Archive » March 1, 2007

With a last name like O’Brien, I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland to find “my people”.

Like a lot of Americans of European descent, I have often wondered if I am the heir to a throne, or the descendent of a famous person.All I need to do is show up and let them know I’ve returned, right?

So off I went to the Emerald Isle, accompanied by my wife, Karolyn, and two valley friends, Mike and Vicki Mitchell.Arriving at the Cork City airport in southern Ireland, we grabbed a cappuccino at Starbucks and picked up a rental car.To be safe, we got full insurance coverage and leased a GPS system.

Mike affectionately coined our car mapping device “Molly” and gave me the nod to drive.So off we went on our ten day excursion of southwest Ireland. Now all I needed to do was find my family roots while driving on the wrong (left) side of the road!

Thank goodness the Irish have sympathy for tourists who drive.Driving on the left side of the street, with the steering wheel on the right, is no snap.City Street crossings often have “Look right, drive left” painted on the road in big white letters.Rental car windshields are marked with a large letter “L”, meaning “left”, to remind you to drive on the left, not right, side of the road.

The signs did help, at least until I drove on some of Ireland’s narrow, two lane roads.Traveling on a country road with inches between you, a stone wall, and oncoming traffic will test anyone’s heart!Needless to say, my first 45 minutes was pure terror, punctuated by piercing backseat screams and blaring car horns.

The initial driving shock over, the next day we drove southeast of Cork to Charles Fort and Kinsale.Charles Fort is an amazing 17th century starshaped, stone fortress built to protect the harbor of Kinsale.The seaside city of Kinsale is arguably the most picturesque resort town in Ireland.It had row after row of the brightest, most colorful buildings I had ever seen.

The following day we went to the City Library in downtown Cork in search of genealogy records.We were told that records there were limited to Cork City births back to 1901.We were directed to the County Library for the records of other cities going back to 1875.If we wanted anything earlier, we would have to ask for baptism records at the city parish where the relative was born.

So, the next day we headed south to Clonakilty, the reputed 1832 birthplace of my great-grandfather, Cornelius O’Brien.I had hoped to find his name in church baptism records, but the responsible Parish Priest, Monsignor O’Brien, was only available by phone that day.The Priest’s last name being “O’Brien” was quite a surprise.That some of his ancestors, like my own, had immigrated to San Francisco was an even greater coincidence.

Our plans did not include an overnight, so we headed out of town early to enjoy the southern Irish coastline. We stopped at a cemetery in nearby Rosscarberry.Some of the O’Briens resting there may have been relatives, but I had no way of knowing for sure. Though I failed in my quest to view family records that day, it still felt good to think I had stood where great-grandpa Cornelius may have stood.

The next few days were filled with wonderful sightseeing, and much improved driving confidence, along the beautiful, velvet green hills and picturesque towns of Ireland’s southern coast.The trip included overnights in Baltimore, Kenmare, and Dingle, and worthwhile stops in the enchanting towns of Union Hall, Killarney, and Bantry.

The trip to Baltimore was the last straw for one member of our crew— “Molly”.We could handle Molly’s calm verbal reprimand: “When possible, make an authorized U-turn”. But in the countryside she kept sending us down strange back roads.So when Molly directed us to Baltimore via a single lane road with grass in the middle, we all agreed it was Hasta la vista Molly!

As we drove north from the seaside town of Dingle into County Kerry, we stopped at Kerry’s largest city, Tralee. Overlooking a beautiful downtown rose garden was St. John’s Cathedral, a large, stately church completed in 1870.Karolyn and I slipped late into the standing-room-only 12 o’clock Mass.Having partied at an Irish Pub on Saturday night, the noon service is certainly the one I would have attended!

A light lunch and we were on the road again, this time to the delightful seaside town of Lehinch in County Clare. Upon arrival, we could not resist having a delicious scone at Mrs. O’Brien’s Kitchen.Scones and clotted cream, we had discovered, are very addicting.We were also amazed to see the city shoreline filled with wetsuited surfers.For a moment it felt like we were on Hwy 101 near Santa Barbara.

Anxious to see the famous Cliffs of Moher, which drop up to 660 feet into the Atlantic Ocean, we continued north towards Doolin.En route we passed the sites of three ruins: the 15th century Dough and Liscannor Castles, and the 18th century Birchfield House.Only later did we discover that all three were either built, or lived in, by an O’Brien. It was when I saw a sign pointing to O’Brien’s Tower at the Cliffs of Moher that I first knew I was on hallowed ground! The tower was constructed in 1835 by Cornelius O’Brien as an observation point for visiting tourists.Although Cornelius had the same name as my great-grandpa, I was unable to confirm we were related.Yet the tower, I soon learned, was just one of many monuments the O’Briens had left behind.

We headed north to nearby Doolin, the world renowned traditional music capital of Ireland.On the way we stopped near another ruin to take some twilight photos.The next day we discovered it was the 14th century Doonagore Castle, granted to an O’Brien in 1582. That totaled five structures in seven miles either built, or lived in, by an O’Brien!

At dinner that night my wife spotted a small foldout guide and map called The Burren—O’Brien Country.Absorbing every word, we soon discovered that, from the 10th to the 15th century, the O’Briens ruled over west Ireland, from Lehinch on the south, to Galway on the north, and inland to Shannon.Eight of the twelve remaining castles in the area were once O’Brien strongholds.

An early morning chat with our B&B host helped put the remaining O’Brien Country pieces together.Indeed, by luck of the Irish, I discovered some amazing background on the O’Brien surname.The name flowed down from 10th century King Brian Boru who served 39 years as King, and 12 years as High King of Ireland.Amazingly, he was 89 when he won a heralded battle against the Vikings in 1014.

With only two days left, the ladies snapped some early morning photos and we headed north to Galway, near the midpoint of Ireland’s west coast. We still encountered the occasional backseat scream, but not nearly as many horns.And, of course, we passed still another “family” ruin, the 15th century Ballinalacken Castle, which came under O’Brien control in 1564.

After a brief stop for lunch in Galway, we headed east to the multi-colored town of Ennis in County Clare. Could it happen yet again?Indeed it could!As we were walking downtown, we came upon the ruins of a 13th century Franciscan Abbey founded by, you guessed it, the O’Brien King of Thomond in 1240!

Following an early dinner, we drove east out of Ennis and spotted yet another tower photo-op.As I pulled into the nearest driveway to take pictures, a well-dressed lady our age walked out to her car.I introduced myself.With characteristic Irish warmth she explained that she is a descendent of the original builder of the castle – an O’Brien.It truly is a very, small world!

By this time, Mike had gotten pretty tired of seeing another O’Brien monument, and I couldn’t blame him.His comment: “The O’Briens seemed to have owned darn near everything of value over here. Heck, they were so important that my Irish ancestors (the Mitchells) had to ask for their protection!” Our last stop before the airport was a perfect finish to our incredible trip - the restored 15th century Bunratty Castle near Shannon.The four story castle was just like you would imagine – narrow winding stairs, a dark cold dungeon, and giant, albeit make believe, rats. Within its extended walls it had an entire village of craft shops, thatched roof cottages, lush gardens, ponds, and a small church.And yes, lest I forget, Bunratty Castle passed to the O’Brien Kings of Thomond in 1475.

Sadly, none of the O’Brien fame or wealth was passed down to me or my present day relatives.Nor do I dare pretend I’m related, least my friends ask: “What went wrong with you?”

But it was a delight to learn so much about my O’Brien Country roots.And to endure, without incident, the equivalent of an Irish NASCAR ride!I wish I knew for sure that I was the descendent of an Irish King, but for now, I’ll have to settle for the thrill of the discovery process itself!

Bill O’Brien is a retired Air Force Lt Colonel who has lived in the area for 24 years. He has traveled to over thirty countries.His wife, Karolyn, and he owned three gift stores in Solvang for 10 years, during which Karolyn served as one-time President of the Solvang Conference and Visitors Bureau Board.When not touring the U.S. in their RV, or entertaining their two grandchildren, they continue to search for new adventures overseas.
All photography is by Karolyn O’Brien. Karolyn’s ‘Ireland Collection’ will be on display at Valley Oaks Bank, Solvang, from 1 March through 31 May 2007. Other photos and cards are on display at Inspiration Point, 1640 Copenhagen, Solvang.