Australian folklore hero was from Moy in Tyrone
ONE of Australia's most famous folklore heroes – the first man to cross the continent from south to north and survive – will be celebrated in the Co Tyrone village where he was born this weekend.
The legendary exploits of John King – the sole survivor of the ill-fated BurkeWills expedition across Australia – are well known Down Under, but less well known is that the man who trekked more than 3,000 miles across the outback and beyond was actually from Moy.
King was born in the village, and the old family homestead on the Benburb Road still stands.
The house will be central to the civic reception and exhibition being held in the village on Saturday to mark the 150th anniversary ofan adventure that ended in tragedy with Galway-born Robert O'HaraBurke and William JohnWills, a native of Totnes in Devon, dying at Coopers Creek and King surviving only because the Aborigines befriended him.
Burke, Wills, King and an explorer called Charles Gray, who joined them at a later stage, achieved what they set out to do – crossing Australia from tidewater to tidewater – but Gray died as they set out to return to Coopers Creek. Burke, Wills and King spent a day burying him inthe stone-hard ground.
After Burke and Wills died, King was found by a relief party led by William Howitt and was carried shoulder-high through the streets of Melbourne.
But the ordeal took a terrible toll on his health and six years after the expedition he died, at 32, from tuberculosis.
"This will be a great day for Moy," said James Kane chairman of the O'Neill Country Historical Society.
The society is organising the Moy exhibition, in conjunction with Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council.
James continued: "John King will be celebrated in every town and village along the BurkeWills route in Australiaand we are determinedthat he won't be forgotten here.
"We are delighted that the council is hosting a civic reception and we feel sure that the people ofMoy and the outlying areas will want to see the exhibition and learn more about a man who is part ofAustralian folklore."
Brendan Duffy, former chairman of the society, expressed his excitement ahead of this weekend's celebration.
"This is a thrilling story and we are delighted to be part of the 150th anniversary celebrations.
"Some of John King's distant relatives will be in Moy for the occasion," he said.
The push to have John King recognised in Moy started when former editor of the Portadown Times, David Armstrong, read Alan Moorehead's fascinating account of the expedition.
"It was only then that I discovered King came from the Moy, a village I had covered as a junior reporterand when I put it to the council that he deserved more recognition they were only too ready to do something to mark the anniversary and to give King the profile he deserves," said David.
"I have been greatly encouraged by the support of Oliver Morgan, the council's cultural diversity officer, and James Kane and Brendan Duffy have been working hard to put everything in place for August 21."
David said the story of John King, was one "that every student should know about". He said he hoped that local schools and colleges would become involved in an educational project.
“After all John King was the first man to cross Australia from south to north – and live.”
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Saturday 19 May 2012
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