For the Record



Aunt Agnes
on the back " Me on the Big Rock"

Aunt Agnes abt 1970's
on the back - "In the Pen"

I have learned a lot of new information for my Flynn Family History Blog from my second cousins Frank and Joe Flynn, and have also learned of a few adjustments I need to make, as well.

I will post the corrections here, so then, current followers will be aware of the changes, but I will also make the adjustments to the pertaining entries.

#1 - My reference to "Flynn's Hill" as the mountain behind my grandparents house in Lakeview Harbour Main is actually "Charlie's Mountain" named after an early settler, cousin Joe believes it was a Charlie Hynes of that area.  Behind the mountain to the west, there is also a pond called "Charlie's pond". "Flynn's Hill" is the land and the road that passes in front of my grandparents house, which continues up the hill in front of William Flynn's house. At one point, the Flynn property was probably much broader then we are aware of.

I remember Aunt Agnes telling me there was a fence they had to climb over when they went up the mountain, I remember this fence too. She said they would refer to it as going "In the Pen", I think this fence separated the land from the mountain, maybe a property line.

#2 - Joe and Frank also informed me that their grandfather Michael Flynn, my Great Uncle died on December 23rd 1916.  Their grandmother was Catherine Kent born on Bell Island, (not Catherine Sweeney as I had posted) She was referred to as "Kitty Kent" and her father was William Kent.

Joe states they do have a photo of Michael and Kitty from two separate occasions taken sometime before 1916, that can be added to Stephen Flynn Sr's family page.  I look forward to seeing the photos.




Aunt Agnes coming down the mountain and looking out over Third Pond.

                                                     Elaine

Ireland Beginnings

Blackwater River, Mallow, County Cork, Ireland
 

.In a recent conversation with my second cousin Joe Flynn, he shared with me that my grandfather, Stephen Flynn Jr., always said that his own grandfather Michael Flynn came from  Blackwater River, County Cork, Ireland, around the year 1822. This is the first time I have heard the exact location in Ireland as well as an estimated year the "The Four Flynn Brothers" arrived in Newfoundland.

 

 

The River Blackwater rises on the Cork/Kerry border. It flows in County Cork through the towns of Mallow and Fermony, then onto County Waterford through the towns of Ballyduf, Lismore and Cappoquin and finally enterd the sea of Youghal. [1]

 

Map of Ireland - Family Names
redrawn by Kirkham Studios, copyright holders, Johnston & Bacon

 

 

In this section of a Map of Ireland - Showing Locations of Family Names in County Cork, you can see the town of Mallow in the center of the map, then just lower and to the west you will see the O'Flynn family name.



 

This family story lead gives a direction for further research of the O'Flynn's from Southwestern County Cork, in Southwestern Ireland.

Off to the town of Mallow, Ireland!

Via the Internet, of course!

 

                                              Elaine

 

[1] http://www.blackwater.ie/ , Blackwater Valley

A Visit to the Mountain

Frank Flynn with his children Jessica, Keith and Kevin
sitting on "The Big Ball" on top of the mountain, Lakeview Harbour Main, NFLD
August 2012

When I visit home, I want to see the mountain.  Where as children, we followed brambled carpet paths through canopies of Alder, Spruce and Fir, then swiftly up the gently terraced face to pose beside the large erractic bolder, that makes the summit.  That trail was kept only by the unintended grooming of our traverse, but in memory, it was crafted by our ancestors and left as a grand inheritance.                                                                                             

 

The path is gone and the mountain looks down now like an unshaven old giant, who has sadly lost the hope of visitation.                   

 

By Frank Flynn

Frank Flynn, with son Keith and grandsons
Tyler and Ryley
August 2012

 

 

 

                                

It's Right There!

 

When I heard the story of "The Big Ball" at the top of the mountain from second cousins, Joe and Frank, I started looking for a photo of this large rock in my mother's collection.  I came across several that I thought could possible be the rock they were talking about. Cousin Joe and Frank were able to help me out. First Joe brought to my attention the photo I have posted a couple of times of his father William and 9 of his 13 children. He stated that his brother, Bill is on is father's right shoulder, then instructing me to follow straight up from his father's right shoulder to the horizon, and it's right there!, "The Big Ball" that goes with the story about Daniel Dunlea. I had a picture of it all this time and didn't know it.

 

Do you see it?

Then, Cousin Frank, had his son Keith and his wife Jen send me some photos from their recent visit home in August 2012, they had made the trip up the mountain and took several photos by the "The Big Ball".  I will post those in my next entry.

                                            Elaine

The "Big Ball" on Top of the Mountain

The mountain behind my grandparents house in Lakeview Harbour Main, was often the focus of our visit. Curiosity and excitement in hearing stories about the mountain intrigued us as children. Questions about climbing the mountain would always find their way into the conversation, especially on our way there. The mountain served as a backyard and playground for my mother as a child, for her father and his father before him.

Recently, I had the extreme pleasure of hearing two very similar stories about the mountain from my second cousins, Joe and Frank (Two of William Flynn's children, #10 and #13) who grew up on the mountain.

First, Joe informs me that at the very top of the mountain there is a large rock that is very distinct, it is round and shaped like a large ball, they called it "The Big Ball". He says that, " It looked as if someone but it there on purpose".  he shares that when they were young,  they would ask their father, "How did that rock get there?" his father would say, "Daniel Dunlea put it there!".  Now climbing the mountain was always an adventure for us as occasional visitors, but for my 2nd cousins it was part of their daily romp.  Cousin Frank explained when they were young, they could get from the base of the mountain to the very top, in about 5 minutes. But now the path is so overgrown it would be quite a challenge.


William A. Flynn "Uncle Bill"
photo taken July 1987 age 76 yrs.

Frank, adds that his father would say, "Daniel Dunlea carried it up there on his back to use as a landmark for finding his way home". To Frank, it sounded like a good explanation at the time and he was happy to boast this information to his friends.  He then goes on to say, the bolder weighed at least 10 tons and that he over-estimated Daniel's strength and under-estimated his father's sense of humor.  He shares fondly, that his father was a great story teller with a remarkable memory for prose. He had a impressive repertoire of stories and recitations and even into his eighties he regaled them with ones that they had not heard before.


Well, Joe and Frank, I had never heard this story before and I am sure there are many others for me to hear. But this story of our 3rd Great Grandfather, Daniel Dunlea and "The Big Ball" should definitely be passed down and I think your father would agree! 

                 
                                     Thank You,


                                                           Elaine