Mullingar Station is situated 15 minutes from the town of Pooncarie in NSW, Australia. The Darling River runs through the station.
Patrick Curran (my paternal great grandfather) was granted the lease of the land that he called Mullingar on 7 December, 1910. He paid a deposit of four pounds, ten schillings. His assets at that time were 670 pounds, 5 horses, and 2 cows.
Patrick and his wife, Isabella Herbert, their family and belongings were moved here by paddle steamer. They camped in a clump of trees by the river till they could build a house there.
Their house was constructed from timber and corrugated iron. It consisted of a living room and bedrooms, a kitchen and dining room.
Source: Gordon Curran, in The Family History of Michael Curran 1836-1997.
Photo: Greg Curran 2009Photo: Greg Curran 2009Out front of house – Mullingar. Photo: Greg Curran 2009
Original buildings at Mullingar Station (2009)
Grandma Kelleen Curran (nee Cullinan) had her wedding reception here. Photo: Greg Curran 2009Photo: Greg Curran, 2009Photo: Greg Curran, 2009
Pooncarie, or Pooncaira as it was originally gazetted, (meaning large sandhill in the Barkindji language) is a very small town in south west, New South Wales, Australia.
The Barkindji people lived in the area for around 40 000 years, prior to the arrival of white people.
Established in 1840 through illegal grazing runs, Pooncarie gained prominence as a paddle steamer port to take workers and provisions to sheep stations, and wool bales to markets in the south It came to be known as ‘The Port’ by locals.
Explorers Burke and Wills passed through the area in 1860 in their south to north expedition across Australia.
There are a number of sheep properties in the Pooncarie region.
1915: Michael Cullinan is fined and given good behaviour bond for 6 months for using “threatening language in a public place” at a landsale at Endfield near Pooncarie. His appeal on the basis that it wasn’t a public place was dismissed with costs of 10 pounds, 10 schillings costs.
Source: Richmond River Herald – Northern District Advertiser, 10 December 1915
Michael Curran is my 2nd great grandfather (paternal side). He is the father of my great grandfather, Patrick Curran.
Michael’s date of birth in 1881 is unknown.
He married Anne Doyle on 16 August, 1857 in the parish of Delvin (Meath Diocese in County Westmeath) Ireland. The first witness was John King and the second witness was Cathleen Nolan.
They lived in Ballagh, County Westmeath where he worked as a shepherd for Mrs Cleary. They raised five children, Mary Byrnes (1858/1859? – ?), Michael Curran (1860-1943), Anne Dalton (1863 – ?), Patrick (1865-1954) and John Curran (1867 – ?).
Ballagh, near Mullingar
On June 27, 1881 Michael was with friends at the house of Mary McKeon, an aunt of one of his friends on Delvin Road, Rathconnell. On leaving the house he was attacked by Patrick Daly – with a pitchfork, a spade, and a knife. Daly stabbed him 20 times and Michael died the next day. He was 45 years old.
Delvin Road, Rathconnell
Michael is believed to be buried in Rathconnell cemetery, Ireland.
Information Source: Curran, D. The Family History of Michael Curran 1836-1997.
