Category Archives: Irvine family

Killyleagh Siblings – Alexander and Sarah Irvine.

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Alexander Irvine Alexander son of James & Sarah Irvine of Ballytrim was the couple’s 11th and final child born on 4 April 1859 according to the family bible. The two-week-old baby was baptised on 19th April 1859 at 1st Presbyterian Church, Killyleagh, Down and noted as being 14 days old.[1] Alexander travelled to Australia with his aged parents and older brother John Irvine, who had returned to Killyleagh to escort the party on the long journey to Australia in 1888. … Continue reading

Mary Ann Irvine and her Parkinson family.

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My last blog was about John Irvine, written from the (fictional) memories of Mary Parkinson as related to a friend.  Despite this approach to the story, the happenings were real, very real and would have had a life-long effect on Mary Ann, one of John Irvine’s younger sisters. Mary Ann’s story begins on a cold winter’s day on the outskirts of Killyleagh, about 3 klms from the village itself in the townland of Ardigon. Her mother Sarah had already borne … Continue reading

John Irvine – Bootmaker and preacher.

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The shot rang out in the quiet stillness of the farming community of Mt Thabor, just east of Warwick in South East Queensland.[1] The cows in the paddock opposite were mildly disturbed and the native birds squawked off in alarm. Mary knew the sound, as after all, her husband Clement Parkinson was a farmer and such is the necessity of country life. However, this shot on 5 June 1909 was different and more importantly she could smell the gunpowder. The … Continue reading