Wexford is very proud of its heritage. As you meander the city, plaques on walls and buildings refer to Viking forts and castles.
The Knights Templar founded churches throughout the county.
The residents of Wexford County are aware and proud of their historical participation in the rebellions against the British.
In Wexford lore, the great moment is the Battle of Vinegar Hill of 1798. The Irish, like the Scots, has always sought to retain their heritage and gain their independence. The British seemed equally determined to smother and kill.
I am sure there are economic reasons for this history which dates prior to William the Conqueror's invasion.
The southern and eastern counties of Ireland are rich agricultural lands with rivers for transportation. Ireland, even more than Scotland, historically remained tribal - clans. Ireland has to reach back a 1000 years to find a king that had any success in unifying the clans. Ireland never created the population needed for large armies. As an island, Ireland was isolated from alliances. In short, "I need to give land to my nobles for their support, hey, how about Ireland".
Historically, the British have established their hegemony over nations by rationalization that the natives "were not English". The Irish would never be English.
As you read the 18th and 19th century history of Ireland, the English governance of Ireland was feudal.
During the Great Irish Famines - 1845-1852, Ireland continued to export grains and cattle to the benefit of absentee landlords. A major factor in the decline of the Great Famine years was death and immigration - less population to be feed by the recovering potato crop.
The last Irish famine was the Famine of 1879. Famine was the norm - not the exception.
It is this history of survival and strife that is the pride of Wexford.
We are outside at 9 AM. A Nissan SUV is a little late. Our driver is the retired neighbor of our host and lives across the bridge over the harbor. It is his wife's car.
We tell him that we are hunting our heritage. We know very little other than we want to go to the Church in Cushinstown. We are not certain of the location. He tells us neither is he. He has done some research overnight and he thinks he has found the crossroad.
We work our way through Wexford (lots of one ways) to the N25 and turn left. We are on the road to New Ross. It is a short drive - probably about 15 minutes. "Start looking of signs".
We drive past the crossroads. This must be it. There is the church.
St Mary's is not what I expected. It rests on a slight hill. It is stone. it is an active parish. The church is well tended with new roof. We drive up the curved driveway. We realize how ill prepared we are. Not the slightest idea. I think we thought there would be an old cemetery and we would find a grave stone marking the birth and death of a Mernaugh (Mernagh, Mernugh, Merney or Murnane or Murnan or Merneugh - spelling of family name is inconsistent and, apparently, phonetic).
There is a small cemetery and the gravestones are no more than 50 years old. The church, itself, was built in 1876. This means that our ancestors may or may not have entered this building.
Our guide and I walk over to a man working on the grounds. He is the caretaker and a friendly. The Church is open and Bill, Caroline and Betty enter. I stay outside listening to the conversation between our driver and caretaker.
I learn Irishmen have an opinion on everything. They look at every aspect of a question. They admire. They correct when no correction is needed. They are quite simply enjoy the banter. Their own voices.
It is musical to me.
We learn that there are two older cemeteries in the area. We learn a family named Burns lived until a few years ago up the road at the near crossroads. The caretaker does not recognize the name Mernaugh locally. But, he had a friend in New Ross (next town further up the road) that was possibly named Mernaugh (again the lack of a definitive spelling and pronunciation hinders the search).
I leave the conversation as the two gentlemen get down to the hard business of directions to the two old cemeteries. I enter the church, admired and light three devotion candles for the three kids.
Betty, Bill and Caroline are sitting in the rear of the church. We are not on a great research expedition.
Our search is more to visit Ireland and, to some limited degree, understand the land that our fathers and mothers left. That does not mean that we don't want to get lucky.
With vague understanding, we leave St Mary's to search for the two cemeteries. The first cemetery is recent and we do a quick turn around.
The second cemetery is older and not well maintained. The family burial lots are still being used. We search. Nothing on the family. But, we feel a connection. These are our people. We are starting to understand how difficult - how desperate - our people must have been.
There are stones (more like large rocks) randomly placed throughout the cemetery. There is no obvious engravings. These are often the grave markers for the victims of the Great Famine.
Perhaps, there is a relative.
As I walk around with our neighbor driver, I ask how to repay him. Bill and I had agreed that we needed to make this drive. We thought that a car and driver for a half day would be 50-100 euros.
Our retiree driving his wife's SUV, does not want anything. We quickly agree on reimbursement for the gas. I insist on a gift of 30 euros.
We have not accomplished anything of note. It has been a glorious morning.
We have learnt that if we need to look further New Ross may be the place.
We return to Wexford for lunch. Say our "thank you and goodbye". The recommended restaurant is in the Talbot Hotel. The Talbot is across the harbor from our apartment and will be a middling walk home. The restaurant is a local place and busy.
We are tired. After the walk back to the apartment and an early morning, we settle in for the rest of the afternoon. The apartment has no television which is not an issue. We have internet and conversation.
After recovery and the onset of hunger, I assign myself to find dinner. The grocery store around the corner closes at 5 PM. So I need to do a search for a store that is open. Not as easy as you think.
Central district of Wexford is compact. Nothing is more than a quarter of mile walk away.
Turn left - turn right and walk. Across from the train station is Dunnes.
Dunnes is my first "Target" like store in Europe. Dunnes sells clothing, small electronics, misc and groceries. It is much smaller than a small Target store. But, it has what I want - food and beverages.
I am very happy and relieved - since I was late to grocery shopping and what is in the refrigerator is bland and not plentiful.
Tomorrow is a free day in Wexford.
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