Historical Events

Historical Events

Matron Emily White (left) and the Irish boys in England, 1922 - about to leave England for Australia  (Courtesy Margaret Widders)

The Ballyconree orphans in Australia

Between 1910 and 1970, through various child migration schemes operated by charitable and religious institutions with government support, about 7000 young Britons came or were sent to Australia. This article sheds light on the unique case of 22 Irish boys who were displaced from a Connemara orphanage in June 1922 during the Irish civil war.

November 26, 2021 × 3 comments

Historical Events

History of Clifden

History of Clifden

John D’Arcy (1785 – 1839)John D’Arcy founded Clifden in 1812. At the time, he was just twenty-six years of age, married and the father of three sons. He was also the proprietor of an estate that covered over 17,000 acres on the west coast of Connemara. The lands had been […]

February 10, 2015 × 12 comments

Historical Events, Ongoing Research

The Adventure to Clifden

The Adventure to Clifden

  Image courtesy of John Halbrook   Breandán O’Scanaill traces the flight of Alcock and Brown and outlines the conditions prevailing in Clifden at the time. On June 15th 1919, Alcock and Brown crash landed their Vickers Vimy aircraft in Derrygimla Bog just south of Clifden, after their harrowing sixteen […]

December 2, 2010 × 4 comments

Historical Events, Ongoing Research

The Marconi Story

The Marconi Story

  Photo courtesy of Bart Maguire   GUGLIELMO MARCONI   (1874-1937) “There have been three great moments in my life as an inventor. One when my early wireless signals rang a bell at the other side of the room in which I was carrying out my experiment; the second when the signals […]

December 1, 2010 × 8 comments

Historical Events

Present Day Clifden

Present Day Clifden

Clifden today is a vibrant and cosmopolitan town on the very edge of Europe. It has a population of 2,609 but the hinterland which it serves as the administrative and economic capital to has almost 10,000 inhabitants (source; Census 2011). The town known as the “Capital of Connemara” boasts a […]

December 1, 2010 × 0 comments