GeniAus: Travel

Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts

Monday, February 17, 2025

Coffin Ship

Better late than never, I found this post in my drafts folder and thought I should post it.

11/9/2017 Thanks to Mr GeniAus for jumping out of our tour bus in the rain to photograph the Irish National Famine Memorial, a coffin ship, in Murrisk, Mayo.

"The National Famine Monument at the base of Croagh Patrick in Murrisk, County Mayo, Ireland depicts a coffin ship with skeletons and bones as rigging. Sculpted by John Behan, it is Ireland's largest bronze sculpture. The "Coffin Ship" was unveiled by then President of Ireland Mary Robinson in 1997 to mark the 150th anniversary of the Irish Famine." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffin_ship)

Some of my Irish ancestors left Ireland for New South Wales during the Great Famine. Visiting this site gave me an opportunity to reflect on the challenges they faced on their brave and arduous journeys.

Upclose to the sculpture

From Wikipedia:

"A coffin ship (Irish: long cónra) is a popular idiom used to describe the ships that carried Irish migrants escaping the Great Irish Famine and Highlanders displaced by the Highland Clearances.^[1]" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffin_ship

Tuesday, April 30, 2024

April AtoZ Challenge Conquered

Over the last few years I have taken up the April AtoZ Blogging Challenge several times.

As I did in 2023 I participated in the challenge on my personal blog jillballau. My topic Gods' Houses may be of interest to my genimates so I am posting a list of links to my 26 posts published in April below. I hope you enjoy some of my travel snaps.

Saturday, August 19, 2023

A Genimate in London

We capped off our genealogy day by spending a few hours and sharing a pleasant dinner with genimate and font of knowledge on all things English, Graham A Walter.

There's always plenty to talk about when genealogy is involved

Graham and Jill

Chasing down the Elms

We went chasing Robert's Elms ancestors at Tower Hamlets Archive and Bancroft Road library in London today.

The archive is housed in a beautiful old building which needs an injection of funds for some necessary maintenance. The mish-mash of furniture is at odds with the heritage features of the building.

The public area of the Archive

The four staff we encountered were most agreeable and took an interest in our quest. There were many local resources available plus PCs with internet access that were loaded with several local and commercial databases. As use of the services and resources at this facility is free we did not quibble about paying the 7 pounds 50 cents fee to use our camera to take images of the resources/.

In addition to the main research area there is an entry foyer that has a selection of new and secondhand resources for sale.

Entry Foyer

While we didn't find as much information as we hoped we confirmed that the Elms were landowners in Poplar in the early 19th century. We were also able to pinpoint the locations of Elms Cottages in Poplar where the family lived for several decades. We have several photos of documents to review once we recover from our holiday.

We thank the local authorities at Tower Hamlets for their commitment to local and family history and preserving these resources for future generations.

Saturday, October 22, 2022

The Tonale Military Memorial

Driving through Italy we passed through the Tonale Pass. Apparently in winter this place is buzzing with the snow lovers who flock to the area to participate in snow sports. When we visited in autumn the place was deserted, there was a chill in the air but not a snowflake in sight.

We made a stop there for a refreshment break and more importantly to pay our respects to those Italian military from the First World War memorialised at the Sacrario militare del Tonale. It was a sobering visit as we reflected on the loss of lives in all countries affected by war.

The building is right on the highway

The remains of many men rest inside the building

Perhaps occasional services are held in the building

A niche in the external wall

Information was displayed in English

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Sarcophagi at Side

I was able to indulge my interest in taphophilia when we visited the ancient city of Side in Turkey tis week.

The museum at the site had an impressive collection of very old sarcophagi. I used Canva to create a postcard of just a few.

Wednesday, August 3, 2022

Still Chasing Rev. Ryan

The highlight of our Norfolk Island visit has been finding sites related to our GGGU ncle, Michael Harrington Ryan, Catholic Chaplain from 1848-1852 in the second convict settlement.

The Catholic Clergyman's Residence where Michael would have lived can be found at 10 Quality Row in the World Heritage Area.

I was also fortunate to find some more biographical information on Michael in the Island's Research Centre. I am fascinated by this man and am always on the hunt for more stories of his life.

The Catholic Clergyman's Residence is being restored

If only I could travel back in time and visit Michael here

View from the lookout

The Catholic Chapel (now demolished) where Michael would have worked and worshipped

Site of the Catholic Chapel near the gaol

This could be a scene from 1850

Monday, July 18, 2022

20 Something Snaps - Open Day

On our recent cruise I asked one of the guest presenters, Celia Heritage, from Ancestry Pro Genealogists for suggestions on an interesting cemetery to visit in London. Celia suggested Brompton Cemetery.

It just so happened that Brompton Cemetery's Open Day was scheduled during our post-cruise days in London. We were definitely meant to visit that cemetery! On Sunday 17th July, a hot day in London, a bus from near our hotel in Kensington dropped us at the cemetery gates.

As we had theatre tickets for a 3pm matinee in the West End we didn't have time to dawdle around the cemetery or do the tour of the catacombs but we managed to spend a few hours wandering around this historic site. Of course we took many photos. You may recognise the cemetery from the Rowan Atkinson film "Johnny English"

Organised by Friends of the Cemetery

Impressive Entrance

Crucifixes were in abundance

While the plots around the main avenues were visible those in many areas were covered in weeds/natural vegetation. Apparently they receive annual maintenance.

Catacombs in background

A Simple Grave

Military Man's Grave

Grave of John Jackson, Prize Fighter

Newer graves. Burial spaces are still available on this 39 acre site

Vintage hearse on display

There are many magnificent monuments

Locals are encouraged to use the cemetery for recreation but are warned "Please do not feed the birds and animals, it causes more harm than good."

Grave of Frederick Leyland, Ship Owner
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/brompton-cemetery/explore-brompton-cemetery/famous-graves-and-burials/frederick-leyland

A peek inside the catacombs

The Dome of the Chapel. Unfortunately there was an art exhibition in the chapel so we couldn't appreciate the architecture.

Commonwealth War Graves area is mown. Thanks to CWGC?

There is a number of impressive mausoleums scattered through the cemetery grounds

A unique memorial

Headstones among the trees

Stalls along the majestic Central Avenue detracted from the atmosphere

Saturday, June 25, 2022

Annie Moore

Outside the Cobh Heritage Centre in Ireland we spotted this monument to Annie Moore.

I thought of my convict ancestors Patrick Curry and Ellen Moore when I came across this monument. Although their emigration was forced they would have had similar thoughts to other emigrants as they sailed away from their homeland.

Perhaps Annie was related to my Ellen!

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Phipps Connection

Wandering down Old Street in London yesterday we came across LSO St Lukes, the home of the London Symphony Orchestra, a deconsecrated church which is surrounded by a garden with seats. As I was footsore we stopped in to give my legs some R&R.

I thought St Lukes, Old Street sounded familiar and then a penny dropped. It was the parish in which my Phipps ancestors resided in the late 18th and early 19th Centuries. Some 4x great relations were even baptised in the now deconsecrated Church.

St Lukes, Old Street

After our rest we continued walking towards the Covid Testing Centre to complete the requirements for our impending cruise.

Monday, June 20, 2022

Stumbling across Bunhill Fields

While our current holiday is not a geneajourney we will probably visit a few genealogy related sites like the odd cemetery (or two or more!).

Being mindful of not contracting Covid before our cruise we are spending a fair amount of time walking in the open air away from crowds. Today's walk took us past some interesting sites as we made our way to a Covid Testing Centre to be tested prior to our cruise.

As we toddled along I spotted a sign to the Bunhill Fields so we took a tiny detour. The former burial ground is situated in a mostly residential area and provides a peaceful space for passive recreation.

Welcome sign

It didn't take us long to traverse Bunhill Fields, a relatively small site that runs between two streets. Of course I managed to take a few pics as we strolled down the main path.

The information boards related the history of the cemetery and provided a useful map.

As is the case with several old London cemeteries the areas around the graves is rather overgrown but the paths through the cemetery are wide and clear.