Peter Mehegan explores his family’s roots in Innishannon, Ireland (2024)

♪ >> IT WAS SHROUDED IN MIST THE MORNINIG ARRIVED. IT LIES ON THE SOUTHERNMOST COUNTY OF COURT. I WAS HERE ON A PILGRIME IAGN SEARCH OF EVIDENCE OMYF ANCESTORS, WHO LEFT HERE FOR BOSTON OVER A CENTURY AGO. I HAD A FEW FRAGMENTS OF FAMILY HISTORY TO GO ON. I KNEW MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER WAS BORN HERE IN 1856. I KNEW HIS PARENTS’ NAMES AND THOSOFE IS GOING. THAT WAS IT. NO LONG-LOST IRISH COUSINS. I BEGAN AT ST. MARY’S CHURCH, WHERE THE PARISH PRIEST CHEERFULLY OPEN HIS SAFE AND REMOVE THE BAPTISMAL RECOR.DS >> 1825. TER:PE THEN FOLLOWED A SLOW SEARCH OF THE NAMES OF THE NEWBORNS OF 1856, HANDWRITTEN BY PRIESTS LONG SINCE LATER REST IN THE CHURCH ARE NEARBY.p --CHURCHYARD NEARBY. PETER: THAT’S IT. >> JOHN, OF CHARLES -- PETER: THAT’S IT. >> YOU ARE ON CAMERA, I SAY TO THE WHOLE OF THE STATES CAN IT IS MARVELOUS TO GET A PERSON COMING BACK WITH FACTS AND BE CONFINED SO EASILY. --AND WE CAN FIND SO EASILY. PER:TE AS I WALKED THE LENS OF INITIAL AN END, I WONDER WHAT LIKE WAS LIFE FOR JNOH MEHEGAN, WHAT PUNTED HIM TO LVEEA THIS LO VELY PLACE, WITH NO DESIRE, HE TOLD HIS CHILDREN, TO EREV RETURN. I SET O AUT PROFESSOR WHO TALKED ABOUT THE CONDITIO TNSHAT COST MILLIONS TO EMIGRATE FROM POST-FAMINE IRELAND. >> IN 1856 YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN EVERY NIGHT SITTING AROUND THE TOUGH FEIR, RECOUNTING THE AWFUL AND AWEMESOAPPE HNINGS OF 10 YEARS PREVIOUSLY. I’M SORT ELSE WOULD HA DVEIED OF FEVER. SOMEBODY ELSE--SOMEBO EDYLSE WOULD’VE DIED OF FEVER. SOMEBODY ELSE WOULD HAVE GONE TO AMERICA. FOR THE PEOPLEF O IRELAND, AMERICA BECAME THE GREAT LAND OF HOPE AND EXPECTATION. PETER: AND IF SOME OF THE SEARCH RERDCOS A CHEERFUL PAST, FATHER O’DONOVAN OFFERED PERSPECTIVE. >> IT’S VERY SAD STORY, BUT THEN AGN,AI IT'’ A VERY SUCCESSFUL STORY IN THE SENSE THAT ALL YOUR ANCESTORS, BY THE LOOKS OF INTHGS, YOU DIDN’T DO TOO BADLY. ♪ PER:TE BEAUTIES HOME, KILLAEYRN HAS BEEN CALLED, AND IT IS EASY TO SEE WHY. THE TOWN IS A MINUTE BY 23 SQUARE MILES OF LAKES, WOODEN BLENDS, AND THE HIGHEST MOUNTAINS IN IRELAND. SINCE QUEEN VICTORIA VACATION HERE IN 1861, KILLARNEY HAS BEEN A MUST-STOP FOR VISITORS TO IRELAND. IN TRUTH, THE BUSTLING AND COMMERCIAL DOWNTOWN IS NOT WHAT PEOPLE COME HERE TO SEE. THE BEST WAY TO SEEK KILLARNEY IS TO GETUT O OFOWN, T AND WHAT BETTER AND MORE TRADITIONAL WAY TO DO THAT THEN TO ENGAGE A JOHNSON CAR?-- JAUNTI N CAR? >> IT IS THE CHANCE OF A LIFETIME. LIKE GOING TO SEE THE POPE. PETER: NO DOUBT VICTORY HERSELF TO SAVOR VIEWS FROM A HORSE-DRNAW CARRIAGE, AND SHE MAY BEEN DRIVEN BY MEMBER OF THE TAGNEY FAMILY. PAUL IS E THSIXTH GENERATION OF HIFAS MILY TO DRIVE THE CAR. HE BECAME ONE AT THE AGE OF NI.NE HE IS NOW A SSONEEAD VETERAN AT 18. SO YOU ARE 18 AND YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THIS F 1OR0 YEARS? >> 10 YEARS, MY 10 SEASON. PETER: DO YOU LIKE IT? >> OH, YH.EA I DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ELSE, HOW TO DRIVE A HORSE AND HOW TO TELL BLONDIE. FASTEN YOUR SEATBELT. PER:TE WHAT YOU CALL YOUR BOAT? >> THERICK BEM. IT IS A GAELICOR WD, "BRIDGE OF THE LITTLE TROUT." PETER:ERND U THE SHADOW OF MILLIE GILLICK ON THE STREETS, HE TURNS HIS BOAT TO WHERE KILLARNEY’S THREE LAKES MT.EE >> THIS IS THE MEETING OF THE WATERS HERE NOW, WHERE THE TREE LAKES OF KILLARNEY MEET. THEY SAY TTHA BRIDGE IS THE OLDEST BRIDGE IN THE WORLD. PER:TE LEGEND, MYTH, AND IRISH HUMOR, ALL FOR THE PRICE OF A KILLARYNE BOAT RIDE. THE NEXT DAY, A LOOK BACK AT KILLARNEY FROM LADIES YOU COMMIT SAID TO HAVE CHIMED QUEEN VICTORIA’S LADIES IN WAITING MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO. HE TELLS US HE WAS BAC IKN KILLARNEY IN 2018 22 YEARS AFTER THAT VISIT. HE WANTED TO KNOW IF PUAL WAS STILL FANGRI TOURISTS AROUND THE PARK. HE FOUND PAUL AND FOUND THAT HE IS A0 4 SOMETHING FATHER STILL DRIVING. WILL POST SOM