Christmas Newsletter
Wheelahan Family Christmas Letter
11 December 2001
Dear Family Members
How wonderful it was to renew our family ties at the Reunion. It is amazing that the bonds of family cannot be broken by time and distance. To the cousins who could not make it especially Yvonne Fraser, you certainly were not forgotten and on Saturday night at dinner we named each one.
What about the American cousins! Keith, Chuck and Pat were wonderful people and I thought throughout the week-end how thrilled Barney (our great-grandfather and his brother Michael (their great-grandfather) would have been to see their families united. It is amazing to think that all of Barney's sibling emigrated to the U.S.A. and so we have this large wonderful family there. Christy and Irish Chris must have smiled to see a Wheelahan from Australia and one from the U.S.A. take up the offertory procession at the family Mass in the church from which many Wheelahans were buried.
Keith, Chuck and Pat turned out to be computer wizards and I am sure were a little dismayed with my lack of skill. Thank goodness we have a wonderful secretary named Sally who has been involved with every bit of paper work. She knows this family better than most of us so I thank her very much. The U.S.A Cousins, especially Chuck have made an amazing CD Rom with photos they have scanned in while at the Reunion plus many photos of their own families. They have sent copies to some family members and if you would like a copy please let me know and I will try to get you one. It is a wonderful record.
The video made by Jennifer Cummins Lochtenberg will be ready in February and I will send out an order form when the time comes. It certainly was wonderful to have a professional on the job, many thanks Jen.
The Wheelahan Family Australia web page is coming along slowly. Our web address is :
users.bigpond.com/wyadrigah/default.htm
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I know it is rather long and I have registered another easier name but have not got it organised yet. Keith's email address is:
You will find many useful links there.
I want to thank all those who helped with the Reunion especially Mary and John Cummins and Anne and John Kerrison. Chris and Bev Wheelahan were wonderful hosts while we were at Grafton. Chris and Chuck played golf on a course littered with kangaroos, something not often seen at Fort Walton Beach.
Pat, Keith and Chuck were honorary Aussies by the time they left and were photographed leaving Sydney wearing Akubras. I hope this is just the start of a long association with our American family.
I am endeavouring to find some of the Cavanagh history, which I think will be fascinating from the little that I have learnt so far.
I am enclosing a poem sent to me by Keith. Hope you enjoy it.
Wishing you all a joyous Christmas season.
Love
Margaret.
