Although born into the privileged life of a landed Presbyterian family, John Martin laid it aside to serve his suffering fellowman through the dark days of the Famine.  He also endured exile to a foreign land because he sought to reform the Government which he saw as destructive to his native land during the poverty stricken years of the 1840's.  

The author and historian Majorie Harshaw Robie is due to visit Ireland on the 3rd to 24th March 2007 to launch her book "Dwelling Place of Dragons". The book centres on the 19th Century lives of local men James Harshaw, John Martin and George Henderson.