Michael Saurin married Brigid Matthews. Two of their daughters became Carmelite nuns, a son, Matthew became a Jesuit priest and a son Patrick became a lawyer.
Their youngest child, Susan Saurin, was born at Garballagh House, Duleek, in 1829. She entered the Baggot Street Convent of Mercy in 1850 and was professed a nun in 1853 taking the name, Scholastica. She was sent to new convents at Clifford and Hull in England. Her superior was unhappy with her performance and Sr. Scholastica refused to reveal what she said to a priest in confession. Her superior tried to have her dispensed from her vows while the Saurin family wanted the local bishop to investigate the treatment of Sr. Scholastica. A commission of enquiry was appointed. Saurin was the only nun to be interviewed and cross-examined on twelve charges of faults against obedience, poverty, charity, and truth. Saurin was required to leave the convent. Her family was furious and vowed to seek justice in the courts. Saurin refused to leave the convent. The nuns confined her in a room in the attic and refused to provide adequate food. In May 1867 she left the convent quietly. A court case was taken and began in February 1869. The case lasted a record twenty-one days and became known as ‘The Great Convent Case’. Her superiors were found guilty of wrongfully and maliciously compelling Saurin to leave the convent and of subjecting her to various indignities, assaults, persecutions, and annoyances, including trying to libel her before the bishop. Five years after the case, Saurin entered the Visitation Convent in Bristol under the assumed name of Mary Brown. She remained there until her death in 1915 aged eighty five years. Maria G. McClelland has written an article on Saurin’s life.
In 1901 Michael J.J. Saurin, his wife Casandra and family were living at Garballagh. The house had sixteen rooms, five windows to the front and twenty six outbuildings. In 1911 his son, Michael and wife Rosanna were living at Garballagh.
Michael Saurin of Garballagh house died in 1922 and is buried in Duleek. Michael Crispin Anthony Saurin died June 1976.