Dolphins, donkeys and a date with a farmer – an American woman’s epic odyssey to visit every single county

Trips have helped to heal my broken heart and connect me to my family’s heritage, writes Kathy Maloney

Ididn’t know how much my first trip to Ireland would change my life when my plane landed at Shannon Airport 12 years ago. As I was grieving the loss of my husband at the time, I wondered if anything could bring me joy again.

My niece came with me, and we didn’t put much effort into the planning process. We went to Co Clare and Co Galway. Then we took a spontaneous trip to Co Leitrim, where we unexpectedly walked into a pub bearing my grandmother’s family name. We randomly met two cousins that day who we didn’t know existed. It was truly a magical experience.

My niece did all the driving during that trip. As Americans used to driving on the other side of the road, I don’t know whether it was worse being the driver or sitting in the passenger seat. Both are equally terrifying, I’d say.

My parents were both orphans from New York. They died before they were able to visit Ireland. I often think about how much my father would have enjoyed seeing Ireland. For someone who had never visited before, he certainly knew about Irish history and culture, and he passed it on to me. He was very proud of his Irish heritage.

It remains a deep regret of mine that I didn’t bring him to Ireland before he died.

My father’s mother, Bessie Creegan, was born in Co Leitrim in 1887 and she emigrated to New York in 1901. Bessie died in childbirth in New York, delivering her fifth child in 1933. Her husband, Frank Concannon, died the following year.

The children were separated and my father was placed in an orphanage in New York at the age of four. He was never adopted.

Growing up, I was not aware of just how Irish my mother’s ancestors were. I didn’t know anything about the Naughtons or the Gallaghers. It was a sorrowful subject for my mother, and it took me many years to understand why.

I was dumbfounded as a teenager when I learnt my mother had 11 siblings. Most of them didn’t live far from us in New Jersey. I wondered why I had never met them.

My mother’s father, James Naughton, took off and left his wife Helen with 12 children in Long Island, New York. Helen kept all but one boy, and the girls were given away. They experienced extreme poverty.

When I took the Ancestry DNA test a few years ago, I was overjoyed when the results came back 100pc Irish. After taking the test, everything in my life just began to make more sense. I now knew for certain where my ancestors came from.

On my second trip to Ireland in 2013, I fell completely head over heels in love with the country.

I decided I would visit all 32 counties. I’ve visited 30 thus far. Soon I’ll return to visit my last two counties, Wexford and Waterford. It will be my 13th trip to Ireland in 12 years. I’ve been there with my niece and once with my daughter. I travelled there once with a dear friend. Ten times I’ve visited Ireland alone.

I’ve always felt more than safe. I find the locals to be some of the friendliest people in the world. I even enjoy driving now.

It’s difficult to pick out the highlights of my visits because there are so many, but I’m going to try.

Back in 2012, when I read about a friendly dolphin that chose to make his home in Dingle Bay, I wanted to see Fungie. During one of my visits to Dingle, I took the ferry over to explore the Blasket Islands. I was so excited to befriend the three wild donkeys there at the time.

That led me to visit the donkey sanctuary in Mallow, Co Cork. It was heartwarming to see the love and care given to the lucky rescued donkeys.

There have been many trips to Galway, which is such a fun city. I jumped into Galway Bay last Christmas morning from the Blackrock Diving Tower with many locals. They handled it well, but I thought I would die in the ice-cold water.

I’ve savoured the opportunity to learn the history of the Easter Rising, and a visit to Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin was extremely moving.

I felt proud when I visited the heroes from the Rising in Arbour Hill Cemetery. I had the same emotions when visiting the grave of Michael Collins at Glasnevin Cemetery.

I enjoyed taking political tours in Co Derry and Belfast. I signed my father’s name on the peace wall in Belfast.

Last year, I spent two weeks traveling around Donegal, and it was spectacular. I stopped at the Wild Alpaca Way to visit the alpacas, and that remains one of my favourite days in Ireland.

Recently, while crossing the street in Dublin, a pigeon landed on my head. It stayed there for a while and other pigeons landed on my arms. It seems that’s a typical pattern for me when visiting Ireland. Unexpected and wonderful things happen to me every day.

I love visiting Portrush and Portstewart in Co Antrim. I walked across the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. I cried from fear all the way across and back, but I did it.

My favourite days in Ireland are spent driving through Connemara, looking at the sheep and the Connemara ponies.

The Gap of Dunloe in Co Kerry is pure magic and the Cliffs of Moher are simply spectacular.

After spending a day in the countryside, I love to head to the pubs in the evening, where the craic is always on point.

A few years ago, I took a ferry from Galway to visit Inis Mór. While waiting for the last ferry back to Galway, I walked into a pub that was just about empty. There was a local man sitting at the bar, and a couple from Dublin were sitting at a table. While talking to the couple, I mentioned how much the man at the bar looked like my father, Edwin Concannon.

I decided to introduce myself to him. He stood up, and he said: “My name is Tomás Concannon.”

He had the same last name as my dad. I snapped a quick picture before I headed to the ferry. It’s uncanny how much he looked like my dad. During the ferry ride back to Galway, I wished I had the time to explore that connection.

During a visit to Donegal last year I even went on a date with a farmer. We met after I complimented his cow in the field. That’s something that would never happen in New Jersey.

I was a heartbroken person when I first landed at Shannon Airport years ago. Ireland helped to heal me.

I always feel my father’s love guiding me throughout my life. Especially so when I’m in Ireland.

Now, on to Waterford and Wexford.

‘We met after I complimented his cow in the field. That would never happen in New Jersey’