The Portal - Australia edition February 2014 | Page 10

THE P RTAL

February 2014

AU Page 3

Ned Kelly love him or hate him
The first of a short series by Adrian Lanagan

Wow! What

a surprise to open the January edition of The Portal and see “our Ned Kelly” at
Glenrowan, Victoria, Australia on the front cover. It is ironic that this issue covered a saint and a
sinner. We are told the Lord loved sinners too, as in Mary Magdalene. It may be appropriate to tell you a little
about our most well known sinner, Ned Kelly.
Loathe him or love him, as is
the Christian way his life was a
remarkable testament to the
lack of law and order in his
life. He was looked upon as
a murderous thief or cattle
rustler or as a folk hero
similar to Robin Hood.

“Van Diemen’s
Land” (Tasmania)
His father, with a
shock of red hair and
known as Red, was John
Kelly, an Irish convict
sent to “Van Diemen’s
Land” (Tasmania) and
made his way to Victoria
after his release. Edward
(“Ned”) Kelly’s parents
were married in 1851, the
bride being Ellen Quinn
and some 12 years younger
than “Red”. We are not sure
when baby Ned came into this
world but believe it to be about
1854 or 1855.

Catholic Irish background
The Kelly family were very proud
of their Catholic Irish background and,
regardless of their own life-styles, they loved their
priests. Tradition states that Ned Kelly was born at the
time of the Eureka Stockade, so he was born about
December 1854 and was baptised by a priest, Father
Charles O’Hea from the village of Pentridge (now a
Melbourne suburb, Coburg) on one of his visiting
rounds.
These were very necessary in those early days, with
many families living on outlying farms. His birth
was not registered and the baptism detail has long

since been lost.

graduated with
distinction
in Criminal Activities

Ned’s schooling was
mastered by his father
and he graduated with
distinction in Criminal
Activities in 1869 when
he was about 14.
It was assumed he
assaulted a Chinese
man and was duly
arrested. He was
arrested a seco