I had a letter from my mother's cousin, Keith Walmsley, a few years back. I had asked him what he knew about our Irish forbears - my great great grandmother (who is Keith’s great grandmother) was Mary Hickson, who came out to Australia with her … Continue reading Coastguard
Two nailors of Derryquin
William Hickson and George Byrne I have known for some time that William Hickson (1832-1899) of Killorglin, who later migrated to America and then Australia, was a nailor. It says so clearly on his marriage certificate: While looking through some records for George Byrne (1860-1929), … Continue reading Two nailors of Derryquin
Dingle, the family seat
John Hickson, Notes of Travel, published 1893, page 41: From Valencia we returned along a road overlooking the sea through Killorglin, and regretting exceedingly that we could not remain and enjoy a day’s salmon fishing in the Laune, we went on to Tralee, the chief … Continue reading Dingle, the family seat
Killorglin – the Hickson’s Kerry home
John Hickson and his twenty year old daughter Alice visited Killorglin in 1893 on their world trip. John wrote in his account of that journey: The old town that in early days to my youthful imagination seemed a city, remains with little alteration, its fairs … Continue reading Killorglin – the Hickson’s Kerry home
Templenoe to the world
An unconquerable passion for the sea shaped the whole course of my early life. No wonder it was so. I was born by the ocean; on the shores of Kenmare Bay in the South of Ireland, not far from the beautiful lakes of Killarney, with … Continue reading Templenoe to the world
Forgotten tales 