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The sourse referance for my research came from letters my Great Great Grandfather wrote to his family back in Ireland in 1887 after his arrivial in Australia. This letters were found a few years ago in Ireland and were put on the Internet. There was a photo of the house where he was born in 1833. The letters covered his view of Brisbane at that time covering the people, music, land, religion and much more. Please find attached.

Regards Michael

A LITTLE PIECE OF HISTORY- FAMINE AND STRIFE

I, Michael Martin of Keylogues, now in Brisbane, Queensland, was born in December 1833, at school in Ballyfaskin in 1849, and I got First Communion and Confirmation in the year 1846 in the chapel of Aherlow, Bishop Slattery R.I.P.


In the year 1846 the public work first began the new road first opened from Barna through Keylogues to Ballylanders and finished in 1861. The year 1848 times of public works, the year of the Great Famine in Ireland. All the crops failed to grow and blighted; when hundreds of people died and several and many buried without a coffin, rolled in a sheet. 1847, 1848, and 1849 terrible time in Ireland. Times then getting better onwards as years went round.


I was bound to bootmaking trade in the year 1855 at Lough Cur, County Limerick near Knockaney and Bruff. Then I commenced to work at the boot and shoe making trade at home Keylogues in the year 1857. Then getting on well. Times were very good. Crops and prices good. My mother, Ellen Connors died in January 5th 1862 and was buried in Ballylanders R.I.Peace.


I was married to Ellen Frazer on the 5th March 1862. After that good times and bad times went round to the year 1878 and 1879 when crops failed. Corn crops did not ripen. My brother, Pat Martin was born in March 1835. He was married in the year 1866 to Mary Mahony.


My brother, Pat Martin, and cousin Ben Martin and J families left home on the lst of July, 1878 for Adelaide, South Australia, a voyage of 8 weeks and 4 days. In August, 1879, the Apparition at Knock, Co.Mayo Ireland where the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. John and St. Joseph appeared at Knock. A wonderful change came on there afterwards.

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