Rathlin Islanders Downeast

When industrialists Richard Branson and Per Lindstrand soared across the Atlantic Ocean in their twenty-one-storey balloon, they launched a chain of events which eventually led back to their starting point --Maine.  In the largest hot-air balloon ever made, the British adventurers embarked from Carrabassett Valley and the Bigelow Mountain range in Maine.  They intended to land the Virgin Atlantic Flyer in Europe, thereby exceeding the world record for both distance and speed.  As the mammoth balloon reached Northern Ireland on July 4, 1987, a low cloud cover and a wind shift forced the men to attempt a landing on a north coast beach.  Having failed to separate the pressurized capsule from the balloon, Branson and Lindstrand leaped into the sea near Rathlin Island, County Antrim.  A swarm of air and sea-going vessels, including the British Navy and the Coast Guard, tracked the balloon’s demise.  Navy helicopters plucked the stranded men from the sea, but the balloon careened off toward the Mull of Kintyre.  When the Virgin Atlantic Flyer finally touched down in the Northern Channel, Rathlin Islanders in a fishing boat retrieved the million-dollar balloon, and claimed it for salvage.¹  Despite the Navys attempt to confiscate the balloon, the island fishermen clung to their booty, thereby qualifying for a reward of £60,000.²

To fishermen struggling to make ends meet, the prize was the largest sum of money they had ever seen.  With the reward, the islanders established a trust fund, and purchased and transformed their old landlord’s manor into a heritage center.  Subsequently, the island’s 110 residents began to investigate the history of their locale.  Once the island supported about 1,200 inhabitants, but the Great Famine and its concurrent emigration depopulated Rathlin in the nineteenth century. According to traditional lore many Rathlin emigres settled in Maine and Quebec.³  Attempting to locate their long-lost cousins, Kathlyn McFaul of the Rathlin Island Trust wrote to NEHGS in 1988.  Thus the fortuitous crash-landing of this balloon from Maine instigated a quest to discover Rathlin’s past connection to Maine.

Ringed by mountains and high cliffs on three sides, Rathlin Island is about six miles long and one mile wide, and lies seven miles opposite the town of Ballycastle, County Antrim.  Noted by Pliny and Ptolemy, the island bears archaeological evidence, in the form of ring forts and flints, dating back to the Neolithic Period.  Rathlin’s Christian era began with the landing of Saint Comgall of Bangor in 580 A.D.  However, marauding Norsemen destroyed the ancient monastery in 790 and 973.  In medieval times, many Scots (who were descendants of Dalriada or North-east Antrim people) fleeing interclan wars took refuge on Rathlin, including (according to legend) Robert Bruce, who fortified a castle there.  In 1558, the Rathlin Scots were attacked by the Earl of Sussex, and in 1642 by the Earl of Argyll, who massacred every person, hurling even infants over the cliffs.  Since 1476, the Macdonnells (MacDonald) of Islay and Kintyre, afterwards Earls of Antrim, had possessed the island.  But in 1746 Alexander, fifth Earl of Antrim, sold Rathlin to Rev. John Gage, Prebendary of Aghadowey (County Derry), whose descendants retained ownership until the twentieth century.⁴  The devastating potato blight of 1846-1853 which produced the Great Famine in Ireland also affected the island. “…although none on Rathlin died of starvation, the people’s faith in the inevitability of an abundant harvest had been shattered."⁵ 107 persons fled in 1847, and heavy emigration continued until 1881.  In 1841 the island maintained a population of 1,010, but by 1851 the number had diminished to 753, and by 1861 to 453.⁶  Thus over 550 persons or more than half the population had emigrated during the famine period. Research indicates that at least 230, but probably many more, of these emigrants settled in Washington County, Maine.

Rathlin’s culture was more Hebndean than Irish.  The inhabitants spoke Scots Gaelic and often regarded the mainland as a foreign country.  The main industries were cattle and sheep raising, oats, barley and potato agriculture, fishing, kelp harvesting, and linen and wool production. Rathlin featured distinct cornmunities at either end of the island, with the western, fowling community speaking Gaelic primarily, and [197] the eastern, fishing community speaking English.⁷  In 1834. the majority of the people lived in clachans, i.e. closely congregated families who held joint tenure.  Lodged under the scarps of terraced basalts, their low, whitewashed stone and thatch houses were built to withstand the wind.  Lewis describes the islanders as “simple, laborious and honest people entertaining an ardent affection for their island.. .The Catholics and Protestants generally lived together in the greatest harmony, undisturbed by differences in religion.”⁸  In 1945, Thomas McCuiag wrote, “On Rathlin Island, the wheel of life revolves with uneventful regularity...In years gone past the island was entirely self supporting, growing its own food and spinning its own cloth . A familiar feature of the island landscape is the thatched cottages.  These are usually whitewashed and, with painted windows and doors, make a very pleasing sight...Like the ocean which swells about its shores and the smoke which curls in tranquil solitude above its cottages, Rathlin lives its life in peace and plenty.”⁹

The WPA index to New England naturalizations, located at the National Archives New England Branch in Waltham, Massachusetts, was searched for the most common Rathlin surname, McCurdy.  Washington County Superior Court records indicate that many County Antrim McCurdys had settled in the townships of Lubec, Pembroke and Perry.  Located at the mouth of the St. Croix River and at Passamaquoddy Bay, these adjacent communities partly form the northeastern corner of Maine.  Further investigation of the area’s 1860 Federal Census revealed at least 230 Irish natives bearing names common to Rathlin (see list below).  The census also lists a number of Irish natives with names common to County Antrim: Mulholland, Mooney, Higgins, Ross, Andrews and Laughlm.  (Laughlin family oral history claims that five brothers emigrated from Belfast in the nineteenth century.)  A trip to the Roman Catholic graveyard in West Lubec confirmed that many of the deceased had been natives of Rathlin Island: John McQuiag, Alexander Black, Archibald Black, Elizabeth Black, Daniel McKinley, John Craig, Neal Black, Ann McQuaig, Daniel McCurdy, Alexander Horan, John Horan, Archibald Horan, James McCurdy, Neil McCurdy and Jane McCurdy.

The Rathlin settlers in Maine were generally farmers, but in Washington County tradition they scraped by with a number of jobs: farming, fishing, shipbuilding and cutting timber. In addition many Pembroke residents worked at the Pembroke Iron Works. Established in 1832 along the Pennamaquan River, the water-powered iron works reputedly produced 15,000 tons of iron annually, including nails, spikes, hinges, and rivets.  The plant closed in 1884; Route 1 passes directly over the site, still marked by a mill dam and a water wheel.¹⁰  What attracted these emigrants to this remote part of Maine is unclear.  However, in the History of Whiting, Maine, the genealogy of Robert Black (1798-1878) claims that Black was a native of Ireland and had lived along the County Road as early as 1839.¹¹  A number of Rathlin Island families in the Lubec 1860 census had some children born in Massachusetts or New Brunswick, and subsequent children born in Maine.  These emigrants seemingly formed a home away from home, a “Little Rathlin” in Maine.

This report of my research is only preliminary, and my purpose in publishing this article is to stimulate interest and a response from descendants.  Further research will include the 1880 and 1900 census, vital records, naturalizations and church records.  It is possible to trace these Maine families back to specific families and locales in Rathlin.  For instance, several individuals are listed in the 1834 Tithe Applotment Book for Rathlin (available at NEHGS).  In addition, the Roman Catholic parish registers begin in 1838, so some individuals can be identified through baptism and marriage records.  Other records, such as the Spinning Wheel Survey of 1796, the List of Protestant Householders in 1740 (available at NEHGS), and the Hearth Money Rolls may extend some families further.  A future article will include the results of some of this research.

The remaining residents of Rathlin Island would like to contact their American cousins.  If any readers think that they descend from this Washington County, Maine population, please contact Marie Daly at NEHGS.

FOOTNOTES

1.    The Boston Globe, July 3, 1987, vol. 232, no. 3, p. 1, col. 1, and July 4, 1987, vol. 232, no.4, p.1, col. 1.
2.      Telephone interview with Kathlyn McFaul of Rathlin Island Trust, July, 1988.
3.    Kathlyn McFaul, ibid.
4.    Hugh Alexander Boyd, Rathlin Island, North of Antrim (Ballycastle, 1947). (Available at NEHGS)
5.    J. H. Elwood, “A Demographic Study of Tory Island and Rathlin Island, 1841-1964”, Ulster Folklife 17(1971): 72. (Available at BPL).
6.    J. H. Elwood, ibid.
7.    Hugh Alexander Boyd, ibid., and F. Estyn Evans, “Traditional Houses of Rathlin Island”, Ulster Folklife 19(1973): 14.
8.    Samuel Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, vol 2 (1837, reprint 1984), p. 502. (Available at NEHGS)
9.    Hugh Alexander Boyd, ibid., p. 54.
10.  Carl K. Hersey, “A History of Pembroke, Maine,” in Historical Souvenir Book: Pembroke Sesquicentennial, 1832-1982. Pembroke Sesquicentennial Committee, 1982.
11.  Gladys Hall Forslund, History of Whiting, Maine. Calais, Maine, 1975.

[198]

Names and Ages of Irish Natives in the 1860 Federal Census of Washington Co., Maine, Bearing Rathlin Names

Black, Archibald        35
Elizabeth          33
Black, Archibald        45
Mary  40
McCurdy, Daniel        27
Norah          25
McCurdy, Margaret        48
Laughlin          50

PEMBROKE:

Anderson, Alexander          26
Sarah 25
Anderson, James          30
Catherine          27
Anderson, John 44
Anderson, Robert          34
Mary  36
Anderson, Rose  65
Alexander          24
Anderson, William          30
Black, Archibald          32
Mary W.          30
Black, Daniel          27
Black, James          25
John 27
John 23
Black, James          31
Mary  30
Black, John          30
Sophia          36
Black, Laughlin          42
Elizabeth          40
Black, Margaret          60
Archer          65
Black, Neale          69
Nancy          30
Rose  23
Laughlin          28
Neale 25
Black, Neile A.          25
Mary  60
Black, Patrick          40
Archer          32
Betty 25
Crage, Alexander          24
Craw, John          66
Ann  62
Crage, Neale          27
Catherine          25
Larman, Alexander          32
Chrisanna          32
Larman, Ann M.     65
John 18
Mary  14
Ann  16
Ester 12
Rose  10
McCurdy, Daniel          30
Margaret          33
McCurdy, Frank          50
Mary  45
Mary  23
Frank          20
James          12
McCurdy 2nd, John 35
McCurdy, John G.      68
Margaret          50
Mick  28
Laughlin          26
James          20
McCurdy, Neale 25
McCurdy, Neile          25
Mary  23
Mary  50
McCurdy, Patrick          60
Catherine          56
James          32
Ann  23
Mary  20
Francis          19
Elizabeth          16
Catherine W.          13
Patrick          15
McFall, Alexander          37
Jane   36
McFall, John          70
Elizabeth          68
Ellen 28
Neale 24
James          16
McFall, John 2nd   60
Rose  60
John, Jr.          30
Daniel          25
James          22
McKay, John          34
Mary  33
McKay, John          35
Margaret          40
John 19
Daniel          17
Ann  15
Neale 12
James          7
McKay, Neale          30
Sarah 30
McKinley, Archa          30
Mary A.          28
McQuaig, Daniel          80
Morrison, Alexander          45
Ann  35
Morrison, Christian          40
Morrison, Joseph          24
Wilkinson, Daniel          55
Mary  55
Daniel          23
James          17
Michael          14
Wilkinson, Patrick          32
Catherine          28

LUBEC:

Anderson, Patrick          58
Margaret          56
Michael          24
John 15
Anderson, Nancy          17
Black, Alex          50
Black, Alexander          80
Mary  68
Black, Alexander          40
Mary  35
Black, Archie          64
Ellen 63
Black, Betsy          60
Black, Ellen          44
Black, Gilbert          54
Nancy          43
Black, James          52
Black, James          25
Black, James          4
Black, James          33
Nancy          26
Patrick          78
Jane   70
Black, John          28
Elizabeth          65
Ann  20
Black, Neil          47
Isabella          42
Bradley, Duncan          75
Catherine          65
Bradley, John          40
Bradley, John          101
Bradley, Sophia          49
John 23
Horan, John          84
Jane   70
Alexander          37
John Jr.          31
Ann  26
McCurdy, Alex          53
Catherine          44
Mary  16
John 14
Charles          84
McCurdy, Alexander          62
Cecelia          60
John 26
Elisabeth          26
Michael          13
McCurdy, Archibald          50
Jane   52
Catherine          18
Mary  16
McCurdy, Daniel          40
John 28
Sarah 26
McCurdy, Daniel          50
Margaret          44
Mary  14
John 16
Mary  60
McCurdy, Duncan          68
Betsy 66
Daniel          40
Laughlin          33
Cecelia          29
McCurdy, James          47
Nancy          43
McCurdy, James          62
Nancy          57
Mary  13
John 25
Laughlin          23
Catherine          19
Margaret          17
McCurdy, James          37
Margaret          34
Daniel          80
McCurdy, John          28
Mary  25
McCurdy, Mary          67
McCurdy, Neil          33
Jane   36
McCurdy, Peter          60
Margaret          58
Rose  27
McFall, Margaret          57
McFall, Neil          45
Margaret          44
Daniel          18
Mary  15
Mary  68
McGowan, Daniel          49
Mary  42
John 19
Margaret          82
McKinley, Alexander          45
Jane   40
John 27
McKinley, Finley          50
McQuaig, Alexander          47
Elisabeth          18
McQuiag, John          50
Nancy          48
McQuaig, Mary          23
Morrison, Neil          35
Mary  32
James          28
Ellen 68
Morrison, Patrick          57
Wilkinson, Archibald          25
Ann  25
Wilkinson, Catherine          34
Wilkinson, Daniel          30
John 29
James          23
Ana   26
Wilkinson, John 2nd          48
Margaret          44
Margaret          20
Wilkinson, John 73
Margaret          70