Our Origins - the Family Histories of Craig Fullerton and Celine Amoyal
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Unknown Durnan
Patrick Durnan **
(ca. 1802-1875)
Anne Magrath **
(ca. 1811-1883)

Patrick Durnan **
(1840-1909)

 

Family Links

Spouses/Children:
1. Catherine Guiney **

Patrick Durnan **

  • Born: 1840, Fermanagh, Ireland
  • Christened: 21 Sep 1840, Kinawley, , Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
  • Marriage (1): Catherine Guiney ** on 30 Nov 1872 in Beechworth, Victoria, Australia
  • Died: 27 Dec 1909, Public Hospital, Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia at age 69
  • Buried: 27 Dec 1909, Narrandera Cemetery, Old R/C Section B, Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia

bullet   Cause of his death was Perforative Appendicitis/ General Peritonitis / abt 1 week.

bullet   Another name for Patrick was Patrick Durneen.

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bullet  General Notes:

He was named as Patrick DURNEEN on his Christening record. Witnesses were Thomas Drum and Anne Murphy.

Patrick and his brother James arrived as Unassisted Immigrants in Victoria Australia in August 1864 on the Royal Dane which departed Liverpool on the 7 May 1864. Patrick was listed as 21 years of age, James 17, and both were described as labourers. For some reason they delayed their departure - they were originally listed on the Shipping List for the Southern Empire, which left on the 15th April 1864, arriving in Australia in July 1864, but on the list their names are crossed out and there is a notation "not going".

"Mr P.J. Durnan settled at Grong Grong in the 1800s. His selection was on the road where Rex Evans now lives. He was a horse breeder, and broke horses for sale, around Grong Grong area and Federal Park area. Later on, when he married and had a family, young Pat carried on the farming and the interest in horses. He lived North West of Grong Grong, where Colin and Sue now live, and was a great organiser of the Rodeo in Narrandera for many Years." Source: "Grong Grong The Spirit of A Small Town" Grong Grong History Committee, 2003. p8
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"Some Kennedy land came from another Irish gold seeker, Patrick Durnan (1843-1909), who selected first on the Murray near Howlong, then in February 1882 next to the Kennedys. Possibly he dummied for them, for about 1887 he sold out to them and moved to Midgeon. In 1888 he selected a spring at Mount Chrystal, on Bolero, and later built a hotel, a dance hall and a race track which became local social centres." Source: "Narrandera Shire", Bill Gammage, 1986. p70.
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From Bygoo and Beyond, by Rob Webster:
Referring to Bolero Station (p.37): "The years 1866, 1867 and 1868 were very dry and 500 cattle were watered from a well 208 feet deep at the homestead by means of a cask and a whim-horse. Paddy Durnan, who later had Mt. Crystal Hotel and a selection there, said that there was a horse paddock fenced with post and rails as early as 1866. The boree country was all attractive open plain at that time."

(p118) Patrick Durnan was born in October 1873 on the Ovens River in Victoria. [nb this refers to Patrick Snrs son] He came with his people to Howlong in 1874 and then to Grong Grong in 1882. Later, Durnan Senior selected land on Midgeon Sation. In 1888 he selected land at Mt Crystal on Bolaro [sic] Station, which was then known as Murphy's Plain. His four sons Patrick Jnr., James, Florance and John were all teamsters and later took up land about Mt. Crystal. Young Paddy Durnan became a bullocky, driving as many as 26 bullocks and carting up to 16 tons of wheat to Grong Grong and Narrandera. It took three days a trip and he carried about five or six tons. Later he took up land and now [1956] has the site of the old Willows Hotel, which was the Bolero Inn."
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From a family reunion booklet of 1978 by Josie Durnan:
Patrick & Catherine "moved to the Ovens River District where their eldest son Patrick Jnr was born. They later went to Howlong for a period of six years before moving to Grong Grong and taking up land. They had a family of six sons and three daughters. Two sons and one daughter died in infancy.

They lived at Grong Grong until Patrick selected land on Midgeon Station and in 1888 they moved to Mt Crystal on the Bolora Station which was then know as Murphy's Plain. He built a house there and after it was burned down, built Mt Crystal Hotel. The Hotel was built by Jim Palmer and a man named Ewell. The Durnans conducted the hotel for a period of eight years, during which it became a Mecca for travellers as far away as Queensland and was a favoured stopping place for teamsters and as all travelling was done by buggy and gig it became a half-way house. There was a race track and dance hall. The race track layout may still be seen at "The Crystal". The Hotel was leased to a man named Clayton who let the licence expire.

In the meantime, Patrick took up land at Brobna which he called "Gumbarganah" where the family lived until it was resumed by the Government for the original Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area and they moved back to Mt Crystal and carried on farming there until Patrick Snr died in 1909 at the age of 68. Catherine lived on at Mt Crystal until her death in 1925, a short time after the birth of her first Great Grandchild, Kathleen.

Their sons were teamsters but later all took up land. Patrick Jnr owned "Fairlight", Florance "Sunnyside", James "Sussex", and "Glenmona", John "Mt Crystal" and "Carnsdale". All the properties later changed hands.

The two surviving daughters of Patrick and Catherine Durnan, Mary and Annie were well known throughout the District as skilled (and daring) horsewomen who rode side-saddle and deemed it easier to put a horse over a gate than "waste time" by opening it. Mary married Edmund Sullivan and Annie married Dick Barrat. These two grand old ladies are with us today. Mary at 96 and Annie at 91.

It is believed the Durnans were called MacDurnan in Ireland but the "Mac" was dropped by Patrick Snr on his arrival in Australia." (NB - this was not the case)
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bullet  Noted events in his life were:

• He emigrated to Victoria, Australia on 7 May 1864.

• He had a residence about 1870 in Beechworth, Victoria, Australia.

• He worked as a Cooper about 1870 in Beechworth, Victoria, Australia.

• He worked as a Brewer at the time of his marriage on 30 Nov 1872.

• He worked as a Farmer at the time of Mary Josephine's birth on 24 Aug 1881.

• He worked as a Farmer at the time of his death on 27 Dec 1909 in Narrandera,,New South Wales,Australia.


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Patrick married Catherine Guiney **, daughter of Timothy Florance Guiney ** and Mary McAuliffe **, on 30 Nov 1872 in Beechworth, Victoria, Australia. (Catherine Guiney ** was born in 1848 in Brosna, Kerry, Ireland, died on 5 Dec 1925 in Lewisham Private Hospital, Petersham, NSW, Australia and was buried on 7 Dec 1925 in Narrandera Cemetery, Old R/C Section B, Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia.). The cause of her death was Chronic Myocarditis Capillary (indefinite)/ Bronchitis (7 Days) / Syncope Cardiac Asthemia ( 1 day).


bullet  Marriage Notes:

The wedding was witnessed by (looks like) John Durnan, Patrick's brother. It was a Catholic ceremony - no church is mentioned.

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