Margaret of New Orleans Birthplace
Margaret of New Orleans Birthplace authentic cottage was built by the local community to honor Margaret Haughery, commemorating her birthplace in Tully, Carrigallen, County Leitrim, where she was born in 1813. The cottage stands as a tribute to her remarkable life and legacy of compassion and service.
Margaret dedicated her life to aiding New Orleans’ poor, focusing especially on orphans. Her compassion and unwavering commitment earned her numerous affectionate titles, including “The Bread Woman,” “Friend of the Orphans,” “Mother of the Orphans,” “Our Margaret,” and “Angel of the Delta.” These names reflect the profound impact of her selfless work on the lives of the city’s most vulnerable.
Margaret (Gaffney) Haughery was born in Tully, Carrigallen, County Leitrim, Ireland in 1813 and emigrated to America with her family when she was 5 years old. Personal tragedies experienced both as a child and later as a parent shaped her life-long devotion to serving New Orleans’ poor.
Margaret was one of the first women in the United States to have a statue erected in her honour. Citizens of New Orleans commissioned a statue in her likeness soon after her death in 1882. Sculpted by Andrew Doyle using Italian marble, the statue has stood since 1884 in the Lower Garden District at the intersection of Prytania and Clio Streets.
Margaret, who was born in Tully, emigrated to the USA with her parents in 1818. Following the tragic loss of her husband and child at the tender age of 23, she devoted the remainder of her life to helping the people experiencing homelessness of New Orleans.