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Conna, Ireland
Aug. 18-20 2002

Hi there descendants of John Hegarty and Abigail O'Keeffe:

The reunion went very well. The weather was perfect - sunshine and no rain
the entire time, even though Ireland has had a terrible summer with the
same rains that have soaked Europe, though less severe.

We began the three-day event as planned with a commemorative Mass for the
Hegarty descendants at the old church in Conna on Sunday, Aug. 18, where
half the eight Hegarty children (1834-1845) were baptized. Celebrating the
Mass was Fr. Tim Uniac of Kitchener, Ont., whose great-great-grandparents,
Ellen Hegarty and William Uniacke, were married in that church in the
1840s. Playing harp was Dr. Michael Coughlin, of Windsor, whose
great-grandfather Timothy Hegarty was probably (we do not have a record of
his baptism) baptized in the same church. We had the church to ourselves,
as a funeral took place at 11:30 a.m. when we had planned to have our Mass.
Nevertheless, with the addition of some people from the community, we
almost filled the place.

Following Mass, we moved to the Conna hall for lunch and then on to the
farm in Coolbaun where John and Abby lived and raised their kids. While
there, a photographer from Fermoy came and took a great picture of our
group and the Sheehans - about 120 of us in all.

We split up for supper and then met in Coolagown at 8 p.m. to see the old
church where our family would have attended Mass regularly. We then went to
the Final Furlong pub across the road and partied there till well past
midnight. The woman who owns the pub hired a great band for us and some of
us got up and sang. It was a great night.

Monday, the agenda was loose. Some of us went to Tallow to see where
Abigail had lived, others went to see the old Michael and Nora Regan farm,
while many others went to the harbour of Cobh where our family probably
left Ireland in 1852.

Monday night, we had a big farewell turkey supper at which several reunion
attendants tried but failed to get the microphone out of the hands of your
truly who went on and on until the crowd rebelled and went down to the
Fishermen's Rest pub in Conna where our ancestors would have taken a sip
now and then. After midnight, the bus carrying the 34 people of the Uniac
tour left Conna for the rest of their trip.

Tuesday afternoon, the remaining 80 or so of us met in Conna for a walking
tour given by local historian Pa. Barry. We found out a lot we hadn't known
about the village, including where most of our ancestors would have
attended school. Unfortunately, the tour was cut short when it attempted to
go by the Fishermen's Rest which claimed many of the male members of our
party even though it was only mid afternoon.

After a light supper at Conna hall, we were given a tour of the Conna
Castle, which I have see four times but never been in. Many local people
have also not seen the inside. It was a great place. No one has lived there
since the 1600s. Pa. Barry told me that our ancestors would have walked
through the castle too way back when, as it used to be ungated and open.
Anyone could go in back then. I found that amazing to think we were
climbing old steps that our ancestors probably climbed 200 years ago.

After that, we went back out to the old farmhouse for a wonderful
candelight night of singing and dancing. The Sheehans joined us. Michael
Coughlin played his fiddle. It was magic.

As they would have done in the 1840s and 1850s, the young people left first
(in this case, to get to the Fishermen's Rest), the neighbours then left,
and finally, at about 1:15 a.m., the final seven of us left after putting
out the 60 candles that had lit the house. We made sure, as John Hagarty
1st had probably closed the door for the last time in 1852, that we had
John Hagarty 5th close it this time, 150 years later.

The next day, some of us met in Conna to say goodbye and it was on to the
rest of our vacation. I went back to the farmhouse in the afternoon to try
to find my lost sunglasses (that was my excuse) and boy, did it feel lonely
there.

It was a fantastic time in Ireland. I think God was giving us a glimpse of
the hereafter - people filled with joy, hugging, kissing and in some case,
shedding a few tears. The only difference in Paradise is Jim will not be
allowed to hold a microphone or go anywhere near a stage.