"BRAVE HEARTS - WE HELPED EACH OTHER"
A PIONEERS STORY By Mrs Nell Egan (nee Mallon)

It had been a long, slow journey by drays, wagons, and Spring Carts from the Victorian goldfields, via Parkes and Grenfell, then to Coonamble, and finally, to the Eringonia District north of Bourke, for the Egan and O'Shannessy families. On the way, many miles of fencing and numerous ground tanks had been constructed, and children were born, far away from a doctor or a trained nurse.

They brought with them their treasured possessions, family photographs, wedding presents which were mostly silverware, but included carefully packed glassware too, and some furniture, for all were determined, that one day, somewhere, in this vast Outback, they would find a permanent home.

Other relatives, some from Ireland, had joined them by the time they had reached Eringonia. More were to come later.

The original party consisted of Thomas Egan, whose wife had died when young, and his only child, Martin. James, the 'young' brother of Thomas, who was much the same age as his nephew, Martin, and their life-long friend, John O'Shannessy. These men arrived in Melbourne from Ireland, and immediately went to the Victorian goldfields where they had moderate success. At night they listened to stories of the great demand in the inland of New South Wales for contract fencing and dam construction, so, as their money grew, they planned and made preparations. The three young men, with the approval of the older Thomas Egan, formed a partnership, and gradually purchased equipment, which included picks, shovels, wheelbarrows, crow-bars, etc. They carefully chose axes, for they knew that, first of all, they must learn to become expert axemen, as they intended to seek, first of all, contract fencing. Then, they purchased travelling conveyances, most drays, and horses.

They then left the goldfields and commenced their long journey, working as they went, but always heading inland. Many months were spent in the Wagga, Parkes, and Grenfell areas, for here they found contract work was plentiful. They earned quite a reputation for their fencing workmanship, and their services were in great demand. They saved their money, and gradually purchased more horses, conveyances, ploughs and scoops in preparation for dam construction.

Meanwhile, the three young men had married. Their brides had left rather comfortable homes to join their husbands in this long trek inland. Later, babies were born whilst they were in the Parkes District. Thomas J. Egan, the eldest child of Mr. & Mrs. James Egan was born in this area, far from a doctor or trained nurse. A bed was made on the top of a wagon, and the patient's two great friends, Mrs. Martin Egan and Mrs. John O'Shannessy were the inexperienced but highly capable nurses. Whenever a new babe arrived, the other two women acted as midwives. Fifty years later, when asked however did they manage, the reply from each of the three women was, "We helped each other".

In the Coonamble area, the men constructed dams and many, many miles of fencing, mainly on "Wingadee" Station, but always, their dream was to go further westward and make a permanent home. For a short time, the men accepted contract work on a railway, and then headed for Eringonia. They constructed fencing and dams on "Goolring", and "Lissington", "Morton Plains", and "Lila Springs".

More babies arrived, as the years passed. My father, the late Michael O'Shannessy, was Born at a tank-sinking site in 1884 on "Gerara" Station.

At each camping site that was to be their homes for some considerable time, they all cooperated in making conditions as comfortable and pleasant as possible. Tents and bower sheds were erected, packing cases became shelves and these were decorated with newspaper after it had been cut in various designs, tables and chairs or stools were placed in sheltered positions, and iron four-poster beds and cots were placed in the tents. As the families grew, more beds, stools, and chairs were made, and, usually, the frames of these were covered with tight, wet hide, which made a very strong base. Their lighting was home-made candles and Hurricane Lanterns.

The women cooked in large cast-iron boilers and saucepans on an open fire, and made dampers, Johnnie Cakes, and puddings or bread in camp ovens. In extreme heat the meat was heavily salted, and by trial and error, all found that wet charcoal kept food cool, so, eventually, the men made charcoal "drip safes". Older children milked the goats every morning.

Men & women sewed canvas and made water bags and butter coolers. Flour, potatoes and onions were purchased in sacks, and these items required great care. The vegetables were sorted each day to prevent loss and the weevils made frequent sifting of the flour very necessary.

Scarcity of water, usually, was the greatest problem, for even if the camp site was close to a well, the fencing or dam under construction may be many, many miles away. One man was kept fully occupied by carting water from a well in a tank on a dray, for the working horses in addition to families, needed that precious water. When far from a well, the women, in drays, took their washing and did it near the water supply. The children, in later years, said they imagined their mothers were ALWAYS washing. Flat irons, heated on open fires, were used for ironing clothes and, in spite of these hardships, everyone, each evening, bathed and dressed in their "second-best" clothes before sitting down to the meal.

Footwear appears to have been a problem, even though the men frequently repaired boots and shoes for all. Whenever members of the families made the long, long journey to Bourke, they returned with new footwear for all those who required it.

Often, the men worked long hours, some miles from the camping site. There was always the fear of accidents - that an axe would slip, a tree would fall on someone or there would be a fall from a galloping horse. All had a very great dread of snakes in the summer months. They had their "home cures" for colds and infections, etc. A few drops of Eucalyptus on sugar taken for a cold, a sip of honey for a cough, and to aid breathing or clear a nose, the patient's feet were rubbed with Eucalyptus, in addition to his chest. All had great faith in kerosene or sugar halting bleeding from a wound.

Tragedy fell when the twenty-months old child of Mr. & Mrs. James Egan developed diphtheria and died. This occurred at a spot where the "Glenalbyn" house now stands. Mr. Egan was working twelve miles away, and his two small sons, Tom and Jim walked to give him a message that he was needed at home. The babe was buried in Enngonia Cemetery, and, when the parents returned home, they found their small daughter, Anne, had developed the dread complaint too. She was taken to Enngonia, where her parents learned that the Doctor in Bourke had told people the illness was raging in there, and, sadly, he could not save the life of his own child. Mrs. Egan nursed her little girl at Mr. Nawn's hotel in Enngonia. She walked the floor of the bedroom with the child in her arms, almost day and night, sometimes, half asleep. The little one was very, very fretful, and would become most agitated if anyone made an attempt to relieve the weary mother. For brief intervals, she allowed Mr. Jack Egan (later married the sister of Mrs. John O'Shannessy) to nurse her, but, all too soon, the pitiful cries of "Mummy" awoke the grief-stricken mother.

For six weeks, the little child was gravely ill, and was only able to swallow sips of olive oil and brandy. One day, she coughed up, what appeared to be a lump of flesh. Gradually, her breathing became easier, and she was able to swallow more nourishing drinks and food, until she made a complete recovery. That child was the late Mrs. Bob Johnson of Bourke, who died about the end of 1959.,

The O'Shannessy family almost perished at one time. Their tank had leaked, unknown to them. When they eventually arrived at a well, there was no rope long enough to reach the water, so John O'Shannessy tied saplings on to it until the bucket dipped into that precious water. by this time, their tongues (and that of the horse) were quite swollen, and they only took sips of water for some hours, but they frequently poured water over themselves and the horses. They stayed by that well until members of the Egan family arrived, looking for them. This happened on "Lissington".

Whilst the families were on a tank-sinking site on "Old Morton Plains", Mr. & Mrs. James Egan and a new babe were returning from Bourke, when their water container, too, developed a leak. The weather was extremely hot, and when the need for water became very acute, Mr. Egan, carrying a rope and bucket, led the horses to a close well. The rope broke and down went the bucket into the well, so there was no water for man or beast. The family had been given a bottle of wine whilst in Bourke, and Mrs. Egan, in spite of pleas, only allowed her children and husband to wet their lips and mouths with the wine. When daybreak came, Mr. Egan realised that the new camp site was not far away, so he and his family managed to get there quite safely.

However, in spite of tragedies and near tragedies, there was much happiness. When the long, hard day's work was over, and the children's school work had been corrected, and their spelling and tables "heard", there was entertainment. Mouth organs and accordions were played, and dances were held. Perhaps, a teamster and his wife and family had arrived, with grocery and household supplies, and wire and netting for a new fence, or a Hawker, selling his wares. Visitors were few, but all were made welcome. Letters to dear ones were written in readiness so that a visitor could post them at first opportunity. Newspapers, particularly the Bourke paper, then "The Central Australian", and the Bulletin, were always welcome, and these were passed around.

The men toiled long hours, and their workmanship was regarded highly. When a job was nearing completion, John O'Shannessy, in a light conveyance drawn by a horse, travelled in search of more work, wrote particulars, and inspected the site, and selected a suitable camping site. Then, he rejoined his family and friends. The packing and loading of treasures, and their goods took place, and they all then travelled to their new, temporary home.

No doubt, when these brave men and women looked out on the vast inland plains, they thought of "Green Ireland" or their homes in towns, far away, but their courage and their determination never faltered; Eringonia and District would remain their true home. More relatives joined them, so, perhaps, they felt less lonely as the years passed.

Always they were seeking "something we can REALLY own". The Egan’s begged the O'Shannessy's to join them in a grazing partnership. However, John was not keen "owing to the grave scarcity of water". He and his wife preferred a business, and they invested their share of money in the Post Office Hotel and the Enngonia Store, whilst James and Martin became graziers. All had a deep and fervent faith in God, and, if not all, at least some of their prayers were answered, for they, at long last, they had something the "really owned". This ended a long contract partnership, when the three families even shared the one banking account, but their bond of friendship lasted a life time. Right through the passing years, when they related stories of days gone by, and their listeners marvelled and wondered at their courage, they all gave the simple explanation, "We Helped Each Other".

James and Martin Egan, Senior, acquired the Homestead Leases of "Glenalbyn" and "Fairfield" which were part of "Molten Plains", and from 1888 until after the death of Martin, they ran the two properties as a partnership until dissolved in 1926.

Many folk have verified that James and Martin Egan were in Bourke when they were told the time of lodging applications for "Glenalbyn" and "Fairfield" had almost expired, and that they must lodge their claim in Brewarrina, so they rode there. However, upon their arrival there, they learned, to their consternation, the claims must be submitted in Bourke. Their horses were exhausted, and they were unsuccessful in their attempts to buy or borrow horses, so they built a boat, and wearily rowed to Bourke, where they quickly lodged their applications, and were told they were the only applicants, as people were very afraid of the scarcity of water.

Thomas Egan, father of Martin, Senior, lived to the remarkable age of 111 years - his birth certificate verified this. He, Mr. and Mrs. Martin Egan, Senior, and members of their family have been buried in Enngonia Cemetery.

James Egan predeceased his wife by some years. His wife celebrated her 90th birthday at "Glenalbyn"; a very large number of relatives and friends were present. In May, 1939. she fell and broke her hip, and although unable to walk, and in a wheel chair, she continued to visit Bourke and Enngonia relatives and friends. When dances were held at Enngonia, the car in which she was seated, always parked just outside the side entrance, so she could watch the dancers, and everyone, in turn, chatted with her.

When she suffered a severe heart attack at her home, "Glenalbyn", a grand-daughter, (Poppy O'Shannessy) of her very great friends, the late John and Mary Anne O'Shannessy, nursed her until a Sister Campbell arrived. Poppy (now Mrs. Jack Doohan) was home at "Wangamana" on holidays from her training at Sydney Hospital, and, on hearing of Mrs. Egan's serious illness, Poppy's parents took her there, and the Egan Family remained always grateful. In May, 1944, Mrs. Egan suffered a fatal heart attack at her home, four months before her 91st birthday. She was buried in Enngonia Cemetery, when a very large number of relatives and friends were present. Her husband, James, had died at Dubbo in 1921.

John and Mary Anne O'Shannessy purchased the Post Office Hotel and the Store at Enngonia about 1887. In very old Minute Books of the Enngonia Common, John had already served a three year term as a Trustee in 1892. These minutes in those early days bear the official ' Eringonia Common Trustees' stamp, He later became Chairman, and at a Meeting held early in 1899, a motion of "very deep regret at the death of Mr. John O'Shannessy" was passed. His wife was left with a young family, and she later sold the Store, but continued to conduct the Hotel until the marriage of her son, Michael, in 1914, who then took it over. Mrs. O'Shannessy, in 191 , purchased the Hotel at North Bourke and held it until her youngest child, Kit, was married. She then lived at Woy Woy, but visited her relatives and friends in Bourke and Enngonia Districts. She died in Bourke early in 1936.

Today, almost 100 years after the James and Martin Egan, and John O'Shannessy families came to Enngonia, there are many descendants living in the area and in Bourke District.

The authors are Ellen Bridget Egan (nee Mallon) known to everyone as Nell (1898-1997), Joyce Mallon (also deceased, dates unknown) and Toni Ridge (nee Barrett)

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