Page 6 - COBH EDITION 15th SEPTEMBER DIGITAL VERSION

An Austrian in Cobh in the 19th. C. - Jim Shealy

Of all the beautiful monuments erected over
graves in Cobh’s Old Church Graveyard and there
are many, one in particular stands out in its own
uniqueness. Not for any particular text or intri-
cate stone carving, of which there is abundance
in the graveyard, no, this headstone stands out
because in the midst of all the stone it is dis-
tinctively designed in the shape of a heart and
anchor of metal construct on a simple stone
plinth. This memorial stands erect over the grave
of a most colourful characters who lived in Cobh
in the 19th. C. and was involved in the life of the
town in numerous different roles. It is the grave
of Gabriel Goidanich an Austrian national and
prominent resident of the town

Gabriel, originally from Lussian Grande in Austria
was, like his father before him a Shipping Agent,
interestingly his father Giovanni is also buried in the Old Church, a stones throw
from Gabriel grave.
He operated his shipping business the ‘Queenstown General Ship Chandlery Com-
pany’ from a number of locations in the town one of them being No. 15 East Beach,
which is presently where Ryngs shop is situated.

He also held positions as treasurer of the ‘Queenstown Model Yacht Club’ when in
1878 the main item for discussion at their monthly meeting was the employment of
paid hands on these model yachts there being a lack of amateur sailors to crew the
crafts. It was agreed that in allowing paid hands to crew, they would be restricted
from handling the helm. Model in this context referred to a particular type of craft
and not to be confused with a model yacht as we presently would know it.

Gabriel, it appears was no stranger before the local magistrates sittings, He was an
active and energetic member of the Regatta Committee and was secretary of the
committee in 1883 when disputes involving the withholding of prize monies was
adjudicated on at the local magistrates sittings. Earlier on in 1861 he was charged
by the Customs and Excise with smuggling tobacco and was fined the sum of 100
pounds, a considerable fine at the time. In 1863 he was accused of presenting him-
self as a river pilot by a branch pilot, John Barry, however here he was found to be
innocent as in his defence he claimed he was acting as interpreter and merely relay-
ing the ship’s captain’s messages to the men and not giving directions from himself.

Gabriel Goidanich’s name also appears among the town’s dignitaries when in 1880
a reception and presentation was organised for the officers and men of the Ameri-
can Frigate Constellation in appreciation of their services in providing relief to the
destitute of the recent Great Irish Famine. He was married to an Irish woman by the
name of O Sullivan from Cork City who had strong Republican principles and it was
therefore no surprise when in 1872 as master of the vessel ‘Erin’, though registered
in Austria he sailed this ship into Cork harbour and to a rousing reception from