Home and Away: Ray Meagher and the Mullaveys of Templeport
In his latest column, Jonathan Smyth looks at the Cavan ancestry of Ray Meagher of Alf Stewart fame...
The world of entertainment can be like entering the Twilight Zone, a place where exciting stories can unfold, whether it is a fabulous show at the theatre, watching a well-made television programme or being glued to an absorbing tale on the cinema screen. There are so many genres of entertainment too, from soaps to science fiction and as one person with very definite views put it, ‘there is hope if you watch or read science fiction, but there is no possibility of hope if your free time revolves around watching soaps’.
Well, do not we all need a bit of escapism from time to time?! Speaking of science fiction, ever wondered what Dr Who might have sounded like with a Cavan accent? Perhaps, that’s not so far-fetched as it sounds, considering that the Dr Who star Peter Capaldi’s mother, had direct family connections to Cavan and came from Killeshandra. Of course, the jury may still be out on the question of soaps versus sci-fi.
Alf Stewart
But returning to soaps, and on a more down to earth theme, I was fascinated to learn that the soap Home and Away, a regular for many a ‘household’s teenage teatime viewing’, boasted a cast member with Irish ancestry and strong genealogical links to County Cavan. Alf Stewart is a TV character known for his straight-talking, no-nonsense manner as played by the endearing and equally straight-talking Ray Meagher. Alf Stewart’s exclamations of surprise or outrage often begin with the word flamin’. Expressions from Alf include ‘stone the flamin’ crows!’, ‘ya flamin gwalah’, ‘strike me roan’, and ‘ya flamin’ mongrel’.
The story of Ray’s Irish roots was featured on the Irish Family History Centre’s website under their ‘Inspiring Stories’ series. We are informed that Ray’s great grandmother Bridget Meagher (née Mullavey) was the daughter of a Cavanman. In 1898, Bridget was to marry a man of Irish descent named William Francis Meagher (William’s father came from Co Offaly); they were married in Queensland. Bridget’s parents were Owen Mullavey, a car-man from Co Cavan and Mary Meagher (née Sullivan).
According to the article, Owen Mullavey was born in Templeport in 1836 to John and Mary Mullavey. Then, in 1854, at the age of 18 years, Owen and his brother Francis, born in 1830, sailed for New South Wales, Australia, on the Stamboul SS under the assistance of an emigration scheme.
The tithe Aplottment records for 1826 show that there were Mullavey families living in the townlands of Burren and Derrycassan Lower, Templeport, and they were in all probability related to each other. The names of Michael, Patt and Dennis Mullavey are found in Burren, while there are two James Mullaveys in Derrycassan Lower. The names Michael and James were names later given by Owen Mullavey to two of his children.
In 1865, Owen married Maria O’Sullivan, a lady with the same maiden name as his mother. Owen’s profession in Australia was listed as a grazier, which means that he was a farmer who fattened cattle or sheep for the market. The Mullavey children included Eugene, Bridget, Mary, John, Francis, Jane, Michael and James.
Bridget Meagher
Owen and Maria’s daughter Bridget who was born in 1869 would, as we mentioned earlier, get married to William F. Meagher (the actor Ray Meagher’s grandparents). When Bridget Meagher died at her home in Isisford at the age of 71 years in December 1939 ‘The Morning Bulletin, Rockhampton’ provided some further information about her family. The newspaper noted that Mrs Meagher was born at Roma, and moved with her parents to Isisford in 1881, making the trip with bullock wagons, which took five months.
This obituary listed Bridget and William Meagher’s children as a daughter, Mrs R. Grimshaw (Brisbane) and three sons, Messrs W., and J., and H. Meagher who were living in Isisford. The child listed as W. Meagher was in fact William Patrick Meagher who was the father of the actor Ray Meagher. It was said that among the wreaths left at Bridget Meagher’s grave in the ‘Catholic portion’ of Isisford cemetery, there was ‘one from the Chairman, councillors and staff of the Isisford Shire Council’. Bridget Meagher’s husband died in 1929. Ray’s great grandfather Owen Mullavey from Templeport, died in 1912.
In October 2022, a special hour-long edition of This is Your Life focussing on Ray Meagher was broadcast on Australian television and can now be watched on YouTube. Mr Meagher has acted as Alf Stewart in Home and Away from when the show started in 1988 and, prior to the role, he had a successful movie career stretching back to the early 1970s. His movies include Breaker Morant (well worth watching) and The Old Angry Shot.
Since we are speaking of Ray Meagher, it is fitting to list some of the many acting stars, past and present, who have strong Cavan links. They include: Brían F. O’Byrne, Eamonn Owens, T.P. McKenna, Ciaran Owens, Richie Stephens, Kevin McGahern, Philip Doherty, Leona Igoe, Ciarán O’Reilly, Shane Connaughton, Derbhle Crotty, Aaron Monaghan, Patrick B. Smith and Sarah McKenna Dunne. The actor Natasha O’Keefe who starred as Cillian Murphy’s wife Lizzie Shelby in Peaky Blinders is also the daughter of Cavan parents.
Genealogy is certainly a fascination. You too may even be surprised to find out whose ancestor was once a next-door neighbour. As Alf Stewart might say, ‘stone the flamin’ crows’ mate!’ For more on the Mullaveys and other Cavan families checkout for more at Cavan Genealogy Centre or go online at www.cavan.rootsireland.ie
Book launch
‘Faith, Hard work and Endurance: selected tales of the Cavan Diaspora’, by Jonathan Smyth, is a specially commissioned book by Cavan County Council for the Cavan Calling Diaspora Festival, and will be launched at Johnston Central Library, on Friday, July 28, at 6.30pm. This is a free event, and everyone is welcome.