Tempo

What a great day we had yesterday! Sunny & warm we went out to Tempo where Gr’ma Messers father’s family, the Collums came from. It’s about 10 miles from here, little town. As we parked we saw a big black van go down the very narrow main street, It was pulling a clear sided enclosed trailer with a Cinderella type coach in it!!!! There is parking on both sides of street so only room for one vehicle at a time to go through!. Caos all the time!

 We walked down the main street to a RC church (among all the houses & shops) where there were 2 guys with big cameras taking photos. 3 guys in suits & flowers in buttonholes got out of an orange & black mini in front of the church! I spoke to one of the standers-by & a well known rally car driver getting married there in half an hour! LOTS of guests. The wedding party arrived in beautiful old Mercedes wedding cars – not the coach!!!

We visited the Church of Ireland & Presbyterian (where Collum’s married in 1862) churches & cemeteries – found only one McCollum. Gr’ma’s grandparents died elsewhere. They were ‘McCollum’ in early days (from Scotland in early 1700’s) & later dropped the Mc.

We went to the PO & told them my story. Lady said there were 2 McCollum sisters living in town & gave us their names, addresses (directions to houses & phone numbers). She rang one who said she’d be home until 2pm if we’d like to call!

We had lunch I’d made, then went to see her. Kathleen Elliott could not believe we were there – her br-i-l had arrived from Canada a few days earlier & he had just started to research the McCollum’s & had sent her what he had found on the 1901 & 1911 censuses. We compared notes & there were all farmers at Largandoy, the same as ours!!!!! She had never heard of the place (old townland name about 3 miles away!!!!) He hasn’t got back far enough to see how we could be related.

Another researcher thinks there were originally 3 McCollum brothers there & we are all descendants! So I’m off to library today to look for some more info. We arranged to get in touch again, plus her sister) after that. They had lovely big home & 2 Mercedes.

We called at her sister’s (Emily Armstrong)– beautiful new BIG “Celtic tiger’ home next to a ‘twin’ house where her daughter lives. (these houses were built in the good times – ‘Celtic tiger times’ - before the financial crises - LOTS of BIG 2 storey houses built EVERYWHERE - & now lots not completed or up for sale or just closed up & left)

 So these McCollum descendants have done well!!!

We started to drive out to see the McCollum house & the coach was outside the RC church!!!! It was for a SECOND wedding after the one we saw!!!!

We called on 2 brothers (90 & 84) who remembered where McC’s had lived – 2 places, one still there!

We found the original house I WILL HAVE TO TRY & SEND YOU PHOTOS!!!! On top of a hill over looking a quarry (still working) & farming land. Tiny (falling down) one room stone house, very low doorway, 2 windows with corrugated iron & wooden covers’ mud floor, small raised area & fenced off,  (made of cement - added later?- for animals?) This could well be our McC’s house as Kathleen’ s family was ‘at the Crossroads’. There were blacberries all along the way so we picked & ate some – beautiful.  Just wonderful to see it all.

Last night we went over to the house for dinner – tomato & vegetable soup;  roast beef & lamb, mashed & roast potatoes, broccoli & cauliflower (whole one cooked in big bowl, leaves, stem & all in white cheese sauce!!!! Red & white wine; home made fruit salad, cream & ice cream – beautiful! Tea & cake for supper anyone?!

So what a day!!!!

2pm Saturday -  just heard results of election - pleased Rudd going to stand down - will let someone new have a go! Australia 'under Tony'????!!!!!! There was a report on it on Wed & again this morning. Only news we’ve heard of Aust. We haven’t met any other Australians since Singapore!!!

T