About this blog: it’s where I talk about Nicholas Delaney, United Irishman, transported convict, Sydney roadbuilder, NSW farmer, publican and ancestor. And…
About the book my mother and I wrote about Nicholas’s life and our descent from him, A Rebel Hand: Nicholas Delaney of 1798: From Ireland to Australia. Plus…
About extra topics, people and stories that won’t fit into our Nicholas Delaney website, like the mystery of Sarah Marshall or the adventures we had researching our ancestors. As well as…
About the social and historical background to the stories of Nicholas, Sarah, her ‘husband’ John Simpson and another convict, James Thomas Richards.
About me, in case you’re interested: I’m Frances Owen, Nicholas’s great-great-great granddaughter.
A Rebel Hand 
I have gone through the records I have found. Nicholas Delaney was my great, great, great grandfather. His son James married Elizabeth Levers. They had a daughter, Martha who married William Strange, son of Cato Street conspirator, John Shaw Strange. Martha and William had a son, Henry Augustus Strange who was my mother’s father.
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I’m in awe of your ancestors! That’s real gold in your family tree!
Thank you very much for telling me about your fascinating research.
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I just found some old notes that I have somehow acquired about Nicholas Delaney. Some is taken from “The Convict Ships” by Charles Bateson. Another lot is written by my cousin.
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Hi Frances,
I am descended from Martha Delaney, daughter of James Delaney and Elizabeth Lever. Martha was born in Hartley on 23 May, 1850. Martha is my great grandmother on my mother’s father’s side. She was married to William Strange. Is she connected to your Delaneys?
I’m curious about your Nicholas Delaney. On my father’s mother’s side I have an ancestor, Hugh Vesty Byrne who was a Wicklow rebel. He was part of Michael Dwyer’s band. He escaped from Wicklow gaol. The following information was given to me: He fought at the battles of Arklow, Vinegar Hill and Hacketstown. He and Michael left Ireland as free men on the condition that they never return.They were on “The Telicherry” in 1805. Over 600 Irishmen who were involved in the 1798 Rebellion were transported. Of that number, approximately 105 were Wicklowmen, the highest number of men from any county including prominent rebels such as “General” Joseph Holt, Michael Dwyer and Hugh Vesty Byrne, John Mernagh, Martin Burke, Arthur Devlin, James Dempsey, Thomas O’Neill and Nicholas Delaney.
About a year after they arrived in Australia, Governor Bligh was nervous about an Irish uprising. He had them arrested so they became convicts after getting here! Hugh settled in the Airds, Cambelltown area.
My cousin recently told me about your book. I think we both will be buying one.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Sue
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Hi Sue, and thank you for getting in touch.
I recognise a lot of those names, including Hugh Vesty Byrne. Nicholas would have known them all. You’ll meet a few familiar names in the book, including Michael Dwyer and Joseph Holt.
The most famous ships associated with the Wicklow United Irishmen are the Tellicherry and the Atlas II, Nicholas’s ship.
I had the honour of meeting The O’Byrne, chief of the Clan O’Byrne, at the official opening of Wicklow Gaol in 1998.
It’s great to ‘meet’ you – I’m another great-great-great granddaughter of Nicholas Delaney.
Frances
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hi we are related to the Delaneys through my grandmother Amy Beatrice Delaney who married Thomas Langlands and live in the Lithgow Little Hartley area have been trying to track down information on the linage for my grandson who is not only doing his history but the connection to the first settlers I know I have the right starting point now thank you
Stan Langlands
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Hi Stan, thanks for getting in touch! I’m glad I’ve been able to help. It’s great when young people take an interest in family history.
I’m working on something quite exciting about Nicholas’s family at the moment which I’ll post about soon, I hope. I want to be sure of my facts! So do drop in again. The great thing about having a blog is that I can add information which we didn’t have when my mother and I wrote our book about Nicholas.
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Hi Frances, Love your work. I wait each blog with great anticipation. My connection to Nicholas is through my great grand mother, Lucy Eliza Giblett and her Mother Jane Delaney, to Thomas and Lucy Delaney.
Warmest regards
Robert
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Hi Robert,
Thanks for your kind words. It’s always great to ‘meet’ another Delaney cousin. I’ve just looked up Jane Delaney on our family tree. I’m descended from her younger brother Thomas (always called Tom). Her mother, Lucy Simpson, was the daughter of two convicts, as you probably know.
I always hope to find someone who knows what’s happened to the house Thomas and Lucy lived in, Moyne Farm. One day perhaps I will!
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