Scotland the World Over

I took part in Scotland The World Over.

Can you tell I did not read the instructions properly ..... Getting three children in place was stressful enough the first time so I might edit it later.

The reason I wanted to take part is that my father in law and therefore their grandfather is Irish, born in Donegal.

His grandparents were also Irish, however there is a family story that I am trying to get to the bottom of. HisGrandparents left for Scotland after getting married (1896)and my father in laws father and uncle were born in Clydebank, Glasgow. His grandfather worked in the Singer Factory there.

The official family story is that the grandparents both died and the grandmothers sister came and bought the two young boys back to live in Donegal.

I started doing some research on his request and the story is not quite as clear.

I have the births in Scotland of both the brothers however they were back in Donegal when the youngest was only 2. My father in law had always been told it was later. Also I could not find the deaths of either parent???? I searched and searched to no avail. I even phoned Scotland and spoke to a man in the know. EHe said if they had died there then it would be recorded?!?

After changing tack I found the mother had actually died in Ireland back in Donegal. I still have no idea what happened to the father. he just disappears. That side of the family treated my father in law appallingly when he was growing up and he has strong, upsetting and vivid memories of being rejected by this branch of the family. In the end a farm that should have come to his father was given to neighbours. This fact still rankles him now ( he is 78).

Therefore my children have a little Scottish heritage and the Scottish connection seems to be the key to a lot of heartache and upset and lost birthrights.

I have to always say though that if things had been different my father in law might never have come to England, married my mother in law, had my husband and my children would not be here. Therefore for me the Scottish connection is a small twist of happy fate in my own story.