It was a calm and sunny day of 17 degrees when more than 80 descendants of Catherine Joyce met at Station Pier , Port Melbourne, assembling around a banner to commemorate the arrival of their Irish-born ancestors.

A few members of each branch of the family stood out the front for photos (some will be available here soon), and they included a modern Catherine Joyce, and our young Irish dancer Ruby, as well as various direct descendants (such as myself!). There were many descendants of Patrick Joyce, Catherine's Australian-born grandson, and there were Joyces from Willaura and Tatyoon, Lockington and Rochester, and many other parts of Victoria.

We have recently had news from descendants in New Zealand, and we know there are many Joyces in Queensland, Western Australia, and other states. (A bigger and better reunion is being planned in two or three years time, when we may be able to get our more-distant relatives to come).

Sister Rosie had prepared a green hand-out which led us through a commemoration, with the singing of an Irish poem "The Deer's Cry", readings prepared by Claire Joyce, and the story of the Claddagh Ring.

Then off we went to the London Hotel nearby, where displays, food and drink had been arranged.

The rest of the afternoon was eating, drinking and stories of the past, with old photos to look at and try to identify faces, other photos of Catherine's grave at Pine Grove, and of the town of Whitegate, in Ireland, including the site of Catherine's farm house.

There were also copies of the 1855 shipping lists, and maps of the Whitegate area with Joyce properties identified. There were stories such as of the "lost pocket knife", and the three brothers who went "broke" in the Mallee (indirectly helping to establish the three main country groups at Swan Hill, Willaura and Lockington). We hope such stories will be written down for the next reunion.

Stephen and Michael, sons of George and Marie Joyce, provided Irish music, assisted by Michael's sons Kit and Adam.

In amongst all this, we collected names and addresses, and brought our family tree up-to-date.

This could be in the Ballarat gardens, in say two or three years time, in the early or late summer, so we can meet outside, and bring our own refreshments; I understand there is a hall nearby where we could go if the weather is poor, and where we could put up displays. This time we'll plan ahead a bit more, and perhaps get some of the more distant relations to come, and also the families which changed their surname from Joyce to Doepell, Thomas, Siersen, Brennan and so on, back in the first and second generations.

Edmund (Bernard) Joyce

27^th June 2005