The Marlins

Marlins of Indiana, USA

My brothers and I are third generation Irish-Scots Americans and hail from Co Derry Northern Ireland. We have lived all our lives in Indiana and have been playing music most of our lives in various parts of the United States.

We met Sean of My Ireland Heritage in Florida many years ago and explained to him that we went sure but that we believed we had a mixture of Irish and Scottish ancestry in us. Sean has an outstanding knowledge of the country of Ireland. We always felt if we ever traveled to Ireland it would be with Sean. My own wife has Irish Family lineage also so I was anxious to pay a visit as soon as possible.

I asked Sean to do some research for me as I knew from him and his company that he had a group of researchers who had worked on Martin Sheehans, Jermy Irons, and Rosie O Donnels family heritage also. I was under pressure to Travel over very quickly between our musical concerts and we were on time restraints so the full family history had not been completed at the time of travel.

This suited Sean perfectly and he was able to secure for me a quick one week holiday which touched on the most important things relevant to my Family Heritage and allowed me to get directly to where I needed to go. This was important as I had heard stories from other folk I knew who had done similar trips that they really never got to the places that mattered which were in remote parishes in Ireland. I was not interested in doing the tourist trail maybe in the future but for now I wanted to see the real Ireland.

After it was established that my wife’s family had come to America from Donegal and mine coincidentally from the musical capital of Ireland Co Derry we booked our Flights. Sean met us at Dublin Airport and after our Breakfast meeting brought us to Dublin City to the National Archives situated beside our Hotel it was wonderful to see the Census figures of 1901 and 1911 and see where my wife’s family were possibly living 100 years ago in Co Donegal. Sean organized for us to stay at the Shelborne Hotel which was ideally placed for such a short stay in Dublin allowing us to visit with him The famous Book of Kells from the 8th Century at Trinity College and for my wife Maureen it was such a good location for shopping in the St Stephens Green and Grafton Street Area.

The next day we headed North for our Trip to Co Derry about an hour into the Journey Sean brought us to the Battle of the Boyne Site. The Battle of the Boyne took place between Protestant King William (of Orange) and Catholic King James in 1688 and became a defining moment in Irish History. It was so important to see this site as it gave me an idea how politics have played out for 400 years for the Townslands I was heading to in Co Derry and to a lesser degree the neighboring County of Donegal my wife’s homeland. On the way we also stopped at Monasterboice round Tower and Crosses from the 7th Century Old Melifont cistercian Abbey 1142 AD.

Slanehill where St Patrick lit a Paschal fire on this hill top in 433 CE .For our stay we used the wonderful Lough Erne Hotel this was ideal for as we were able to visit Belfast’s Titanic Exhibition, and see the Splendor of the Antrim Coast. We had beautiful weather and paid a visit to the World heritage site of the Giants causeway. Sean kept us amused with his knowledge of the Legends of Ireland. As Scotland is a mere 15 miles away we were not only able to see the Scottish coastline but Sean was able to show us Mans first step into Ireland 9,000 years ago from Scotland at Mount Sandle , Collereaine.

We stayed In Derry which used to be called London Derry it was in the mid 1800s that Derry became a port more widely used by emigrants to America and before that most emigrants left Ireland via Dublin to Liverpool for their Journey to the States. While we were in Dublin Sean had brought us to see a replica ship that my ancestors had used based in Dublin called the Jeannie Johnston. It was such a humbling experience to stand on the ship and see how my family would have crossed the seas to the New Life in America.

It was very interesting listening to Sean as we walked around the Walls of Derry City which were built in 1613 by James 1st telling Maureen and I that It is one of the few cities in Europe that never saw its fortifications breached, withstanding several sieges including one in 1689 which lasted 105 days, hence the city’s nickname, The Maiden City. We paid a visit to the many highlights Derry City had to offer and although we never found any long lost relatives it was a delight to see the that the Cities rich musical heritage lives on. This was very important to me as my Father had given my five brothers and myself a love of Musical Culture. We traveled onto Co Donegal and stayed at the beautiful Eske Castle Hotel was a great base for touring the many highlights Donegal had to offer. We visited Adara where Maureens people had lived. The surprise for Maureen was to discover that Sean who had not previously told her that he had found some long lost relatives. She was amazed that some of her family were still here and we met that night for a night of Music what the Irish call a” Sessiun”. The highlight for Maureen was to visit the Slieve league Cliffs the highest cliffs in Europe.

Sean is an excellent organizer he found time to give us the experience of a life time stopping at the Neolithic site in Carrow keel Co Sligo. It as most things are hidden away on the top of a mountain where Sean’s knowledge of the small road systems in Ireland is second to none. He brought us to the top of a Mountain and we traveled to a Neolithic Tomb which Sean had access to. Sitting here looking over Lough Arrow was one of the Highlights of the Tour.

Undoubtedly this was the best way to see Ireland we were able to visit our Family Townslands and relate the history as an every day walk of life.

Visiting Ireland with My Ireland Heritage took us to places we would never had seen and tied together the strands of Centuries intertwined with Sean’s love of his country. I look forward when the family history is completed by Sean’s company very soon, and of traveling back next year with some of my brothers and enjoying showing them the experience I have received.

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Customised Genealogy & Historical Tour

Review of My Ireland Heritage Tours Presented on Trip adviser Oct 2024 By • Family TomBarron2013 New York City, NY2

Once in a lifetime experience

Oct 2024 • Family

We highly recommend My Ireland Heritage for anyone who wants to learn and be guided to their Irish “roots” and much, much more. Sean Quinn and Ian Darragh of My Ireland Family Heritage have deep knowledge or the areas we wanted to visit in Meath, Sligo and Kilkenny. While we knew about one side of the family history back to 1690, there was nothing known about the other that arrived in the US in the 1870s.

Ian, Sean, and Nicola did thorough research on our localities and locations from which our ancestors left for America in 1849 and later. In addition, Ian and Sean did separate day-long “recons” in advance of our time with them, seeking out local people and the specific properties with maps and whatever records still available. Their results were absolutely outstanding! In both our cases, they found and took us to our still-existing cottages and shops from the early 1820s.

It was so enjoyable to be with Ian for three days and for a special day with Sean. Whether it was the Newgrange World Heritage sites 5,500 years old , the Battle of the Boyne 1690 , or the local cemeteries and churches of our ancestors. Ian was especially attentive to my wife throughout the travels after she twisted her ankle in a rain-soaked old cemetery.

Throughout the process of trip preparation over months to giving us the final, wonderful books of Meath and Sligo, Aisling was highly professional and responsive with all the many details. The bound books she prepared are treasures! Thanks to all for truly exceptional experiences.

Newgrange World Unesco Site 5500 years old
Battle of the Boyne 1690 AD
Customised Historical Tours Trim Castle
Entrance stone at Newgrange

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Review of My Ireland Heritage Tours Presented on Trip adviser by Shelley L @ sjlively

Exceptional in every way!

Over the last few months of preparing for our trip, every single detail was meticulously attended, not only professionally, but helpfully, and in such a friendly manner, that I felt as if I knew Sean, Aisling and Ian before I even stepped off the plane.

The amount of work these wonderful people put into our personal history is mindboggling. My mother was an avid amateur genealogist, and had worked for decades to bring to light the trail our family took, but our resources are limited.

Sean knows exactly where to look, and was able to fill in so many gaps that had eluded us for generations. Some of the information he found, unbeknownst even to him, actually solidified the findings we had amassed over the years. Ours was a family in coal mining – I only found on our tour that they had originated from a mining area, and their arrival on the  border coincided exactly with the decline in the mining industry in County Wicklow.

I would have been overjoyed simply with the knowledge of why they left when they did, about 12 years before the famine. Breaking through our brick wall of great grandparents even farther back on the family tree was a dream come true, but to be able to set foot on not only the area they lived, and find that the house is still there was overwhelming. Seeing the family church and cemetery where our ancestors and extended family still rest is a truly moving experience.

The care taken by this company in each and every aspect of the journey cannot be overstated. Only about 2 weeks prior to my trip, Sean contacted me to let me know that he had also stumbled across some of my husband’s family name in the process and included them as well in his research. How often can anyone say that they not only got what they paid for, but more than they ever imagined? I can say that. They were even kind enough to answer a few follow-up questions after my return home, as I was so stunned on my tour with Ian that I didn’t think ask at the time.If you have the opportunity to make the trip to Ireland, contact My Ireland Family Heritage before you go.

If your family was there, Sean will go above and beyond to find them. Even without family, contact them anyway. Ian is a walking encyclopedia of history, and so fun to talk to. Aisling will make sure every “I” is dotted, and every “T” is crossed.  Thank you so much for the trip of a lifetime, and the opportunity to pass on everything we have discovered to future generations

The Consultation at Hotel / Office or by Phone opens all doors
Genealogy gets you off the Beaten Track to see the Real Ireland

Unique to Every Address with My Ireland Family Research