John Joseph Griffin: The Life and Times of an Irish Emigrant

This is the true story of an Irish emigrant. Set in the early twentieth century and told in the context of the historical events of the period, the book covers the emigrant's voyage to Australia, his life on a sheep station and his return to Europe to fight in the First World War. Many millions of Irish people left their homeland in search of a better life overseas. This is the true story of one emigrant, John Joseph (Jack) Griffin who, in the year 1900, left his job as a shop assistant in Co. Kerry and embarked on a two-month journey by sea to the other side of the world. He settled in Western Australia and having worked as a drover for a number of years finally became the owner of a 200,000 acre sheep station. In 1909 he married Mary Glass, an immigrant from Northern Ireland. Following the untimely death of his wife Jack enlisted in the army and fought in the battlefields of France during World War I. He was wounded in action and returned to Australia where he lived until his death in 1926.