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
                          

Mention of Daniel Dunlea

Conception Bay, Newfoundland ( Fishing Rooms - Plantations)
http://www.the rooms.ca/ic_sites/fisheries/imag

The story of my 3rd Great Grandfather Daniel Dunlea, a young man from Ireland coming to a new land with hope of a better life for his family, has been passed down through generations as part of the Flynn Family History, without any official documentation to prove it is correct. My Grandfather's notes, are about the only written word available. No records have been found to date, recording his existence, his travel or even his death.

In a recent telephone conversation with my 2nd cousin, Joe Flynn, he shared with me, that he had found a reference to land occupied by Daniel Dunlea. Searching the Newfoundland Grand Banks Genealogy Site, Daniel Dunlay appears in a file of Miscellaneous Deeds and Wills of Patrick Corbit and William Danson. This Indenture dated, "the fourteenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty five." Patrick Corbit of Harbour Main, Conception Bay Newfoundland was a Planter and William Danson of Harbour Grace Newfoundland was a Merchant.

This legal agreement between the two men, was a trade agreement of Fishing Rooms and Plantation Situate laying in Harbour Main.  The document gives a description of the property involved in the settlement and of the neighboring properties as well as it's owners. Located in the second paragraph it states," by the river of Harbour Main on the SW by Daniel Dunlay."

Joe explains the spelling of Dunlea is slightly different, and that most surnames go through a transformation over time and with immigration to new countries.  There were O'Dunlea in Southwest County Cork, Ireland, first the O' was dropped and then it was Anglicized to Dunlay.  Not to mention, that in the old days, spelling was somewhat of a freelance business.

I find this new bit of information very exciting, the time period fits the family story, the property location is correct. This may be a new direction in researching Daniel Dunlea.

Thank You, Joe

                                                 Elaine

Note - In Newfoundland, the term "Planter" refers to the owner of a fishing premises (a "Plantation") or a vessel.  In the early days, a resident fisherman ( as opposed to an English Migratory Fisherman) was considered a "Planter"

http://www.ancestraldings.com/planter

The Brook

Photo taken by Helen Flynn Hynes
The Brook on Flynn's Hill

 

 

 Up the hill, from my Grandparents place, a stream of water runs down the hill.  It is located right next to "Uncle Bill's house, separating his and his son Michael's house.

 

My memory of this brook is slight. I remember, several long wooden planks stretching from bank to bank at it's narrowest point. I remember, cousins Clare and Anastasia  running effortlessly across the make-shift bridge, and I pausing with caution before proceeding.  I remember, briefly looking up the hill following the line of rocks and listening to it's rhythmic sound.  Then being called by my cousins, "come on" encouraging me to join them.

 

This brook was located just below the window of the "Girls Room" in "Uncle Bill's" house. My cousin Helen shared this photo, stating, "This was once our swimming pool when we were tiny. I remember at least 5 of us fitting in there".

  "It still sings me to sleep at night". Helen Flynn Hynes

 

 

                                                                Elaine

"The Old Man's Chair"

When my grandparent's house was sold around 1990, Uncle Ray had told cousin Helen they had taken everything out of the house that they wanted and if there was anything she was interested in, to have a look.  She remembered an old chair, that she saw at my gandparent's house, looking around she found it and decided to take it. Her father, William was still alive at the time and she questioned him about the chair that she thought to be Uncle Stephen's (my grandfather). Her father replied, "No that was the Old Man's Chair, from the old house".

Helen states, "Now you can only imagine how happy I was to realize that I now possess my Great Grandfather's Chair." She goes on to say, that she has since had it refinished but tried to retain as much of it's original character as possible.


              Stephen Flynn Sr.
                  1845-1920
           Photo taken abt 1920

The chair looks great, Helen!     
Thank you for taking such good care of this family treasure and for sharing this story and photo of "The Old Man's Chair"



 

                                                           Elaine

A Painting of "The Mountain"

"The Mountain" by Helen Flynn Hynes

I was very fortunate to receive this photo of a painting my 2nd cousin Helen made, back in 2002, she explains,
"A picture I painted of the mountain as it looked when I was a child".  Nothing more needs to be said!

Thank you Helen!, so very much,  for sharing your beautiful painting!

                                                   Elaine