Michael(Stan) Cronin
| First name | Michael(Stan) |
|---|---|
| Last name | Cronin |
| Country of Origin | Ireland |
| Date of Birth | 17/11/30 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1959 |
| Submitted by | Michael(Stan) Cronin |
Story
Reasons for leaving Ire;land – To travel – first to USA, Canada, UK, then Australia
[About the Journey] By ship SS Himalaya, 10 pound migrant, with Wife Julia, Michael, David. Julia 7 months pregnant. Tiring journey looking after children etc. Arrived Sydney 14th March 1959. Met by brother John. He worked Wallerawang Power station as head storeman.
[Impressions on Arrival] I thought the place was backward politically and socially. Worked as ironworker with John Thompson at Wallerawang power station. They were installing electronic dust extractors. Well paid. Nearly killed by engineers error. Worked for GKN Lysaght in acounts office. Lived with John Audrey and family until June 1960. Moved to Canberra to work in Department of Interior accounts in Civic and Acton huts. Lived in Acton Hotel in two rooms also with new baby Kevin born May 1959. Moved to rental house in Ainslie November, then Macartur Place,O’Connor then present house in Watson, which we then bought from Government. Meantime Annette was born at the old Canberra hospital in 1962.
Worked for Attorney General’s Dept at Admin Building until 1963,when I won a taxi plate, TX40 in a ballot. Studied Economics and Political Science at ANU, Graduating in 1966. Sold taxi the same day I finished my BA Degree. Spent proceeds on taking family to England, Ireland and USA to visit family.On return I Joined Immigration Dept at old Barton sheds, and was sent to Spain as Migration Officer in 1973 until 1976. Worked in Green Building in Belconnen until I was sent to Malta in 1980 until 1983.
On return worked at Immigration until I retired in November 1988. I was a founding member and first Chairman of the ACOA Branch in Immigration. This was not a good career move. I was also a Branch Councillor and Promotions Appeal representative for ACOA .
After children had grown to secondary school age Julia went to work as attendant on buses for the Handicapped to take them to Koomari and other hostels. She retired in 1990. We still live in Watson.
My interests and involvements in Canberra include Rugby Union coach for Daramalan College for 4 years, also baseball coach. I was involved in the Labor Party for many years. A foundation member of the Canberra North Branch, and an unsuccessful candidate for ACT Assembly and Senate Preselections. In 1970 I helped establish the Canberra Irish Club Inc., and was its first President. I was also founding President of the Canberra Celtic Choir Inc., and Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann (Irish Musicians Association)Inc. I was also President of Cairde Na hEireann Inc,(Friends of Ireland) for some years. I was a presenter on Irish Voice on radio 2XX for about ten years, and now present a program of music for Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann Inc on tthe Celtic Circle slot on radio 2XX every Monday.
Our family are now scattered, Michael is a policeman in Melbourne, David works in Canberra for a private company doing outsourced personnel work. Kevin lives in China, where he is married to a Chinese woman. He has a company building flats and parks. He is an environmental architect , who worked on developing Glebe Park in Canberra, as well as projects in Perth, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and China. We have six grandchildren, two in Canberra, two in Brisbane, one in China and one in Melbourne.