Published: Thursday, 8th July, 2010 12:00pm

Baby boom! First in 90 years

by Sean McMahon

Comments (1) | Print | Email

Alex is the centre of attraction... Sean, Daragh, Julie and Kayla McAvinney welcome the new arrival.

While the birth of a new baby is always a cause for celebration, the arrival of the first new born in a townland near Belturbet in no less than 90 years creates an even greater stir in the neighbourhood.

The folk in the tiny townland of Kinnagh Beg near Drumalee Church are delighted for the proud parents Julie and Daragh McAvinney and the arrival of bouncing baby Alex, who weighed in at 8lbs and 8 ounces and has brought renewed joy to the area.

Alex was born in the Maternity Unit at Cavan General Hospital on Tuesday, June 29 and we have to go back to 1920 to find the last child born in the townland.

Julie, a native of Bannagher in Co. Offaly, and Daragh, a native of Skryne in Co. Meath, settled in Cavan a number of years ago following a period of living and working in Germany. Their two other children Kayla (8) and Sean (6), both pupils at Belturbet Convent of Mercy NS, are also delighted with the new arrival.

Alex's great Aunt Mary, who died in San Francisco in 1966, and her twin brother Ignatius, who died in 1938, were the last children born in Kinnagh Beg - to Rose Fitzpatrick in 1920.

Rose had been widowed only a few months before their birth.

The Fitzpatricks were a popular family in the area, and four of their nine children emigrated to San Francisco and one to England. Packie Fitzpatrick, Daragh's grand uncle, remained on the small farm and passed away in 1986.

Julie reckons there's a hurler in Alex with the Offaly blood and Daragh has hopes of him leading out Cavan in Croke Park with his brother Sean.

Julie told The Anglo-Celt that she met Darragh in Germany; she worked there for 14 years and he was there for seven. "We both worked for the same travel company and that's how we met," said Julie.

When they married, Darragh's father said they should consider setting up home on a site in Kinnagh Beg.

They moved back in 2005 and Darragh now works for Quinn Insurance. Julie is the administrator of the childcare facility at Drumlane GAA Grounds.

Both revealed they have settled in well and love the area. The neighbours are great, they say. Darragh's brother Shane and his partner Sheena have also set up home in the townland, and his parents have relocated as well.

Darragh explained that they were fortunate his father Ignatius McAvinney had the land in Kinnagh Beg and they have not looked back since building their new home on the site in this haven of peace.

"It's amazing all the people we have got to know since the children started to go to Convent of Mercy school," said Darragh.

They both complimented all the staff in the maternity unit at Cavan General Hospital, who "were excellent".

As an employee with Quinn Insurance Darragh said it was fantastic what Sean Quinn ha done for the area. "We could do with a lot more people in this country, to get the country to where it needs to go," he concluded.