Biography
Mary Ellen Callaghan was born circa 1900/01 to parents Patrick Callaghan and Mary Jane Kelly Dundalk.
In the 1901 census she is living with Mary Jane and is located at her grandparents dwelling No 11, Shields Court, Dundalk, Co Louth along with her siblings, Francis and Elizabeth. Patrick is absent from the census, Mary Jane & the children are incorrectly listed as 'Carragher' on the 1901 census.
In the 1911 census Elizabeth is living in No 13, Shields Court, Dundalk, Co Louth with her parents and four siblings. Mary Ellen is aged ten and is attending school.
Shields Court no longer exists. It was one of three rows of tenement houses that once ran parallel to Patrick Street. Follow the link, the houses ran at 90 degrees to the back of the Bicycle Doctor shop. I have found a thesis titled an Oral History of Dundalk that gives some insight into the area and living conditions. There is also a map from 1900 showing Shields Court location
Mary Ellen was known as Nelly, she did not marry and died in her 30's. I've been unable to track down a death cert for Nelly.