There is something very compelling about visiting the country where your ancestors came from, before they arrived in America. Often, the desire to explore your heritage is thwarted by the lack of money you have to put towards what can turn out to be a long, and expensive, trip. If your ancestors came from Ireland, and you’ve always wanted to visit the Emerald Isle, now could be your chance. Enter the True Irish Roots Sweepstakes at Ancestry.com.
You don’t actually have to be Irish to enter the sweepstakes. No one is going to ask the winner for his or her family tree, or anything like that. You can enter the sweepstakes just because you would like to travel to Ireland, for your own reasons. Ancestry.com is a popular genealogy website, but the trip that some lucky person is going to win doesn’t actually come with any kind of genealogy related activities, or promotions.
Personally, I do happen to have Irish relatives. I think of them a lot around St. Patrick’s day every year. I remember when I was a really little kid that my mother’s mother, my grandmother, took a trip to Ireland. She sent me a postcard from Ireland, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I still have that postcard, all these years later. She brought home shillelaghs for my mother to hold onto for us kids until we got older.
Several years later, as an adult, I was able to travel to Ireland with my mother, my father, and my sister. I’ve never seen a place so green. It was exciting to walk down the streets in Dublin, and wonder if my grandmother happened to walk there, many years before, when she visited Ireland. My trip to Ireland was a very rewarding experience, and I made sure to take a lot of photos while I was there.
The True Irish Roots Sweepstakes is easy to enter. Start by going to the website, and filling in your email address. A larger form will appear asking for your name, birthday, address, and other information. Filling out the form gives you one entry into the sweepstakes. Do it before March 20, 2011, when the sweepstakes ends. Winners must be at least 18 years of age.
One lucky winner will get a trip for two to Ireland. It is described as a “self-drive” tour. The package includes roundtrip, coach class, air transportation for two people from a major airport near your home to Dublin, Ireland. You spend seven nights in various First Class hotels, Four Star manor houses, and handpicked Bed and Breakfasts. You will overnight in Waterford or Kilkenny for one night, Kerry for two, Galway for two, and Dublin for two nights. The trip comes with a rental car, which you can use to drive to Trinity College, Kilmainham Gaol, Powerscourt House and the Waterford Crystal exhibition. Check out Blarney Castle, Killarney, Cliffs of Moher, Aran Islands, or the Megalithic Tombs and Newgrange. This could be your chance to finally go explore Ireland.
Image by Nina Stössinger on Flickr