Off the topic

Are you going to Ireland or not?
Do you have any ancestral family living in Ireland? If you know the towns where your family came from, you can look up their progeny in that country's white pages. You still have time to write letters, notifying them that you are going to Scotland. Include your email address and your phone number in your letter. Maybe you could all meet in Scotland. At the least you can make new contacts.

No I will not be going. I really don't know a lot about the family. My mom and grandparents have passed away. I just know there relatives are from Ireland My dads side (Barnes) is from Wales I think he too has passed.

You know last names. You can still look up those last names and write to them, giving names of your parents and grand parents. They may be able to connect the dots for you.

I wouldn't feel bad! Enjoy Scotland! :)

If your dream is Scotland, go there and don't second guess yourself. The Scots are Celts, so you are still exploring your heritage. If this is your once in a lifetime grand trip, enjoy the planning, the travel and the adventure and have no regrets.

Go to Scotland and have a great time.

I have significant Irish heritage on both sides of my family, but did not feel "at home" in either the Republic or Northern Ireland. Perhaps that will happen on another visit.

I don't know if I have any Scottish heritage at all, but I love Scotland. It sounds weird, but once I get there and get used to the accent, I feel very comfortable. And that's in spite of the lousy weather.

I do think Scots are Celts, at least they were. Their ancestors (predecessors) the Gaels and the Picts were both included under the overarching definition of Celtic peoples.

Years ago a Welsh nationalist and academic said of the differences between the English and Welsh as 'they are like Christmas pudding and Christmas cake, the same ingredients but cooked differently.'

I think that applies to the all the nationalities of these islands, same basic ingredients in differing amounts. The DNA studies show that most people are descended to lesser or greater degrees in different parts of these islands from the pre-Roman populations, and out side of these islands it appears our closed relatives are the Spanish. Except in bits of the east of England where they are as close to the Dutch.

What Scotland, Ireland and Wales, and certain bits of England, have is a largely Celtic-Gaelic culture with a massive infusion of Germanic, with England and the Northern Isles having the reverse!

That would explain my northern European DNA with a strong dose of Mediterranean influence and my dark green eyes which, in spite of their dark color, have very little melanin.

But don't forget those well-traveled and virile Vikings. They're in the mix, too.

I'm off to Iceland next month, despite never having visited Norway, from where some of my ancestors came, and I don't know of any Danish/Icelandic ancestors. You go where you can go, and hope another opportunity might arise for another trip.

Not to be mean, but your Sullivan ancestors had some reason for leaving Ireland at some point, and made choices about relocating, so where they wound up hopefully wasn't too bad. Glad your son has had pictures and stories to share with you. Have a great trip to Scotland!

Most of us don't go to "ancestral lands." So, live with NO regrets. Spend your precious time and money where you most want to go. Scotland is beautiful! Enjoy! Do drink a ginger beer for me - Crabbie's.

Thanks everyone for your advice. I ve learned a lot
It about genealogy on here. I would have posted back sooner but I've been under the weather the past two days. 😊