Walk of the Ancestors to honour Fenian story
THE recent death in Levin, New Zealand, occurred of Paddy Curran, originally of Cahirsiveen, who was almost 94 and who originally lived where Quinlan’s Fish shop is currently located.
Paddy Curran and Maurice Keating, also of Cahirsiveen, were mackerel fishing in the Naomh Seán boat in 1943 when the vessel got into difficulties about five miles west of Valentia. A Spanish trawler alerted the Valentia Lifeboat to their plight and they were rescued.
Coincidentally, Paddy Curran and Maurice Keating were grand-nephews of the Fenian John Golden, whose memory will be honoured in a big way later this month.
John Golden will, in association with the 150th anniversary of the Fenian Rising, be commemorated in his native Kells at a Walk of the Ancestors weekend series of events there from Friday, April 21, to Sunday, April 23. The theme is the Fenian story in Kells and South Kerry.
One of the most notable events that took place was the successful taking of Kells Coastguard Station. John Golden was a prominent Fenian and also very much involved in the Kells Coastguard event and was subsequently convicted of Treason and transported to Australia. He was eventually pardoned, settled in New South Wales and raised a family there. He is laid to rest in Gerringong Cemetery, New South Wales..
Anne Golden, daughter of Patrick (a grand nephew of John Golden) and Mary Golden of Cuascroum, Over-The-Water, is a Fremantle based archaeologist and together with Australia’s Glenn McDonald, composed the song From Kells to Gerringong in Golden’s honour.
The 150th Fenian anniversary in Kells will be a huge occasion in Iveragh with many local family members of varying generations in the area coming together to honour their illustrious ancestor. It is thought that John Golden’s mother was Mary (Hurrig) O’Neill from Valentia
Footnote: The Robinson family will come from Australia to honour their ancestor.When John Golden died his wife Eileen Feehan was left with seven children. The wife of an Australian named Christopher Robinson also died leaving his family with eight children.Eileen Feehan and Christopher Robinson subsequently married.