When I learned that Donna Moughty was planning to retire from leading her annual family history research trips to Ireland, I instantly rearranged my schedule to ensure I could participate in that final excursion. She had one spot left on the Dublin leg in October 2023 due to a cancellation, and I made sure it was filled by me! I had never completed an official research trip before, let alone an international one, but of course I was determined to be prepared.
Donna made logistics preparation so easy. She held monthly virtual meetings on Zoom, each focused on a different repository we were visiting, or the transportation modes we'd be relying on as a group, or even the recreational activities we could enjoy on our free time. She tried to cover everything and anything we'd encounter during our time in Ireland (or for the folks on the 2nd leg of the journey, Northern Ireland). She recorded each presentation and subsequent Q&A and posted it to an unlisted YouTube link for us to watch or rewatch at our leisure. She uploaded several itineraries and reference lists to a shared Dropbox folder, which she kept updated frequently. She also reminded us to read through her blog and website whenever a relevant topic she had already covered called for it. Plus, she made herself quite available via email and offered private consultations upon request.
There was one rule for the traveler joining Donna's journey. The actual research was to be done yourself, and you'd need to know the Irish ancestor and where exactly they lived in Ireland.
I had that piece buttoned up, and I worked hard for the six months leading up to the trip to make sure I had already exhausted all the online resources I could. I wanted to maximize my short time in Dublin by knowing which records I was seeking out in person ahead of time.
It was clear in our monthly meetings that Donna's expertise was well worth the money. It was also clear just how many different skill levels and personalities are a part of these group trips. I didn't envy her position, but I'm quite appreciative of all the help and wisdom she imparted on us.
ARRIVAL DAY
I flew nonstop on Aer Lingus from LAX to DUB. This was my first time on this airline -- not really anything bad or good to say. It was a decent flight with edible food. My only complaint (and this applies to multiple airlines now) is they demand you close the window slider throughout the flight, aside from during takeoff and landing. This wholly defeats the purpose of a window seat.
Upon landing, I breezed right through Ireland's border patrol and got my passport stamped, and then I cashed out Euros from an ATM in the airport (this is the suggestion by notorious world traveler Rick Steves). It only charged a $1.68 fee. My own bank (Chase) only charged a $5 fee for using a non-Chase ATM.
I then walked across a short, outdoor bridge from the terminal and went down an escalator to where the AirCoach buses load. There are large route maps outlining which buses travel to which stops. Luckily Donna had already schooled us on which bus we needed and its cost. I had pre-purchased a Dublin LEAP Card to use on public transportation and pre-loaded it with about 15 Euro. I purchased a ticket at the booth, debiting from my LEAP Card, and my bus arrived within a couple minutes. In about 20 minutes, it was dropping me off on Kildare Street. The photo below was taken as soon as I stepped off the bus, looking down Molesworth Street. The Buswells Hotel, where I was staying, is the grey building immediately on the left!
After checking in to my room and dropping off my luggage, I realized it was just about 4pm and the Museum of Archaeology was literally across the street (essentially behind my left shoulder from the POV of this photograph) and didn't close until 5. I skipped on over there and immediately began the touring around (oh, and it's free)!
When I returned to the lobby, I saw Donna for the first time in person and introduced myself. A group was forming to head out to dinner together, so I joined along. We walked over to the Temple Bar district and hopped into Quays Irish Restaurant. I enjoyed a huge helping of lamb shank and mashed potatoes. It was delicious, but I didn't come anywhere close to finishing it.
Only running on 2 hours of sleep, I crashed in my room after dinner, falling asleep while watching a string of UK game shows on TV.
DAY 2
After a complimentary Irish breakfast in the hotel's restaurant, I walked across town to the Irish Family History Centre where Donna had scheduled me for a half hour consultation with one of their resident genealogists, Kayleigh.
She was excellent. While I came armed with a flurry of questions, we hit the ground running so fast in a direction I didn't expect. I got answers to questions I didn't even know I had. And I got confirmation on one of the biggest questions I had.
My ancestors of focus for this trip were my maternal 4th great grandparents of County Cork, TERENCE KEEFFE of Lismonihis and his wife ANNIE MEADE of Meadstown. Kayleigh immediately gave me clues as to how the other Meades in the area were likely related to Annie, which was very helpful as most of the research I'd already done had been on Terence's family, not Annie's. But, more importantly, I had been wondering if the Keeffes played a role in the 1823 murder of a nearby family, The Franks. I, in no way, prepared to bring this up during my session with Kayleigh, as I expected it wasn't a topic that could really be thoroughly vetted in a half hour's time. But one way or another, we began chatting about it.
A man named Arthur Keeffe was one of several who stood trial for the killings which had been perpetrated by a mob of about 20 men. The prosecutor alleged that Arthur's motive had to do with the land he stood to lose, should the Franks' son marry his betrothed, a half-sister to Arthur's wife. I had already hypothesized that Terence's father's name may be Arthur, because in traditional Irish naming patterns, the first born son is named for the paternal grandfather of the child, and Terence's first born son had been named Arthur. In addition, this Arthur Keeffe was about the right age to be Terence's father and was living nearby. However, beyond those similarities, I figured I was just reaching, wanting to find a connection that may not exist. Kayleigh, on the other hand, didn't see it this way.
With fresh eyes, she immediately jumped to a map of the area and brought it up on the computer for me to see. Of course, I had looked at maps of the neighborhood plenty, but never through this new perspective. She went to the GeoHive Map Viewer and pointed out the brown boundary lines.
She noted that those brown lines are the main roads or thoroughfares around the area. Then she had me point out the location of the persons of interest.
She noted that they're all boxed in within those main roads. Hands down, she said they're all familiar with each other, and by some way or another I'm related to the Arthur Keeffe who stood trial. Of course, she couldn't tell me whether the man was my 5th great grandfather or not, but she could tell me to stop trying to explain away the connection. It's there.
She and I both agreed that, although Arthur was found not guilty at trial, the case laid out against him was actually quite a strong one, and he likely did have a hand in the murder. He was just a lucky son of a gun who had one of the most well known Irish lawyers take on his case -- Daniel O'Connell. This also blew Kayleigh's mind, and she said I was a great first client to kick off her morning. She was happy to exclaim to her colleague that I was a related to a murderer who was represented by Daniel O'Connell himself!
We did a little bit of digging further into Arthur's records, and she also mentioned I should go see O'Connell's burial at Glasnevin Cemetery -- just a bus ride outside of Dublin. They give tours there as well. I noted this for a future trip, as I knew my schedule was already too full for the week.
I went into this meeting not really seeing how I could get much out of it and I came out of it wondering if there was any possible way to spend so much more time there! For genealogists visiting Dublin, the IFHC is a NECESSARY appointment! Pencil them into your schedule right now. There is no substitute for getting advice and knowledge from locals who are just steeped in Irish history.
My next stop was right next door, well, technically in the same building -- EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. Donna had also gotten us a ticket to tour this on our own time (and fun fact, your receipt allows for a second entrance within one week of your first, in case you want to explore again). I recommend if you're visiting, download their free app to your phone for a self-guided audio tour through each exhibit. I felt like I was getting more out of it than most of those around me who didn't know to download the app and who didn't want to shell out a few bucks for the museum's audio headphone tour.
One thing I was surprised about was the fact that every single person (all the adults included) participated in the interactive game of getting your EPIC "passport" stamped within each exhibit hall room. I've never seen this many grown adults willing to participate in something quite silly. I mean, it's cheesy and up my alley, for sure, but usually I'm the odd man out! People were lining up at the stamp pedestals -- no joke. The museum clearly did something right there. It made for such a neat and free souvenir, too. The museum itself is obviously all about the Irish diaspora. So many millions were forced to flee their country during the famine in the mid 1800s. Their descendants span generations and countries all over.
One of the final exhibits included a wall of Irish surnames. You could input your Irish ancestors into the computer, and it would add them to their database, giving you data on how many others of the same surname had also emigrated to the same country. I had time to input my 4th great grandfather, but will need to add my 4th great grandmother on a future trip.
I also suspect that many others had input O'Keefe (the more common version of the name in America) rather than the more traditional Keeffe spelling.
Another exhibit that stood out to me included a room resembling a library. The walls were lined with bookshelves, some of those books lighting up. You could pull them somewhat off the shelf to hear passages from the famous books, penned by Irish authors of course. While that was fun, what caught my eye was one of the un-lit books. It just happened to be the first book I saw when I looked at the shelf in front of me.
The Last September by Elizabeth Bowen. For the majority of those coming to my blog, I do not expect you to bat an eye at this title. While she sits amongst other legends like Oscar Wilde and John Steinbeck, Bowen is not an author famous to us Americans. However, she's well known in Ireland and Britain. And the reason she stands out to me?
Her ancestors, the Bowen family of Bowen's Court, owned the land that Terence and Annie Keeffe lived on! And Elizabeth gave me a great number of details about her family, her ancestral home (which was demolished in 1959), and the entire surrounding neighborhood in a novel she wrote appropriately named Bowen's Court. Her most famous novel was indeed The Last September, and this novel too was set around her home, but did not so much go into detail on its history the way that Bowen's Court did. However, it was turned into a movie starring Dame Maggie Smith and Sir Michael Gambon (both notable for their roles in the Harry Potter franchise) that I streamed. I was beside myself in this exhibit.
Another item on my itinerary for this trip was outside of the group research I was doing. A few months prior to leaving for Dublin, I had discovered that the fireplace and mantel from inside Bowen's Court had been saved before the estate was torn down, and it had been relocated to the City Assembly House in Dublin of all places! This was kind of wild considering Bowen's Court was nowhere near Dublin (over 200 km away, in fact). The Irish Georgian Society now calls this place their home and they were happy to welcome me to come and see the mantel in situ. The room in which they positioned the fireplace? None other than the Daniel O'Connell Room! Yes, the man who represented Arthur Keeffe (my maybe great grandfather) in his murder trial. It all seemed destined. Unfortunately a few days prior to flying out, they let me know a water color exhibition was being held in the room that week, and the colorists had installed a false wall over top of the fireplace. So, again, something to do or see on a future trip, but at least I know it's there!
Upon exiting EPIC, I bought a few souvenirs in the gift shop and then headed outside and a bit down the river to the Jeanie Johnston replica famine ship.
Touring this ship wasn't included in my trip with Donna's group, however, it only cost about 12 Euros. I wanted to hear tales that were somewhat relevant to the journey of my ancestors when they crossed the ocean during the famine. What made the Jeanie Johnston special though, was that not a single soul ever passed away during her voyages to the Americas. This was in stark comparison to most other famine era sailings which gained the nickname of "coffin ships."
One thing I found rather odd when touring the ship is we noticed the captain's wheel, seen above, is at the very aft (or back) of the ship. And there's a giant deck just in front of the captain which he can't see around, as well as sails and other ship-related items. There would be no possibility in the captain visibly seeing where he was steering to! This is unlike anything you've seen in the movies or how you picture the captain up on the top of the ship. We learned there would have been sailors stationed every few feet between the captain and the bow of the ship, instructing him what was ahead. Seems like poor engineering to me! Who knew!
Following my ship tour, I walked westerly down the river bank to the famine memorial to pay my respects. It honors all those who made the forced and arduous journeys to escape starvation.
I then walked the 20 minutes back to my hotel where I found a notice in the lobby that Rick Steves' travel group would be meeting up there the following morning. It would appear that Buswells Hotel is the place to start everyone's historic Dublin journey!
At 5pm that evening, Donna held a dinner reception at the hotel for us where we were joined by well-known Irish genealogists Fiona Fitzsimons, Brian Donovan, and John Grenham. Kayleigh and Laura from the IFHC also joined us! It was a great ice breaker event in which I was able to meet several others on our tour whom I hadn't yet met at dinner the night before. I ended up being one of the last people left gabbing on the couch that night (and sure, you can feel bad for the guy who was stuck with me)!
My next blog (Day 3) will entail our first day of research at the National Library of Ireland. Stay tuned...
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