Home again: a Canadian family’s journey to Ireland

Jim Hagarty and his fiancée Síne arrived in Ireland on June 21 2018 to visit the family’s ancestral home in Conna, County Cork. On that same day, Jim’s father passed away from cancer.

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.

After visiting Conna, Jim, Síne and her father, Fergus, journeyed around the rest of the island. One of the highlights was a trip to County Donegal – where the Hagartys had originated from – and the Inishowen Peninsula.

This was the place where parts of Star Wars: The Last Jedi was filmed. Jim had actually worked on that movie, with a visual effects company in Canada. The group explored the area, including heading to Farren’s Bar on Malin Head – a place visited by many of the cast and crew during filming.