on 9th September 1636 the emigrant ship 'Eagle Wing' set sail from Groomsport for America carrying 4 Ulster-Scots ministers from North Down (Bangor, Ards, Ballywalter and Killinchy) and 136 people from their congregations. I am not aware of even a whimper of commemoration for this event. Has anyone else seen anything to mark it?
Friday, September 09, 2011
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Assuming you're in good faith with your question I submit the following with a link to the article:
The Eagle Wing voyagers from Ulster were in the same pioneering mould as the Pilgrim Fathers and, once the ship was built, in Carrickfergus har-bour, preparations were made on both sides of Belfast Lough (then known as Lough Fergus!) for the journey to begin.
http://www.scotchirish.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=3062
The Eagle Wing journey began at Groomsport on September 9 and, with an air of expectancy, the ship sailed along Belfast Lough, rounded the Gobbins at Islandmagee and headed into the open sea.
Every inch of space was taken up by the passen-gers and their possessions; and preparations were made with enough food (bread, fruit and dried meat) and water to last up to two months.
On the first lap of the journey, contrary winds drove the ship into Loch Ryan, off the Galloway region of Scotland, causing early alarm on board.
The courageous attempt to start a new life in America had, disappointingly, been aborted and for another month they were at sea, even-tually arriving between the coastlines of Donegal and Scotland before finally dropping anchor in Carrickfergus Bay on November 3.
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