GENEALOGICAL BUCKET LIST FOR VISITING IRELAND

After two visits to Ireland, I have now refined my bucket list for any possible future trips to the Emerald Isle.  While Dublin is a nice place to visit, I want to spend any time I have walking in my ancestors' (no matter how far back) footsteps.  So here is a listing of places I would like to visit --

1. Townland of Letter in County Mayo -- I got so close but not close enough to the home town of my Great Grandmother Elizabeth Chambers,  Perhaps I will get the opportunity some day to see the actual land where her father Thomas Chambers farmed and raised his family.

2. The townlands of Demailestown and Lady Rath in County Meath -- I have learned that what is called townlands in Ireland may be no more than a neighborhood or housing complex.  I would love to see the actual area that my Sherlock ancestors (my great grandfather Edward and his parents Bryan and Margaret Kilroy Sherlock) called home.

3. Clew Bay Heritage Center -- Situated in a 19th century building in Westport on the shores of Clew Bay, it would be wonderful to see the artifacts, photos and documents of the history of Westport and the Clew Bay area.  (Westportheritage.com)

4. Museum of Country Life -- I wish we had the time to visit this museum, located in Turlough Village (northeast of Castlebar in County Mayo) while we were in Mayo last August.  The museum tells the story of country life in Ireland from 1850 to 1950.  It would have given me a better understanding of the daily lives of my Irish ancestors.  (www.museum.ie/country-life)

5. Scurlogstown -- I would love the opportunity to visit Scurlogstown in County Meath or one of the other towns in Ireland named after my Scurlog ancestors.  I need a picture next to the sign!

6. City of Limerick in County Limerick -- Recently I have discovered that Limerick was the home town of my 5th Great Grandfather Zachary Myles and 5th Great Grandmother Katherine Conyers as well as their daughter Elizabeth Myles, my 4th great grandmother. Limerick was also the birthplace of my 6th Great Grandfather Thomas Myles.

SEEKING CASTLES IN SCURLOGSTOWN AND TRIM

So, for the final part of my trip to Ireland I was hoping to visit the townland of Scurlogstown in County Meath.  My ancestor William de Scurlog received some land grants in County Meath where he built a castle in 1180.  A town was then formed near the castle and was called Scurlogstown.  Of course, I would love to see a town that was named after my ancestor and my dream would have been to visit a castle built by or named after an ancestor.

There were a few problems with this dream, however -- even in the 1800's only ruins remained of this castle. Then years or so ago, some ruins were uncovered when they were building a business park in Scurlogstown.  That would be my luck -- a business park rather than a castle!  So, I didn't get to see the castle or even a sign with the name Scurlogstown.

We did end up 3.5 kilometers east of there at the location of the Trim Castle. I was getting to the point that any castle would have to do.  However, this castle is very special too.  Trim Castle is the largest Norman castle in Ireland and is located on the south bank of the River Boyne in Trim.   This castle was built by Hugh de Lacy (who my ancestor William de Scurlog accompanied to Ireland) so perhaps it is practically like family!

I did try to persuade my family (husband, son and daughter) who had accompanied me to start a coup and capture Trim Castle as our own family castle but alas, I had no followers!

Reference: "The Sherlocks of Ireland" by Arian E. Collins, c 1993, San Diego, California