Tuam Orphan Girls Project

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Tuam Orphan Girls Project Project to reconnect the descendants of the 'orphan' girls from Tuam and surrounding area, sent to Australia in 1848-50, with their relatives at 'home'

Amidst the St Patrick's Day notices in March 1858 is a poignant appeal by Bridget King for word of her brothers Denis an...
23/03/2024

Amidst the St Patrick's Day notices in March 1858 is a poignant appeal by Bridget King for word of her brothers Denis and John

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/60426935

Bridget had come on board the Panama arriving 12 Jan 1850 and is recorded as a native of Headford - John and Denis had been tried in Ballinrobe in June 1849 for sheep stealing and sentenced to transportation. They were held in Mountjoy prison, Dublin before moved to Portsmouth and then via the London to Australia

Was their conviction the reason that she ended up in the Workhouse - possibly

Their attempt at procuring food caused a huge shift in the family story as all 3 ended up in Australia - Bridget in Queensland and her brothers in Tasmania

Bridget's grave memorial

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/152259689/bridget_king_fitzgerald

I've reached out to descendants of all 3 and hopefully contact will be made and stories told as well as DNA to reconnect with family back home in Headford possibly

pic is of Denis via an ancestry tree

We remembered Thanks to all who came out and participated in this evening's Commemoration A very moving experience as th...
15/09/2023

We remembered

Thanks to all who came out and participated in this evening's Commemoration

A very moving experience as the names of the 25 girls were read out in the same space as they were called away September 4 1848

Our Commemoration began with a beautiful rendering of the song Orphan Girl by Alana Mullins in a reprise of her part in the play 'Orphans of the Great Hunger' by Patricia King-Callaghan which was performed in Tuam and Portumna last year, the latter attended by President Michael D Higgins and Sabina Coyne Higgins

Patricia read her moving poem after the names of the girls were read out individually with the ringing of a bell in between as a symbol of their names ringing out once more 175 years after they left

The report of the Immigration Board of Inspection from Dec 23 1848 was read out which included a description of the girls viewed through colonial administration eyes

Anne Tierney of the Old Tuam Society laid a wreath at the side of the wall of the refectory, the only surviving piece of the Workhouse buildings before those present gathered for a time of silence to remember the girls and all who were victims of An Gorta Mór in the area

Finally the prayer the girls would be familiar with , Sé do Bheata a Mhuire was recited to end the Commemoration

A picture of Mary O'Dea Holland on her 50th anniversary along with her children and grandchildren was shared to show the story of sone of the girls was one of happiness despite the difficulties encountered as a young girl

Many thanks to all who spread the word and attended either in person or in spirit

It's good to remember

Please join us in a short commemoration this Friday Sep 15 at the site of Tuam Workhouse as we remember the 25 girls who...
11/09/2023

Please join us in a short commemoration this Friday Sep 15 at the site of Tuam Workhouse as we remember the 25 girls who left there on Sep 4 1848 as part of the Earl Grey scheme

They boarded the Lady Kennaway in Portsmouth a week later leaving there on 11 September 1848 and arrived in Port Phillip (Melbourne) on 6 December 1848

The 25 Tuam girls chosen for this perilous life changing journey were : Mary Beirne (aged 16) Kate Connell (16) Mary Cook (16) Mary Costello (18) Catherine Culbert (18) Biddy Cunningham (17) Biddy Curran (17) Mary Curran (19) Sally Curran (16) Celia Walsh (14) Honora Gormally (17) Biddy Hughes (18) Margaret Hughes (18 ) Biddy Kenny (18) Mary Kenny (18) Martha King (19 ) Mary Loftus (16) Margaret Monahan (17) Mary Moran (16) Betsey O'Loughlin (15) Honora Prendergast (19) Winifred Roache (14) Margaret Roche Margaret Donnellan (17) Margaret Dunleavy (18)

Also on board the Lady Kennaway were Judith Curran (19) Headford Biddy Costello (18) Moylough Honor McCormick (15) Mount Bellew Mary McCormick (17 )Mount Bellew

We will remember them

Sep 4 1848 the journey begins Tuam Herald, Saturday, August 26, 1848; Page: 2 "Twenty-five of the pauper girls, from the...
11/09/2023

Sep 4 1848

the journey begins

Tuam Herald, Saturday, August 26, 1848; Page: 2

"Twenty-five of the pauper girls, from the workhouse in this town have been selected for emigration to Australia, and will leave here on Monday next."

The 25 Tuam girls chosen for this perilous life changing journey were (ages in brackets) : Mary Beirne (16) Kate Connell (16) Mary Cook (16) Mary Costello (18) Catherine Culbert (18) Biddy Cunningham (17) Biddy Curran (17) Mary Curran (19) Sally Curran (16) Celia Walsh (14) Honora Gormally (17) Biddy Hughes (18) Margaret Hughes (18) Biddy Kenny (18) Mary Kenny (18) Martha King (19 ) Mary Loftus (16) Margaret Monahan (17) Mary Moran (16) Betsey O'Loughlin (15) Honora Prendergast (19) Winifred Roache (14) Margaret Roche Margaret Donnellan (17) Margaret Dunleavy (18)

Also on board their Earl Grey ship Lady Kennaway were Judith Curran (19) Headford Biddy Costello (18) Moylough Honor McCormick (15) Mount Bellew Mary McCormick (17) Mount Bellew

a year later the Board of Guardians received a positive update to state that the girls ‘conducted themselves with great propriety during the voyage, and speedily obtained situations in the Colony, with good wages, and that their subsequent conduct has been spoken of in satisfactory terms’

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