BY CLAY LARROY
Across the America many couples are having
wonderful wedding after months of planning. The bride and groom will need a
honeymoon to rest and recuperate. Vacations
are so important, as it gives us a way to connect with each other in a stress
free relaxed environment. Couples that take vacations together build memories
that will last a lifetime. Couples vacations and travel can be a most rewarding
experience. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!
In
search of King Arthur
Perhaps
the most common Celtic legend is that of King Arthur. His first recorded
appearance is in Welsh literature, and although the common picture of him is a
medieval knight in shining amour, he was more likely to have been a warrior
from 5th century Britain, from the chaotic times after the withdrawal of the
Romans.
Legend
says Arthur was born at Tintagel in Cornwall. The dramatic setting of Tintagel
castle is steeped in history, but to be able to fully explore the site you do
need to be reasonably fit. There is a walk along a coastal path from St
Materiana’s Church in the village which will take you to the inner walls of the
Castle itself. The path is suitable for wheelchairs and walkers, but, there are
some steep steps if you want to go on to the Castle gateway. At the time of
Arthur, the castle would have been connected to the mainland, but by the 12th
century the sea had washed the causeway away. The ruins that you can see today
date from the mid-12th century, but it’s believed those were built on ruins
dating from a much earlier time.
There
are plenty of things to see in the area around Tintagel that, if not direct
evidence of King Arthur himself, are at least strong pointers to the rich
Celtic culture that existed in the region. Head out of Tintagel on the
Boscastle road, and at Trevethy, join the public footpath behind the Rocky
Valley Centre. Follow the path to St Nectan’s Glen, which is promoted as one of
the ten most important spiritual sites in Britain. A spectacularly beautiful
10m-high waterfall plunges into a natural basin and then into a shallow pool at
the head of the glen.
According
to legend this is where the Knights of the Round Table swore to find the Holy
Grail. Whether it is or not, it is a fact that St. Nectan, a Celtic Christian
saint, built a hermitage above the waterfall. You can only get to this tranquil
spot by foot - and flooding a few years ago made some of the footpaths
slippery, so good footwear is a must. Locals will tell you tales of ghostly
monks whose chants can be heard, or of the legend that St Nectan’s bell will
toll to warn of impending disaster. The site was a place of pilgrimage
throughout the Middle Ages.
Another
site which, rightly or wrongly, is closely associated with the legend of King
Arthur, is Glastonbury in Somerset. For many people, the town is better known
for its annual rock concert, but it has an ancient history predating that by
far. According to legend, this is the burial place of King Arthur and Queen
Guinevere. There is even a tradition that Jesus visited here and that a church
was built here by Joseph of Arimathea. Whatever the truth, this is an important
site in European - and Celtic - Christian history, with St. Patrick, St.
Bridget and St. David all based here at some time.
A
common place for those hunting for their Celtic roots to visit is one of the
most spectacular ancient monuments in the world, Stonehenge. This huge and
mysterious circle of giant stones in the middle of Salisbury Plain in England
was actually erected hundreds of years before the first Celts arrived in the
British Isles.
Similarly
spectacular megalithic monuments also predate the Celts - such as the strange
rows of stones at Carnac in Brittany, or the gigantic burial chamber at Pentre
Ifan in Wales - but many believe that the Celts used the monuments for their
own purposes. Pentre Ifan - which features a gigantic, 40 tonne capstone
balanced on three smaller stones - is said to have been a favorite place of the
Druids. It’s not surprising. The magnificent views across Fishguard Bay, the
sound of a skylark launching itself above the rolling fields, and the sheer
enormity of the stone monument itself make for a unique place in the world.
Personal Note - On the day the author of this article visited, a middle aged
couple were standing beneath the capstone, praying. It didn’t seem out of
place, and when they launched into a wavering rendition of the Welsh national
anthem Hen Wlad fy Nhadau (Land of my Fathers) it felt
perfectly natural. And very Celtic.
Celtic
Roots and Modern Genealogy
By
way of example, we are going to now consider Irish geneaolgies, but the same
considerations apply for all Celtic origins and lines. Key to any comprehensive
genealogical research is the formulation of goals and the development of a
research outline. How deep into your family tree and how wide do you wish to
go? What family resources do you have at your disposal, such as old birth and marriage
records and family bibles? Have others in your family undertaken such research?
Very valuable information can be gleaned from documents revealing birthdates,
marriages and deaths. Social Security records, church records, deeds and census
records are all important sources for research.
Ideally,
you want to determine where in Ireland your ancestors originated: the country,
townland or parish address. If you are most fortunate, you will have access to
your ancestors" immigration records and will know the port of arrival in
your home country, along with any name changes, maiden names and ages. Many
immigration records contain the point of departure - invaluable for tracing
back to a country of origin.
Anglo-Irish
genealogical research is aided by the large number of individuals undertaking
the challenge. Although many records have been lost through the centuries, the
cumulative knowledge base is vast, and the Internet has assisted with pulling
much of it together for both the amateur and professional researcher. Disasters
like the destruction of the Record Tower in Dublin Castle in the 18th century
or the 1922 fire in the Ireland Public Records Office have been major setbacks,
but local parish and townland records can fill many of the gaps.
Civil
records in Ireland are best traced through the General Register Office of
Northern Ireland in Belfast or the General Register Office in Dublin. Research
in these facilities is somewhat limited and it is often necessary to pre-book
your research time in advance. Census records are spotty due to the
aforementioned fire in the Public Records Office, but for many years, records
are still available. Church records remain one of the best resources, and if
you can determine whether your ancestors were Protestant or Catholic, it may be
easier to trace through the births, deaths and marriages of ancestors using the
local parish records. Each locality has their own formalities and rules about
access to records, so make your inquiries and appointments for research early
to avoid disappointments upon arrival.
Where
to begin? With yourself, of course! Work backwards as far as possible by
interviewing your relatives. Try to find any old family documents, books,
bibles, and photo albums, all of which might have important clues. Your family
surname is a beginning, but the process of immigration often anglicized many
names, obscuring their true origin. Start with a single surname and trace it
out, recording your findings on a family tree, or pedigree, chart. Most cover a
number of generations and have a space to record the birth, marriage and death
of individuals. Excellent, and free, samples of charts can be found on the
Internet.
Speaking
of the Internet, it is one of the ultimate genealogical tools. Public records,
news articles and other people’s research worldwide can be culled for your own
use. There are many, many sites devoted to genealogy, family histories and the
official records of localities. TIARA (The Irish Ancestral Research
Association) www.tiara.ie is an organization that promotes the
exchange of ideas among people and organizations interested in Irish
genealogical and historical research and education and provides a wealth of
information on Irish genealogy.
No
discussion of genealogy would be complete without a mention of the Family
History Library in Salt Lake City, a massive undertaking of the Church of Later
Day Saints to record genealogies worldwide, containing literally millions of
records from over 110 countries. Anyone is free to visit or to utilize their
databases without regard for religious affiliation. There are local branch
offices of the Family History Centers in over 60 countries.
There
and Back Again
Once
you have determined the likely point of origin of your family tree, it is time
to begin considering your trip to Wales, Scotland, England or Ireland. Ask your
travel consultant about the best times to travel given your own personal
preferences, schedules and budgetary constraints. While peak season travel in
the summer months typically offers the best weather conditions, off-peak spring
and fall "shoulder" season discounts are hard to ignore. Your travel
consultant will work with any number of reputable tour operators that can
provide either individual or group packages, often at special rates. There are
advantages to both independent and group tours, but your personal preferences
will dictate your choice of traveling companions, if any, your accommodations,
itinerary, food, local transportation and a hundred other considerations that a
good tour operator will coordinate on your behalf.
It is
a proud and wonderfully rich tradition from which you derive. The exploration
of your family tree is as much an inward journey as an outward one. Here’s
Godspeed to both.
REFERENCE SITES:
http://www.travelresearchonline.com/
I love Celtic music and listening
to it, but I just don't have the type of voice to sing it.
Sophie Kennedy Clark
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