Tracing my Irish ancestors back to Caherconlish, County Limerick, I discovered at least two generations of ancestors from this area. There was Michael Scanlan, who was my 2nd great grandfather, who was born there to his parents Cornelius Scanlan and Bridget Sullivan, in 1836. Michael migrated to Australia at the age of 24 where he settled in a country town called Cobden in the state of Victoria. He was one of three generations of Irish-Australians who became dairy farmers in Cobden. In 1870, Michael married into a family with mixed heritage - English and Irish - with his wife Mary Ann Spall (her mother was Irish-born), and together they had 8 children, including my great grandfather, Patrick James Scanlan.
Though Michael was born in Ireland, he lived for 63 years as part of his dairy farming family in Australia. I have read that he was an innovative farmer and that he also ran a butter factory. Michael died, aged 87, in 1922.
Now, I'm hoping to find out more about his early life in Caherconlish. I'm extremely proud to find that I have such strong roots in Ireland, and look forward to finding out more about the area as it was, and is today.
