Alice Leonard-McLoughlin

The Dublin Leonards and the American Leonards had occasion to visit each other's families with some regularity during the 20th Century.  One such visit took place in the summer of 1964 from Alice Rosaline Leonard-McLoughlin (1917-2002), daughter to Francis Leonard of The Burrow of Portraine, Donabate, Ireland.  Both her parents had passed away in the past 4 years, so it's understandable she felt the need to reconnect with her father's past.  Alice traveled from Ireland to New England to see her American cousins, in particular the Devines, as well as the family of Matthew John Leonard, Jr.  A write-up was published in the Portland Press Herald for this occasion (click to enlarge):

Transcription:

Second Cousins Reunite

Mrs. Alice McLoughlin of Donabate, Ireland, renews her acquaintance with second cousin Francis J. Devine of High Street, South Portland, whom she has not seen for 19 years. While in the Portland area, the Irish visitor has been meeting for the first time several cousins and their families.

Maine Relatives Greet Irish Cousin

"She's just as I remember her," thought Francis J. Devine when he welcomed his Irish second cousin to Portland last week.

Although they had both aged some in 19 years, the South Portland man had no trouble recognizing his relative, Mrs. Alice McLoughlin, whom he had visited at her family's 400-year-old homestead in Donabate, Ireland while stationed in Europe at the end of World War II.

Devine gave Mrs. McLoughlin a property Irish welcome the night of her arrival. He opened his home on 294 High St. for a party for the Irish visitor, inviting seven of his eight sisters and their families. The eighth sister lives in Chatham, Mass.

During Mrs. McLoughlin's indefinite stay in South Portland, she is staying with another cousin, Mrs. Philip E. Daniels, also of High St.

She has only been here a little over a week, but already she had met more relatives than she probably knew she had.

For the first time, she had met first cousins: Mrs. Helen McKeough, Phillips Road, Falmouth Foreside; Matthew J. Leonard, Sewall St., Portland; and second cousins: Mrs. Daniels; Mrs. Edward Reagan, Portland; Mrs. John Dougherty, South Portland; Mrs. Leland P. Murray, Cape Elizabeth; Mrs. William A. Preston, South Portland; Mrs. Alfred E. Cormier, Cape Elizabeth; and Mrs. Robert Bothel, Cape Elizabeth.

Although this is her first visit to the United States, she has had a fondness for Portland for years.

Her father, at the age of 19, came here from Ireland looking for work. He found employment at a Portland sugar factory and remained here three years.

He had planned to become a permanent resident of Maine, Mrs. McLoughlin said, but he missed his family in Ireland too much to live apart from them.

The Irish visitor has become familiar with her father's old Portland ties during the past few days. She has visited the site of the old factory and the neighborhood where he used to live.

Her father, she said, used to tell her about the beautiful beaches and coastal area around Portland, especially at Cape Elizabeth.

She has now seen these same places herself and is convinced that her father didn't exaggerate their beauty. Cape Elizabeth, she says, reminds her of the shore front of her own town on the Irish Sea.

Mrs. McLoughlin has been in this country since Christmas visiting relatives in New York and Connecitcut before coming to Maine.

She'd like some day to return to Portland to make her permanent home, but she has two good reasons to return home to Donabate soon, - her husband and her 15 year old daughter, Ann.

Ann wanted to come with her on her American trip, but McLoughlin was afraid he'd be too lonesome with both of them gone.

But in the meantime, Mrs. McLoughlin's relatives here are making sure she won't be lonely.