Donegal Notes-

April 29th to May 6th, 2009

A visit to the people and places of County Donegal

By Bill Carr
Much of life is really just a collection of memories,
this recent visit to Donegal has added years to my life
and hopefully some memories for those I met and
listened to.

I’d like to dedicate these pictures and notes of my recent

Ireland trip to my aunt Elly, who has researched and
preserved much of our family’s past.

Elly is the daughter of Edward Q. Carr and Mary

Mulqueen and grew up in New York with her sisters Mary
and Nancy and her brothers Edward and Julian.

Elly is more properly known as Sister Eleanor Carr, RSCJ

and lives with a community of Sacred Heart nuns in New
York City who have dedicated their lives to educating and
helping others.

Céad Míle Fáilte go Dún na nGall

These notes were put together for my family and friends, but for those of you who don’t
know me, I’m William J. Carr (also known as Bill), a submarine sailor in the US Navy during
the last four years of the 1960s and a businessman and traveler ever since. I am the son of
Julian Carr, himself a submarine sailor in the US Navy during WW II and a lawyer.

Julian was the son of Edward Q. Carr, a US Navy veteran of WW I and a law professor.

Edward was the son of William J. Carr who grew up poor in Brooklyn, NY, studied law and
later became a judge with the New York State Supreme Court.

William was the son of Cornelius Carr and his second wife Mary Gallagher, both of
County Donegal.

Cornelius was born in the townland of Tullyvoos, located in the Parish of Inver, Co.
Donegal. He was known as Condy in his youth and left Ireland in 1845 with Mary
McGroarty of Donegal and sailed to St. John, New Brunswick where they had two sons
before continuing on to Brooklyn, NY in 1849. Mary McGroarty passed away in 1852 after
giving birth to two more sons and Cornelius later married our Mary Gallagher in 1853.

Cornelius was the son of James Kerr, born towards the end of the eighteenth century in the
small townland of Curraghafeaghan, located in the Parish of Killaghtee, Co. Donegal.

James left his Curraghafeaghan home about 1820 to marry Elizabeth Meehan of Tullyvoos
where they built a stone cabin, lived on a small plot of land and raised a family.

Now, the spelling of our name Carr during the 1800s is shown on various parish and civil
records as Kerr, Karr, Carre and Carr. It pretty much depended on who was writing down
the tenant, birth, baptism, marriage, and census information.

Reviewing the old baptism and marriage records, I can see that each time a new priest was
sent to the parish, the spelling of our name changed to conform to his educational and
cultural background. It wasn’t until the ancestors of our branch of the clan learned to read
and write in the late nineteenth century that they took matters into their own hands and
settled on Carr.

As far as the spelling of place names in Ireland, it’s a witch’s brew best left alone. You can
hold any two “official” maps together and find subtle spelling differences in many locations
within the same parish……………….and that includes both Irish and English spelling.

Dorothy & I will be returning to Ireland in September and look forward to seeing our many
new friends.

Bill Carr, June 2009

 Index to Donegal Notes

Page 1- Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

Dublin to Killybegs, Co. Donegal

Page 3- Thursday, April 39th, 2009

Killybegs

Teelin Pier

Killybegs Maritime & Heritage Centre

Peter & Sarah Carr of Curraghafeaghan

st
Page 10- Friday, May 1 , 2009

I move from Killybegs to Bruckless

St. Catherine’s old church and graveyard

St. Catherine’s well

Kit’s Castle

Glencolmcille and Fr. McDyer’s Folk Village

Coast Road between Carrick and Kilcar

nd
Page 20- Saturday, May 2 , 2009
Breakfast at the Ringfort Inn and morning tea with Peter & Sarah Carr

Killybegs harbour

Largy viewpoint and picnic area

Shalwy coast road

St. Cartha’s cemetery

Drive to Ardara and the music festival

Tea and scones with Teena Coughlan

Saturday night at the Ringfort Inn – before the music started

Saturday night at the Ringfort Inn – after the music started

 Index to Donegal Notes- continued

Page 33- Sunday, May 3rd , 2009

Late breakfast at the Ringfort Inn and drive to Donegal Town

Drive from Donegal Town to Grianan of Aileach in Inishowen

A stop in Frosses at St. Mary’s church and cemetery

Back at the Ringfort Inn

Page 37- Monday, May 4th , 2009

I meet Bernard and Joseph Ward of Edrim Glebe

John Boyle and I drive to Ardara and visit with Packie Manus Byrne

We stop at John & Lily’s house in Corkermore

On to see Joachim & Mary Theresa Doogan of Killybegs

We continue to Kilmacreddan to see Danny Shovlin

Dinner in Cranny at Teena Coughlan’s home

Return to Kilmacreddan and meet Maeve Shovlin

Back to the Ringfort Inn

Page 46- Tuesday, May 5th , 2009

Morning tea in Curraghafeaghan with Peter & Sarah Carr

I drive north to the Fanad Head Lighthouse

The “Tea Stop” on Fanad Head

A visit with Jean-Luc and Sassou Pourroy

The Silver Tassie Hotel

Page 52- Wednesday, May 6th , 2009

I leave Donegal and drive across Ireland to Dublin City
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Wednesday, April 29th, 2009 Dublin to Killybegs, Co. Donegal, Ireland

After an all night flight from Newark, New Jersey, I arrived at the Dublin Airport on
Continental Flight No.22 at 6:30am. I’m traveling alone and plan to meet Dorothy in
Dublin later next week.

A bright red Landy was waiting for me

at the Hertz car hire, all polished and
ready for a week in County Donegal. The
Landy is a smaller version of the full size
Land Rover and better sized for the
narrow roads I expected to be driving.
After some fun on the local
roundabouts, I joined the morning rush
hour traffic on the M1 heading south
towards Dublin and exited on the M50.

From the modern M50, I took the M4/N4 heading northwest into the very heart of
Ireland. Passing through the town of Carrick-on-Shannon in County Leitrim, I turned off
the N4 and drove northeast on the local R280 road which bypasses Sligo and connects
with the N15 at Bundoran heading for Donegal Town.

What looked like a short cut

on the map actually added an
hour to the trip but gave me a
chance to practice driving on
the back roads of Ireland.

Located on the R280 road from Manorhamilton to Bundoran, Lough Glenade lies between
Tievebaun Mountain to the west and the Dough Mountain Range to the east. This lake is said to
be the home of a mysterious creature known as the Dobhar-chu.
 Page |2

The 180 mile (292 km) trip across Ireland took about five hours and I was happy to
finally arrive at Killybegs and check into the Tara Hotel, which overlooks the
busiest fishing port in Ireland.

It turns out the Tara has a well respected and popular lunch carvery with a fixed
price of 12 Euros. I hadn’t eaten since the day before, so I grabbed a tray, stood in
line and was rewarded with a big plate of haddock, mashed potatoes, peas, gravy,
soup and rolls. I carried my tray over to the bar, sat down and watched the bar
tender pour a cold Guinness………………a perfect start to a perfect week.

After lunch, I lay down for a short nap and woke up the next morning.

The Tara Hotel is the modern red, tan and white building behind the fishing boats
 Page |3

Thursday, April 30th, 2009 Killybegs, Co. Donegal

I woke up to a beautiful day overlooking Killybegs Harbour and went downstairs

for my favorite Irish breakfast of fried eggs, sausage, smoked salmon, toast,
butter and tea. I like to eat a full breakfast when in Ireland because I typically skip
lunch while out exploring during the day.

Last year, while visiting the Killybegs area, Dorothy and I stopped in to see Mary
Scanlon’s sister Theresa and her husband Jerry McCallig in nearby Five Points.
After breakfast at the hotel, I called on Teresa and Jerry and we sat and talked
about the new President Obama and our hopes for his successful term.
 Page |4

Jerry had a bad fall over the winter; he slipped on his icy driveway while taking
out the trash and is just now beginning to get around slowly with a cane. Jerry
used to work on the fishing boats and he sailed out of Killybegs harbor for weeks
at a time, hopefully the good weather will see him improve and be able to get
around better.

Last year at Theresa & Jerry’s house in Five Points with Dorothy and me and the Dunne sisters-
from left to right are: Lily Boyle, Theresa, (Dorothy & I in the middle), Mary Scanlon and Bridie Dorrian

Teelin Pier, Co. Donegal

After leaving Theresa and Jerry, I drove west on the coastal roads through Kilcar
and on to Carrick, where I stopped at the Glen River waterfalls.
 Page |5

At the falls, I turned south to Teelin.

Teelin was one of the first settlements to

appear on a map of Ireland and was once the
leading cod fishing port in Ireland. The very
narrow road along Teelin Bay ends at a
scenic pier where I parked the Landy and
walked the old stone pier. This large pier and
stone buildings were built by workers paid
one shilling a day over a period of three
years starting in 1881.

After a quick snack of cheese and water, I followed a sheep trail up the hill to
explore the ruins of an old coast guard station that once housed five families.
 Page |6

During the nineteenth and early twentieth century, the primary job of the coast
guard was to suppress the smuggling of goods and homemade whiskey (known
locally as poteen) along the coast.

With the outbreak of the War of Independence in 1920, the IRA attacked the
station and one man was killed. In 1923 during the Irish civil war, the Free State
Army arrested a number of local people and in retaliation the local IRA burned the
coast guard station to the ground.

The views from the ruins are absolutely spectacular, on a clear day you can look
southeast across Donegal Bay towards Benbulben in Sligo and west towards Slieve
League and the open Atlantic.

The photo above was taken from the high

viewpoint circled to the left.
One misstep and it’s a long way down!
Even the sheep looked worried as I leaned
far over to snap the picture.
 Page |7

Killybegs Maritime & Heritage Centre

On the way back to Killybegs,

I stopped at the old carpet
factory on Fintra Road which
now houses the Maritime &
Heritage Centre. The center
has exhibits on the history of
Ulster and the local fishing
industry along with the local
carpet weaving industry.

There is a small souvenir and craft store

in the Heritage Centre which sells local
history books, etc. At the shop, I was
lucky enough to meet Evelyn Cunningham
who served as a trainee with the recently
published booklet “St. Catherine’s Church
and Graveyard” ISBN 978-0-9561002-0-7

I had stopped by earlier in the day and did

not have the correct change, now I was
able to purchase a copy of the booklet
and actually hear firsthand about the
project from Evelyn. The booklet is quite
detailed and would prove helpful on my
upcoming visit to St. Catherine’s
churchyard.
 Page |8

Peter & Sarah Carr of Curraghafeaghan

I returned to the Tara Hotel at 4:30pm for a quick stop before continuing on to
visit Peter and Sarah Carr at their farm in Curraghafeaghan.

Dorothy and I were introduced to Peter and Sarah last year by John Boyle of the
Ringfort Inn. Our family records indicate Peter’s ancestor from the late eighteenth
century, another Peter Carr, was the brother of our James Kerr who left
Curraghafeaghan about 1820 to marry Elizabeth Meehan of Tullyvoos and raise a
family out on Doorin Point.

It’s always a pleasure

to sit and talk with
Peter and Sarah in
their kitchen.
Sarah never lets the
glass get less than half
empty while Peter
talks about the Ireland
of old and new.

Most of County Donegal never experienced the rapid growth of yesterday’s Celtic
Tiger; which in my viewpoint gives the land and its people an advantage as they
head into the Ireland of tomorrow.

Their son James also lives with them while working the farm and maintaining the
equipment necessary for farming …..he had just made new fenders for their large
tractor and was welding them on as I arrived.
 Page |9

A week earlier, I received an interesting e-mail from New Zealand and was anxious
to show it to Peter. This e-mail really demonstrates the power of the internet and
makes for a good story.

It seems that one of Peter’s old Curraghafeaghan neighbors, Myra Deane, grew up
as a young girl in the house just before Peter’s lane. Her family also owned a farm
just past Peter’s house and she used to walk up Peter’s lane to get from her house
to her family’s hayfields.

She grew up, and as a young woman, worked in a Killybegs fish factory before
moving to England and from there, on to New Zealand. Myra’s partner is from the
Fanad peninsula in northern Donegal and belongs to an internet group known as
“Fanadfolk”. I had joined this group earlier in the spring and informed them of my
intention to visit Fanad sometime during this trip. I also mentioned my Carr family
connection in southwest Donegal and my upcoming visit to Peter and Sarah’s
farm in Curraghafeaghan.

Now, there are only a few homes in Peter’s and Myra’s small townland of
Curraghafeaghan and I’m sure Myra was surprised to hear someone else in the
world had even heard of this small section of Ireland. Peter was glad to hear of
Myra and remembered her and her sisters as young girls.

I doubt I’ll be traveling to

New Zealand anytime
soon, but Myra still has
sisters living in the area
and perhaps I’ll get a
chance to meet them on
a future visit. This is a
photo of the Deane
homestead which I
forwarded to Myra.
 P a g e | 10

Friday, May 1st, 2009 I Move from Killybegs to Bruckless

This morning’s weather is mostly overcast with strong winds off the ocean. I ate
my typical Irish breakfast at the hotel and introduced myself to Gerard Boyle, the
hotel manager.

Gerard is a son of John and Lily

Boyle and looks just like his dad. If
you ever have to stay in Killybegs,
be sure and stay at the Tara Hotel,
it’s the best in town.

After breakfast and before I moved to my next hotel, I spent an hour or so

updating my e-mails because I wasn’t sure of the internet possibilities over the
weekend. I then checked out of the Tara Hotel and moved a few miles east to the
Ringfort Inn in Bruckless, which it turned out, has excellent and free wireless
internet capabilities.

The Ringfort Inn was built by John and Lily Boyle and is now managed by their son
Michael, who also looks just like his dad.

After settling into the same

room Dorothy and I stayed in
a year ago, I got back in the
Landy and drove to St.
Catherine’s churchyard in
Killybegs for some exploring.
 P a g e | 11

St. Catherine’s old Church and graveyard

Just to the west of Killybegs harbor, there are the ruins of St. Catherine’s church
and nearby holy well known as St. Catherine’s Well. Last year, Dorothy & I visited
the well and graveyard looking for the rumored headstone of a James Carr who
died in 1847. The graveyard is quite overgrown and we weren’t able to find the
headstone but enjoyed the visit anyway.

This year, with a map of the churchyard I found on the internet, and the new
St. Catherine’s booklet I picked up yesterday at the Carpet Factory, I was
determined to find the headstone.
 P a g e | 12

Almost all the grave markers are lying horizontal and covered with years of plant
growth. The ground was soft over the many collapsed graves and hard when
standing on what I thought to be headstones.

I scraped away part of the ground covering one headstone and that gave me the
clue to find the nearby Carr headstone; with a light rain falling and kneeling in the
overgrown graveyard, I completely uncovered the Carr headstone and took
notes and photographs…..

if anyone saw me, they

would have turned white
as a ghost, run quickly
into town and told
everyone there was a
grave robber at work
among the ruins of old
St. Catherine’s.

As I turned to leave this quiet and ancient churchyard, the sun came out and the
birds came to life singing all their spring songs.

St. Catherine’s Well

I also wanted to visit the nearby holy well of St. Catherine, as I was carrying a
Guardian Angel medal given to me by Tom Scanlon back home in New York and I
wanted to dip the medal in its waters.
 P a g e | 13

As I slowly bathed the medal in the clear well water, I thought of how I came to
be carrying it.

Last fall Tom gave me the medal which is the size of an American 25 cent coin. In
December, Dorothy and I were staying in Salt Lake City, Utah and as it was the
week before Christmas, I left a larger than normal tip for the women servicing our
hotel room when we checked out. I even emptied my pockets of all my loose
change and included the change with our tip.
 P a g e | 14

Later that day, as Dorothy and I were passing through the airport security lines to
fly back to New York, I realized I had included Tom’s guardian angel medal along
with my tip for the hotel room service. Well, I thought, maybe the medal will
bring good fortune to the old women servicing the hotel rooms.

Back home in New York, I confessed to Tom I had lost the medal he gave me, but
repeated my hopes it would somehow brighten the Christmas season for the
hotel chambermaid.

Several days later, Tom took me aside and opened his closed fist to show me the
missing Guardian Angel medal lying in the palm of his hand. At the end of
business the day before, his son Kevin was closing out the cash register and
counting all the loose change when he came across what looked to be the missing
medal.

Believe me, there were plenty of goose bumps on both our arms as he told the
story. Now, I don’t know if this was the very same medal I left two thousand miles
away only a week earlier, but I can tell you I’m taking extra care of it now. Tom
gave me an Irish souvenir coin holder to place the medal in just to make sure I
wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
 P a g e | 15

James Carr headstone at the old St.Catherine Church and graveyard

The headstone reads: In hoc Signo Vinces

Erected to the Memory

Of James Carr who died
th
April 18 1847 by his
Sons in America Aged
70 years
Requiescant in pace Amen
This James Carr may not be from
our family, but his sons thought
enough of him to install a stone
to his memory, so for a short
while at least, the sun will shine
again on his headstone.
 P a g e | 16

Map of St. Catherine’s graveyard found on the internet

Kit’s Castle

Behind St. Catherine’s well is a small hill with the remains of a ruined castle
known as Kit’s Castle. I climbed up to see what was there and except for a pile of
rocks, there’s very little left to see, but it offers a fine view of the surrounding
harbour.

Many interesting stories surround the castle which was built around 1355. For
more detailed information, stop by the old carpet factory and pick up a copy of
“St. Catherine’s Church and Graveyard” …………you won’t be disappointed.
 P a g e | 17

Glencolmcille and Father McDyer’s Folk Village

From Killybegs I drove west towards Glencolmcille into the heart of the Gaeltacht.

The area around Glencolmcille is home to a large number of Megalithic tombs,

ringforts from the Celtic era and early Christian standing stones. It is named for
the sixth century warrior and early Christian missionary Creimthne who later
became known as Colmcille. Now Colmcille, whose name translates as dove of the
church, had a rough time giving up his warrior ways but he went on to start a
number of monasteries and today is known by the more popular name of St.
Columba. There are stories surrounding his name that would fill many a large
book.

My distant cousin Connie Denne, and her husband Jack, first introduced Dorothy
and me to Glencolmcille two years ago when we visited Father McDyer’s Folk
Village and its traditional thatched roof cottages.

I wanted to return for another look at the cottage interiors and was also hoping to
enjoy a leisurely afternoon snack at the Folk Village Tea Room.

see www.glenfolkvillage.com for more information

Alas, the Tea Room was closed during week days, but the cottages were open for
 P a g e | 18

inspection and the Craft Shop provided shelter from the rapidly brewing storm off
the coast. There is a beach in nearby Glenbay within walking distance of the
village and it was a windy and wet hike down to the sand and water, but it was
worth the hike. The waves had a huge amount of energy and literally exploded
against the rocks further out in the bay…..an awesome sight.

Back inside the Craft Shop, a young woman was making new labels for all the
tools and furnishings located in the different cottages. As we spoke, she informed
me of tomorrow’s “Cup of Tae” festival in nearby Ardara. Musicians from all
around come to play in this traditional Irish music festival named for John
Gallagher, a local fiddle player whose family made tea during the market days of
old.
 P a g e | 19

Coast road between Carrick and Kilcar

Returning from Glencolmcille, the R263 road cuts across the lonely bog lands until it
reaches Carrick where I turned onto the coast road and passed through Rushen Park,
Ballyboy and Cashel before coming out at Kilcar. This section of the coast road is scenic
no matter which direction you drive it, but the curves seem safer driving west to east.

Entering the village of Kilcar, I got back on the R263 road and continued on to Killybegs
where I stopped at the local St. Mary’s cemetery for a short walk among the
headstones. I hadn’t been to this cemetery before and was able to find a few Carr
stones and talk with an elderly woman who was out for an evening stroll with her dog.

I was back at the Ringfort by seven, and after a hamburger and Guinness at the bar, it
was up to my room and early to bed. I was still adjusting to the change in time zones.
 P a g e | 20

Saturday, May 2nd, 2009

Breakfast at the Ringfort and morning tea with Peter & Sarah Carr

I woke to a clear and windy morning and went downstairs where Michael and
John Boyle joined me at the table for a full Irish breakfast.

After breakfast, my first stop of the day was at Peter and Sarah Carr’s farm for a
cup of hot tea and conversation. Peter’s leg has been slow to heal from an
operation, so yesterday, their son James drove them to Galway to have it looked
at by a specialist; hopefully the prescribed treatment will help Peter’s leg heal
quickly.

Killybegs Harbour

My plan was to climb Slieve League today, so after leaving Peter and Sarah
I headed west on the R263 road. Driving by Killybegs harbour, I noticed the fishing
fleet was in so I parked the Landy and walked around the piers to watch all the
activity and look at the boats.
 P a g e | 21

Memorial erected
by the fishermen of
Killybegs to those
lost at sea R.I.P.

I notice the names

of three McCallig
men and wonder if
they are relatives
of Theresa Dunne’s
husband Jerry
McCallig?

Largy viewpoint and picnic area

Back in the Landy I continued west towards Slieve League and pulled over at the
Largy viewpoint. The sun came out and this is a beautiful location to look out
across Donegal Bay.

Looking northeast
from Largy towards
the blue flag beach at
Fintragh
 P a g e | 22

Shalwy coast road

Just west of Largy is the turn for a little used coastal road that starts at the
townland of Shalwy. Now this narrow road is not for those in a hurry, and I
realized that if I took this road, I’d never have time for a climb on Slieve League.

I listened to my heart and

took the turn at Shalwy.

Pictures and words cannot do justice to this road that time forgot.

As you pass along the

hills of Croagh Beg and
Croagh Muckros with
the Atlantic Ocean
close by, every cottage
and every field on this
lonely road seems to
call out with a story
 P a g e | 23

Looking southeast
towards Tra Lobhar,
which is Irish for “the
roaring beach”, the
water seems calm
enough to swim in.

In the picture below, looking further to your right and over to Muckross Head, the
swells heading into Tra Lobhar make you understand why swimming is not
recommended……now, if you had a surfboard and a wetsuit, that’s another story.
 P a g e | 24

I parked the red Landy and followed the ever present sheep path up the side of
Croagh Muckros and rested for awhile.

Up on Croagh Muckros, I sat thinking of all I saw before me as a light mist came
from behind and settled softly on my shoulders. It felt as if the ancient Tuatha De
Danann had come out from the hillside to sit beside me and mourn their losses
over two thousand years ago.

The rain soon followed and it was time to break the spell and move on.

The road continued on across the townland of Tawny where it offers a fine view
looking west across Tawny Bay and the opposite hillside of Kilbeg, which has its
own excellent viewpoint looking eastward.
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This section of the coast road ends at the small village of Kilcar, named after the
original St. Cartha’s church built about 640. The old ruins and graveyard are
nearby and still visible.

The village of Kilcar is located in the Gaeltacht and is more properly known in Irish
as “Cill Charthaigh”.

St. Cartha’s Cemetery

Just before the coast road enters the village, I stopped at the modern St. Cartha’s
cemetery which dates from 1860 and is now associated with the new St. Cartha’s
church built in 1904.

The names of all the

old Kilcar families
are here, including
many Carrs.

May all those who have lived before us rest in peace.

Our family history makes no direct connection to the many Carr families of Kilcar,
but it’s an interesting fact that the distance between the village of Kilcar and
Peter & Sarah’s farm at Curraghafeaghan is only 14 kilometers as the crow flies.
 P a g e | 26

Drive to Ardara and the music festival

From Kilcar, I drove the 12 km back to Killybegs and then 16 km north on the N56
road to Ardara. Someplace above the clouds, the sun was moving on and I wanted
to be back in Inver at 5pm for tea with Teena Coughlan, but first I hoped to catch
a bit of the open air session in Ardara where the Cup of Tea festival was being
held.

The

TRADITIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL

ARDARA Co. DONEGAL
 P a g e | 27

The festival draws large crowds and

finding a parking spot in Ardara is
never easy. I was able to park in front
of Nancy’s, where two years ago
Dorothy, myself and my cousin
Connie Denne and her husband Jack
enjoyed a leisurely afternoon meal.

Dorothy and Connie

inside Nancy’s Bar in 2007

There is an old bridge near Nancy’s and I noticed a new walkway and new water
treatment system built along the river bank, so I followed the walkway a short
distance before it came to an end…………I know it would be difficult in today’s
economic climate, but extending this new riverside walkway along the
Owentocker River as it passes through Ardara would be a real asset to the town
and it’s people.

I crossed the bridge and headed to the diamond where musicians were tuning
their fiddles and preparing for all the different recitals. Off in the distance, I heard
the Irish reel “Cup of Tae” being played and all around there was excitement in
the air.
 P a g e | 28

Someday I’ll come back and enjoy the traditional music scene in Ardara, but now
it was time to head back to Inver and meet Teena at her home in Cranny.

Tea and scones with Teena Coughlan

It’s easy to find Teena’s house, all you have to do is follow the birds because they
know where to go for food and safety…..her yard is a true oasis.

Teena and my Aunt Elly have a good friend in common from Elly’s school years.
Teena also knows our distant cousins Barnard and Joseph Ward of Edrim Glebe
and knew our cousin Eddie Carr of Tullyvoos before he passed away in 1999 . Last
year Dorothy and I finally met Teena on a visit to Donegal.

Picture taken last

year of Teena and
Dorothy with
Teena’s green
gardens in the
background

I was happy to see Teena again and she rewarded my visit with a large plate of
scones, jam and butter. Teena poured at least three cups of tea for me as I sat
and ate the whole plate of scones………they were delicious and more than made
up for the lunch I had missed earlier in the day.
 P a g e | 29

I don’t know how Teena does it, but she finds time to take long walks, sing in a
choir, play the organ at local churchs, study painting with her friends, take good
care of her dog and home and still be an active part of her community.

We sat and talked about

the world, etc. for over
two hours and before
leaving, Teena gave me a
book about a traditional
Aran Island funeral by Bill
Doyle and Muiris
MacConghail.
ISBN 1-85390-527-5

The sun was close to setting as she and her small dog followed me across the road
to where I parked the Landy. We made plans to meet again on Monday.

Back in Bruckless, I drove up the Darney road to the Ringfort Inn and noticed a
large caravan of motor homes parked at the Ringfort. I found a place to park the
Landy, gathered up my notes and maps, and walked into a typical Saturday night
at the Ringfort.
 P a g e | 30

Saturday night at the Ringfort- before the music started

It was about 8pm when I sat down at the restaurant bar with all my Carr family
notes and started to write about the day’s events.

John Boyle sat down beside me, and when he saw my pile of papers spread out on
the bar, we talked about a Corkermore relative he was looking for whose mother
probably was a Carr. This gave me a chance to tell John the story of a search I
have been working on…….

Last year, while on a business trip in Washington, DC, I visited the National
Archives to look for information on my uncle William J. Carr jr. (son of W. J. Carr
sr.) both of whom I am named after. My uncle died in North Africa during WW II
and I was curious if there was a record of his final resting place. A woman at the
Archives listened to my request and helped me find the following information:

She and I got to talking and I told her about our Donegal branch of the family and
my ancestor Cornelius Carr. She looked thoughtful and came back shortly with
some information on a Cornelius Carr from Shalwy who was killed in WW I during
a battle in France. I told her this young man was most likely from a different
branch of the Carr clan, but I would try to follow up on this new information.
 P a g e | 31

Now this story struck me as one with a sad ending, and if there were still Carrs in
Shalwy, I wanted them to know that we in America appreciate the sacrifice this
young man and his family made.

I asked John if he ever heard of the Carr family from Shalwy and John felt he
knew just the person to ask. We agreed to meet again on Monday afternoon and
continue the search for a connection.

Saturday night at the Ringfort- after the music started

By now the lounge was filling up with members of the caravan club camped
outside in the parking lot, and a popular musician from Enniskillen soon had
everyone out on the dance floor. Now, I don’t know the fellow below in the
striped shirt, but he had all the folks smiling as he demonstrated his unique dance
steps.
 P a g e | 32

John’s wife Lily and her sister Theresa McCallig soon arrived and I gathered up my notes
and moved over to a comfortable table for conversation and a few drinks.

John is a natural politician and he got

up often to greet patrons as they
arrived. I watched as he moved
effortlessly among the tables taking
the time to sit and visit awhile with
each of the local families.

Lily Boyle was kind enough to dance a few

dances with me and before long it was
time to stand for the Irish National
Anthem as the evening came to a close.

The Irish National Anthem has an interesting history. The Soldier's Song (Amhrán na bhFiann) has
three stanzas and a chorus and was written in 1907 by Peadar Kearney, an uncle of Brendan Behan,
who together with Patrick Heeney also composed the music.

It was first published in the newspaper, Irish Freedom in 1912. The song was not widely known until
it was sung during the Easter Rising of 1916 and later at various internment camps. The chorus was
formally adopted as the National Anthem in 1926, displacing the earlier Fenian anthem, God Save
Ireland.
 P a g e | 33

Sunday, May 2nd, 2009

Late Breakfast at the Ringfort Inn and I drive to Donegal Town

At 10am I woke to a knock on the door announcing last call for breakfast and I
quickly went downstairs for a late Sunday breakfast.

My plan for the day was to drive out to Doorin point, park the Landy and walk the
country roads. The weather outside was too windy, chilly and wet for the planned
Doorin point walk and I’ll try again on my next visit.

This picture taken last year

shows the Carr cabin in
Tullyvoos, out on Doorin
point. It’s a beautiful and
very emotional place to
visit.

I drove into Donegal Town

and parked at the new
visitor center near the
town pier.

The visitor center and nearby Four

Masters Bookstore are closed on
Sundays, so I settled for a short walk
out to the harbour ruins of this
Franciscan abby, believed to be the
site where the Annals of the Four
Masters were written.
 P a g e | 34

Drive from Donegal Town to Grianan of Aileach

From Donegal town, I drove north on the N15 through Ballybofey and Stranorlar,
then on the N13 to Burt and the Grianan of Aileach on the Inishowen peninsula. A
160 km drive round trip, Dorothy and I had visited this magnificent stone fort two
years ago with Connie and Jack Denne and it seemed like a good place to drive to
on a rainy Sunday afternoon. The roads are quite good and maybe the rain would
stop as I headed inland and north.

This stone fort was restored in the 1870s, but dates back to 1700 BC. It sits high
on a hill and has a commanding view of Inch Island and Lough Swilly to the west,
Inishowewn to the north and Lough Foyle to the northwest. The city of Derry is
just a few miles to the west.

As you can see, the rain did stop for a great view across Lough Swilly.
 P a g e | 35

A stop at St. Mary’s church & cemetery in Frosses

On the way back to Bruckless and the Ringfort Inn, I drove the road to Frosses and
stopped at St. Mary’s church and cemetery.

This cemetery is where Eddie Carr placed a

stone to the memory of the Carrs of Tullyvoos.
I’ve been here several times before and wanted
to see Eddie’s stone once again.

Dorothy took this picture of me at Frosses old

cemetery on our visit last year.

In addition to the older cemetery located in the churchyard, there is a newer

cemetery shown below that’s located around the corner from the church.
I hadn’t been to this newer cemetery before, and since it was still daylight, I went
and walked all the stones, read all the names and said a prayer to all those resting
here.
 P a g e | 36

Back at the Ringfort Inn

I finally arrived back at the Ringfort and ordered a quiet dinner at the restaurant
bar. After dinner, I slipped away and went to my room hoping for an early
evening………. but alas, it was not to be.

Sunday night at the Ringfort is karaoke night, and a knock on my door reminded
me there’d be plenty of time to sleep when I got back to America. John and Lily
Boyle, and their sons Michael and Gerard, were downstairs in the restaurant and
it wasn’t till half past 12 that I finally returned to my upstairs room.

Michael Boyle sings on karaoke night

 P a g e | 37

Monday, May 4th, 2009

I meet Bernard and Joseph Ward of Edrim Glebe

I went downstairs for an early breakfast at the Ringfort and then drove over to
Teena’s house in Crany.

On Sunday, Teena had made arrangements for me to meet Bernard and Joseph
Ward this Monday morning at their farmhouse in Edrim Glebe just north of
Montcharles. The brothers are cousins of Eddie Carr from Tullyvoos and I was
anxious to meet them both. I followed Teena in her car out to Edrim Glebe, where
she then continued on to her next assignment.

They raise sheep and cattle and were assisting the animals during their springtime
birthing season, but both brothers graciously took the time to meet with me.

Joseph Ward, my cousin Patsy Carr Wooters and Bernard Ward

Patsy’s husband Roy took this picture last fall when he and Patsy visited Tullyvoos
 P a g e | 38

Joseph and Bernard keep many cats around their farm and two of them are lucky
enough to share the inside of their farmhouse in Edrim Glebe. While the two
lucky cats lounged around, Bernard made tea and brought cookies and cake to
the table.

Bernard and Joseph confirmed that our cousin Eddie Carr was a bit of a character
and I now have a few good stories to take home with me. There is one story about
Eddie using an old saw to share a large salmon with them that still brings a smile
to my face as I type these words.

Both brothers are very proud of their two sisters and six nieces in America and the
many framed photos in the living room and their albums full of family pictures
attest to their family pride.

Listening to the two brothers’ talk of their family, the cattle markets, politics and
church was a pleasure and four hours went by faster than a speeding train. It was
hard to leave as I looked around their living room and saw one cat guarding the
front window and the other basking in a ray of sunshine, but Bernard and Joseph
both had work to get back to.

Their farmhouse in Edrim Glebe may be on the most overgrown and narrow road
in all of Donegal and I would need a Ouija board and a dozen compasses to find
my way back to Mountcharles. Fortunately, Joseph was driving Bernard into town
and I was able follow them in my Landy.

As we parted ways in Mountcharles, Joseph stopped their car and Bernard said
that he and his brother both thought the Carrs of Tullyvoos and Curraghafeaghan
may have come by way of Pettigo. I hadn’t heard this before so I thanked him for
the information.

From Mountcharles, I drove west towards Bruckless and the Ringfort Inn to meet
John Boyle.
 P a g e | 39

We drive to Ardara and visit with Packie Manus Byrne

Back at the Ringfort, John Boyle and I set out in the Landy to visit Packie Manus
Byrne of Ardara. I was relieved to have John do the driving on these country
roads while I sat back and enjoyed the scenery.

Packie Manus was born 92 years ago in the nearby townland of Corkermore and
John felt that if we were to find the family of the young Cornelius Carr of Shalwy,
Packie Manus Byrne would help steer us in the right direction.

John’s family and Packie Manus were neighbors in Corkermore so the visit was
also a social occasion for the two of them. I didn’t know it until we met, but
Packie Manus Byrne is a traditional singer, tin-whistle player and storyteller who
has led an amazing life with a few books and much music to his credit.

Packie Manus Byrne at home in Ardara with John Boyle

 P a g e | 40

In addition to the Boyle and Byrne families being neighbors in Corkermore during
the early 20th century, Packie Manus is a cousin of John’s wife Lily and all the
other Dunne sisters. Also, interestingly enough, research of the 1857 Griffith’s
Valuation of tenant land shows a Patrick Byrne, Michael Carr and Patrick Carr as
tenants sharing a 283 acre plot of land in Corkermore, each with their own
separate cottages. The more I travel in southwest Donegal, the more I begin to
realize we’re probably all cousins.

Packie Manus said he knows the Carrs of Curraghafeaghan and he thought they
came from Pettigo before settling in Curraghafeaghan. Now that’s twice in one
day I heard this bit of information………it’s starting to sound like a possibility.

John and I told Packie Manus of our search for the relatives of the young
Cornelius Carr of Shalwy who died in France during WW I. Packie Manus knew of
a retired Shalwy fisherman named Joachim Doogan who would probably be able
to help us. Joachim now lives in Killybegs Harbour with his wife Mary Theresa and
they would be our next stop.

We stop at John & Lily’s house in Corkermore

John and I said our goodbyes to Packie Manus and headed south for Killybegs. Of
course, no route in Ireland is direct and John soon had us stopping for tea at his
home in Corkermore.

Lily was at home taking care of their granddaughter Laurie, and as we settled
down in their bright kitchen, the kettle was whistling, the teapot was soon filled
and cookies appeared like magic.

John found a copy of the Packie Manus Byrne book and let me have
it to read. It’s an important book for those who want to learn more
about life in rural southwest Donegal during the early twentieth
century.

For more about Packie Manus, his music and excerpts from his
books, you can visit the website of his publisher at
http://www.rogermillington.com/packiebio.html
 P a g e | 41

On to Killybegs Harbour to visit Joachim & Mary Theresa Doogan

Back in the Landy, John pointed out the various features of where he grew up in
Corkermore and then we continued south towards Killybegs.

In Killybegs, we passed the fish factory where John worked as a young man and
soon arrived at the home of Joachim & Mary Theresa Doogan. The Doogans
greeted John warmly and invited us to sit in their living room while we explained
our mission.

Tea was served, and as we sat and talked, I noticed all the birds gathering for a
late afternoon feast at their feeders located outside the living room window.

Joachim said we should visit Danny Shovlin and his wife Maeve of Kilmacreddan
Road in Inver. Maeve is a Carr of Shalwy and he thought she might be the person
we’re looking for.

We thanked Joachim and Mary Theresa and continued on our way.

On to Danny Shovlin’s of Kilmacreddan Road

We soon arrived at the home of Danny and Maeve Shovlin on Kilmacreddan Road
and John introduced me to Danny as he opened the door. Maeve was not home,
but we stayed a short while and told Danny of our search for the family members
of Cornelius Carr of Shalwy.

Danny said Maeve was the person to ask and invited me to return later in the
evening when I could meet his wife, and with any luck, Maeve’s family would be
the same as young Cornelius’ family.

John and I drove back to the Ringfort Inn where I dropped him off and continued
on by myself to meet Teena for dinner.
 P a g e | 42

Dinner in Crany at Teena Coughlan’s Home

It was now 7pm and I apologized to Teena for being late as we both sat down to a
homemade dinner of pizza and salad. It was nice to rest for awhile and talk to
Teena.

I recounted the four hours spent with Joseph and Bernard Ward at their Edrim
Glebe home and told her how much I enjoyed sitting at their kitchen table and
listening to them both. I thanked her again for introducing us and I know she was
pleased to hear about the visit with Bernard and Joseph.

Two hours passed quickly, and as we said our goodbyes, I promised to stop by in
September with Dorothy.

I Return to Kilmacreddan Road and meet Maeve Shovlin

A little after 9pm I returned to Kilmacreddan Road and finally met Maeve Shovlin
at her home. It turns out she works at the old carpet factory and Heritage Centre
on Fintra Road in Killybegs. I told her about my meeting Evelyn Cunningham when
I was there last week and asked Maeve to thank Evelyn for her helpful
information and for being a trainee assisting with the book “St. Catherine’s
Church and Graveyard”. I also told her about my success with finding the
headstone for James Carr.

Danny had already told Maeve about my search for the relatives of young
Cornelius Carr of Shalwy, so as we sat in their living room I showed Maeve the
information I had and it appeared doubtful there was a connection. Although
Maeve and her family are the only Carrs of Shalwy, she was not aware of a
Cornelius who went to America and then died in France during WW I.

Maeve’s brother still lives in Shalwy and her sister-in-law Mary(?) was on her way
over with the old family records. I still held out hope as we talked and waited for
her arrival.
 P a g e | 43

The military & burial record of young Cornelius Carr of Shalwy-

AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION

Cornelius Carr
Private, U.S. Army
349th Machine Gun Battalion, 91st Division
Entered the Service from: Ohio
Died: November 20, 1918
Buried at: Plot B Row 30 Grave 1
Somme American Cemetery
Bony, France

Name: Cornelius Carr

Serial Number: 3527619
Residence: 802 E. 82nd St., Cleveland, O.
Enlistment Division: National Army
Enlistment Location: Cleveland, O.
Enlistment Date: 05 Jul 1918
Birth Place: Donegal, Ireland
Birth Date /Age: 22 June 1895
Comment:
10 Co 3 Training Battalion 158 Depot Brigade 7 July 1918 to 19 Aug 1918; Co I 333
Infantry to 6 Oct 1918; Co A 364 Infantry to 22 Oct 1918; Co A 348 Machine Gun
Battalion to 20 Nov 1918; Private Ypres-Lys. American Expeditionary Forces 2
Sept 1918 to 20 Nov 1918. Died of Wounds 20 Nov 1918. Notified Michael Carr,
father, Shelvey, Kilcar Parish, Donegal County, Ireland.

Last year, while searching through microfilms of old Irish records kept at the LDS
Family History Center in Salt Lake City, I came across the 1901 and 1911 census
results for Shalwy and wrote down the Carr family names and ages shown on the
census reports.

Since then, the National Archives of Ireland has digitized and made available the
original 1911 census results of all 32 counties. These records can be viewed on
the internet at http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/
 P a g e | 44

The 1911 census form filled out by Michael Carr of Shalwy-

The National Archives of Ireland will also be making the 1901 census records
available in early 2010. In the meantime, the 1901 census data has been
transcribed by Lindel Buckley and uploaded to her Donegal Genealogy Resource
website (the very best site for starting your Donegal family research). This data
can be viewed at
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~donegal/1901Shalwyk.htm

At 10pm, Maeve’s sister-in-law Mary(?) arrived from Shalwy with the family
records and we all gathered around as she unfolded the old notes and family tree
diagrams. At first, there appeared to be no connection with young Cornelius, but
when Mary finally unrolled an old handwritten chart from the early 1900s, there it
was…………………a handwritten note about a missing Con or Conall who was born
at the same time as young Cornelius.
 P a g e | 45

The 1901 and 1911 census returns also confirmed a young man named Con was
part of Maeve’s family and he was the same age as the young Cornelius who
immigrated to America, joined the Army, was sent to France and died in battle.

The US military records indicate Cornelius’ father Michael was notified of his son’s
death and the Irish census results indicate Con’s father was Michael.

Now the Irish names Con and Conall were almost always anglicized to Cornelius
when they immigrated to America. My own GG Grandfather Cornelius from
Tullyvoos was originally known as Condy before he left Ireland.

Because there was only one Carr family in Shalwy, I’m now confident we have
returned the memory of young Cornelius back to his original family. After carrying
around his records for almost a year, it was a moving experience for me to know
he’s finally been reunited with his Shalwy family after all these years. It was now
late in the evening but Maeve made a batch of hot toddies and we all agreed the
night had been very interesting.

When Dorothy and I return to Donegal in September, I hope to stop by Danny and
Maeve’s home on Kilmacreddan Road and see if they found out any more
information.

The next time I take the old coast road at Shalwy I’ll keep a lookout for the Carr
home knowing the spirit of young Cornelius is at rest with his brothers and sisters.

Back to the Ringfort Inn

It was midnight by the time I arrived back at the Ringfort Inn. A lot happened
today and I stayed up till early in the morning writing notes of the day’s events
and my apologies to those whose names I may have forgotten or misspelled.
 P a g e | 46

Tuesday, May 5th, 2009

Breakfast at the Ringfort Inn and morning tea with Peter & Sarah Carr

I woke up to more wind and rain blowing off McSwyne’s Bay and the Atlantic
beyond. On weekdays Michael Boyle is both manager and chef at the Ringfort, so
he prepared the morning tea and breakfast all by himself. An honest homemade
breakfast of eggs, sausage and toast was enjoyed by me, Michael and his father
John.

After breakfast, I drove the short distance to Curraghafeaghan for a final visit
with Peter and Sarah. I hope to return in September and pray that Peter’s leg will
be much better by then.

As Sarah prepared tea, I told them of my plans to drive up to the Fanad peninsula
and visit a family I had only recently met on the internet; I wasn’t sure what to
expect but was looking forward to the adventure.

I returned to the Ringfort to gather up my belongings and prepared to leave. I

said my goodbyes to the staff and wished John Boyle success with his campaign
for a seat on the Donegal County Council.

View from my room at the Ringfort Inn looking south towards McSwyne’s Bay
 P a g e | 47

I drive north to the Fanad Head Lighthouse

With Bruckless and the Ringfort behind me, I drove to Donegal town
and connected with the N15 heading northwest to Letterkenny. This is
the same road I traveled on Sunday and there is a quiet, rustic beauty
as the road passes through the Barnesmore Gap and continues on to
Ballybofey and Stranorlar.

The streams were swollen with all the rain, and small waterfalls were
tumbling down both sides of the Gap as I drove through. On the east
side of the Gap an old rail bed follows the road, and if the rails were still
in place, you can imagine the attraction of a small train traveling back
and forth between Donegal town and Lough Swilly.

Letterkenny is home to the mother of all roundabouts, and if you pass

through all five or six of them without making a wrong turn, you’re a
better person than I.

After finding the R245 road heading north to Rathmelton, I planned on

switching to the R247 road and traveling up the east coast of the Fanad
peninsula to Rathmullan and continuing all the way up to Fanad Head.

However….. driving through these small towns with their narrow

streets and oncoming traffic, you need to keep a sharp eye out for the
road you wish to be on. This is how I ended up in Milford on the west
side of the peninsula instead of Rathmullan on the east side of the
peninsula.

So I continued along the west side of the peninsula where there is

much evidence of fish farming and I was reminded of Norway and its
many fjords.
 P a g e | 48

The coastal road runs north through the towns of Carrowkeel, Tawny and
Kindrum before ending abruptly at the strand on Ballyhiernan Bay. A right hand
turn takes you the last 5km to the lighthouse at Fanad Head.

The wind at Fanad Head was blowing

gale strength, and I was buffeted
about as I stepped from the Landy into
the storm.

It was quite a sight looking across the storm tossed waves of Lough Swilly and
Dunaff Head in the distance.
 P a g e | 49

The Tea Stop

Climbing back into the Landy, visions of fresh baked scones with hot tea filled my
head, as I hadn’t eaten since breakfast. A few kilometers down the road I noticed
a small sign with the words “Tea Stop” at a lonely intersection.

Now, the area around Fanad Head is all windswept moors with only a few
cottages huddled in its valleys, and it seemed unlikely that an actual tea room
would be nearby but I made the turn and drove further into the countryside and
finally arrived at the “Tea Stop”. It looked closed, but the sign on the door said
OPEN, so in I went.

The wind and rain were beating against the small windows and there were no
customers, but a glowing turf fire provided a warm welcome. A gentleman
stepped out from the kitchen and explained he had just opened for the season a
few days earlier and hadn’t expected customers on such a stormy day.

When the service tray finally arrived with a freshly brewed pot of tea, two large
scones, butter, jam and a small bowl of whipped cream I was in heaven……….
a stormy, windswept heaven, but heaven all the same.
 P a g e | 50

A visit with Jean-Luc Pourroy

It was hard to get back in the Landy, but it was getting late and I still needed to
visit Jean-Luc and Sassou Pourroy a few kilometers away in the townland of
Rinboy. Their small cottage is just off Ballyhiernan Bay and is protected from the
strong Atlantic winds by a large grassy dune.

Jean-Luc and Sassou have been visiting Fanad for at least fourteen years and
recently moved from their flat in Paris to spend all their time in Fanad. There isn’t
much extra room in their Rinboy cottage, so they are also preparing a house in
Millford to live in.

Sassou is an accomplished artist

whose paintings hang on all the
cottage walls and Jean-Luc is a
retired surgeon who translates
medical textbooks via the internet.

Jean-Luc also manages the small internet group “Fanadfolk”, which caters to
people around the world who have an interest in the Fanad peninsula with its
long and sometimes sad history.
The tea and conversation within the comfort of their seaside cottage was most
enjoyable and I can still imagine Jean-Luc at work on his computer and Sassou
surrounded by her many fine paintings.
 P a g e | 51

This time of year, there are not many hotels or inns open and I needed a place to
stay for the evening, so while Sassou brewed a pot of tea, Jean-Luc called around
and found a room at a hotel on the road back to Letterkenny. My plans called for
me to drive to Dublin the next day and this would give me a nice head start on the
trip.

The Silver Tassie Hotel

Leaving Jean-Luc and Sassou, I drove south to The Silver Tassie Hotel just outside
of Letterkenny. The Landy’s odometer showed 260 km for the day’s travels and I
was ready to check into the hotel for dinner and rest.

The Silver Tassie is a first class hotel with a fine pub where I learned it was named
after a play written by Sean O’Casey back in 1927.

I believe the word tassie is old Scottish for a drinking goblet and I know “The Silver
Tassie” is a short poem written by one of the world’s great poets, Robert Burns.

I’m not sure how this hotel came to be named after a play, but it was the perfect
place for a good night’s rest before continuing on to Dublin.

Lobby of the Silver Tassie Hotel

 P a g e | 52

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009

I Leave County Donegal and Drive to Dublin City

I woke up at dawn and lay listening to the Donegal wind and rain beating against my hotel
window. I knew I had a lot of driving to do, so I got up, dressed, ate a hearty breakfast and
checked out of the Silver Tassie Hotel.

With my back to Donegal, I navigated the roundabouts of Letterkenny and drove southeast on
the N14 road to Lifford where I crossed the River Foyle and entered County Tryone and the city
of Strabane.

Continuing southeast on the A5 road through the towns of Omagh and Aughnacloy, I entered
County Monaghan where I changed roads to the N2. Soon I was in County Louth and changed
roads again to the N33 at Ardee and headed directly east to the M1 toll road. On the M1, it’s a
fast and easy drive south to the Dublin Airport.

After driving the red Landy for eight days, I handed the keys back to the Hertz attendant at the
airport and hired a taxi to take me into Dublin City.

Dublin is only a four hour drive from

Donegal, but its busy streets and even
busier people make it seem years away.

The taxi crossed the River Liffey and up

the hill to the historic Shelbourne Hotel
where I’d soon be meeting Dorothy and
starting another adventure in Dublin.

The River Liffey looking east towards

the pedestrian Ha’penny Bridge

The Shelbourne sits on a

busy corner over looking
St. Stephen’s Green
 P a g e | 53

Thinking back on my visit to the people and places of County Donegal, these lyrics
by Seán McBride come to mind:

I've just stepped in to see you all

I'll only stay awhile
I want to hear how you're getting on
I want to see you smile
I'm happy to be back again
To greet you one and all
For there's no place else on earth just like
The homes of Donegal

I long to see your happy faces

Smiling at the door
The kettle singing on the hearth
As I step up the floor
And soon the teapots filling up
My cup that’s far from small
For your hearts are like your mountains in
The homes of Donegal

I’d like to sit along with you

And while away the night
With tales of yore and fairy lore
Beside your fireside bright
And then to see prepared for me
A bed beside the wall
There's a rest for weary wanderers in
The homes of Donegal

The time has come and I must go

I bid you all adieu
The open highway calls me forth
To do the things I do
And when I'm wandering far away
I’ll hear your voices call
And please God I'll soon return unto
The homes of Donegal