Encyclopedia Titanica

Barney McKenna

Barney McKenna
Barney McKenna

Bernard “Barney” McKenna was born at 24 Harding Street in Belfast, Ireland on 2 February 1880.1 Coming from a Roman Catholic family, he was the son of Patrick McKenna, a labourer, and the former Lizzie Cushnan. 

Described as a sailor and giving his address as 33 Harding Street, McKenna was married in Belfast’s St Peter’s Church on 12 April 1903 to mill worker Ellen Maguire (b. circa 1882). They went on to have six children: Thomas (b. 1905), Elizabeth (b. 1907), Mary Ellen (b. 1909), Catherine (b. 1911), Margaret (b. 1915) and Susan (b. 1916). 

The McKenna family appears on the 1911 census living at 42 Scotch Street and Barney was, at the time, described as a stretcher in a linen factory. He may have served in the British Army as a teenager whilst he is known to have joined the Royal Naval Reserve sometime after 1908. 

McKenna’s ship prior to Titanic had been the Tinhorn. He joined Titanic at Belfast for the delivery trip to Southampton where he then disembarked.

Bernard McKenna died in Belfast on 1 April 1922 at the age of 42. 

Notes

  1. When signing on Titanic his age was recorded as 24. Later Naval and Merchant records give his birthdate as 2 February 1882. 

References and Sources

Crew Signing-On Particulars of Engagement, Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (2A/45/381, A-H)
Central Index Register of Merchant Seamen
1911 Census

Comment and discuss

  1. Gracekernaghan

    Gracekernaghan

    This was my Mums cousin who she said died on The Titanic but this page says he disembarked at Southhampton can someone confirm. My Mum was born on 29th Feb 1912 and she never met him.
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Titanic Crew Summary

Name: Mr Barney McKenna
Age: 32 years 2 months and 13 days  (Male)
Nationality: Irish
Religion: Roman Catholic
Marital Status: Married to Ellen Maguire
Occupation: Leading Fireman
Last Ship: Tinhorn
Embarked: Belfast on Friday 29th March 1912
Disembarked: Southampton
Died: Saturday 1st April 1922 in Belfast, Ireland aged 42 years

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