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