To celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day, I’m wearing the green ring and bracelet I bought when my daughter and I took a trip to Ireland in 2015. I sure loved our visit. When we flew into Dublin, it felt like I was coming home. It’s very green, just like the Seattle area where I live. The weather is similar – lots of rain.
My dad’s mom was Irish; her maiden name was Baylee. That’s her photo above.
We liked Dublin. It’s doing a good job preserving its historic buildings. We loved the art museums and learning about Irish history in some of the museums. My daughter Lisa enjoyed drinking Guinness, and we toured the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin.
County Clare is phenomenal. Picturesque small farms line the countryside. We enjoyed visiting historic towns and cities with castles, cathedrals, and good food.
We were fortunate to meet modern-day members of the Baylee family, now spelled Bailey, who lives in Kilkishen, County Clare.
We visited the farm where Henry Baylee, our ancestor, farmed.
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day. I wish I could be in Ireland today to celebrate. Since about 2000, Saint Patrick's Day began being celebrated in Ireland. The first Saint Patrick’s Day parade didn’t take place in Ireland but in the United States. More than 32 million people in the U.S. claim Irish ancestry – that’s over six and a half times the population of Ireland. Originally a Catholic feast day, Saint Patrick’s Day gained more recognition with a parade in the 18th Century and now it’s one of America’s biggest cultural holidays.
