Category Archives: Ireland

The elusive background of Mary Sheehy.

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Mary Josephine Sheehy left Plymouth on the 2000-ton immigrant Royal Mail Ship (RMS) SS Almora on 12 March 1884. After calling into Queensland’s northern ports, Thursday Island, Cooktown, Townsville, Bowen and Mackay, the steamer dropped anchor off Rockhampton seven weeks later. Along with blacksmiths, carpenters, farm labourers and more, the eighteen year-old was but one of 336 immigrants, 57 being Irish like herself. Most of the single women on board were Irish and ‘nominated’, indicating that someone in Queensland likely … Continue reading

The challenge of names and places in Irish family history.

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By Stephanie Ryan. Most of us find brick walls when researching the Irish. Names, places, spelling inconsistencies, dates and gaps in the records provide frequent challenges. The following case study illustrates this and suggests ways to solve some problems. When Hannah Skinner married, she was described as being from “Baltimore, Cork, Ireland” Brisbane Courier 8 June 1899 p7. Her marriage certificate echoed this place of origin and gave her age as 26. She had arrived in Brisbane 23 November 1891 … Continue reading

My Sad and Glad Tales of PRONI.

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I’ve been pondering on what to write about in my next blog for a few days now having finished a series of stories about my Irvine family from Killyleagh in Co Down. Having mentioned this to our GSQ Patron, she suggested I write about researching at the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) in Belfast, so that’s what this missive is about. I have now realised that my blog is due for publishing on 12 December 2022. This date marks … Continue reading

The wretched peasantry in Ireland: The 1822 famine disaster

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By Jennifer Harrison. ‘The poor Inhabitants of Clare is actily starving, living on one meal in the day and that same a bad meal, we are in hopes ye will doe something for us out of hand, we will actily Die with hunger if ye don’t luck to us out of hand as them that has a little family must Rob before They die with hunger before their face, As they are half dead before.’  This powerfully pathetic plea reported … Continue reading

The Irish Potato.

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By Meg Carney. Whenever Irish food is mentioned, I immediately think of the potato. I think of poverty, famine, hunger, and reliance on one food – the potato. I then think of my own family history which is intrinsically linked to the potato because a significant number of my ancestors came to Australia during the Famine of 1846 – 1851 or in the aftermath of that famine in the 1850s and 1860s. That famine is referred to as The Great … Continue reading