The Courage of Everyday Lives – Margaret Horigan (1837-1924)

St Mary's Shandon St Mary's baptismal font Margaret Horgan was born in Cork in 1837 and baptized at St Mary’s Cathedral on 14 May 1837. She was the eldest daughter of Patrick Horgan and Ann Connelly, the second of their six children. Patrick was a ropemaker for the Royal Navy. He and Ann had married … Continue reading The Courage of Everyday Lives – Margaret Horigan (1837-1924)

Excerpt – Lalji’s Nairobi by Nitin Nanji

Today I’m delighted to be sharing an excerpt from Nitin Nanji’s novel Lalji’s Nairobi as part of a blog tour hosted by The Coffee Pot Book Club. Lalji’s Nairobi is set in the early years of the twentieth century and is inspired by the stories of Indian migrants who settled in East Africa. Blurb British … Continue reading Excerpt – Lalji’s Nairobi by Nitin Nanji

Irish Heritage – Thomas McGrath of Finnahy

Upperchurch, Tipperary, Ireland The parents of my maternal grandfather, John Daniel ‘Jack’ McGrath (1887-1971), were both born in Ireland. Jack’s mother, Margaret Ryan, was born at Drumgoole, Kilkenny in 1851 and migrated to Australia around 1869. His father, Patrick McGrath, was five and a half when his family arrived in Melbourne, Victoria in 1854. Patrick … Continue reading Irish Heritage – Thomas McGrath of Finnahy

Irish Heritage – Patrick Connor of Killarney

The Lakes of Killarney I visited Kerry recently , a stunningly beautiful part of the world. One set of my maternal great great grandparents, Patrick Connor and Mary White were from Killarney. They arrived in South Australia in October 1840 on board the Mary Dugdale, as part of of an immigration scheme which selected sober … Continue reading Irish Heritage – Patrick Connor of Killarney

One Minute Book Review – Australia’s Birthstain : The Startling Legacy of the Convict Era by Babette Smith

This book deals with Australia’s convict beginnings and the attempt, in the century following the ending of transportation, by both families and society, to cover up the past. Smith focuses on the convicts of six ships who are representative of the range of convict experiences and traces their lives from their conviction to freedom. Their … Continue reading One Minute Book Review – Australia’s Birthstain : The Startling Legacy of the Convict Era by Babette Smith