Phillip, Michael and Thomas Madigan were well-known Araluen residents. They were the sons of Patrick Madigan (1800 – 1857) and Anne Sheehan (1800 – 1873) who married in about 1822 in Cappanageeragh, Co. Clare, Ireland. They had seven children: Anne, Ellen, James (1824-1914), Phillip Alfred (1830-1913), Margaret (1836 – 1915), Michael (1838-1882) and Thomas (1845 – 1911).
Phillip Alfred Madigan (1830-1913), was born in 1829 in Ireland. In 1865 he married Mary Kearns in Braidwood. Mary was born in Parramatta in 1844 and as a child travelled to the Araluen district with her father. Phillip and Mary had 12 children: Anne, Catherine, Michael, Ellen, John, Mary, Phillip, William, Margaret, Bridget, Elizabeth and Lucy.
Phillip held the publican license for the Perseverance Hotel in Araluen for 35 years from 1878 until 1913. The 1901 Australian NSW Census listed him at household 166 which included 5 males and 7 females. In 1913 when Phil died at his daughter’s home in Haberfield, Sydney. He was remembered1Catholic Press (Sydney, NSW : 1895 – 1942), Thursday 1 January 1914, page 30 for the important contributions he made to church life in Araluen and to the establishment of the Araluen Hibernian Society. Mary died at Araluen in November 1916 aged 71 and was also remembered for her charity and discretion2Braidwood Review and District Advocate (NSW : 1915 – 1954), Tuesday 7 November 1916, page 2.
Michael Madigan (1838-1882) was born in Cappanagera, Co Clare, Ireland. He emigrated from Ireland to Australia on 23 July 1857, aged 21 on the Alfred with his cousin James Lynch. Michael married Ellen Greenwood, daughter of William Greenwood and Margaret Shannahan, on 28 June 1865 at St Bedes, Braidwood. They had six children: Mary Ellen, Morgan Phillip, Catherine (Kate) Elizabeth, Annie Teresa, Margaret Cecily (Sister Juliana) and Michael Augustine. Michael held the publican licence for the Currency Lass Hotel in Araluen from 1866 until 1872. He moved to Major’s Creek as a goldminer in 1874, before returning to Araluen and then to Sydney. His father-in-law William Greenwood held the publican license for the Currency Lad Hotel at Crown Flat, Araluen from 1860 until 1864. Michael died in Majors Creek, NSW, at age 47.
Thomas Madigan (1845 – 1911) was born about 1845, and died on 18 May 1911 aged about 663Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888 – 1954), Wednesday 24 May 1911, page 2. Thomas also spent years goldmining and along with the rest of the Madigan family was a respected member of the Araluen community.