Career
Barnacle was active in the trade unions from the 1860s to the 1890s. Though illiterate, he had a trade as a well-skilled baker—the family line of work—and was much in demand till the end of his life. He often freelanced beyond the town in such places as Oughterard.
One other boy died in infancy, and two other daughters are known to have been born to the couple.
Thomas and Annie moved house some seven times by 1904, all in lowly working-class districts of Galway such as Newtownsmyth, Raleigh Row, and Abbeygate Street, before eventually settling at number 8 (now number 4) Bowling Green, an L-shaped street below the church of Saint Nicholas. Sometime around 1896, Annie threw Thomas out of the house due to his severe drinking which had led to the loss of his bakery shop.
However, he remained in demand as a journeyman baker. I always have to be after his tail.