Where They Rest: Burial Places Of My McCane (Muckian) Family

When tracing my family tree, I often find myself following my ancestors and extended family through the familiar records of birth, marriage and death. But burial places add another layer to their stories. They show where a person’s life ended, where a family had settled, where relatives gathered, and sometimes where evidence has been lost and the record simply falls silent.

In my maternal McCane (Muckian) line, these burial places trace a journey that began in County Armagh, Ireland, and stretched across oceans to Queensland, Australia, and New York in the United States.

Some of these burial places have headstones that have stood for more than a century. Others are marked by more recent memorials, lovingly maintained by the generations that followed.  Then there are those resting places I have yet to find.

Altogether, these graves, both known and unknown, tell another part of my family's story.

A Family Name That Crossed Oceans

One of the interesting things I have discovered while researching my McCane family is how the surname changed as different members of the family made their lives in different countries.

The original Irish surname was Muckian, sometimes recorded as Muckean, Mackian or McKane. In Australia, the family became known as McCane, while in the United States, the surname took the form Kane.

These variations have sometimes made it difficult to follow the family through the records, particularly when searching for burial places.  An ancestor who was born a Muckian in Ireland might have died as a McCane in Queensland or a Kane in New York.  Without knowing the family connections, there would be little to suggest that the names on these distant gravestones belong to members of the same Irish family.

Yet that is exactly what makes tracing their burial places so interesting.  Each one adds another piece to the story of a family that gradually spread across three countries.

Home Hill: A Family Resting Place in North Queensland

One of the strongest connections I have found among the McCane burial records in Australia is at the Home Hill General Cemetery, in Queensland's Burdekin district.

My maternal great-grandfather, Owen McCane / Muckian (1859–1930), is buried there.

Owen was born into the Muckian family in Ireland and later made his home in Queensland, where his surname became McCane.

His grave is marked by a memorial shared with his wife, Margaret McCane née Farrell, who died in 1955. Their names appear together on the inscription, a lasting reminder of the life and family they established in Australia.

Owen and Margaret had seven children, all born in Charters Towers, Queensland. As the children grew older, their lives took them to different parts of the state, although several eventually made their homes in the Burdekin district.

Three of their children, together with their spouses, are buried at Home Hill.

Their daughter, Susan Mary Bidgood née McCane (1892–1974), my maternal grandaunt, is buried there. 

Her memorial also remembers her husband, Frank Bidgood, who died in 1932.

Two of Susan's brothers, my maternal granduncles, also have their final resting places at Home Hill.

John Michael McCane (1901–1985), known as Jack, rests beneath a substantial family memorial. 

The inscription includes his wife, Myreen Catherine, and words of affection from their family.

Nearby in the same cemetery is the grave of another brother, James Patrick McCane (1904–1982), known as Jim, who is buried with his wife, Marie Sybil, who died in 1990. 

Their memorial records them as beloved parents, a reminder of the next generation of McCane descendants who continued the family story.

I find it rather special that so many members of Owen and Margaret's family came to rest in the same cemetery. Although their lives took them along different paths, Home Hill became a final gathering place for several members of this branch of the family. 

Bowen: My Grandmother's Resting Place

Another important place in my McCane family history is Bowen General Cemetery, further south along the Queensland coast.

My maternal grandmother, Sarah Mary Josephine O'Donnell née McCane (1894–1970), the second daughter of Owen and Margaret, is buried there.

Her burial place holds particular meaning for me because it brings together two branches of my maternal family tree: the McCane line and the O'Donnell line.

Born a McCane, Sarah became an O'Donnell through marriage. Her burial in Bowen connects her to the community that became such an important part of the O'Donnell family story.

Her memorial is a relatively simple plaque bearing the name Sarah O'Donnell and the date of her death, 26 April 1970. Behind that name though is a much larger family story. Anyone visiting the cemetery without knowing Sarah's background would see little to suggest that she had been born into the McCane family, or that her paternal ancestors had once lived in County Armagh, Ireland, under the surname Muckian.

It reminds me how much of a person's story can be hidden behind the name recorded on a gravestone.  A married surname may preserve one part of a woman's life while leaving her earlier family connections almost invisible.

Bowen is also the burial place of Sarah's youngest brother, Edward Joseph McCane (1907–1983), known as Eddie.

His memorial describes him as a good man, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. 

I particularly like these words because they tell us something that dates and cemetery registers cannot.  They offer a glimpse of how Eddie was remembered by the people who knew and loved him. His memorial also reminds me that another part of the McCane family made its home in this coastal town.

Charters Towers: Remembering a Young Life

Not every burial place marks the end of a long life.  Some are reminders of children whose lives ended far too soon.

My maternal granduncle, Edward William McCane (1896–1905), is buried at the Charters Towers Monumental & Lawn Cemetery.

Edward was only nine years old when he died in February 1905.

His grave is marked by a memorial that also names his parents, my maternal great-grandparents, Owen and Margaret MCane. The inscription includes the affectionate words "our loved", a small but touching reminder of the grief his family must have felt at losing him.

Unlike the later family memorials at Home Hill and Bowen, Edward's grave tells the story of a family member who did not have the opportunity to grow up and make a life of his own. The grave preserves his place in the family though. Without such a memorial, Edward might easily have become little more than a name and two dates on the family tree. Instead, there is a particular place where he is remembered, a visible reminder that he was a dearly loved child whose loss mattered to his family.

His burial at Charters Towers also connects us to an earlier chapter in the McCane family's Queensland story.  Charters Towers was where Owen McCane and Margaret Farrell married, and where all seven of their children were born.  During those years, the town was an important centre of life for the young family.

Around ten years after Edward William's death however, the surviving members of the family had moved from Charters Towers to establish a family farm near Gumlu, in north Queensland.  Over time, several members of the family moved further north to Home Hill, where they eventually spent their retirement years.

Edward, however, remained at Charters Towers.  While his parents and siblings continued their lives elsewhere, his grave remained in the town where the family had begun its Australian story together.

Mackay: A Family Connection Further South

Another of Owen and Margaret's sons, my maternal granduncle Thomas Owen McCane (1899–1967), known as Tom, is buried at Mount Bassett Cemetery in Mackay.

His headstone records his death on 27 July 1967, aged 68 years.

While three of Tom's siblings are buried at Home Hill, and two others at Bowen, his final resting place is further south along the Queensland coast.

I find it interesting to see how the burial places of seven children from the same family came to be spread across different towns.  All seven were born in Charters Towers, but their lives followed different paths.  Some remained close to each other, while another established a home elsewhere.

Tom's grave at Mackay adds another place to the map of McCane family connections in Queensland.  It also reminds me that the family's migration story did not end when Owen left Ireland and settled in Australia.  The next generation continued to move, finding work, establishing homes and raising their own families in different communities.

Old Killevy: Searching for the Earlier Irish Generations

Following my McCane-Muckian family line back beyond Queensland takes me to County Armagh in Ireland, where the family lived long before Owen made his journey to Australia.

My 2x great-grandfather, Patrick Muckian / Muckean (1817–1887), lived at Ballintemple in the Civil Parish of Killevy (the Roman Catholic Parish of Killeavy Lower), not far from the old Killevy churchyard and graveyard.

Killevy Old Churches Graveyard
County Armagh, Northern Ireland

It is possible that Patrick and his eldest son, Edward Muckian (1854–1914), known as Ned, were both buried there, as Edward stayed on the nearby family farm until his death. I have yet to find any records confirming their resting places though.

I had the opportunity to visit Killevy Old Churches Graveyard myself, hoping that I might discover some trace of Patrick or Edward among the old headstones.  Unfortunately, I found nothing that could confirm either man's burial there.

Old churchyards can hold generations of family history, but their secrets are not always easily uncovered.  Headstones become weathered and difficult to read.  Some graves were never marked with permanent memorials, and older burial registers have not always survived.  Even when records do exist, variations in the spelling of family surnames can make identifying the right person difficult.

For now, Killevy remains a possible resting place rather than a confirmed one.  I would dearly love to find that final piece of evidence linking my family's Australia story to a particular grave in the Irish countryside, not far from where my ancestors once lived.  Perhaps my 2x great grandfather and my great-grand uncle are resting in the graveyard, among generations of neighbours and relatives.  Or perhaps their graves lie in another churchyard somewhere in County Armagh.  Until I find further evidence, that part of their story remains unfinished.

The Family Members Who Remained in Ireland

Not every member of the Muckian family left Ireland. 

While Owen travelled to Australia and his younger brother eventually made his home in America, some of their siblings remained in County Armagh and neighbouring County Down.  As well as Owen's and John's eldest brother who remained on the family farm in Ballintemple; two of their sisters also remained in Ireland. Unfortunately, I have not yet been able to establish the exact burial places of any of these family members.

Mary Elizabeth McCabe née Muckian (1856-1919), my great-grandaunt, was one of the family members who remained in Ireland.  I have only recently discovered her death record, which confirms that her death was registered in 1919 in Newry No. 1, County Down.

Although I have yet to discover her exact burial place, this new information gives me another promising lead.  Perhaps Mary Elizabeth was laid to rest in a cemetery or churchyard near Newry, not far from the communities where other members of the family had lived.

Another sister, Anne Barry née Muckian (1864-1956), is thought to have been buried in Camlough, County Armagh, where she lived with her husband and family. I have not yet found confirmation of this.

Like my grandmother Sarah, both women are remembered in the available records under their married surnames which adds another challenge when searching for graves and burial registers.  It is quite possible that their final resting places are still somewhere close to the communities where the family lived for generations.  I hope that further research into the old burial grounds and parish records of County Armagh and County Down may eventually reveal where these two women were laid to rest a well.

John Muckian: The American Branch

The McCane–Muckian family story did not lead only from Ireland to Australia. Another branch crossed the Atlantic to the United States.

John Muckian / Kane (1863–1922), my great-granduncle and a younger brother of Owen McCane, made his home in America, where he became known by the surname Kane. John settled in Rensselaer County, New York, and established his new life there.  His exact burial place remains unknown, although Rensselaer County is a possible location given his connection to the area.

I often think about how differently the lives of these two brothers unfolded.  Both were born into the Muckian family in Ireland, yet one journeyed to Australia and became known as McCane, while the other crossed the Atlantic to America and adopted the surname Kane. Their lives took them to opposite sides of the world and their original family surname was left behind.

Where Their Stories Came To Rest

What began as one family in Ireland became several branches, separated by oceans, distances and even changes in surname.  Yet when I look at these burial places together, the connections between them are still there.  Perhaps that is one of the things I find most meaningful about tracing my family history.  Every grave I discover gives me another place to connect with an ancestor or a relative, another reminder of a life lived, and another small piece of the family's story.

Family history is not only about discovering where previous generations were born, married and died.  It is also about remembering where they came to rest, the people who mourned them, and the places where their stories still linger.

Burial Places of my McCane / Muckian Ancestors and their Siblings

Name of Relative	Relationship to Me	Burial Location	Notes
My Grandmother and Her Siblings
Sarah Mary Josephine O'Donnell née McCane 1894–1970	Maternal Grandmother	Bowen General Cemetery, Bowen, Queensland, Australia	Buried beside her two daughters Marcella Webber née O'Donnell and Margaret Brigid Connors née O'Donnell.
Susan Mary Bidgood née McCane 1892–1974	Maternal Grand Aunt	Home Hill General Cemetery, Home Hill, Queensland, Australia	Buried with her husband Frank Bidgood at the cemetery closest to the family farm.
Edward William McCane 1896–1905	Maternal Grand Uncle	Charters Towers Monumental & Lawn Cemetery, Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia	Monument lists his parents and the cause of his death at such a young age.
Thomas Owen (Tom) McCane 1899–1967	Maternal Grand Uncle	Mount Bassett Cemetery, Mackay, Queensland, Australia	Buried beside his wife Agnes Theresa McCane née Parnell.
John Michael (Jack) McCane 1901–1985	Maternal Grand Uncle	Home Hill General Cemetery, Home Hill, Queensland, Australia	Buried beside wife Myreen Catherine McCane née Farrell at the cemetery closest to the family farm.
James Patrick (Jim) McCane 1904–1982	Maternal Grand Uncle	Home Hill General Cemetery, Home Hill, Queensland, Australia	Buried beside wife Margaret (Marie) Sybil McCane née Crofton at the cemetery closest to the family farm.
Edward Joseph (Eddie) McCane 1907–1983	Maternal Grand Uncle	Bowen General Cemetery, Bowen, Queensland, Australia	Buried beside wife Alice Maud McCane née Wilson.
My Great-Grandfather and His Siblings
Owen McCane / Muckian 1859–1930	Maternal Great Grandfather	Home Hill General Cemetery, Home Hill, Queensland, Australia	Buried beside his wife Margaret McCane née Farrell at the cemetery closest to the family farm.
Anne (Nancy) Barry née Muckian 1864–1956	Maternal Great-Grandaunt	Burial Location Unknown	Likely buried in Camlough, County Armagh, where she lived on a family farm with her husband.
John Muckian / Kane 1863–1922	Maternal Great-Granduncle	Burial Location Unknown	Likely buried in Rensselaer County, New York, where he lived when he emigrated.
Mary Elizabeth McCabe née Muckian 1856–1919	Maternal Great-Grandaunt	Burial Location Unknown	Likely buried near Newry, County Down, where she lived with her husband.
Edward (Ned) Muckian 1854–1914	Maternal Great-Granduncle	Burial Location Unknown	Likely buried in the Old Killeavy Churchyard, County Armagh, close to the family farm.
My 2x Great-Grandfather (Siblings Unknown)
Patrick Muckian / Muckean 1817–1887	Maternal 2x Great-Grandfather	Burial Location Unknown	Likely buried in the Old Killeavy Churchyard, County Armagh, close to the family farm.

Where They Rest: Burial Places Of My O'Donnell Family

When we trace a family tree, we often follow people through the records of birth, marriage and death. But burial places add another layer. They tell us where families gathered, where they put down roots, where they returned to, and sometimes where the paper trail simply fades away.

In my maternal O’Donnell line, the burial places form a quiet map of movement: from County Kilkenny in Ireland, to Queensland in Australia, and to New York, New Jersey and California in the United States. Some graves are marked by family monuments. Some are recorded only by cemetery registers. Some have plaques, wall niches or lawn markers. Others remain unknown, but even in those gaps, there is still a story.

A Family Name with Two Forms

The O’Donnell line carries an extra layer of complexity because the surname itself changed over time. The family surname O’Donnell was anglicised to Daniel during the early to mid-1800s in Ireland, and the family continued to be known as Daniel until around 1902–1903, when the surname was legally changed back to O’Donnell.

That means burial records, cemetery indexes, church records and death registrations may not always appear under the name expected. Some ancestors may be recorded as Daniel, others as O’Donnell, and some may appear under married names. It is a reminder that names in records are not fixed things. They shift with language, law, geography, grief and memory.

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Bowen: The Later Family Anchor

The strongest burial pattern in the more recent generations is at the Bowen General Cemetery in north Queensland.

My mother, Margaret Brigid Connors née O’Donnell 1923-1968, is laid to rest at the Bowen General Cemetery. Her middle name was spelt incorrectly on the headstone - Briged instead of Brigid - a small but important reminder that even modern memorial records can contain errors.

Most of her siblings also came to rest in Bowen:

Her eldest brother Edmond James O’Donnell 1922-1995 is buried in the Lawn Plaque Section at the Bowen General Cemetery, although the plaque carries only the plot number and not his name. 

Brother Maurice Owen O’Donnell 1925-2006 (known as Morrie), 

brother James Thomas O’Donnell 1928-2005 (known as Jim), 

brother Edward Martin O’Donnell 1930-1986 (known as Eddie), 

her only sister Marcella Therese Webber née O’Donnell 1935-1961, 

and her youngest brother Terence William O’Donnell 1937-2025 (known as Terry) all have their final resting places at the Bowen General Cemetery.

Their memorials vary, from plaques to burial plots, reminding me that even within one cemetery, remembrance can take different forms.

Their father, James O’Donnell 1887-1974 (known as Jim), my grandfather, was also laid to rest at the Bowen General Cemetery.

This creates a clear family cluster. Bowen was not simply a place where one O’Donnell happened to be buried. It became a family resting place across two generations. For this branch of the family, Bowen represents belonging, settlement and continuity.

There is one notable exception among my mother’s siblings: John Joseph O’Donnell 1926-2008 (known as Jack), is buried at the Gracemere Cemetery near Rockhampton. His burial place shows that, even within a close family group, later life could take individuals away from the family centre.

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Toowoomba: An Earlier Queensland Cluster

Before Bowen became the dominant burial place for my family, another Queensland cluster appeared around Toowoomba.

My great-grandfather Edmond O’Donnell 1862-1893, an Irish immigrant, was buried within the grounds of the Drayton & Toowoomba Cemetery. His name is recorded on one side of the O'Donnell family monument.

Some of the next generation (a grandaunt and a granduncle) are connected to the same monument in that cemetery. 

Edmond's daughter Catherine O’Donnell 1884-1898, known as Kate, who died as a teenager, 

and son John Patrick O’Donnell 1886-1888, who died as a very young child, are both buried at the Drayton & Toowoomba Cemetery.

John Patrick's name is recorded under the name of his father Edmond, while Catherine's name is recorded on an adjacent side.

Mary Margaret O’Donnell 1890-1971 (another grandaunt) has a different plot to her siblings Catherine and John, and was buried with her stepbrother.

Another member of that generation, Edmond's son Maurice Patrick O’Donnell 1892-1970 (my granduncle), is buried at the Toowoomba Garden of Remembrance, although his name does not appear on the plaque that marks the place where he and his wife were laid to rest.

This Toowoomba group feels especially important because it preserves an earlier Queensland chapter of the family. It marks the period before my family story moved northward to Bowen. The family monument also gives some of the family burials a collective presence. It is not just a set of individual graves, but a visible family memorial.

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Owning Old Graveyard: The Irish Family Monument

Further back, the family burial pattern reaches into the Owning Old Graveyard, County Kilkenny, Ireland.

My 2x great-grandfather, John O’Donnell / Daniel 1813-1896 is buried there. His name is recorded on the front of the family monument, right at the top.

Several members of the next generation, John's children (my great-grandaunts and a great-granduncle), are also remembered at Owning. 

John's daughter, Margaret O’Donnell 1856-1941, is recorded on one side of the family monument. 

John's son,William O’Donnell 1859-1937, is recorded on the base of the family monument, under the name of his wife Mary O'Donnell née Holden. 

Another of John's daughters, Ellen O’Donnell 1865-1880, is also recorded on the front of the family monument.

This Irish monument appears to act as a family anchor across generations. It preserves the older family identity in the place where the line began before later movement to Australia and America. There is something powerful about that. A family may scatter across the world, but an old graveyard can still hold the centre of gravity.

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The Emigrant Siblings: Graves Across America

The O’Donnell siblings of the mid-1800s, children of my 2x great-grandfather John O'Donnell, did not remain in one place. Their burial locations show a family spread not just across Ireland and Queensland in Australia, but also in the United States.

Several of those family members (great-granduncles and great-grandaunts) are buried in America. 

Patrick O’Donnell 1854-1906, known as Patsy, has a plot at the Calvary Cemetery, in Queens County, New York.

There is no headstone and his grave marker is no longer visible. 

James O’Donnell 1867-1908 is also buried at the Calvary Cemetery, in his sister Mary's family plot. 

That sister, Mary Lonergan née O’Donnell 1872-1951, known as Minnie, was laid to rest with her husband and nephew, as well as her brother James.

Other siblings are found further afield. 

Michael O’Donnell 1857-1935 was laid to rest at the Saint Rose of Lima Cemetery, in Freehold Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. 

Peter Paul O’Donnell 1864-1927 is buried at the Evergreen Cemetery, in Oakland, Alameda County, California.

These burial places make the migration story visible. New York, New Jersey and California were not just destinations on a map. They became final resting places. 

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Religious and Community Connections

Some burial locations also hint at religious and community ties.

The final resting place of John O’Donnell Jnr. 1861-1919 (yet another great-granduncle), is located at the Franciscan Friary, in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary, Ireland. John Jnr. is buried with his wife Ellen O'Donnell née Cooney and his son John. 

This is a distinctive burial place, different from the family graveyard at Owning. It may suggest a particular religious connection, personal association, or local circumstance that shaped where he was buried.

The American burials also suggest the importance of Catholic cemetery networks for Irish emigrant families, especially in places such as New York and New Jersey.

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When the Burial Place Is Unknown

Not every family member has a known burial place.

Among the earlier generations, several O’Donnell / Daniel relatives have unknown burial locations, including Patrick O’Donnell / Daniel, my 3x great-grandfather, who died around 1865. The final resting places for most of his children, including Margaret, John, Mary, Michael, William O’Donnell / Daniel, and Brigid Prendergast née O’Donnell / Daniel (my 2x great-grandaunts and uncles), remain unknown.

In the next generation, Thomas O’Donnell, son of my 2x great-grandfather John O'Donnell, died as a newborn baby in 1870. He has an unknown burial location. 

Catherine Dwyer née O’Donnell 1871-?, another daughter of my 2x great-grandfather John O'Donnell who emigrated to the United States like many of her siblings, has an unknown burial location, with her death date not yet known.

Even where the cemetery is known, the exact grave may not be. Richard O’Donnell 1855-1916, my great-granduncle, emigrated to Queensland in Australia, and is buried at the Surat General Cemetery, but the exact location of his burial plot is unknown.

These unknowns are not failures in the family story. They are part of the reality of family history.

There are many possible reasons why a burial location may be missing, uncertain or no longer visible:

A family may not have been able to afford a permanent headstone. A grave may have been marked with timber, which later decayed. Cemetery records may have been lost, damaged or never carefully kept. A person may have been buried under a variant surname, such as Daniel instead of O’Donnell, or under a married name that has not yet been connected. A death record may contain an incorrect place, date or spelling. In some cases, remains may have been disinterred and reinterred elsewhere. Cremation may also leave fewer visible cemetery clues. Environmental factors such as flood, erosion, weathering, cemetery redevelopment, neglected ground, or damaged monuments can all separate a person from their marker over time.

Sometimes, as with Patrick O’Donnell in Calvary Cemetery, the burial place may be known but the grave marker itself is no longer visible.

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Patterns Across the Generations

Looking across the O’Donnell burial places, several patterns stand out.

First, the family story begins with a strong Irish base at the Owning Old Graveyard in County Kilkenny. The family monument there preserves several names across generations.

Second, the Queensland story develops in stages. Toowoomba appears as an earlier Queensland centre, while Bowen becomes the major resting place for the later O’Donnell family.

Third, the family diaspora is written into cemetery records. Some O’Donnell siblings remained in Ireland, some settled in Queensland, and others are buried in New York, New Jersey and California.

Fourth, family monuments and shared plots mattered. The Owning monument, the Toowoomba family monument, and the Calvary Cemetery family plot all show how burial places could preserve family relationships long after migration had scattered people across continents.

Finally, the unknown burial places remind me to read absence carefully. A missing grave does not mean a person was forgotten by those who loved them. It may simply mean that the marker did not survive, the record was lost, the name was recorded differently, or the family circumstances left no permanent memorial behind.

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Conclusion: A Map of Memory

The burial places of my O’Donnell ancestors and their siblings form more than a list of cemeteries. They create a map of memory.

Some graves are marked clearly. Some are remembered on family monuments. Some are hidden behind spelling errors, missing plaques, invisible markers, or unknown records.

But each burial place, known or unknown, adds something to the family story. They remind us that our ancestors were not only born, married and recorded. They were mourned. They were placed somewhere. They belonged to families who made choices, carried grief, remembered names, and sometimes left only the faintest trace for us to follow. 

The table below traces the known and unknown burial places of my direct O’Donnell ancestors and their siblings, showing the family’s movement from County Kilkenny to Australia and across to the United States.

Burial Places of my O’Donnell Ancestors and Their Siblings

Name	Relationship to Me	Burial Location	Notes
My mother Margaret Brigid O’Donnell and her siblings
Margaret Brigid Connors nee O’Donnell 1923–1968	Mother	Bowen General Cemetery, Bowen, Queensland	Middle name is spelt incorrectly.
Edmond James O’Donnell 1922–1995	Maternal Uncle	Bowen General Cemetery – Lawn Plaque Section, Bowen, Queensland	Plaque between flower vases; no name on plaque, only the plot number.
Maurice Owen O’Donnell 1925–2006	Maternal Uncle	Bowen General Cemetery, Bowen, Queensland
John Joseph O’Donnell 1926–2008	Maternal Uncle	Gracemere Cemetery, Gracemere, Queensland
James Thomas O’Donnell 1928–2005	Maternal Uncle	Bowen General Cemetery, Bowen, Queensland	Wall plaque.
Edward Martin O’Donnell 1930–1986	Maternal Uncle	Bowen General Cemetery, Bowen, Queensland
Marcella Therese Webber nee O’Donnell 1934–1961	Maternal Aunt	Bowen General Cemetery, Bowen, Queensland
Terence William O’Donnell 1937–2025	Maternal Uncle	Bowen General Cemetery, Bowen, Queensland	Burial plot photo unavailable.
My grandfather James O’Donnell and his siblings
James O’Donnell 1887–1974	Grandfather	Bowen General Cemetery, Bowen, Queensland
Catherine O’Donnell 1884–1898	Maternal Grand Aunt	Drayton & Toowoomba Cemetery, Toowoomba, Queensland	One side of family monument.
John Patrick O’Donnell 1886–1888	Maternal Grand Uncle	Drayton & Toowoomba Cemetery, Toowoomba, Queensland	One side of family monument.
Mary Margaret O’Donnell 1890–1971	Maternal Grand Aunt	Drayton & Toowoomba Cemetery, Toowoomba, Queensland	Buried with her stepbrother.
Maurice Patrick O’Donnell 1892–1970	Maternal Grand Uncle	Toowoomba Garden of Remembrance, Toowoomba, Queensland
My Great-Grandfather Edmond O’Donnell and his siblings
Edmond O’Donnell 1862–1893	Great Grandfather	Drayton & Toowoomba Cemetery, Toowoomba, Queensland	One side of family monument.
Patrick O’Donnell 1854–1906	Great-Granduncle	Calvary Cemetery, Queens County, New York, USA	Grave marker no longer visible.
Richard O’Donnell 1855–1916	Great-Granduncle	Surat General Cemetery, Surat, Queensland	Location of burial plot is unknown.
Margaret O’Donnell 1856–1941	Great-Grandaunt	Owning Old Graveyard, County Kilkenny, Ireland	One side of family monument.
Michael O’Donnell 1857–1935	Great-Granduncle	Saint Rose of Lima Cemetery, Freehold Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, USA
William O’Donnell 1859–1937	Great-Granduncle	Owning Old Graveyard, County Kilkenny, Ireland	On the base of the family monument.
John O’Donnell 1861–1919	Great-Granduncle	Franciscan Friary, Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary, Ireland
Peter Paul O’Donnell 1864–1927	Great-Granduncle	Evergreen Cemetery, Oakland, Alameda County, California, USA
Ellen O’Donnell 1865–1880	Great-Grandaunt	Owning Old Graveyard, County Kilkenny, Ireland	On the front of the family monument.
James O’Donnell 1867–1908	Great-Granduncle	Calvary Cemetery, Queens County, New York, USA	Buried in the same plot as his sister and her husband.
Thomas O’Donnell 1870–1870	Great-Granduncle	Burial location unknown
Catherine Dwyer nee O’Donnell 1871–?	Great-Grandaunt	Burial location unknown
Mary Lonergan nee O’Donnell 1872–1951	Great-Grandaunt	Calvary Cemetery, Queens County, New York, USA
My 2x Great-Grandfather John O’Donnell / Daniel and his siblings
John O’Donnell / Daniel 1813–1896	2x Great-Grandfather	Owning Old Graveyard, County Kilkenny, Ireland	Front and top of family monument.
Margaret O’Donnell / Daniel 1805–?	2nd Great-Grandaunt	Burial location unknown
Mary O’Donnell / Daniel 1806–1852	2nd Great-Grandaunt	Burial location unknown
John O’Donnell / Daniel 1806–?	2nd Great-Granduncle	Burial location unknown
Michael O’Donnell / Daniel 1810–1873	2nd Great-Granduncle	Burial location unknown
Brigid Prendergast nee O’Donnell / Daniel 1815–1903	2nd Great-Grandaunt	Burial location unknown
William O’Donnell / Daniel 1820–?	2nd Great-Granduncle	Burial location unknown
Earlier direct ancestor
Patrick O’Donnell / Daniel 1780–c.1865	3x Great-Grandfather	Burial location unknown

Spotlight on ... The Show

Waiting All Year for the Bowen Show

A grand occasion in the community calendar

One of the most iconic of Australian traditions — The Show — means something different to each of us. For many of us, it sits somewhere deep in childhood memory, wrapped up with noise, colour, food, dust, excitement and the almost unbearable wait for it to come around again.

Here in Queensland, the annual agricultural show has long been one of the great community traditions. Across the winter months, regional shows are still held throughout the state, leading eventually to the Royal Queensland Show — the Ekka — in Brisbane each August.

The show tradition began as a celebration of rural life, with livestock, produce, flowers, baking, needlework and local skill proudly displayed. Over time, though, it became something more - a gathering place, a social occasion, and for many families, one of the most eagerly awaited days of the year.

In my hometown of Bowen, the Show was inextricably woven into the rhythm of community life. The agricultural heart of it was still there, but around it grew all the colour and excitement that made Show Day so memorable — pavilion displays, ring events, sideshow alley, food stalls, showbags and, of course, fireworks.

The Bowen Showground became the place where the district’s rural strength and the town’s social life came together in one bright, noisy celebration.

I lived for Show Day

As a child growing up in the 1960s, I lived for it.

Family photos taken on Show Day at the Bowen Show 1960s-1970s 

- my parents, myself and my brother

All year I dreamt of it, yearned for it, and relived every sight, sound and taste of it. I would have willingly wished 364 days of my life away just to have Show Day arrive again.

Not my birthday.
Not Christmas.
Not even Cracker Night, which probably came a close second.

No — for me, it was the unforgettable, spectacular Bowen Show.

It was a grand occasion, and I dressed for it. I always had new clothes.  

As a very young child, they were often made and sewn by my mother. She even made the hats I wore. That, too, was part of the Show — not just the excitement of going, but the preparation beforehand, and the sense that this was a special outing worthy of new clothes and a little extra care.

Looking back now, I can see how much love and effort sat quietly behind those childhood memories.

Part of the excitement was also knowing I would catch up with family and friends there. Everyone seemed to be going.

The first glimpse of the Ferris wheel

One of my earliest memories of Show Day -
around the age of 3 getting out of the car
and searching for the ferris wheel

Even now, I can still picture that first glimpse of the top of the Ferris wheel in the distance. 

That alone was enough to send a current of excitement through me that could probably have powered the whole town of Bowen.

Then came the moment the car door opened, and the full force of the Show hit me.

Bright flashing lights of every colour imaginable filled my vision. The smells from the food stalls drifted through the air — the sickly sweetness of fairy floss and candy apples, the smell of popcorn and hotdogs, all mingling with those other showground aromas that seemed to belong to that one special day.

But above all, it was the noise that made the biggest impression.

There was the excited babble of the announcer from the show ring, the discordant music and shrieks from sideshow alley, the cries of animals from all over the grounds, and the chatter, laughter and occasional whingeing of the crowds elbowing their way past.

As a child, I found it utterly intoxicating.

Sideshow Alley, chips and showbags

Before the Show opened, my family would sometimes drive past the Showgrounds to take a peek and see what rides had turned up that year.

Would the Big Dipper be there?
What about the Zipper?
Would the Dodgems be back?

The Ferris wheel, of course, seemed to turn up every year.

Showbags from the 1960s

My favourite part, however, was Sideshow Alley. On a tight budget, I was allowed just one precious showbag, and I held on to it as though it were treasure. I could only gaze at most of the game stalls as I wandered past, admiring the prizes and all the excitement around them.

1967  

Me with cupie doll in hand

One thing that especially captured my imagination was the cupie (or is it kewpie?) doll — that little celluloid doll perched on a cane stick, dressed in a frothy tutu dusted with glitter. 

It was an established favourite with every young girl at the Show.

To me, those dolls looked magical. But they were expensive, so they were certainly not something bought every year.

Inside the Pavilion

The Pavilion was a world of its own and an important part of the Show. It gathered together all the careful work that had been done in homes, schools and gardens across the district and put it proudly on display.

There were competitive sections for cookery, with jams and preserves, pickles, chutneys and honey, alongside cakes, sponges, lamingtons, pies, puddings, scones and sweets such as coconut ice, marshmallows, fudge, caramel and jellies. There were sections for produce too, including vegetables, fruit and eggs.

The flower sections must have been a delight for those who loved them. Entries included flower arranging and cut flowers such as roses, gerberas, carnations, gladioli, pansies, snapdragons, pentas, marigolds, phlox, nasturtiums and petunias.

My Dad, a dyed-in-the-wool rose lover and admirer of other flowers, loved lingering there. For him, the flower displays were not just something to admire - they were something he was part of.

Dad loved entering his blooms in the Show each year, and he often won prizes. In my later childhood years, I remember helping him transport his entries to the Show Pavilion ahead of Show Day. I can still picture him packing cotton wool carefully between the petals of his treasured roses so they would travel safely and arrive in the best possible condition.

Roses were a favourite entry, but he also entered gerberas and carnations.  This photo of some of his prize ribbons shows just how remarkable his flowers were.  They were not simply garden blooms taken along on the day - they were outstanding quality, grown with patience, skill and pride.

The Pavilion also celebrated arts and crafts and all the fine handwork that so often filled women’s spare hours. Fancywork sections included knitting, crochet, hand embroidery and needlework, along with smocking, embroidered tablecloths, dressed dolls, patchwork and quilting.

Looking back now, it is easy to see how much patience, pride and quiet skill was represented in those displays.

Children also entered competitions that brought together schoolwork and creativity. There were entries for handwriting, map work, printing, freehand drawing, pencil drawing, pastel drawing and painting. The Show gave children, including me, a place to proudly display both their schoolwork and their imagination.

Not every display in the Pavilion had the same appeal for me as a child. Dad’s beloved flower displays were not always high on my list, and I remember dragging my feet and moaning my way through them often enough.

But I endured them because I knew there were other pleasures waiting.

There were the mouth-watering Dagwood Dogs I had dreamt about for days, the legendary Shannon’s chips, and the chance to watch the ring events while I ate.

The heart of the Show: the ring events

The ring events were a major part of the Show’s appeal in those years. At local agricultural shows in the 1960s, the main ring was the centre of entertainment, bringing together equestrian skill and rural competition in a way that perfectly captured the spirit of the day.

High-jumping contests were major attractions, woodchopping events drew the crowds, and there was always interest in the livestock judging, including the prize bulls.

The Grand Parade, with its winning horses, cattle and local producers, was one of the traditional highlights — a proud display of the district’s effort and achievement.

For me, showjumping was always a particular favourite. I watched it eagerly while biding my time for the great “ooh-ah” event still to come.

That grand finale was the fireworks.

By the time they began, the whole day seemed to have built towards them. They lit up the sky and drew gasps from the crowd, and as a child they felt like the perfect ending to a day that had already overflowed with excitement.

It was one more marvel to store away in memory for another whole year.

A treasured piece of family memory

Looking back now, I think that is part of what made the Bowen Show so special. It brought together the serious business of rural life, the excitement of entertainment, and the small but important family rituals that surrounded a special day out.

The Show has always stood for more than entertainment. It reflects local pride, rural heritage and community resilience.

But for me, as a child, it also lives on as something deeply personal — a treasured piece of community and family tradition, stitched together from the memories of new clothes sewn by my mother, the first sight of the Ferris wheel, the smell of fairy floss and hotdogs in the air, the noise of the ring, the thrill of the Dodgems, the glamour of kewpie dolls with glittering tutus, and the fireworks blazing at the end of the night.