Hi there everyone,

Hope you are all fine? We are – Denise & David arrived on Friday  on 12.15 bus from Dublin. They really enjoyed their all around Ireland trip. Not wonderful – mostly fine but grey days. Friday afternoon we walked down to the farm little caravan park area, Mark is developing. He thinks caravanning will become more popular here. The builders were there building the sides of the amenities block.

We went into Enniskillen & ;did; the quite long main street & churches. We also went for lovely drive around the country streets & lanes nearby but the local Lace Museum wasn’t open. They are putting a new thatched capping on one end. My casserole dinner was good!

Yesterday we had a lovely day! Denise had said it would be good to see some sun – it was the most perfect autumn day – sunny & warm ALL day & blue sky ALL day! Incredible!

 We drove the 20 miles to Omagh stopping off at the quite substantial town of Drumquin where the MOOREs were from/married. Would you believe the week before I left I read a different obituary of James (Dad’s grandfather) & it said he was born in Portdown (just SW of Belfast!) in 1828. He married Jane GIVINS in Drumquin as she was from there & that’s where they were living/working at the time.

We went on to the Ulster American Theme Park just out of Omagh – O in the News because Govt here decided not to have ANOTHER inquiry into the IRA hotel bombing there in 1998. The Theme Park was wonderful – one of top 4 attractions. It is all so well done - there is a large section of rooms with explanation (dioramas, museum & personal objects of early Ireland & ALL the immigration to America. You go from what it was like in Ireland to the covered wagon & life in America. There were 113 passengers on the Titanic so that features prominently – stories, photos of survivors.

 Then there is an outside Irish town on 16 houses, churches, barns, shops you walk through (people dressed up as in the time  -late 1700’s – ‘doing’ a craft (printing (you get your shipping ticket), making corn dollies, soda bread, blacksmith etc; also grocer, tailor etc). A couple of the houses are the actual houses & others ‘copies, rebuilt. Peat fires burning the lot – wonderful!

Then you go into a mock up immigrant ship on how they would have travelled which leads onto an early American village they would have lived in & the houses, churches, shops there - so good!

Last night they took us on a 90 mins cruise of Loch Erne (still sunny & warm 6.30 – 8pm – up through waterways around Enniskillen – it’s on an island between Upper & Lower Loch Erne – past the castle, through a ‘one level type’ lock; to Devenish Island where there is a ruined monastry, abbey church; round tower etc & back to swish hotel for 3 course dinner – wonderful!!!!

We got talking to a family on the cuise, as the 11 yr old grandson wants to come to Australia – asked us all about the spiders, snakes & sharks he’d seen on documentary about Aust. I was telling them about us & grandfather asked what names I was researching, He said ‘I’m a MOORE from Portadown’!!!!!! His cousin Helen Moore has done the family tree so we have swapped emails & phone numbers & he will pass them on to Helen!!!! He came back 3 times to talk to me – told me about old cemetery where lots of Moore’s would be buried & wants me to ring him when we are there & he’ll take me to it!!!! Lovely guy! There are coincidences like that SO OFTEN in family history research!!!!

Today is cold, wet & 60 mile an hour wind gusts!!!!!!!!!!It’s 7.20am, no one else has stirred yet!

All National Trust properties are open & free this weekend so we’ll see some of them. COLEBROOKE House where COLLUMs were is open & have tours, so hope to see thatou should see this table I’m at – cameras, videos, Kindles, laptops, tablet all recharging – CORDS EVERYWHERE!!!!!!

Photos - Family resemblances from tour = 'our farm house' + Aran Island

Andrew?

Dad?

 'Our farm house'

 600' cliffs near ancient fort (on top of cliffs)
Aran Island

C 

 Some of the 3.000 miles of stone fences on Inhishmore, Aran Island (10 x 3 miles )

t

On the last blog post the ruined stone house was the McCollum house on top of the hill at Largandoy out of Tempo. he Baxter house  inhabitated until 1990 by May Baxter - Baxter's lived there for 275 yrs

End of our first week here at farm

Things still going really well! We have got all the emails - I think - except one from Clare apparently.Thanks so much for them - love reading your doings!

Sun & Mon fine although some showers. We went to the pink column Methodist Church on Sunday - 11.30.About 100 there - first service on the year - it sounds funny them talking this was - but take everything from when school goes back so a new. There were 9 in the choir. Good old Wesley hymns we knew.

When we came out - minister stands outside the door to shake hands - it is right on the road so everyone disappears straight away - also it was 12.45.

Monday - we went to Coonien - where Collums, Brown's  came from etc. We were taking photos of the old place where the Baxter's lived (after visiting the church - it was open as workmen there!!!!

A lady walked down the drive & I said to her are you Ethel? Yes - it was May Baxter's daughter, I wrote to in the 80's!!!!!! She remembered we writing to her. She invited us in for cup of tea. We stayed about 2 hours. I had the letters for her to read. She has mine to her mother - in the attic. She said a fellow was over from USA a few years ago & she has papers he left too!!!!! We met her husband Roy who came home as well. We'll go back when Jen here.

She directed us to the real Baxter house (only 275 years old, I exaggerated!!!). The one we took photos of was where May's sister lived. Also where John Collum & Eliza Baxter lived - they were Robert Collum's parents (Gr'ma Messer's grandparents.

She said they would all be buried in Colebrooke Cemetery near the BIG church. This was the estate they all worked on - & Gr'ma called all their homes in Aust  'Colebrooke'.

WE FOUND JOHN & ELIZA'S grave!!!!!! I have never known when they were born (had a guess) but ALL the dates were there.

I've bought a yellow plant & hope to plant it near the grave when Jen gets here!!!!We've just had an 'international breakfast' over at the B&B. 6 others = English as well as one fellow from Bendigo, visiting his sister. We don't need to eat for the rest of the day!!!

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

Riverside Farm - first 3 days

 

Beautiful sunny days (mostly!) still (17 - 21 degrees) but quite cool early morning & evenings.

We've had 3 car less days but not been idle! Mon - we went into Enniskillen (Mark's dad drove us in on way to Dr's appt - all done up in his collar & tie & sports jacket!). I joined the Enniskillen library & talked to Fam Hist Librarian - I think I knew more than she did but she was interested!!! We walked town (

along narrow main street, a couple of shopping centres as well) BIG RC & Church of Ireland (Anglican) cathedrals like - opposite each other in main street!. 

We found the Methodist Church today  BEIGE/CREAM & PINK!!!!!!! BIG CHUNKY COLUMNS in front!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Will have to send you the photos!!!!

Yesterday we caught the bus to Fivemiletown - 10.50 pound return each! It's about 15 miles from here. It's the main town near where Baxters, Collums, Browns, & rest of our lot from. Saw the Market Place where they would have come to the monthly Fairs. THE highlight of their lives! I really felt touched/moved by walking up & down - seeing the signs to the villages they came from (3 to 5 miles away). Spoke to an old man who knew the later Baxter's (Grandma's grandmother). I corresponded with a Baxter descendant & her daughter still lives ON THE SAME property - her son lives in THE house where Baxters have lived for nearly 300 years!!!!! I will contact her & arrange for us to visit (hopefully) when you are here Jen.

Today we caught the bus to Belfast International Airport!!!!!!! 86 miles, 2 plus hours away 18 pouds single each.

We hired a car Peugeot 4 door. We'll have it until we go to Scotland with Jen. 

We are sitting outside (can get wi-fi that way) in the COLD breeze- but sun at 7.20pm.

I have been meaning to say - IRELAND HAS RED BARNS TOO!!!!!!!! I love the American ones - Irish barns have rounded tops - I think I sent a photo earlier.

Where we are I'm unable to attach photos!!!!

Some other things - 

 There are no screens on the windows at the house so LOTS of flies get in!!!!! Also GIANT mosquitoes - long 'spiderly' but fine - legs & wings.

We haven't met any Australians since Singapore!

Molly has some bird feeders in the trees outsaide our kitchen window & each morning there are about a dozen tiny little birds around the, Also BIG pigeon today!

We found a GIANT Tesco supermarket today - the same as Cosco to us; Tesco would be to them>

We were like kids in a candy store with all the 'specials'!!!! I've found food here (to buy & consume at home) cheaper than home - except for meat maybe.

ALSO THERE WERE JARS OF VEGEMITE THERE FOR 1.97 pound - & I CARRIED MINE ALL THE WAY HERE!!!!! At least some of the Americans tried it on our tour!!!! 

Our Irish home!

Lovely 2 buses trip yesterday (Sunday 1 Sept - happy Father's Day; Warren's first Irish one!)  - Galway to Sligo (2 & half hours) then Sligo to Enniskillen (1 & half) The difference in scenery incredible! The first (Sth Ire) little GREEN fields of sheep, cattle with stone fences; very few trees. The latter we could have been sitting on a bus around Orange way!!!! Mountains, hills, tree everywhere, pine forests, still small fields of animals but with wooden fences! Not big chunky ones like our's though.Weather fine - cloudy, sunny but warm.

 We got a taxi to the Riverside Farm - 2 miles south of E. Our house is about the same size as ours (up top). Big kitchen/dining area; big lounge room - 3 bedrooms all with big ensuites & 2 single beds, so 4 bathrooms & 5 loos!!!!!

Molly & her son Mark run the B&B & he the farm. Molly is friend of Vi who I email on family history website. She called in & met us last night!!!!(

 They also have a caravan park area (2 ports - loos!)  by the river (next trip Engadine group?) & 18 boats anchored at their moorings.

BIG TV, & Big fuel stove powered by oil which heats water & house.

I washed this morning - front loader type - it was still going an hour & 20 mins later & not 'spun'. When I opened the door the steam nearly knocked me over!!!! I ended up hanging it on the line (good breeze) & did some other by hand!!! Molly's 'lady' comes about 10am & she will show me how it works!!!!

We're off now for walk down to the river where their boat &cruisers are kept. Then into town to see about getting a car & buy some more food supplies. There is a little village about 30 mins stroll away where we went last night.

Haven't found the local pub yet!!!

Ps - Mark came over & set the washing machine (cold, quick wash)  for me - 2nd wash still going after  an hour! When we finally got the door open - WET clothes & BOILING HOT!!!! I'm giving it one last try now!!! Otherwise it's down to handwashing!

Aran Islands (Inishmore) off coast of Galway

At 8.45am I read Triona's suggestion of going to the Aran Island - we were on the bus to the ferry at 9.30!!!! Hour trip in double decker & hour trip in ferry.

The island is 10 x 3 miles with 3,000 miles of stone fences!!!!!! The island has a population of 900 - always the same except during the Great Famine (1845-48) when they had potatoes & food & no one else did. Pop went up to 3,000.

The story goes - there originally was no soil on the island so over three years they collected all the stones & made the fences; then brought in sand & seaweed, mixed it & planted potatoes the first year; the 2nd year they grew & mixed in rye and the 3rd grew crops!

We visited Dun Aonghasa - ancient (2,500 yrs) fort of stones - one of only four - this one on top of 600; cliffs - incredible scenery!!! The people built huts inside fort & massive ramparts each side of gateway.
There are 3 villages, 2 primary schools, one high school, few churches. Cromwell's men ever reached here & destroyed 7 church complex & killed all the monks.
I didn't feel least bit seasick on rough trip to & fro!

Wonderful day - thanks Triona for suggestion!!!!
Unable to send photos on this wi - fi so hopefully catch up next time!