Mr John Meehan was born in Curraghbonaun, Achonry, Co Sligo, Ireland around 1890.¹

He was the son of Thomas Meehan (b. circa 1859), a farmer, and Honor Cooke (b. circa 1851)^2,3, Sligo natives who had married in Curry, Co Sligo on 15 February 1876.

One of nine children (three of whom died in infancy), John's known siblings were: Patrick (b. circa 1878), Mary (b. 10 January 1879⁴), Bridget (b. 1 July 1886), Honor (b. 7 January 1892)⁵, Ellen (b. 15 March 1895) and Thomas (b. 17 March 1898).

He grew up in a Roman Catholic household and the entire family was bilingual, speaking both the Irish and English languages. The family appears on the 1901 and 1911 census records at house 34 and 9, respectively, in Curraghbonaun, Achonry West. On the latter record John was described as a farmer's son.

At least three of his siblings had already made the leap across the Atlantic; Patrick, Honor and Mary. His brother Patrick was married in Chicago in 1909 to a Bridget Moran but died on 25 December 1911. Sisters Honor and Mary also lived in Chicago and it was John's intention of joining them there and he made plans to travel in the Spring.

Apparently booked aboard another ship (possibly the Cymric), Meehan's passage was switched to Titanic due to the ongoing coal strikes. He boarded Titanic at Queenstown as a third class passenger (ticket number AQ/4 3130 which cost £7, 15s) and he was destined for 4745 Indiana Avenue, Chicago⁶. It is not certain if he was travelling alongside others from Sligo but most likely he was and whilst aboard became acquainted with other Irish passengers, including Hannah Riordan.

On the night of the sinking John Meehan reportedly saw Hannah Riordan off into a lifeboat, telling her not to worry about him as he was a strong swimmer.

John Meehan died in the sinking and his body, if recovered, was never identified.

Some initial newspaper reports poured doubt that Meehan had even been aboard Titanic, his sister Mary stating that she had word from her mother back in Ireland that he had not travelled aboard the ship. It soon transpired however that John had indeed been aboard the Titanic and was among the lost.

His parents were later financially assisted following his loss and remained in Co Sligo; his mother passed away there on 11 January 1927. His father rallied for close to another decade but later battled senility; he died 19 October 1935. 

Only two of his siblings are believed to have remained in Ireland, Bridget and Ellen. Sisters Mary and Honor remained in Chicago where they married, Mary to James Brennan and Honor to Patrick Duffy. In 1923 his brother Thomas also emigrated and joined his sisters in Chicago.