NameFarragher, Murtagh (Murty)OccupationFarmer.Place of ResidenceTerragong (Dunmore, Croom)BiographyMurtagh (Murty) Farragher was born c.1782 in County Mayo Ireland. Murty married Bridget O'Malley in 1813 and they lived in Hollymount (Holymount), County Mayo where Murty worked as a labourer and ploughman.
In 1822, Murty was accused and found guilty of administering unlawful oaths along with ten other men. He was transported for life to the colony aboard the 'Mangles' in 1822.
Murty's wife and sons had arrived in the colony in 1826. The 1828 Census records Murtagh Farraher aged 40 years, living in the Illawarra with his wife Bridget 38 years, and sons;
Patrick Francis b.1814 (married Ann Cawley, died 1902, Woonona)
Thomas b. c.1817 (married Mary Carew, died 1880, Kiama)
Denis b.c.1819 (married Maria Cawley, died 1863, Jamberoo)
Murty and Bridget had two more children in the Illawarra;
John b. c.1832 (married Winifred Cawley, died 1914, Bega)
James b.1834 (married Mary Ann Healey, died 1916 QLD)
Murty received his Ticket of Leave in the district of the Illawarra. In 1834 Murty received a Conditional Pardon and in 1841 he was issued with an Absolute Pardon. According to the 1841 census, his residence at that time was at Bellambi.
Murtagh's son Patrick named his residence at Rixon's Pass Woonona 'Holly Mount' after the family home in Ireland. Patrick married Anne Cawley at Wollongong c.1843.
Murtagh's son Denis married Ann Cawley's sister, Maria Cawley at St Francis Xavier's, Wollongong in 1858. The family lived at Terragong/Dunmore.
The same year, Murtagh's son John, married one of Anne and Mary Cawley's sisters, Winifred Cawley, at Wollongong. They eventually moved to Candelo.
Thomas Farragher also lived at Terragong/Dunmore. He married Mary Carew in 1845 and they had five children all born at Jamberoo.
The Farraghers were Roman Catholic and very religious. Patrick was instrumental in establishing the first Roman Catholic Church at Bulli and two of his daughters became nuns.
The Farragher family are well known in the local area and have connections to the Geraghty, Foley and McGlinchy families.
