Land of half of my ancestors

On Friday I am heading for a four-day visit to Ireland to meet up with my brother Kelly and his entire grown family (and respective partners) who are flying in to Shannon Airport from Detroit, Chicago and Boston for a bicycling holiday. Actually, my brother is in Austria at the moment on a European business trip, and will be flying in from Germany, I think.

Though our Irish ancestors came from Wexford County in the late 1800s, south of Dublin on Ireland's east coast, we are touring the much-heralded west coast. (On the maternal side of the family, the line is solidly French, with two Baillargeon brothers heading to Quebec from western France in the 1650s. Whew! Quel adventure!)

I am not certain Ireland will surpass the beauty of Wales, but it will probably come close.

I've been working hard for the last seven months non-stop, so this break is long overdue. It will be more than fantastic to see my sister-in-law Wendy, my nephews and niece Shane, Kate and Michael, and their partners Neil and Katie, and to 'discover Ireland.'

Time to pack!