The 2014 ‘Return to Cahans’ event commemorates the ‘Cahans Exodus’ of 1764 – see the Cahans Project website at www.cahans.ie for more information about the history of the Cahans community.

The next stages of the commemoration progress are -

Saturday June 14 – walk leaves Bessbrook 2pm and arrive Second Newtownhamilton Presbyterian for 8pm meal and talk on the home linen industry in the early 1700s. Also David and Debby Moore from Salem, New York, will give an audio visual presentation on Salem church and community.

Saturday June 28 – walk leaves Newtownhamilton 2pm and arrive First Castleblayney Presbyterian 8pm for meal and talk by the Rev Prof Laurence Kirkpatrick (Union Theological College) on Scots Presbyterians and their experience in early 18th Century Ulster.

Saturday July 26 – walk leaves Castleblayney 2pm and arrive Cahans 8pm for meal and talk on the early 1700s from a child or young person’s perspective by Brian MacDonald. (The 1764 party arrived at New York 28 July).

Anyone can join one or more of the walks, walking the whole way or part of it – all to commemorate 250 years since the ‘exodus’ people walked from Cahans to Narrowwater to sail to America. Some from Salem plan to take part, and others from the Cahans diaspora. Please let us know if you plan to share in any of the walks (dnesbitt@eircom.net).

(The congregation and community in Salem will hold a commemoration there on Sunday 27 July, details of which are not yet available.)

Transcript extract about the Cahans Exodus - from the DIPPAM Irish Emigration Database.