October 23, 2010:

For several years, Anne Burgess has been working on an intensive research project and has written a paper called
A Story of Emigration: Southwest County Wicklow, Ireland, to Ontario, Canada, 1847-1855

She is back in Canada again after a trip to County Wicklow (and other Irish counties). One of her stops on her trip
was in Moyacomb Parish, County Wicklow. Here are some photos from there.

... Al
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Hi Al,
 
Ann Burns took me on a tour of Moyacomb civil parish (Clonegal RC parish) in County Wicklow, and this Bridge of Tears was by 
far the most moving thing I saw on my trip, esp. since I had researched some of these families.
 

There was a 103-year-old man from Moyacomb parish who was interviewed by RTE before his death 2 years ago, and he told how 
everyone in the area knew the story that one morning in 1847, 16 families (c. 100 people?) left their houses and set out 
on the walk to New Ross, County Wexford, for the ship to Canada. They had to cross the River Derry, which now has a bridge 
(known as the Bridge of Tears) but at that time it had to be forded. That was their last look at their beloved Wicklow hills, 
(and their relatives) as the plaque at the bridge states. A number of them ended up in eastern Ontario; 
I hope they were happy here: 

Luke Byrne, mother Ann Maher Byrne, and Ann Byrne: Moylisha to Bytown
 
Peter Doyle, his mother, and siblings: Coolruss to Augusta ON
 
Arthur Byrne, wife Elizabeth and family: Coolruss to Augusta ON
 
Thomas Coghlan and family: Park to Kitley, ON
 
Henry Byrne, wife and family: Drummin to Sheffield, ON
 
Michael Sprat, wife and family: Urelands / Newry to Sheffield, ON
 
Robert Foster, wife and family: Coolruss to Yonge and Escott, Rear
 
William O'Meara/Mara  from Urelands/Newry (maybe a Canal worker?) had settled many years earlier in 
Kitley and South Elmsley. Thomas Coghlan might have met him here in the New World.
 
... Anne Burgess