Many Clare emigrants aspire for the faraway hills to be much greener but few will ever match Patrick Hannan in terms of success abroad.

Patrick Hannan was born to John Hannan and Bridget Lynch in Quin, County Clare on 26th April 1840. Paddyโ€™s family had deep ties with Australia due to an onset of emigration within the family.

At the spritely age of twenty-two, he decided himself that it was time to try his luck as a labourer afar. He made his passage aboard the Hernie Fernie, setting out from the city of Liverpool.

It wasnโ€™t until the 14th June 1893 that Paddy Hannan made the most important discovery of his life. On that particular night, Hannan found a nugget of gold in a gully. In a desperate attempt to avoid commotion, he kept his find secret.

Moving their horses into the brush during the night, his team propagated a false story about staying back and looking for their horses as the others moved on. Following the dispersal of the main body of gold prospectors, the trio dug up their find and made way for the wardenโ€™s office. The law stated that any โ€˜financially viableโ€™ find must be registered with the Wardenโ€™s Office within seven days.

Consequently, Patrick Hannan sparked the beginning of a world renowned gold rush at Kalgoorlie-Boulder in Western Australia. The Golden Mile as it was later termed, is considering one of the richest goldfields throughout the world. Patrick and his two partners are celebrated throughout Ireland and Australia, one of them being a man from Ennis named Thomas Flanagan.

In 1988, a statue of Paddy Hannan was erected by the County Council in Clare which can be seen in the Eamon De Valera library.

Related News

leona cusack 1
Shannon woman's family 'haunted' by fear she did not receive medication in time
Screenshot 2025-10-16 111517
Clare Echo Halloween photo contest
john moran jennifer carroll macneill patrick o'donovan 1
Minister says option from HIQA review will be decided before Christmas
banner plaza 1
Planning system 'abused' as Uisce ร‰ireann pause works on Supermac's Plaza over judicial review
Latest News
syl o'connor derrick lynch fiona cahill padraic flahery Ewelina Szybinska alan morrissey colum mcgrath 1-2
Clare FM named local radio station of the year
รฉire รณg v st josephs doora barefield 12-10-25 rg gavin murray rory hickey alan malone 1
Murray flying high as he collects second Clare SFC medal with ร‰ire ร“g
leona cusack 1
Shannon woman's family 'haunted' by fear she did not receive medication in time
Screenshot 2025-10-16 111517
Clare Echo Halloween photo contest
john moran jennifer carroll macneill patrick o'donovan 1
Minister says option from HIQA review will be decided before Christmas
Premium
Shannon woman's family 'haunted' by fear she did not receive medication in time
Cleary swaps World Trade Center for Cusack Park in Mills bid for promotion
Stig hitting top gear as Magpies make final push for promotion
St Flannan's & St Joseph's Tulla come from behind to force draws in Harty Cup first round
Horgan hopeful of more success with Truagh/Clonlara

Advertisement

Subscribe for just โ‚ฌ3 per month

If youโ€™re here, you care about County Clare. So do we. Did you rely on us for Covid-19 updates, follow our election coverage, or visit The Clare Echo every week for breaking news and sport? The Clare Echo invests in local journalism and we want to safeguard its future in our county. By becoming a subscriber you are supporting what we do, will receive access to all our premium articles and a better experience, while helping us improve our offering to you. Subscribe to clareecho.ie and get the first six months for just โ‚ฌ3 a month (less than 75c per week), and thereafter โ‚ฌ8 per month. Cancel anytime, limited time offer. T&Cs Apply. www.clareecho.ie.