A journey as a refugee, from Palatine Germany by my 8th great grandmother to Sir Thomas Southwell's estate under the shadow of the Castle Matrix, Rathkeale, Ireland. With Irish DNA of 12% and a match with Uncle Tobias, I'll celebrate St. Patrick's Day and claim my Irish-Palatine history. Katherine Elizabeth Ruckle wed Christopher Switzer there in 1711. To this small emerald green island known for its deep rooted spirit of hospitality, the history of Ireland is sad to me. Henry VIII created the Kingdom of Ireland after a failed Irish rebellion. When the Pope refused his divorce, he created his own Church of England. As refugees, my grandparents replaced the Irish land owners whose land was taken away when England forced Protestantism on them and monarchs introduced Penal laws taking away Irish political rights. Circumstances and decisions especially the cruel winter of 1709, where the vineyards froze, gave my ancestors a new hope of a new life. History is full of repression and persecutions but also stories of fortitude and strength and a will to go on.
