Early...Like early in the morning: Donegal...My Homeland?

For anyone thinking about visiting Ireland, I implore you to include the north-western portion of the country in your itinerary. This, for me, is the Ireland I see in my mind when I daydream. I thought Sligo was a great little city. Then, the hour long drive to Donegal was absolutely beautiful. To the left was the ocean, and to the right were mountains and farms. I think one of the most interesting visuals for me has been standing in the middle of farmland, while looking down on the ocean. We have plenty of mountains, farms, and shoreline in Virginia, but not in this close of proximity.

Shortly before leaving on this journey I learned that the Early name comes from Donegal. For this reason I wanted to make sure to include Donegal in my trip around Ireland. As we drove from Sligo toward my ancestral homeland, we were beckoned by the Bluestack Mountains. The lovely lady in our GPS guided us towards our hotel, and we turned down streets lined with cedar trees. I was shocked by how much the north -west of Ireland reminded me of the landscape of America's Pacific north-west. Although I have not spent a lot of time there, my brother lived in Portland, Oregon for a few years, and I had the chance to visit him. The landscape, the climate, the attitude, the moss covered trees all reminded me of Oregon.

Unfortunately my trip to Donegal did not turn up any direct information about my heritage. However, if have discovered alternative names that could be where the Early last name started. It is likely that the name O'Maolmocheirghe was phonetically anglicized into the following variants: O'Mulmoher, O'Mulmochery, and O'Mulmohery. In the translation -moch means early, and -eirghe means rising. Already, with just these variants I have been able to find more information about my lineage than ever before. Strangely enough, on our first day in Donegal we had an encounter with a gentleman who knows local Early families.

Before I leave this post, I must highlight our last two hotels. They have both been phenomenal, but they are very different. In Sligo we stayed in The Glasshouse, a very modern building with unique lines and a vibrant decor. However, on the contrast, in Donegal we are staying in Lough Eske Castle. A legitimate castle, dating back to 1621, updated and renovated, but maintaining the regal tones you would expect. Below are some photos of each. Tomorrow we drive about four hours to Dublin to prepare for early morning flights back to America. I am not sure if I will be able to post in the next few days, but I will try.