42 A BALLYSHANNON EMIGRANT'S LETTER AND LIFFORD JAIL A Ballyshannon Emigrant's Letter and Lifford Jail By John B. Cunningham Following my article in the 1983 of a small brig outside the bar of Donegal Annual on the reporting of Ballyshannon bound for Saint John's, the newspaper, the Ballyshannon New Brunswick, with about one Herald, on the famine years 1845-50 hundred and twenty passengers. From I would like to follow up two of the Saint John's my family removed to the news items mentioned therein. The United States and in a short time we first concerns the drowning of Henry ceased to see anyone from there and Lipsett of Ballyshannon in the Erne correspondence being uncertain at last estuary as reported in the that means of hearing from our friends Ballyshannon Herald of May 21st, was neglected and finally about forty 1847, and written about nearly forty years ago it ended entirely. But years later by a man who witnessed although the ocean and miles of travel the melancholy event. The person who separated me from the land of my witnessed the accident was Frank M. birth there was one little spot left in Watson, a former native of my heart that the memory of Ballyshannon, who now lived in childhood days in Ballyshannon were Scranton, Pennsylvania. He was always as green as the fields where writing to the then newspaper in the those days were spent. About four town, the Donegal Independent, to years ago I heard that some of my order some postcard views of the area Ballyshannon schoolmates were living and in his letter to the paper of January in St. John's. I packed up and took a 9th, 1886, gives a few neat trip to that beautiful city and with penpictures of his emigration, his mutual pleasure shook hands with subsequent life and his fond memories many who thought I was enjoying the of Ballyshannon. His letter is as beauties of heaven for a number of follows: years. The first of these old friends I Thinking that you might be a little met was John Hammond, who gave curious to know who it is that takes me a large proportion of his time in interest enough in Ballyshannon to conducting me to the homes of those send thousands of miles for a half we both knew well in the old well dozen pictures of it, a few words of beloved town and in recalling explanation would not be out of place. memories of old friends. I spent the Well, I am a native of the town but happiest month I had spent for years. nearly half a century has rolled around I was proud to find that I was not alone since I took my last look at the steeple in my love and admiration of of Mullanashee Church from the deck Ballyshannon and the beautiful