The Bridget Dwyer Story

This film narrates the true story of a young Kildare girl, one Bridget Dwyer, who, at the height of the Irish Potato Famine was living in Celbridge workhouse. Bridget’s situation went from bad to worse as due to the poor Irish economy and the failure of the potato crop, her parents had to surrender tenancy of their farm. The Dwyer family were left without a home and forced to take shelter in the workhouse. This was very traumatic as not only did it limit their independence but it also meant the breakup of the family unit. The boys and men were segregated and housed in a different location to the women and girls. Famine fever was rampant at the time and the over-crowded conditions did not help. Tragically, in 1847 John and Mary Dwyer, Bridget’s parents, both died.

But hope was in sight. The British Home Secretary, Earl Grey, devised a plan to help boost the female population of Australia where there was an urgent need for both domestic servants and marriageable young women. Earl Grey put a scheme in place that involved offering protected passage to the New World to selected girls. Each candidate was given a wooden travelling chest with clothes, boots and a bible. Their journey was carefully organised. The ships were supplied with nourishing food and the girls were placed under the supervision of a matron who helped educate them during their long journey. The ship’s captain was only paid on the safe arrival of his precious cargo.

Taking up this opportunity was a big decision for young Bridget because as bleak as her prospects were in Celbridge workhouse at least she was in familiar surroundings and living within her own community. In deciding to travel she knew she would never see her homeland or people again. However, Bridget was adventurous and she sailed with fellow Kildare girl, Jane Walsh on board the William and Mary on the 25th of July 1849. Four months later the ship docked in Port Jackson (Sydney) and the girls were brought to Hyde Barracks where they awaited employment. Bridget was hired by a sheep farmer, Mr. Styles who paid her eight pounds per Annam to work as a farm servant.

Two years later on the 21st of November 1851 Bridget married Tipperary man, James Maher. He had his own farm in the scrublands in Reevesdale. Subsistence farming was very hard but Bridget and James worked well together and they were happy. They had a large family of thirteen children. Having survived the Irish Potato famine, childbirth and the arduous journey to Australia, Bridget died in her fiftieth year.