We spent several weeks in these attractive countries. Very green and pretty. And very rainy. Rains most of the time. The people are great. Very open and friendly.
We took the ferry from Wales, which is also very green and rainy. We drove around the perimeter of the Island, checking out castles and cute towns.
Many of the port towns were founded by Norwegian Vikings, who conquered and took over.
I am part Norwegian.
Is there no end to the depredations of we Norwegian Vikings?
Obviously an early version of the the US Marine Corps of which I am a proud part.
Saw a special on the Vikings. Researchers are doing genetic testing of males in Ireland and England to see how many are descended from Vikings. Judging from the blue eyes, quite a few.
My middle name is Harlan. The Harlans were part of the Protestant Plantation people from Scotland and England, that the English sent to occupy and take over Ireland. Our branch quickly left to go to America, but one branch who stayed started a large and famous ship building company, Harlan and Wolfe, in Belfast.
The most famous thing that that company did was to build the Titanic. So you can see that I come by my ability to destroy things and screw things up honestly.
We visited the old sod in Lugan, Parish of Snankill, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Home of my GGGGGGGGParents George Harlan & Elizabeth Duck , and her parents Ezekeliah Duck and Hannah Hoope. Elizabeth was born on 5 May 1660, and married George on Sep 17, 1678. Four kids born in Ireland, including our GGGGGGGGP, then moved to US in 1687.
There is only one Duck in the Northern Ireland Phonebook, and no Hoopes. There are 22 Harlands.
But get this. There are 30 Hollingers!!!! The Hollingers are from Switzerland. What are they doing here? We Hollingers / Hullingers are like bad pennies, showing up everywhere.
Ireland is very prosperous, and good to see it doing well after so many tough years. But there is still evidence of the troubles in Norther Ireland. Hope they get it all resolved.
We will take the Ferry to Norway in a few days. Our trip is getting short. It is now June 3, and we will head back no later than July 10, unless we get tired and come back sooner. Five months.
England & Wales
We returned from Ireland by ferry to Scotland. We spent a little time in a Kirkcudbright, a nice town that attracted us because it is the McClellan Castle, which is the name of our friend Larry McClellan. We took some pictures for Larry.
We spent several days in York, a great town with Roman, Anglo Saxon, Viking, and Norman roots. The Vikings took the place over. My mother is Norwegian, and my father has routes in this part of England, so I always enjoy speculating about the possible interaction of my mothers Viking ancestors with my fathers ancestors.
My many times Great Grandfather was a Navy Captain who backed Cromwell in the civil war. His brother was an Army Captain who backed the King. The Army uncle did the best, getting a large estate and manor house near York in the community of Sutton on the Forest. This Harlan line died out, but the impressive manor and garden are open for visits. Very grand.
We drove up to Monkwearmouth, a town named for being where Monks were at the mouth of the Wear River. It is now part of the town of Sunderland, on the coast near Newcastle.
We went to the church where my distant grandfather was baptized in 1650. The church is an ancient building, and was once part of a major monastery where the Venerable Bede wrote the first history of England. Three saints came from this monastery. Vikings sacked the monastery, and took over the region. (Once again, examples of my mothers ancestors harassing my fathers ancestors).
On to Norway by overnight ferry boat.
We took the ferry from Wales, which is also very green and rainy. We drove around the perimeter of the Island, checking out castles and cute towns.
Many of the port towns were founded by Norwegian Vikings, who conquered and took over.
I am part Norwegian.
Is there no end to the depredations of we Norwegian Vikings?
Obviously an early version of the the US Marine Corps of which I am a proud part.
Saw a special on the Vikings. Researchers are doing genetic testing of males in Ireland and England to see how many are descended from Vikings. Judging from the blue eyes, quite a few.
My middle name is Harlan. The Harlans were part of the Protestant Plantation people from Scotland and England, that the English sent to occupy and take over Ireland. Our branch quickly left to go to America, but one branch who stayed started a large and famous ship building company, Harlan and Wolfe, in Belfast.
The most famous thing that that company did was to build the Titanic. So you can see that I come by my ability to destroy things and screw things up honestly.
We visited the old sod in Lugan, Parish of Snankill, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Home of my GGGGGGGGParents George Harlan & Elizabeth Duck , and her parents Ezekeliah Duck and Hannah Hoope. Elizabeth was born on 5 May 1660, and married George on Sep 17, 1678. Four kids born in Ireland, including our GGGGGGGGP, then moved to US in 1687.
There is only one Duck in the Northern Ireland Phonebook, and no Hoopes. There are 22 Harlands.
But get this. There are 30 Hollingers!!!! The Hollingers are from Switzerland. What are they doing here? We Hollingers / Hullingers are like bad pennies, showing up everywhere.
Ireland is very prosperous, and good to see it doing well after so many tough years. But there is still evidence of the troubles in Norther Ireland. Hope they get it all resolved.
We will take the Ferry to Norway in a few days. Our trip is getting short. It is now June 3, and we will head back no later than July 10, unless we get tired and come back sooner. Five months.
England & Wales
We returned from Ireland by ferry to Scotland. We spent a little time in a Kirkcudbright, a nice town that attracted us because it is the McClellan Castle, which is the name of our friend Larry McClellan. We took some pictures for Larry.
We spent several days in York, a great town with Roman, Anglo Saxon, Viking, and Norman roots. The Vikings took the place over. My mother is Norwegian, and my father has routes in this part of England, so I always enjoy speculating about the possible interaction of my mothers Viking ancestors with my fathers ancestors.
My many times Great Grandfather was a Navy Captain who backed Cromwell in the civil war. His brother was an Army Captain who backed the King. The Army uncle did the best, getting a large estate and manor house near York in the community of Sutton on the Forest. This Harlan line died out, but the impressive manor and garden are open for visits. Very grand.
We drove up to Monkwearmouth, a town named for being where Monks were at the mouth of the Wear River. It is now part of the town of Sunderland, on the coast near Newcastle.
We went to the church where my distant grandfather was baptized in 1650. The church is an ancient building, and was once part of a major monastery where the Venerable Bede wrote the first history of England. Three saints came from this monastery. Vikings sacked the monastery, and took over the region. (Once again, examples of my mothers ancestors harassing my fathers ancestors).
On to Norway by overnight ferry boat.