The blood of ages raced through our travel weary bones as my son Donal Power and I stood that proud moment on the land
our ancestors last inhabited before famine drove them to emigrate to Canada, in
the community known to them as Knockbawn, near present day Middletown, in Tynan
Parish, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Our rallying cry to come home was finally
realized--Ireland, the land of our belonging.
Less than 20 miles to the South, farming in County Monaghan according to the 1820 Tithe Applotment records were a Bryan and James
McCarron--likely the father and brother of my great great grandfather, Robert
McCarron. Bryan and James McCarron lived in the village called Errigal Trough, Derrylea Beg while Robert and family emigrated to Prince Edward Island, Canada
in early 1830's.
There appears to be an even earlier generation of
McCarrons than my old Robert's generation, but they remained in Ireland where some of their descendants
still live in the town of Monaghan and area. A Halifax cousin, while
subsequently vacationing in Ireland was taken to the McCarron land in Monaghan
town by Willie McKenna (a member of the Fort Augustus, Prince Edward
Island exchange group and former counselor of Monaghan town). Thanks to Willie's
able assistance and the memories of Willie’s mother who recalled those early
McCarrons in her neighborhood from decades before.
Another thank you goes out to my son Donal Power for sharing this eventful journey to our roots--more fantasy than a dream--never to be forgotten.
Finding this much about our Irish origins and actually standing on the land they left has been one of the highlights of my life and only wish my mother had lived to join us.
This labour of love on my early Irish origins of the McCarrons is available for all future McCarron researchers in the
family folders in the Archives in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
Abundant questions remain unanswered in attempting to document Robert and
Mary McCarron's dates and the birthplaces of their children, apart from the two Baptism documents for their Owen and James prior to departure from
Co. Armagh. All queries, additions, corrections or comments, including all beefs and bouquets are appreciated.
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