“The world is waiting for you. Good Luck. Travel Safe. Go!” – Phil Keoghan
There is always a reason, or a season for travel. This time the British Isles made the cut.
After a year of planning, my sister Geri and I spent 10 wonderful days exploring England, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and France.
But one particular day stood out. We connected to our ancestral roots. We met our 4th cousins, Joy and Jill in Northern Ireland. What a treat!
Joy connected with me through our DNA connection on Ancestry.com. Since then, we share ancestral information and family stories. I am a member of the ABC FamilyFoundation of Northern Ireland which brings together people from all over the world to explore ancestor ties to Northern Ireland.
Cousin Joy picked us up in busy Belfast. In fact, this was our first experience in traffic on the opposite side of the car and the road. It was a white knuckle ride until we got used to traffic patterns and narrow roadways.
Once outside the city, we had a splendid ride through the countryside. This is where our maternal great grandparents lived and worked. We traveled to the villages of Killinchy and Killyleagh in County Down.
We stopped for coffee at the Village of Killyleagh. We met local historians Ken and Allison Tait of the Killyleagh Family History Society. Together, we enjoyed fresh scones and lattes.
Killyleagh sits on the Strangford Lough and is a delight to all senses. The buildings are painted in pastel colors that bring a storybook appeal to the picturesque landscape.
The twelfth-century Killyleagh castle sits at the edge of town with a majestic presence. With a medieval provenance, the castle has been inhabited by the Hamilton family since the 17th century.
We continued our drive which included a short ferry ride across Strangford Lough . On the other side, the view was like a canvas painted with fields, meadows, shorelines, and hints of history.
Arriving at Mount Stewart, a National Trust property, we met our other cousin Jill. We ate at the Tea Room on the property for lunch. The menu included sausage rolls, scones, and for dessert, Fifteens. We asked the same thing, what is Fifteens?
The dessert called “Fifteens” is a popular, no-bake “tray-bake” that originates in Northern Ireland. It is named for its 15 primary ingredients, as the traditional recipe calls for fifteen of each:
- 15 crushed graham crackers
- 15 large marshmallows cut up
- 15 candied cherries, halved
Combine ingredients with sweetened condensed milk into a parchment lined baking dish.Top with coconut or crushed nuts. Chill until firm, and slice into approximately 15 pieces. Serve with tea. Get the full recipe
After lunch we explored the unique garden and manor house. Still inhabited by a living heir, the home is open for tours. The walls are tall and majestic, lined with painted portraits and artifacts holding centuries of stories.
The Mount Stewart gardens are universally renowned for their plant collections and the originality of their features. Lady Edith Londonderry, 7th Marquess, was the creator of the unique gardens in the 1920s. Lady Edith found inspiration in gardens around the world. Her love of gardening led to Mount Stewart garden becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We continued our journey back to Belfast to the Titanic Museum, where the famed ship was constructed. There was a memorial for all who were lost in the tragedy. Among the names, we found an ancestor of Eric’s, George Wick, who perished with the ship. The stories and history of this famed ship are honored and preserved throughout Belfast.
Northern Ireland was beautifully presented in the short time we were there. Enough so, we want to go back. Cousin Joy did a wonderful job of planning the day with a great overview of our Irish roots.
Thanks Joy for bringing us joy on our British Isles journey.
Pictures Left to Right – Joy Smith, Lori Malcolm, Geri Baumann at Killyleagh Castle, County Down, N Ireland. Photo taken by Ken Tait
HUMBLEWEEDS 