Irish Echo 30th Anniversary Edition - July 2019

THE TOP 100

IRISH AUSTRALIANS July, 2019 Vol. 32 – No. 7 $5.95 (incl GST) ANNIVERSARY

irishecho.com.au

EDITION

Print Post No 100007285

2 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

THE IRISH ECHO

goes from

your Family to ours

www.workpermitsandvisas.com.au

enda o’callaghan

MONAGHAN & GLEESON

An agent, not an agency – for personal & professional service. (llb)(ba)(dip)

registered migration agent

Work, Study & Travel Visas D suite 2201, level 22, tower 2 westfield, 101 grafton st, bondi junction, nsw 2022, australia.

(02) 8095 6406 enda@workpermitsandvisas.com.au marn 1383553

irishecho.com.au

July, 2019 | 3

LOCAL NEWS

IRISH ABROAD Canberra conference harvests ideas on the future of the Irish diaspora

Policy reboot on global Irish BILLY CANTWELL

AN historic gathering of Australia’s Irish community leaders has heard a range of views about how Ireland can better connect, engage and support its diaspora.

The Link Plus conference, chaired by the visiting Minister of State for the Diaspora, Ciaran Cannon, brought together representatives of dozens of Australia’s major Irish groups and organsations to the Embassy of Ireland in Canberra over the weekend.

It was the first time that key representatives of so many of Australia’s Irish community groups had the opportunity to gather and air issues of common concern.

Ideas and initiatives emerging from the discussions will feed into the Irish government’s formulation of a new policy for the global Irish community to be released early next year.

A broad range of ideas and initiatives were discussed including positive and negative experiences of the Irish diaspora in Australia, how to build on Ireland’s global influence, how to better engage those of Irish heritage and how to better connect different

sections of the Irish community. One of the key concerns, highlighted by a number of speakers, was the treatment of returning emigrants, many of whom face significant challenges trying to reintegrate into Irish life.

Problems associated with accessing social services, enrolling children in school and even getting a drivers licence, particularly for emigrants returning to Ireland from outside of the EU, were highlighted as examples of areas in need of improvement.

The tyranny of distance was also identified as a contributing factor to the unique challenges for the Irish in Australia. Homesickness was singled out as a potential cause of mental illness among young and not-so-young immigrants.

The fact that young Irish citizens, not resident in the state, are assessed as foreign students when it comes to third-level study in Ireland was also raised as a key concern. It emerged that Croatia, another European Union nation, reserves a percentage of its university places for its diaspora was pointed to as an example of a more progressive approach.

Others called for Australia to get

The historic gathering of Irish community leaders and (below) conference speakers address the conference.

more funding from the Emigrant Support Programme. Only 4 per cent of the approximately €12 million budget makes its way to Australia. In per capita terms, Australia receives one sixth of the funding given to the US. Similarly, Ireland’s relatively small diplomatic footprint in Australia was identified as something that potentially puts a brake on economic and other opportunities in Australia. The absence of diplomatic representation in Melbourne and Brisbane was raised as a key area for potential growth.

The successful integration of Irish migrants into Australian life was identified as a key positive. However, the conference heard that both Ireland and the Australian Irish community needed to work harder to enshrine that positivity and engagement within future generations of the diaspora.

Economic opportunities emanating from Ireland’s diaspora were discussed and there was broad agreement that culture, tourism and busi-

ness were key areas for development.

Among the speakers were Martha McEvoy (Friends of Ireland, Canberra); Professor Ronan McDonald (Gerry Higgins Chair in Irish Studies at the University of Melbourne); Ned Sheehy (President of the Australasian GAA); Clare Murphy (Celtic Club, Melbourne); Seamus Sullivan (President, Irish Australian Support Association Queensland); Emma Hannigan (Emerald Women’s Leadership Network); Julien O’Connell (Mercy Health and ProVice Chancellor, Catholic Universities); Marty Kavanagh (Honorary Consul of Ireland, Western Australia); Carl Walsh (President of the Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce); Helen Waldron (Australian Industry Group); Philip O’Sullivan (Lansdowne Club); Billy Cantwell (Irish Echo) and Fidelma Breen (Postdoctoral Fellow, The University of Adelaide).

The questions that were considered included:

What has been the overall experience of the Irish diaspora in Australia?

How can the positives be built upon and the negatives dispelled? What obstacles the diaspora face?

Also how can Ireland’s reputation and influence around the world be built upon via the diaspora? How do we support and develop economic opportunities for Ireland and for Irish people both at home and abroad.

How can we better galvanise the Irish diaspora in Australia to have their interests and concerns better represented locally, and at state and federal level.

How do we foster the interest of of the so-called ‘affinity’ diaspora?

Who are the Irish diaspora in Australia and how do we ensure that their interests and concerns are equally reflected?

Also, is there a communication gap between older and younger Irish people living in Australia and how can this be addressed?

REFERENDUM Ireland’s eligible voters to decide if citizens living abroad can vote in presidential elections

Minister concerned Ireland will reject Diaspora vote BILLY CANTWELL

IRELAND’S minister for the Diaspora,Ciaran Cannon, has expressed his deep concern that a referendum to extend the right to vote in presidential elections to Irish citizens abroad may not win approval in a forthcoming poll.

The Irish government has approved a plan to hold a referendum which, if passed, will allow Irish citizens living abroad to vote, but only in presidential elections.

The poll is expected to take place in late October and the Varadkar government will be campaigning for a ‘yes’ vote. Under the proposed change, all Irish passport holders of voting age would be eligible to vote for the President. The next presidential election is due in 2025.

Speaking at an historic Irish Australian conference in Canberra, Mr Cannon urged those present to lobby

their friends and familes in Ireland to vote ‘yes’.

“Call them, email them, whatsapp them and tell them it is so important that they vote ‘yes’,” he said.

The government estimates that there are 3.6 million Irish citizens outside of the Republic. This figure includes the total population of Northern Ireland (approximately 1.8 million) as well as those who have not reached voting age. Online registration and postal voting would be used to extend the franchise, according to reports in Ireland. The campaign period would also be extended to accommodate a global electorate.

If the proposed referendum passes, the 2025 presidential election would be the first in which Irish citizens not resident in Ireland could vote.

The referendum had been due to take place in May, alongside the divorce referendum and the local and Europe-

Minister of State Ciarán Cannon

an elections. However, in February the Cabinet opted to delay the presidential vote. The Taoiseach said the possibility of the vote being contentious and the uncertainty over Brexit were factors in the decision.

Speaking at the time, Mr Varadkar told the Dáil: “It will involve a good

deal of planning. It needs a good campaign and we want to win it.”

Ireland is almost unique among Western democracies in denying a vote to its citizens living abroad.

Countries like France have global constituencies for its citizens abroad and elected representatives sit in the French parliament. Australia allows its citizens abroad to vote for up to six years after leaving the country.

However, you must be first registered to vote while resident in Australia.

In 2016, a Convention on the Constitution voted in favour of extending the vote in presidential elections to Irish citizens living abroad.

The possibility of citizens abroad being allowed to vote in Dáil and Seanad elections or referenda was not considered by the convention.

The wording of the referendum and the surrounding legislation is expected to be available by the end of July.

In a statement, the Government said: “The presidency serves a very different function to the Dáil and Seanad. This referendum will be about reimagining a presidency for the 21st century, a presidency that represents the Irish nation not just the State, and that is elected by all citizens.”

The referendum has been welcomed by the Votes For Irish Citizens Abroad (VICA) group. “Wonderful news that this referendum has been confirmed,” the group tweeted.

But there has been an almost immediate backlash against the extension of voting rights. Radio presenter and journalist Ciara Kelly wrote: “We are a young, vibrant, outward looking, progressive, liberal country. I’m not sure that is truly recognised by our ex-pats. I would stick to the old rule: no representation without taxation. No vote unless you have to live with the consequences of that vote.”

THE IRISH ECHO

4 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

LOCAL NEWS

IRISH DANCING Veteran Irish dance teacher and leader named in Queen’s Birthday Honours List

Happy Jan after OAM gong MEG KANOFSKI

CELEBRATED Irish dance teacher and adjudicator Janice Currie-Henderson’s Order of Australia Medal (OAM) will be in good company alongside her multitude of prizes.

Ms Currie-Henderson, ‘Miss Jan’ to her devoted students, received a Queen’s Birthday Honour last week for services to Irish dancing, just two years after receiving a lifetime achievement Brigid Award for her contributions to the Irish-Australian community.

She was also honoured last year

by An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha (The Irish Dancing Commission), the sport’s peak body.

“I got such a shock when I got that letter,” she said. “I don’t know who nominated me ... I’ve asked, but the good fairy’s not speaking up.”

Ms Currie-Henderson, whose family hails from Offaly, Derry and Dublin, has lost count of how many young competition hopefuls she has guided through jigs and reels in her 60 years of teaching but knows the number must be in the thousands.

Her own involvement with the tradition began at the age of five when her father saw an Irish dancing perfor-

mance in the Brunswick Heads hotel owned by her grandparents. “We came down to Sydney to live and there was Irish dancing in the school, Daddy enrolled us, of course,” Ms Currie-Henderson said.

The eager prodigy would go on to become a national champion and knew by 17 that she wanted to share her skills with new generations.

In 1959, she set up the Currie-Henderson Academy of Irish Dancing. Ten years later, she became a founding member of the Australian Irish Dancing Association (AIDA).

She is a past president of the NSW division of the AIDA and continues to serve as its vice-president.

Students from her academy have won more than 100 national titles.

Fast-paced moves are the norm in Irish dancing, and Ms CurrieHenderson has watched the centuries-old tradition evolve into something quite different, especially since the emergence of Riverdance in 1995.

Today, the sport has undergone more than a surface-level makeover.

“The basics of it are all the same but it’s more expressive now.

“We still have the rules in competitions but in the shows you can express yourself differently,” she added.

Jan Currie Henderson at a recent celebration of her 60-year career in Irish dancing with (from left) her sons Craig, Andrew and Michael, and her husband Bob.

FILM Sydney Irish seniors reflect on their emigrant lives in new documentary

Capturing the voices of exile

STAFF REPORTERS

Tomás De Bhaldraithe is one of the subjects of A Lifetime Of Stories.

A NEW documentary and web project captures the amazing life stories of Sydney’s Irish seniors.

The documentary, A Lifetime Of Stories, premiered at the Irish Film Festival in Sydney and is now available free online. The film, devised by Enda Murray, features in-depth interviews with a number of older Irish migrants in Sydney and allows them to tell their own stories in their own words.

The participants come from the four

provinces of Ireland. Pat Foley, Tomás de Bhaldraithe, Marion Reilly, Marie McMillan and Damien McCloskey reflect on their lives with humour and wisdom. Pat Foley, 90, left Moyvane, Co Kerry in the early 50s and worked on the Snowy Mountains Scheme.

Damien McCloskey grew up in Derry and witnessed some of the tumultuous events in that city including Bloody Sunday in 1972. Marion Reilly is from Connemara and had the adventure of a

Former Aussie envoy’s Irish jibe over US visas

lifetime when she travelled to Australia overland on a hippy bus in the 70s.

Tomás de Bhaldraithe is from Dublin and is a learned Gaelic scholar and a skilled sailor of Galway hookers.

Marie McMillan is from Dublin. Marie is a skilled performer and has won numerous awards at slam poetry battles around Sydney.

The documentary can be viewed via the Irish National Association’s website, irishassociation.org.au

A FORMER Australian ambassador to the US, Michael Thawley, has had a none-too-subtle dig at Ireland as the battle for coveted US E3 visas rumbles on.

At present, Australians have exclusive access to 10,500 of the two-year, renewable work visas each year. But under a bill before congress, which has the support of both President Donald Trump and Democrat leader Nancy Pelosi, Irish citizens will get access to those visas not used by Australians.

Australia’s outgoing Ambassador to the United States Joe Hockey lobbied for the scheme to remain exclusive to this country’s citizens.

Mr Thawley told The Australian that he also believed Australia had a better claim to the visas than any other country. But he also appeared to reference Ireland’s neutrality and problem of undocumented immigrants in justifying his position.

“Australia is a close ally of the US, having fought with it in every major war – not stood on the sidelines,” he was quoted as saying.

“We are a very large investor and employer in the US. And we are a strong and trusted economic partner on financial, tax and other regulatory issues. We don’t pose over-stayer

Former ambassador Michael Thawley

or illegal immigrant issues.” Between 2000 and 2005 the English-born Mr Thawley served as Australia’s Ambassador to the US. Before that, he was international adviser to former Prime Minister John Howard and served in a variety of positions in the Government in Canberra and overseas. He played a key role, along with Prime Minister Howard, in securing the E3 visa deal for Australia as part of a trade agreement.

During his recent visit to Ireland, President Trump was asked about the E3 visa bill.

“I think we’re going to be in good shape [on the bill]”, he said.

“I want to do that for the people of Ireland, but I want to do it for the people that are in the United States that want this vote to happen, that happen to be of Irish descent.”

irishecho.com.au

July, 2019 | 5

LOCAL NEWS

MUSICAL Adapted Irish stage musical finally comes to Sydney

PAIN AHEAD Economist predicts Aussie crash

Swell Sydney season for Once

Australia in an Irishstyle bubble: Hobbs

MEG KANOFSKI

MINIMALIST musical Once has finally premiered in Sydney, five years after Melbourne audiences were treated to its no-frills love story and swelling score.

Production director Richard Carroll told the Irish Echo that the music, mainly written by Glen Hansard and Marketa Iglova, was the very heart of the show.

“There’s no great musical without great music, and these songs are among the best that’ve been written this century,” he said.

“We have people iwho are primarily professional musicians. We have actors who also happen to be very accomplished musicians. No one’s fudging it.”

Once continues at the Darlinghurst Theatre until July 21.

Carroll says audiences love Once because “[the main sentiment running throughout. film became the surprise hit of 2007. characters] are so representative of us, “There is a deeply Irish sense to the The adapted stage-show premiered their story is simple but...the feelings whole production ... that’s a beautiful at the New York Theatre Workshop in between them and their situation make thing because the history of Irish music 2011 before making its Broadway debut their relationship incredibly complex. is so deep. This is the first professional the next year. It was a resounding “It gives the sense that we are not production outside of the original success, receiving eight Tony Awards alone ... when we have feelings of Broadway production in Australia, so in including Best Musical. It has also heartbreak.” intangible ways there will be an Austraenjoyed record runs in Dublin, Toronto, Once’s poetic ballad Falling Slowly lian sensibility to it, it’s been created by Seoul and in London’s West End. won the Academy Award for Best Origpeople in our community.”

Carroll aimed to retain the original inal Song in 2008 after the low-budget Once runs until July 21. spirit of the show with traces of local

MOVING OVERSEAS? MOVING OVERSEAS? Working with the Irish community since 1970!

Specialist international mover

Working with community Working withthe theIrish Irish community Door to door service since 1970! since 1970!

Specialist international High quality packing mover Door to door service Specialist international mover Cars Motorbikes High & quality packing Door door service Cars to & Motorbikes Secure Storage Secure Storage High quality packing Trust our our 40 Trust 40years yearsexperience experience Cars & Motorbikes

Call for an obligation free quote

Secure Storage

1300 789 322 info ossworldwide.com

Trust our 40 years experience

@ obligation free quote Call for an

1300 789 322 www.ossworldwidemovers.com info@ossworldwide.com @

www.ossworldwidemovers.com

IRISH financial guru Eddie Hobbs has declared that Australia is in an economic trap, fuelled by a huge speculative property bubble.

Writing in the Irish Examiner, Mr Hobbs says there are disturbing economic parallels between what happened in Ireland before its property crash and what is going on in Australia today.

“Housing values are already down 10 to 15 per cent on average, credit growth is cooling rapidly and early warnings like falling recruitment advertising, white goods and car sales are flashing red as employers and consumers rein in spending as the negative wealth effect takes a grip,” he says.

“Ireland and Australia have different economies that’s for sure, but not different people. Why Irish data matters is because the Australian mortgage book looks to have much higher risk than Ireland before its crisis.

“Forty per cent of all Australian mortgages are on capital repayment holidays, serviced on interest-only terms. This is a huge number,” he writes. “The total loan book is also heavily skewed towards buy-to-lets at 34 per cent of which 80 per cent are interest only. These nose bleeding numbers compare to Ireland where 15 per cent of mortgages were buy-tolets, half of them, interest only. The

Eddie Hobbs

great bulk of Irish housing mortgages, 85 per cent were owner-occupiers spilt even between first-timers and those switching home or mortgage. So, have Australian Banks been more carefully lending than Irish Banks? No.” The economist said he can not see a way out without a lot of pain. “Despite its AAA status, high per-capita wealth and low joblessness, Australia is in a trap. Heaven help them because it is hard to see a way out that doesn’t involve taking a lot of pain. The economy is sitting on a huge speculative bubble. If [the economic doomsayers] are right, Australia is staring into a full-blown systemic crisis for banks, for mortgage insurers and sovereign debt as losses get socialised.”

Find a way to stay!

There are more than 100 different types of Australian visas.

To find out which one best suits you call John McQuaid or Narelle Ballard on 02 9369 2400. We’ll assess your options.

S P E C IA L I S I N G I N VI S A S FO R : — Employer sponsorship and skilled workers — Partners and families — Student visas with work rights CO N TAC T Level 25 / 101 Grafton Street Bondi Junction NSW 2022 T. +61 2 9369 2400 E. info@arriveaustralia.com.au arriveaustralia.com.au MARN . #0324918

THE IRISH ECHO

6 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

LOCAL NEWS

CHARITABLE LEGACY Impact of Irish order on Australian history showcased in new exhibition

Irish nuns’ story preserved MEG KANOFSKI

A NEW Sydney exhibition revives the history of Irish-formed order, The Sisters of Charity, which first made its mark in Australia over 180 years ago.

The Sisters of Charity Heritage Centre opened in early June with a mission to relay the story of the women religious who founded Catholic schools and the ground-breaking St Vincent’s Hospital to care for Australians of any faith. Congregation historian Sister Moira O’Sullivan, who arrived in Australia from Cork in 1939, said the exhibition was a testament to the unrelenting struggles and passion of the first nuns who arrived in Sydney from Dublin on New Year’s Eve, 1838.

“They had morning and night visits to the Parramatta Female Factory where the female convicts were, and after some years they included the Catholic orphan school.

“They had to walk through bush, they would be walking on dirt roads.”

Originally sent to help alleviate the circumstances of convicts, the dutiful women soon turned their attention to helping the wider community.

Sr O’Sullivan said the nuns “were poor and hard working”, allowing them to connect with the very people they were serving.

“Life was hard for them but I think that was an advantage because it put them on the same level as the people

they were working with. It meant that they got tremendous support from everyone,” she said.

Exhibition visitors begin a solemn journey through time at the iron convent gates that once stood proudly at the manor home that housed the Sisters of Charity after its purchase in 1856. The centre’s artefacts offer insight into every aspect of the devout women’s work, from a heavy pre-Vatican II habit harking back to the days when nuns were not to be seen out of reverent uniform, to charming sketches by nuns of everyday apostolic religious life. Their spirit is also revitalised with interactive panels to appeal to the touch-screen generation.

The exhibit does not end with the story of Mother Mary John Cahill and Sisters Mary Francis de Dales O’Brien, Mary Baptist De Lacy, Mary Xavier Williams and Mary Lawrence Cater, the order’s first arrivals here. It also explores the order’s approach to modern concerns including drug addiction and rehabilitation as well as refugee and indigenous welfare.

With just 116 Sisters of Charity in Australia today, Sr O’Sullivan believes education surrounding the history of the faithful is essential.

“We can contribute a sense of the importance of God,” she said.

The Sisters of Charity Heritage Centre is at 1 Rockwall Crescent, Potts Point. Open 10am to 3pm.

Cork-born Sister Moira O’Sullivan, one of only 116 remaining Sisters Of Charity in Australia, and (inset) a replica of the dark, heavy habits the early nuns wore and a bust of the order’s Irish founder Mother Mary Aikenhead. The heritage centre also houses an extensive collection of the order’s records for research and public use.

HISTORY New book revisits dramatic story of Fremantle Fenian jailbreak

Ripping Catalpa yarn gets the FitzSimons treatment AINE HEGARTY

THE incredible story of the daring rescue of six Irish political prisoners from ‘the most remote prison on earth’ has been retold in a new book.

The Catalpa Rescue recounts how Irish republicans in Ireland and America hatched a complex plan to free six inmates from Fremantle Gaol in Western Australia in 1876.

The prison was dubbed a living tomb by inmates because it was virtually impossible to break out of. However, Australian author and journalist Peter FitzSimons says this did not deter loyal Irish patriots in the US coming to the rescue of their fellow countrymen who had been sent there by the British Crown.

The daring rescue inspired a new wave of Irish rebellion after it made headlines all over the world and left England humiliated by its audacity.

FitzSimons, who is also chairman of the Australian Republican Movement, said the rescue “showed those seeking independence could triumph, that Great Britain was not unbeatable”.

“The Catalpa Rescue was really the first major success for the Irish republican movement,” FitzSimons says. “It was the first black eye Ireland gave England. The Irish snatched six of

Peter FitzSimons and his new book, the Catalpa Rescue, published by Hachette.

their soldiers from the most remote prison on earth. How they managed to pull it off is just incredible.”

The rescue mission was spearheaded by charismatic republican John Devoy who was a leading member of the Fenians in Ireland before he was arrested and forced into exile in the US. Devoy received a letter from one of the six Irishmen rotting in Fremantle prison begging for help and immediately started fund-raising for a rescue.

He recruited an unlikely hero to lead the mission, an experienced Quaker sea Captain George Anthony who had no connection with the Irish

cause but who he convinced “it was right thing to do.”

The plan was to disguise the US ship as a whaling boat and sail close to Fremantle where the prisoners could row out to meet the boat in international waters. FitzSimons says that like all good plans “things got pretty hairy” on the day of the rescue.

“The six prisoners got away from their work detail, jumped into buggies and raced to Rockingham beach.

They jumped into a boat and rowed from the shore when three troopers charged onto the beach and started shooting at them but luckily they were far enough out that the rifles couldn’t

reach them.” Having survived this attack, the men faced further danger as a storm raged that night and they risked being sunk in a long boat that was heavily overloaded. After a tumultuous night at sea, the inmates still needed to row a considerable distance out to the Catalpa which was waiting for them in international waters.

“As they finally neared The Catalpa, they see the coastguard heading for them and it’s a race against time to reach the ship. The prisoners won the race by a hundred yards.”

But the drama didn’t end there as the British steamer The Georgette pulled up alongside The Catalpa with cannons ready to fire on the ship.

The Catalpa was also perilously close to being nudged back into Australian waters, with no wind to prevent that from happening. It was then that Captain Anthony gave his reply, pointing at the American flag.

“This ship is sailing under the American flag and she is on the high seas. If you fire on me, I warn you that you are firing on the American flag.”

Suddenly, the wind kicked up and the Catalpa set sail. The Georgette followed for another hour or so, but it was clear the British were reluctant to fire on an American ship sailing in in-

ternational waters. Finally, the British commander peeled the steamer back toward the coast. The Fenians were free.

It took them six months to sail back to New York where 300,000 people turned out to welcome the Fenians with open arms.

FitzSimons, a former rugby international, said writing the book “was a re-awakening” of his Irish roots.

Peter’s grandfather James B FitzSimons, from Donaghadee Co Down, came to Australia in the 1880s.

“I went there [Donaghadee] when I was doing my memoirs to get an understanding of where my people came from. It was really haunting.

I was looking at this village on the stunning coast of Ireland and I thought how bad things must have been for them to leave this place and go to the other side of the world.”

FitzSimons said his family still have a pistol which his grandfather James brought with him from Ireland.

“I remember at my grandfather’s funeral, a man telling me, ‘He was a very fine man but I never understood a word he said.’ It had never occurred to me how strong my Irish roots are.”

The Catalpa Rescue is published

by Hachette Australia.

irishecho.com.au

July, 2019 | 7

LOCAL NEWS

APPEAL Adelaide Irish family reaches out to the community to help save son’s life

Goliath battle for wee David The Glass family (from left) dad Liam, son David, mum Cindy and daughter Bella pictured at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital.

MEG KANOFSKI

AN Adelaide Irish family is praying for a heart transplant to save their threeyear-old who has endured five open heart surgeries to alleviate his rare conditions.

David Glass Hope was transferred to Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital in May, where he is reliant on a pacemaker, mechanical valve and heart failure treatment drug Milrinone to keep his tiny heart beating.

With just one quarter of David’s heart properly functioning, his parents remain hopeful for a miracle, with his Tyrone-born father Liam Glass saying the family had placed their trust in God since finding out about their son’s condition when his mother Cindy was 20 weeks pregnant.

“We want to show what faith and hope can do, and hope one day David can tell people,” he said.

David’s list of medical conditions is long and complex, from atrioventricular and ventricular septal defects that have left holes in the walls separating the chambers of his heart, to pulmonary stenosis, characterised by an obstruction of the flow of blood from the right heart ventricle to the lungs.

At the age of two and a half, he had four open-heart surgeries.

An appeal in his name has raised

more than $7,500 through Go Fund Me, leaving his parents overwhelmed by the kindness of friends and strangers. Melbourne’s Irish Australian Support and Resource Bureau has also helped the family while they have been in Melbourne.

David was placed on the waiting list for a donor heart this year, his

father explaining, “it’s the only option.” Transplant Australia says patients needing a heart transplant commonly wait nine or more months for a suitable organ donation.

Patients can often depend on Milrinone for years, but it is difficult to predict how long it will be effective for each individual, leaving David’s

parents and doctors in the dark as to the urgency of a transplant.

While most children with severe heart failure can use a mechanical heart device known as a VAD until a transplant is undertaken, this option would likely be fatal for David due to the increased risks associated with having only one working ventricle.

Despite being in a state his father described as sickly stable, David is otherwise like any other child his age.

“He’s a happy, humble wee boy,” said Mr Glass.

He adores his little sister Bella who keeps him company in hospital, and is obsessed with children’s show Mister Maker, with starring actor Phil Gallagher recently showering his young fan with signed gifts.

David (so named for the young faithful who defeated the mighty Goliath) has his own battle ahead as he awaits a donor heart, but Mr Glass believes his son is in the best hands after he pulled through a recent surgery against all odds. The Glass family has been told to hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

“The surgeon came out crying and he said, ‘God got me through that’ ... we’ve been praying for the hands treating David. I said, ‘now you’re speaking my language’.”

If you wish to donate to the appeal, visit www.gofundme.com and search for ‘David Glass’

Lic 2TA00839

Blacktown

L YOUR FOR AL NEEDS TRAVEL AKAWAY RE CALL B AVEL! TR

Specialising in:

• Leasing • Hire Purchase • Chattel Mortgage • Business Loans • Mortgage Loans • Premium Funding

~ Paul Burke: 0428 281 809 ~ Alex Felici: 0417 278 536 ~ Greg Molloy: 0413 312 279

Congratulations Billy to you and all your team for 30 years of extremely informative journalism.

(02) 9622 7799

FOR THE BEST FARES TO IRELAND CALL US NOW!!! * PRESENT THIS AD WHEN BOOKING AND RECEIVE $50.00 DISCOUNT ON YOUR INTERNATIONAL INSURANCE. *FAMILY POLICY CONDITIONS APPLY. Division of Rotonda World Travel ACN 001 448 835

94 Main St Blacktown 2148 - Telephone (02) 9622 7799

THE IRISH ECHO

8 | July, 2019

DEPORTATION

irishecho.com.au

LOCAL NEWS ROSE OF TRALEE South Australian representative selected

Cork-born Simone to fly the flag for adopted home teacher, because I want to help children be able to do that as well and help them overcome their doubts.

SOUTH Australia will be represented by Simone “Most people wouldn’t even know I have hearing Hendrick Buchanan at this year’s Rose of Tralee aids unless I told them. I’ve never let it get in the festival after the 19-year-old was selected at the way of anything so that’s why I want to help stuRose Ball on Saturday 8 June. Simone was born dents feel that same confidence that I have built up in Cork but grew up in the Gaeltacht area of onver the years. I didn’t end up gettting diagnosed Dingle, Co Kerry until she and her family moved until I was six, so I went six years without hearing to Adelaide when she was 11. aids, so I definitely had a problem learning. It took Simone told The Irish Echo it was overwhelmeveryone else half the time it took me to learn the ing to be crowned as Australia’s third and final same thing.” r\Rose to travel to the Dome in Tralee this year: Simone is passionate about music and dance “It’s so surreal. I don’t think it will hit me until I and has trained in ballet, get to Tralee to be honest. tap, contemporary and Irish “I’m looking forward to dancing. She stood up to the experience of just being sing as gaeilge on the night with the group of girls It’s so surreal. of the ball. “I was just happy and the whole week. I’m I don’t think it that I had enough courage so excited to meet all the to go up and speak and sing. roses and see my family, of will hit me until I felt like I won no matter course supporting me.”

I get to Tralee, what happened and then Simone is training to be I did win. It was just a blur a primary school teacher to be honest. the rest of the night. It’s still and there is a personal slowly creeping up to me reason she chose that that I am the South Australia career. Simone was born Rose. I don’t know how I’ll with a hearing impairment feel by the time I get to Tralee, hopefully ready and although this does not affect her hugely anyway.” anymore, it went undiagnosed for a long time.

The moment Simone was announced the South She would like to inspire any children who have Australia Rose, her mother could not contain similar issues. herself. “My mum was so delighted she jumped up “My whole life has been about not letting on stage. She’s wanted me to be Rose since I was that get in the way of anything and being able about five: ‘You’re gonna be a Rose, you’re gonna to push myself to my full potential despite the be a Rose’. Now I finally am one.” disadvantages I have. That’s why I want to be a DAVID HENNESSY

Cystic fibrosis sufferer Darragh Hyde, 3, and his Irish family are desperate to stay in Australia.

Victorian Irish family given visa extension THE Irish family who feared they may be deported because of their threeyear-old son’s cystic fibrosis have been given a visa extension but their future in Australia remains in doubt.

“We have had our bridging visa extended until September,” Christine Hyde said on June 19, a day after the deadline she and her family had been given to leave the country.

“In the meantime we have had to gather some other documents and we will be sending them back to [the] minister for his consideration on our case.”

In a statement on their change.org petition page, Ms Hyde thanked their many supporters. “Thank you all for the continued support. We now wait and see what the final decision will be.”

The Hyde family’s fate now lies in the hands of the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, David Coleman. The family can stay in Australia until the outcome of this review but this leaves them in limbo because there is no time line for when a decision will be made.

The Dublin couple, Christine and Anthony Hyde, came to Australia Australia in 2009 and were applying for permanent residency but had their hopes of staying dashed when Darragh’s condition was judged to be a potential burden on taxpayers.

The permanent residency that the family were sure of being granted was then refused. They have been fighting to stay in Australia since 2015.

The couple live in the town of Seymour, Victoria. Anthony has been working part-time as a bus drive; Christine has been working as an assistant principal at the local primary school.

Darragh was born in Australia and his condition is a mild form of the often serious genetic disorder that affects the lungs.

Darragh takes the drug Kalydeco, which helps him live an ordinary life. It is covered under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. However, he is still seen a burden because of his reliance on the PBS funded medication.

“

”

Simone Hendrick Buchanan is the 2019 South Australian Rose

BRISBANE Embattled Irish club determined to carve out a future

QIA seeking a new home DAVID HENNESSY

QUEENSLAND’S Irish Association (QIA) is looking for a new headquarters in central Brisbane.

Although currently without its own premises, the association has been busy running cultural, historical and social events. A new base would give the QIA somewhere to hold their members’ events that take place roughly every month.

The QIA is one of the oldest such organisations in the state but in 2015 its long-held club home Tara House on Elizabeth Street in Brisbane city closed and the association collapsed with more than $3.5 million of debt.

However, the sale of the CBD premises for $8.9 million, now renovated into a cinema, gave the association enough to pay all creditors and still have surplus cash allowing them to bring the association back to life in 2017. The association’s board is headed by retired Federal Court judge Jeff Spender as president with Seamus Sullivan as vice-president. The board is completed by treasurer John Leahy, Angela Laylee, David O’Farrell, Chris Peters, Michelle Hayes, Mark Morrissey and Mavis Williams.

“Our intention is to acquire a premises to operate from,” treasurer John Leahy told The Irish Echo.

The Governor of Queensland Paul de Jersey AC, QIA President Jeff Spender and state Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk at this year’s QIA St Patrick’s Eve Dinner.

“We don’t have that at this stage.

We have looked at a number of properties but we haven’t found one in our price range which is suitable for our needs going forward.

“It’s taken a lot of hard work to get the organisation functioning again and to run evens for our members. Since 2017, we’ve virtually had to start again from scratch because we didn’t have the infrastructure that sits around the organisation. We didn’t have a bank account, we didn’t have a telephone, a post office box, all the necessary things to underpin running an organi-

sation so we had to establish all of that and then start running events for our members. Our membership over time did fall away but it’s started to grow again. We’ve been fortunate, some people have been extremely loyal.”

In November last year, the association held a dramatic re-enactment titled Speeches from the Dock at the Banco Court in the Supreme Court of Queensland. This featured historically significant speeches by key people in Irish history. Two of those featured were well known Irish rebels Wolfe Tone and Robert Emmett while two

others, Fenian convicts John Flood and Kevin Izod O’Doherty, made a significant contribution to life in Queensland after transportation.

Mr Leahy said the event was a success and inspired the QIA to organise more similar events in the future “We had 200 people there, full house and everyone seemed to enjoy it,” he said.

Just last month, the association held Bloomsday celebrations that took over Queen Street in Brisbane’s CBD: “Going back a number of years, we used to celebrate Bloomsday and we decided we would revive that last year.

We’ve had the support of Brisane City Council and had various readings from Ulysses. We had Queensland Irish Association Pipe Band and had several hundred people enjoying it in Queen Street Mall. That was quite successful, that’s part of our contribution to the Irish culture in Queensland.”

Mr Leahy said he hoped the revived QIA could attract younger members to help secure its future.

“We have an older membership and we would like to grow that membership amongst younger people,” he told the Irish Echo.

“We are going to design some events that are more suitable to younger people. We want them to come on board and be the future of the organisation.”

irishecho.com.au

July, 2019 | 9

LOCAL NEWS

THEATRE Sydney run for Martin McDonagh’s classic The Cripple Of Inishmaan

‘Lovingly cruel’ stage treat MEG KANOFSKI

A LOVINGLY cruel Irish community is the sturdy centre of the hilarity and poignancy of Martin McDonagh’s dark comedy The Cripple of Inishmaan, set to hit the stage at Sydney’s Old Fitz Theatre this July.

Set in the Depression era on a remote and sparsely populated Aran Island, it’s not hard to see why the townspeople become archetypal busybodies with an every-man-for-himself mentality. For director Claudia Barrie, the play’s portrayal of a world full of grisly gossip conveys hope of redemption even for the deeply flawed.

“Watching this and seeing these characters be so oblivious to ... what power their words can have on someone is so relevant today,” Ms Barrie said. “The characters are very cruel and harsh to each other but ... when they show those moments of love and allow those cracks of vulnerability through, its incredibly touching.”

Barrie is multi-talented, a director, producer, actor, teacher, and keen roller derby skater, and has committed all her skills to giving The Cripple of

Inishmaan another life. While it dishes out darkness in spades, the comedy of the play’s genre is never forgotten. It is filled with uniquely Irish everyday absurdities. A mother berating her daughter for breaking a carton of eggs is met with a point-blank clarification: “I didn’t drop them eggs at all. I went pegging them at Father Barratt, got him bang in the gob”.

McDonagh’s classic, written after his breakthrough Leenane trilogy, has enjoyed successful runs on world

stages over the last two decades, perhaps most famously on London’s West End starring Daniel Radcliffe (of Harry Potter fame), but the new Red Line iteration offers a unique point of difference.

For the first time, the protagonist ‘Cripple’ Billy, who longs to leave Inishmaan and its taunts behind to become a Hollywood star, will be played by an actor with a disability, 17-year-old Canberra native William Rees.

Rees, whose left arm is paralysed, has been vocal about the absence of people with disabilities in the arts.

“Our young actor William Rees has a birth injury ... he’s left school to come up here and do this production, that’s how passionate he is,” Ms Barrie said. “The character of Billy is like that as well, he overcomes so much in his life.”

Ms Barrie hoped the show would hit audiences like a punch to the stomach, and its twist-of-fate ending may do just that.

The Cripple of Inishmaan opens on July 11 and runs until August 10.

William Rees and Zoe Carides in rehearsal for The Cripple Of Inishmaan, written by Martin McDonagh (left). Main picture: Marnya Rothe

DEATH IN LONDON Former Irish dance teacher found dead in London flat

Mysterious death of champion Irish dancer

Adrian Murphy was found dead in his London flat.

TWO people have been arrested in London in connection with the suspicious death of a Kilkenny-man who spent a number of years teaching and performing Irish dance in Australia.

The body of Adrian Murphy, 43, was found at a block of flats in Battersea, London on June 4.

A post mortem examination at St George’s Hospital on June 6 failed to determine a cause of death.

Police said property was stolen from the premises where Mr Murphy was found. They also believe he had been using the gay dating app Grindr.

Mr Murphy was a seven-time All-Ireland Irish dancing champion and

produced and choreographed shows like Celtic Dance Force, Feet of Fire and FireDance The Show.

He performed around the world and, according to his website, set up the Adrian Murphy Academy of Dance across Australia and New Zealand before moving back to Europe, settling in London. He is the youngest of seven children.

His brother Frank wrote a poem on social media, saying: ‘I am thinking of you looking at the stars. The colours that you wore of gay with pride. Influenced not by those who disapproved.

Your life a whirlwind of the brightest rainbow.’

Tel: (02) 8243 2600 Fax: (02) 8243 2611 Email: georgina@celtictravel.com.au

SUITE 502, LEVEL 5, 4 BRIDGE ST, SYDNEY 2000 Licence No. 2TA003945

His death has been linked to an earlier allegation of rape at an address in Walthamstow, north-east London, on May 30. In that incident, the 40-yearold victim became unconscious after he was allegedly drugged by a man he met on a social networking site and invited to his flat. He was found later that day by a friend and taken to hospital, but has since been discharged.

His flat had been ransacked while he was unconscious and the Metropolitan Police have said property including laptops, mobile phones and cash were stolen. A 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder, rape and theft on June 12. He has since been bailed to

attend a police station at a later date.

A 17-year-old girl was arrested earlier that day on suspicion of murder and theft and has since been released under investigation.

Detective Chief Inspector Rob Pack, from the Metropolitan Police’s Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: “We have linked these two incidents through our suspects and our inquiries continue to establish the exact circumstances. We know the victim in the Walthamstow incident met the male suspect through a social networking site and we are investigating whether there is a similar connection in Mr Murphy’s death.”

AT LAST! ONE HOP WITH ONE STOP - TO IRELAND Call and let us show you how!

THE IRISH ECHO

10 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

IRELAND

TOURISM Antrim coastal town poised for invasion ahead of British Open

EURO ELECTIONS

Portrush Open for business

Final Euro MPs named after vote recount

CATE MCCURRY

TRADERS in Portrush have credited a £17 million revamp with breathing new life into the seaside resort before the historic return of golf’s Open Championship to Royal Portrush Gof Club.

The two-and-a-half-year project to regenerate the Co Antrim town has been completed just in time to welcome the world’s best golfers this month. The popular holiday spot has undergone a major facelift thanks to a £6 million public realm investment. Golf fans travelling to the Open by train will arrive at a new £5.6 million station.

More than 100 business owners have also used £500,000 of grants to spruce up their shops. Other elements of the project are improved car parking and traffic signage.Developers have used grant funding to transform derelict and vacant properties.

The Open is returning to the island of Ireland for the first time in almost 70 years. The tournament at Royal Portrush Golf Club promises to be the biggest sporting event ever to be held in the region.

Andy Hill, who runs Troggs surf shop on Main Street, secured one of the revitalisation grants to repaint his premises and erect new signage.

“Together with the rest of the town we’ve given Portrush a real facelift,” he said. “We had fallen on darker times where the town had got a wee bit tired.

Now it’s looking brand spanking new.

“The resort has never looked as good and it’s just going to be a fantastic showcase with the Open golf coming in a couple of weeks’ time.”

Mr Hill said he had noticed a signif-

REBECCA BLACK

Andy Hill, owner of Troggs surf shop in Portrush, Northern Ireland. Photo: David Young/PA Wire

icant increase in tourists from outside of Northern Ireland in recent years.

“I think after this event and 600 million people watching on TV this is really going to boost tourism, without question,” he said.

Approving the regeneration scheme was one of the final acts of Stormont’s ill-fated powersharing government.

Ministers approved the funds at their last meeting before the Assembly collapsed.

The delivery was led by the Department for Communities (DfC). Tracy Meharg, the permanent secretary at the DfC, said: “It is important that Portrush is looking its very best as the

eyes of the world focus on the town.

Over 215,000 spectators will attend the event and an anticipated TV audience of over 600 million will watch ... the biggest sporting event ever to be held in Northern Ireland.”

Chris Conway, chief executive of Translink, said the new station will help to rejuvenate the area.

“As we get ready to welcome thousands of visitors to the town this summer for the 148th Open, the new station will form a key part of our travel plans to get golf fans to this high-profile event,” he said.

The mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Sean Bateson,

said there was an air of excitement in the town before the Open.

“This regeneration programme has created a new era for Portrush by transforming the streetscape and built environment,” he said.

“The positive improvements to the town’s appearance and infrastructure are befitting of Portrush’s position as a high-quality visitor destination and we are very proud of what the programme has achieved.

“This regeneration work will allow the resort to reach its full potential. Collectively we look forward to capitalising on the legacy of this programme for years to come.”

THE final European election count in Ireland has been concluded.

Mick Wallace (Independents 4 Change), Grace O’Sullivan (Greens) and Deirdre Clune (Fine Gael) took the final three seats in Ireland South after a recount in the constituency.

However, Ms Clune will face a wait to take her seat in the European Parliament. The so-called Brexit seat is one of two additional seats allocated to Ireland as a result of Brexit. Those seats cannot be formally taken until the UK actually leaves the EU. The recount was held at the request of Sinn Féin’s outgoing MEP, Líadh Ní Ríada. She had asked for a recount when she was on the verge of being eliminated after four days of the original count in the constituency.

The recount of all 755,000 ballots began, but Ms Ní Ríada asked for it to be halted when it became clear she was not going to beat Green Party candidate Grace O’Sullivan. Ms Ní Ríada’s transfers meant Mr Wallace reached 139,529 votes, exceeding the quota by 19,674.

Fine Gael’s Sean Kelly and Fianna Fail’s Billy Kelleher took the first two seats in the five-seat constituency.

Confirmation of Ms Ní Ríada’s defeat comes as another blow to Sinn Féin, after a bruising performance at the polls. The party has lost two of its four European seats, having already lost a raft of councillors in the local government elections.

EMIGRATION Teachers reveal motivations behind moves abroad

JOBS Digital employment boost for Dublin

Study learnings for teacher exodus

LinkedIn to add 800 jobs to Dublin base

DAVID YOUNG

SALARY, pay inequality, housing and lack of permanent positions are some of the main reasons teachers leave Ireland to find work abroad, a survey has found.

The Embassy of Ireland in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) carried out the survey of teachers working in the Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait.

It comes as the Education Minister Joe McHugh travIrish teachers move abroad to seek out more pay and better job security. elled to the UAE to talk to unemployment or underemployment The survey also found that more Irish teachers about coming home. in Ireland and 30 per cent for career than half of Irish teachers in UAE It is estimated that about 6,000 development. Salary was the most plan to return to Ireland, with only 10 Irish teachers work abroad, with about common issue raised by teachers per cent saying they would not. The 2,000 working in the UAE. about returning to teach in Ireland remainder were undecided. Some 59 Mr McHugh said the survey has prowhile 69 per cent cited pay inequality per cent have been living in the Gulf vided an “invaluable opportunity” to for post-2011 entrants; 62 per cent for fewer than three years, while 25 per understand the key issues for teachers cent have lived there for between three said housing was an issue and 58 per who want to return to Ireland. cent cited lack of permanent teaching and five years. Over three quarters “They are a huge asset to the positions. Just over a quarter said they of teachers moved to the Gulf for schools and the education system in were on a career break from an Irish financial opportunities. Some 40 per the region and they are phenomenal school or institution. cent cited lifestyle change, 35 per cent ambassadors for our country.”

MICHELLE DEVANE

LINKEDIN is to add 800 staff to its European headquarters in Dublin. The move will bring the company’s Irish workforce to 2,000 by the mid-2020.

LinkedIn said it has already begun its recruitment process for the roles at its European, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) headquarters at its Wilton Place offices in Dublin city centre.

Some 300 people have been hired. It has 100 vacant roles that need to be filled in areas such as sales, marketing, customer service, finance and analytics. The remaining positions will be filled by July 2020 .

“Our growth in Ireland continues at a phenomenal pace, as an employer but also as a platform that two million Irish professionals have come to rely on to develop their careers and find their next job,” the head of LinkedIn Ireland, Sharon McCooey, said.

LinkedIn Ireland’s Sharon McCooey

“Our Irish office has become our second largest office in the world, after our global HQ [in California], and our Irish members are some of the most active and engaged on our platform.”

The Business Minister, Heather Humphreys, said the jobs announcement reaffirms the social network’s commitment to Ireland and Dublin as the digital capital of Europe.

irishecho.com.au

July, 2019 | 11

IRELAND

TRUMP IN IRELAND Protests, plaudits and priests greet US President on visit to Ireland

Trump makes Ireland grate CATE MC CURRY

DONALD Trump ended his first presidential visit to Ireland by playing golf at his luxury coastal resort.

Mr Trump and First Lady Melania Trump flew out of Shannon Airport on Air Force One having spent two nights at his nearby five-star hotel in Doonbeg, Co Clare.

The only formal engagement of the presidential trip was when Mr Trump met Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at Shannon Airport for talks on Brexit, trade and US visa issues.

During the meeting, Mr Trump drew a parallel with his planned wall between the United States and Mexico as he expressed confidence the Brexit logjam over the Irish border would work out very well.

Mr Trump predicted Brexit could be “very, very good for Ireland”.

Mr Trump spent some time chatting to guests and taking selfies after a dinner at the Trump Inter national Golf Links and Hotel. The dinner was hosted by Mr Trump’s Chief of Staff, Mick Mulvaney. Other guests attending the dinner included senator Mark Daly, special envoy to Washington John Deasy and Irish ambassador to the US, Dan Mulhall.

In Dublin, about 2,000 people marched through the city centre in a

noisy and colourful protest against Mr Trump’s visit to Ireland.

A much smaller number of activists held a three-day vigil outside Shannon Airport. Campaigners claim the use of the airport as a refuelling stop for US military aircraft flying to and from operations in the Middle East is a breach of Ireland’s neutrality.

The scenes of protest contrasted with the warm welcome the president received in Doonbeg, a village that has experienced an economic boom since Mr Trump invested in the golf resort.

Two of his sons visited a number of pubs, pulling pints for revellers. Eric and Donald Jnr chatted with villagers and posed for selfies.

Hugh McNally, a bar owner in Doonbeg and a distant cousin of US Vice-President Mike Pence, spoke about his encounter with Eric and Donald Jnr when they visited his pub.

“It was amazing,” he said. “They’ve been in half a dozen times. They are great and every time they do come over they make a point of coming to visit people and ask how things are.

We really appreciate it all.”

The Trump visit prompted a massive security operation. A ring of steel was erected around the five-star Doonbeg resort. About 3 kilometres of barriers and 3km of 2-metre high fencing were erected for the visit.

Local priest gives POTUS his blessing AOIFE MOORE

US President Donald Trump and the First Lady Melania Trump are greeted at Shannon Airport by Taoseach Leo Varadkar. Picture: Liam McBurney

A PRIEST who says he has saved a place in heaven for the Trump family has presented the US president’s eldest sons with a gift from his village.

Fr Joe Haugh, the parish priest in Doonbeg, Co Clare, where Mr Trump’s golf resort is based, handed Eric and Donald Trump Jnr a framed photograph of Doonbeg Castle showing the remaining fortifications of the castle, which was built in the 16th century.

Fr Haugh, who previously said he had saved a space in heaven for Mr Trump, told his sons that their entire family’s space in the afterlife is secure.

“I wanted to give them a gift to thank them very much for all they do for the area,” the priest said. “They provide around 300 jobs here. No one else is doing that for us.

“Students work there in the summer and are going back to university with thousands in their pocket. The vegetables they use, the meat, the fish, that all comes from local suppliers. The area needs the Trump hotel.”

ATAS Accreditation: A10427

For the best deals and service when travelling to Ireland and beyond!

Seamus and Christina Moloughney at Emerald Travel continuing a family tradition of professional travel service.

Congratulations to the Irish Echo on a fabulous 30 years!

Emerald Travel 1a, 339 Ferrars Street SOUTH MELBOURNE VIC 3205 t: (03) 9690 2123 w: www.emeraldtravel.com.au e: info@emeraldtravel.com.au

@EmeraldTravelMelbourne

THE IRISH ECHO

12 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

IRELAND : BREXIT

TAOISEACH DOUBLES DOWN Irish leader reinforces EU position on Brexit negotiations

Leo’s not for turning PAT HURST

THE Taoiseach said whoever becomes the UK’s next prime minister will get a fair hearing from the EU, but he warned that “we mean what we say” about not reopening negotiations on the Withdrawal Agreement.

Leo Varadkar spoke alongside the UK’s Minister for the Cabinet Office, David Lidington, and Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, at the end of a British-Irish Council summit meeting in Manchester.

Mr Varadkar said it would not be helpful for him to comment on the Tory leadership race.

“At the same time, it needs to be understood that we also mean what we say,” the Taoiseach said.

“That is, the Withdrawal Agreement won’t be reopened, without a Backstop there will be no transition period or implementation phase.

“We are willing to examine the joint political declaration and make amendments to that if that enables us to proceed to an orderly Brexit, with a guarantee there will be no hard border between north and south, which is our shared objective.”

Mr Lidington said both Tory leadership contenders, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt, have said they do

not want a no-deal Brexit, and it is important to take their word on that.

He also said it was very clear that tariffs and checks would be applied to UK trade on day one of a no-deal crashout. But he said there will be a window when EU leaders will want to hear what Theresa May’s successor has to say, and that the Government’s position was still to leave with a deal.

Ms Sturgeon said there was now a real danger of a no-deal crash out becoming inevitable, and that and it was futile to waste time trying to renegotiate.

“I think there’s a real danger right now,” she said.

“The positioning of the contenders for leadership of Tory Party starts to make no deal inevitable. I think there’s an alternative to no deal, which is no Brexit through a second referendum, but there’s a danger we end up on a path to no deal that’s very difficult to stop.”

Asked if Brexit could be stopped, Mr Varadkar replied: “Whether Brexit is stopped or not isn’t my business; that’s a decision for Parliament and the people of the United Kingdom.

“But I think no-deal can be stopped ... through revocation of Article 50, Parliament deciding that Parliament thinks there should be a second referendum, or by ratifying the Withdrawal Agreement.”

DAVID YOUNG

Q: What is the backstop?

A: In simple terms, it is an insurance policy written into the Withdrawal Treaty that will ensure, come what may in future trade talks, the Irish border remains free-flowing post-Brexit.

Activated if a wider trade deal fails to materialise before the end of the Brexit implementation period (currently December 2020, but it could be extended), the backstop would mean that the UK as a whole would enter into a supposedly temporary customs union with the EU, to avoid the need for customs checks on the 600 kilometre frontier.

Crucially, it would also mean that Northern Ireland would adhere to EU single market rules on goods – again to rule out the necessity for border regulatory checks.

Q: Why is it needed?

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at last week’s British-Irish Council meeting.

ECONOMIC HIT Central Bank warning

UNITED IRELAND

FUTURE BORDER POLL SHOULD No-deal Brexit could cost BE PART OF ‘RISK’ STRATEGY Ireland 110,000 jobs CATE MCCURRY

THE Government’s refusal to include the possibility of a border poll in its report on threats to the country’s economy has left a void, a Fianna Fail senator has claimed.

Senator Mark Daly accused the Government of neglecting policy by not including any future referendum on removing the Irish border in its draft National Risk Assessment.

The assessment identifies geopolitical, economic, environmental, social and technological risks to the Irish economy.

Mr Daly and Fianna Fail TD Sean Fleming issued a joint submission to the Government’s draft assessment consultation urging Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to address the possibility of a united Ireland.

The island has been divided into two jurisdictions since 1921. The report will carry out a wide-ranging assessment of threats including global warming, cyber security, terrorism, healthcare, housing and the possibility of another referendum on Scottish independence.

Mr Daly said there is a necessity for policy preparation on a united Ireland.

“This leaves a void in the National Risk Assessment process,” Mr fleming said. “What other issues has the

Taoiseach decided are too sensitive to be dealt with in the National Risk Assessment and have been hidden from the people of Ireland?”

The Brexit referendum has taught Ireland an important lesson, he said.

“You do not hold a referendum until there is debate and discussion with all sides and all necessary preparations are made,” he added. “Policy neglect seldom goes unpunished and this is very true of the lack of policy preparation for a referendum on a new Agreed Ireland by the Government.”

Mr Daly accused Mr Varadkar and the Government of failing to listen to other leaders, including British Prime Minister Theresa May and DUP leader Arlene Foster, who raised the issue of a border poll.

Last month, an RTÉ exit poll suggested there is significant support among Irish voters for a united Ireland. It found that 65 per cent of voters polled indicated they would vote in favour of a united Ireland.

It also found that 19 per cent would vote against the proposal.

Mr Daly said that Brexit has, and will, change everything. Recommendations in a 2017 joint committee report detailing the steps needed to achieve a united Ireland were unanimously supported but had yet to be adopted, Mr Daly said.

Backstop briefing: what is it and why is it crucial?

MICHELLE DEVANE

A DISORDERLY no-deal Brexit would result in 110,000 fewer jobs in Ireland, the Central Bank has warned.

Mark Cassidy, director of economics and statistics at the bank, said the effect of the UK crashing out of the EU would be severe and result in a permanent loss of economic output.

He said if a deal could be secured, the negative effects of Brexit could be contained. But he said the impact of a disorderly, no-deal scenario would “have very severe and immediate disruptive effects with consequences for almost all areas of economic activity”.

“Compared to a situation where the UK remains a EU member, our estimates suggest that a disorderly Brexit would result in a substantial and permanent loss of output,” he told an Oireachtas committee.

“We think that the disorderly, no-deal scenario could knock about four percentage points off economic growth in the first year alone.

“To put that in context, we’re expecting economic growth of 4.25 per cent this year, 3.5 per cent next year,” Mr Cassidy said, “so we would still expect some modest positive growth in a nodeal scenario but essentially it would knock almost all of the growth off in the first couple of years.”

Mr Cassidy said he believed output over the medium-term would be lowered by more than 6 per cent compared to a no-deal scenario. “We think there would be 110,000 fewer jobs compared to a situation where there had been no Brexit, so the effects are immediate,” he concluded.

In comparison, Mr Cassidy said if a deal similar to the Withdrawal Agreement could be reached. A Central Bank expected output would be 1.75 per cent lower than predicted and it would result in 20,000 fewer jobs.

Mr Cassidy made the comments during an appearance at the Seanad Special Select Committee On The Withdrawal Of The UK From The EU in response to Labour Party senator Ged Nash, who asked the Central Bank economist to be frank about the loss of output he expected to see.

“The reality is that, whether we like it or not, given the political climate in Britain at the moment we could very well be staring down the barrel of a no-deal Brexit,” Mr Nash said.

Independent senator Gerard Craughwell said he could not see any way in which an open border could be maintained after a hard Brexit.

“Nobody has ever explained to me how to have an open border with a third country in particular if there’s a hard crash-out.”

A: For the EU, and the Irish Republic in particular, the backstop is a fundamental requirement of any exit deal. While the shape of the future relationship is to be hammered out in phase two of the negotiations, Brussels and Dublin aer demanding the mechanism in phase one, to guarantee the border will always remain open, regardless of what the future holds. Their case is both economic and political. They argue that any customs or regulatory border will have a devastating impact on the economy of the island. Brussels is also determined to protect the integrity of its single market, amid fears an open land border with the UK could allow the entry of goods into the 27 member states that do not meet Brussels’ regulations. Heavily fortified during the Troubles, the border has become almost invisible since the peace process, with people and goods moving freely between north and south. There is almost universal political consensus on the island that any return to checkpoints on the border would be a backward step. Police chiefs have warned the erection of physical infrastructure could prompt an upsurge in dissident republican violence.

Q: Why are many Brexiteers opposed to the backstop?

A: They fear the backstop could lock the UK into a permanent Customs Union with the EU, thus preventing it from striking lucrative new trade deals and fulfilling the promises of the 2016 referendum. They insist the mechanism gives the UK no way of exiting the backstop, without the approval of the EU. Brexiteers and the DUP, who prop up the Tories in the House of Commons, fear the backstop will undermine the constitutional integrity of the UK by erecting economic borders down the Irish Sea.

irishecho.com.au

July, 2019 | 13

IRELAND : BREXIT

BREXIT Tory leadership candidates do not have ‘serious grasp’ of Irish border issue, locals fear

Concern over ‘no-deal’ Boris CATE MCCURRY

NEITHER of the remaining cand itates seeking to replace Theresa May as British Prime Minister has reassured the public that they have a serious grasp of the Irish border issue, it has been claimed.

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt have each said they are willing to accept a no-deal Brexit.

A no-deal Brexit could depress Ireland’s economy, and it could mean a return to border checkpoints, a former councillor in Derry, Bertie Faulkner, says.

Mr Faulkner, who has lived in Derry his entire life, was among the 55 per cent of people in Northern Ireland who voted to remain in the EU in the referendum on the UK’s membership of the bloc. He entered local politics for two terms in the 1970s and early 1980s before chairing the Western Education and Library Board and becoming vice-chairman of the Youth Council for Northern Ireland, and serving on the Sports Council of Northern Ireland.

He said the British Government’s handling of the Brexit process was a “complete shambles”.

He hit out at Mr Johnson, who is the favourite to succeed Theresa May, for his comments about leaving the EU

Oyster farmers Ciaran Gallagher and Maureen Nolan at work on Lough Foyle in Donegal. (Inset) The two remaining contenders to replace Theresa May as British Prime Minster, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt.

without a deal. “I don’t believe that Boris Johnston has any chance of leaving the EU on October 31,” he added.

“Northern Ireland is benefiting from the backstop. They say there will be no hard border and they all say they don’t want a hard border, and no one

wants the infrastructure again. But under the backstop, we would have access to the UK market and to the EU market.

“One of my biggest concerns is that dissident republicans will make political capital out of the fact the Republic

will have to put up some sort of infrastructure if there is a no-deal.”

Keeping the Irish border open and free-flowing has been the most contentious issue to shape the Brexit debate, and Westminster’s failure to ratify the Withdrawal Agreement has

caused huge concern in border towns and villages.

Oyster farmer Ciaran Gallagher has been working in the Lough Foyle waters for about four years.

He has 7,000 bags of oysters and is hoping to expand the business to 40,000 bags over the next three years.

“There’s potential to make a really great business out of it,” he said.

“We send most of our product to France, and while Brexit hasn’t affected us yet, when it does we hope it has a positive impact.

“The British people need a second referendum as I think the majority of them didn’t know what they were voting for.”

Brian McGrath, president of the Derry/Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, said the Conservative leadership debate did little to reassure its members that the candidates had a serious grasp of the Irish border issue. “[Our] Chamber of Commerce, with other key local stakeholders, has been involved in a positive discussion with the Alternative Arrangements Working Group,” he said.

“There must be Withdrawal Agreement before moving to an implementation period, so the idea that a solution can be found without extending the 31st October deadline appears very optimistic.”

The Kindred Network - Well Connected Recognition

Irish Australian Business Awards

Global Perspective

Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Dublin

Leadership Programs

Connect with us

@IrishChamber

@IrishChamber

Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce

TheIrishChamber

Learn more about the IACC

irishchamber.com.au

14 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

IRELAND

TOURISM AWARD Irish Emigration museum voted Europe’s tourist hotspot

Diaspora museum’s Epic win CATE MCCURRY

THE Irish emigration museum has been voted Europe’s leading tourist attraction, beating locations like Greece’s Acropolis and Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia.

The Dublin museum was given the prestigious award at the 26th annual World Travel Awards in Portugal at the weekend. The museum was given the award only three years after opening its doors at The CHQ Building in Dublin’s docklands.

“It is truly an honour to receive an award of this magnitude,” EPIC’s founder, Neville Isdell, said.

“We have thoroughly enjoyed welcoming the tens of thousands of people who have visited us from Ireland and overseas and [we] look forward to welcoming many more.

“I have always believed that the story of Irish people around the world was worth telling, and so, I founded EPIC. When we opened in 2016, we had a vision to create a local museum that could connect globally.

“It’s very important that we honour the Irish Diaspora abroad and recognise the vital contributions and monumental impact Irish people have made worldwide. It’s wonderful to be

recognised for this award, thank you to those that made this possible through hard work and dedication, and to those who voted for us.”

The museum, which will welcome more than 300,000 visitors this year, shows the far-reaching influence of Irish people and covers 1,500 years of Irish history. It tells the powerful story of 10 million Irish people who travelled abroad to start a new life, including the contributions they have made, and the enormous influence they had and continue to have on the world. The museum takes visitors on a journey from Ireland, to the far corners of the globe including America, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

Visitors get hands-on with Irish culture and its past; swiping through video galleries; dancing through motion sensor quizzes; listening to remastered audio from 100 years ago, and watching videos that bring Irish history to life.

“Other highlights include a gallery of infamous Irish rogues, including Australia’s own Ned Kelly; a whispering library featuring some of Ireland’s most prominent Irish writers … and an Irish family history centre, where visitors can consult a genealogy expert.

One of the interactive displays at Dublin’s EPIC Museum, celebrating the Irish Diaspora.

CLIMATE CHANGE Action plan ‘will help people make green choices’

IRISH PROPERTY MARKET

Action plan for greener Ireland Signs of weakness as MICHELLE DEVANE

THE Government’s bold and ambitious climate action plan will nudge people and businesses to change behaviour, the Taoiseach has said.

Leo Varadkar said the plan represented a call to action in the fight to save the planet. The Government published its plan to tackle climate breakdown last month, outlining how Ireland will reduce its overall carbon emissions by 20 per cent by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2050.

The plan includes more than 180 measures such as the introduction of carbon taxes, the end of single-use non-recyclable plastics, higher renewable energy targets, and incentives to encourage people to switch from petrol and diesel vehicles to electric vehicles. A nationwide charging system for electric vehicles is to be introduced and legislation would ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars from 2030. A retrofit programme for homes is also set to be implemented.

Cabinet ministers arrived for the launch at the Technological University Dublin’s Grangegorman campus in one of the first hybrid buses in Dublin Bus’ fleet.

“The greatest responsibility we have is to pass on our planet to the next generation in a better condition than we inherited it,” Mr Varadkar said.

“With this plan we are making

The Government wants 70 per cent of the country’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030.

changes now, before it is too late.

We recognise that Government doesn’t have all the answers, so we will work with people, industry and communities to chart the best and most inclusive way forward … that is both effective and sensible. One that achieves our targets, and in a way that is thought through and considered, supports employment and living standards and enables a just transition.

“Our approach will be to nudge people and businesses to change behaviour and adapt new technologies through incentives, disincentives, regulations and information.”

“This plan represents the sum of our hopes for the future. Our call to action in the fight to save our planet.”

Climate Action Minister Richard Bruton said the Government needed to act now to leave a “better, healthier, more sustainable Ireland for future generations”.

“This plan sets out radical reforms,

which will cut our reliance on carbon, making our businesses more competitive, our homes more sustainable and our farms more efficient,” he said.

Mr Bruton said a rapid, transformative adjustment was required.

“Nothing less will do,” he said. “We must all now take up the challenge.”

The plan has been informed by the work of the Citizens’ Assembly and the work of the all-party committee on climate action, chaired by Hildegarde Naughton.

The key actions in the plan include: eliminate non-recyclable plastic and impose higher fees on the production of materials which are difficult to recycle, implement measures to ban single-use plastic plates, cutlery, straws, balloon sticks and cotton buds; stablish a new microgeneration scheme, allowing homeowners to generate their own electricity and sell what they do not use back to the national grid; move to 70 per cent renewable electricity by 2030 (currently only 30 per cent of Ireland’s electricity comes from renewable sources); bring 950,000 electric vehicles onto Irish roads, deliver a nationwide charging network, an electric vehicle scrappage scheme and legislation to ban the sale of petrol/ diesel cars from 2030, and expand the network of cycling paths and parkand-ride facilities to ease congestion.

These targets will be underpinned by a new Climate Action Act.

house price growth falls MICHELLE DEVANE

PROPERTY price growth has slowed nationally, with Dublin showing the most significant cooling off, new figures show. The latest report by MyHome.ie found that annual asking price inflation fell to 2.4 per cent nationally in the second quarter of the year, the lowest level it has been in five years.

In Dublin, that figure entered negative territory for the first time since 2013. It is down to -0.6 per cent.

Despite the downward trend in the annual inflation rate, the report found property prices are continuing to rise, albeit at lower rates. Asking prices nationally rose by 2.1 per cent in the second quarter of this year compared with the previous quarter. In Dublin, prices rose by 0.5 per cent in the same period, the weakest second-quarter gain since 2012.

Overall, the median asking price for properties nationally was €276,000 – up by €5,000 on the previous quarter, while the median asking price in Dublin was €382,000, an increase of €2,000.

Outside Dublin there was stronger growth, with prices increasing by €7,000 in the quarter to €231,000.

Newly listed properties are seen as the most reliable indicator of future price movements.

The author of the report, Conall

MacCoille, chief economist at Davy, said that while the price falls may fuel fears of a more damaging downturn, the reason for the price falls this time round were as a result of increased regulation. The Central Bank had tightened its mortgage lending rules last year. “The current slowdown in price inflation is largely due to the Central Bank’s lending rules and stretched affordability,” he said.

“These factors are preventing the latent housing demand from translating into rampant house price inflation fuelled by rising leverage on mortgage loans. Ireland’s economy continues to perform well and the property market will continue to be underpinned by high employment and wage growth.

“While the economy has been driven by strong foreign direct investment, export growth and a slow rebound among indigenous companies, the recovery in home building is still in its infancy,” Mr MacCoille added.

The managing director of MyHome.ie, Angela Keegan, said the fact that there are more transactions, more properties on the market and more sustainable price increases are all positives for prospective buyers.

“The environment for buyers is becoming much more favourable, with 22,600 homes listed for sale in June 2019 on MyHome, up 4.5 per cent on 2018,” Ms Keegan said.

irishecho.com.au

THE IRISH ECHO

July, 2019 | 15

THE IRISH ECHO

16 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

IRELAND

ANA KRIEGEL Grieving parents thank community for support after murder trial

‘Special place for Ana’ MICHELLE DEVANE

THE parents of murdered schoolgirl Anastasia Kriegel have thanked the community for the wonderful support shown to them since their daughter’s death.

Hundreds of people attended a tree planting ceremony last week in memory of the 14-year-old, who was killed in May last year.

Geraldine and Patric Kriegel chose to plant a white cherry blossom tree in memory of their daughter, who was known as Ana, at Leixlip Manor hotel in Co Kildare.

Mrs Kriegel said it was a lovely that they would now have a “special place to remember Ana”.

“Ana used to love coming here with Patric for lunch during the school holidays and was disappointed when it closed,” she said.

“Shortly before she died she discovered it had reopened as Leixlip Manor and she was delighted and said to Patric: ‘Papa we need to go to the hotel for lunch again like we used to’.

“She never made it for lunch but she’s here in spirit now. So let’s remember that and come back and spend a few moments with her from time to time.”

A plaque was also unveiled to pay tribute to Ana, whose body was found

Geraldine and Patric Kriegel, parents of Ana (right) who was sexually assaulted and murdered last year at the age of 14.

in an abandoned farmhouse in Lucan, Co Dublin, in May 2018 after she had been reported missing by her parents.

Two 14-year-old boys were found guilty last month of her murder.

Both boys have been granted anonymity due to their age, and were referred to as Boy A and Boy B throughout the trial. Boy A was also found guilty of aggravated sexual assault.

They are the youngest convicted killers in the history of the Irish state.

Ana was born in Russia in February 2004, and adopted by Mr and Mrs Kriegel at the age of two-and-a-half.

She grew up in the Leixlip area in Co Kildare and in many ways was a typical teenage girl who loved to listen to music, sing, wear fake nails and use her various social media accounts.

She was a very talented, strong swimmer and gymnast.

At 5ft 8in Ana was tall and strong, a “typical Siberian”, as her mother described her. But the first year student also suffered horrific bullying and was endlessly tormented in the months leading up to her death. She was targeted on social media through her Snapchat and YouTube accounts.

On the first day of the murder trial Mrs Kriegel told the court that her daughter was very vulnerable and despite looking older than her 14 years, she was a “child on the inside”.

“She was very immature. She looked so much older, but inside she was younger, far younger than her youth,” Mrs Kriegel said.

After the verdict, Mr Kriegel told media that their daughter Ana was our strength.

“Ana was a dream come true for us.

She’ll stay in our hearts forever loved and forever cherished.”

Internet giants in court as teen killers’ pictures are published THE family of a convicted killer have gone into hiding after pictures of their son were posted on Facebook and Twitter, a court has heard.

The social media giants appeared in an Irish court to answer contempt of court proceedings after photographs and the names of the two convicted juvenile killers were posted on their platforms. It also emerged during proceedings that another child, who has no involvement in the case, was falsely identified on social media as one of the killers. Two teenagers, known as Boy A and Boy B, were found guilty of the murder of Ana Kriegel, whose naked body was found in an abandoned farm house in Lucan, Co Dublin, last May. Counsel for Boy B’s family, Damien Colgan SC, told Dublin’s Central Criminal Court that his clients “have been forced into hiding”, and that a journalist had since called to their house in an attempt to interview them.

The case garnered huge media and public attention across the country.

Hours after the verdict at Dublin’s Central Criminal Court, pictures of the two boys began appearing on social media, as well as their names, and alleged threats against them and their families.

An injunction was placed on both Twitter and Facebook, ordering them to remove all material identifying the boys and to proactively stop any more material being published.

PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT & REGISTERED TAX AGENT ACCOUNTING & TAXATION SERVICES

FINANCIAL PLANNING

• Individual Tax Return • Tradesperson Tax Return • Company & Trust Tax Return • GST & Business Activity Statement • Bookkeeping & Payroll Services • Business Start Up Assistance • SMSF Tax Return & Auditing • Not for Profit Organisation • Tax Effective Business Structure • Taxation & Business Consultant

• Self-Managed Superannuation (SMSF) • Estate Planning • Retirement Planning • Life Insurance • Income Protection Insurance • Total & Permanent Disability Insurance • Cash Flow Projections • Budgeting • Business Plans

“Quality Advice for Future Growth’ CASTLE HILL OFFICE 11/10-12 Old Castle Hill Road (02) 8677 3326

MERRYLANDS OFFICE Suite 2, 235 Pitt Street (02) 9897 2426

info@austvisiontax.com.au I www.austvisiontax.com.au

irishecho.com.au

30TH ANNIVERSARY

July, 2019 | 17

THE TOP 100

IRISH AUSTRALIANS GAME CHANGERS :: page 24 NATION BUILDERS :: page 26 PIONEERS :: page 28 SAINTS & SCHOLARS :: page 32 TRAILBLAZERS :: page 34 VISIONARIES :: page 38

Game Changer and Champion Surfer Mick Fanning Photo: Corey Wilson/Red Bull Content Pool

18 | July, 2019

THE IRISH ECHO

Happy 30th Birthday and Welcome to the Club!

WE HEAR THE 30’S ARE WHERE IT GETS REALLY INTERESTING!

The Lansdowne Club

Australia’s Premier Irish Networking Club Join us at our next event to grow your connections.

www.lansdowneclub.com.au @lansdowneclub

irishecho.com.au

irishecho.com.au

July, 2019 | 19

30TH ANNIVERSARY

A message from Ireland’s President AS President of Ireland I would like to send my best wishes to everyone involved in the Irish Echo as the paper celebrates its 30th anniversary.

For three decades, you have been an important forum for the voices of the Irish community in Australia, including all those with Irish connections.

You have not only represented the concerns and views of a diverse range of members of the Irish community, but in doing so have contributed to the life and success of that community.

I wish the Irish Echo every success in the future, and thank you for your sustained commitment to the welfare of the Irish in Australia.

Go n-éirí libh ó neart go neart.

Michael D. Higgins Uachtarán na hÉireann

President of Ireland

A message from Australia’s Prime Minister IN 2019, we mark 30 years of the Irish Echo, a celebration of Irish culture and people in Australia, and of the strong ties between our nations.

The Irish contribution to Australia dates back to the late eighteenth century, with the arrival of convicts – including the captive patriots of several Irish rebellions and of agrarian dissent – as well as free settlers and refugees from famine and oppression.

Today, more than 2 million Australians proudly claim Irish heritage. The contribution of the Irish to Australian culture has been immense. As Professor Patrick O’Farrell wrote in The Irish in Australia over thirty years ago: “Ireland in Australia was both fact and dream. Its dimensions of fact coincide with the boundaries of the conPRIME MINISTER

MESSAGE FROM

THE PRIME

IRISH ECHO 30TH ANNIVER SARY

MINISTER

In 2019, we mark 30 years of the Australia, and of the strong ties Irish Echo, a celebration of Irish culture and between our nations. people in The Irish contributio arrival of convicts n to Australia dates back to the late eighteenth – including the agrarian dissent captive patriots century, with – as well as free the settlers and refugees of several Irish rebellions and of from famine and Today, more than oppression.

2 million Australians the Irish to Australian proudly claim Irish heritage.

The Irish in Australia culture has been immense.

As Professor PatrickThe contribution of over thirty years O’Farrell wrote ago: in "Ireland in Australia was both fact boundaries of and dream. Its the continent, dimensions of but its dreams more than the fact coincide with were unbounded world. No man the , spanning the can Least of all the world and soul. Nor call theirfix the boundaries of the nation of the mind and territories complete." heart.

The significant Irish presence reflected most during Australia’s obviously in the formative years ties Australian and and thereafter Irish people. This of kinship and in the attitudes relationship and and values shared is indelible bond of the links shared is a by within the global notable feature of our diplomatic Irish family.

I am confident that the friendly flourish, as will ties between our the the historical and sense of pride Australians have countries will continue to grow cultural life of and in the contributio our nation. n of Irish people to

The Hon Scott Morrison MP Prime Minister of Australia 12 June 2019

tinent, but its dreams were unbounded, spanning the world and more than the world. No man can fix the boundaries of the nation of the mind and heart. Least of all the soul. Nor call their territories complete.”

The significant Irish presence during Australia’s formative years and thereafter is reflected most obviously in the ties of kinship and in the attitudes and values shared by Australian and Irish people. This indelible bond is a notable feature of our diplomatic relationship and of the links shared within the global Irish family.

I am confident that the friendly ties between our countries will continue to grow and flourish, as will the sense of pride Australians have in the contribution of Irish people to the historical and cultural life of our nation.

The Hon Scott Morrison MP Prime Minister of Australia

A message from the Editor WHEN the Irish Echo began its publishing life as the Irish Exile in December 1988, there was little thought of how we might mark its 30th anniversary. In fact, even a second edition was far from certain. But here we are, three decades, almost 1,000 individual editions and millions of words later.

We’ve seen off a few competitors, we’ve moved and shaked, we’ve up-sized, downsized, digitized and modernized. Faced with the headwinds of modern media, we’ve refocused on our point of difference: the Irish in Australia. Informed by what we’ve learned over 30 years, we’re content with our content.

We’re a local paper for a remote community but much more than that.

As part of this anniversary edition, we’ve re-assembled our Top 100 Irish Australians of all time. It is truly empowering to rediscover the depth and

breadth of this constituency.

If our Top 100 demonstrates one thing above all, it is that the contribution of the Irish to Australia is as profound as it is distinct, underpinned by preoccupations and values which were, and are, independent of imperial desires. We could have easily found another 100, another 1000.

Our top 100 don’t just share a connection with Ireland. Other common denominators are evident: a curiosity about people and the world; an affinity with social justice; a commitment to quality education; an instinctive generosity of spirit. We hope the list encourages Irish Australians who treasure their Hibernian heritage to better understand the unique inheritance of their ethnicity.

Those most Irish of values so often emerge in how Australians like to see themselves: egalitarianism, fairness,

unpretentiousness.

Having assembled these 100 individuals to convey our history since 1788, a couple of inescapable facts emerge.

There are too few women in our list.

It may inform the need for further research the next time we revisit this exercise. Similarly, some might observe that the list is ‘too Catholic’. Fair cop perhaps but for much of the past 200 years in Australia, to be identified as Irish almost exclusively meant that you were also Catholic, and vice versa. But it is not a sectarian exercise and the world has changed.

We hope you enjoy this special edition and invite you to support our community journalism as we embark on the next part of the journey. We are, as we were in the beginning, in the hands of our readers. As long as there is a sustainable audience for our content, we will deliver it.

Editor/Publisher Billy Cantwell Design Stuart Middleton Office Tine King-Garde Advertising Lorraine McCann Contributors Elizabeth Morgan Meg Kanofski David Hennessy Frank O’Shea Mal Rogers Joe Kelly Aine Hegarty Telephone: +61 2 9555 9199 Postal Address: PO Box 256, Balmain, NSW 2041, Australia E-mail (Admin): hello@irishecho.com.au E-mail (Editorial): editor@irishecho.com.au

Billy Cantwell

There are many stories still to be told and we are determined to tell them. Please continue to support us in that endeavour.

The Irish Echo is a national publication published monthly

by The Irish Exile P/L Printed by Spot Press Distributed by Wrapaway Transport

20 | July, 2019

EchoAlumni

Many journalists have worked at the Irish Echo over 30 years.

We asked some of them to reflect on their time with us.

Markham Nolan Deputy Editor 2007–2009 HERE’S the thing about my time as Deputy Editor of the Irish Echo – it was never meant to happen. Arriving in Australia in February 2007 I had every intention of giving the Irish abroad crew a wide berth. But good sense prevailed and good fortune brought me to the door of the Irish Echo. By the time I shook hands with Billy Cantwell on a job offer on St Patrick’s Day 2007, things seemed to be falling into place. In short order, the Irish Echo brought home to me the power of our Diaspora. I spoke to the Irish success stories, the CEOs, musicians , artists and high-flyers (looking at you, Alan Joyce) who flew the flag all over the country.

I chased details of the here-and-there calamities, and watched as the Irish community rallied around its own who had fallen on hard times, or celebrated their victories. But one story stands out.

Michael, a long-time Irish resident of Sydney, came to us with deeply personal news. Having been separated from his parents in the Irish industrial school system, he had found out that he had a family he never knew about back in Ireland, but lacked the means to visit them.

Via the Irish Echo, the machine quickly swung into action. Within days, Michael was booked on a business class flight to Ireland, with enough spending cash to allow him enjoy a month in the company of his new-found family. Nobody involved asked for anything in return. It was powerful, it was compassionate, and in true Irish style, it was understated.

My time at the Echo was short, a blip in its history, but it was formative, and as well as making me a better journalist, it showed me how Irishness, when you’re far from home, is always something to lean into.

Aaron Dunne Former Deputy Editor YOU live, you learn. Life is all about experience. And my three years at the Irish Echo from 2007 to 2010 was the education, and experience, of a lifetime.

What I learned most of all in my time Down Under was just how well the Irish community look after one another on the other side of the world. More welcoming and selfless than anything I’ve ever experienced in Ireland before or since. When the boom began to turn to bust in the late naughties, Australia became the escape plan for so many young Irish people. And it was there for them because of all the hard work and dedication of the Irish Diaspora that preceded them. Things so many young people take for granted: the St Patrick’s Day festival; working opportunities through visa programmes and paths to citizenship; fundraisers for seriously ill expats and those fallen on hard times; repatriation of the most unfortunate of

Isabel Hayes Reporter 2008-2009 WHEN I landed in Sydney in 2008 on a working holiday visa, the Irish Echo was my first port of call. Billy was good enough to give me a few reporting

all; the Ireland Fund and the Lansdowne Club.

And at the heart of that community for the past 30 years has been the Irish Echo and its founder Billy Cantwell.

If you want to know what being Irish in Australia – or even Irish Australian – really means, just pick up the Irish Echo.

It represents the very best of us.

So congratulations Billy on your three decades as a leader in our community, and thank you for the education and the experience of a lifetime.

Here’s to 30 more. I’ll raise a schooner to that mate!

shifts and I worked on and off for the Echo for about a year. That was when it was based in Rozelle, a gorgeous spot. I eventually got permanent residence and got a job working for AAP, but I always kept in touch with Billy. When I moved home in 2014 to have my first baby, I wrote a regular column for the paper describing the experiences (and many frustrations) of being a returned emigrant. The Irish Echo is such an important part of the landscape for the Irish in Australia.

Here’s hoping for another 30 years.

irishecho.com.au

30TH ANNIVERSARY

Mick Finn Former Deputy Editor I STILL call Australia home. Well, my second home at any rate and my home away from home during a formative time spent in Sydney in the late 1990s early 2000s. It was one of the best chapters of my life, propelling me on to so many other things.

Working with the Irish Echo, first as a reporter and then as deputy editor, was a fantastic experience, thanks in

Luke O’Neill Former Editor THE Echo is more than a newspaper.

It reflects Ireland and Australia to one another in way that only honest friends can. That’s meant both celebrating our successes and asking some hard questions when needed.

The Echo has pushed the envelope on immigration questions; cut through the hype and rhetoric of Irish

the main to the Echo family led by the inimitable Billy Cantwell.

Though challenged by the footballing exploits of his home county (the Royals of Meath) Billy and I shared a huge interest in all sports, particularly GAA and many’s the conversation we had on all things sport. So what a lifetime highlight it was for me, then, to cover the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games for the Echo. Seeing ‘Super Silver Sonia’ win her medal was a moment in time that will never be equalled.

Other highlights of my time with the Echo included coverage of – and participation in – the great St Patrick’s Day festivities; watching the Famine Memorial at Hyde Park go from planning to fruition, and the state visits to Australia by President McAleese and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Checking out all the establishments for The Irish Pub Guide was a difficult job, but someone had to do it.

Interviewing the likes of Frank

government delegations and witnessed three decades of change across communities new and old. Crucially, it has celebrated the everyday heroes, who do tireless work in community organisations, small businesses and GAA clubs. And it’s given us a good few belly laughs, courtesy of a trademark Irish wit with a larrikin spin.

Above all, the Echo has been a gathering point for Irish communities across Australia, where they can navigate the highs and lows of the expat adventure.

It was a thrill to edit the Echo for a few years and an honour to tell the stories of our irrepressible Irish community.

I learned a ridiculous amount under the leadership of Billy Cantwell and the talented team. Here’s to another 30 years!

Annette Blackwell Former Editor HAPPY 30th birthday Irish Echo.

I spent five years working with the paper in the 90s. I was newly arrived in Australia and thanks to Billy Cantwell the paper was a perfect prism through which I could look back at Ireland and out at my new home Australia.

The two countries intersected on many levels: law, education, politics and, of course, shared history. The Irish came at first in chains but then in their thousands with the skills and education Australia needed to build itself.

The 1990s (I left the paper in 1997) were a great time to be with the Echo.

Billy had harnessed the energy of the community by providing what all good community newspapers should – a mirror and a sense of direction.

They were the years when Paul Keating was Prime Minister; when Irish President Mary Robinson and the architect of the Good Friday agreement Albert Reynolds visited Australia.

Funnily enough they are not the stories that first come to mind when I think of my time at the Irish Echo.

What I think of first is Cantwell’s commitment to the welfare of the community. Every newspaper editor is faced with tough decisions and The

Echo had its share. A sound piece of investigative journalism had discovered that the people who were running one Irish organisation at the time were misappropriating funds.

Publishing risked alienating some community stalwarts and heavy duty advertisers, Not publishing left the door open to further exploitation of community goodwill.

The Echo ran with the story and it helped cement its reputation as a fair, balanced and respected publication.

There are a few more stories like that that would be best shared over a pint in an Irish pub – there or in Ireland, where I now live.

Long may publications like the Echo survive.

McCourt, the Corrs, Mary Black and having a coffee in Balmain with the then unknown Rose Byrne were also memorable.

While in Sydney I also made great friends while playing hurling for Sydney Shamrocks and my totally unbiased match reports went down really well with the rest of the teams in New South Wales GAA. The fact that I am still in touch with Billy, his brother Alan – who brought the matches from home to our screens in Oz via Setanta Sports – and others I encountered during my three years there speaks volumes for Billy and his family and the Irish Echo.

The newsaper itself has community at its core, looking out for and after a wider family; the Irish scattered across Australia.

Long may that continue ... go néirí an t-adh libh and here’s to the next 30.

Mick Finn recently served as Lord Mayor Of Cork

Claire McGreal Reporter 2010 WHEN I first walked into Billy’s office at Irish Echo HQ in Rozelle in August, 2010 I felt more at ease than I had done since landing in Sydney for the first time the week before.

I’d quit my job as a newsreader at a Dublin radio station to travel to the other side of the world, just as things were starting to get really bad on the economic front at home.

Fortunately for me, the Irish Echo had an opening for a reporter at the time, and the following week I was in the thick of things writing for a newspaper that I soon discovered played such an integral role in the Irish community Down Under. You never forget your first story, and mine was that of two young Irish guys who’d unfortunately ended up before the courts in WA on drug charges. This also landed me my first front page, a copy of which I still have. During my time at the Echo I covered all things from visa changes and immigration updates, to the Irish families impacted by the Queensland floods. If something was happening in the Irish community in Australia, the Irish Echo was across it and the paper was an important link for the newly-arrived Irish like myself, and those who’d called Australia home for many years . A highlight for me was making the trip out to Mascot to speak to Alan Joyce, the Dublin-born CEO of Qantas. I still have a copy of every edition I wrote in, something to show my eight-month-old daughter in the years to come. So congrats to Billy and all the team for a fantastic 30 years, of which I’m proud to have been a small part.

irishecho.com.au

July, 2019 | 21

THE IRISH ECHO

1987

O B A L LY

C NE

YEARS

GL

ON

32

CT E D

$12.7m

Congratulations to Billy and the Irish Echo team on an amazing 30 years, keeping the community informed, connected and inspired.

122

We have been delighted to be on our own journey over the last 32 years, supporting projects of peace and reconciliation, community development and integrated education on the island of Ireland and Irish projects around the world. We are delighted to share some of the impacts of our work below.

IRELAND

Wishing the Irish Echo continued success for the next 30 years and beyond!

&

12 Countries

&

PROJECTS IN

AUSTRALIA

17 Cities FORMER CHAIRMEN / AMBASSADORS / GLOBAL BOARD

Alan Joyce AC

Yvonne Le Bas Chairman, The Ireland Funds Australia

Charles Curran AC

Over the last 5 years 88.94% of donations received have been allocated to our charities

Teresa Keating Executive Director, The Ireland Funds Australia and The Board of The Ireland Funds Australia

John O’Neill AO Mary McAleese Ambassador Breandán Ó Caollaí

SOME IMPACTS:

30%

Provide

INCREASE IN SCHOOLS

70

FACILITATORS

PARTNERSHIP

& 45

Indigenous

YOUTH CREW

34%

INCREASE IN PUPILS

3 YEAR

To Reach

62,000

TEENAGERS by 2020

CADETSHIP

Regional

SCHOOL OUTREACH

DELIVER

143

Public School Scholarships provide:

Literacy Support

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

PROJECTS

80

Work with 1716 STRUGGLING LEARNERS

Indigenous SCHOLARSHIP PLACES at 4 LEADING Australian schools by

2020

For more information about our impacts and work visit:

TRAIN UP TO 1760 MENTORS TO DELIVER

1:1 SUPPORT

www.irelandfunds.org

The Ireland Funds Australia are delighted to partner with:

Step Up TEEN MENTORING PROGRAMME PROVIDES

1:1 SUPPORT to 60 Students

02 9357 2350

CULTURAL & CORPORATE MENTORING EMPLOYMENT & INTERNSHIP PATHWAYS

22 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

1988-1998

THE IRISH ECHO

December 1990

October 1991

September 1992

December 1992

October 1993

October 1996

February 1997

October 1998

December 1998

The first decade

December 1988

From the longest established Irish owned and operated travel company in Australia (Est 1989) to the longest established Irish owned and operated newspaper in Australia (Est 1989). Happy Birthday Billy and the team!

Level 1, 253 Auburn Rd Hawthorn 3122. Tel (03) 9882 8368 I Email: info@irishtravel.com.au

Thinking of a coach tour of Britain or Ireland?

Our CIE tours programmes are all inclusive, comprehensive and the best value for money.

Check out our huge range of coach tour options on www.shamrocktravel.com.au YOU CAN TRUST US TO HANDLE ALL YOUR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS - EXPERTLY AND RELIABLY.

irishecho.com.au

THE IRISH ECHO

July, 2019 | 23

For all your Crane Truck and Haulage Needs.

Starting out in 2009 as one man, a Twin Steer Hiab Crane Truck and a vision to create a company with a focus on a streamlined heavy lift solution for clients, Shamrock Haulage has grown into a booming, privately owned company dedicated to exceeding its clients expectations with a focus on achieving the highest Safety, Quality and Production results based culture possible.

As a National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation holder, Shamrock Haulage has been privileged to participate in projects throughout NSW, ACT and surrounding areas. Some of our current project contributions include NorthConnex Barclay Road and Hornsby, WestConnex Local Road and St Peters Interchange, M1 Motorway Widening - Tuggerah to Doyalson, The Northern Road Upgrade Stage 5, Albion Park Rail Bypass, Moorebank Intermodal Terminal Development, Northern Beaches B-Line, M1 Kariong to Somersby Upgrade, M4 Smart Motorway and The Mona Vale Road Upgrade 2.

Offering an ever-expanding fleet of Hiab Crane Trucks, Semi Trucks, Dog Trailers, Low Loaders, Winches, Concrete Grabs and Wheeled Excavators, Shamrock Haulage is proud to provide 24 hour, wet hire service to its clients across the Civil Construction, Heavy Haulage and the Transport and Logistics industries.

As specialists in concrete barrier placement for motorway upgrades, our self-loading mobile Crane Trucks range in lifting capacity from 5.5t through to 9t. The recent addition of our wheeled excavator has been proven to be triple the speed of a Franna providing a swift, agile and cost effective lifting solution.

Celebrating 10 years in operation this year with a remarkable safety record and a commitment to continuous improvement, Shamrock Haulage strives to maintain its position as the number one choice for Crane Trucks amongst tier one contractors such as CPB Contractors, Fulton Hogan, CPB Dragados Samsung Joint Venture, Georgiou, Lend Lease Bouygues Joint Venture and Seymour Whyte.

info@shamrockhaulage.com

24 | July, 2019

THE TOP 100 IRISH AUSTRALIANS

irishecho.com.au

GameChangers Francis Gillen 1855 – 1912

ETHNOLOGIST, PUBLIC SERVANT

Lisa Gerrard Born 1961

SINGER/COMPOSER

Les Darcy 1895 – 1917

BOXER

BORN at Stradbroke, NSW, Darcy’s grandparents were from Tipperary.

He left school at 12, and was an apprentice blacksmith at 15. With his father often out of work, and with a disabled older brother, Darcy helped provide for his large family. He first boxed professionally at 14 and his folk hero reputation was established with his first Sydney fight in 1914.

In January 1915, he fought American Jeff Smith for the world welterweight championship – a fight that he sensationally lost after a foul blow the referee did not see, but which only added to his fame.

After that defeat he remained unbeaten, winning 22 consecutive fights up until his retirement in September, 1916. He left Australia on October 27, 1916 – the day before a referendum on conscription – to continue his career in the US. On April 27, 1917, he collapsed and was admitted to hospital with septicaemia and endocarditis.

His tonsils were removed, but he developed pneumonia and died on May 24. His body was brought back to Australia and, after a huge funeral procession in Sydney, he was buried in East Maitland.

Alicia De Lacy 1799 – 1878

would inform modern knowledge of the work of the early sisters in colonial Sydney. She co-founded St Vincent’s Hospital using her nursing experience, becoming integral to the healthcare ministry of the Sisters of Charity in Australia.

A diligent worker, she assisted at all levels of management and treatment to help meet the financial and practical needs of the hospital.

After St Vincent’s was well-established, she was welcomed back to the Irish congregation of the Sisters of Charity were she worked for 20 years until her death in 1878.

SISTER OF CHARITY

LIMERICK’S Alicia De Lacy – later Sister Mary John Baptist De Lacy – dreamed of giving her life to the service of God and those in need across the seas.

She joined the Sisters of Charity order in Dublin and, with four other nuns, travelled to Australia in August 1838 to work with convict women.

De Lacy helped establish Waverley’s Catholic Orphan School in the late 1830s, and kept detailed records of convent goings-on that

BORN in Melbourne to Irish parents from Meath, Gerrard first rose to fame with her musical partner Brendan Perry in the ethereal rock group Dead Can Dance. In addition a remarkable voice, which ranges from contralto to mezzo-soprano, Gerrard also plays accordian and yanqin – a Chinese hammered dulcimer. But she is best known as a film composer for major Hollywood films including The Insider and Ali (both in collaboration with Pieter Bourke). She received a Golden Globe award for the score for the 2000 film Gladiator on which she collaborated with Hans Zimmer and Klaus Badelt.

Sanctuary, released in 2006, is a documentary about her life and work and includes interviews with people she has worked with, including Russell Crowe and director Michael Mann.

Tadhg Kennelly Born 1981 FOOTBALLER

BORN in Listowel to mother Nuala and Kerry football legend Tim, Tadhg came to Sydney in 1999 to try his luck at Aussie Rules after a successful underage

GILLEN was born near Clare, South Australia to Irish immigrant parents.

He joined the public service at age 12 as a postal messenger After marrying Amelia Besley in August 1891 (they had six children) Gillen was appointed as Alice Springs post and telegraph station master.

His boisterous personality, championing Home Rule for Ireland, administrative efficiency and sense of justice for Indigenous people, made him a celebrity in his day.

Promoted to Alice Springs special magistrate and Aboriginal subprotector, Gillen strived to improve racial issues and famously charged WH Willshire, a notorious racist policeman, with homicide. Willshire was acquitted, but did not return to Alice Springs.

The Native Tribes of Central Australia (1899), the book Gillen co-wrote with Baldwin Spencer, won acclaim overseas and influenced contemporary anthropological theory.

GAA career with his county. He made his senior debut with the Sydney Swans in 2001, and forged a reputation as one of the best running backs in the competition. In 2005 became the first Irishman to win an AFL Premiership medal after the Swans defeated the West Coast Eagles in the Grand Final.

In 2009, he returned to Ireland to play Gaelic football with Kerry. He was part of The Kingdom’s All-Ireland winning side that year, scoring two points during the game and becoming the first player to win an AFL Premiership and a Senior All-Ireland Championship. He returned to Sydney where he worked for the AFL, recruiting young international players for Australian Rules. He is now an assistant coach at the Sydney Swans.

Mick Fanning Born 1981

Owen Finegan Born 1972

DONEGAL is recognised as the surfing capital of Ireland but little did John Fanning – from Malin Head – suspect that when he left the county for Australia in 1970, he would father a boy that would one day become world champion in the sport.

Mick Fanning – often known as ‘White Lightning’ – is a three-time world surfing champion. He is a true superstar of the sport. He grew up in the western suburbs of Sydney, a long-hop to the city’s famed surf beaches.

The youngest of five siblings, Mick developed a passion for surfing along with his brother Sean after moving first to the NSW town of Ballina and then to the Gold Coast.

Tragically, Sean was killed in a car accident in 1998. Mick dedicated many of his career successes to his brother.

Mick’s Irish background is important to him and he has returned to Donegal to surf the rugged Atlantic coast.

BORN in Sydney to Irish parents, Owen Finegan is a World Cup winning rugby international. In an eight-year international career, the six foot six flanker won 55 caps for Australia. His finest moment came in 1999 when he scored a memorable try in the Wallabies’ Rugby World Cup final victory over France. Finegan played for a number of clubs including Randwick, the NSW Waratahs, Leicester, Newcastle and Leinster. He is most associated, however, with the ACT Brumbies where he played 90 matches between 1996 and 2005 and subsequently served as assistant coach from 2008 to 2010. He now works in the philanthropic sector in Sydney.

SURFER

FOOTBALLER

Michael Malone Born 1970 ENTREPRENEUR

BORN in Co Clare, Malone emigrated to Perth with his parents and two brothers in 1978. Having worked through university as a fencing contractor, he founded Western Australia’s first internet service provider (ISP), iiNet, in 1993 in the garage of his parents’ home.

From such humble beginnings, Malone led the company to become the second largest ISP in Australia with revenues of more than $700m. The company became publicly listed in 1999.

Malone has won many industry accolades. In 2006 he won the Business News award for the most outstanding business leader in WA under the age of 40. In 2011 Malone won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He presently sits on the board as a non-executive director of NBN Co and Seven West Media and ASX listed SpeedCast Limited and is chairman of Superloop Limited.

Daniel Mannix 1864 – 1963 ARCHBISHOP OF MELBOURNE

DANIEL Mannix’s 46-year reign as Archbishop of Melbourne (from 19171963) made him a powerful presence that the city’s politicians ignored at their peril. The Co Cork-born, Maynootheducated priest was ordained on June 8, 1890 and by 1895 was a philosophy lecturer and the chair of moral theology at Maynooth.

However, not much is known of his early career in Ireland as he burned documents, wrote few letters and kept no diaries so that posterity could not “analyse my soul”.

He was no friend to the nascent Gaelic revival, which led Padraig Pearse to ask: “Is Mannix an enemy to Irish nationalism?”

Rome appointed Mannix to Melbourne and he arrived in Australia on Easter Saturday 1913 and he wielded political power through encouraging Catholics to support BA Santamaria’s Democratic Labor Party, which split from the ALP in 1954.

On Melbourne Cup Day, 1963, after his annual flutter, he collapsed at racetime and died the next afternoon, November 6. Both Robert Menzies and Eamon de Valera eulogised him.

irishecho.com.au

Bob Tisdall 1907 – 2004 ATHLETE

Maureen O’Carroll 1932 – 2012

MUSICIAN

MAUREEN O’Carroll was born in the Sydney suburb of Balmain to Irish immigrant parents, John and May O’Carroll.

At the time Balmain was a hardscrabble working class area, but her prodigious musical talent took her from a Depression-era childhood to playing concerts around the world.

She and her nine siblings all showed a gift for music and their parents saw this as the path out of poverty.

Six of them, including Maureen, attended the NSW Conservatorium of Music High School – said to be the largest number of students from one family – and went on to become professional musicians.

O’Carroll was drawn to the cello at a very young age, and would prop her brother Robert’s violin on a jam tin and play it like a cello.

At 17 she joined the New Zealand National Orchestra and went from there to New York, where she performed with Frank Sinatra, among others.

In 1974, she returned to Australia as a single mother of three. She played a blind audition behind a curtain (to avoid gender discrimination) and was accepted into the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

O’Carroll, being a child of two rebels who had fought for Irish independence, was deeply patriotic about Ireland. At one Sydney Symphony concert, she noted Rule Britannia was on the program and refused to play it. She placed her cello down and marched off stage, only returning at its end.

She kept her job.

Jim McKiernan 1994 – 2018 POLITICIAN

BORN in Co Cavan, McKiernan emigrated to Australia in the late 1960s.

He was a fitter and turner by trade and became education officer for the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union before entering politics. In 1984, he was elected to Federal Parliament as a Labor Senator for Western Australia, one of the first Irish-born immigrants to take their place in the Australian parliament. He remained in the Senate until his retirement in 2002.

As convenor of Labor’s Left faction,

July, 2019 | 25

THE TOP 100 IRISH AUSTRALIANS

BORN in Sri Lanka to a family of Irish landed gentry, Bob Tisdall lived on his father’s plantation until the age of five, when he returned to his family’s home in Tipperary. He attended boarding school in England where his athletic talent was identified.

At the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles he made history by winning

Jim Stynes 1966 – 2012

FOOTBALLER

JIM Stynes moved from his native Dublin to Australia in 1984, making his senior AFL debut in 1987 with the Melbourne Demons Football Club.

Having given up a promising Gaelic football career to come to Australia (he was a star player with Dublin club side Ballyboden St Enda’s and won an All-Ireland medal with the Dublin minors in 1984), Stynes went on to break many records over the course of a glittering AFL career. He holds the record for the most successive Best and Fairest Awards at the Demons (three in a row), but his career-defining moment arrived in 1991 when he became the first overseas player to win the prestigious Brownlow Medal (for Best and Fairest in the AFL).

His legacy as a trailblazer for Irish players in the AFL continues, and his

Susan Ryan Born 1942 POLITICIAN

McKiernan was the caucus’ returning officer for the Hawke versus Keating leadership ballot in 1991. He died in October 2018 after a long illness.

the gold medal in the 400 metre hurdles. It was only his sixth time competing in the event, and his time of 51.7 seconds would have been a world record, but it was not recognised under the rules of the time because he had a hit a hurdle.

Decades later, International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch presented Tisdall with a Waterford crystal rose bowl etched with the image of him knocking over the final hurdle.

Tisdall later ran a gym and nightclub in South Africa and grew coffee in Tanzania. In 1969, he and his wife Peggy moved to Nambour in Queensland where he farmed fruit and cattle.

He ran in the Sydney Olympic torch relay at the age of 93.

When he died, aged 97, he was the world’s oldest track and field Olympic Gold medalist.

SUSAN Ryan, celebrated as the first woman to hold a position in a federal Labor Cabinet, was a visionary within the Hawke government. From Ryan’s first speech in the Senate in 1976 she established herself as a strong voice for women. The 1984 Sex Discrimination Act would be one of her crowning

Marie Narelle 1870 – 1942 SINGER

BORN in rural NSW to parents of Irish heritage, Catherine Mary Ryan was known as Molly as a child, but would achieve international fame as Marie Narelle. She gained a reputation for singing at a young age and became a music teacher after her brief marriage to a drunkard called Matthew Callahan ended.

After Bishop Joseph Higgins heard Molly Callahan singing at a Catholic Church and offered introductions in Sydney, she adopted her stage name and started giving concerts. She left Australia in July 1902 after visiting Irish politician William O’Brien invited her to sing at the close of the Cork Exhibition.

Narelle was immediately acclaimed in Ireland, and politician Michael Davitt said it “took an Australian to teach the Irish to render their own songs”. Commenting on the popularity of Australian singers such as Nellie Melba and herself, Narelle said it was “the Australian personality that has made the Australian voice”.

She toured America with famed tenor John McCormack.

record for the most consecutive games played in the league (244) is unlikely ever to be broken.

Jim also became renowned for his charity work after his retirement from football, particularly with the Reach Foundation which he co-founded in the mid 1990s. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2009 and died at his St Kilda home on 20 March 2012. A minute’s silence was observed at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on the day of his death.

James Toohey 1839 – 1903 John Toohey 1850 – 1895

ENTREPRENEURS

JOHN Toohey was born in Limerick in 1839 to father Matthew and mother Honora, and moved to Melbourne in 1841 with his family where his brother James was born in 1850.

After moving to Sydney, the brothers began brewing beer in the Darling Brewery on Harbour Street and by the 1880s the brothers’ beer – Toohey’s and Tooth’s – had become widely popular.

James campaigned for the Legislative Assembly seat of South Sydney in 1885 which he won and held until 1893. He died at Pisa, Italy, in September of 1895 and was buried in Rookwood cemetery, Sydney.

John, meanwhile, was a leading Catholic layman, a benefactor to numerous charitable institutions and a financial supporter of the Irish nationalist movement.

A Home Rule advocate, he helped to finance and build the monument over the grave of Michael Dwyer in Waverley cemetery in 1898.

In 1902 the brewery became a public company, Tooheys Ltd, with John as chairman, before he died suddenly in Chicago in May of 1903.

He was also buried at Rookwood cemetery.

The Tooheys beer brand continues to this day.

achievements, transforming Australian women’s working lives.

A strong Irish flavour at Maroubra’s Brigidine Convent where Ryan was educated allowed her to reconnect with her heritage that had been diluted in her life since her great-grandparents’ emigrated to Australia.

In 2011, she was appointed as Australia’s first Age Discrimination Commissioner.

Isobel McDonough 1899 – 1982 ACTRESS

BORN in Sydney to an Irish doctor father and his Australian wife, Isabella is better known by her stage name ‘Marie Lorraine’.

Together with her younger sisters Paulette (director) and Phyllis (production manager), the McDonaghs made three silent feature films: Those Who Love (1926), The Far Paradise (1928) and The Cheaters (1930). They worked in close collaboration and wrote scenarios that highlighted Isabella’s talents.

Despite the Great Depression in the 1930s the sisters made several short sporting documentaries, including Australia in the Swim with Andrew ‘Boy’ Charlton and the Olympic swimming team, How I Play Cricket with Donald Bradman and Phar Lap in The Mighty Conqueror. Sadly, only the last survives.

In 1932 Isabella married a Scotsman, Charles Stewart at St Mary’s Cathedral.

They moved to London for a time but returned to Sydney in 1935 to be near her family.

26 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

THE TOP 100 IRISH AUSTRALIANS

NationBuilders Patrick (Patsy) Durack 1834 – 1898 BUSINESSMAN

Richard Bourke 1777 – 1855 GOVERNOR

RICHARD BOURKE was born in Dublin on May 4, 1777, to a Limerickborn father, John, and mother, Anne, from Co Tipperary.

Educated at Westminster School and Oxford University, he spent holidays at the home of his distant relative, Edmund Burke, becoming acquainted with his friends and Whig politics.

After serving with the British army in the Netherlands (where he was badly wounded in both jaws) and South America, he worked in various colonies.

He was appointed Governor of New South Wales when the Whigs took office and arrived in Sydney with his family on December 3, 1831.

The initial joy at his new position quickly turned to grief when his wife Elizabeth died in Parramatta the following May. Despite strenuous opposition, he managed to bring in civil rather than military juries in most NSW criminal cases, and reduced magistrates’ power to inflict unfair punishments on convicts. The Sydney Herald dubbed this Bourke’s “soothing system for convicts”.

A liberal Anglican, he abhorred sectarian intolerance and was sensitive to the needs of Catholics, Presbyterians and dissenters.

In 1839 Bourke was appointed high sheriff of Co Limerick, where he died suddenly on August 13, 1855.

BORN in Scarriff, Co Clare in March 1834, Patrick (Patsy) Durack rose from poverty in Ireland to become a wealthy landowner in Australia. The family of tenant farmers moved to NSW in 1853, but within two months his father, Michael, was killed in an accident. The eldest son of eight children, Patrick settled his mother, Bridget, and family at Goulburn and went to work in Victoria.

Kate Dwyer 1861 – 1949

WOMEN’S ACTIVIST

BORN Catherine Winifred Golding to an Irish-born father and a Scottish mother, she married fellow teacher Michael Dwyer in Newcastle, New South Wales in 1887.

A devout Catholic, in 1901 she helped found the Women’s Progressive Association that worked for women’s right to enter the legal and other professions and to have a fair share of the accumulations of marriage. Dwyer wrote extensively on political, industrial and women’s issues and was said to be “a fine speaker,

Eighteen months later he returned with £1000 and bought a smallholding. In July 1862 he married Mary Costello. They had eight children, two of whom died in infancy.

In 1863, with his brother Michael and brother-in-law John Costello, he set out with horses and cattle to establish a property in south-west Queensland.

The cattle died in a drought and the party survived only with the help of local Aboriginals.

Durack was subsequently very successful with land, a butcher shop, hotels and mines. He is said to have exerted paternal control over the mainly Irish community around Goulburn.

A financial disaster in Queensland left the family with only household possessions, but Durack had already signed over many of his interests to his sons and later helped them to expand further. He is buried beside his wife in the pioneer cemetery in Goulburn.

with a gift of repartee”. In 1904 she became the first president of the Women’s Organising Committee of the Political Labor League.

Dwyer worked tirelessly for better working and living conditions for women and was a co-founder of the Women Workers’ Union. She also advocated for underprivileged men, opposing the building of tenements, instead seeking model dwellings for working men with a weekly rental of one day’s pay. She was a member of the committee organising the ‘no’ vote for the 1916 conscription referendum.

She became one of the state’s first female justices of the peace in 1921.

John Fahey Born 1945 POLITICIAN

BORN in New Zealand to parents from Co Galway, John Fahey moved to Australia when he was 11.

He was president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which investigates drug use in sports, from 2007-2013, but is more famous in Australia for his political career.

John Joseph Cahill 1891 – 1959 POLITICIAN

JOHN Cahill was born to Irish parents Thomas and Ellen in the Redfern area of South Sydney. A committed trade unionist and champion of the ordinary Australian worker, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly for St George in 1925.

He was elected Labor Party leader and commissioned as premier in 1952. He led the ALP to a landslide victory in the 1953 elections. He again triumphed in the 1959 elections when Labor, against all odds, narrowly clung to power and in June of that year he became the longest continuously serving NSW premier.

As premier, Cahill committed the NSW state government to the construction of the Sydney Opera House – perhaps his most enduring legacy. The Cahill Expressway is named after him.

His personal integrity, his determination to do what he believed to be right and his qualities of leadership had won him a measure of respect from even his staunchest opponents.

James Duhig 1871 – 1965 ARCHBISHOP

BORN near Broadford, Co Limerick, James, along with his mother and five of his six siblings, settled in Brisbane in 1885. His father had died years before, and the family lived for a time in England before going to Australia.

His youth and catechetical work caught the attention of the then archbishop of Brisbane, Robert Dunne, and Duhig began his studies for the

priesthood at the Irish College, Rome in 1891. Returning to Brisbane five years later, he rose through the ranks and succeeded Dunne as archbishop in 1917. He travelled constantly through the vastness of Queensland, becoming one of the earliest passengers of Qantas and other new airlines. His driving energy and lively community interests brought him an intimate knowledge of religious and socioeconomic problems. He spoke often and passionately on themes of justice, urban development, artistic opportunity, land settlement and higher education.

Duhig played a major role in the development of the University of Queensland, being a member of the university senate from 1916 until his death in 1965.

He also established St Leo’s College, where an annual lecture is given in his honour to this day.

BORN in Sydney to Irish parents (who had each, separately, been transported to Australia on seven-year sentences) Deniehy was an orator, man of letters, lawyer and politician. He showed high intelligence from an early age and his parents recognised and cultivated his talents. At school he studied French, Italian, classics and English literature

and teachers admired his sharpness and ability to retain knowledge.

At 14 he went to England with his parents and also spent some time in Ireland where he met, and was deeply impressed by, leaders of the Young Ireland Party. After returning to Sydney he became a solicitor and was soon involved in radical politics. He was elected to parliament as “an extreme liberal” on 13 February 1857. He spoke in favour of immigration and argued that “the first great aim of statesmanship in a new country should be to people the soil … to create a great community”.

It was said he might have occupied “the highest place among the most gifted and honoured of modern Irishmen”. But it wasn’t to be.

Alcoholism ruined his career and he died after a fall in Bathurst. He was survived by his wife Adelaide and three of their seven children.

He entered the NSW state parliament in the seat of Camden for the Liberal Party in 1984. In 1988, he became a Minister and was appointed Premier of NSW in June 1992.

After narrowly losing power to Labor in 1995 Fahey entered the federal parliament in the seat of Macarthur a year later in John Howard’s landslide victory.

He served as Minister for Finance in that administration but retired from politics

in 2001 after having a lung removed due to cancer.

He played a key role in Sydney’s successful bid to host the 2000 Olympic Games. He was commissioned by the Olympic Council Of Ireland to be Ireland’s attaché for the 2000 games in Sydney and also personally intervened in 1993 to ensure U2 could play the Sydney football stadium when local residents tried to have the concert stopped.

Dan Deniehy 1828 – 1865 POLITICIAN

John Curtin 1885 – 1945 POLITICIAN

JOHN Curtin was born in Victoria on January 8, 1885, the eldest of four children of Irish-born parents John and Kate and was a keen footballer and cricketer. His working life was a journey from journalism, to militant trade unionism, to a role as a pragmatic Labor MP and prime minister. He was widely lauded for leading the nation through much of the Second World War. Having twice run unsuccessfully for parliament, Curtin was finally elected to the Federal seat of Fremantle, WA, in 1928. In 1935 he was elected as Labor leader and on October 7, 1941, Curtin was sworn in as prime minister.

Seen as a modern Australian nationalist, Curtin was Impervious to imperial ideology. Nor did he care much for his Irish heritage although he did visit Ireland in 1944 after a trip to Washington to discuss the war with Roosevelt. Ill health began to take a serious toll and Curtin died on July 5, 1945.

irishecho.com.au

July, 2019 | 27

THE TOP 100 IRISH AUSTRALIANS

Edmond ‘Ned’ Hogan 1883 – 1964 POLITICIAN

BORN to Irish father Jeremiah Hogan and Melbourne-born mother Bridget, Ned Hogan played a key role in the anti-conscription movement during the First World War. Although his education was often interrupted and he left school to drive a team of horses, he compensated with voracious reading.

In his youth his various jobs included road-making, timber-cutting, farm labouring and rabbiting before he left

Joseph Lyons 1879 – 1939 POLITICIAN

JOSEPH Aloysius Lyons was born in 1879 at Stanley, Tasmania, the son of Irish-born parents Michael Lyons and his wife Ellen.

Much influenced by the Irish radicalism of his mother, and perceiving the strength of the Protestant landholders in the small communities of northern Tasmania, he joined the North-West League of the Workers’ Political League, the forerunner of the Australian Labor Party in Tasmania.

He won the State seat of Wilmot

Patrick Moran 1830 – 1911

for Western Australia to work on the Kurramia timberlines. He returned to Victoria after becoming involved in the WA unions and in 1913 won the seat of Warrenheip for Labor – a seat he would hold for the next 30 years.

He became active in the anti-conscription campaigns around the Ballarat area in 1916, and at the 1922 conference he was elected president of the Victorian branch of the Labor Party.

In 1924 he became minister of railways, agriculture and markets, and in 1926 he became leader of the Labor Party in Victoria. The following year he formed a government and took over the premiership. He represented Victoria at the 1927 Premiers’ Conference in Sydney that agreed to new financial arrangements between the Commonwealth and state governments and the establishment of the Loan Council.

He lost office in 1928 but regained it in the election of 1929 after which his government reigned over the worst years of the Depression.

He also worked for government funding of church schools before he died in 1964 at St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne. He is buried in the New Cheltenham Cemetery. for Labor in 1909 and in January 1914 became deputy leader of the Parliamentary Labor Party.

He campaigned strongly for a ‘No’ vote in the conscription referenda of 1916-17. The war years had rekindled his Irish nationalism and he became vice-president of the Hobart United Irish League in 1916.

Lyons defected from the ALP in 1930 to form the United Australia Party and he won a decisive victory in the elections of 1931 and Lyons governed for seven years in a climate of relative stability.

He easily won the 1934 elections, and also had a convincing victory in the 1937 elections – his three successive election victories was a feat then unmatched by any other prime minister.

Lyons maintained the stability of his government until the final months before he died in Sydney in April of 1939 from coronary occlusion.

After memorial services in Sydney and Canberra, his body was transported, in state, by an Australian navy vessel to Devonport in Tasmania where he was buried.

ARCHBISHOP

MORAN was born in Co Carlow to a relatively wealthy family. His mother died when he was 14-months-old, and his father when he was 11. Three siblings also died young.

In 1842 he was placed in the care of his mother’s half-brother, Cardinal Paul Cullen, rector of the Irish College in Rome.

Fluent in Italian and Latin, he later learnt to speak six more languages and studied theology at the Roman Seminary. He was ordained on March 19, 1853.

He was appointed Archbishop of Sydney in 1884 and a year later was made a cardinal.

His positive impact on the Catholic Church in Australia was exemplified by the opening of the beautiful St Patrick’s College in Manly in 1889 to train priests for all the colonies.

Though he had opposed political activity by women in Ireland, in Australia he became a strong advocate of female suffrage. He died in 1911.

James Martin 1820 – 1866

PREMIER AND CHIEF JUSTICE OF NSW

BORN in Middleton, Co Cork, Martin’s family arrived in Sydney on November 6, 1821. Reputedly baptised at St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney by Fr John Joseph Therry, Martin was given the best education his parents could afford and by the age of 19 was acting editor of The Australian newspaper.

In October, 1863, he became Premier of NSW, but lost that office after the 1865 election. He would twice more serve as Premier (once in 1866 and again in 1870) but retired from politics in 1873. He had been admitted as a solicitor on May 10, 1845, and after retiring from politics he was appointed

James Meehan 1774 – 1826

POLITICAL CONVICT, SURVEYOR, EXPLORER

JAMES Meehan was sentenced to transportation for his part in the 1798 rebellion and arrived in Sydney on February 16th, 1800.

In April was assigned as a servant to Charles Grimes, the acting surveyor-general. In 1801 he accompanied Grimes and Francis Barrallier on an exploration of the Hunter River and, later, King Island and Port Phillip.

Grimes commended Meehan’s faithfulness and impartiality, with the result that in 1806 he received an absolute pardon. By 1812 Meehan had risen to deputy-surveyor of lands, and in 1814 became superintendent of roads, bridges and streets also.

Michael Savage 1872 – 1940

PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND

SAVAGE was born in March 1872 at Tatong, Victoria, the youngest of eight children to Irish parents Richard and Johanna.

As a young man, Savage held various laboring jobs in NSW but emigrated to New Zealand in 1907 to became a trade union organiser. He played a part in forming the New Zealand Labour Party in 1916 and three years later became the party’s national secretary. He went on to succeeded Henry Holland as leader on the latter’s death in 1933.

Savage led Labour to its first general election victory in 1935 and soon began to tackle the economic depression with the introduction of a minimum wage, by restoring wage cuts and expanding social welfare. Savage was rewarded by an even greater victory in the 1938 election and his work helped set the social agenda in New Zealand until the 1970s.

He died in office on March 27, 1940.

as Chief Justice in November 1873.

Martin’s legacy is assured in the naming of Martin Place, the heart of Sydney’s CBD,which was named in his honour. Lady Martin’s Beach at Point Piper was also named after his wife, Isabella. The couple had eight sons and seven daughters.

Martin died at home in Potts Point, Sydney on 4 November 1886.

Governor Lachlan Macquarie held a high opinion of Meehan’s knowledge of the country and included him on most of his tours of inspection in NSW and Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania).

Meehan later discovered Lake Bathurst and the Goulburn plains, fixed the boundaries of land grants and made many contributions to the mapping of the colony, most notably a map of Sydney. He also surveyed several townships including Richmond, Windsor and Liverpool in NSW and Hobart in Van Diemen’s Land.

In 1823, as a result of the “hardships, privations and difficulties” endured during his early years in the colony and of his declining health, Meehan was granted a pension of £100 a year.

A high school in Sydney’s Macquarie Fields is named after him.

James Quinn 1819 – 1881 ARCHBISHOP

BORN in Rathbane, Co Kildare, Quinn made many enemies over the course of his lifetime but his influence over the development of Queensland was immense. He took up the post of Archbishop in 1859 and landed in Brisbane in 1861.

He made rapid progress in the establishment of the Catholic education system, but in alliance with the Anglican Bishop Tufnell he sought to divert the tendency towards secularism in education.

In 1862, Quinn founded the Queensland Immigration Society that brought out 10 ships with about 6,000 Irish migrants. The ‘Hibernian flood’ immediately aroused sectarian hostility, however, fanned by an unguarded remark of the bishop that the colony might yet be called ‘Quinn’s land’.

He had angered many religious orders with his almost monarchic style. In protest, Mary MacKillop withdrew her Order of St Joseph from the state.

He fell ill on the way to Hobart and died in Brisbane in August of 1881.

James Scullin 1876 – 1953

PRIME MINISTER

AUSTRALIA’S first Catholic Prime Minister, Scullin was born in Trawalla, Victoria, the fifth child of John, a railway platelayer, and Ann, née Logan, who were both from Derry.

He attended public schools till he was 14 and then night school in Ballarat, while also reading many Irish writers in books borrowed from the local library. He developed debating skills through the Catholic Young Men’s Society.

He joined the Political Labor Council in 1903 and helped Labor campaign in State elections. He won the seat of Corangamite at the 1910 Federal election, when Labor became the first party to win a majority in both houses of parliament. He opposed conscription and supported the Irish struggle against British rule. He led Labor to a landslide victory in 1929, winning 46 of the 75 lower house seats.

After his death on 28 January 1953, He was given a state funeral, with Archbishop Daniel Mannix presiding.

28 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

THE TOP 100 IRISH AUSTRALIANS

Pioneers

Nicholas Fitzgerald 1829 – 1908 BREWER, POLITICIAN

Louis Brennan 1852 – 1932

ENGINEER, INVENTOR

Daisy Bates 1863 – 1951 ANTHROPOLOGIST

BORN in Co Tipperary to James and Marguarette O’Dwyer, Daisy Bates was a self-styled and controversial anthropologist.

She arrived in Australia in 1884 where she married legendary Australian poet Harry ‘Breaker’ Morant. This marriage did not last long, however, and in February of 1885, she married Jack Bates, a cattleman, in Nowra, NSW. Within four months Daisy had divorced Jack and married Ernest Baglehole in Sydney, but she was soon back with Bates and their son, Arnold, who was born in 1886. She moved to London in 1894, leaving husband and son behind, and worked as a journalist there for five years before returning to Australia.

After reading newspaper reports about allegations of atrocities against Aboriginal people in north-west Australia, she travelled to the Trappist mission at Beagle Bay, north of Broome where her in-depth study of Australia’s first peoples began. Later, in 1904, the Western Australian government officially appointed her to research the state’s tribes.

Living in camp with local Aboriginal communities, Bates recorded invaluable data on language, myth, religion and kinship. Some of her observations, particularly around cannabilism, are contested to this day.

John Fihelly 1882 – 1945

SPORTS PIONEER

JOHN Fihelly was born in 1882 at Timoleague in Co Cork, before moving to Brisbane with his family in September of 1883. Fihelly represented Queensland against NSW in 1905-07, and in 1907 played for Australia against New Zealand. A co-founder of the Rugby League code in Queensland, he was also assistant manager of the first Australian team to visit Britain in 1908-09, and was president of the Queensland Amateur Rugby League in 1914-16.

After his playing career ended, he

BORN in Castlebar, Co Mayo, Ireland, Brennan’s parents took him to Melbourne when he was nine-years-old.

After being apprenticed to an engineer, Brennan, aged 22, invented a coastal defence torpedo which could be retrieved if it missed its mark. After getting a grant of £700 from the Victorian government, Brennan patented his invention in England on September 4, 1877. In 1880, British government experiments with the torpedo were so successful that he was awarded £6000 a year while the invention was tested.

After five years of tests the torpedo was accepted by the War Office, and in 1887 Brennan was granted £110,000, a huge sum, which caused a stir in the press.

An attempt in the House of Commons to reduce the fee by £30,000 was unsuccessful.

He later worked for the British government on a monorail locomotive, a helicopter and other inventions.

In 1892 he married Anna Louise (née Quinn) and they had two children. He died in Montreux, Switzerland in January 1932 after being hit by a car. An obituary in The Engineer said he had “all the charm of his race and was much beloved by all who knew him well”, went into politics and won Paddington for Labor in the Legislative Assembly in 1912. The same year he married Marguerite Agnes Murphy, with whom he had three children.

He was an outspoken supporter of Irish dissidents, and after an impassioned denunciation of the British government in September of 1916 at a Queensland Irish Association (QIA) meeting, Fihelly was suspended from Executive Council meetings until he apologized.

He died of a cerebral thrombosis in Brisbane in March of 1945. He was buried in Toowong cemetery after a state funeral.

Mark Foy 1865 – 1950

ENTREPRENEUR

BORN in Bendigo to Irish parents, Mark and his brother Francis moved to Sydney where in 1885 they set up a drapery shop in Oxford Street called Mark Foy’s, in memory of their late father.

Business flourished and a new department store near Hyde Park was opened in 1908 which featured Sydney’s first escalator. That building now houses the Downing Centre courts. A keen sportsman, as a young man Foy won several shooting medals in America. In 1890 he founded the Sydney Flying Squadron to brighten up sailing on Port Jackson. His efforts popularised sailing with big prize money and colourful boats that could easily be identified. In July 1904 Foy opened the Hydro Majestic Hotel in the Blue Mountains as a hydropathic resort, complete with Swiss doctor and spa water from Germany. With characteristic flair Foy provided a wide range of recreation facilities and excellent cuisine and made it one of the most fashionable resorts in Australia.

AUSTRALIANS couldn’t give a XXXX for any other beer, but most will be unaware of their favourite brew’s provenance. The Castlemaine brewery was set up by the Galway-born, Trinity educated Fitzgerald brothers, Nicholas and Edward. Nicholas joined his brother Edward, who had just started the brewery, in Melbourne in 1859.

They expanded rapidly, thanks in no small part to their signature XXX brew (the fourth X was a later addition). In 1878 the Brisbane Courier described it as “a delicious ale of the brightest amber, pleasant to the taste”. After the company went public Nicholas became managing director before joining the board of the amalgamated Carlton and United Brewery.

Nicholas was a member of the National Australasian Convention in Sydney in 1891 and in 1894 he represented Victoria at the Colonial Conference in Canada. In 1903 he became the Legislative Council’s chairman of committees.

He was also very much involved with the Catholic Church and was awarded the papal knighthood of St Gregory by Pope Leo XIII.

Peter Lalor 1827 – 1889

Dan Leahy 1912 – 1991

THE Eureka Stockade of 1854 – justifiably said to be the nascent roots of Australian independence – was led

by Laois-born Peter Lalor. His older brother James Fintan became a leader of the Young Ireland movement in 1848.

After training as an engineer, Peter arrived in Melbourne in 1852, attracted by the gold discoveries.

He moved to Ballarat in 1854 but, though having some luck in his diggings, was appalled by the way the diggers were treated. Though they paid tax, they could not own the land and were denied voting rights.

The diggers’ anger led to the Eureka uprising in which 27 people died.

Though he lost an arm after being shot in the skirmish, public sentiment was on the miners’ side. Lalor was later elected to parliament.

DAN Leahy is famed for going against the grain, turning a blind eye to societal expectations to become a pioneer of the Pacific. Leahy grew up in a large Irish Catholic family and attended Toowoomba’s St Mary’s College.

Adventurer Leahy and three of his brothers left their Queensland town behind to traverse Papua New Guinea in search of gold and riches. By 1935 they had set up a successful mining operation in PNG’s Western Highlands. Leahy astounded his family by marrying into Papua New Guinean tribal society and having several wives, as was customary for men of high social standing. He had 10 children, eight of whom returned to PNG after being educated in Australia.

Leahy was dedicated to the Pacific nation, turning his attention to coffee planting when alluvial gold ran dry, but always prized his Irish-Australian background.

POLITICIAN

EXPLORER, BUSINESSMAN

Paddy Hannan 1840 – 1925 PROSPECTOR

BORN in Quin, Co Clare, Hannan arrived in Victoria in December 1862 and worked underground at Ballarat. It is said the search for gold infatuated him. As prospecting moved from the slopes of the Great Dividing Range to the dry plains, Hannan learned how to find water before looking for gold, to travel lightly, and to operate far from the nearest supply base. On June 10, 1893 Hannan, along with Thomas Flanagan and Dan O’Shea found gold near the surface of the dry red soil to the east of Coolgardie. Working in secret, each man won the equivalent of several years’ wages in the space of a week.

On June 17, Hannan rode his horse to Coolgardie with about 100 ounces (3.1 kg) of gold and broke the news. The next morning the rush to Kalgoorlie began.

Hannan, who never married, became synonomous with the town and the main street is named after him.

irishecho.com.au

William Charles Wentworth 1790 – 1872

Herbert Michael Moran 1885 – 1945

EXPLORER, POLITICIAN

SPORTSMAN, MEDIC

HERBERT Moran was born in Sydney to Irish baker Michael Moran and his Australian wife Annie. He graduated in medicine from the University of Sydney and took up residency at Newcastle Hospital, but it was through his rugby career that he really began to expand his horizons. He represented New South Wales in 1906 and went on from there to captain the first Wallabies side to tour Britain in 1908. After the tour, he began his FRCS (Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons) at Edinburgh, after which he worked in hospitals in London and Dublin. He returned to Australia in 1910 and began a practice in Balmain, but in 1915 he went back to Britain to join the Royal Army Medical Corps and served as a lieutenant.

Returning to Sydney in 1916, Moran

WENTWORTH was born at sea to unmarried parents who were being transported from Britain. His father D’Arcy Wentworth was a surgeon and descendant of the Anglo-Irish Earl of Roscommon. D’Arcy had been accused of highway robbery but accepted transportation in order to avoid conviction. William’s mother, Catherine Crowley, was an Irish teenager, transported for stealing clothing.

In 1813 Wentworth, along with Gregory Blaxland and William Lawson, led the expedition that found a route across the Blue Mountains, two hours west of Sydney, and opened up vast new grazing lands. The Blue Mountains town of Wentworth Falls was named in his honour.

Though he became very wealthy Wentworth was never accepted by Sydney’s upper class society because his parents had never married, and his mother was a convict. Embittered by this rejection, he sought equal rights and status for former convicts and their descendants.

He was elected to the NSW Legislative Council in 1843 and soon became the leader of the conservative party. He chaired the committee to draft a new constitution for NSW. With his wife, Sarah Cox, he fathered 10 children, and also had at least one other child out of wedlock.

The Sydney federal electorate of Wentworth is also named after him.

was honorary surgeon at St Vincent’s Hospital. His surgical career blossomed through his interest in cancer research.

In this he was far ahead of his time and he travelled widely, published in journals and studied and lectured in many parts of the world.

Editor of the Journal of the University Cancer Research Committee, he was also a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine in London, the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, and St John’s College at Sydney University.

Cornelius O’Leary 1897 – 1971 PUBLIC SERVANT

Patrick O’Farrell 1933 – 2003

HISTORIAN BORN in New Zealand to Irish parents, O’Farrell moved to Australia in 1956 and, after receiving a PhD from the Australian National University, became a Professor of History and, later, Emeritus Professor, at the University of New South Wales.

Many of the 12 books he wrote concerned Irish Australia, Catholicism in Australia and Anglo-Irish relations.

His most famous work, The Irish in Australia, first published in 1987, remains the most thorough account of the shared history of the two countries. As he said himself: “If people don’t know history, they don’t know themselves.” On his death, UNSW Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rory Hume, said O’Farrell had made “landmark contributions” to Irish-Australian hisotry.

July, 2019 | 29

THE TOP 100 IRISH AUSTRALIANS

Robert O’Hara Burke 1821 – 1861 EXPLORER

BORN into a family of Protestant gentry in Co Galway Burke served in the Austrian army and the Irish Mounted Constabulary before migrating to Australia in 1853. He joined the Victorian police and rose to superintendent before leaving, in 1860, to command an expedition to cross the continent from south to north. The objectives of the Burke and Wills expedition, as it came to be known, were hazy and its route decided just weeks before it set out.

When the last bill came in it had cost more than £60,000 and seven lives, including those of both Burke and Wills.

Burke might have survived if he had accepted the hospitality of Indigenous people, who offered gifts of fish. Though Burke’s own journey was tragic, his contribution to exploration is still significant because geographical knowledge of the country was greatly expanded by the explorers who led search parties .

BORN at Murwillumbah, New South Wales to an Irish immigrant father and a Queensland-born mother, O’Leary was educated by the Christian Brothers in Ipswich, Queensland and began working for the Queensland Public Service in 1913. By November 1922 he was appointed a ‘protector of Aboriginals’ and assigned to the district of Somerset, which encompassed the Torres Strait Islands and the northern half of Cape York Peninsula. In March 1930, O’Leary was sent as acting-superintendent to Palm Island Aboriginal Settlement. It was

John Hubert Plunkett 1802 – 1869

NSW ATTORNEY GENERAL

PLUNKETT was born the younger of twins at Mount Plunkett, Co Roscommon and graduated from

JOHN MORIARTY Born 1938 ARTIST

MORIARTY was born in Borroloola, Northern Territory to an Aboriginal mother and a father from Blennerville, Co Kerry.

He was taken from his mother at the age of four and shipped, without his family’s knowledge, to a children’s home, entering a harsh world of orphanages and poverty.

But against such incredible odds Moriarty has found great success as an artist and sportsman. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Flinders University, and is a Churchill Fellow. Moriarty is best known as founder of the Balarinji Design Studio.

He was also a fine soccer player in his younger days. Moriarty has sought out his Irish relatives.

“I was so much at ease when I found my father’s relatives, and my first cousin in Tralee, that that night I slept so peacefully. One of the best sleeps I have had for years and years. Just finding out who I was and where he was,” he told the Irish Echo in 2010.

a tough assignment as his predecessor had ‘run amok’ – firing a weapon, burning buildings and terrorising the inhabitants. By “tactful management” O’Leary restored confidence in the administration and was rewarded by being transferred to Brisbane as inspector and deputy chief protector of Aboriginals. He toured Queensland in 1935 to familiarise himself with Indigenous communities. He rose to become director of native affairs.

O’Leary’s regime is remembered as dynamic and benevolent. He had a genuine interest in Indigenous welfare and was recognised for his work with an OBE in 1964.

Trinity College in 1823 before being called to the Irish Bar in 1826.

Daniel O’Connell gave the Roscommon man credit for the success of his candidates in Connacht at the 1830 general election taht put the Whigs in power.

Plunkett moved to Australia soon afterwards, where he was appointed as the Solicitor-General of New South Wales – the first Catholic to be appointed to high civil office in the colony. In 1836, four years after arriving in Sydney, Plunkett was promoted to Attorney-General.

In his last year’s Plunkett devoted more time to his lifelong love of the violin and Irish folk music.

Robert Torrens 1814 – 1884 POLITICIAN

HIS name lives on through the Torrens land title and the South Australian river (named after his father, also Robert) but the Corkborn, Trinity College educated law reformer achieved much more than just that in his life.

He and his wife Barbara arrived in South Australia on December 12, 1840. Torrens soon became immersed in local politics and topped the poll in the seat of Adelaide for the House of Assembly elections in 1857 – a victory achieved due to his land titles reform work – and went on to become Premier of the state.

He spent much of the last 30 years of his life espousing land titles reform, lecturing on the Torrens system in Europe.

He settled in England and died there of pneumonia, aged 70, in 1884.

John Worrall 1861 – 1937

SPORTS ADMINISTRATOR

BORN in Maryborough, Victoria to Irish-born mother Ann Gaynor and father Joseph Worrall, John went on to become a noted Aussie Rules footballer and international cricketer.

Worrall captained the Fitzroy Football Club in Melbourne for seven of his nine seasons at the club up until 1892 and was named ‘Champion of the Colony’ in 1887 and 1890.

He was also a renowned cricketer, playing 140 first-class matches between 1883 and 1902 and scoring 4,660 runs along the way. He represented Victoria on 65 occasions and played 11 Test matches against England between 1885 and 1899.

His most notable achievement came in 1896 when he assisted in the foundation of the Victorian Football League (VFL) after which he went on to coach Carlton, reaching the finals in 1903-05 and winning triple premierships in 1906-08.

He died in Fairfield on November 17, 1937.

30 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

April 13 – 26, 2005

Volume 18 – Number 08

$3.50

JOHN PAUL II RIP

ALAN JOYCE

ELEVEN IRISH LIONS

PAGES 6 & 9

PAGE 3

Ireland Grieves For Popular Polish Pontiff

Jetstar’s Irish CEO Says No To Aer Lingus Post

Irish footy star Jim Stynes and partner Sam are the proud parents of a little boy, Tiernan James, who was born just in time for St Patrick’s Day. Tiernan is the couple’s second child. Their daughter Matisse will be four in September.

Death of popular radio presenter

by Fiona Brady

The late Gerry Comerford.

TRIBUTES have been paid to well-loved Irish radio presenter Gerry Comerford, who died suddenly this week.

Mr Comerford, from Cork city, presented the Shamrock radio show on Sydney’s 2RRR for the last eight years.

He leaves behind his partner Barbara Maloney and daughter Louise.

The 63-year-old went missing in the Nepean River at Jamison Town on Wednesday, April 6 after rowing out

from Penrith Rowing Club in his eight-metre scull.

Police were alerted several hours later after members of the club spotted his empty vessel on the water.

Police divers and the Penrith Volunteer Rescue recovered Mr Comerford’s body from the river on Saturday, after an extensive search.

It is believed he may have suffered a heart attack and fallen into the water. A postmortem examination was being carried out this week. to page 2

September 28 – October 11, 2005

(incl GST)

See inside for details on how to enter

give leadership in difficult circumstances.”

Adding that he thought “long and hard” before making the statement, Mr Adams said it was “an attempt to create conditions where there can be proper engagement”.

Prominent Republican Peter King, described as Sinn Féin’s best friend in Washington, spoke with Adams’ top deputy, Martin McGuinness, about the speech before it was delivered.

“In the context of Irish politics, it is truly historic and groundbreaking. In effect, he’s calling on the IRA to turn from a military movement to politics,” he said.

Mr King added Mr Adams’ remarks were consistent with what he had said on St Patrick’s Day. “He told me that morning he had concluded that the Republican movement need to take dramatic and unilateral action,” Mr King said.

Mr King urged the British, Irish and American governments to support Mr Adams.

“We await a response by the IRA,” said Kurtis Cooper, a US State Department spokesperson. “More importantly, we await concrete action taken by the IRA to support the policy advocated by Mr Adams.”

Print Post No. P255003/01335

Postal Address: PO Box 285 Balmain NSW 2041 Australia | Phone: +612 9555 9199 | Email (Editorial): newsdesk@irishecho.com.au | Email (Administration): mail@irishecho.com.au

April 2005

April 9 – 22, 2008

(incl GST)

Let the IRISH ECHO and GULF AIR fly you direct to Dublin FREE!

PAGE 30

Street describing the statement as “significant”.

“Obviously the key will be what the IRA does as a result, and it’s on that any final judgement must be made,” said a spokesperson.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern agreed, saying the statement had potential to advance the process, but would be judged on the IRA response.

Irish Justice Minister Michael McDowell said the IRA was being told in code that the “game is up”.

Tánaiste Mary Harney said the Sinn Féin leader was talking to himself.

The Unionist parties were also dismissive of the speech, with DUP leader Ian Paisley saying Mr Adams had put himself “outside the arena”.

“It is an insult to democrats what he is saying and no one will be taken in. I don’t think there is any hope for Sinn Féin and the IRA,” he said.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan also greeted Adam’s pronouncement cynically, saying he didn’t know whether it was sincere just an election ploy.

“It is, after all, made in the run-up to an election and is loaded with self-serving versions of recent history,” Mr Durkan said. “It may well just be a device for easing the pressure that Sinn Féin has been coming under on the doorstep.”

Denying it was an electoral ploy, Mr Adams said his statement was an attempt to push the process forward.

“There is never a good time,” the Sinn Féin leader said. “This is about trying to

$3.50

Volume 18 – Number 20

Kennelly tastes sporting immortality in his adopted Kingdom

by Billy Cantwell at the MCG

How Sweet It Is: Sydney Swans star Tadhg Kennelly celebrates on the dais after becoming the first Irishman to secure an AFL Premiership medal last weekend at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Pic: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

IRA abandons all arms

by Ian Graham

Decommissioning body chairman, General John de Chastelain.

THE IRA has put all of its weapons beyond use, according to the head of the international decommissioning commission.

In an historic announcement, General John de Chastelain said “very large quantities of arms, which we believe include all the arms in the IRA’s possession”, have been decommissioned.

Speaking at a news conference outside Belfast, the general said he and his fellow members on the commission had been provided with estimates in 2004 by the British

and Irish security forces on what the IRA arsenal was believed to be.

An inventory of weapons decommissioned was “consistent with these estimates”, he said.

“We are satisfied the arms decommissioned represent the totality of the IRA’s arsenal,” he went on.

He said it included ammunition, rifles, machine guns, mortars, missiles, handguns, explosive substances and other arms, including all the categories described in the estimates by the security forces.

He continued: “The Com-

mission has determined the IRA has met its commitment to put all its arms beyond use in a manner called for by legislation.”

He said it remained for the Commission to address the issue of Loyalist arms and he asked everyone with influence to use it to that end.

The Rev Harold Good, a former president of the Methodist Church in Ireland and one of two churchmen who witnessed the process said he was utterly certain about the accuracy of General de Chastelain’s report.

He said: “We have spent many long days watching the

meticulous and painstaking way in which General de Chastelain went about his task of decommissioning huge amounts of explosives, arms and ammunition.”

He said witnessing the process on a minute-byminute basis gave them clear and incontrovertible evidence “that beyond any shadow of doubt the arms of the IRA have now been decommissioned”.

The general described IRA decommissioning as “an important milestone towards the completion of its task to achieve decommissioning by all paramilitary groups”.

THE name of Tadhg Kennelly can now be added to the list of Irish sporting heroes who have tasted unprecedented success in Australia.

After becoming the first Irishman ever to win an AFL Premiership medal last weekend with the Sydney Swans, the young Kerryman ranks alongside Brownlow Medal winner Jim Stynes and dual Melbourne Cup winning trainer Dermot Weld. All three have written themselves into Australian sporting history and provided Irish expats with moments of extraordinary pride and joy.

The running half-back played an enormous role in the Swan’s heartstopping four-point victory over the West Coast Eagles. In the final seconds, he rushed behind and relieved the pressure as the Eagles tried to sneak a last minute goal. He accumulated 17 possessions and scored a rare goal in the Swans’ historic win, the first for the club in 72 years.

After receiving his Premiership medal, Kennelly broke into a spontaneous Irish jig before thumping the air in unbridled delight.

The numerous tricolours spotted around the Melbourne Cricket Ground waved enthusiastically and Irish pubs from Kerry to Kings Cross erupted in hugs and cheers.

September 2005

Touring Irish Singer Reveals Aussie Influence

DECLAN O’ROURKE

HEINEKEN CUP

PAGE 42

INTERVIEW :: PAGE 13

PAGE 43

$3.50

Volume 22 – Number 03 Volu

GUINNESS IRISH PUB GUIDE 2009

2009

Vote For The Best Irish Pub And Win A $1,000 Bar Tab

Munster Into Semis After Gloucester Win

FREE COLOUR MAGAZINE INSERT

AN

SUPPLEMENT

LUKA BLOOM

June 2004

Irish End SevenMatch Drought Against French

INTERVIEW PAGE 18

REPORTS :: PAGE 47

BERTIE Ahern has announced that he will resign as Taoiseach next month.

With pressure mounting within his Fianna Fáil party – which feared serious electoral damage over the ongoing Mahon Tribunal revelations – Mr Ahern said he would resign on May 6 after 11 years as the country’s prime minister.

Mr Ahern has been the focus of a major inquiry in Dublin probing planning corruption and payments to politicians by businessmen, but denies any wrongdoing.

In a dramatic and emotional announcement on the steps of Dublin’s Government Buildings, Mr Ahern said he did not want issues around his personal finances to divert attention from the work of his colleagues.

He was also adamant that he never took a bribe.

“While I would be the first to admit that I have made mistakes in my life and in my career, one mistake I never made is to enrich myself by misusing the trust of the people,” Mr Ahern said in a 12-minute speech, his voice trembling.

“I have never received a corrupt payment and I have never done anything to dishonour any office I have held.”

Even though there has been an intense focus in recent

months on Mr Ahern’s financial affairs by the Mahon Tribunal, which has been investigating payments to politicians for 11 years, the Fianna Fáil leader’s announcement caught many people by surprise.

The 56-year-old, who has led Fianna Fáil for 14 years, had acquired the nickname of being the Teflon Taoiseach and won an unprecedented third term in government last year despite questions about his financial affairs dominating the General Election campaign.

It emerged that Ahern’s departure strategy was worked out between him and trusted deputy leader Brian Cowen. Mr Ahern dropped public engagements from his diary to avoid facing the media as he consulted close aides about his future.

Two days before his shock announcement, Mr Ahern was understood to be working on his resignation speech and was supervising the choreography of subsequent events.

Ahern’s Tribunal woes came to a head last month when his former secretar y Gráinne Carruth blatantly contradicted his earlier evidence on the lodgement of pounds sterling.

Government ministers had valiantly tried to defend their leader on the airwaves but it was clear they had no knowledge of how Mr Ahern would explain the clash of evidence at

THE NEW MAN: Brian Cowen will become Taoiseach on May 6. Pic: PA

BRIAN Cowen will be the next Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil, it has been confirmed.

Fianna Fáil chief whip Tom Kitt announced on Saturday that the Irish Finance Minister and Tánaiste was the only member to put his name forward to succeed Bertie Ahern on May 6. Mr Cowen will be formally declared the seventh leader of Fianna Fáil at a meeting of the parliamentary party this week.

In a statement, Mr Cowen said he was deeply honoured by the confidence shown in him by the members of the

NAMA-RAMA

DISCOVER HOW :: PAGE 22

PAGE 9

Scale Of Irish Banks’ Toxic Debt Revealed

Tearful Tadhg in a Kingdom all his own

by Ed Carty and Colm Kelpie

FIRE-SAFE: Molly Rose Mulvey (far left) helps her parents Gareth (second from left) and Maggie (far right), both from Dublin, console neighbours after bushfires rampaged through their rural Victorian town of Kinglake. The Mulveys miraculously escaped without damage or injury. Pic: Newspix / Stuart McEvoy

CHANGE OF THE GUARD: Taoiseach Bertie Ahern announces his intention to resign on May 6 at Government Buildings last week beside the man who is now certain to become Ireland’s 11th Prime Minister, Tánaiste Brian Cowen. Pic: Julian Behal

Irish families caught in Victoria’s bush inferno

by Aaron Dunne

Trusted deputy to become eleventh Taoiseach

by Dan McGinn

Volume 22 – Number 20 Vo

WHAT IS SKYPE?

Free Video Calls To Ireland Via The Internet

Jobless in Ireland to reach 400,000, Cowen

AHERN ERA ENDS

by Dan McGinn

September 23 – October 6, 2009

(incl GST)

SIX NATIONS

Win Free Passes To See Acclaimed Irish Troubadour

Taoiseach brings forward resignation date as Tribunal woes continue

to page 3

Print Post No. P255003/01335

February 11–24, 2009

(incl GST)

Win One Of Five Ireland Rugby Shirts

See Also Page 28

Postal Address: PO Box 285 Balmain NSW 2041 Australia | Phone: +612 9555 9199 | Email (Editorial): newsdesk@irishecho.com.au | Email (Administration): mail@irishecho.com.au

November 2002

$3.50

Volume 21 – Number 08

READER GIVEAWAY

O’Driscoll to Skipper New Zealand Tour

IRA considers Adams’ plea to call it quits SINN Féin President Gerry Adams has made a dramatic call for the IRA to give up its arms and embrace democratic means permanently.

In a keynote statement designed to generate debate among Republicans about the future of the IRA, the Sinn Féin leader said that the struggle had “reached a defining moment”.

While he stopped short of asking the IRA to disband permanently, Mr Adams said the struggle could now be taken forward through other means, although he said that in the past he had defended the right of the IRA to engage in armed struggle, “I did so because there was no alternative for those who would not bend the knee or turn a blind eye to oppression or those who wanted a national republic,” he said.

“Now there is an alternative. I have clearly set out my view of what the alternative is.

“The way forward is by building political support for Republican and democratic objectives across Ireland and winning support for these goals internationally.”

Within 24 hours the IRA had issued a response to Mr Adams’ appeal, saying it would give it “due consideration” and would respond in “due course”.

The Adams statement and the subsequent IRA reaction have received a mixed response from across the political spectrum.

His call was welcomed by the US, Irish and British Governments, with Downing

October 2000

Parliamentary Party.

“It is a reflection of the support of the wider Fianna Fáil membership throughout the country,” the Laois-Offaly TD said. “I am grateful for that overwhelming endorsement of my candidacy for the leadership of the party at this time.”

Mr Cowen, 48, was the runaway favourite to succeed Bertie Ahern after the Taoiseach declared his intention to stand down. One by one potential candidates such as Foreign Minister Der mot Aher n, Enterprise Minister Micheal Martin, Education Minister Mary Hanafin and Transport Minister Noel Dempsey ruled

themselves out and backed Mr Cowen, who has held three senior posts in government.

However his elevation to Fianna Fáil leader seemed inevitable when Mr Ahern described him last June as his obvious successor.

The son of former Fianna Fáil TD Bernard Cowen, he was elected to the Dáil in 1984 at the age of just 24 in LaoisOffaly after his father’s death.

Over the years, he acquired a reputation as a formidable political operator. In 1992, after the fall of Charles Haughey, he was appointed by the then Taoiseach Albert Reynolds to the post for Minister for Labour

and a year later became Minister for Energy. In 1994, Mr Cowen became Transport, Energy and Communications Minister until the collapse of the Fianna Fáil-Labour coalition government.

When Fianna Fáil returned to office in 1997 under Bertie Aher n, he was appointed Minister for Health - a portfolio he dubbed “Angola”.

Three years later he was promoted to Foreign Minister - a post he held for four years and which placed him at the heart of negotiations in the north of Ireland.

Bye Bye Bertie EXTENDED coverage inside: Pages 8–9 COMMENT: Page 33 HURLER: Page 36

TO PAGE 8

www.irishecho.com.au | Postal Address: PO Box 967, Rozelle NSW 2039 Australia | Phone: 1300 555 995 | Email (Editorial): newsdesk@irishecho.com.au | Email (Administration): mail@irishecho.com.au

April 2008

LUCKY ESCAPE: Donegalman Tommy Doherty lost his house in the bushfires.

THE home of least one Irish family has been lost in the devastating Victorian bushfires.

However, at the time of going to press, no Irish national had been injured of killed, according to authorities.

Donegal-man Tommy Doher ty, who was named Melbourne’s Irish Australian of the Year in 2005, was one of almost 1,000 householders who lost their homes to the ferocious flames last weekend.

He, and his wife Fran, lost their home in Hurstbridge, northeast of Melbourne in the devastating inferno.

The rampaging flames ripped through the town last weekend and engulfed the family plot but Tommy and Fran escaped unin-

jured from the ordeal. They have, however, been left with nothing as the fire destroyed their house and farmland.

Friends attempted to contact the pair over the weekend as concern for their welfare grew.

The Irish Echo has spoken to friends of Mr Doher ty who reported that both he and his wife had survived without injury, but that the blaze had left them with nothing.

Another Irish family, Gareth and Maggie Mulvey from Dublin and their teenage daughter Molly Rose, had a lucky escape as a blaze roared past their home, thankfully leaving it undamaged and the family uninjured.

Maggie, a former co-ordinator of the Australian Irish Welfare Bureau in Melbourne, immediately went to the aid of

the less fortunate, organising her neighbours, onto buses for transportation to nearby emergency shelters.

The bushfires, which have torn through Victoria and parts of New South Wales, have claimed a total of 131 lives at the time of going to press but that number is expected to rise.

Despite the extraordinarily high loss of life no reports of fatalities or injuries to Irish nationals had been received by the Embassy in Canberra or the Irish Consulate in Sydney at the time of going to press.

The full extent of the damage is yet to be fully realised, however, and the likelihood that Irish nationals could be among the victims remains.

The Irish community in Melbourne, meanwhile, has rallied in support of the thou-

sands of victims.

The local GAA, the Celtic Club and the Australian Irish Welfare Bureau have agreed to hold a joint fundraiser for the Bushfire Appeal.

“It’s absolutely disgusting what’s happened here,” Marion O’Hagan from the Australian Irish Welfare Bureau told the Echo. “We [the Irish community organisations in Melbourne] have all been in touch with each other already and we’re joining together to organise a fundraiser for the victims of this tragedy.

“When something like this happens it really brings out the good in people. People just feel so helpless down here. At least this way they can feel they are doing something and are contributing in some way.”

“We’re rallying together.”

TENS of thousands more Irish workers face the dole this year, the Taoiseach war ned last week as the numbers signingon reached another grim record high.

The sharp rise in unemployment is all the more dramatic as emigration returns to levels not seen since the 1980s.

Mr Cowen warned the jobless total could hit a staggering 400,000 as three more big employers announced swingeing cuts to combat the recession.

Opposition politicians described the increasing figures as catastrophic and claimed laid-off workers and their families are left with no prospects for the future.

According to official data, the number of people signingon reached 327,861 last month driving the unemployment rate to a staggering 9.2 per cent.

And warning of further job losses the Taoiseach said: “We have to acknowledge to the Irish public today that during the course of this year, as we see a contraction in the economy, we will see more unemployment.

“We must be straight with people and say this will happen.”

As a two-day Dáil debate on the economy raged last week, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny claimed the country was in the middle of an unemployment bloodbath.

“This is a horrendous situation. I am often struck by the shock on the faces of people ... who become unemployed suddenly with no prospect for the future for themselves or their families,” the Mayo TD said.

TO PAGE 7

www.irishecho.com.au | Postal Address: PO Box 967, Rozelle NSW 2039 Australia | Phone: 1300 555 995 | Email (Editorial): newsdesk@irishecho.com.au | Email (Administration): mail@irishecho.com.au

February 2009

KERRYMAN Tadhg Kennelly has completed a unique sporting feat.

As the final whistle blew at Croke Park last Sunday Kennelly became the first man to have won both an AFL Premiership Medal and an All-Ireland winners’ medal. He also completed a life-long dream of lifting the Sam Maguire trophy above his head, as his late father Tim had done on five occasions, most memorably in 1979 when he captained the Kingdom to victory.

Kerry won the match 0-16 to 1-9, defeating neighbours and fierce rivals Cork in the process.

An emotional Kennelly told RTÉ immediately after the game that his first thoughts were of his dad.

“It’s very emotional,” Kennelly said, fighting back tears. “I’m very lucky to have come back and achieved this in my first year. My family have been through a lot. Personally, the years haven’t been too kind over there [in Australia].”

The 28-year-old had spoken recently of how, for a time, he resented Australia after his father’s premature death at the age of 59 in 2005.

He felt that his decision to play Aussie Rules had robbed him of time with his dad during those final years.

Of his unique AFL/GAA double, Kennelly said that the significance of it had yet to sink in.

“Just thinking of my father today,” he said.

In the stands at Croke Park to watch Tadhg achieve this rare feat were Sydney Swans coach Paul Roos and at least 15 other players and officials from the club who had travelled over to support him.

GAA and AFL fans around Australia watched the match live via Setanta Sports.

$3.50

(incl GST)

DARREN SUTHERLAND, RIP

The Premature Passing Of An Olympic Hero PAGE 7

Man to face trial over Mayoman’s 2008 killing

by Aaron Dunne

TOP O’ THE WORLD, DA: An overcome Tadhg Kennelly lifts the Sam Maguire trophy after Kerry defeated Cork by four points in the All-Ireland Football Final last Sunday at Croke Park.

(Above left) Tadhg’s late father Tim with the trophy in 1979. (Below) Kennelly celebrates with his Kerry team mates. Pix: Adrian Melia

SEE ALSO PAGE 39

A 20-YEAR-OLD Australian man will stand trial for manslaughter early next year over an attack in Byron Bay in May of 2008 that led to the death of Mayoman Colm Kenny.

Samuel Buultjens, from Newrybar in northern NSW, faced a committal hearing in May of this year, but a local magistrate adjudged that he should not stand trial as there would be little chance of a safe conviction.

The Department of Public Prosecutions, however, has successfully indicted Mr Buultjens ‘ex-officio’ and he will now stand trial on February 8, 2010, charged with Mr Kenny’s manslaughter.

In her judgment, handed down thr ee months ago, Lismore magistrate Robyn Denes had ruled that any jury decision convicting him would be an “unsafe verdict”, and after hearing from a number of witnesses to the incident, adjudged that the evidence given would be of “hindsight bias”.

Ms Denes questioned how much evidence had been “impacted on” by people reading about the matter, and possibly reconstructing it in a way as to be “favourable to the deceased”.

A murder charge had originally been laid against the 20-year-old, but that was later reduced to manslaughter, a charge he will now face at trial after his indictment.

In normal circumstances, police charges are laid against a defendant who then faces a summary or committal hearing to determine whether or not there is a reasonable chance of a conviction at trial.

If, at the conclusion of the committal hearing, the magistrate determines there is not a reasonable prospect that a jury, properly instr ucted, would

DAY IN COURT: A NSW man is to face trial, charged with the manslaughter of Colm Kenny, pictured above, at Byron Bay in 2008.

convict the accused person of an indictable of fence, the magistrate will not commit the person for trial.

But, even if no committal hearing has taken place, or if a magistrate has found at a committal hearing that there is insuf ficient evidence to put a defendant on trial, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) may, in exceptional cases such as this, file a special indictment (called an ex-of ficio indictment) against a person and that person must then stand trial in the normal manner in the District or Supreme Court.

Mr Kenny, a former Mayo minor Gaelic footballer, passed away in the early hours of May 18 at Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital after spending a week in an induced coma.

www.irishecho.com.au | Postal Address: PO Box 967, Rozelle NSW 2039 Australia | Phone: 1300 555 995 | Email (Editorial): newsdesk@irishecho.com.au | Email (Administration): mail@irishecho.com.au

September 2009

Congratulations to Billy and the team at the Irish Echo for 30 Years and your contribution to the Irish community.

Thank you to the Echo for all your continued support to Sydney St Patrick’s Day Organisation We look forward to seeing everyone on Sunday 15 March 2020 at THE ROCKS, SYDNEY

Print Post P255003/01335

August 1999

Print Post P255003/01335

May 1999

Print Post P255003/01335

The second decade

1999-2009

30TH ANNIVERSARY

irishecho.com.au

July, 2019 | 31

THE IRISH ECHO

Our Services Demolition

Plant Hire

Residential & Commercial Propping Structural Penetrations

Small Excavator Hire Tipper Hire Rubbish Removal

Excavation

Labour Hire

Detailed Excavation Underpinning Asbestos Soil Removal

Skilled Labourers Civil Labourers Tradies

Hazmat Services

Tool Hire

Bonded Asbestos Removal Lead Paint Removal Lead Dust Removal

Jackhammers Concrete Saws Demolition Tools

Proudly

Irish

Owned

Call Us NOW for A Free Estimate 02 8060 4288 3/7 Erith St, Botany NSW 2019 Australia

Fully Licensed Insured &

Unrestricted

www.dcdemosolutions.com

DYLAN MORAN

Wollongong 23 Oct • Town Hall Canberra 25 Oct • Royal Theatre Geelong 27 Oct • Deakin’s Costa Hall Sydney 29 & 30 Oct • Opera House Melbourne From 2 Nov • Hamer Hall Launceston 9 Nov • Princess Theatre Hobart 10 Nov • Wrest Point Ent. Centre Adelaide 12 Nov • Thebarton Theatre Perth 14 Nov • Riverside Theatre Darwin 18 Nov • Entertainment Centre Cairns 20 Nov • Convention Centre Townsville 22 Nov • Convention Centre Gold Coast 23 Nov • Star Theatre Newcastle 25 Nov • Civic Theatre Sydney 26 Nov • State Theatre Brisbane 2 & 3 Dec • QPAC

BOOK NOW AT ABPRESENTS.COM.AU DYLANMORAN.COM

BRISBANE - 11 SEPT QPAC SYDNEY - 13 SEPT NEW SHOW! 14 SEPT STATE THEATRE MELBOURNE - 16 SEPT HAMER HALL SOLD OUT!

SMOS DR CO

BOOK AT ABPRESENTS.COM.AU

DARAOBRIAIN.COM

Demo Solutions

32 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

THE TOP 100 IRISH AUSTRALIANS

Saints&Scholars BORN in Co Limerick, Barlow (née McDonagh) emigrated to Sydney in 1884. In 1887 at St Mary’s Cathedral she married John Bede Barlow, architect and they lived at what is now Waverley

College. They had two daughters and a son who was killed at Gallipoli.

She became active in fundraising for institutions designed by her husband such as the Sacred Heart Hospice for the Dying and St Vincent’s Hospital Nurses’ Home. In 1911 she joined the new Catholic Women’s Association of New South Wales and was president from 1914-1934. Barlow supervised the opening of a library, visited hospitals and prisons and raised funds by organising lectures, social evenings, and concerts at St Mary’s Cathedral. During the Eucharistic Congress of 1928, she presided over the first Catholic women’s conference, attended by 500 delegates.

Known to her friends as ‘Queenie’, Mary Barlow was a gifted speaker with a keen sense of humour and was proud of her Irish heritage.

Constance D’Arcy 1879 – 1950

Myles Dunphy 1891 – 1985

CONSTANCE D’Arcy is remembered as a leader in women’s health and as a torch bearer for gender equality. One of five daughters born to her Irish parents, D’Arcy studied medicine and surgery at the University of Sydney, and would later return as its first female Deputy Chancellor in 1943.

She completed her residency in Adelaide, as Sydney’s two teaching hospitals did not admit women, and soon opened her own practice on Macquarie Street. While practicing as a gynaecologist and obstetrician, she advocated for St Vincent’s Hospital to become a teaching hospital –one that would help to allow women to work professionally within the medical field.

D’Arcy is honoured with a ward in her name at the Royal Hospital for Women, an enduring symbol of her dedication to women’s health.

She was remembered for her hearty laugh, a gracious manner, and her ostentatious jewellery, which had to be locked away on emergency calls.

DUNPHY was the eldest of seven children of Irish-born draper Myles Arthur Dunphy and his wife Margaret.

Though he had a successful academic career in which he taught architectural engineering at Sydney Technical College and the University of New South Wales, Dunphy is better remembered for his services to the wilderness cause.

In 1914 he formed the Sydney Bushwalkers to explore wild, trackless areas. In 1933 Dunphy helped form the National Parks and Primitive Areas Council, which sought the reservation of scenic areas for recreation. He longed that Australia should mirror the development of national parks in the US. Dunphy’s proposal for a Blue Mountains national park was submitted in 1932. The eventual Greater Blue Mountains Park fulfilled Dunphy’s original proposal and vision.

His cartography skills and tireless lobbying for wilderness protection helped to ensure land was preserved for all to enjoy.

Clare Dunne Born 1937 WRITER

DUBLIN-born Dunne became beloved by the public and media after starring as modern business woman Kay Kelly in the 1966 Australian film They’re A Weird Mob. Dunne transitioned from the dramatic arts to broadcasting with gusto, appearing on the small screen as an ABC reporter, and presenting and producing radio and television for SBS, where she organised programmes in seven languages.

A fierce proponent of multiculturalism in the media, Dunne’s catalogue of programs included Eire san Astrail – Ireland in Australia – and when an SBS-ABC merger was proposed in the 1980s, she was a key figure in protesting the potential loss of broadcasting for Australians of diverse ethnicities.

Dunne said it was her deep understanding of her own heritage that allowed her to see and report on parallels between seemingly disparate cultures. She was honoured with an Order of Australia Medal in 1999 for her unwavering promotion of Celtic culture and ethnic broadcasting. She has since published a fourth book.

Eliza Dunlop 1796 – 1880

Mary Kate Barlow 1865 – 1934

PHILANTHROPIST, ACTIVIST

ETHNOGRAPHER, POET

BORN in Co Armagh to Solomon Hamilton, a former judge of the Indian Supreme Court, her second husband was Co Antrim man David Dunlop. The couple and their four children arrived in Sydney in February 1838.

A year later her husband was appointed police magistrate and protector of Aborigines at Wollombi and Macdonald River, and she wrote poetry and song lyrics there. Some of her early verse was published in such magazines as the Dublin Penny Journal and she continued to publish in the Australian and the Maitland Mercury.

Her lyrics were set to music by Isaac Nathan, and from 1842 appeared

Patrick Scott Cleary 1861 – 1941 JOURNALIST, AUTHOR

CLEARY was born to Irish parents in Brunswick, Victoria in 1861.

About 1901 Cleary moved to Sydney, where he opened a newsagency at Woollahra. At St Mary’s Cathedral on January 24, 1906 he married Irish-born Ellen Carey. A proud devotee of his faith, Cleary founded the NSW branch of the Catholic Federation to pro-

mote state aid for Church schools, and became editor of the Catholic Press.

Cleary was keenly involved in one of the turning points in Australia’s history.

During the First World War he not only used his platform as Catholic Press editor to oppose conscription but also helped organise Masses for soldiers in Sydney’s military camps, allowing them to receive the sacraments and support from their fellow Australians.

In 1918, he was a witness in defence

in his Australian Melodies series. A volume of her collected works, The Vase comprising Songs for Music and Poems, was published Dunlop took great interest in the welfare and folklore of the Aboriginal people in her husband’s charge, and was something of a pioneer in appreciating the literary worth of Indigenous songs and poetry.

She won the confidence of the Indigenous people and translated some of the verse of the poet Wullati into English.

Outraged by the Myall Creek massacre in 1838, Dunlop wrote her lament, The Aboriginal Mother.

of Irish descendants suspected to be members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, and co-founded the Catholic Confessional Democratic Party during the 1920s period of sectarian antipathy. His tireless advocacy on behalf of his fellow Catholic IrishAustralians made him a luminary of his community. In 1933, he published Australia’s Debt to Irish Nation Builders.

Cleary continued as editor until he died on December 7, 1941.

Sir William Deane Born 1931

GOVERNOR-GENERAL, HIGH COURT JUDGE

AN Irish Australian who is proud of his roots and who studied at Trinity College Dublin, Deane was born in Melbourne on January 4, 1931. In 1955 he was briefly a member of the Democratic Labor Party, the predominantly Catholic and anti-Communist breakaway from the Australian Labor Party. Though he was soon disillusioned with the DLP and played no further part in active politics, Deane was strongly influenced by progressive Catholic doctrines of social justice and opposition to racial discrimination. Highlights of his legal career included being appointed a judge of the NSW Supreme Court in 1977 and to the High Court of Australia in 1982 where the father-of-two was part of the majority that recognised native title in the landmark Mabo case of 1992. In August 1995 then Prime Minister Paul Keating appointed Deane as Governor-General. In 2001 Deane was awarded the Sydney Peace Prize.

DOCTOR

ENVIRONMENTALIST

Ursula Frayne 1816 – 1885 NUN, EDUCATOR

BORN in Dublin to a wealthy family, in 1834 she entered the Institute of Mercy which had been founded two years earlier, and took the name Ursula in place of her baptismal name Clara.

In 1842 she was appointed Superior of the institute’s first foreign mission foundation in Newfoundland, Canada and in 1846 arrived in Perth following the request of the newly consecrated Bishop John Brady for Sisters to staff Catholic schools.

So small was the Catholic population that government aid was insignificant and the bishop, who was close to bankruptcy, could not be relied on for support. Shocked by the Sisters’ conditions, the Dublin mother-house sent money for return passages.

Mother Ursula gratefully acknowledged the money but refused to abandon the mission. To supplement their income, in 1849 she opened Western Australia’s first secondary school.

She is remembered for her tenacity as an education pioneer.

irishecho.com.au

TOM KENEALLY Born 1935 WRITER BORN in Sydney in 1935, Tom Keneally is one of Australia’s best-known and most respected writers. A Booker Prize winner for Schindler’s Ark in 1982 – that inspired the Oscar-winning film Schindler’s List – Keneally is also a multiple winner of the Miles Franklin Award, Australia’s most prestigious literary prize and has written more than 50 novels, plays and works of non-fiction including, in 1998, The Great Shame, in which he endeavoured to “tell the tale of the Irish in the new world and the old through the experiences of those transported to Australia for gestures of social and political dissent”.

Keneally’s Irish ancestry can be traced back to the 1868 when his ancestor John Keneally was transported to Western Australia for sedition. He arrived on the last convict ship – the Hougoumont – alongside the famed John Boyle O’Reilly.

Keneally told the Irish Echo in 2009 that he hopes he inherited a “love of freedom of speech [sedition] and a certain level of social activism” from his Irishness.

Also, he adds modestly, “[I hope] a gift for messing around with language.”

In March 2009, then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd gave Barack Obama a signed copy of Keneally’s 2003 biography of Abraham Lincoln.

The Tom Keneally Centre at the Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts opened in August 2011. It houses many of Keneally’s books and memorabilia.

Anne Greene 1884 – 1965 NUN, NURSE

THE ninth of 12 children, Greene was born in Co Clare and emigrated to Western Australia at about age 21, where she completed her novitiate at the Convent of St John of God and took the name Mary Gertrude.

After training as a nurse at the Order’s hospital, Sr Mary Gerrude studied midwifery at King Edward Memorial Hospital, Subiaco. After periods working as both ward and theatre sister in Kalgoorlie (WA) and Ballarat (Vic), in 1929 she volunteered to serve at the order’s foundation in the north of Western Australia where four of her siblings, who were all also nuns, had preceded her.

Conditions at Beagle Bay mission were basic, but they offered health care, education and counselling to patients who included Indigenous patients suffering from leprosy.

With state funding, Sr Mary Gertrude and other Sisters opened a leprosarium near Derby.

After Broome was attacked by Japanese aircraft on March 3, 1942, they moved with their patients into the bush for two weeks.

In 1947, Sister Gertrude was made provincial superior of the NorthWest, an appointment that brought with it the title of Mother. Next year she was appointed MBE, one of the first secular awards given to a St John of God Sister.

July, 2019 | 33

THE TOP 100 IRISH AUSTRALIANS

Samuel McCaughey 1835 – 1919

Sidney Nolan 1917 – 1992 PAINTER

SIDNEY Nolan was born on 22 April 1917 in Melbourne to a fifth generation Irish family.

A unique and great talent, Nolan is famed for a series of paintings (begun in 1946) on the life of the infamous outlaw, Ned Kelly. Among other events from Australian history, Nolan also did a series on the Eureka Stockade. His almost surreal landscapes were said to “express the hard, scorched majesty of the outback”.

Nolan sought to create and define episodes in Australian nationalism (often with an Irish background) to tell the story of a hero who became a metaphor for humankind – the fighter resisting tyranny with a passion for freedom. In most of his Ned Kelly series, Kelly’s famous steel head

guard dominates the painting. Nolan’s paintings give domestic audiences an insight into Australian history, but also showcase the great beauty of Australia’s outback.

For many, seemingly including Nolan himself, the painter and outlaw are inextricably linked. A 1962 article in The Bulletin noted that: “Nolan, like Kelly, has also been a hero, a victim, a man who armoured himself against Australia and who faced it, conquered it, lost it … ambiguity personified”.

PASTORALIST, PHILANTHROPIST

BORN near Ballymena, Co Antrim into a strict Presbyterian family, McCaughey learnt accounting in his father’s linen business before emigrating to Melbourne in April 1856.

To save money he walked the 200 miles to the property near Horsham where he started as a stationhand and soon became manager. Within four years, backed with family money, he was a property owner himself.

McCaughey was a pioneer of widespread land irrigation.

Despite having no strong political

Patrick Hartigan 1878 – 1952 PRIEST, POET

PATRICK Hartigan (aka John O’Brien, Mary Ann) was born at O’Connell Town, Yass, NSW to parents from Co Clare.

After attending St Patrick’s College, Manly and St Patrick’s College, Goulburn,

Oliver MacDonagh 1924 – 2002

HISTORIAN, ACADEMIC

leanings, in 1899 he was appointed to the Legislative Council.

His experience and knowledge of land were valued and he advocated large-scale immigration.

McCaughey made a fortune in Australia and was very generous to a range of charities.

he was ordained a priest in January 1903. In 1910 he became inspector of schools for the vast diocese of Goulburn and was one of the first curates in the State with a motor car.

By then he had already begun to publish poetry in such journals as the Albury Daily News, Catholic Press and the Bulletin under the pen-name ‘Mary Ann’. He published Around the Boree Log and Other verses, under the pseudonym ‘John O’Brien’, in November 1921. By 1926, it had sold an amazing 18,000 copies.

Recording the everyday lives of the people around him, he successfully captured the mateship and ethos of the bush. Poems such as Said Hanrahan were an instant success.

Pamela Travers 1897 – 1996 AUTHOR

BORN Helen Lyndon Goff in Maryborough, Queensland, on August 9, 1899, the future Mary Poppins author moved to Allora, when she was three. After the death of her father (who was English, but of Irish heritage) in 1907, the family – her mother and two sisters – moved to Bowral, NSW. The family lived there until 1917, though Helen attended boarding school in Normanhurst, Sydney, from 1912 until 1916. The family then moved to Ashfield in Sydney in 1917 where a statue has been erected in her honour. In February 1924, she fulfilled a long-held dream and sailed for England and Ireland and began her career as a writer under the nom-de-plume PL Travers.

She worked as a journalist, becoming friendly with WB Yeats, while some of her poems were also published in The Irish Statesman.

In 1934, she wrote Mary Poppins – her first novel – and the endearing story of the magical nanny was an immediate success.

Emma Thompson portrayed Travers in the movie, Saving Mr Banks.

BORN in Co Roscommon, MacDonagh attended UCD and Cambridge universities and was admitted to the Irish Bar. Before coming to Australia with his wife, Carmel, and their family, he was professor of modern history at UCC. In Australia he was one of the designers of Flinders University in Adelaide and its foundation professor of history. He was also professor of history in the Research School of Social Sciences at the Australian National University from 1973 to 1990 and is remembered as a superb teacher. In addition to his academic work, MacDonagh’s books were also highly regarded. His biography of Daniel O’Connell portrayed “the Liberator” more vividly than any other had previously done.

States of Mind, a study of modern Irish history that won the Ewart Biggs Memorial Prize, was an even-handed account of sectarianism and IrishBritish relations.

The Sharing of the Green: A Modern Irish History for Australians (1996) exposed the destructive tribal myths preserved among many Irish Australian families.

John Joseph Therry 1790 – 1864 CATHOLIC PRIEST

BORN in Cork and educated in Carlow, Therry was ordained in 1815 and did parochial work in Dublin and Cork before moving to Sydney in May 1820.

His interest in Australia had been aroused by the transportation of Irish convicts. From the first days of his chaplaincy, the building of a church in Sydney was one of Therry’s main preoccupations. His agitation for state assistance helped secure funding for what would become St Mary’s Cathedral.

His generous bequest enabled the Irish Jesuits to acquire the lands on which the prestigious Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview is built. The college named one of its buildings in his honour.

His remains are in the crypt of St Mary’s, where the Lady Chapel was erected in his memory.

Patrick Treacy 1834 – 1912 CHRISTIAN BROTHER BORN in Thurles, Co Tipperary and educated at the local Christian Brothers’ school, Treacy joined the Christian Brothers in 1852. After eight years of teaching at Wexford schools he became headmaster of the CBS in Carlow.

In 1868 Treacy was asked to establish CBS schools in Victoria.

He opened a primary school in Lonsdale Street, Melbourne the following year. With generous help from colonists of all creeds a college was opened in January 1871, with a final cost of about £12,000. Having observed the lamentable state of diocesan schools during his collecting tours, Treacy advocated to the Catholic Education Committee a rise in teachers’ salaries and a training college. His initiative and dedication has had a lasting effect on Australian education. By 1900, when he retired after 30 years as a provincial superior, he had established 27 schools in the principal cities of Australia, and one in New Zealand.

34 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

THE TOP 100 IRISH AUSTRALIANS

TrailBlazers

Errol Flynn 1909 – 1959 ACTOR THE Tasmanian-born actor became one of Hollywood’s biggest and most notorious stars in the 1930s and 1940s.

Renowned for his hell-raising off-screen antics, Flynn was marketed as an Irish actor when he first travelled to Hollywood at the age of 26. He never returned to Hobart but the city proudly claims his as its own and in 2009 ran a festival to celebrate the centenary of his birth.

He became an overnight sensation for his role in Captain Blood in 1935 and reinforced his swashbuckler image in subsequent films like Robin Hood and The Adventures Of William Tell. He is also fondly remembered for his performances in The Private Lives Of Elizabeth And Essex, opposite Bette Davis and The Charge Of The Light Brigade but he was never nominated for an Oscar.

He was three times married and had four children; a son Sean who died in Vietnam and daughters Deirdre, Rory and Arnella. His father, Theodore Thomson Flynn was a noted biologist who lectured at Queen’s University Belfast.

He was the inspiration for the expression ‘in like Flynn’ and Australian Crawl wrote a song called Errol in his honour in the 1980s.

Redmond Barry 1813 – 1880 JUDGE REDMOND Barry was born in Ballyclough, Co Cork, and had a very successful legal career. However, everything the Corkman did in his career has largely been overshadowed by his part in one of the defining moments of Australian history. Barry will forever be known as the man who sentenced Ned Kelly to hang in 1880.

Raised as an Anglican, he graduated from Trinity College in 1837 before being admitted to the Irish Bar a year later. He emigrated to Australia in 1839 settling in Melbourne where he was prominent or foremost in every phase of social, cultural and philanthropic activity. He presided over the trials of most of the Eureka rebels in 1855. All accused were acquitted.

He deplored the public sectarianism of his day and was sympathetic to Indigenous causes.

His partner Louisa Barrow bore him four children who all carried his name, although the couple never married. He died suddenly on November 23, 1880, outliving Ned Kelly by a mere 12 days.

Thomas Ahern 1884 – 1970

Sir Gerard Brennan Born 1928

BORN in 1884 in Cork, Ahern earned his keep as a draper on the east coast of Ireland before a stroke of luck led to him emigrating to Australia when he took the place of a colleague who was unable to make the journey. With a keen eye for business, he took over a Perth furniture shop and re-established it as Aherns Department Store in 1922, becoming well-known both for his enterprise and his dedication to his employees’ wellbeing.

Aherns was Australia’s last family-owned department store chain left standing when it was sold just shy of the turn of the 21st Century.

Ahern embraced the Australian lifestyle, holding tight to the title of Claremont Football Club patron for 29 years, but he retainedstrong ties to his Irish homeland and Catholic faith. He was recognised as a papal knight of St Sylvester for his involvement in Church life.

Late in life Ahern accepted a number of public offices. He also raced horses, played golf and was a regular swimmer. His birthday parties in a Perth club were famous. He died on 22 May 1970, survived by three sons and two daughters.

THE grandson of an Irish immigrant, Brennan was born in Rockhampton, Queensland. He did so well at school that he when finished aged 16 he was deemed too young to go to university. So he waited a year before going to the University of Queensland to study arts and law.

Brennan was admitted to the Queensland Bar in 1951 and became a Queen’s Counsel in 1965.

In 1976, he became the first President of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. Five years later he was made a Justice of the High Court and in 1995 was appointed Chief Justice by the Keating government.

Perhaps his best known judgement was in the Mabo case in 1992, which recognised native title in Australia for the first time.

He has honorary degrees from many universities, including Trinity College Dublin.

Brennan and his wife, Dr Patricia O’Hara, have seven children, including prominent Jesuit priest and lawyer Fr Frank Brennan.

ENTREPRENEUR

FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE OF AUSTRALIA

Frank Costigan 1931 – 2009 LAWYER

FRANCIS Xavier Costigan was born in Victoria to an Irish Australian family. He was educated by the Jesuits in St Patrick’s College and got his law degree from the University of Melbourne. He became a solicitor in 1953, a barrister in 1957, a Queen’s

Counsel in 1973 and was also admitted to practise in Ireland. He came to national attention with the Costigan Commission into organised crime that centred on the activities of the Painters and Dockers Union. It revealed widespread links between the union and organised crime, including robberies, horserace fixing, international drug dealing, and prostitution run from the office of the Crown Solicitor in Perth. Costigan also made allegations involving both drugs and money laundering against media and gambling tycoon Kerry Packer. Packer always strenuously denied the allegations.

The commission uncovered massive tax frauds known as “bottom of the harbour” schemes, and links to Asian and US crimes. In 2005 he was appointed chairman of the Australian branch of the anti-corruption group Transparency International.

He will long be remembered as a tireless campaigner against corruption.

Michael Dwyer 1772 – 1825

IRISH REVOLUTIONARY, POLITICAL ACTIVIST

DWYER was a key leader of the United Irishmen during the failed 1798 rebellion. He evaded capture and led a five-and-a-half-year guerrilla campaign until 1803, when Robert Emmet’s rebellion in Dublin failed. He was deported to New South Wales, accompanied by his wife and the two of their six children. In Australia, he led a colourful life, eventually becoming chief constable of Liverpool, NSW. Despite financial problems, he remained a hero to the Irish community. In May 1898, 100 years after the United Irishmen rebellion, his remains were moved to Waverley cemetery. The Dwyer monument, built in 1900, is a shrine for Irish Australians to this very day.

Elizabeth Durack 1915 – 2000

Fanny Durack 1889 – 1956

LIKE others in the extended Durack clan, Elizabeth achieved both fame and controversy in her lifetime. In recognition of her service to art and literature, which often depicted outback and Aboriginal life, Elizabeth was appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1966 and the Order of St Michael & St George - Commanders (CMG) in 1982. Her interest in Indigenous life stemmed from being part of one of the few old pastoralist families in the Kimberley region with a reputation for not shooting Aboriginal people in the 19th century. But in 1997 a media storm blew up when she admitted entering work into Aboriginal art exhibitions under the name Eddie Burrup. She was unrepentant and continued to paint as Eddie Burrup until two weeks before her death. In the mid 1930s Elizabeth travelled to London to study at Chelsea Polytechnic.

She also travelled extensively in Australia, Africa, America and Asia; journeys that provided inspiration for her art.

SARAH ‘Fanny’ Durack was born in Sydney to Irish parents Thomas Durack and Mary Mason. She learned to swim at the Coogee Baths in the city’s eastern suburbs and won her first NSW state swimming title in 1906 while still a schoolgirl.

In 1912 Fanny headed to Sweden for the Olympic Games in Stockholm. She trained just half a mile a day, but such was her talent that she broke the world record in her heat before going on to win the 100m freestyle on July 15 – the only event for women at the time – beating fellow Aussie Mina Wylie into second place. Her Olympic success led to tours with Mina Wylie in Europe and the United States of America, and between 1912 and 1918 she broke 12 world records.

Her successes did much to promote women’s swimming.

She died of cancer in 1956 at her home in Sydney and is buried in Waverley Cemetery.

ARTIST, WRITER AND ILLUSTRATOR

OLYMPIAN

irishecho.com.au

July, 2019 | 35

THE TOP 100 IRISH AUSTRALIANS Ned Kelly 1855 – 1880 BUSHRANGER KELLY was born in Beveridge, Victoria, the eldest son of John and Ellen. His father was born in Co Tipperary in 1820 and sentenced in 1841 to seven years’ transportation for stealing pigs.

Forced to leave school at age 11 after his father died and the family was left indigent Kelly, his mother and seven siblings moved to Eleven Mile Creek, near Glenrowan. Ned and his brothers James and Dan all served time for a variety of offences.

On April 15, 1878 a police trooper called Fitzpatrick claimed Ned had shot him as he sought to arrest Dan. Ned and Dan went into hiding, with £100 rewards

Alan Joyce Born 1966

BUSINESSMAN

BORN into a working class family in Tallaght, Dublin, Joyce graduated from Trinity College and worked with Aer

Isabella Mary Kelly 1802 – 1872

FARMER, HORSE BREEDER

BORN in Dublin, and orphaned at the age of eight, Kelly has a unique place in New South Wales history – she was the only single female who was a settler in her own right.

Lingus for eight years before emigrating to Australia in 1996 to work with the now defunct Ansett airline. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of its budget subsidiary Jetstar in October 2003. He turned down an offer to return to Aer Lingus after its CEO Willie Walsh left to run British Airways in 2005.

In November 2008, he was appointed CEO of Qantas, a position he still holds today. Despite his success, Joyce has not lost sight of his humble beginnings.

“I’ve always been very conservative, with no elaborate expenditure. Maybe it’s my working-class background; you appreciate the resources you have,” he has said.

In 2017, he was awarded a Companion Of The Order Of Australia for services to the aviation industry.

“The notion of a ‘fair go’ has to be one of the most important Australian values, and it’s been a big driver behind my work promoting equality,” he said after receiving the honour.

A century after her death, Kelly became a tabloid sensation in stories that tarnished, and libelled, her memory.

“Sex-hungry tyrant lived by law of the lash”, screamed one headline, while another said she was “a bitter, sadistic, hellcat of a woman”. The truth, however, was a little less excitable.

In 1838, in a crown land sale, Kelly bought 895 acres on the northern bank of the Manning River for £223 and successfully managed it herself. As an unmarried woman, she became a target for slander and her neighbours did not like a woman doing what they saw as “men’s work”. In 1859, she was jailed for perjury on false evidence, and although soon released and pardoned, never recovered physically or financially. She was awarded £1000 compensation.

on their heads, while their mother was jailed for aiding them. While on the run Ned killed three troopers (in self-defence, he claimed). Their reckless daring and evasion of the police for two years made them folk heroes.

After the infamous shoot-out at Glenrowan, where a cylindrical headpiece, and other heavy armour protected him, Kelly was captured and hanged in Melbourne. His reported last words were “such is life”.

In 2012, his remains were identified through DNA testing. In January 2013, he was buried in Greta, Victoria near his mother’s unmarked grave.

Hugh Mahon 1857 – 1931

JOURNALIST, POLITICIAN

BORN in Co Offaly, Mahon, aged 10, moved to the US with his family.

Having learned about journalism in the US he returned to Ireland in 1880 and worked as a reporter in Co Wexford. In 1881 he spent two months in Kilmainham jail for political activities with the Irish National Land League, but was released with suspected tuberculosis. He fled to London and in March 1882 sailed for Australia under an alias. After managing a fund-raising tour for the Land League, Mahon edited and owned newspapers in rural NSW and was a political reporter for Sydney’s Daily Telegraph. Mahon subsequently won the Federal seat of Coolgardie as a Labor candidate in 1901. He held several ministerial portfolios but his dream of becoming treasurer went unrealised. In a 1920 speech in Melbourne Mahon savagely attacked British policy in Ireland and called for the establishment of an Australian republic. The speech caused a sensation and, in a procedure unique in the history of the Australian parliament, he was expelled from the House. He lost the ensuing by-election. He died in 1931 and is buried at Box Hill cemetery.

Dan Minogue 1954 – 1983

Bill ‘Tiger’ O’Reilly 1905 – 1992

BORN and educated in Co Clare, Minogue became a salesman and publican after migrating to Australia in the 1910s. A great friend to Sydney’s Irish community, and one with political influence once he became a member of Sydney City Council in 1938. In 1949, was elected ALP member of the House of Representatives for West Sydney.

For more than 30 years Minogue’s vision shaped the course of the Irish National Association (INA) in Sydney. He played a key role in establishing an Irish cultural centre in Devonshire St, Surry Hills. In 1951, Minogue began a campaign to have a full ambassador appointed to Dublin from Australia. In 1965, finally, an ambassador was appointed to Ireland.

Minogue’s autobiography, A Rambler from Clare, was published in 1973. A year later he presided over the official opening of the Gaelic Club on the first floor of the INA building.

In 1924, he married Matilda Wallace, and had one daughter Mary. He died on January 7, 1983.

BORN into an Irish family in White Cliffs, New South Wales, in 1905, William Joseph ‘Tiger’ O’Reilly would go on to become the greatest spin bowler of his day. His father was a small-town schoolmaster who was moved around a lot and in 1917 the family moved north to the town of Wingello where “everyone was a cricket crank”, according to O’Reilly in his autobiography, Tiger.

It was here that his love for cricket began to blossom and playing club cricket for Wingello he would face a then 17-year-old Don Bradman who would go on to describe O’Reilly as the “greatest bowler I have ever faced or watched”. Although the pair had a huge mutual respect, they did not get along on a personal level, and in may ways their relationship as one, Bradman, a Protestant, and O’Reilly an Irish Catholic, exemplified the sectarian tensions that existed in Australia at the time.

O’Reilly died in 1992 and the Bill O’Reilly stand at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is named in his honour.

POLITICIAN

Maurice O’Shea 1897 – 1956 WINEMAKER

MAURICE O’Shea was born in 1897 in North Sydney, to John Augustus O’Shea, an Irish-born wine-and-spirit merchant, and Leontine Frances, who came from France. The young O’Shea trained as a viticulturist and analytical chemist at the University of Montpellier before returning to New South Wales in 1920.

He began to make wine on the family property at Pokolbin in the

BERNARD ‘DOC’ NEESON 1947 – 2014 MUSICIAN BERNARD ‘Doc’ Neeson was a true superstar of Australian rock music.

Lead singer with The Angels – one of Australia’s most successful bands of the 1980s – Neeson has penned a number of Aussie rock classics including No Secrets, We Gotta Get Outta This Place, Take A Long Line and jukebox favourite Am I Ever Going To See Your Face Again? [No way, get f***ed, f*** off]. Born in Belfast in 1947 – “in the age of Buddy Holly” as he said himself – Neeson moved around a lot as a child.

His dad – an orphan – had joined the British Army “for a home and a trade”.

Doc spent some time as a boarder at Terenure College in Dublin before leaving Ireland with his mum – who is from Nenagh, Co Tipperary – dad, four brothers and a sister for Adelaide as a 13-year-old in 1960.

Neeson said that his songwriting has been strongly influenced by his Irish heritage, particularly its narrative style.

In 2013 he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. He died in June 2014.

CRICKETER

Henry ‘Harry’ Stoker 1895 – 1966 WWI NAVAL OFFICER AND ACTOR

HENRY ‘Harry’ Stoker, a cousin of Bram ‘Dracula’ Stoker, was born in Dublin in 1895. At 18 Stoker joined the fledgling submarine service, and by 20 he had secured his first command, the AE2, which set sail for Sydney in March

Hunter Valley and in 1925 he named the vineyard Mount Pleasant – a brand still well known and respected to this day. The Maurice O’Shea award, named after him, is the highest honour in the Australian wine industry.

1914. After 83 days it arrived in Sydney Harbour, becoming the first submarine to travel such a distance.

The AE2 was called back to Europe to take part in the Gallipoli campaign and was the first vessel to breach the Dardenelles off the coast of Turkey – in the process tilting the war effort in the Allies’ favour.

Stoker and his crew were captured during their daring mission and spent three-and-a-half years in a Turkish prison camp.

After his release, Stoker left the armed forces to pursue an acting career, in which he starred in the West End and Broadway, alongside the likes of John Mills and Lawrence Olivier, as well as in several feature films.

He also went on to help plan the D-Day landings, play tennis for Ireland at Wimbledon, and at the age of 81, he became Irish croquet champion.

FREE ENTRY :: DETAILS INSIDE

GIVEAWAY :: PAGE 2

Australia poised to slash skilled migrant intake slowing Australian economy, trades such as bricklaying, plumbing, welding, carpentry and metal fitting have been removed from the CSL. This shortlist was introduced by the Rudd Government in January to prioritise the most needed skills in Australia.

The cut reduces the skilled migrant intake for the 2008-09 financial year from 133,500 to 115,000. Migrants with these occupations who already have applications with DIAC now face uncertain delays in getting their application processed.

“Clearly the economic circumstances in Australia have

See also, Pages 14 and 30

changed as a result of the economic crisis so it is prudent to reduce this year’s migrant intake accordingly,” Immigration Minister Chris Evans said.

Sydney-based migration agent John McQuaid said his office has been swamped with calls from anxious Irish migrants since the announcement was made.

He emphasised that it will not stop any current applications from being processed, but that people with these trades will

certainly have to wait longer for their visa to come through.

“The Depar tment of Immigration is making a lot of changes to the skilled migrant programme and it is likely that there are more changes coming,” he said.

“It is certainly frustrating for those waiting on visas, but this is cause to be patient, not to panic. The CSL is only a way of prioritising who gets their applications processed first.”

The Australian Government has hinted that it may make changes to the migration occupations in demand list (MODL) in the May budget in

an effort to crack down on the number of skilled migrants entering the country.

Already, 457 sponsorship visas are down by 20 per cent since January, with the department tightening its policy on eligibility.

The Irish Echo understands that only those applicants with critical skills are likely to be granted sponsorship in the short term.

Despite the cutbacks, there will still be a record intake of skilled migrants to Australia in the 2008-09 financial year.

IRELAND’S economic gloom was temporarily forgotten last weekend as the national rugby team achieved a rare sporting feat.

Not since 1948 had Ireland claimed the Grand Slam – defeating all others in the Six Nations Championship.

Sixty-one years ago, there were only four teams to beat but this Irish team – captained heroically by Brian O’Driscoll – had to string together five victories to claim the honour.

The final piece fell into place last weekend at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium with a heart-stopping 17-15 defeat of Wales.

With just two minutes remaining it looked as if Ireland’s long wait for European rugby supremacy would have to wait at least another year.

A Welsh drop-goal put the hosts ahead by a point.

But a perfectly executed drop goal by O’Gara after a pin-point pass from Peter Stringer put the visitors back in front.

Incredibly, the game took yet another twist with Paddy Wallace giving away a penalty on the half-way line.

Welsh kicker Stephen Jones’ shot at goal was on target but fell just yards short of the crossbar, handing Ireland the Grand Slam, Six Nations Championship title and the Triple Crown.

After the game, skipper Brian O‘Driscoll said: “To go down to that at the end, it would have broken my heart [had Jones’s kick gone over]. I’m so proud of the boys. We took a lot of flak in the last 18 months and to come back and win, I’m just so delighted.”

The team was greeted by thousands of fans back in Dublin a day later as the country awoke to a new dawn in Irish rugby.

Declan Kidney’s side is now the highest ranked team in Europe – at number four – and can look forward to autumn internationals including, for the first time, a clash with the Wallabies at Croke Park.

SEE ALSO PAGES 50–51

CONTINUED ON PAGE

www.irishecho.com.au | Postal Address: PO Box 967, Rozelle NSW 2039 Australia | Phone: 1300 555 995 | Email (Editorial): newsdesk@irishecho.com.au | Email (Administration): mail@irishecho.com.au

await test results in Cairns crash case

by Billy Cantwell DUBLIN-born Professor Patrick McGorry has been named Australian Of The Year for 2010.

The 57-year-old youth psychologist was honoured for his work as a world-leading researcher in the area of youth mental health.

His work has played an integral role in the development of safe, effective treatments and innovative research on the needs of young people with emerging mental disorders.

Speaking to the Irish Echo shortly after he was named by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd as this year’s winner, the father-of-three said while he was now a proud Aussie, he treasured his Irish heritage.

“I think like an Irishman,” he said. “I’m incredibly proud of my Irishness.”

“I was born in Dublin and we lived in Finglas but my family left for Wales when I was just two. We emigrated to Australia in 1968.”

He has recently returned from a six months sabbatical in Ireland, where he lent his considerable expertise to improving youth mental health in the country.

“I wanted to spend some time there as an adult and there’s some interesting mental health work going on in Ireland. The problems are major and very similar to here. Considerable reform is needed in both countries to address the growing problems,” he said.

He bemoaned Ireland’s economic problems which, he said, had “sapped the confidence” of Irish people, particularly the young.

His son Fionn, 16, accompanied him to Dublin and loved it so much he has returned since Christmas to continue his schooling at St Andrews College in Blackrock while staying with relatives.

by Aaron Dunne

‘COMPASSIONATE LEADER’: Australian of the Year for 2010 Prof Patrick McGorry pictured in Dublin in November at the launch of the Inspire Ireland suicide prevention programme.

He has, with wife Merilyn, two other sons – Liam and Niall – and lives in Essendon in Victoria.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Prof McGorry was “truly a worthy recipient” of the award.

“The incredible influence of his work, and the value of his contribution to the nation, cannot ever

be fully measured,” he said.

He described Prof McGorry as “a leader whose drive and compassion and commitment to understanding and treating youth mental illness has helped shape not only lives, but our national approach to mental health.”

Irish WH Visa grants slump after record numbers in ‘08

by Aaron Dunne

THE number of Irish nationals coming to Australia as part of the Working Holiday V isa (WHV) scheme has more than halved in the first six months of this financial year, the Irish Echo can reveal.

A mere 3,909 first-year WHVs were granted between July and December of 2009, a whopping 65 per cent drop on the 8,686 visas granted in the same period in 2008.

The number of first-year visa grants to Irish citizens reached an all-time high in the financial year of 2008/09 as the Irish recession began to show its teeth, and so the drop was somewhat expected as the numbers fleeing Ireland for Australia began to even out.

However, despite the drop in

first-year visas, the number of Irish nationals who wer e granted one-year extensions – or second-year WHVs – almost doubled in the same period, indicating that of those who came here on WHVs in 2008/09, most have decided to stay on.

Overall, the number of WHVs granted, taking into account both first and second-year visas, has dropped by 45 per cent on the last year’s record levels.

The increasing number of people choosing to apply for Canada’s WHV scheme ahead of Australia’s has been mooted as a possible explanation for the dramatic drop, but fears over employment prospects in Australia are also believed to have contributed to the decline in applications.

Meanwhile, the latest figures for the 457 sponsorship scheme

have also revealed a 17 per cent drop in the number of grants in the first six months of the 2009/10 financial year.

These latest figures showed a dramatic change on the previous year’s grant numbers which had shown a 33 per cent increase on the year before.

Recent changes to the 457 scheme, designed to make it harder for employers to sponsor an overseas employee and thus encouraging the employment of Australians, appear to be paying dividend. However, this policy has seemingly also served to send migrants down a different route to migration.

According to last year’s figures, Australia issued 2,501 residence visas to Irish people in the year to the end of June 2009, up from 1,989 in the same period in 2008.

Elsewhere, the Department of Immigration has urged those on fraudulently-obtained second WHVs to come for ward should they wish to avoid facing a three-year ban from Australia.

However, the Depar tment did also reveal that they are not actively pursuing those who obtained their second WHV by falsely claiming to have undertaken three months regional work – the minimum requirement for the granting of a second-year visa.

A spokesperson for the Department assured the Echo that those on fraudulently obtained visas need not fear facing time behind bars.

“People are not generally detained if they remain engaged with the department and agree to depart voluntarily when necessary,” the spokesperson said.

“There have been a number of visa cancellations during immigration clearance at Australian airports as a result of immigration fraud when people were arriving in Australia.

“In these circumstances, a person may be detained before they are placed on a flight out of Australia. However, if a person advises the department that previously provided information is incorrect, this will be taken into account in determining whether or not their visa should be granted or cancelled.

Once a visa is cancelled for providing incorrect information, the three-year exclusion period applies automatically.”

“We would urge anyone who is concerned about the legality of their visa status to contact the compliance counter of their nearest DIAC office.”

QUEENSLAND Police will await the result of medical tests due in the coming days before deciding whether or not to charge the driver involved in the death of Irish national Donal Bolton in Cairns on January 5.

Mr Bolton, 23, from Ballinagar in Co Offaly, was killed when he was hit by a runaway car as he sat on a park bench in Cairns city centre.

His girlfriend, Justine Walsh, 22, was also injured in the accident.

Last week the Echo revealed that the 33-year-old driver of the car in question, who has an address in Kewarra Beach, had just come from dialysis treatment at a local hospital at the time of the crash.

Police have continued this line of inquiry in the last week, and will await the results of medical tests before determining whether the man will be charged in relation to Mr Bolton’s death.

Police are also currently investigating whether the man should have been behind the wheel at the time of the accident. The driver was reported to have been “frothing at the mouth” and “his eyes were rolling to the back of his head” according to one witness who approached the man shortly after the accident.

“It is unclear if the condition contributed to the incident – that’s still currently under investigation,” a Queensland police spokesman revealed.

Mr Bolton’s remains were flown back to Ireland within a week of the crash, and his funeral took place on Janaury 16.

TO PAGE 5

www.irishecho.com.au | Postal Address: PO Box 967, Rozelle NSW 2039 Australia | Phone: 1300 555 995 | Email (Editorial): newsdesk@irishecho.com.au | Email (Administration): mail@irishecho.com.au

March 2009

AUS $3.95 (incl GST) NZ $4.95 (incl GST)

Volume 26 – Number 26

JFK 50 YEARS ON

cOLiN FASSNidGE

GLORY FOR RORY

PAGE 14

PAGE 5

SPORT

Ireland Recalls Its Most Famous Political Emigré

Dubliner Named GQ Magazine’s Chef Of The Year

For breaking news visit www.irishecho.com.au

INTERVIEW :: PAGE 24

October 9 – 22, 2014 | Volume 27 – Number 22 | AUS $4.95 (incl GST)

by Catherine Murphy MELBOURNE Demons’ president Jim Stynes expressed his love for Olivia Newton-John last week.

“I was 12 or 13 years old when I fell in love with you, Olivia. I was taking my little brother to the cinema to see Grease,” he told the Melbourne Herald Sun. While the Dubliner may have been less than serious is his comments, he and the popular singer will join forces next week in an effort to confront something that is very serious, cancer.

Stynes has teamed up with Newton-John to raise money for the breast cancer survivors’ Cancer and Wellness Centre.

Newton-John, who famously starred alongside John Travolta in Grease, will perform live at the MCG before Melbourne and Carlton’s match on May 27.

She revealed that she has been inspired by Stynes’ fight against the disease.

“I want to acknowledge the Melbourne Football Club and especially president Jim Stynes for all their tremendous support,” she said.

Govt to offer diaspora ‘certificate of Irishness’ Critics dismiss plan as embarrassing and mawkish

by Billy Cantwell

THE Irish Government has unveiled plans to launch a certificate of Irishness for those of Irish heritage who do not qualify for full citizenship.

But the move has been derided as kitsch, mawkish and embarrassing by some genealogists and commentators who see it as a cynical move to boost tourist numbers.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Michael Martin, speaking at the Global Ireland Funds annual gathering in Dublin, said that the cer tificates would help those with Irish ancestry connect with the country.

The certificates will be issued by a third party agency acting

under licence from the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is considering charging a fee for each document.

Dublin’s Irish Times quoted a depar tment source saying that the scheme was intended to be self-financing. But he said it was not designed with the intention of raising significant amounts of revenue.

The exact size of the market for a heritage certificate is not known. But the depar tment anticipates that many descendants of Irish emigrants would wish to buy one to display in their homes or as gifts.

But genealogists are suspicious of the scheme which they believe will devalue the process of unearthing the family tree.

GOING GLOBAL: Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Michael Martin.

“Diplomas of Irishness -- even Walt Disney couldn’t have dreamed that one up. What’s next? Lessons in how to speak with an Irish accent, cheques made payable to the Central Bank?”

But Minister Martin said the certificate, first suggested at last year’s Global Irish Economic For um (GIEC),

would go ahead. He said the GIEC recalibrated Ireland’s view of its diaspora.

“Perhaps we in Ireland, across all sectors, tended at times to take the relationship for granted or were slow to appreciate its full potential. The energy, commitment and sense of innovation generated at last year’s Forum fundamentally changed perceptions here – a change that I believe is irreversible,” Mr Martin said.

“The Irish diaspora is not limited to Irish citizens living abroad or to those who have activated citizenship. Instead, it encompasses all those who believe they are of Irish descent and feel a sense of affinity with this country.”

TO PAGE 7

SEE PAGE 44

PAGE 9

SIX PAGES INSIDE

NSW Reveals Plan To Boost Migrant Intake

Huge Crowds Turn Out For Irish Festivities

TO PAGE 6

by Sarah Stack

SURVIVORS: Olivia Newton-John and Jim Stynes, who have both had their battles with cancer, at the launch of their fundraising initiative to aid the breast cancer survivors’ Cancer and Wellness Centre. Pic: Julian Smith

Increase in migration good news for Irish visa-seekers

by Billy Cantwell

THE Federal Government has announced a significant increase to the migrant intake for the 2011-12 financial year.

The news will be welcomed among those in recession-hit Ireland who are considering a permanent move abroad. But there is further good news for those seeking employer sponsorship or temporary residency with the announcement of a new processing centre for 457 visas in Brisbane and a new visa scheme for major projects.

These Enterprise Migration Agreements (EMAs) and the existing 457 scheme ar e uncapped and not included in the migrant intake numbers.

Jim Stynes 1966–2012

Ireland in security lockdown as Queen arrives

Th e 2011-12 Mi gration Program planning level for permanent migration is set at 185,000. This is an increase of 16,300 places from 2010-11 planning levels.

The majority of the increase is allocated to the skill stream to help “meet the expected increase in demand for skilled migrants given strong employment growth and a tightening labour market conditions”.

The skill stream intake will increase to 125,850 places, with 16,000 places allocated to the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme. Regional visas will also be afforded the highest processing priority to recognise the needs of employers and encourage regional migration.

“For the first time, the Federal Government will specifically allocate permanent visas for r egional ar eas, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen, said.

The family stream has also been increased to 58,600.

Minister Bowen also announced a new model for selecting skilled migrants, which will be introduced in July 2012.

The new model will “better target Australia’s future skill needs”, the minister said..

“Under this model, the government will be able to select migrants like a business manages its workforce – selecting the best candidates, altering the skill composition of its workforce, and speeding up or slow-

ing down recruitment as circumstances change.”

“To maximise its potential, input from business, industry and migration representatives is crucial, and my department will be conducting consultation throughout 2011 as it develops the details of this model.”

The changes to the migration intake will start to take effect from July 1 this year, along with significant adjustment of the points test for would-be independent skilled immigrants.

The new points test emphasises the importance of English, work experience and high level qualifications, and is designed to ensure no one factor guarantees migration.

“The new points test will

ensure we select the best and brightest people from a large pool of potential migrants,” the minister said back in November.

Mr Bowen said in setting the size and composition of the migration program for 2011-12, and announcing recent reforms to skilled migration, the Government has balanced the impor tance of maximising prosperity for all Australians, ensuring communities are sustainable and maintaining job oppor tunities for local workers.

“It is critical that the skilled migration program is driven by Australia’s skills needs, rather than the desires of prospective migrants,” he said.

FINAL L preparations are under way as we go to press for the Queen’s historic four-day visit to the Republic of Ireland.

The largest security operation in the history of the state is in place amid fears dissident republicans will try to disrupt the momentous trip, which started yesterday (Tuesday).

Several significant engagements will be held in Dublin and counties Cork, Kildare and Tipperar y during the royal state visit – the first by a British sovereign to the south of Ireland since independence.

The Queen will visit Croke Park, the scene of a massacre

by British troops in 1920, and attend a wreath laying cere mony at the Garden of Remembrance, which honours those who died for Irish freedom. She will also pay tribute to the 49,400 Irish soldiers who died in the first World War, at t h e I r i s h N a t i o n a l Wa r Memorial Garden.

Irish President Mar y McAleese said the visit was an extraordinary moment in the history of the island.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny described the visit as the start of a new era and insisted the Queen would receive a warm welcome from the majority of Irish people.

TO PAGE 7

See also Pages 6, 7, 14 and 28

May 2011

A Great Irishman – A Fine Australian www.irishecho.com.au | Postal Address: PO Box 256, Balmain NSW 2041 Australia | Phone: 1300 555 995 | Email (Editorial): newsdesk@irishecho.com.au | Email (Administration): mail@irishecho.com.au

March 2012

SIX NATIONS RUGBY

BEST IRISH FILM

RETURNING EMIGRANTS

INTERVIEW INSIDE

PREVIEW :: PAGE 33

PAGE 6, REVIEW PAGE 20

PAGE 3

Song Of The Sea Hailed As Ireland’s Best Of The Year

AN EMIGRANT’S BURDEN

NEW ASIAN AIR LINK

PAGE 3

PAGE 5

‘Heaviest Weight In My Baggage Was My Mother’s Broken Heart’

Irish Govt ‘Not Doing Enough’ To Coax Expats To ‘Come Home’

Cathay Pacific Reveals Direct Hong Kong To Dublin Route

For breaking news visit www.irishecho.com.au

AUSTRALIA’S IRISH NEWSPAPER For breaking news visit www.irishecho.com.au

AUSTRALIA’S IRISH NEWSPAPER

AUSTRALIA’S IRISH NEWSPAPER

January 29 – February 11, 2015 | Volume 28 – Number 02 | AUS $4.95 (incl GST)

WATERBOYS, SHARON SHANNON, SINÉAD O’CONNOR, GLOAMING, HEARTSTRING QUARTET SET TO TOUR

QUEENSlAND’S Sunshine Coast boasts stunning beaches, scenic parks and sub-tropical weather.

And Dubliner laughlin Rigby has been given the enviable task of marketing the destination both locally and globally.

Rigby jumped at the chance to become the new head of marketing for Sunshine Coast Destination and started his role in October.

“When I was here in the winter in July it was 25 degrees, it was as good as summer back home. So I was like ‘Yes, that’s a good sell for me’,” he said. “When you’ve got weather like that all year round it’s hard to say no.”

Rigby has family connections to the area as his brother Dr Oran Rigby, a leading trauma consultant, has a home in Noosa.

The marketing expert is from the Dublin suburb of Rathfarnham and started his career as a brand manager with Unilever.

He joined Tourism Ireland as the global brand manager in 2002 and most recently worked as the marketing communications manager for The Gathering.

He has founded a social media travel website, and his experience will be invaluable for his new role.

“I have extensive digital marketing knowledge in tourism and also my experience of event marketing from The Gathering,” he said.

ST PAT’S DAY IN REVIEW

PAGE 8 :: OP-ED BY MINISTER PAGE 18

IRISH VISIT: Queen Elizabeth.

www.irishecho.com.au | Postal Address: PO Box 256, Balmain NSW 2041 Australia | Phone: 1300 555 995 | Email (Editorial): newsdesk@irishecho.com.au | Email (Administration): tion): mail@irishecho.com.au mail@irishecho com au

Irish Defence Of Six Nations Title Kicks Off In Italy

SYDNEY SKILLS STRATEGY

DEATH OF AN ICON

PANTI BLISS

Ireland’s Top Drag Queen For Sydney Mardi Gras

AUS $3.95 (incl GST) NZ $4.95 ((i(in (incl iinnccll GST GS G GST) ST S T)

Volume 25 – Number 8 Volum

VISA DEAL FALTERS

Bowen Lashes Perth Minister Over Irish Talks

Porky’s Revenge

Andrea McCullagh

For breaking news visit www.irishecho.com.au

June 18 – July 1, 2015 | Volume 28 – Number 13 | AUS $4.95 (incl GST)

September, 2017 | Volume 30 – Number 9

Mayo Mum’s Marathon Success

AUS $5.95 (incl GST)

On top of the world

LONG-DISTANCE RUNNER SINÉAD DIVER TO REPRESENT AUSTRALIA AT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Hozier Joins Oz-Bound Tsunami Of Irish Music

Ireland’s co-captains Laura Duryea and Onóra Mulcahy with coach Brendan Kelly celebrate Ireland’s win.

Picture: Scott Barbour

Banshees win AFL’s World Cup

BACON SANDWICH: Acclaimed Sydney-based Dublin chef Colin Fassnidge once said that his parties “always involve pig’s ears”. The dish has become one of his signatures but the pigs got a shot at revenge recently when Fassnidge posed for photographer Don Arnold to create this memorable image. The picture was taken for Sydney’s Good Food Month’s Shoot The Chef competition. Fassnidge runs the 4Fourteen restaurant in Surry Hills and the Four In Hand in Paddington. Pic: Don Arnold

‘SECRET BIRTH’ BACKPACKER CAN REMAIN IN IRELAND

CASE DISMISSED

Chief Justice Helen murrell dismissed Byrne’s argument that he was defending himself when he knocked out the Kerryman with one punch.

The punch caused mr mcCarthy, who is in his early 40s and from Killarney, to fall back and hit his head on the concrete.

The incident happened outside the Quick ‘n Go convenience store on northbourne Avenue at about 5.30am on July 24, 2011.

CCTV footage showed Byrne taking a step back before swiftly punching mr mcCarthy who was left lying on the ground unconscious. Byr ne then walked away from the scene.

Byrne was arrested the following day hiding out in his garage in Franklin.

He was charged with recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm but denied

the allegations as he said he thought mr mcCarthy was about to punch him.

Byrne said that he was standing with a group when mr mcCar thy approached them and star ted giving

Exclusive Victim Tim McCarthy speaks to The Irish Echo:: Page 8

some of them hugs. mr mcCarthy had never met any of the men before. mr mcCar thy was giving a prolonged hug when Byrne said he tapped him twice in a bid to get him to stop.

However, Byrne said the Irishman became aggressive and said he was better than him because he was Irish.

He claimed mr mcCarthy told him that he wanted to fight.

Byrne’s barrister, Anthony Hopkins, said the punch was proportionate to deal with the threat that mr mcCarthy allegedly posed.

The judge found all of Byrne’s evidence was unreliable and said she could not have believed it was necessary for him to punch mr mcCarthy to defend himself.

After the incident mr mcCarthy under went surger y at the hospital, which involved removing a piece of his skull to relieve the pressure.

He was placed in an induced coma and doctors reattached the piece of his skull about two weeks after surgery.

He was then discharged into the care of his mother and sister and has returned to Ireland.

December 2013

IRISH HONOUR FOR TOM KENEALLY

ASSAULTED: Timothy McCarthy pictured in Canberra hospital

www.irishecho.com.au | Postal Address: PO Box 256, Balmain NSW 2041 Australia | Phone: 1300 555 995 | Email (Editorial): newsdesk@irishecho.com.au | Email (Administration): mail@irishecho.com.au

Billy Cantwell and Pádraig Collins

Much-Loved Writer Wins Diaspora Award INTERVIEW :: PAGE 5

CHARGES against an Irish backpacker who was accused of unlawfully concealing the birth of a child in Western Australia have been dropped.

The woman (25), had been travelling through the remote Kimberley region while on a working holiday visa and had not realised she was pregnant.

The Irish Echo understands that she gave birth alone in the town of Halls Creek last May, but the baby died.

It had been alleged that the woman hid the newborn and did not tell anyone what had happened for several days.

When concerned friends found out, she was taken to hospital, where staff notified police.

The law in Western Australia requires all births to be reported, even if the baby died of natural causes.

The state’s major crime squad was called in to investigate the death and

subsequently charged the woman.

But last week, lawyers representing the Western Australian director of public prosecutions told Per th Magistrates Court that it was not in the public interest to pursue the case.

The woman, who is from Donegal, was not present in court.

“

It was not in the public interest to pursue the case, the court heard.

”

In August she was allowed to return to Ireland as there were “serious concerns” for her welfare.

Her barrister, Karen Farley SC, applied for the removal of a bail condition which required the woman to surrender her passport so she could return home. Ms Farley said her client “needs

to be with her family and their support”. The woman’s mother had been in Perth to support her daughter.

The WA Police had opposed the woman’s bail conditions and told Ms Farley that they “had no intention of changing the charge” which carries a penalty of up to two years in jail.

But Chief Magistrate Steven Heath said it should be allowed because medical reports indicated “serious concerns for [the woman’s] welfare”.

Mr Heath said there were “no issues of reoffending” and the only question was whether the woman would return for her trial, noting that Australia has extradition arrangements with Ireland.

www.irishecho.com.au | Postal Address: PO Box 256, Balmain NSW 2041 Australia | Phone: 1300 555 995 | Email (Editorial): newsdesk@irishecho.com.au | Email (Administration): mail@irishecho.com.au

January 2014

Print Post No 100007285

Canberra assault: guilty verdict

PAGE 22

TAKE ME TO BYRON: Irish artist Hozier – whose hit Take Me To Church has become one of the world’s most popular songs from the last year – has been confirmed for Bluesfest in Byron Bay over Easter weekend. He joins a plethora of Irish acts touring in Australia over the next two months.

THE LONG RUN: Irish mother-of-two Sinéad Diver – who now calls Melbourne home – will run for Australia at the World Athletics Championships later in the year. Pic: Peter Coulter See Page 28

EXCLUSIVE WA POLICE SWOOP ON HOME REPAIRS SCAM • ARRESTS UNLEASH ANTI-TRAVELLER ANGER ONLINE

CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR SLAMMED FOR ANTI-IRISH SLUR ON TELEVISION

Mass Irish deportation from WA

Billy Cantwell

TWENTY-four Irish nationals who are alleged to have been involved in an organised scam to defraud or steal from elderly people in Wester n Australia have had their visas cancelled by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP).

The group of 24 – which includes a number of children – are to be deported to Ireland, the DIBP said.

A search war rant executed on Thursday, January 22 by WA Police at a caravan park in Hazelmere revealed seven people of interest who were taken into police custody.

A further 19 individuals were subsequently detained by DIBP officers.

“The scam involved convincing vulnerable people to part with substantial amounts of money to fix roofing or other home maintenance issues,” Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator Michaelia Cash said.

“The work was then not completed or even required in the first place.”

DIBP officers cancelled the visas of 24 people, including the seven people of interest taken in for police questioning. All were found to be in Australia on lawfully held visas, however, they were found to be working on visas with strict ‘no work’ conditions.

“This recent operation highlights the ongoing cooperation between my Department and State and Territory

authorities and I commend everyone involved,” Minister Cash said.

“Those individuals who have had their visas cancelled are now currently in detention while the Department makes arrangements for their removal from Australia.”

A woman from the tourist park said the Irish families were “lovely to deal with” but changed her mind after hearing about the alleged involvement in the roof scam.

“Thank God they’re gone,” she told Fairfax media.

As news of the arrests and deportation broke online on Friday, some Irish Echo Facebook users vented their anger online, claiming that the behaviour cast the Irish in a bad light. Many

comments contained anti-Traveller vitriol and language.

Chris O’Malley’s comment was characteristic of many of those on the Irish Echo Facebook Page.

“These are p***y c**t’s that scam and rob for a career. They will most likely be returned home to the welfare of fice to full benifits (sic) and re housed to carry on robbing and making a nuisance of themselves!”

Sharon O’Leary wrote: “Good riddance to these idiots who give the rest of us a bad name.”

But Pauric Sheehan added: “Irish people are always climbing on their high horse about Aussies being racist but not one person has mentioned the blatant racism [in the comments].”

Apology after ‘tasteless’ Irish rant

Pádraig Collins

BUSTED: Immigration officer at the Hazelmere Caravan Park.

www.irishecho.com.au | Postal Address: PO Box 256, Balmain NSW 2041 Australia | Phone: 1300 555 995 | Email (Editorial): newsdesk@irishecho.com.au | Email (Administration): mail@irishecho.com.au

January 2015

GRAHAME Morris, a former chief of staff to Australian Prime Minister John Howard and who is still involved with the Liberal Party, has apologised for what he admitted were “tasteless” comments about Irish people.

Speaking on a Sky News television programme, Mr Morris was supposed to be discussing same-sex marriage, but this quickly descended into an intemperate rant about the Irish.

“I love the Irish and half the parliament’s full of Irishmen, but these are people who can’t grow potatoes,” he said. “They’ve got a mutant lawn weed as their national symbol and they can’t verbalise the difference between a tree and the number three.”

After Mr Morris’s comments were reported on the Irish Echo website, they went viral via social media and a backlash ensued.

His mobile telephone number and email address are on his work website, and many people left abusive messages.

Ther e wer e also thousands of comments posted on online stories about what Mr Morris had said.

A week later, Mr Morris used his regular Monday evening appearance on Sky News to apologise.

“For two and a half days in the main media, kick Grahame Morris was the main sport instead of Gaelic football or soccer,” he said. “To all those with Irish backgrounds I’m very sorry. What I said was tasteless and I copped the whack I deserved.”

The Irish Echo contacted Mr Morris seeking comment, but he did not respond by the time we went to press.

Ireland’s ambassador to Australia, Noel White, addressed the fact that Mr Morris’s initial comments stemmed from a discussion on same-sex marriage. “The outcome of the referendum in Ireland has had an impact beyond our own shores. Here in Australia it has provided the backdrop for a renewed debate on marriage equality,” he said.

“The referendum has sent out a message about fairness, equality and respect. ... I think it would be a pity if remarks such as these, which are unwelcome at any time, should distract attention from that essential message.”

Irish Echo readers were less forgiving. “It is disturbing that an individual as influential as himself thinks it’s appropriate to make a joke out of a terrible Famine that cost countless innocent lives,” Bek Donegan wrote.

Brian Croke said Mr Morris was “an ignorant, insensitive idiot”.

Amanda Ní Shuilleabháin read his remarks as evidence of cultural hubris in Australia.

“They think they’re so much better than any other nation,” she wrote.

Mr Morris’s namesake Greg Morris said it was “ironic, given we Morrises are one of the tribes of Galway”.

Dana Triganza wrote: “If every Irish person or descendant got offended by this and left the country, the country would collapse.”

TASTELESS: Grahame Morris

www.irishecho.com.au | Postal Address: PO Box 256, Balmain NSW 2041 Australia | Phone: 1300 555 995 | Email (Editorial): newsdesk@irishecho.com.au | Email (Administration): mail@irishecho.com.au

June 2015

IRELAND TO DOUBLE ITS DIPLOMATIC FOOTPRINT BY 2025 UNDER NEW VARADKAR PLAN

DIPLOMATIC OFFENSIVE

Ed Carty

Print Post No 100007285

CELTIC TIGER? Dublin-man Laughlin Rigby is the new head of marketing for Sunshine Coast Tourism. He is pictured with a tiger cub at Australia Zoo.

KERRYMAN’S ASSAiLANT FoUND gUiLTY AFTER DAMNiNg ccTV EViDENcE

A mAn has been found guilty of punching Irishman Timothy mcCarthy in Canberra, leaving him fighting for his life in hospital.

Daniel Byrne, 21, was found guilty in the ACT Supr eme Cour t on november 27 of recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm and will be sentenced in February.

After the incident mr mcCarthy, who was in Australia on a tourist visa, was left with bruising, swelling and blood clots on his brain and two skull fractures. He was treated in the intensive care unit of the Canberra Hospital and a neurosurgeon told the court there was no doubt he would have died without medical attention.

The Canberra Times reported that

“What are to be the criteria for awarding such a certificate?” genealogist Paul Gorry told the Irish Times. “Are we going to hand them out to people who ‘believe’ they are of Irish origin?

These documents will be meaningless without proof of a person’s origins.”

“Heritage and business aren’t incompatible,” added another genealogist Steven Smyrl.

“But too often we end up with leprechauns and shamrock.

This will end up as a gimmick if the only intention is to get people to visit Ireland.”

Commentator Mar tina Devlin, writing in the Irish Independent, slammed the idea as a “demeaning device to hoodwink descendants”.

Win An iPad In Our 2011 GAA Tipping Comp

You’re the one that I wanted, Stynes tells Grease star

THE pub owners of New Plymouth, Rotorua and Brisbane may have been the only winners from an Irish rugby tour that failed to fire on the field.

History will record that the Irish played three and lost three, leaving their loyal expat fans to cop a workplace slagging once again.

The last time Ireland beat the Wallabies in Australia, all but a handful of the current squad were yet to be born. It’s a been a long time between drinks for the touring Irish and their vocal supporters.

Jamie Heaslip’s sending off against the All Blacks at Taranaki Stadium on June 12 set the miserable tone for the tour. The New Zealanders ran riot before a face-saving comeback by the Irish in the second half.

But the All Blacks still clocked up their highest score against the Irish.

Against New Zealand Maori in Rotorua a week later, a second-string Irish side competed gamely but lost out to the locals, celebrating the centenary of their rugby team.

Then, a series of injuries to key Australian players during England’s win over the Wallabies raised the prospect of an unlikely Irish victory.

But the absence of Heaslip, along with fellow back rowers Stephen Ferris (injured) and David Wallace (expectant dad) not to mention lock Paul O’Connell was too much for the Irish to carry.

The Wallabies clocked up their 10th consecuOH BABY: Irish skipper Brian O’Driscoll, who marries partner Amy Hubermann this weekend in Leitrim, tive win over Ireland in Australia with an uninspiri- pictured with young fan Zane Voizie in Brisbane. O’Driscoll was Zane’s age when Ireland last beat the ing two-try to zero victory.

Wallabies in Australia. Pic: Karl Brien

A DEFIANT T Enda Kenny has vowed to lead Fine Gael into the next General Election after seeing off a leadership heave by his sacked deputy leader Richard Bruton.

After securing the reins of the party in a secret ballot, the Opposition leader said he would not seek to punish those who had challenged him.

Instead, Mr Kenny signalled he would take more time to consider who would best help him rebuild the credibility of Fine Gael after its split over his stewardship.

But he insisted the party was now united after a motion of confidence in his leadership, put down by himself, was passed by an undisclosed majority of Fine Gael’s 70 TDs, senators and MEPs. “For me, this is the end of any of the tensions that may have been building up,” he said after the ballot at Leinster House. “We move on from here as a completely united party, even though we had a vote on this issue.”

Former deputy leader and finance spokesman Mr Bruton, who was relegated to the back benches after refusing to express his confidence in Mr Kenny, insisted there would be no more challenges.

“There’ll be no more heaves, the parliamentar y party has made its decision,” he said.

“We’re a democratic party.”

Announcing the result after a five-hour meeting, Fine Gael Chairman Padraic McCormack refused to reveal the margin of the vote. Only himself and Senator Paschal Donohoe knew the result of the secret ballot and both had been sworn to secrecy, he said.

March 28 – April 10,, 2012

THE CHAMPIONSHIP

Be One Of The First In Oz To See ‘The Guard’ GIVEAWAY :: PAGE 31

by Billy Cantwell

by Brian Hutton

SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL

SYDNEY IRISH FOOD GURU COLIN FASSNIDGE GOES NUDE FOR ‘SHOOT THE CHEF’ PIC

McIlroy Claims Australian Open Title In Sydney

Dubliner’s walking on sunshine after nailing coast job

Andrea McCullagh

PAGE 8

They came, they saw, they lost... just another Irish rugby tour All forgiven after Fine Gael rebels fail to oust Enda Kenny

QUEENSLAND SigNS Up iRiSH MARKETER To SELL coASTAL ToURiSM MEccA

TO PAGE 7

Ireland Continues To Wrestle With Bailout Concerns

GAA :: PAGES 38 – 39

AUS $3.95 (incl GST) NZ $4.95 (incl GST)

Volume 24 – Number 11

RECESSION WOES

Royal Rout As Dreadful Dubs Head For Qualifiers

June 2010

AUSTRALIA’S IRISH NEWSPAPER December 5 – 18, 2013

May 18 – 31, 2011

THE CHAMPIONSHIP

The Dixie Chicks Of Irish Trad Set For First Oz Tour

www.irishecho.com.au | Postal Address: PO Box 967, Rozelle NSW 2039 Australia | Phone: 1300 555 995 | Email (Editorial): newsdesk@irishecho.com.au | Email (Administration): mail@irishecho.com.au

January 2010

Print Post No 100007285

The third decade

PAGE 8

SPORT :: PAGES 41 – 43

CELTIC WOMAN

Print Post No 100007285

by Isabel Hayes

Derry Coming To Terms With British Mea Culpa

Irish-born Patrick McGorry named Australian Of The Year Qld police

After 61 years, Irish rugby is once again the toast of Europe

HOW SWEET IT IS: The Irish rugby team celebrates at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium after claiming the Six Nations Championship, Triple Crown and Grand Slam with a nail-biting two-point win over Wales in Cardiff last weekend. Pic: David Jones

INTERVIEW :: PAGE 20

AUS $3.95 (incl GST) NZ $4.95 (incl GST)

Volume 23 – Number 14

BLOODY SUNDAY APOLOGY

Munster, Leinster On Course For All-Irish Decider

IRELAND is to double the number of diplomats and enterprise and investment agents in overseas missions by 2025 as new Taoiseach Leo Varadkar looks to build new global connections beyond Europe.

On an official visit to Canada, Mr Varadkar said the aim was to attract more business from abroad, boost trade and tourism, build stronger links with the Irish diaspora and increase cultural exchange.

“This means new and augmented diplomatic missions and as well as significantly increased resources for

our investment, tourism, cultural and food agencies overseas,” the Taoiseach said.

The plan is called Ireland's Global Footprint 2025 and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has been asked to examine how increasing representation overseas will af fect diplomatic missions.

The specifics will be approved by the Government later this year.

Currently Ireland has 61 embassies, seven multilateral missions and 12 consulates through which the Department of Foreign Affairs maintains diplomatic relations with 178 states.

Additional staff and roles have already been assigned overseas to deal with the response to Brexit with the Department of Foreign Affairs stating that it has prioritised the issue.

In 2011 diplomatic missions to the Holy See, Iran and Timor-Leste were closed for what the Government cited were economic reasons. The fallout from repeated inquiries into clerical abuse was regarded as contributing to the decision to close the embassy in the Vatican. Three years ago the mission to the Holy See was re-established along with new embassies in Indonesia, Kenya, Croatia and Thailand.

Three new consulates have been

opened in Sao Paulo, Brazil; Hong Kong and Austin, Texas.

Mr Varadkar made his announcement at an Enterprise Ireland breakfast in Toronto. “Notwithstanding our strong competitiveness and vigorous economic growth, Ireland faces undoubtedly the greatest set of political and economic challenges in a generation, as a result of Brexit,” the Taoiseach said. “Now is the time to plan ahead, with ambition.”

The Taoiseach’s plans will raise hopes of incr eased diplomatic resources in Australia.

While Ireland has an embassy in Canberra, a consulate in Sydney and

an honorary consulate in Perth, there is no diplomatic representation in Queensland or Victoria. All of Ireland’s semi-state representation is based in Sydney, including Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland and IDA. Canada, by comparison, has one embassy and seven honourary consulates in Australia.

Irish Echo Australia | 02 9555 9199 | newsdesk@irishecho.com.au | (Admin): mail@irishecho.com.au | PO Box 256, Balmain, NSW 2041 I Print Post No 100007285

September 2017

HELP SUPPORT DROUGHT AFFECT FARMERS WITH THE INAUGURAL

AIDA NSW

Debutante Ball THE NSW AUSTRALIAN IRISH DANCING ASSOCIATION DEBUTANTE BALL WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY 9TH MAY 2020 IN THE BANKSTOWN SPORTS CLUB GRAND BALLROOM. ALL GIRLS & BOYS AGE 15 YEARS AND OVER INTERESTED IN MAKING THEIR DEBUT PLEASE EMAIL AIDANSWSECRETARY@GMAIL.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION ©MILTON BAAR, MEDIAIMAGES

Charity Feis WITH ALL FUNDS GOING TO THE BAY A BALE DROUGHT RELIEF, HELPING SUPPORT AUSTRALIA'S RURAL COMMUNITIES AND AUSSIE FARMERS DATE: NOVEMBER 10TH 2019 VENUE: CRANEBROOK HIGH SCHOOL

FOLLOW AIDA NSW ON FACEBOOK TO STAY UP TO DATE ON HOW YOU CAN BE INVOLVED

Print Post No 100007285

PAGE 7

June 30 – July 13, 2010

(incl GST)

HEINEKEN CUP

Meet The First Ever Irish-Born WWE Champion

Print Post P255003/01335

PAGE 3

HAIL TO THE CHAMP

Win Tickets To See The Saw Doctors

Win A Free Return Trip To Ireland For Four People

$3.50

Volume 23 – Number 02

GIVE YOUR HEAD PEACE

SMALL BALL, BIG PRIZE

White House Goes Green For St Pat’s Day Celebrations

Print Post P255003/01335

January 27 – February 9, 2010

(incl GST)

O’BAMA’S IRISH WELCOME

Aussie PM Reveals His Irish Side

Print Post P255003/01335

$3.5 50

Volume 22 – Number 07

THE IRISH IN KEVIN

Print Post P255003/01335

March 25 – April 7, 2009

IRISH migrants, and tradesmen in particular, will be adversely af fected by the Australian Government’s decision to cut the annual intake of skilled migrants by 14 per cent over the next three months.

The Depar tment of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) announced last week it is removing building and manufacturing trades from the critical skills list (CSL), meaning people with those skills will no longer receive priority processing in their application.

In a move to protect the

irishecho.com.au

30TH ANNIVERSARY

Print Post P255003/01335

2009-2019

36 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

THE IRISH ECHO

July, 2019 | 37

38 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

THE TOP 100 IRISH AUSTRALIANS

Visionaries

Mary Healy 1865 – 1952

NUN, HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATOR

Charles Gavan Duffy 1816 – 1903 PREMIER OF VICTORIA

Kev Carmody Born 1946 MUSICIAN, SONGWRITER BORN in Cairns, Queensland to a second generation Irish descendant and an Aboriginal mother, Carmody is one of Australia’s greatest songwriters. His family moved to southern Queensland in 1950 and lived on a cattle station in the Darling Downs. His parents worked as drovers, moving cattle along the stock routes, which no doubt influenced his song Droving Woman.

Aged 10, Carmody was taken from his parents under the assimilation policy and sent to a Christian school, after which he returned to his rural roots and worked for 17 years as a labourer.

He began university at the age of 33, completing a Bachelor of Arts degree and later getting a Diploma of Education and a PhD. While at university, Carmody used his guitar to tell stories of indigenous history in tutorials. This eventually led to his career in music and his first album Pillars Of Society.

Released in 1989 when he was 43 years old, Rolling Stone magazine described it as “the best album ever released by an Aboriginal musician and arguably the best protest album ever made in Australia”.

His most famous song, From Little Things Big Things Grow, co-written by Paul Kelly, has been described as an Australian ‘come-all-ye’. The song and its title were adopted by the National Museum of Australia for a travelling exhibition which highlighted the ongoing battle for indigenous rights in Australia.

David Cremin Born 1930 BISHOP

IN HIS homily in St Patrick’s Church in Bondi Beach suburb on Christmas Day 2005, the racial riots in Cronulla were fresh in Bishop Cremin’s mind. He asked the congregation, including a huge number of Irish backpackers, to consider how Christ would have fared amid the recent violence. “Where was he born?

The Middle East. And what did he look like? He looked Middle Eastern. I would like to say as gently and as strongly as I can, to rail against racism of every kind.”

DUFFY, who was a Catholic but was educated at a Presbyterian academy, had quite the colourful life over the course of which he worked as a barrister, was a renowned poet and Irish nationalist, was the Premier of Victoria and had three wives and 11 children.

Born in Monaghan to a shopkeeper, and representing New Ross in the House of Commons from 1852-55, he sailed for Australia with his second wife (the first having died) and three children (including one from the first marriage) after his plan for creating an Independent Irish party failed.

He set up as a barrister in Melbourne but was soon persuaded to stand for the Victorian parliament.

In 1868 he helped to found the Advocate, a Catholic lay journal, and having led the opposition to a plan to introduce a land tax, Duffy became Premier of Victoria from June 1871 to June 1872. After his second wife died he married for a third time, in Paris, in 1881.

He died in Nice, France in 1903.

Bishop Cremin’s ability to cut to the core of a controversial subject has been ever present. Born in Co Limerick, he moved to Australia in 1955 after being educated by the Jesuits in Limerick and ordained at All Hallows College in Dublin.

Eighteen years later he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney, a position he retired from in February 2005. He remains a spiritual leader of Australia’s Irish community.

President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, said he “has acted as a shining beacon to all who seek justice and, in that most Australian of terms, a fair go”.

Ben Chifley 1885 – 1951

PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA

CHIFLEY’S mother and father were both born in Ireland, but he himself was born in Bathurst, NSW, the eldest of three sons.

He seldom commented on his Irishness, but an outburst in 1950 was revealing, when he said: “I am the descendant of a race that fought a long and bitter fight against perjurers, pimps and liars.”

Chifley, who became the youngest locomotive engine driver in the state, married Elizabeth Gibson McKenzie in 1914 and in doing so he defied the Papal decree, ne temere, which forbade Catholics from marrying outside the Church.

In 1928, Chifley won the seat of Macquarie for the Australian Labor Party, and after John Curtin’s death he was sworn in as Prime Minister on July 13, 1945. He led the ALP to victory again a year later, with a mandate for post-war social reconstruction.

Chifley died of a heart attack on June 10, 1951, in Canberra.

Chifley Square in Sydney’s CBD is named after him.

BEST known as Mother Gertrude, the Sister of Charity nun and hospital administrator was born in Dublin on July 24, 1865. After accompanying her family to Victoria, she attended Loreto Abbey, Ballarat, and entered the Novitiate of the Sisters of Charity, Sydney, in June 1889. She was professed as Sister Gertrude on October 2, 1891. She then began training at St Vincent’s Hospital, Darlinghurst and registered with the Australasian Trained Nurses’ Association in July 1903. In 1910, Sister Gertrude was appointed mother rectress of St Vincent’s. In order to become a clinical school for the University

James Francis Hogan 1855 – 1924 WRITER, POLITICIAN

BORN near Nenagh, Co Tipperary, Hogan’s family emigrated to Australia in 1856 and settled in Geelong. He contemplated becoming a priest, but in 1872 turned to teaching. After being published in newspapers and journals Hogan abandoned teaching, went to Melbourne to work as a journalist for the Victorian Review and The Argus. In 1884-87 he presided over the Victorian Catholic Young Men’s Society and was secretary to the committee that organised the erection of the O’Connell statue in the grounds of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne.

After writing two books in Australia he moved to London, where his best-known work, The Irish in Australia, was published. In February 1893 he was elected to the House of Commons, representing the middle division of his home county of Tipperary.

of Sydney, she expanded the hospital and increased the number of specialties. By 1917 nursing staff under Mother Gertrude’s direction had risen to 30 Sisters and 80 trainees. During the 1919 flu epidemic St Vincent’s treated almost 100,000 patients. Following nine years as rectress of St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne, Mother Gertrude came back to Sydney in 1934 to administer St Vincent’s Private Hospital.

Morgan Jageurs 1862 – 1932

IRISH NATIONALIST AND RENOWNED SCULPTOR

BORN in Tullamore, Jageurs moved to Queensland in 1865 with his family. The Jageurs then moved on to Sydney in 1868 before finally settling in Melbourne two years later. His father Peter was a monumental sculptor, and Morgan followed in his footsteps, joining together to form Jageurs & Son in 1892.

Indeed, Morgan is widely accredited with having introduced the Celtic Cross to Australia for the first time.

He was also heavily involved in the construction of St Patrick’s Cathedral and St Mary’s in West Melbourne.

A founding member and President of the Celtic Club and the Victorian Catholic Young Men’s Society he was also deeply involved in the Melbourne branches of the Irish Land League, the Irish National League and the later formation of the United Irish League.

Michael Davitt – founder of the Irish Land League – was godfather to his eldest son, who would later die in WWI.

Paul Keating Born 1944

PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA

ONE of Australia’s most colourful and eloquent political leaders, Keating was Labor PM from December 20, 1991 until March 11, 1996. He was born into a working-class Catholic family in Bankstown, NSW, and traced his Irish background to the village of Tynagh, Co Galway. Keating entered federal parliament as the member for Blaxland in 1969.

After Labor won a landslide victory in March 1983, Keating, together with then PM Bob Hawke, modernised Australia’s economy by floating the dollar and deregulating financial markets. After challenging and defeating Hawke to become PM in 1991, Keating championed a new vision for the nation which included the establishment of an Australian republic.

He travelled to Ireland in 1993 and addressed a joint sitting of the Oireachtas at Leinster House, one of only two Australian leaders to do so. He also visited his ancestral home of Tynagh.

irishecho.com.au

C.Y. O’Connor 1843 – 1902

Marion Knowles 1865 – 1949

organisation of the Catholic laity before the First World War, becoming WRITER AND COMMUNITY foundation president of the Catholic ACTIVIST Women’s Club in 1913.

During the war she organised BORN in Victoria to Irish immigrant James Miller and his wife Anna Maria, the dispatch of parcels to Catholic Marion was already a renowned writer soldiers, and in 1919 chaired the committee responsible for welcoming by the time she married Melbourne city valuator Joseph Knowles in 1901. them home.

She was honorary secretary of the After a few years of contributing committee for St Joseph’s Home for to The Australasian newspaper, she Destitute Children in Surry Hills, and released her first novel, Barbara after the Second World War became Halliday, in 1896, before following that up with her second book, Songs its patron.

She was appointed MBE in 1938 from the Hills. Both books ran to four and continued to write serial stories editions. for the Advocate and other Catholic After the dissolution of her shortpapers, including the Irish Catholic in lived marriage she came on board Dublin. as a staff writer with The Advocate She died at her home in Kew in 1949 newspaper. and is buried at Brighton cemetery.

She played a leading part in the

Prof Patrick McGorry Born 1952

Dr John O’Sullivan Born 1945

Maurice O’Reilly 1866 – 1933

PROF Professor McGorry, 2010’s Australian of the Year, is a leader in the field of psychiatry, renowned the world over for developing early intervention services for young people with mental disorders. McGorry is executive director of leading research organisation Orygen and co-founder of Headspace, one of Australia’s best-known mental health foundations that has helped countless young people access essential services.

Dublin-born, McGorry emigrated to Wales with his family as a child before moving to Australia in 1968.

Despite leaving Ireland in his early years, McGorry was raised with steadfast Irish values and is a frequent visitor to the country.

One of his sons completed his final years of schooling in Dublin.

Closer to home, McGorry hopes to bridge the gaps that deny some Australians ready access to mental health support.

The 67-year-old is also a passionate republican, believing that cutting ties with the British monarchy is the only way to achieve true reconciliation with Indigenous people.

WITHOUT John O’Sullivan, modern life would be very different. He is widely acknowledged as the inventor of WiFi technology.

A graduate of Sydney University’s Electrical Engineering Department, O’Sullivan’s work with Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) delivered major technical benefits to Australia and the world and substantial returns to CSIRO from Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) technology now underpinning wireless communication systems in billions of products worldwide. He won the Prime Minister’s Science Prize in 2009 O’Sullivan told the Irish Echo in 2010 that he was still researching his Irish antecedents.

“I have not been able to track the O’Sullivans far enough back yet, but I found other ancestors from Galway on my mother’s side,” he said.

He is now working with the CSIRO system design for the Square Kilometre Array.

BORN in Co Cork, O’Reilly was educated at St Colman’s College, Fermoy, before studying philosophy and theology at Maynooth. He was ordained a Vincentian priest in January 1890 and emigrated to Melbourne in 1892. In 1899, he became information editor of the Catholic monthly, Austral Light, and was to contribute prose and verse to it for over 20 years. He published a volume, Poems (1919), which revealed the depth, seriousness and whimsicality of his rich personality. O’Reilly was president of St Stanislaus’ College, Bathurst, NSW from 1903-14, and from 1910 was prominent in the education debate. He vigorously fought against the continued exclusion of Catholic schools from government funding. O’Reilly entered into bitter controversy in 1911 over the celebration of Empire rather than Australia Day. He was firmly of the view that “everything that was best and noblest in Australia was Irish”.

A powerful orator, he was greatly concerned for the poor and for the victims of sectarian bigotry, and once declared that the “Sydney ‘pommy’ Press is the vilest on earth”.

PSYCHIATRIST

July, 2019 | 39

THE TOP 100 IRISH AUSTRALIANS

SCIENTIST

Tom Power 1930 – 2017

COMMUNITY ACTIVIST

WHEN Tom Power left his home village of Powerstown in Co Tipperary to set sail for Australia in 1956, he could hardly have known the lasting impact he and his new friends would have on the cultural heritage of his new home.

In 1995, during her state visit to Australia, President Mary Robinson suggested that some memorial be erected in remembrance of the Great Famine, which had driven so many

ENGINEER

CHARLES Yelverton O’Connor was born in Gravelmount, Co Meath, and was educated at Waterford Endowed School before being articled to John Smith, engineer to the WaterfordKilkenny railway line. He emigrated to New Zealand in 1865 and on March 5, 1874, married Susan Ness with whom he had eight children. In April 1891, the Premier of Western Australia, John Forrest, offered O’Connor the position of engineer-in-chief and he is perhaps best remembered for the spectacular achievement of the Coolgardie Scheme, which pumps water 600kms to Kalgoorlie. To this day it is still the lifeline of the Western Australian goldfields.

Tragically, O’Connor did not live to see its completion.

After a sustained campaign against him by the Sunday Times newspaper and others, including colleagues, he took his own life in 1902.

PRIEST, COLLEGE WARDEN

people to Australia in the 19th century.

Power took up the challenge and under his leadership, a permanent memorial was created in the form of the Great Famine Memorial at Hyde Park Barracks in Sydney.

“Hopefully it’s something that will be there forever. It’s a marvellous thing,” he once told the Irish Echo.

He died in December 2017 following a long illness and is survived by wife Trish and two sons. He posthumously received a Presidential Distinguished Service Award in 2018, one of only three Australians to receive one.

Bernard O’Dowd 1866 – 1953 POET, RADICAL

O’DOWD was born at Beaufort, Victoria to Irish emigrant parents who were preoccupied with Celtic ancestry and legend. A brilliant student, he had to leave university and earn a

living after his father was kicked by a horse, and, aged just 17, became the headmaster of St Alipius’ school at Ballarat. His then secularist beliefs led to his dismissal and in 1884 he opened his own school. He later resumed university and graduated with degrees in arts and law before developing a profile as a radical poet. He also wrote several law books as well as poetry.

In 1912, he denounced the White Australia policy as “unbrotherly, undemocratic and unscientific” and in 1934 he declined Prime Minister Joe Lyons’ offer of a knighthood.

A bronze bust of Bernard O’Dowd

by Web Gilbert can be seen in the National Gallery of Victoria.

Peter Rice 1935 – 1992 ENGINEER BORN in Dundalk, Co Louth, Rice’s crucial role in the design and construction of Sydney’s Opera House has only recently been recognised.

Working for Danish firm Ove Arup, he travelled to Australia in 1963 to work on Jørn Utzon’s design. The Queen’s University graduate was soon given responsibilty for the structural design of the Opera House roof after the on-site engineer fell ill. Rice was just 28 at the time.

His geometrical knowledge enabled him to write a computer program to correctly assemble the segments of the Opera House’s famous sails.

He later wrote about his time in Sydney. “I worked in [Utzon’s] ambi-

ence for six years during the design development and construction of the roof of the Sydney Opera House.

It was a long slow apprenticeship in the art of architecture, where there was sufficient time to observe and to understand precisely the elements which contribute to making that building the masterpiece it is.”

His later work included the construction of the Pompidou Centre in Paris and Stansted Airport.

When he died following a brain tumour at the age of 57, London’s Independent newspaper in its obituary said: “Rice was, perhaps, the James Joyce of structural engineering.”

40 | July, 2019

THE IRISH ECHO

irishecho.com.au

irishecho.com.au

July, 2019 | 41

TIME OUT

Cr ssCountry Mal Rogers scans Ireland’s regional media for what’s making news in your county

Limerick District Court the defendant was observed on CCTV performing a number of donuts, or spinning a car on its axis.

Judge Mary Dorgan, shown still images from the CCTV footage, noted there were a number of people present and that the offence happened in a residential area in broad daylight.

Mr O’Donoghue, who has a number of previous convictions, was also before the court in relation to a separate road traffic offence. Judge Mary Dorgan sentenced him to two months’ imprisonment for careless driving and fined him €750. She imposed a €250 fine in relation driving without reasonable consideration for other road users.

WESTMEATH

Doctor suspended from medical register A DOCTOR has been suspended from the medical register in Ireland for six months for professional misconduct following a finding he told a female patient he wanted to kiss her.

James Joyce lookalike John Shevlin visits the grave of the author’s parents John Stanislaus Joyce and his wife Mary Jane during the annual Bloomsday event at Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin, featuring a reenactment from the ‘Hades’ chapter of James Joyce’s Ulysses. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

DONEGAL

€10,000 compo payment ordered after dogs kill Donegal farmer’s pedigree sheep A DONEGAL man has been ordered to pay €10,000 compensation to a sheep farmer by September 4 after his two Alsatian dogs killed three pedigree sheep belonging to the farmer, Donegal District Court was told.

The Donegal Democrat reports that Judge Kevin Kilrane said the deaths of the sheep at the farm of sheep and beef farmer Seamus Thomas was an “appalling sight”.

Gregory McGroary, 56, 0f Donegal Town, who was not in court, pleaded guilty to having no dog licence and being the owner of a dog worrying sheep.

Injured party Seamus Thomas told the court that the defendant rang him to say that one of the defendant’s dogs had attacked sheep at the injured party’s farm in Laghey.

The injured party said a solicitor for the defendant had offered €7000 in compensation, but the injured party estimated that he would need €10,000 in compensation.

Defence solicitor John Murray said the two dogs escaped from the defendant’s residence when the automatic gates were briefly opened during a 30-second delay.

He subsequently got rid of the dogs by sending them to a trust in London.

In sentencing, Judge Kilrane said the

defendant had two unlicensed Alsatian dogs which said something about his lack of responsibility. The judge said there was an onus to keep the two Alsatians under control at all times.

In adjourning the case to September 4, the judge said that €10,000 compensation must be paid by that date. He added that the whereabouts of the dogs needed to be confirmed via a tracking system to ensure they were not in the jurisdiction and if they were, they “need to be destroyed”.

DERRY

Woman swindled out of £300,000 A LOCAL woman has been swindled out of more than £30,000 in an online romance scam, reports the Derry Journal.

PSNI Chief Superintendent Simon Walls said: “Sadly, this report where a life-changing amount of money has been lost is a stark example of how scammers don’t care about the long-lasting impact their devious and despicable actions have on their victims.”

In the scam the fraudulent activity started after the woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, was befriended by a man on Facebook three years ago and a relationship developed.

After three months the scammer asked the woman to pay money so his children could be educated in England.

She was then asked for money in relation to investing in both Ghana and Dubai.

The woman, from the North, over the course of three years sent a total

of £300,000 to different accounts at his request.

“Enquiries are ongoing into this fraud,” said Chief Superintendent Walls.

WICKLOW

Illegal dumping crackdown WICKLOW County Council is continuing to crack down on illegal waste dumpers. A series of hefty fines were imposed by the courts last year.

The Wicklow People reports that a total of 44 cases of illegal dumping in Wicklow were before the courts in 2018 with €22,420 being imposed in fines.

The highest fine levied was €2,500.

This involved a case of an individual dumping a skip bag of waste in Arklow.

The incident was captured on CCTV and the culprit identified.

In addition, 350 litter fines were imposed by the council.

Penalties ranged between €150 and €450.

LIMERICK

Prison sentence for ‘donuts’ driver on main Limerick road A DRIVER captured on CCTV performing ‘donuts’ on the main road outside his home has been jailed for two months.

Christopher O’Donoghue (25) pleaded guilty to careless driving, reports the Limerick Leader.

Garda Cormac Flanagan told

The president of the High Court, Mr Justice Peter Kelly, said he entirely agreed with the Medical Council recommendation to suspend Sid Ahmed Hassan Mohammed Hamd for six months, with conditions should he seek to resume practising medicine in Ireland after his suspension has ended.

The judge agreed that the doctor’s conduct was “disgraceful and dishonourable”, and that a patient is a vulnerable person entitled to expect trust and respect.

He also expressed serious concern that Dr Hamd – a registrar in the A&E department of the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar at the time of the complaint, but now working in Saudi Arabia – appeared to have poor English.

An inquiry by the Medical Council found Dr Hamd guilty of professional misconduct and poor professional performance in making inappropriate and/or comments of a sexual nature to the patient.

Dr Hamd did not attend and was not legally represented at the inquiry but in an email statement he said he suffered emotional distress and physical symptoms when recollecting the event in question.

Mr Justice Kelly said it did not instil much confidence for patients when a registrar, one step short of a consultant, appears unable to speak English.

It seemed rather astonishing the doctor was presumably able to pass a language competency test and interview and the Medical Council should be alerted to the court’s concerns in that regard, the judge said..

ANTRIM

Randalstown Irish language sign ‘will not be removed’ MEDB Ní Dhúláin, the granddaughter of an 85-year-old woman threatened with prosecution for having an Irish language street sign on her property, has insisted it stays where it is. It was placed on railings outside her home in

the mainly nationalist Ashdale estate.

The Irish News reports that the Randalstown pensioner was ordered to remove the sign by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.

The letter, addressed to “the owner/ occupier”, claims that it has been erected without planning consent and warns that “unless you undertake to put the matter right you may be prosecuted”.

It adds that conviction for “the display of an unauthorised advertisement” can result in a maximum fine of £2,500 “with further daily fines of £250”.

“So many people in the area have shown their support, not just about the sign, but bilingual signage in general,” Ms Ní Dhúláin said.

Sinn Féin’s Gerry Kelly strongly criticised the council, claiming it has funded “loyalist bonfires where flags and election posters were burned”.

“Similarly, no action is ever taken to remove illegal loyalist paramilitary flags which are designed to intimidate, yet an 85-year-old woman is threatened with a £2,500 fine for erecting an Irish language sign.”

CORK

Nephew disputes bachelor uncle’s will THE nephew of a bachelor farmer from West Cork has failed in a legal challenge to his uncle’s will, which left his home and farm to a neighbour.

The Irish Examiner reports the High Court examined the contents of a disputed will over entitlement to inherit land owned by John Shannon, of Bantry, Co Cork, who died in March.

The dead man’s nephew, Andrew Shannon, the executor of his uncle’s estate, challenged the content of the will. It left John Shannon’s house and farm, consisting of two parcels of land and livestock, to his friend and neighbour, Henry Shannon (no relation). The will decreed that any remaining property, or other assets, be left to his nephew.

The dispute centred on the description of leaving a “farm of lands” to Henry Shannon.

Andrew Shannon, a farmer and sales representative, claimed it was not his uncle’s intention to leave two parcels of land to his friend.

His lawyers claimed the terms of the will were ambiguous, but that his uncle’s intention was to bequeath his residence to his nephew.

They argued the deceased had no other real property and, therefore, the clause in the will that left other property to his nephew was meaningless, if the intention was to leave both lands to Henry Shannon.

Mr Justice Michael MacGrath said he was not satisfied that an ambiguity arises on a proper construction of the will as “a piece of English”, or that it purports to describe two separate and distinct pieces of property.

He noted the will stated “farm of lands” and not “farm of land”, which the judge said must mean the lands used for farming by the deceased, comprised of two land parcels. The judge said he could not see how the clause in the will that left any remaining property to the deceased’s nephew gave rise to any ambiguity.

42 | July, 2019

Review

irishecho.com.au

TIME OUT

No man is an island, they say BOOKS MY CONEY ISLAND BABY

By Billy O’Callaghan JONATHAN CAPE 241 Pages $32.99

CC THE WYCH ELM

By Tana French VIKING 514 Pages $32.99

CCCCC Frank O’Shea BILLY O’CALLAGHAN’S book features an endorsement by John Banville on its front cover. It is a telling testimonial, because if there is one writer whose style is imitated, it is Banville. The two central characters in My Coney Island Baby engage in the kind of dense introspection that Banville attributes to many of his creations, examining their pasts with a chilly absorption that usually takes priority over the advancement of the story.

Michael is from Inishbofin island, off the coast of Mayo, a place he left for New York at the age of 16. He married at 20, only to start an affair two years later with Caitlin, a young woman of the same age, like him recently and happily

though Michael keeps on his married. The two have been meeting undershirt, "concealing his on Coney Island once a month for shame, softening his insecurity more than 25 years for an afternoon of at having fallen so far out of passion in rented rooms. The intensity shape." Their physical encounter is of their lust has not faded over time, hinted rather than described; indeed though "these days, one fall counts as the reader may wonder how they a clear knockout." Each feels that this have time to do anything, so intense is may be their last meeting and wonders their navel-andhow they will elsewhere-gazing. manage without This is quite these reminders probably a work of the appetites This is quite of literary art, of their younger probably a work rather like you may years. consider a painting The action of of literary art, of Jackson Pollock the story, such as rather like you or a sculpture of it is, takes place Henry Moore as mostly in the may consider admirable without introspection of a painting of understanding the two central why. The writing characters.

Jackson Pollock is sumptuous Alternate or a sculpture of and lush, the chapters have scene-setting one or the other Henry Moore as the going back admirable without thorough, sidelines into areas over their lives, like palmistry and Michael’s in the understanding island living only isolation of his why. slightly annoying. island home in But ultimately, which he left his the book requires father and sister, an effort and the word most readily the latter recently married. Caitlin’s coming to mind is dull. background is more conventional, with a mother disillusioned with life and love ___________________________________ but a father who has long ago walked TANA FRENCH does not do short out for cigarettes and never returned.

Her husband works his way up a short books. She is mainly known for police employment ladder and is due to be procedurals, the police in question being moved to a distant city. Meanwhile the gardaÍ. She tends to keep to one case Michael’s wife has been diagnosed with rather than the modern tendency to have cancer and is not expected to live long. multiple investigations going on at the And so the couple make their same time or have the police concerned ruminative way along the hours of with some miscreant whose mayhem gets an afternoon that threatens snow. progressively more lethal.

For much of the time they are naked, Here French moves to a different

“

”

Theatre :: Come From Away, Melbourne

HOPE AND HUMANITY PREVAIL AMONG PASSENGERS STRANDED BY 9/11 DAVID HENNESSY

A PLAY that tells the true story of the people who were stranded in the Canadian town of Gander, Newfoundland after the 9/11 terrorism attacks is coming to Melbourne.

After the twin towers and Pentagon had been targets and nobody knew if there were going to be more attacks, 38 aircraft carrying nearly 7,000 people from more than 100 countries were redirected to Gander, almost doubling the population of the remote Canadian

town. There was no knowing how long they would be there.

Come From Away tells the story of how the people of Gander welcomed these unexpected, confused and no doubt scared visitors to their home. It is a moving story that has been lauded with a Tony Award and several Olivier Awards for its stints on Broadway in New York and in London's West End. "I've been in the business for a long time and this is one show that is really quite extraordinary," the director, Martin Croft, told The Irish Echo.

"The story is actually not about 9/11, it's about 9/12. It's what happened in the days afterwards that was totally different to New York and the rest of the world's experience of what was happening. It's about the friendship and companionship and compassion and empathy that this little island showed to 'Come From Away' people. 9/11 is in the background but the story itself is really about the generosity of this town and how they made everybody feel welcome and mothered them, made sure they were safe and tried to make

kind of story. There is a burglary and later a 10-year old murder that needs to be solved, but these are looked at mainly from the effects they have on those involved. The detectives who investigate both cases are presented as people who are good at their jobs, clever and astute, annoying but never bullying, almost apologetic about what they have to do.

The central character is Toby Hennessy, working in PR at a small arts outlet. He is good at his job, loves and is loved by his girlfriend; he and his two buddies Dec and Sean engage in the kind of banter that might appear malicious or hurtful to an outsider, but is mostly dark Dublin humour. Then there are his two first cousins Susanna and Leon, only children, as Sean is, all from prosperous middle class families.

Toby is badly beaten when his apartment is burgled and he moves to stay with his unmarried uncle who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. In one family gettogether, a body is found in a hollow in the huge elm tree that gives the book its title. At this point, we are barely past the first third of the book, by which stage we have got to know the characters and have convinced ourselves that none of them or anyone else we have met so far could be responsible for the murder.

The remainder of the book deals with

the effect of the police investigation – sometimes obtrusive and annoying but always professional and civil – on the characters in the story and their relationships with each other.

The telling is slow and methodical; there are some red herrings, some blind alleys, but progress comes from talking rather than from wild action. In the end, the resolution is credible if a little unusual, but even then the author is not finished.

She has taken us inside the minds of her characters and is not about to allow us some easy or clichéd ending.

We have been listening to the voice of Toby for more than 400 pages and we stay with him to the end.

There are not many novelists who can keep a reader’s attention for more than 500 pages with a relatively small cast of characters, none of them appallingly bad or completely virtuous. French does it with a light style livened by memorable touches: “Girls’ hair softened to flightiness”, “dusty cobwebs swaying from the lampshade”, “the night sparkled tantalizingly in front of me like a fourth date.”

The dialogue is believably Dublin middle-class, the occasional vulgarity all the more striking for its rarity.

Thoroughly recommended for a long weekend. A very long weekend.

them happy and give them as much information and comfort as they were able to.

"There's a wonderful image the day it happened of people in the airport just standing looking at this world map and going, 'Where are we? I didn't know there even was such a place'. All these different cultures and languages turned up and the poor Ganderites had to learn how to make food to make everybody happy."

The play features music with an Irish flavour and this is apt because the Newfoundland accent has a similarity to the Irish accent that comes from it being the first stop and place to settle for so many people leaving Ireland.

The play has had a stint at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. Come From Away opens at Melbourne's Comedy Theatre on 20 July.

The cast of Come From Away.

“Thoroughly

recommended for a long weekend.

A very long weekend.

”

MERC_XMAS_1-2page_ECHOAd__FA irishecho.com.au

2019.pdf

1

24/6/19

11:03 am

July, 2019 | 43

THE IRISH ECHO

MERCANTILE HPC

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE

irishecho.com.au aislingsociety.org.au The Aisling Society of Sydney congratulates the Irish Echo on 30 years of service to the Australian Irish community. In that time the Echo has kept the community informed of news and events in Ireland and Australia of interest to us all. We appreciate it very much.

The Aisling Society meets in the city on the fourth Wednesday of each month to hear talks on the history, life and culture of Ireland and of Irish Australia. All are welcome to attend.

For more information visit aislingsociety.org.au or catch us on Facebook @aislingsociety or email us at contact@aislingsociety.org.au.

The

Online Voice of Irish Australia

Check out local news that affects you and browse a complete listing of Irish events around Australia with What’s On. You can also • Subscribe to the print or the new digital edition • Submit an item for our what’s on • Sign-up for our free new enewsletter • Got a vacancy? Post a job ad

44 | July, 2019

Hurler

irishecho.com.au

TIME OUT

They said it...

on the ditch

“He was a known republican. We don’t deny it, nor do we glorify it, neither do we demonise it. We are not here to judge or condemn.”

London most Irish?

Father Michael Murtagh speaking at the funeral of Billy McKee, founder and one-time OC of the Provisional IRA.

“WE’VE had centuries of close collaboration. London is the most Irish city outside of Ireland.”

So said Mayor of London Sadiq Khan in a debate about Brexit.

London the most Irish city? That will be news to Boston. Or Sydney?

“Their recent decision is not consistent with our values and so we have ended our sponsorship.”

A spokesperson for Diageo, which owns Guinness, speaking about the company’s decision to terminate its sponsorship of London Irish, in light of the rugby club’s decision to sign Paddy Jackson.

Elvis gets a gong

Donald Trump’s visit to Ireland was not universally celebrated.

Doonbeg comes up Trumps THEY know on which side their bread is buttered in Doonbeg, Co Clare. There was very little evidence of opposition to the much-vilified President of the United States when he jetted in last month.

Quite the opposite. We haven’t seen this much forelock tugging since the last series of the Irish RM. Little concern in Doonbeg for Donald Trump’s wall, or his climate denial, or his huffing and puffing on Iran, or his lengthening sexit, racist shame file. No sirree. He owns the local golf resort. Whatever you’re having yourself, squire.

Michael Leahy, from nearby Kilrush, donned a Make America

Quiz 1. Irish civil aircrafts’ international registration codes begin with which two letters?

2. “Yet each man kills the thing he loves” is from which Wilde poem?

3. Although occupying a position with the British government, what role did Albert Pierrepoint occupy in what was then the Irish Free State, and for five years while Ireland was a Republic?

4. Which Taoiseach accidentally killed his own brother?

5. The captain of the England cricket team is an Irishman. What is his name?

6. An uninhabited rock in the Atlantic is at the centre of a fishing dispute between Ireland and England. Its name possibly derives from the Irish ‘Sgeir Rocail’, What is its name in English?

7. Who wrote Clancy of the Overflow?

8. Which iconic Irish film is a loose adaptation of Gustave Flaubert’s novel Madame Bovary?

9. Pope Adrian IV, the only English pope, granted authority to which king for England’s first incursion into Ireland?

10. For what charge was Sir Roger Casement hanged?

Great Again cap for the visit.

“It’s such a wonderful thing to have such a significant historical figure coming to this parish,” he gushed. “He’s of great significance from a point of view of world peace. He’s a very peace-making president.”

Perhaps Michael’s TV is stuck on FoxNews and he’s lost the remote.

A gallery in Belfast took a different approach, offering the chance for people to jump from a height onto a giant photograph of Trump. The Jump Trump interactive exhibition was launched as the US President arrived for his first visit to Ireland since his election but festival director Michael Weir said it was a coincidence. Many embraced the opportunity to jump on Trump’s orange visage.

ELVIS Costello has accepted an OBE and the irony of accepting the royal gong is not lost on the musician, whose real name is Declan MacManus. Costello said his first instinct when he heard the news was to call his mother.

“I began my call by telling my Mam that the Prime Minister, Mrs. May, had put my name forward for an OBE. ‘But she’s rubbish’, Lillian cut in before I could complete the news. Well, that aside, I said, ‘Of course, I won’t be accepting the award’. I didn’t get much further with that statement either. I listened carefully to my mother’s argument that if something is deserved then one must be gracious in acceptance. So, as a good lad, who likes to do what will make his Mam most proud, I knew that I must put old doubts and enmities aside and muster what little grace I possess. To be honest, I’m pretty tickled to receive this acknowledgement for my ‘Services To Music’, as it confirms my long held suspicion nobody really listens to the words in songs or the outcome might have been somewhat different.”

“Jesus wept.”

Former Victims Commissioner Patricia McBride’s tweet on hearing the news that Father Brian D’Arcy had accepted an OBE.

“I feel certain that in some leathery corner a small group of Tories is working on something even more grimly selfdefeating than a No Deal Brexit. No Deal Minus, they’ll call it, drooling down the space where their chins should be.”

Monaghan novelist and writer Damien Owens.

“I’m very, very Irish and I’d never been there before. When I got there, I instantly felt connected to it and to the people.”

Rooney Mara, speaking about her impression of Ireland during the filming of A Secret Scripture.

“But I do know we [the British Army] don’t do conspiracies.”

General Sir Mike Jackson, a captain in the British Army at the time of the Ballymurphy Massacre, speaking at the inquest of the 10 people killed in west Belfast in which there was British Army involvement. His statement was greeted with laughter from the public gallery.

“So I’m going to ask Jim Allister, who is sitting beside me, to please have a little bit of manners. Because. You. Are. In. My. Face.

Martina Anderson’s slapdown of Jim Allister MLA (Traditional Unionist Voice). Ms Anderson (Sinn Féin) and Mr Allister were taking part in a UTV election debate and Ms Anderson believed Mr Allister was invading her personal space

The ‘Echo’ Crossword Clues across: 1. Queen Rita’s upset on horseback (10) 6. Troll with reference at the end to Irish junior (4) 9. Immigration site’s measure is repeatedly light (5,6) 10 & 31 across: The Liberties: Blithest Eire strangely found in Dublin (3, 9) 11. Wilde character, oddly no angler (8) 12 & 22 across: Clues to magnificent Spain and Portugal, I understand (3-4) 14. Short, pointed woman (3) 15. Finishes in legends (4) 17 & 26 across: Dirty cell cleared up to reveal priest (3,6) 18 & 28 across. Inch Abbey: Religious building in Co. Down 25.4 mm in size? (4,5) 19. United as one with those well dead, we hear (6) 22. see 12 across 23. Five-day trip from capital to town in Co. Derry (8) 24. Stolen instrument, we hear (4) 26. see 17 across 30. Woman climber (3) 31. see 10 across 32. Beasts within the Orient (4) Clues down:

1. Dear me! Ellis was confusing place for the Irish (7,4) 2. Almost full time showing amount lost by evaporation (6) 3. Joined first of tourists, married, going round hotel (7) 4. Leader abandons European country, not by sea (6)

1

2

3

4

16. Rational conclusions taken from your earnings (10) 17. see 7 down

11

12 14

16

17 18

19

20

21

22

23 24

21. Metal castings can produce a soft mineral (4)

25

26

27

28

29

27. Fundamental note one may poke about for (4) 29. How you say I look, particularly Ireland’s one (3)

8

13 15

20. See within the Lyceum (3)

25. Murder victim of some capability, so to speak (4)

7

10

7 & 17 down: The egret at a confused Dublin institution (4, 7) 13. Necessary end: fuel exploding (7)

6

9

5. A diva entitles one to unravel Irish ballet impresario (6,2,6)

8. Special occasions worry Steven (6)

5

30 31

32

LAST EDITION’S ANSWERS: Clues across: 1. Adrian Dunbar. 8. Ogam. 9. Guinness. 10 & 24 across: Uilleann pipes. 11. Reissues. 14. ASAP. 16. Egham. 17. Leitrim. 19. Irate. 20, 26 & 32 across. The Silver Tassie. 21. Vows. 23. Nevis. 24. see 10 across 26. see 20 across 28. Wake. 31. Aggro. 32. see 20 across 33. Red Setters. Clues down: 1. Angora. 2. Roisin. 3 & 15 down: Agnes Browne. 4. Ursus.

5. Baile. 6. Rovers. 7. Saint Patrick. 12. Enemy. 13. Shot. 14. Amiens. 15. see 3 down 17. Leinster. 18. Involved. 22. Dingle. 25. Eyots. 27. Raft. 29. Apse. 30. Even.

Answers: 1. EI; 2. Ballad of Reading Gaol; 3. Public Hangman; 4. Sean Lemass — he killed his own baby brother, Herbert, aged twenty-two months, in a domestic shooting accident; 5. Eoin Morgan; 6. Rockall; 7. Banjo Paterson; 8. Ryan’s Daughter; 9. Henry II; 10. High treason

irishecho.com.au

July, 2019 | 45

THE IRISH ECHO

Open 7 Days a weeK Live Sports

LIVE MUSIC MODERN IRISH MENU 154 -156 Acland Street, St.Kilda info@jimmyoneills.com.au 03 9042 1749

Congratulations to Billy Cantwell and the team at the Irish Echo.

Bringing us news from Ireland for 30 years and something for our punters to read whilst waiting on their pint!

What a fantastic achievement! Here’s to 30 more.

Slainte!

From all the Crew at P.J.O’Brien’s Irish Pubs.

jimmyoneills.com.au

PJOBRIENS.COM.AU

46 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

THE IRISH ECHO

Visa-bility

Your Visa questions answered. Co Antrim native and registered migration agent John McQuaid provides a uniquely Irish perspective on immigration issues.

Dear John, I’m looking to sponsor an engineer on a four-year 482 work visa. It’s the first time we have considered sponsoring and I am unsure of the steps and what fees are payable.

I see there is a fee for each year of the visa. Is this paid every 12 months? What happens if the person leaves? Appreciate any information.

Padraig West DEAR PADRAIG, Before making any application, it is best to check the government’s Skilled Occupation lists to ensure the role you are offering is eligible for sponsorship. see https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/skill-occupation-list You also need to ensure your prospective employee can meet the skill requirement. Typically this means having a relevant qualification and at least two years post-qualification work experience in the occupation. In some cases, additional years of work experience may be accepted in lieu of qualifications.

The first stage to sponsoring an employee is to become an approved sponsor. This requires the employer to apply to DHA (Immigration) for approval. The fee is $420 paid at the time of application and non-refundable The sponsorship approval is valid for five years. see https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/employing-and-sponsoring-someone/sponsoring-workers/ learn-about-sponsoring. Then, for each employee you wish to sponsor, the next step is the employer’s nomination application. The application fee is $330.

The Skilling Australia Fund (SAF) levy is also paid at this stage. The amount of the levy varies depending

on the length of the visa period, and size of the business. For a business with an annual turnover of less than $10 million per year, the levy for the 482 visa is $1,200 for each year of the visa (so $4,800 for a four-year visa). The full amount is payable at the time the nomination application is lodged. A business with a turnover of more than $10 million per annum pays $1,800 per year of the visa. Immigration rules state that the employer must pay all the nomination costs – not the employee. There are levy refunds for the employer in some circumstances – for example; if the person’s 482 visa is granted but they don’t start work; or; if the employee leaves within the first 12 months – the remaining years’ levies can be refunded.

If the visa is refused on health or character grounds, the employer can also claim a refund of the SAF levy. Labour Market Testing must be completed before the nomination application is lodged. This means advertising the role for at least four consecutive weeks in the four months before the nomination application is made. The advertising must be in mainstream media and include details of the salary range, skills and experience and main duties of the role.

If the advertising is not completed in the correct manner the employer’s nomination is likely to be refused. The 482-visa application is the third application and nomination does not need to be approved before the visa stage is lodged; an important point to remember if your employee/prospective employee has a visa expiring soon The fees for a four-year visa are $2,455 per adult.

Additional fees are charged for each extra family member.

Consider consulting an experienced registered migration agent for assistance : http://mia.org.au/

JUNE

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 2 3 4 5

2019 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

DURTY NELLYS, WEST PERTH PJ O’BRIENS SYDNEY, SYDNEY J B O’REILLY’S, LEEDERVILLE PJ O’BRIENS MELBOURNE, SOUTHBANK THE IRISH TIMES, MELBOURNE THE PORTERHOUSE, SURRY HILLS THE 5TH PROVINCE, ST KILDA MERCANTILE HOTEL, SYDNEY THE DRUNKEN POET, WEST MELBOURNE MALONEYS HOTEL, SYDNEY

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

IRISH MURPHY’S, BRISBANE FINN MCCOOLS, FORTITUDE VALLEY GILHOOLEY’S, BRISBANE PADDY’S PORT DOUGLAS, PORT DOUGLAS DUBLIN DOCKS TAVERN, BIGGERA WATERS IRISH CLUB HOTEL, TOOWOOMBA THE DARCY ARMS, SURFERS PARADISE FINN MCCOOLS, SURFERS PARADISE MOLLY MALONE’S, BROADBEACH PIG & WHISTLE RIVERSIDE, BRISBANE

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

DURTY NELLYS, WEST PERTH J B O’REILLY’S, LEEDERVILLE THE WOODVALE TAVERN, WOODVALE MURPHY’S IRISH PUB, MANDURAH FIBBER MCGEES, LEEDERVILLE WOODBRIDGE HOTEL, GUILDFORD CROWN PERTH, VICTORIA PARK OPS TAVERN, OSBORNE PARK PADDY MALONES, JOONDALUP ROSIE O’GRADYS, NORTHBRIDGE

1 2 3 4 5

NEW SYDNEY HOTEL, HOBART IRISH MURPHYS HOBART, HOBART COCK AND BULL HOTEL, LAUNCESTON THE IRISH, LAUNCESTON REPUBLIC BAR & CAFE, NORTH HOBART

PJ O’BRIENS SYDNEY, SYDNEY THE PORTERHOUSE, SURRY HILLS MERCANTILE HOTEL, SYDNEY MALONEYS HOTEL, SYDNEY KING OMALLEYS, CANBERRA JIMMY’S BAR & RESTAURANT, RANDWICK FORTUNE OF WAR HOTEL, THE ROCKS NORTHERN STAR HOTEL, HAMILTON THE DOSS HOUSE, THE ROCKS LORD DUDLEY HOTEL, WOOLLAHRA

PJ O’BRIENS MELBOURNE, SOUTHBANK THE IRISH TIMES, MELBOURNE THE 5TH PROVINCE, ST KILDA THE DRUNKEN POET, WEST MELBOURNE THE QUIET MAN IRISH PUB, FLEMINGTON JIMMY O NEILLS, ST KILDA THE BROTHERS PUBLIC HOUSE, FITZROY MITRE TAVERN, MELBOURNE IMPERIAL HOTEL, EAST MELBOURNE THE SHERLOCK HOLMES, MELBOURNE

SHENANIGANS IRISH PUB, DARWIN NORWOOD HOTEL, NORWOOD FOX & FIRKIN, TEA TREE GULLY ALMA HOTEL, WILLUNGA THE ELEPHANT - BRITISH PUB, ADELAIDE

Find your closest pint. guinnesspubfinder.com.au THE BLACKLIST RANKS PUBS BY THEIR VOLUME SALES OF DRAUGHT GUINNESS. THE RANKING IS SUPPLIED BY LION. THE GUINNESS WORD AND HARP DEVICE AND ASSOCIATED LOGOS ARE TRADE MARKS. GUINNESS & CO. 2019.

irishecho.com.au

THE IRISH ECHO

July, 2019 | 47

Multinational consultancy with over 40 years’ experience, providing cost and project management services to the global construction industry.

Sydney Level 5, 131 Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 T: +61 282 789 500 Sydney | Singapore | Shanghai | Taipei | Mumbai | Dublin | Limerick | Cork | Galway | London | Manchester Paris | Dusseldorf | The Hague | Tel Aviv | Bahrain | Dubai | Riyadh | New York | San Francisco

Irish Echo 30 Year Anniversary Linesight.indd 2

linesight.com

26/06/2019 16:52:06

AIR N O K C A B s ’ k c a M Barry

d e r o s n o sp y l d u o Pr mp O a I D D i A t R n A E D y I b S H T R O M N P 2 3 .

O 9 T 9 N TO OO N N I S Y E A N D U I T FR HTTP://barrymack.com

48 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

SPORT

International Rules/ GAA Abroad

GAA calls time out on hybrid code, Wild Geese challenge DAVID HENNESSY

THERE will no International Rules series or Wild Geese Trophy hurling match in 2019, the Irish Echo has learned.

Since the last international rules series in 2017, there had been discussions about bringing the series or at least one of the Test matches to the US as the AFL looks to promote their game stateside.

But the Irish Echo understands that the GAA has reservations about taking the hybrid code to the US nominating the scale and style of the chosen venues as an issue.

“The GAA continues to work with the AFL on a five year plan for the International Rules Series,” the GAA’s director of communications, Alan Milton, told The Irish Echo.

“A number of issues, primarily relating to venues, meant it was not possible to stage the series this year.”

The AFL has made it clear that the decision to postpone the series was not theirs.

“The GAA has communicated to the AFL they do not plan to play an International Rules Series this year,” an AFL spokesperson told The Irish Echo. “We are yet to have a detailed discussion as to what the result of the GAA’s decision means for the AFL and its players.”

The last international rules series took place in 2017 when GAA stars travelled to Australia but lost a tough series to their hosts. Australia took the first Test in Adelaide by 10 points and although the second Test in Perth was closer, it still went to the home team, this time by three.

The series has been held every two years on average since its revival in 1998 but there was talk of not revisiting it after a bruising series in 2006 although the series returned in 2008. Since then the number of Irish players, male and female, playing Aussie Rules has soared.

Last weekend, seven Irish play-

ers will line out for their AFL clubs: Conor Nash and Conor Glass (Hawthorn), Conor McKenna (Essendon), Colin O’Riordan (Sydney Swans), Mark O’Connor and Zach Tuohy (Geelong) and Pearce Hanley (God Coast Suns).

Meanwhile the apparent financial failure of the Wild Geese Trophy event in Sydney last November appears to have influenced the decision to put that concept on the back burner.

The inaugural Wild Geese trophy match took place at Spotless Stadium, Sydney last November as part of the Sydney Irish Festival.

Then reigning All-Ireland champions Galway came back from 14 points down to draw the match with league winners Kilkenny and claimed victory in a 65 yard free-taking contest.

The Wild Geese trophy match was enjoyed by fans in Sydney but the hurling was supposed to be a feature of a two-day Sydney Irish Festival that should have also boasted music from Damien Dempsey, Mary Black, Lunasa and Saint Sister.

However just five days before the event, it was announced there would be no music stars and the festival was cut to one day. The debacle fed into a legal case being brought against the GAA by cider brand Bulmers (Magners in Australia). Many took to social media and other outlets to complain about the poor organisation of the event, late notice, queues at bars and lack of children’s entertainment.

Although the Wild Geese Trophy was a long-term proposition, it is understood to have been loss-making prompting the GAA to look at the impact it had on other fixtures.

“The GAA president has also established a fixture review committee to examine the association’s various competition structures,” Milton said. “In that context it was deemed prudent not to proceed with the Wild Geese competition this year but the staging of competitions such as this will form part of that review process.”

Pearce Hanley of Ireland and Jobe Watson of Australia in action during the 2014 International Rules series in Perth.

Rugby :: Champions Cup 2019/20

All four provinces look ahead to Champions Cup after draw revealed THE Champions Cup draw for the pool stages was made last week as all four Irish provinces learned their fates for the upcoming season.

Leinster were made a top seed for the draw after winning the Pro14 and were rewarded with a place in Pool 1 made up of French side Lyon, resurgent Italians Benetton and a re-match of the 2011 European Cup final with Northampton.

Munster and Ulster were both second seeds for the Champions Cup

draw and they were both left with giants of the European game.

Munster have been drawn into the group of death in Pool 4 where they will face defending champions Saracens, 2018 finalists Racing 92 and the Ospreys. As for Ulster, they face a stern test themselves with two English sides in Harlequins and Bath as well as Top 14 runners-up Clermont Auvergne joining them in Pool 3.

Connacht’s return to the top tier of European rugby for the first time

since the 2016/17 season has seen them pitted against French champions Toulouse, English club Gloucester and Top 14 side Montpellier in Pool 5.

In the other pool at this year’s tournament, Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle side will face runners-up of the English Premiership Exeter Chiefs, Pro14 runners-up Glasgow and a second English team in Sale Sharks.

With the Rugby World Cup taking place this autumn, the Champions Cup will kick off later than usual with the first round of fixtures taking place on the weekend beginning on Friday, November 15. Teams will return a week later to play their second games, with

rounds three and four taking place on the weekends beginning December 6 and December 13 respectively. The pool stages will then wrap up in January, with round five starting on January 10th and the final games of the group stages on the weekend of January 17.

There will then be a break until the weekend beginning Friday, April 3 for the quarter-finals with the semi-finals a month later on May 2 and 3. The final, which will take place in Marseille, will then be played on Saturday May 23.

irishecho.com.au

July, 2019 | 49

THE IRISH ECHO

OZ LABOUR SOLUTIONS CONNECTING JOB SEEKERS WITH THE BEST CONSTRUCTION JOBS IN AUSTRALIA

Who we are Oz Labour Solutions is a specialist recruitment agency that provides labour hire, 360 recruitment services and contracting to the construction industry in Australia. We place white collar and blue collar candidates to the civil, residential, commercial and events sectors. We take great pride in our recruitment process to ensure our candidates are highly skilled and of the best quality in the market. We make sure that our candidates are continuously trained and upskilled to the highest standards to ensure they meet the requirements.

At Oz Labour Solutions, our client base ranges from large construction companies to medium sized builders and subcontractors right down to sole traders. Each client is valued as much as the other, receiving the same personal and professional service through assignment to a specialised individual within our team to cater to their needs. We understand that each of our clients has different needs.

We excel in managing our client’s expectations and delivering the catered service that they require.

Ph: 0417 364 455 Email: patrick@ozlaboursolutions.com

ozlaboursolutions.com

50 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

SPORT

European Games

Boxing gold for Kurt Walker BOXER Kurt Walker hailed the “best moment” in his life last weekend as he secured boxing gold for Ireland at the European Games 2019 in Minsk after a classy win over former world bronze medallist Mykola Butsenko.

Walker produced a composed performance to comprehensively beat his experienced opponent with a 5-0 unanimous verdict on the judges’ cards. The Lisburn fighter’s win capped off a strong Irish boxing campaign with silver medals for Kellie Harrington and Michaela Walsh, plus three bronzes to take the country’s tally to six.

Walker, who had shocked reigning bantamweight champion Peter McGrail in the semi-finals, repeated the feat with a unanimous decision win over Ukraine’s Butsenko.

The Antrim man was on form from the off, landing some hard, clean punches from early on and managing to keep his composure in the face of some pressure from the Ukrainian.

He continued to dominate as the rounds ticked on, and stormed home to an unforgettable unanimous decision. Having been clearly beaten by Butsenko in the European Championships two years ago, Walker saw the weekend victory as a vindication of his

personal development.

“It just shows how much I’ve grown as a boxer and as a man in the last two years,” he said. “It’s absolutely unbelievable. I actually can’t describe how good I feel. The game plan, everything was perfect. I want to thank the coaches, the backroom staff, everyone for it.

It’s the best moment in my life, 100 per cent, by a mile,” he added.

“He [Butsenko] was very tough, he’s been about. This was his third European final, so he’s very experienced and he kept coming and coming, so I’m just glad I was able to fight through it.”

Earlier, 60kg finalist Kellie Harrington was forced to withdraw from her fight due to injury.

Harrington sustained a hand

injury in the semi-final bout with Agnes Alexiusson from Sweden and was subsequently deemed unfit to box.

Every attempt was made by the medical staff to manage the injury to her right thumb to give the Dubliner an opportunity to compete, but the decision was later made that she would be withdrawn.

“I’m disappointed to not be competing, but I understand that there’s a bigger picture to be taken into account,” she said.

“It would be too much of a risk to go in there and have another setback.

I totally respect the advice of the medical staff and the decision of the performance director.

“I’m looking forward to getting home, recovering and getting back at it as soon as possible. We came out here having had a fantastic training camp and were excited about testing ourselves against the best in Europe blocks, and we did that.”

“It’s been a fantastic competition for the Irish boxing team and I’m going to continue to trust the team that’s supporting me,” Harrington added.

Earlier, the Belfast boxer Michaela Walsh was beaten on points

by Sanimira Petrova of Bulgaria in the women’s featherweight final.

European Games champ Kurt Walker and (left) silver medallist Kellie Harrington.

CLMU Positions Vacant:

• Excavator Operators • M Series Grader Operators • Compactor Operators • Dozer Operators • Experienced Stormwater/ Sewer Pipe Layers Please apply to: admin@clmu.com.au

www.clmu.com.au

irishecho.com.au

THE IRISH ECHO

FIREDAM CIVIL P/L

July, 2019 | 51

FIREDAM CIVIL P/L

Tune in Every Saturday from 8-11am.

Congratulations to the Irish Echo on its 30th anniversary.

Firedam Civil P/L would like to congratulate the Irish Echo on reaching 30 years.

Happy 30th Anniversary Irish Echo, and good luck for the future.

PHONE: 0418 292 384

Visit us at www.irelandcallingradio.com.au

Congratulations to Billy and the team onCongratulations celebrating 30 years from to all Billy and the staff at Wrapaway. the team

on celebrating 30 years

from all the staff at Wrapaway.

www.firedamcivil.com.au PHONE: 0418 292 384

Dwww.firedamcivil.com.au & M Excavations and Asphalting Pty Ltd ASPHALT SPECIALISTS • ALL AREAS • ALL APPLICATIONS Some of our clients include various NSW Councils, Builders, NSW Health Departments, Sydney Trains, NSW RMS, Public and Private Schools and Ausgrid.

• Street Print • Decorative & Coloured Asphalt • Potholes to Major Repairs • Hand & Machine Laid Asphalt • Car Parks & Roads • Speed Humps & Trenches

PO Box 133, South Hurstville NSW 2222

Phone: 9759 1642

Email: admin@dmasphalting.com.au

• Asphalt Profiling • School grounds • Road Base • Kerb & gutter • Two Coat Seal • Excavations

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE IRISH ECHO ON YOUR 30TH BIRTHDAY

www.asphaltingdm.com.au

52 | July, 2019

IN BRIEF

O’Neill’s stint at Forest cut short MARTIN O’Neill has parted company with Nottingham Forest a little more than five months after he was installed as manager. He has been replaced

by Frenchman Sabri Lamouchi. The 67-year-old, a member of Brian Clough’s double European Cup-winning squad, was in charge at the City Ground for just 19 games, of which he won eight and drew three.

O’Neill, who made 371 appearances and scored 62 goals for Forest during a 10-year stay, was appointed as Aitor Karanka’s successor by owner Evangelos Marinakis in January with the club sitting in ninth place in the table and four points off the play-off places.

They finished the campaign in the same position, but eight points adrift of rivals Derby in the final play-off spot.

A club statement said: “Nottingham Forest can confirm that manager Martin O’Neill has left the club. The club would like to thank Martin for all his efforts during his time at the City Ground and wish him well for the future.”

The latest developments come just days after assistant Roy Keane, who followed O’Neill to the City Ground following the end of their five-year stint with the Republic of Ireland in November last year, left the club to pursue his ambition of returning to management in his own right.

Robie Keane joins the team at ’Boro ROBBIE Keane wants smiles on the faces of Middlesbrough’s players next season but he has warned them they will be told if their work is not up to scratch. The former Republic of Ireland skipper was drafted into new head coach Jonathan Woodgate’s staff last week. The 38-year-old is confident the energy he, Woodgate and fellow coaches Leo Percovich and Danny Coyne will bring to their task will enthuse the players at their disposal, but has reiterated Woodgate’s insistence that high standards will be expected.

Keane, who will combine his job at Boro with a similar role working alongside Ireland boss Mick McCarthy, told the club’s official website, www.mfc. co.uk: “Our job as coaches, we want the players coming in and enjoying themselves.

“You’ll certainly get that from us; the positive energy on the training pitch and around the place.”

Irish cousins saddle up for another Tour COUSINS Dan Martin and Nicolas Roche will fly the flag for Ireland in this year’s Tour De France.

Martin, riding for Team Emirates, will ride in his seventh Tour.

The nephew of 1987 Tour winner Stephen Roche has finished in the top 10 on the Tour in each of the last three editions despite suffering two broken vertebrae on stage nine in 2017.

Roche’s best individual results in a Grand Tour have come in La Vuelta, where he was fifth in 2013.

irishecho.com.au

SPORT

Rugby :: New Australian coach for Munster

Australian rugby superstar Stephen Larkham has been named as Munster’s new head coach.

Larkham for Munster MUNSTER and the IRFU have confirmed that former Wallaby assistant Stephen Larkham will join the province as senior coach ahead of the 2019/20 season.

Larkham has signed with the province until June 2022, subject to obtaining a work permit, having spent the last four years working for Rugby Australia.

Commenting on the appointment, Munster’s acting CEO Philip Quinn said: “We are very pleased to add Stephen to our coaching team and look forward to welcoming him to the province in August. Stephen’s values are very closely aligned with those

of Munster and huge credit must go to the Professional Game Board and Johann [van Graan] for their work in bringing him to the province.

“Stephen is a very successful coach who had offers from other clubs, so we are delighted that he has decided to join Munster. We now have a four-man coaching team, with head coach Johann van Graan supported by senior coach Stephen, forwards coach Graham Rowntree and defence coach JP Ferreira. It has been our intention to recruit one more member for our coaching ticket and we will evaluate our needs prior to progressing with that process.”

Munster’s coaching reshuffle was accelerated by the departures of Jerry Flannery and Felix Jones at the end of the season. Speaking about his move to Munster, Larkham issued a statement saying: “I’m very excited and honoured to be joining. A big part of my decision lies in the values of the club and the importance they place on community. I have come from a very similar environment and know how effective and enjoyable that can be.

“I have had a number of conversations with Johann and I’m very excited to be working with him, as our views on rugby are very similar.

“I’m also looking forward to meet-

ing and working with not only the other coaches in Graham and JP but also the very talented group of players that Munster have.”

Larkham’s coaching career began at the Brumbies in 2011 with the former Australia international elevated to the head coach role at the Super Rugby side within three years.

He was apoointed Wallabies attack coach on a part-time basis in 2015, a role he combined with his head coach duties at the Brumbies. He held this role as Australia reached the Rugby World Cup final in 2015 and departed the Brumbies in 2017 to work full-time for Rugby Australia.

Rugby :: Former English full-back joins Irish coaching set-up

Mike Catt to join Ireland after World Cup IRELAND have confirmed Mike Catt’s appointment as attack coach after the autumn’s World Cup, on a contract to run until 2023.

Current Italy coach Catt will trade the Azzurri for Ireland after the showpiece event in Japan as the final piece of the back-room jigsaw under Andy Farrell.

Catt will be reunited with former England coaching colleague Farrell, who will take over from Joe Schmidt as Ireland head coach.

“Mike brings a wealth of experience to the coaching group and has been operating at the highest level of the international game for some time,” said Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU)

performance director David Nucifora.

“He was a smart and innovative player, and he brings those attributes and much more besides in his approach to coaching and player development.

“We feel that we have secured a talented practitioner who will add significant value to the group and to the wider Irish system.”

Catt’s addition will complete Farrell’s backroom staff, with John Fogarty coming on board as scrum coach.

Simon Easterby and Richie Murphy will continue as forwards specialist and kicking and skills coach respectively “I am looking forward to the Rugby World Cup in Japan and seeing the

group of players we have here in Italy fulfil their potential and achieve the objectives we have set for ourselves,” said Catt. “Obviously, it is an honour to be given this future opportunity with Ireland but I will focus on that challenge only after I have given my all for Italy and this group of players.”

Outgoing boss Schmidt will hope to steer Ireland past the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in Japan before returning to his native New Zealand. Former schoolteacher Schmidt will take a break to spend time with family following the World Cup but will command another top-level post as, and when, he is ready.

irishecho.com.au

July, 2019 | 53

THE IRISH ECHO

Worldwide Auctioneers of Construction & Agricultural Equipment

Unused Komatsu WA380Z-6

2003 Manitou BT420

2010 Volvo BL71

Unused Barford W5032 Wheeled Stockpile Conveyor - choice

Unused Mustang RH20 Rotating Pulveriser to suit 18-45 Ton Excavator

Unused Mustang HM1000 Hydraulic Breaker to suit 9-16 Ton Excavator

2007 CAT CS573E

Unused Atlas Copco LUY050-7 180CFM Single Axle Compressor - choice

Unused WEITAI TT404

Unused 40’ HC Container - choice

BRISBANE ONLINE AUCTION Bidding Closes 25th July

Access a global audience like no other, consign today: Craig Hart +61 417 927 337 Paul Langan +61 4887 45816

Paul Haynes +61 429 534 493

Brisbane Office +61 73607 4800 161 Sandmere Road, Pinkenba, Brisbane, QLD 4008

www.euroauctions.com

54 | July, 2019

irishecho.com.au

SPORT

Gaelic Football :: Provincial winners decided

Merciless Dubs march on DAVID HENNESSY

DUBLIN remain on track for their fifth consecutive All Ireland Senior Football title after cruising through their provincial decider against old enemies Meath at Croke Park.

Kerry also held onto their provincial football crown while there were new champions in Connacht.

Dublin had to come through a tough semi-final with Kildare where they needed a strong second half before they could eventually steam 15 points clear with Cormac Costello and Paul Mannion in devastating form.

Meath were their provincial final opponents after Bryan Menton was the star in their 11-point win over Laois. Although Dublin would take their ninth Leinster championship in a row, they would find Meath tough to break down, needing Con O’Callaghan’s second half goal to send them on their way to a 1-17 to 0-4 win.

Having stunned Mayo to make it to the provincial final, Roscommon staged a magnificent comeback against defending champions Galway.

Diarmuid Murtagh’s goal inspired them to their second Connacht championship in three years. Cork almost staged a major upset having been given little chance in their provincial final against Kerry.

It was the Kingdom that raced into an early lead, thanks to Tom O’Sullivan’s goal but it was Cork that would bulge the net three times. With only a point between the teams with 15 minutes to go, it was the more experienced Kerry who would see it out, although somewhat unconvincingly.

Donegal outclassed Cavan to retain the Ulster championship, Jamie Brennan’s 58th minute goal putting the match far beyond them.

Donegal had already taken care of last year’s beaten All-Ireland finalists, restricting Tyrone to few chances while exposing them defensively.

Cavan had earned their place in their first provincial final in 18 years with an excellent display in their replay against Armagh.

In the qualifiers, Mayo edgedArmagh while Tyrone were far too strong for Kildare. Clare beat Westmeath by a point while Laois downed Offaly.

John Small of Dublin and Cillian O’Sullivan of Meath in action during the Leinster GAA Football Senior Championship Final at Croke Park in Dublin. Picture: Daire Brennan/Sportsfile

Hurling

Wexford celebrate first Leinster title in 15 years

Players from the winning Wexford minor and senior teams celebrate after the Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Final against Kilkenny at Croke Park. Picture: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

WEXFORD surprised many by beating Kilkenny to their first Leinster title in 15 years, while All-Ireland champions Limerick silenced a rampant Tipperary side in the Munster final.

Mick Fanning’s penalty for Wexford was the difference in Davy Fitzgerald’s team’s 1-23 to 0-23 win over Kilkenny.

Wexford had started with draws with both Dublin and Galway, only recording their first win of the campaign against Carlow.

Their final defeat was Kilkenny’s second loss of the championship. Galway held out to beat the Cats in Nowlan Park by one point thanks to Johnny Coen’s late goal, the Cats’ first home championship defeat in 70 years.

All four big teams in Leinster went into the final round robin with it in their hands. It was Galway who would shockingly bow out. In a heroic display, Dublin beat the 2017 champions with goals by Eamonn

Dillon, Sean Moran and Chris Crummey.

Wexford’s Leinster championship win came after a Lee Chin free dramatically earned them a draw and a final berth against Brian Cody’s Cats.

Tipperary came through Munster’s round robin with a 100 per cent record but found themselves no match for Limerick’s intensity in the Munster final with goals by Peter Casey and Kyle Hayes taking the Treaty County to a 2-26 to 2-14 win.

Having started with a defeat to Cork, Limerick found their rhythm with two big wins over Waterford and Clare. However Tipperary edged the All-Ireland champions when the two teams first met in Thurles, thanks to Seamus Callanan’s goal early in the second half. Clare defeated Cork in the final round of games but it was not enough for the Banner men as Cork went on to a qualifier.

irishecho.com.au

THE IRISH ECHO

July, 2019 | 55

Get closer to what’s important.

A luxury country retreat with 4 star hotel, restaurant and spa halfway between Dublin and Belfast.

12 Ballintemple Road, Killeavy, County Armagh BT35 8LQ +44 (0) 28 3044 4888

www.killeavyCastle.com

Proudly built and restored by Abergeldie Complex Infrastructure

BUILDING BETTER COMMUNITIES FOR OVER 25 YEARS AUSTRALIA | NEW ZEALAND | IRELAND

www.abergeldie.com