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I guess it’s fair to say, Ireland is far from alone on how much a country has changed over several decades. But using the word “radical” to describe it, would be quite useful in more ways than one.

Abortion, gay marriage, and many so far left if they go any further, they be right again, are just some of the clear changes from my first visit to meet my future family in 1980.

One absolute fantastic change for the better are the roads. Actual highways and major new “Roundabouts” around towns, has not only cut the average travel time in half, but much more relaxing driving. Choices of food and dining have also greatly expanded.

But like others, they have a huge immigration issue that’s only first bubbling to the surface.

While I spent bascially the last half of my trip there in bed with a stomach bug, then a horrible cough, I did get to see the sights I wanted, and also some family members I haven’t seen in decades. I did miss out meeting some grand-nieces/nephews for the first time ever.

So here’s a recap of my trip:

I was blessed to cross-off one of my most important “Bucket-List” items by visiting this movie scene site:

Here we are there

Our next stop was to visit the farm of a show we have watched for several years on “Recipe-TV”, BallyKnocken Farm in Wicklow.

Then onto one of the truly great towns in all of Ireland, Killarney, to meet one of the truly great holy men we ever met in our lives.

I did mix a little business into our trip, by visiting Bart Jaworski and his team at the Group Eleven Resources projects, whose shares we own and are a blog sponsor.

My final stop was staying in Roscommon for the first time ever, at a beautiful hotel that unfortunately, I was ill for 3 days and mostly stayed in hotel room.

I did make one very special stop, a church in a wee-little village called Rath, where not only did my life change for the better there 43 years ago, but please God, will be the site of another blessed marriage on June 27, 2025