Day Nine: Hannah

We left Belfast City this morning eager to explore Northern Ireland’s natural splendor.  As expected, it did not disappoint.  We wandered through beautiful locations, like the Dark Hedges and Giant’s Causeway, so breathtaking that it seems more probable that Gaelic mythological giants are owed the credit of their creation. Scientists still disagree. 
Throughout our adventures at these must-see sites, I could not help but think that these exist in what was my great-grandfather’s backyard. He was born in Derry, the next town on our way through Northern Ireland. I always knew of my strong Irish ancestry, and yes, I may have heard of a town called Derry, but it may as well have been mythology to me. The moment the town of Derry was finally in my viewpoint, I was able to truly understand my families’ Irish connection. Patrick Fitzgibbon was baptized in St. Columba’s Church, the same church in which his parents were married. Today I walked, quite literally, in their footsteps. I searched for Windmill Terrace, the street where he grew up, and stood where they stood. These people are my family. I cannot fully comprehend the struggles they underwent as devout Catholics in an area of constant religious conflict, but I am able to see the town from their viewpoint. I have gained a new perspective of the word “home.” When I return to the U.S. in a few days, this town will add to my definition of home.