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Patty Taylor visits the Emerald Isle.
Bruce Taylor/The Enterprise
March is known as Irish-American Heritage Month and if you have Irish ancestors, you want to celebrate the “wee bit of the Irish” you may have discovered as a result of your DNA test. Maybe you already knew of your Irish roots but often wondered how to better discover those who come before you. Many resources are provided online to help with Irish ancestry research, but reaching out across to the Emerald Isle can be a memorable experience.
There’s a famous Irish Proverb that reads, “Having somewhere to go is home, having someone to love is family, having both is a blessing.” As we continue our genealogy and discover our Irish heritage, our hearts will always pull us “home” to Ireland and the family who braved the unknown to emigrate to America. Many early Irish immigrants to America were pushed out of Ireland by religious and/or political conflicts. Dire economic conditions brought on by the potato famine also pushed emigrants to leave their homeland, and they began their journey to America.
The path of the Irish found them settling in middle American colonies, where the city of Philadelphia was a major port of debarkation. Over the decades, the migration south followed the Great Philadelphia Road, the main route used for settling the interior southern colonies. Traveling down Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, then south into the North Carolina Piedmont region, where they reached South Carolina by the 1760s. While Ellis Island is open to visitors as part of the National Park Service, The Gateway to America processed its last immigrants in 1954.
I’ve always known of my Irish heritage -- the thick strawberry blond hair that covered my head was a big clue to my DNA makeup. The DNA test that I took a few years ago confirmed the family tree and stories that had been passed down through generations. And while I had continued to hit brick walls, I decided a few years ago to explore my origins with a trip to Ireland. It did not disappoint! Flying into Shannon allowed me to view the beautiful coast line and upon landing, the sweet melodic sound of the Irish accent greeted us at customs. My husband and I picked up our rental car, and laughed out loud at our first experience of driving differently than what we were used to in the states. A priest welcomed me at our hotel entrance (hubby was parking the car), and after a brief conversation, he covered me with an Irish Blessing. I was giddy with excitement and after checking into our room, we ventured across the street to the pub. The locals had already settled in and music was being played among the tables accompanied by vocals of Irish folk songs. Our Irish luck was just beginning!
Throughout our trip, we experienced beautiful weather and drove many miles. While we had several favorites, the Dingle Coastline brought about the greatest blessing of all. The narrow road took us to an area with a pullout where we discovered a flutist. The overlook was the ocean and the backdrop was hay fields separated by stone fences. Stunning! I asked if the flutist would mind playing the song Danny Boy, and he delighted me by replying “yes”. Another blessing! With the notes of Danny Boy floating across the wind, I soaked in not only the beauty of Ireland, but the soul. I thanked and tippied the dear man, and he then said to me, “Do you know, that is the first time I have ever played this song? I printed off the music last night” and reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a piece of sheet music. The greatest Irish Blessing of all.
The trip only stirred up more curiosity, so I focused on the FamilySearch and Ancestry catalogs to gain access to Irish records. Through these resources, one can access church history, census records, court documents, and Emigration records. While I’ve named only a few, it gives one an idea of the wealth of information available online.
Irish Genealogy is a free website aimed to aide anyone with Irish ancestors and is very user friendly.
Whether your DNA is 100% or 1% Irish, we all have a gift to appreciate the roots of those who braved the seas to seek refuge on the coast of the other side of the Atlantic. Seek out and discover more about your heritage, either through the Folk Music, a trip of a lifetime, or as the Irish Proverb states: “building castles as hard work and planning will reap rewards eventually.”