Descendants recreate old family photograph 55 years on

An old photograph that spanned the Atlantic for over 50 years was recreated at the Isle of Doagh recently.

On a summer afternoon in and around the mid/late 1960s four wonderful women all with Gibbons family connections from the Isle of Doagh, Clonmany, sat happily for a photograph on the old garden wall outside the home of Neil and Lizzie Gordon, Figart, Isle of Doagh.

Little did they know that this same location would be the meeting place for some of their descendants 55 years later.

The original photograph includes Lizzie Gordon (nee Gibbons), Figart; Mary Gibbons (nee McLaughlin), Beltra; Bridget Mary (also known as Bertha) Harkins, (nee Gibbons) Boston and Elizabeth Doherty (nee Gibbons) Bridgend. The family surname was formerly Gubbin and later changed to Gibbons.

Lizzie was married to Neil Gordon. Lizzie, Bertha and Mary’s husband Charlie were all siblings. Mary was married to Charlie Gibbons and Bertha was married to John Harkins from Camata and Straths and later Derry before emigrating to Boston.

John Harkins also had a number of sisters who were living and married in Derry around 1968 - according to ‘Old Photos of Derry People’ posted by Gerry Curran on Facebook earlier this year - including Mrs Anne Doherty, Mrs Bridgget Davis, Mrs Kathleen Doherty and Mrs Frances Henry. Elizabeth was married to Patrick Doherty (Davy) from Dunaff, Urris. Elizabeth is the eldest daughter of Mary and Charles Gibbons.

The recent photo was taken on last month, on June 16, at the same family home of Neil and Lizzie Gordon, Figart, Isle of Doagh 55 years later.

Margaret McDaid (nee Gordon) Drumfries represented her mother Lizzie Gordon. Charlie Harkins and next to him his daughter Donna, from America representing their mother and grandmother Bertha Harkins (nee Gibbons), and Elizabeth Doherty (nee Gibbons) Roxtown, Urris representing herself and her mother Mary Gibbons (nee McLaughlin).

Some 55 years after the first photo was taken Charlie Harkins, the son of Bertha and John Harkins, along with his daughter Donna and her husband Artie, decided to make the trip to the Isle of Doagh, Clonmany to locate the ancestral home of their mother/grandmother and to meet their Gibbons family connections. They will never forget the warm welcome they received from their Gibbons family from the Isle of Doagh.

That same day, the first cousins met outside the Gordon family home in Figart. Margaret McDaid, Paddy Gordon, Charlie Harkins (USA), Elizabeth Doherty, Mickey Gordon are on the front row, with the back made up of Charlie Gordon, Danny Gordon and George Gordon.

Outside the Gordon Family home in Figart, Danny Gordon, Margaret McDaid, Charlie Harkins (USA), Donna St. Onge (USA), Elizabeth Doherty, Artie St. Onge (USA) at front and at the back, Paddy Gordon, George Gordon, Charlie Gordon, Mary Gordon and her husband Mickey Gordon.

After saying their goodbyes in Figart the American visitors were brought to the home of Eva and Charlie Gibbons, Beltra for another warm welcome.
Charlie Gibbons, another first cousin, who is also Elizabeth Doherty’s brother, spent some time showing the visitors the place where their mother/grandmother (Bertha) was reared along with Bertha’s other siblings before emigrating to America.

Charlie Gibbons and Elizabeth Doherty recalled their memories of the old homestead and also showed the visitors an old iron fireplace crane that would have held a kettle and cooking pots held over an open fire. The visitors also got to see an old three-legged pot that would have been used for cooking.

After locating the ancestral home of Bertha Harkins (nee Gibbons) in Beltra, Isle of Doagh,
Artie St. Onge (USA), Charlie Gibbon (Beltra), Elizabeth Doherty (Urris) and Charlie Harkins (USA).

First cousins Elizabeth Doherty, Charlie Harkins and Charlie Gibbons on the site where their ancestral home would have stood.

The two chuckling Charlies - Charlie Harkins (USA) and Charlie Gibbons (Beltra)

This is a lovely old family photo of Lizzie O’Donnell and Patrick Gubbin the parents of siblings Michael, James, Cassie, Bridget Mary (Bertha), Ellen, George, Charles and Lizzie Gubbin/Gibbons.

Unknown date of Lizzie O’Donnell and Patrick Gubbin. The 1911 Census records their address as Carrowreagh or Craignacally, Ballyliffin. Special thanks to Mary Harkins, USA for providing this wonderful family photo to have for generations to come.

On June 16 this year, on the old garden wall at the home of Eva and Charlie Gibbons Beltra, Isle of Doagh
Donna St. Onge (USA) - Ann Michelle Robinson. Ann is the daughter of Michael Gibbons seated next - Michael Gibbons (Beltra) is another first cousin. Michael’s father, also called Michael was the oldest in the family - Elizabeth Doherty (Urris) - Eva Gibbons (Beltra) - And representing the next generation is little David Cawley Gibbons. David is the grandson of Eva and Charlie Gibbons - Charlie Harkins (USA) - Charlie Gibbons (Beltra).

At each house visit in the Isle everyone was drawn to sit awhile on the old garden walls which our ancestors would have done many times before. These words were penciled shortly after the visit to mark the occasion by Eileen Doherty.

Old Garden Walls

The old garden walls in the Isle
Stand still as the world rushes by
Protecting their home garden soil
As homeowners hurry and toil.

What sights they’ve seen through the years
Of progress, emigration and tears
The coming and going of a child
Like the ebb and flow of the tide.

And every once in a while
Descendants will visit the Isle
The warmest of welcomes on tap
As the sleeping dog wakes from his nap.

Stories of people and places
Bring laughter and tears to kind faces
As kinfolk chatter in tune
On a warm Summer day in June.

Alas it's time to depart
Emotions start filling the heart
Longing to sit a while more
As loved ones did once before.

So next time you stroll through the Isle
Salute those old walls with a smile
Holding years of memories in lock
If only old walls could talk.
“Special days like the one we were privileged to be apart don’t just happen by chance and a special word of thanks goes out to each and every one of the Gordon family who gave of their time to be present in Figart that day,” Eileen Doherty said.

“To Eva Gibbons for contacting cousins in advance and for the lovely afternoon tea. To Charlie Gibbons and his sister Elizabeth Doherty for showing the visitors the family ancestral site and recalling memories of the old homestead in Beltra. To Anne Michelle Robinson for bringing her father Michael Gibbons along to meet the visitors. To my mother Elizabeth Doherty for providing photos and stories of the past.

“Also to Damien Doherty (Clonmany Genealogy And Heritage Group) for information on the family history. To the Inishowen DonegalDNA Matches Group where connections are made between the present and the past through social media in particular to thank Patrick O’Connor for enabling Eileen Doherty to connect with Mary Harkins. Mary is a daughter of Bertha and John Harkins and a sister of Charlie Harkins.

“And finally to the visitors themselves Charlie Harkins Donna, Artie and their friend Jane for making the long journey and meeting relations. Until the next visit …”