Re-turning some of this year's Roamer pages during the season of happy returns

The year’s roaming that began with Achill Island’s sub-zero “dash to the splash” on New Year’s Day soon changed course for warmer climes – to an awesomely scenic Australian coral reef named after a man from Co Fermanagh.

In May we were introduced to a knock-out competition in India called Pallankuli or Pallanghuzi and in June there was a suggestion that Pirate Kidd’s long-lost South Seas treasure-map might be in a Maghera attic.

The rugged, remote and breathtakingly beautiful Kimberley coast of Western Australia embraces almost 3,000 islands and multi-coloured coral reefs.

One of the wonders of the coastline is the 80 kilometres long Montgomery Reef with 400 square kilometres of lagoons, coral inlets and surging rivers.

Ship’s surgeon Andrew Montgomery, after whom this unique, scenic paradise was named when he sailed there in 1821, was born in Enniskillen around 1792.

Across the ocean in India people play a popular Tamil board-game which was mentioned in a reader’s letter about Omagh’s All-Ireland Probus Rally in May.

Probus members around the world enjoy ongoing programmes of events, activities and talks that are breathtakingly wide in scope and variety.

The Omagh event included a council reception, a concert, guest speakers and local tours.

Meanwhile, Probus members in India were taking part in a competitive knock-out contest of Pallankuli or Pallanghuzi, a traditional Tamil board game.

India’s Probus Clubs love the game, played by two competitors on a wooden board with 14 carved-out “pits”, using cowry shells, seeds or pebbles as counters.

The game dates from ancient history.

A reader’s story in June about finding Captain Kidd’s long-lost treasure-map in Maghera was not as far-fetched as it seemed.

Captain William Kidd, one of history’s most famous pirates, was hanged in London in 1701.

For three centuries treasure hunters have been seeking his legendary loot, thought to have been buried in the Caribbean.

Darby Mullan, born into a farming family in Maghera around 1665, sailed with William Kidd.

Bored with teenage life on the family farm, Darby ran away and joined the crew of a merchant ship trading with the islands of the Caribbean.

In Port Royal in Jamaica he married a beautiful “mulatto” (mixed-race) girl.

Following her tragically early death, Darby joined a merchant ship.

His vessel was captured by Kidd’s band of cut-throat pirates and Darby became a hostage-sailor under Kidd’s Jolly Roger.

On 23rd May 1701 Kidd was caught and hanged for murder and piracy…and Darby Mullan disappeared from the records.

His name wasn’t on the list of sailors who were tried with Kidd, some of whom were pardoned when they gave evidence for the prosecution.

So we’re left to wonder if Darby Mullan maybe returned to Maghera with Kidd’s treasure-map, hoping someday to relocate the loot.

“So, here I am! Yes, I am an old piano now, but I was once young and new. I would like to tell you my story.”

Thus spoke a piano – yes, a piano! – on this page in June, its conversation taken from a book called Tales of a Travelled Piano written by Elisabeth Goell, a Dutch-German soprano and piano teacher living in Omagh, Co Tyrone.

It’s a fascinating “first-person account” of Clara Schumann’s piano – wife of composer Robert Schumann – describing the weighty instrument’s journey from Germany to Donegal and its role in the cultural life of 19th century Ireland.

Her piano’s gripping story, woven with excitement, danger and tragedy, brings it from Dresden to Hamburg by steamboat, then on horse-drawn carriages and various other ships to Convoy House in Co Donegal, home of the Montgomery-Boyton family.

The piano was greatly impressed with their stately Irish mansion.

“It was quite a sight to see, coming through the gates and up the drive before being installed in the grand drawing room.”

Many memorable “sights to see” and “stories to tell” adorned this page during 2017, thanks to all the News Letter readers who sent letters, accounts, photos and tip-offs to Roamer’s mailbox.

Some were little recounted, about people like the 52-year-old American “philanthropic pilgrim” Asenath Nicholson who in 1844 walked alone for nearly two years, the length and breadth of Ireland, alerting the world to a growing disaster – the Great Hunger.

And there was Father Thomas Byles, a 42-year-old passenger on RMS Titanic, who was seen praying on the iconic ship’s deck when she struck the iceberg.

Twice he refused to board Titanic’s lifeboats, leading others to safety and praying with them.

A survivor recounted Father Byles standing on the tilting deck “with Catholics, Protestants and Jews kneeling around him”.

Newspaper obituaries about the priest’s “final zeal” and “heroic behaviour” included reports that he was seen standing in fast-rising torrents of icy water, praying with terrified passengers.

And finally, Roamer was privileged with an unexpected insight during 2017 when print-artist Jonathan Brennon demonstrated lino-printing in the Belfast Print Workshop using an enormous, heavy, solid-iron printing press made in London in the mid-1800s.

“The process requires turning the handle clockwise,” said Jonathan, adding “these days children ask me ‘which way’s clockwise?’”

The times they are a-changing!