 15, 2017
Catherine (Kitty) Trainor was born in Ballyglass, the Neale, County Mayo, she was the ninth child of Patrick Farragher and Mary Kate O’Shaughnessy. Throughout her life, Kitty was very proud to have been a Mayo farmer’s daughter from Micheal Davitt’s, Boycott country of South Mayo.
Kitty received her early education in the Neale, taught exclusively in the Irish Language. She then went on to the Presentation School in Ballinrobe and ultimately to St. Ultan’s Hospital for Infants, Dublin. It was during her training for infant nursing at St. Ultan’s that Kitty met and got to know Dr. Kathleen Lynn, Chief Medical Officer for the Irish Citizen Army, 1916 and founder of St. Ultan’s Hospital. While at St. Ultan’s Dr. Lynn taught Kitty to crochet, a craft she continued to enjoy and share with others throughout her life.
Kitty emigrated to the U.S. in 1949 and worked for St. Francis Hospital, Jersey City, New Jersey. During one of the many Irish dances at the Tuxedo, Bronx, New York, Kitty met Jim Trainor. The story goes that Kitty asked Jim to dance and that the two continued to "swing from the same gate" until Jim’s death in 2010.
Kitty and Jim lived in the Bronx until moving to Rockland County in 1960 where they made a home for their three daughters and quickly became active members of the local and regional communities. Kitty and Jim were the Rockland County Coordinators for Project Children and founding members of the Rockland County Irish Cultural Center. On occasion, Kitty was involved in local politics but her desire was to see Ireland United Gaelic and Free. She remained an Unrepentant Irish Republican and supporter of Cumann na Saoirse and CABHAIR.
Kitty was a devout Irish Catholic and a devoted member of her parish church, St. Margaret’s, Pearl River. She was affectionately known as Miss Kitty to the daily 9 am Mass Crew. It was recently said Kitty was always in a good mood and her lovely smile will be missed!
We are blessed to have shared the journey with her.
