MICHAEL HANRAHAN
EUREKA STOCKADE PARTICIPANT
By Maurice Hanrahan
|
|
Left: Michael and Mary Hanrahan Right: The Hanrahan ancestral home, Scalpnagown
Michael Hanrahan (1828-1912) was born at Scalpnagown, Crusheen Parish, Co. Clare, Ireland. His parents were Thomas Hanrahan and Bridget Heath. Little is known of how he survived the famine or how or where he spent the three or four years after the famine.
Michael Hanrahan was a passenger on the “Miles Barton” ship that sailed from Liverpool on 27 April 1853 bound for Melbourne. He and his sister, Margaret and brother-in-law, Dan Powell arrived in Melbourne in July 1853. Michael arrived in Ballarat on 1 January 1854. His brother Thomas arrived a few years later.
CAPTAIN OF THE PIKE DIVISION
There is no record of Michael Hanrahan having been involved in an armed struggle against the landlords and ruling class in Ireland, however within ten months of his arrival in Ballarat he was chosen as the captain of the pike division at Eureka on 1 December 1854. It is not recorded if he was chosen because of previous resistance fighter involvement or because of his leadership qualities. Michael Hanrahan must have had some success as a miner during 1854 because he sent home five hundred pounds to his family in Ireland.
THE BATTLE AT THE EUREKA STOCKADE
A first-hand report of Michael Hanrahan’s involvement at Eureka is contained in the book The Eureka Stockade written by Raffaello Carboni, who was one of the Eureka participants, and one of those who was subsequently charged with high treason, tried and acquitted.
CARBONI'S REFLECTIONS
Following the licence hunt of Thursday morning 30 November 1854 Peter Lalor, Commander-in-chief, called a meeting towards sunset in a room at Diamond’s store. Carboni refers to the meeting as ‘the Council for the Defence’, and recounts that twelve persons were present, including the Captains of the division and chief persons who had taken part in the movement.
the lead-up to the battle at eureka
“Curtain was captain, and subsequently lieutenant of the pike division, when they choose HANRAHAN for their captain. Said pikemen division were one of the first to take up arms on Thursday, November 30th immediately after the licence hunt.
It was formed on Bakery Hill, and received Lalor on the stump with acclamation. It increased hourly and permanently: was the strongest division in the Eureka stockade: in comparison to others, it stood the most true to the “Southern Cross” and consequently suffered the greatest loss on the morning of the massacre.
Carboni records that a person who was known as “Old Waterloo” because he had been at the Battle of Waterloo, witnessed the miners drilling on Saturday 2nd December. This witness reported that he “Saw one squad with pikes and another with rifles. He heard one of them say, “Shoulder poles”, then he said, “Order poles”, “Ground arms”, “Stand at ease”, “Pick up poles”, “Shoulder arms”, “Right face, “Quick march”, “Right counter march,” and they were then marched for more than two hours. After that he saw them “fall in three deep” and were then told (by Captain Hanrahan) to prepare to “receive cavalry” and “charge cavalry”—"Poke your pike into the guts of the horse, and draw it out from under their tail.”
It was formed on Bakery Hill, and received Lalor on the stump with acclamation. It increased hourly and permanently: was the strongest division in the Eureka stockade: in comparison to others, it stood the most true to the “Southern Cross” and consequently suffered the greatest loss on the morning of the massacre.
Carboni records that a person who was known as “Old Waterloo” because he had been at the Battle of Waterloo, witnessed the miners drilling on Saturday 2nd December. This witness reported that he “Saw one squad with pikes and another with rifles. He heard one of them say, “Shoulder poles”, then he said, “Order poles”, “Ground arms”, “Stand at ease”, “Pick up poles”, “Shoulder arms”, “Right face, “Quick march”, “Right counter march,” and they were then marched for more than two hours. After that he saw them “fall in three deep” and were then told (by Captain Hanrahan) to prepare to “receive cavalry” and “charge cavalry”—"Poke your pike into the guts of the horse, and draw it out from under their tail.”
|
Maurice Hanrahan, great-grandson of Michael Hanrahan, Captain of the Pike Division at the unveiling of the memorial to the Pikeman's Dog, 3 December 2014. |
sunday morning 3 december 1854
Carboni records:
Peter Lalor was now on the top of the first logged-up hole within the stockade and by his gestures pointed to the men to retire among the holes. He was shot down in his left shoulder at this identical moment: it was a chance shot, I recollect it well.
A full discharge of musketry from the military, now mowed down all those who had their heads above the barricades.
Ross was shot in the groin. Another shot struck Thonen exactly in the mouth, and felled him on the spot.
Those who suffered the most were the scores of pikemen, who stood their ground from the time the whole division had been posted at the top, facing the Melbourne road from Ballaarat, in double file under the slabs, to stick the cavalry with their pikes.
Peter Lalor was now on the top of the first logged-up hole within the stockade and by his gestures pointed to the men to retire among the holes. He was shot down in his left shoulder at this identical moment: it was a chance shot, I recollect it well.
A full discharge of musketry from the military, now mowed down all those who had their heads above the barricades.
Ross was shot in the groin. Another shot struck Thonen exactly in the mouth, and felled him on the spot.
Those who suffered the most were the scores of pikemen, who stood their ground from the time the whole division had been posted at the top, facing the Melbourne road from Ballaarat, in double file under the slabs, to stick the cavalry with their pikes.
life after eureka
Michael Hanrahan mined for gold for 10 years, spending some time at Carngham 30km west of Ballarat. While mining at Carngham he was married to Mary McAllan at St Alipius Church, Ballaarat East on 14 January 1862. Their first daughter Susannah was born on 14 November 1862 while they were still at Carngham.
One of the several outcomes of the Eureka battle and its aftermath was that the Government began to survey the land and passed various closer settlement Acts and amendments enabling Crown Land to be sold for farming. Surveying Crown Land into farming size blocks in the rich volcanic land east of Ballarat was mostly completed in 1856 and the first land sales commenced in March 1857. Michael Hanrahan gave up mining in 1863/64 and moved to the Bungaree district and began farming on 40 acres of allotment 10, Section 4, Parish of Warrenheip, at Bungaree which had been purchased by his wife Mary’s brother Dan McAllan. The farm was located 10km east of Eureka. A number of other participants and witnesses of the Eureka battle also settled in the Bungaree district. A son, Thomas, was born to Michael and Mary Hanrahan on 15 September 1864 within a year of their arrival in Bungaree. Michael and Mary Hanrahan had two more sons; Daniel and Michael. Michael Hanrahan set up all his three sons in farming in Bungaree. He died Tuesday 2 January 1912.
One of the several outcomes of the Eureka battle and its aftermath was that the Government began to survey the land and passed various closer settlement Acts and amendments enabling Crown Land to be sold for farming. Surveying Crown Land into farming size blocks in the rich volcanic land east of Ballarat was mostly completed in 1856 and the first land sales commenced in March 1857. Michael Hanrahan gave up mining in 1863/64 and moved to the Bungaree district and began farming on 40 acres of allotment 10, Section 4, Parish of Warrenheip, at Bungaree which had been purchased by his wife Mary’s brother Dan McAllan. The farm was located 10km east of Eureka. A number of other participants and witnesses of the Eureka battle also settled in the Bungaree district. A son, Thomas, was born to Michael and Mary Hanrahan on 15 September 1864 within a year of their arrival in Bungaree. Michael and Mary Hanrahan had two more sons; Daniel and Michael. Michael Hanrahan set up all his three sons in farming in Bungaree. He died Tuesday 2 January 1912.
michael's descendants
On Michael Jnr’s retirement from farming, the original Hanrahan farm was taken over by Thomas P Hanrahan (son of Thomas), and later farmed by his brother Edmond. Both were second generation Australian born. Maurice Hanrahan, the son of Thomas P Hanrahan is a third generation Australian, and a committee member of Eureka Australia.
The 80 acres of land first settled by Daniel McAllan and Michael Hanrahan in 1863 still forms part of the Bungaree farm currently owned by Les Hanrahan, a great grandson of Michael Hanrahan. Les is a son of Edmond Hanrahan. There are seven Hanrahan families still involved in farming in the district.
The 80 acres of land first settled by Daniel McAllan and Michael Hanrahan in 1863 still forms part of the Bungaree farm currently owned by Les Hanrahan, a great grandson of Michael Hanrahan. Les is a son of Edmond Hanrahan. There are seven Hanrahan families still involved in farming in the district.
memories passed down
Michael Hanrahan rarely spoke to his family about the Eureka battle. His eldest son Thomas considered his reluctance to speak about the Eureka Affair was due to his shame and disappointment that the miners were so comprehensively defeated in such a short time in spite of the massive build-up of support in the days leading up to the battle.
On the evening of Saturday 2nd December 1854, the Catholic priest at Eureka, Father P Smyth, warned the Catholics within the stockade of the strength of the Government forces and the impending bloodshed. He said that the miners’ issues should be resolved by peaceful negotiations. This resulted in many leaving the stockade. Michael Hanrahan’s family believe that Father Smyth’s warning seemed to weigh heavily on him. There are reports that on Saturday night Michael Hanrahan led some diggers out to intercept and delay the troops from the Melbourne direction however the soldiers and police who attacked the stockade all came from the Ballarat Camp. Michael did not attend the 50 year reunion of the Eureka stockade battle in December 1904. His family did not record the reason for his non-attendance.
On the evening of Saturday 2nd December 1854, the Catholic priest at Eureka, Father P Smyth, warned the Catholics within the stockade of the strength of the Government forces and the impending bloodshed. He said that the miners’ issues should be resolved by peaceful negotiations. This resulted in many leaving the stockade. Michael Hanrahan’s family believe that Father Smyth’s warning seemed to weigh heavily on him. There are reports that on Saturday night Michael Hanrahan led some diggers out to intercept and delay the troops from the Melbourne direction however the soldiers and police who attacked the stockade all came from the Ballarat Camp. Michael did not attend the 50 year reunion of the Eureka stockade battle in December 1904. His family did not record the reason for his non-attendance.
reunions
Descendants of Michael Hanrahan have visited the ancestral home of Michael Hanrahan’s parents in Scalpnagown, County Clare, Ireland. Maurice Hanrahan a Committee member of Eureka Australia last visited Scalpnagown in 2019. He wrote: “On my first visit to Co Clare in mid 1970's I was taken up to the common which is a low stony mountain ridge above Scalpnagown not suitable for agriculture. I was shown where the destitute homeless people lived squeezed in among the large boulders with sticks, branches and sods for a roof. I thought of my great-grandfather Michael who lived only a short walk away, who would have been around 18 years old when the first potato crop failed and 24 years old when he left the country. The poverty and evictions and starvations must have had a profound effect on him”.
Commencing in 1971, the descendants of Michael Hanrahan have been holding a family reunion each five years with a focus on the Eureka events of 1854 and the outcomes. Three generations are usually represented at these reunions. In the 1970’s this included the second generation of Australian born grandchildren of Michael Hanrahan. As the older generations all pass on, their place is taken by the latest generation. Great, great, great, grandchildren attended the reunion held in 2019.
Commencing in 1971, the descendants of Michael Hanrahan have been holding a family reunion each five years with a focus on the Eureka events of 1854 and the outcomes. Three generations are usually represented at these reunions. In the 1970’s this included the second generation of Australian born grandchildren of Michael Hanrahan. As the older generations all pass on, their place is taken by the latest generation. Great, great, great, grandchildren attended the reunion held in 2019.
REFLECTIONS
The many descendants of Michael Hanrahan are proud that he played a role at Eureka. They believe that this event gained important concessions for the miners and led to reform of the goldfields. Gaining the right to vote and stand for Parliament without the requirement for property ownership saw the birth of democracy in Australia and hastened land settlement.
