Day 12 Exploring the Family tree
 |
| Curtain Family Tree |
Not sure that's there's going to be much exciting stuff on the blog today!
My morning started off in the usual way...
The sea was a bit wild this morning!
 |
| Wild Atlantic this morning |
 |
| Wild Atlantic this morning |
Then it had calmed down by this afternoon
 |
| Quiet Atlantic this arvo |
 |
| Quiet Atlantic this arvo |
Had my usual coffee after my walk beside the ocean
 |
| Nice Coffee at Dodi Cafe |
 |
| Today's coffee was Dodi cafe |
Then I called in at Kenny's Woollen Mills on the way home, after meeting the owner with Marie last night! And I bought a jumper. As my friend Bern said, it was really "me"!!
 |
| Irish Jumper |
So this afternoon I had made the appointment to meet Antoinette at the Corofin Genealogy Center. As I think I mentioned yesterday, between my self and my cousins we had accumulated quite a bit of information about our family history, that all started in Lahinch.
Sorry if this is not quite interesting to you, but I just find all my family history really fascinating!
The reason I'm in Lahinch is because my great grandfather John Curtin emigrated from the family farm in Tullygarvan (just outside Lahinch) in 1855 with his wife Margaret Maloney. And his brother Michael stayed on the farm - and Marie is one his direct descendants, as is her brother Sean, who still works the farm now.
So John and his wife emigrated to Australia, but had an unhappy arrival, as the ship they were on, the Nashwauk, was wrecked near Noarlunga in South Australia on May 14 1855 - but they managed to survive.
If you would like to read about this unhappy event, there is an excellent website here to explain what happened.
Eventually John Curtin moved to Bendigo in Victoria where they had a further 7 children (their first child Patrick was born in Ireland and died not long after). And one of those 7 children was my grandfather - Edward Augustine Curtain.
Sadly John's wife Margaret had an unhappy end... She died in Yarra Bend Lunatic Asylum in Melbourne in 1870. Her inquest stated that she died of melancholia and consumption... I guess after all the trauma of her migration and giving birth to multiple children and losing some children, there were multiple reasons for melancholia. Just seems very sad...
 |
| Margaret Curtain's inquest |
I'm sure many of Curtain relatives could embellish this story further, but that's the bare bones.
 |
| My cousin Betty (Pat O'C's sister) and Moira at John Curtin's unmarked grave in Bendigo |
Betty & Moira, seated at grave of unmarked grave John Augustine Curtain at side. Marked grave of Michael Curtain (Councillor & Mayor of Eaglehawk), his wife Susanna (nee Crawford), their eldest daughter Elizabeth Anne & their son John, the Town Clerk of Eaglehawk.
Anyway, back to Corofin...
Antoinette was a fount of knowledge about life in the 1800s in County Clare and around Tullygarvan and I was able to share some of the knowledge my family has accumulated.
 |
| Kilmanaheen Townlands - we're Tullygarvan West |
But the point of connection was when I told her that my cousin Pat O'Callaghan had done all the original research research for our family at this Corofin Genealogy Centre... and Antoinette went and got the original file which was researched in 1989. It even included Pat's original letter... And Antoinette had actually prepared that first file that outlined our connection with the original farm in Tullygarvan. Small world!!!
So whatever we do from now on, is building on that first point of contact when Pat came to Ireland in 1989.
I was a bit excited by all this, so I've agreed for her to research further ( at a slight cost of course!!! ) 😵 and develop a report for the Curtain family about our origins over here.
Sorry there are no pics to go with all this, and I don't want to bore you with all the details, but I loved that session today!!! This is the reason I came to Lahinch and I am really excited to find out more...
Doesn't take much to amuse me these days!!! :)
Moira, I absolutely love hearing about people’s family trees and I hope you get more answers down the track. Love the jumper.
ReplyDeleteThanks Meggsie. Yes I'm obviously into it all too!! I get really excited when I find new connections and links. Glad you like my Irish jumper!! 😁
DeleteSorry, that comment was from Meggsie xx
ReplyDeleteI find family trees fascinating too. Makes you wonder how our past relatives ever got the courage to emigrate so far away when they didn't even have photos or know anyone there. Thanks for anther great read. MrsT
ReplyDeleteThanks Denise. Yes they were so brave. To go so far away and never see home again. Antoinette talked a lot about emigration and how there was no land for the sons, so Australia was a land of opportunity with their passage paid for free. Still it's a massive big thing to do.. 😳
DeleteGreat read Moi, I go to a genealogy class on a Thursday and love it when I get results. Also have several "brick walls" though.
ReplyDeleteAnne
Those brick walls are what brought me here Anne. I can't get a birth date for John Curtin and the baptismal records are all in the hands of this Clare Genealogy Centre. So you virtually have to sign up if you want the info. Having said that she looked him up yesterday and there is no record for him. He must've just slipped through. His brothers and sisters are there, but not John. No wonder he left for Australia!! 😁🤣
DeleteSo exciting. Just noticed that John Curtin had no an in the family tree and then later on it was John Curtain, was that a spelling mistake or are you related to John Curtin the Prime Minister? Cheers Colleen
ReplyDeleteYes we were Curtins when they left for Australia... and they still are here! But that "a" crept in by the next generation.. my grandfather's generation. In fact in that notice I published in the blog about Margaret Curtain, she was spelt with an A. Weird things happen sometimes!!
DeleteYes when dad came to australia he was Bratic with an accent which turned it into a ch sound but Australians didn’t get it so he changed it to Bratich.
DeleteHi again Moira. Your jumper looks great so send us a picture of you wearing it before you leave Lahinch! The family history is so interesting so keep up your detective work! Take care, Annette.
ReplyDeleteHaha.. glad you like my jumper... I wanted to get somethng Irish to bring back. I think that should do the trick!! 😁😁
DeleteThe Bendigo Hogan’s are loving your blog Moira, it feels like we are right there with you! Mum, Paul and I are sitting having a lovely autumn breakfast in our kitchen in Central Victoria, cool morning with the sun shining, enjoying a mix of yummy food smells with a delicious tea or coffee, and chuckling at your amazing photo’s and comments.
ReplyDeleteAnd ironically, today in Aussie is Aunty Pat O’Call’s heavenly birthday. God bless Aunty Pat. Keep up the good work cousin Moira! xo
What a coincidence that's it's Pats birthday. Her ears will be burning in heaven! So glad you're enjoying it. I thought of the Hogan's when I saw that pub... ! Love to you all in Bendigo xx
DeleteLove the jumper AND the family history. It must be wonderful to actually be there at the source. As sister of the narrator for ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ I love family histories. That’s a very sad story about Margaret. It’s horrifying to know that women were locked in lunatic asylums (even the name!!) for being mentally unwell. You started by saying not sure that there’s going to be much exciting news on the blog today !! Wrong 😳
ReplyDeleteHey Anon you might have to come clean as to who you are with a connection like that!! I have a little more info about poor old Margaret.. my great grandmother... from Phil O'Callaghan, Pat's son. Will include in next few blogs.
Delete