Webmaster
About Me
Hi there, I'm Andy Keogh and since I've taken the time to set up the site I, naturally, get to bore you with my own History.
I was born in Greenock, Scotland at a fairly young age. Greenock is one of the wettest places on the planet so I learned to swim quickly and actually have webbed feet!
To cut a long story shortish, after further education (many years ago) I ended up in Kenya for 12 wonderful years where I met and married my wife, Grace we now have two lovely girls, Colleen and Caitlin. The politics of Kenya took a loop-de-loop in 1992 and we ended up in the Middle East, Qatar, for an unrewarding year. Luckily a job offer arrived from Singapore, where we lived for 3, most enjoyable, years.
In 1996 I applied for and got a new job in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia but, due to a clerical error (DON'T ASK), ended up back in Scotland. I've had a couple of jobs since then, I'm now doing stuff on computers for Inverclyde Council. (I don't say I'm a Council worker .... that's an oxymoron)
In May 2001 I was given a job to develop a website highlighting local History, the site was to be part of the celebrations for the Sea Trek venture commemorating 150 years of Mormon emmigration to America from Europe. Since the Church of the Latter Day Saints were involved I was asked to provide some genealogical information on the site. (this site is not affiliated to ANY Church and is maintained at my own expence without advertising or any other form of payment)
The Local History had written itself but I knew two-thirds of nothing about Genealogical research. I had a few details on a couple of Great Grandparents but little else. I hit the Internet and soon discovered Family Search and a number of specialist sites. I knew that my Grandfather's side came from Rathlin then found out about the Four Corners fire and the pulping of Irish records. I searched for over a year for John Allan McQuilkin and Mary McCurdy's parents (my Great - Great Grandparents) but drew a blank. I then figured it may be easier to find EVERYONE on the island for the correct time period. And here we are! (by the way I did find John Allan and Mary's parents)
I'm fairly absorbed in Rathlin just now but up until 2001 I didn't have a clue about the place. On one of my fact finding missions I read about the Rathlin Sweat Houses and envisaged the Gage family forcing all the youngsters to weave their wee fingers off to the profit of the Gages.
I later found out that the sweathouses were literally that! Wee stone igloos soaked in water, underneath was a peat burning fire that soon built up a head of steam inside the small structure. They were Turkish Baths!!!
At one time, some of the locals must have rushed in the Peat Cutting and got mushrooms (of a particular variety) mixed up in the fuel. These mushrooms were soon added to EVERY batch of peat and rather than being the sad gloomy places I'd originally imagined they were a very efficient method of cleaning the body AND (to a greater extent) the MIND!
Needless to say they were VERY popular places.
There was a great amount of movement between Rathlin and the West Coast of Scotland in the 1800's, working in Greenock and Dumbarton I have managed to trace a fair number of families back to Rathlin and now have about 380, over a third of the population in the 1840's. This website is designed to boost that number, with your help and input I'm sure we can get a full Roll Call for Rathlin in the 19th century at least!