The Hagartys' roots run deep here, stretching back to famine times, when their ancestors left Ireland for a better life and settled in Canada, never to return. It was Jim's uncle who sparked an interest in seeking out the family's Irish connections. He discovered the original family homestead in Conna, County Cork – six months before it was due to be demolished.
It's believed that when the Hagartys' ancestors came down from their native Donegal to fight in The Battle of Kinsale in 1601, some were killed. Those who survived settled in Conna.
When the Hegartys met with the current landowners and told them about the connection, they generously decided that the house would remain standing. Now, it is visited almost every year by a host of descendants making the pilgrimage from Canada.