Austin Corcorans Story
Corcoran Family Motto - In Fide Et In Bello Fortes - Firm in Faith, Strong in War
Hello! My name is Austin Corcoran. I am a second generation Australian from Irish/German descent. I would like to tell you about my Irish heritage. I am of Irish descent on my fathers side. Maybe I should go back in time and give you some information of how I came to be called Austin Corcoran. You have probably read in past editions of the Ballindine Post who my ancestors are. However let me give you a brief background of myself.
My great, great grandfather Thomas Corcoran married an OSullivan (first name unknown), who had a son called Thomas, my great grandfather. My other great, great grandfather (my namesake) Austin Grehan married a Rafferty and they had a daughter called Letitia, my great grandmother, who married Thomas Corcoran. Out of that marriage there issued ten children, five boys and five girls. Although a great deal is known about Thomas, very little is known about Letitia Grehans side of the family. The children were Mary 1842-1934, John 1844-1928, Bernard 1849-1925, Austin 1850-1917, Thomas 1852-1935, *Michael 1859-1935, Annie ? - 1893, Bridget ? - 1929, Catherine ? - ?, Letitia ? - ?,
*Michael was a member of The Royal Irish Constabulary (mounted) for six years and six months. He had been educated by his father at Ballindine National School, Co. Mayo. We have on record that he took six subjects, reading, spelling, writing, arithmetic, geography, and one unknown subject, most likely religion, and that he passed all of these subjects on 24/6/1876. All this happened before he came out to Australia on "The Crown of Arragon" of 1486 tons, with his wife and young baby Peter.
Michaels wife was a Miss Margaret Harriet Morris. Little is known of the Morriss side of the family. Her mother was a Harriet Murphy (from Dublin I think), her father was a Shire Clerk in Cavan, Co. Cavan, Ireland. Maggie did have brothers and sisters who are on record in the Cavan Genealogical Society. Although there is mention of other Morriss in my family tree, they, by some strange quirk, are not related.
"The Crown of Arragon" left Glasgow, Scotland on 18th April, 1884 arriving in Brisbane, Queensland (Qld), Australia in July 1884. Among the 380 odd Irish immigrants, the birth rate equalled the death rate - 20. The records show that they were (free payers) assisted passage. They travelled with their first born son, Peter, who was born in Wesley Street Hospital, Cavan, Co. Cavan, Ireland on 27th March, 1883. Peter died 16th March 1983, eleven days before his 100th birthday.
Michael was inducted into the Queensland Police Force as a Mounted Policeman on 1st May 1885, aged 27, serving at Veresdale, Qld (near Beaudesert, Qld.,) 1885; Beaudesert, Qld., 1886; Brisbane Depot, Qld., 1887; Clermont, Qld., 1888; North Rockhampton Qld., 1889. It was then he resigned (under enigmatic circumstances) to move further out west to many western Queensland small towns working on the railway line. It was while he was stationed in Veresdale, Qld., that my father was born 21st August, 1886. My father, also named Austin, was the third child of a family of twelve, Peter 1883-1983; Letitia 1885- ?; Austin 1886-1967; Bernard (Pte. #1624) 1889-France 1917; Ann about 1890 - ?; Thomas (Pte #4389) 1893-France 1916; Catherine 1896 - ?; Margaret 1898 - ?; Mary 1901 - ?; Bridget 1904-1995 (the last surviving child of the family to pass away, this happened while I was in Ireland, how appropriate); Morris 1906-1980; Jane ? - ?. I have heard that there were three unborn or infant deaths as well.
As you can see, my name (of which I am proud) comes down through my father, from my great, great grandfather Austin Grehan. My father was a race horse trainer all his life. He had a reputation as a very good trainer of horses and could make a horse ready for race day in six weeks from paddock to track. He trained by looking at the condition of the horse and by intuition. I remember two photos that hung in our dining room, both of a horse named Sipilly, a mare winning the two major races of the day, Friday and Saturday in Rockampton Qld., in July 1936 (I was born 18th August, 1936). Not only did the horse win on both days, she broke the course record on each occasion.
On one occasion Dad took a horse to Bedourie, Qld., a place far into the Great Sandy Desert. He had to walk and lead the horses he was taking. As he progressed along, he noticed that he was being followed by an Aborigine who shadowed Dads every move. This made my Dad nervous. He noticed the Aborigine some times to his left and to his right. This curious to-ing and fro-ing worried Dad who was sure he was in danger. It was not until he caught sight of the Aborigine always going to his rear after he finished his smoke that he soon realised that he was picking up Dads expended cigarettes. Dad made overtures to the Aborigine. He then put some of his tobacco out and drew attention to the fact he was going to leave some tobacco for him. After he picked up the tobacco Dad never saw him again.
To say Michael Tully of Galway looks like my father would be an understatement. If you were to see them side by side you would think they were brothers not cousins. Just as my Dad was involved with horses, so was Michael, which begs the question does the love of horses by the Irish just imitate a progression to that pursuit or does it go deeper into our genes perhaps? What a shame my father and Michael never knew or met each other. Michael was a famous jockey in Ireland and overseas. My father was well known in racing circles in Australia, just as Michael is in Ireland. As well as training, he rode all of his charges, that was until a horse kicked off his kneecap in the early 1930s.
My dad met my mother when he was living in Winton, Qld. My mother, who is of Irish/German descent, was living with her mothers sister Bertha Dooley nee Arps. This was caused by the death of my grandmother Sophia Thomas nee Arps who gave birth to a son in Stonehenge, Qld., They both died from inflammation of the lungs in 1899. Her stepmother Amelia Thomas used to ill-treat my mothers brother (George Pte # 1745 3/5/1895 - France 16/11/1916) and my mother by not giving them meals at night and sending them to bed. Mum (14/2/1898 - 31/8/1974) could never understand why. Grandma Dooley heard of this problem and took both the children from Longreach, Qld., to Winton, Qld., to look after and raise.
My mother and father married in Winton, Qld., 4th May, 1918. From that marriage there are four children, Jean Philipson 1919 -, Morris 1920-1974, Alban 1925 -, Austin (self) 1936 -. I married in 1959 and have four children, Marguerite 1960 -, Leonie 1962 -, Robert 1964 -, Jacquiline 1972 -. I am now a great grandfather three times through my daughter Marguerite. My father, Austin Corcoran, was 66 when I turned 14. He was suffering from angina and he could no longer work. I left school then and entered the Post-Office on Monday 23/4/1951 and there I worked for forty years until my retirement in 1991. I have been retired since then, yet I now do a goundsmans job at St. Josephs Catholic Primary School eleven hours per week and three hours at St. Josephs parish. I have been under contract to the school and parish since January, 1995.
As you can no doubt read between the lines I am proud of my Irish background. I visited Dr. Evelyn and Michael Tully in Galway and Mary, Andrew and Vanessa Doran in Shankill, Dublin in July 1995.
My earnest hope and fervent prayer is to return to Ireland and once again drink in the Irish atmosphere. If I could afford it I would like to live twelve months in Australia and twelve months in Ireland. Although I started out researching my family tree in 1993, it is with much love and affection I thank God for his providing hand in allowing me through the P.P. Fr. Des Fahey at St. Josephs, Ballindine to get in touch with Dr. Evelyn Tully of Galway and her wonderful knowledge of the Corcoran family history and more. It was she who filled in a lot of the missing pieces to my roots. It was Evelyn who put me in touch with Mary Doran of Shankill, Dublin, and Evelyn, when we visited Ireland, who helped me greatly and fired me on to further endeavours. Much appreciation is owed to Mary, who sits doggedly at the research with the satisfaction of finding more and more information. It was also Evelyn who directed my attention to North America and on to Ed Shields. Eds grandmother, Bridget Corcoran Morris, was one of the daughters of Thomas and Letitia Grehan Corcoran. Tracing my ancestors for my part has been a wonderful and enlightening experience and sojourn into my past.
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