Beattys Overseas

After we said our goodbyes to Grace and she mapped out our route on Tuesday morning, we made our way to Dunlewy. Dunlewy is the Donegal town where my Mother's Dad, Michael (Mickey Darby) Gallagher was from. Right before we left NYC for this trip I spoke with Aunt Pat Love who gave great directions (third house into town on the left, main road of town, I think, and also some background on Cousins Dermott and his wife Maggie Gallagher who we were going to see). I had met Dermott back in 2000 when we visited their home. But I also remembered that my parent's had spent such a wonderful time there during a trip they took with Aunt Dolores and Uncle John Power years before. As Dermott reminded me, the house was jammed with people and they all stayed up singing and talking till 5 a.m., as Maggie had arranged for all of the local cousins to come over for a party in honor of the Yank cousins! The guests arrived in a bus! This is a small town, so it was quite a show. Mom was very surprised and honored. I need only refer to the photo albums at my Dad's house to see what a great smiling time my parents had!

I was so looking forward to showing Whitney the Gallagher house site in Dunlewy, as it is located at the foot of Errigal Mountain, just above a beautiful lake. It is simply too stunning for words.
I also wanted to pet some sheep, but that was not to be :( 
Baaaaaa

Once again, though, I tired our hosts out with needless calls and timetables, only to be told not to worry. When I got Maggie on the line while we were enroute, she said, "John; PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stop worrying. Don't bring anything but yourselves. In our house, you can come anytime. Just drop in when you can". We were soon there, and I found Dermott in the back of the house playing with his gorgeous granddaughter Moira, his Daughter Mary's little girl. Hours and hours passed over in front of a beautiful and hot peat heated stove with more delicious sandwiches, scones, and pots and pots of hot tea. Over and over Maggie and Dermott threatened us to eat everything! I told them one more bite and I'd need to nap on their sofa. Their response was to invite us to stay the night!

Dunlewy
Dermott was generous enough to take us in the car to Pop Gallagher's boyhood home right next door, which his own dad Brian Gallagher-the oldest of the brothers- had also been born in. He spent hours-literally-explaining to us 5 generations back in my Grandfather's family, along with remembrances and anecdotes from him and Maggie. I was amazed, and profoundly grateful for the knowledge, the food, the tour of Dunlewey, the tour of the old house which has been renovated and is lovely, and the tour of the brand new home his son Paul is having built next door (the views are incredible!). He also took us to the cemetery to visit his parent's grave, and down all the way into Poison Glenn, the amazingly picturesque village below his home.

As we were set to head for Letterkenny, our next stop in an attempt to meet my Dad's people, Maggie brought out a Gaelic book report her son had done about 20 years ago on the family lineage. In it was an incredible photo of my Grandfather home visiting Ireland back in April 1955. He is shown with his Mother, who died only 2 months later. Maggie gifted to photo to me, for which I am incredibly grateful. I'll scan it soon and post it here, too.

At last we said goodbye, and after kisses from the Ladies and a great big hug from Dermott we drove off. We made one last stop a few hundred feet up the road to see the original home of the Gallaghers. It is boarded up now, but I can envision its original strength and beauty. Dermott told us it is privately owned now. Perhaps someday we too can live in Dunlewey!

As I climbed back in the car from taking my last look, I drove off towards Letterkenny. I guess the entirety of the visits, and the love and kindness shown to us got the better of me. As I shed some tears, I thought of my Mom, and I thought that my Donegal Forbearers, who had ALL worked so hard through incredibly difficult circumstances, would be very proud of how Whitney and I have been treated these last two days. And how proud of them I was.

Whitney kindly asked if I wanted to pull over. No, I thought, I just want to get to Letterkenny and spend time with more of my family.

- John