An American tourist on a visit to Ireland was delighted to reconnect with his ancestral heritage when he managed to find the exact place one of his very distant relatives gave birth to some other distant relative over one hundred years ago.
Chad Miller landed in Shannon airport from Connecticut last Sunday before spending 42 solid hours driving a hire car around Limerick in a desperate bid to find the spot.
When the 59-year-old American eventually realised he was standing in the area he had only seen on Google Earth he dropped to his knees, raised his arms and wailed “I’m Home!”
In an emotional interview, Miller revealed, “This is the first time I have ever left the United States but when I found the spot in Limerick it just felt like I was home.
“My ancestors lived here more than 100 years ago and now I am back with my own family. It’s just such an amazing life-journey to be on.”
Miller began his genealogical research online 8 years ago after losing his job.
His grandmother told him that her great-aunt Bridie married a Murphy so he figured there must be a connection to Ireland somewhere.
“I always knew I was Irish,” Miller said. “I love Guinness and I burn like a rasher in the summer so it’s pretty clear where my bloodline leads.”
Miller’s wife, Candy, who travelled with her husband to the Emerald Isle was delighted the search was over.
She said, “It’s such a relief to finally see Chad reconnected with his homeland.
“He has waited so long for this day and maybe now we can start paying back some of the money we borrowed for the trip.
“Ireland is so beautiful although I thought Limerick was a bit closer to London?”
The Millers plan to spend the next two days driving the entire length and breadth of Ireland but hope they will still have time for a quick trip to Euro Disney.
Residents who witnessed the emotional arrival of the Yank claiming Limerick as his “home” were stunned that their estate was a place of such importance.
Local plumber, Paddy McKenna, who came out of his flat just as Miller dropped to his knees told Meanwhile in Ireland, “I didn’t know what the feck he was doing like!
“I just saw him on the ground with his hands in the air. I thought it was another raid.”
