CÚIG GHRIANGHRAF-Ireland Day 2

I think that I had the best night's sleep since we've been on the road. The night was cool and comfortable, and we were ready to try exploring County Laois.

Once again, I am grateful for Jim's skilled driving as he navigated driving on the "wrong" side of the road on country roads that were often only about one and a half car lanes in width.

It's amazing to be in the country of my mother's lineage and to see what it is like, to think about life there and to experience a new sense of identity. I love the blend of the old with the new, and I don't think I've seen so many shades of green in one place.

Our first stop was the Rock of Dunamase, the ruins of Celtic Castle where you can still see the majesty of the fortification overlooking the beautiful countryside.

We then went to check out the Slieve Bloom mountain range which are more like the hills of New England. The evergreen trees were dense and beautiful. We considered taking a trail to a high point, but upon further examination it didn't seem practical to try and walk over the soggy peat.

We traveled to the parish of Coolrain, and I thought that we had found the church where one of my great grandmothers was baptized, but it was an Anglican Church. I think we know the actual place to go after consulting with my second cousin Kate and we're going to give it another go tomorrow.

We drove in and by towns that were names in my family tree without much of a context. The opportunity to see these places in person is magical for me. I'm really finding it to be very grounding.

We ended the night with a great dinner hosted by Eamon and Markie. They made a traditional of bacon (think pork roast), cabbage and potatoes. It was really wonderful, and we enjoyed our conversation.

It's been a great launch, and we're excited about our next adventure.Read more