Margaret was the first child of Francis Tinneny and Catherine McConnell.  Her parents were living in Belturbet when she was born.  One source indicated she was born July 15, 1880 in a house on Bridge Street in the town of Belturbet.  The civil registration record in Cavan showed her birth date as July 21, 1880 with the Bridge Street address.  The registration form also showed that Bridget McConnell was present at the birth.  Bridget was probably her mother's mother or sister.  Margaret was baptized in Belturbet and her godparents were Thomas Kennedy and Margaret Tinneny. 

On May 30, 1906 Margaret married a widower, John Fitzpatrick the son of Hugh Fitzpatrick.  The fathers of both the bride and groom were deceased by that time.  The Reverend Patrick McCusker married them.  John was a farmer and was from Derrystaton, which is across the Lough from Goladuff.  Their marriage certificate showed that both Maggie and her husband signed the document with an "X" indicating that they did not know how to write.  Witnesses at the wedding in Saint Mary's Church were her cousin Phil Tinneny and her sister Alice.  Maggie was a stout woman.  She died giving birth to her only daughter Annie May 19, 1908.  A short time later her husband also died.