Kate McCarthy was a daughter of Patrick McCarthy and Mary Boyce. Mary Boyce was a niece of George Boyce who came to Australia.
Kate was the second last person into the last lifeboat to leave the Titanic.
GUTTENBERG WOMAN'S SISTER IN HOSPITAL
Hudson Observer - Saturday 20 April 1912
Miss
Kate McCarthy, one of the survivors of the Titanic and sister of Mrs. John
Woolnough, of 107 Twenty-fifth street, Guttenberg, is a patient in St.
Vincent's Hospital, New York, where she was taken upon her arrival on the
rescue ship Carpathia. Mrs. Woolnough, who had been through a nervous strain
all the week, fearing that the sister had been lost, gave way to joyous
expectations yesterday that her sister would be brought to her last night.
When her husband and her brother returned to Guttenberg yesterday without her
sister, she was again plunged into despair. She was reassured, however, when
told that her sister was only in need of hospital care for a time after the
terrible experience that she went through, and she would only have to remain in
the hospital for only a few days.
Miss McCarthy, who started for this country to join her sister, was in the
company of several other young people from a small country place in County
Tipperary, Ireland. Her companions were all lost. Miss McCarthy for over two
years had been planning to come to America to join her sister. Several times
during that period she made arrangements and all but secured passage, but kept
putting the trip off until at last she started on the ship that was to go to
the bottom.
Chicagoans seek survivors
Chicago Daily
Journal,
Friday, April 19, 1912, p. 1, c. 6:
At
the local White Star office inquiries were made today for Katherine McCarthy by
her brother, John McCarthy, 4634 Wallace street, who is certain she was a
passenger on the Titanic and was coming to Chicago. Information regarding
Nora Cummings was sought by John Hare, 10243 Avenue N, and also for Thomas
Conlin, by his sister, Mary Conlin. Word reached Chicago that Alice and
Ellenor Johnson of St. Charles, Ill., were among the survivors, but that it was
believed their mother perished, as she was not among the passengers on the
Carpathia.
GUTTENBERG WOMAN AMONG THOSE SAVED
Hudson Observer - Friday 19 April 1912
Among
the survivors of the ill-fated Titanic was Miss Katie McCarthy, sister of Mrs.
John Woolnough, of 107 Twenty-fifth street, Guttenberg. She is at present among
the hospital list being cared for in New York City and is not expected home
until to-morrow.
The friends with whom she boarded the Titanic have been reported as lost. They
are Roger Tobin and Miss Katie Peters. All three left their homes in County
Tipperary, Ireland, to come to this country to make it their future home. Miss
McCarthy planned living with her married sister for a few months before taking
a trip through the West. Mr. and Mrs. Woolnough are now in New York City caring
for her.
LADY'S ESCAPE
Cork Examiner - Saturday 11 May 1912
Clonmel, Friday.
Miss Katie McCarthy, daughter of Mr. Patrick McCarthy, farmer, Ballygurtin,
midway between Cahir and Bansha, has written home to her father, stating that
she was the second to last to leave the Titanic on the night of the memorable
tragedy.
It will be remembered that Miss McCarthy left home in company with Miss Katie
Connolly, of Tipperary ; Miss Katie Peters, Ballydrohid, and Mr. Roger Tobin,
Ballycamon, the latter three being near neighbours of hers.
Miss McCarthy's letter, which is written from New Jersey, where she is now with
her sister, is as follows:—
“About twelve o'clock on Sunday night Roger Tobin called us to get up, but told
us not to be frightened, as there was no danger. To make sure, however, of our
safety, he told us to get lifebelts. There were three of us in the room—Katie
Peters, Katie Connolly, and myself. When Roger Tobin called us I wanted them to
come up on deck, but they would not come. They appeared to think that there was
no danger. That was the last I saw of them. I then left the room, and on going
out I met a man from Dungarvan, who took me up to the second class boat deck,
where they were putting out the boats. I was put into one boat, but was taken
out of it again as it was too full. I was in the last boat to leave the ship,
and was the second last person put into it. This was a short time before the
ship went down. We were only just out of the way when the ship split in two and
sank. We remained in the boat all night until near eight o'clock next morning,
when we were rescued by the Carpathia. Our boat was so full I thought it would
go down every moment, and one of the boats capsized when we were leaving the
sinking ship. I did not, however, feel at all frightened, and did not fully
realize the danger and the full nature of the awful tragedy until I was safe on
board the Carpathia. When we were put on board the Carpathia we were
immediately given restoratives and put to bed. I slept for an hour and then got
up, feeling all right. When we landed in New York on Thursday night at eleven
o'clock we were met by a number of Sisters of Charity nurses, who took us up to
St. Vincent's Hospital, where we were treated with the greatest
kindness.”
Death of Titanic survivor
Tipperary Star - Saturday 20 November 1948
Mrs.
Catherine Croke, Ballinntemple, Dundrum, whose death has occurred is believed
to have been the last survivor in Ireland of the ill-fated Titanic. She was
aged 21 at the time of the disaster and it was her first experience of being
aboard a ship.
When the tragedy occurred Mrs. Croke had a narrow escape from death, for at the
last moment acting on instinct, she left a crowded boat and returned to the
sinking ship. A few minutes later the boat capsized. She found refuge in the
last boat to be launched and was the last but one to board it. The following
morning a ship picked up the survivors.
Mrs. Croke was a descendant of the McCarthys of Springhouse, an old Tipperary
family. She is survived by her husband Mr. Jon Croke, farmer and merchant.