Backback in barcelona summer equinox8/27/2023 ![]() ![]() ![]() a little risk always seem to sharpen the reflexes and thinking. Don’t like flying but I see that as part of the adventure. It just surprises me that within a generation, the children began to deny their Irish identity. Patrick’s Day.” I’m not sure but perhaps the reason was the prejudice against the Irish in Scotland. The funny thing about our Irish ancestors is that I remember my Mother telling me we didn’t have any Irish roots, which seems odd given that her mother’s maiden name was Kelly! I remember Mom specifically saying, “We don’t celebrate St. The family left Ireland in 1833 after several major crop failures. However, a number of mini-famines struck the countryside starting from the early 1700s. It seems ironic that we’re returning to the birthplace of our ancestors as we were fortunate that they left Ireland before the Great Famine, which began is 1845. We can tell Phillip he will be walking down the streets that his ancestors once trod. (More on that family history on the Journey through Time webpage.) So the trip certainly will have added meaning. One of their other sons, John Kerr, our direct descendent, was born in Paisley, Scotland. Kerr owned a confectionary store in Westport. Turns out that when I checked our family tree, one of our relatives was born in Westport in the early 1800s–William Kerr was the son of David Alexander Kerr and Mary Goss. Westport is one of the prettiest towns in Mayo County, and a few days rest in Westport before beginning our mountain climbing seemed like a good idea. ![]() I had decided that we would stay a few days in Westport before joining the Sierra Club group. I came across a coincidence in doing a check of our Irish ancestors. Due to a snafu, my bag didn’t get packed in the car, and I was left with only the clothes on my back! Jean and I had to share a sleeping bag and just about everything else. Richard had spent time and money helping me get organized for that trip, buying me all the special things I’d need for camping out in the wilderness for seven days. We might have constant rain (that’s why Ireland is green!), but Jean reminded me that we can handle pretty much any mini-disaster that might come along after our kayak trip down the Suwannee River, which was another Sierra Club adventure we signed up for several years back. And reports of Irish hospitality and friendly pubs have also added possible serendipities. In viewing the web sites, I have not been disappointed in the breath-taking views of the coast. Since signing up, I’ve been busy cruising all the web sites on Ireland, making reservations along the way, arranging to stay in a B&B in the town of Westport at the beginning of the trip and at the Frederick Hostel in Dublin at the end. Phillip, Jean’s son, will also be coming along, as he was the one among all of our children who was most interested and had the time to travel. Jean always wanted to do a walking trip of Scotland, Ireland or England, so she was on board with the idea from the beginning. Today, March 12, is my Mother’s birthday and her mother’s family immigrated from Ireland to Scotland in the mid-1800s. I’m not sure what transpired that brought it into my head that I should take such a trip at this time. The trip started the day I decided to sign up for the Sierra Club walking tour on the western coast of Ireland. ![]()
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