Mr Michael Linehan was born at Knocknageeha, Derragh, Co Cork, Ireland on 5 November 1890.

He was the son of Bartholomew Linehan (b. circa 1845), a farmer, and Elizabeth Kieley (b. circa 1860) who had married in Millstreet, Co Cork on 26 January 1882.

Michael's known siblings were: Margaret (b. 13 May 1885), Jeremiah (b. 28 March 1888), John (b. 20 June 1893) and Bartholomew Peter (b. 29 June 1896).

His mother Elizabeth died from pneumonia on 26 February 1897 aged 37 and his father never remarried.

Michael appears on the 1901 census living at house 9 in Knocknageeha. Later his father, sister Margaret and brother Bart were living at house 6 in Knocknageeha by the time of the 1911 census with Michael absent and listed elsewhere as a farm servant in nearby Tullig, Drishane, Co Cork.

He boarded the Titanic at Queenstown on 11 April 1912 as a third class passenger (ticket number 330971 which cost £7, 17s, 7d). Travelling with him were others from his general locale in Cork: Bridget Bradley, Patrick Denis O'Connell, Nora O'Leary and Daniel Buckley. He is believed to have shared a cabin with his fellow Cork men.

Daniel Buckley, the only survivor from the Cork men in his cabin, awoke after the collision to find seawater ankle deep on the floor. 

I heard some terrible noise and I jumped out on the floor, and the first thing I knew my feet were getting wet; the water was just coming in slightly. I told the other fellows to get up, that there was something wrong and, that the water was coming in. They only laughed at me. One of them says: "Get back into bed. You are not in Ireland now.

He hurriedly dressed and his three bunkmates eventually got out of bed; with it being a small cabin, Buckley left to give them room to dress themselves whilst he waited outside. Two crewmen passed by shouting "All up on deck unless you want to get drowned!" and Buckley immediately hastened to the upper decks and never saw his friends again. 

Michael Linehan died in the disaster and his body, if recovered, has never been identified.

His father Bartholomew later died from a stroke on 20 July 1936.