I got caught in a flight with a flock of exiles who have found a home to rest .

At the time of writing this about 70% of the Australian population can claim ancestry to Ireland . There are Irish social clubs and organizations that make up a huge network of the Irish quilt . Without this connecting thread the Irish fabric could be left scattered .

In writing these articles I made some enquires about exiles from Belfast and was intrigued by the number of people who wanted to tell their personal stories about the place they left and where they are now .

The majestic Dandenong Ranges in Victoria covers almost 2000 hectares and boasts some of the tallest trees in the land . There are mystical corridors within Sherbrook forest lined by Ash Trees over 90 metres high . Home to lyrebirds and sanctuary to a certain group of people who I have named the Flock from Ferntree Gully . This group of people originally came from Belfast and mist of them from a village called Ardoyne . When I first made contact with two of this flock Bobby and Rosaleen Weir they agreed to share some of their story with me .One thing I never expected was for them, to drive nearly over 700 kilometres from Victoria to New South Wales to visit me in my home here in the Southern Highlands .
When they arrived I handed them a wee drop in their hand and a bit of toast and then we started to talk .

Bobby Weir had worked as an apprentice with Carson and Robinsons as a fitter and turner . In 1945 he joined the merchant navy and had made a few visits to Australian ports . His sweetheart Rosaleen Timonay grew up in Ardoyne . She lived in a small house in Kingston Street which is now demolished . Her best friend was Sarah Toal . Rosaleen had a sister who helped Maggie Walker run her shop . She ended up running it .
Rosaleen was married to Bobby in the Sacred Heart Church on Easter Monday 1946 and they came to Australia in 1951 . They had three children Kathleen , Moya and Terry . Bobby has a brother and sister who live in Melbourne .

Bobby and Kathleen took some bits of paper with messages scribbled on them . There were messages and greetings from the flock .
The Mc Keowns wished to have their name mentioned along with the Mc Clures who also came from Ardoyne . Pat Rocks from Rosebud in Victoria sent his greetings . The Rocks family have a big family connection through South Oakleigh in Victoria . There friends also wanted me to mention them in the Absent Friends collection I am putting together . There is Jimmy Conway from Geelong in Victoria who shad a brother still in Ardoyne who drove the Ardoyne Community bus . The Higgins family and the Hudsons also from Ardoyne are part of the flock who wanted to be included .

The Larkins and the Mc Geowns from South Australia ,The Tanners from Ardoyne now are living in Warner Bay down under . The Crawfords , the O’Reillys , The Corbetts , The Ryans . Then there was John Weir who is the brother of Bobby Weir married Frankie Hamill’s daughter from Ardoyne . John and Collette came to Australia and they have three children .
Peter Weir who is connected to the same family being Bobby’s nephew also lives in Melbourne . He originally came from Highbury Gardens in Ardoyne where his father was a local councillor .
After Bobby and Rosaleen;’s visit I had made a number of contacts through their help . I rang some of the members of the flock from FernTreet Gully who spoke to me over the telephone about their memories of Ardoyne in Belfast .

Tony Hopkins was born in 12 Chatham Street another old street that has since been demolished . One of Tony’s best school friends was John Ireland
Who has kept in touch with him . John originally lived in Brookfield Street in Ardoyne another old street long demolished . Tony has a brother who lives in Melbourne called Tom who came there in 1980 with his wife Bernadette .
At this stage Tony had not yet come to Australia .

I spoke with Tom who said ,

“When we arrived there were that many people I knew I thought I was back in Ardoyne . There were 15 families from Ardoyne who lived around us .“

Another of the flock from Ardoyne is John McFall originally from 58 Havana Street in Ardoyne which has now been demolished arrived with his wife Madge in 1970 .

Josephine and Ann Martin who originally came from 18 Fairfield Street and 52 Eskdale Gardens in Ardoyne came to Australia in 1951 and 1955 .
Josephine’s and Ann’s parents John and Josephine are deceased as are their brothers Terence , Patrick and Jimmy . A sister Rita is also passed on . At the time of writing this two brothers Raymond and Brendan are still alive in Belfast with a sister Maureen .
Josephine Martin is now married and her name has changed to Finningan and Ann Martin is also married and her name had changed to Fenton .
Both are happy and settled in Australia .

Paddy McCann originall came form 31 Ladbrook Drive in Ardoyne . He arrived in Australia in 1972 to start a new life . Paddy married a girl from Ardoyne called Pat Prenter . They now have three daughters Jacqueline , Denise and Kathleen . They have returned back to Ireland several times for a holiday .

I asked Paddy if he liked the Australian lifestyle and he said ,

“We love the freedom here in Australia . The weather’s good and our girls have settled in well in Fern Tree Gully .”

Catching up with this group of people was like seeing the flight of a flock come home to rest .

The End

By Paul McCann