We have had a wee relaxin' mornin' this morning and it is now 12pm so I am a little late in completing the blog today. Yesterday was a wonderful day and it will stay etched in my memory forever. Bill Macafee came to Mary's home in Dungiven and took us to the land at Glenullin where our family of O'Hagan's lived back in the 1830's. It is a beautiful spot with the river, Glenullin flowing through the area so it was an idyllic place for young boys to fish with salmon and trout a plenty even today. As we looked over the bridge into the river you could see the fish! The original home was not still standing but Bill was able to tell us where the house would have stood which I found amazing. No wonder Henry loved this place and named his two homes, Glenullin House and Glenullin after it. The landscape would still be similar to what our boys would have seen all those years ago.
This photo is of Mary and I in front of where the O'Hagan home would have been in 1830.
The Glenullin River flowed through the O'Hagan property at Glenullin.
We left Glenullin and made our way towards Slaughtneill stopping on the way to have lunch at the 1841 Hotel, Rafters in Swatragh which was really nice and I loved eating in this very old hotel. The road from Glenullin to Slaughtneill is a wonderful windy road so you dont know what's around the corner including tractors or trucks so one has to take it very easy!
This photo was taken on the way to Slaughtneill- how beautiful is this part of the road!
We wound our way up the hill towards Slaughtneill until finally we entered the lane that took us down to the McGuigan farm. It's hard to imagine that our family has been here all this time. The house that stands today is a far cry from what would have been here in the 1830's however the front part of the house IS the original stone wall which I find very exciting.
The front wall behind the porch IS the original wall!
This picture is of a preserved 1830's home so you can get an idea of what the McGuigan house might have looked like.
Local Historian Bill Macafee, Mary and I taken in the sitting room at The McGuigans at Slaughtneill
Christopher McGuigan and Seamus McGuigan in the sitting room at Christophers home at Slaughtneill which is the original McGuigan home.
It was wonderful to meet some more of the McGuigan clan at Slaughtneill and I very much look forward to meeting the rest at our Grand Reunion. Bill Macafee ensured we had a magic day as we learnt so much from him about the area, the people and the history as we drove along the way.
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