Hugh Gahan's birth is recorded in the parish
register of Rathoe and Ballon on 20th March 1794, the son
of James and Catherine Gahan of that parish.
He was tried under the name of Geehan at the Lenten
Assizes in 1819 and sentenced to transportation of 7
years for sheep stealing. Sixteen other Carlowmen were
convicted at the same session.
He
arrived in Sydney Harbour in the "Minerva",
and was put on a road gang to build the first
Highway out of Sydney to the newly discovered Blue
Mountains. After some time he became a foreman to a
wealthy settler, and later became a small landholder in
the Hawkesbury Region which became the food bowl of Sydney.
He married a convict from Limerick and had seven children.
His widow lived until she was 91. He died at the
age of 51. The name Hugh has featured in every
generation, down to his GGGG grandchildren.
He
has an impressive headstone in the Windsor Catholic
Cemetery . Some years ago I visited Carlow and took a
photograph of the Court House in which he was tried.
It was a moving experience.
This piece was kindly provided by
Cecily
Ryan