Have you ever wondered what kind of ancestry you might have based on your last name? Or asked yourself, “Where did my family migrate from?” Learning about your ancestry can be eye-opening discovering where your family came from and how they ended up where you are today can offer a deeper understanding of your roots.
You might assume I have Irish descent, but in reality, I’m 100% Mexican, born in the United States. Both of my parents never really learned much about their family history, and we don’t have records tracing our lineage in Mexico. However, during a visit to Dublin, I went to a museum called EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum. It focuses on the stories of Irish people who migrated to different parts of the world. I’ve mentioned this in previous posts, but I absolutely love history. I enjoy learning about the past, understanding the present, and thinking about the future. The museum offered a powerful representation of why many Irish people left their homeland especially during the Great Famine, when families were willing to do anything to survive.
As I walked through the exhibits, I began to notice similarities between Irish and Mexican migration stories. Just as the Irish fled hunger and hardship, many Mexican families migrated to the U.S. during the 1990s and 2000s to seek better opportunities and support their loved ones. It might sound cheesy, but the parallels between the Hispanic and Irish experiences are undeniable. Their stories reflect resilience, sacrifice, and the drive to provide a better life for future generations.
And as a Pittsburgher, I saw a lot of reference in Pittsburgh, which makes me really proud and I guess seen even though I’m not Irish and I know there’s a lot of Irish descent in Pittsburgh, but I really generally felt like a true Pittsburgher, when I see our city mentioned.
It’s heartbreaking that even today, people are still being forced to leave their countries, making unimaginable sacrifices for the sake of their families. If you ever find yourself in Dublin, I highly recommend visiting the EPIC museum. It offers a profound look into Irish emigration and the lasting impact it has had on Irish communities around the world.
