James J. Fahey: Best-selling author with roots in Ardrahan, Galway

February 6, 2011 by Aine 1 Comment

Earlier today I received an email from Rory O’Shaughnessy, a team leader for Ardrahan Parish in Galway, part of the Ireland Reaching Out project.

He asked for my help in spreading the word as they search for any descendants or relatives of James J. Fahey. James Fahey wrote “Pacific War Diary: 1942-1945” in 1963. Click here to read his obituary printed in the New York Times and to learn what he did with his earnings from the sales of his book. It is a great story.

James Fahey’s people came from Ardrahan. He was born in New York City in 1918. His parents died three years after his birth, and he was sent to live with relatives in Waltham, Massachusetts. Later he lived in Marco Island, Florida with his wife Adele and died in 1991. His obituary stated that he had no biological children, but had stepchildren. He was also survived by two brothers – John and Joseph.

Any relatives of James J. Fahey out there? Let me know…leave a comment on this post, or send me an email: aine@archival-solutions.com.

Ireland Reaching Out is an exciting project happening in the parishes of Southeast Galway. Help them as they try to identify and connect with the descendants of those who left Ireland, members of the vast Irish Diaspora.

Author: Aine

I live in Saint Paul, Minnesota. My heritage pretty much covers the map of Ireland: great-great-grandparents from Cork (Crowley, Foley, Regan), a great-great-grandmother from Clare (Quinn), a great-great-grandfather from Fermanagh (McMahon) and his wife's parents from Mayo (McAndrew), a great-grandmother from Connemara (Hannon) married to my great-grandfather from Laois (McCormack), great-grandparents from Sligo (Flannery), and a great-grandmother from Kildare (Hill). All of those people ended up in Minnesota, where my four grandparents were born. Three and four generations after my people left Ireland for America, I retain all Irish heritage. So much for the melting pot...