Michael Dwyer

Story

Michael Dwyer ‘The Wicklow Chief’ and his wife Mary (Doyle) arrived in Port Jackson on 15th February 1806 on The Tellicherry.

He was for 5 years, a Captain in the Society of United Irishmen defending, at times single handed, his beloved Ireland and its people from penal laws that Britain had introduced to crush the Irish by taking away all basic human rights. Michael was a leader of The Rebellion of 1798. His guerrilla survival skills proved unmatched by government soldiers and so he escaped capture. However, many relatives & comrades were imprisoned in Kilmainham Jail, Dublin which caused Michael much sadness. In order to secure the release of the hostages he made a surrender deal with the British Government whereby he, his wife and four children would be transported to America, but he was betrayed! Michael, accompanied by Mary, was transported to NSW as a political exile albeit without any record of offence or sentence. Their four small children were refused passage and remained in Ireland with their grandparents. William Hoare Hume M.P Country Wicklow was very sympathetic seeing this outcome as a breach of faith and arranged with the British Government that Michael receive a payment of £200 on arrival in NSW to be a free settler and be granted 100 acres of land. This, Governor King did, but his successor, Governor Bligh persuaded himself the Irish settlers were a threat and arranged two convicts to give evidence against Michael Dwyer and his Tellicherry comrades. Michael was acquitted of any wrongdoing but Bligh persisted with his plan to transport Michael to Norfolk Island in 1807, where he remained for one year. Mary and their newborn son James were left on the land at Cabramatta to deal with life in NSW. In 1808 Bligh had Michael relocated to Van Diemen\’s Land, although he did allow Mary to join Michael & they remained there another year. Governor Bligh\’s actions in the Colony saw him recalled to Britain and anti-Bligh officials arranged for the Dwyers\’ return to Cabramatta. The new Governor Lachlan Macquarie reinstated his land grant and issued a full pardon. The terms of surrender made in Ireland had been met!

Michael and Mary had three children in Australia. The first born James is my great great grandfather. Their four Irish born children arrived shortly after Michael\’s death in 1825. Many descendants have populated vast areas of NSW & Australia, in general excelling as landholders and many original properties are still in Dwyer family hands. Michael and Mary\’s efforts in the new Colony are well documented and because of his extraordinary leadership qualities, Michael held various positions of trust, one of which was as Chief Constable of Liverpool District where today many reserves, sporting fields and roadways bear his name. Mary worked tirelessly for the establishment of St Mary\’s Church later Cathedral and both remained true to their deeply respected Catholic upbringing.

Michael died in 1825; Mary 1860 and they were buried in Devonshire St Cemetery (site of Central Station) but were re-interred in 1898 with great pomp and ceremony together in the revered Irish Memorial Tomb in Waverly Cemetery. Each Easter Sunday since 1898, the Irish Community attend mass celebrations on their grave to thank God for the lives of the brave Irish insurgent leader Michael Dwyer and his comrades who had fought an empire for the rights of man.

The life of Michael can best be explained by an extract from Chris Lawlor\’s ‘In Search of Michael Dwyer\’; ‘The legacy of Dwyer and his successors has helped to shape modern Australia as a nation where the rights of the individual are respected and upheld; a nation in fact which values the fundamental right of human freedom. Just as was the case in the folklore of Ireland, the myth of Michael Dwyer transcended his own time and place and in Australian folklore also Dwyer stands as a symbol for ‘The Rights of man.\’ The politically aware freedom fighter would be pleased!’

Michael\’s life exemplified the ideals of loyalty, camaraderie, leadership, perseverance and most of all integrity.

I honour his memory with great pride.

His great, great, great, granddaughter,

Beverley Ward nŽe Dwyer.

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