The Neills return to Kawakawa

BACK TO THE BEGINNING: Descendants of Joseph and Margaret Neill, reunited in Kawakawa. PICTURE/SUPPLIED

Forty-two descendants of Joseph and Margaret Neill, who left their home just out of Belfast, in County Down, Ireland, gathered in Kawakawa recently to celebrate 150 years since their arrival.

Joseph and Margaret sailed from Queenstown, County Cork, on December 31, 1864, and arrived at Derrick Landing, near Kawakawa, in April 1865 with their 3-year-old son Sam and 2-month-old daughter Mary, who was born during the four-month journey.

The two-day family reunion attracted descendants from as far afield as the South Island and Australia, including Trelise Cooper, who made it on time after flying home from France. Another of the family's leading lights, actor Sam Neill, was not there.

BEFORE THE MAST: Rocky Neill, Faye Bensemann and Marea Neill aboard the R Tucker Thompson, a small taste of their forebears' experience.

The programme included a tour of the original Sam Neill's house (thanks to the current owner, Gill Vanasche) and farm land on Mill Road, Kawakawa, visiting the grave sites of Joseph and Margaret Neill, Sam and his wife Mary. Locals Pat and Nin Goodhue (also related) took everyone to to Pakaru to see Derrick Landing, where the sailing vessel Dauntless berthed, then along Pakaru Road to see the site of the old school house where Sam and his siblings (who were born in New Zealand) were taught and where the family homestead was.

"The closest we could get to their voyage was to go for a sail on the R Tucker Thompson, which we did on the Saturday," Marea Neill said.

"On the Sunday morning we strolled around the Kawakawa Museum and Memorial Library - thank you to Roger Crowden for opening up especially for us."

The programme also included a vintage steam train ride, with morning tea at the Taumarere station, walking or biking to Opua via the cycle trail then riding the train back to Kawakawa.