December 1998

Greetings One and All

This will be my last newsletter as President of the Australian Branch of the Clan Egan Association. Greg and Sue Egan will be Co Leaders of the Australian Branch from January 1999.

In 1979 I started to compile the History of our Egan family. There was very little available in Gosford Library and Microfiche were something I knew about from Spy movies.
I was lucky that the existing generations in Australia were all in contact with each other, so I was able to gather all Australian information and established that they came from Tipperary Ireland.

Along the way I started writing down any Egan references I found, purely out of curiosity. I decided to write a letter to Ireland and addressed it to the Roman Catholic Parish Priest Tipperary Ireland and enclosed a five dollar note.

Two months later I received a letter back from a PP in the town of Tipperary telling me that there were in fact sixty four R/C Parishes in Tipperary and I would have to know the exact Parish to further my search. Well you all know this feeling, if we knew the Parish our family lived in our prayers would be answered. He did pass on my letter to two Churches close by and one replied and said he had searched the "dungeons" of the Church but could not find anything that would connect to our family. All this for five dollars.

How things have changed. My book was published in 1981 stating our family came from Tipperary but the exact area was unknown.

1982 Peters first cousin was traveling to London and her seating companion on the Plane was non other than our new Clan Chief Michael J S Egan.
By the time Anne reached London my name was tucked away in Michaels bag and Anne had promised to send him a copy of my book.
Michael spent a lot of time researching our Irish roots and found not only the location of the original home in Upper Kilmore Co Tipperary but a "live" connection as well. We expressed our gratitude.
All he wanted in return was for me to keep communication open between the then eight Australian members of the Clan and if I could get him a list of all existing Egans in Australia. I thought this is OK I can get telephone directories and list the Egan.

I started by going to the Library and photocopying Aus. Directories. I had about twenty before I woke up to the fact that all the addresses were abbreviated and I hadn't copied the abbreviation page from the books. Peter came up with a brilliant idea , obtain from the then Telecom Office a copy of all Aus telephone books.
Several months later I had finally extracted all variation of the name and posted them off to Michael. This was fine but have you ever tried to get rid of one hundred and seven phone books These were the days before Wheelie bins and Recycle.

I was of course by this time well and truly caught up in the Clan and started advertising it through genealogy magazines and I wrote to every major Library, genealogy group and Heritage Society of which at that time were more active than Genealogy groups.

The rest is history. Our children were teenagers, we now have four grandchildren. We have been through the loss of family members as well as many Clan members and their spouses. We have been privileged to share the joy of births and marriages in your families and felt your sorrow with those who have become blind and others that are now paralyzed as a result of strokes.

Genealogy in general is such a wonderful thing to break down barriers. If you find another researcher, no matter what his standing is in society, he is just a fellow "genie"

We have had many Egan/Keegans sit at our table over the years, and there has never been an awkward situation. I would however like to share with you one situation that I thought was going to be awkward.
I was paying an account in Gosford in 1985 when I noticed the name of the receptionist was Egan. I asked her if she knew about her heritage and she said no but her Uncle was researching their family and she gave me his name and address. Boyd Egan of Moree. I wrote to Mr Boyd Egan and he replied as Brother Boyd Egan.

I was brought up a Protestant so was a little awkward dealing direct with members of the R/C Church. A week after he replied he rang and said "Elaine ,Boyd here.Will you be home tomorrow and can you meet me at Gosford station at 9-15. I answered yes to all and he told me to look for a fellow with a beard. So we waited at Gosford for the train, me a little nervous and worried about entertaining a Brother.
Well this tall man with a long white beard and a beaming face got off the train and became a family friend and regular visitor to our home. When he started to visit I had one bookcase and an old microfiche reader made from two derelict ones from the local Tech. We sat on our sons bed as I had taken over a corner of his room.
Each time Boyd came he would comment on how my files were expanding. A desk appeared, then another bookcase. When our daughter got married I had half a room so a computer was added .Now I have a room especially added to the house Five bookshelves and little floor space.

My family have always supported what I do. Our children and grandchildren accept it as "normal" . Peter has driven miles to help me check out a cemetery or monument that may contain an Egan . There have been many stories of people and incidents that should be told, but sixteen years of contacts is too many to write about.



I have enjoyed the challenge of seeking out the details of your families, and the people, phone calls and letters have been fantastic. When Peter went through his heart transplant in 1993 (five years can you believe it) your letters and cards of support were greatly appreciated. I thank you all for your patience while waiting for a reply, but I don't think I have missed many.

It is time for change, and I know I am handing over to fellow enthusiasts in research. It will be harder for Greg and Sue as I started with eight they have to become familiar with 112 members and approximately two hundred other families I have collected details on. Please give them your support and I will still help with research when needed.

Elaine

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