Following the Hart line to Modeligo

It was pouring down rain, I forgot my camera, and in a failed attempt to plan ahead, I had an invalid bus ticket in hand. This was not how I pictured the day going. I imagined that the day I ventured out to Modeligo, the village of my great-great-grandfather, it would be unforgettable in a good way. Well as luck would have it, that's exactly how the day did pan out.

On March 1st I ventured out to the coastal town of Dungarvan to meet distant relatives living around the area and to explore Modeligo. While the day got off to a less-than-desirable start, it quickly turned around. Thanks to a lovely bus driver, I was assured that I had a ride to and from Dungarvan so long as he was driving the bus. When I got there I was met by Marie, a descendant of the Hart line and my distant relative, and Sarah, her niece. They graciously drove me all over Modeligo so that I could see Michael Hart's origins. They both had cameras they let me use and the weather even cleared up.

Marie and Sarah, my wonderful guides, under our good luck rainbow

Our first stop was the graveyard at the Modeligo Catholic church. As we wandered around looking for the Hart headstones, the best kind of omen appeared. We noticed a beautiful rainbow above us. With the rain departed and the green rolling hills spread out before us, we knew it was going to be a lovely day.

The graveyard near the Modeligo Catholic Church

Grave of a Hart relative

Inside the Modeligo Catholic Church, Our Lady of the Assumption

After we toured the graveyard and made a visit to the church, we enjoyed some sight seeing while we ventured out to the original homesite of Michael Hart. On our way we saw some sights that I think truly exemplify the whimsical landscape of Ireland.

One of the places we came across was the ruin of Sleady Castle. These kinds of structures are quite common all over Ireland. The story of this castle goes that it was built in the 17th century by the powerful McGrath family. Phillip McGrath was reluctant to build it but his wife, Mary, was keen to have a new home with a moat and drawbridge to show off their wealth. Just a few years after it was built Phillip passed away and Mary was a widower with three daughters. In 1641, after the McGrath women invited local guards to dine with them, a castle employee helped a gang of desperadoes raid the castle. In the end, the women were bereft and forced to find a new home in a much more humble cottage.

Sleady Castle ruins in Modeligo

As if the castle wasn't fascinating enough, we also saw some adorable baby sheep wearing specially tailored raincoats. It was the cutest thing. We watched them frolic for a good bit before their momma started to get defensive. We also saw an old abandoned house that had a tree growing through the chimney. 

Baby sheep wearing raincoats!!! 

House with a tree through the center

Our next stop was to another graveyard. Here we saw another Hart relative's grave. The Hart family may be small in Ireland but their presence lives on through these memorials. 

Grave of another Hart relative

We then came to the old village that would have existed around the time when my great-great-grandfather was there. He had lived down a country lane still a good ways from this village in a very rural part of Modeligo. 

Being there it felt possible to imagine what life was like back in the 1840's. This would have been the center of life in this area and all of the residents would have been dependent on the local economy to provide for all of their needs. During the great famine this simply was not possible. The only transportation was a cart and donkey. The people in these parts could really only voyage to this village to get their necessities. 

The old village in Modeligo

During the famine, the population of Modeligo decreased by 33%. Those who were fortunate and brave enough made plans to set out for the New World. The night before the voyagers left they held a party with music, dancing, storytelling, and of course, drinking. Promises were made to send back enough money so that loved ones could join them but only the lucky few were able to follow through. America proved to be disastrous for some of the voyagers. If they didn't get sick or die in the emigrant "coffin" ships, they had to survive the harsh realities of big city winters. Some, like my great-great-grandfather, had to go through even more adversity as they homesteaded land out West. Despite all of these struggles, many of the Irish emigrants succeeded in finding new prosperity in the US. 

Dungarvan countryside

After our journey through Modeligo, Marie and Sarah took me to Ring in the area of Helvic, an Irish-speaking community. It is a beautiful place located near Dungarvan bay. This is the area where Marie and her daughter Gráinne have their homes.

The scenery of Helvic, an Irish-speaking community near Dungarvan

I spent a lovely afternoon at Gráinne's home with Marie, Sarah, and other members of the family. We spent time chatting and enjoyed a fantastic home-cooked meal. It was the first time I had ever tried yorkshire pudding or pavlova. The house was full of energy. I felt so fortunate that I was able to spend my day with such lovely people.

Gráinne's daughter, Caoimhe, and I

Sarah and I. We will meet up again when I visit Cork.

Me and Marie

Before Marie offered to drive me to Modeligo, I had thought about renting a bike to explore the village and Michael Hart's old stomping grounds. This is laughable. There is absolutely no way I would have gotten anywhere close. There are no street signs and the lanes are in remote places so I would have been up a creek without a paddle. Thankfully, I had someone to show me the way. I still cannot believe how kind it was of her to spend the day with me (not to mention that she recently brought me three hats that she knit herself!!). It was an amazing day and one that I will never forget.