Mr John Flynn, 48,1 was born in Carrowhekeen2, Clonbur, Co Galway, Ireland around 1864. He was the son of farmers John and Catherine Flynn (b. 1821) and he had two sisters, Bridget (b. 1851) and Mary.
Sources differ as to when John first emigrated to the USA; the 1910 census states he arrived in 1889 whilst other sources say that he had been a resident for 28 years as of 1912. Whatever the date of his arrival he stayed with an uncle in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and worked in the local steel mills.
He was married in Pittsburgh during the summer of 1891 to Mary Cassidy (b. 14 August 1871) who had emigrated from Cornamona, Galway, Ireland in 1885. The couple had six children: Catherine (b. 1893), Marie (b. 1894), Edward (b. 1899), John (b. 1904), Elizabeth (b. 1908) and Dolores (b. 1910).
In early 1912 John returned to his native Ireland to visit his widowed sister Bridget whose husband Martin Mannion had died in 1910. Bridget had taken over the farm from her parents and her father died sometime before 1901 and her mother died in 1906. John assisted her on the farm, perhaps with the intention of taking it over. He was summoned back to the USA however for reasons uncertain.
For the return voyage to the USA John boarded the Titanic at Queenstown on 11 April 1912. He was travelling as a third class passenger (ticket number 368323 which cost £6, 19s) and was described as an agricultural labourer and as aged 32.
John Flynn died in the sinking and his body, if recovered, was never identified.
His widow Mary was never remarried and continued to live in Pittsburgh and was taking in lodgers to make ends meet by the time of the 1920 census. What became of her and her children is unknown.
A memorial was erected to John Flynn in Clonbur, Galway to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his death:
IN HONOUR OF
JOHN FLYNN
CARROWHAKEEN
WHO PERISHED ON THE TITANIC
15TH APRIL 1912. This Cache is the 2nd one in Clonbur Village and well worth the visit to honour this forgotten man who originated from this spot many years ago. The memorial is adjacent to the local church and ample parking is available. The now restored cottage where this man originated is about 2 miles in on the narrow road where this memorial is placed.