Today, a hundred and eighty years later I stand near his grave in the hot, dry semi-desert land of the Australian ‘outback.’ Emigrating to Australia in the 1860s and becoming one of the burgeoning numbers of the Irish diaspora, John, better known as Jack, was part of a heroic effort to develop this new and challenging land, so different in every way from the green fields of Tipperary. Continue reading
Filed under Family History and DNA …
Middleton’s Irish connection
The name Middleton seemed appropriate for this midpoint between Goolwa and Port Elliot, but I was unable to pinpoint where in Ireland the original Middleton was, presumably a place between two towns or village Continue reading
Two Books to Make us Think
What it really meant to be poor and how to survive it. And a book about a priest who fathered a child with nun. Continue reading
Four new Irish novels
John Boyne returns to his earlier Striped Pyjamas book and we meet Shane McGowan’s young sister. Continue reading
ISAANZ 26 call for papers June 16 extension
It’s been a difficult few years for researchers in Irish disapora studies, but things are looking up now with the Global Irish Studies Conference in South Africa in July (see What’s On ), and here in Australia it is pleasing to see the ISAANZ conference 26 is planned for December in Melbourne. The call for … Continue reading
Irish Fiddle Music in Nulla Nulla Creek
A musical tradition found along the banks of the winding stream that makes up the Nulla Nulla Creek where my grandfather Billy Kyle lovingly nurtured Irish traditional music so that we too remember and indeed continue to cherish those songs and sounds today. Continue reading
A Brief History of the Irish in Australia
With the passage of time Irish Catholics eventually did become part of the fabric of Australian society. With the coming of each generation, they moved along and some of them, up the social scale. But their ascent was neither rapid nor easy. Continue reading
Ghosts of Irish-Australia: Barnaby Fitzpatrick
Nobody wanted to know convicts in early British settlement of Australia and now family historians are eager to find a connection to a convict in their family tree. How times have changed. Continue reading
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The Magic of DNA: two stories
It was deeply emotional for me to be able to tell Judy the name of her father, something she had longed for all her life. I emailed a photograph, not being able to imagine the emotion of seeing a photograph of your father for the very first time. Continue reading
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My Irish Story
From Limerick and Wicklow, now with a street named after a member of the family. Continue reading
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