The guitar presented to Shania Twain
Credit: Public House Group
Many North American’s whilst proud of their country of birth often identify with the country of their ancestors but they often know little about their history.
Top Country singer Shania Twain is a perfect example, referring in her 2011 biography From This Moment On to the fact that her grandmother who helped raise her, Eileen Pearce was born in County Kildare but knew little else about her heritage.
Shania Twain s Irish roots
Following research at the Irish Family History Centre, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum with the help of the Public House Group commissioned a bespoke guitar, crafted by acclaimed Irish illustrator David Rooney.
During a recent performance at Malahide Castle (situated just outside of Dublin) she was presented with the unique guitar that symbolise her family’s journey from Ireland to Canada and explained much of her Irish roots.
Triskele
An ancient Celtic symbol dating back to the Neolithic era, found at Newgrange, County Meath. It symbolises the connection to Shania’s grandmother Eilleen Pearce’s home in Kildare.
Fionn mac Cumhaill
Reflecting the legendary spirit of the warriors of the Curragh, County Kildare, akin to Shania’s conquering spirit.
Kilkenny Castle
Symbolising Thomas Edwards, Shania’s great-great-great-great-grandfather. A soldier who fought at Waterloo, and was pensioned with land in Canada. Thomas became a ‘military settler’ in Beckwith, Ontario, and was the lynch-pin in a group of migrant families from Kilkenny and Wexford (Edwards, Butler, Garland, Kidd, Leach, and Saunders) that make up the tapestry of Shania’s Irish ancestry.
Sea Serpents
Mythological symbols of resilience and the ability to adapt to changing and challenging environments, echoed in both Shania’s emigrant history and through her lyrics.
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Married to Ophelia in Gibraltar in 1978, John has spent much of his life travelling on security print and minting business and visited every continent except Antarctica.
Having retired several years ago, the couple moved to their house in Estepona and John became a regular news writer for the EWN Media Group taking particular interest in Finance, Gibraltar and Costa del Sol Social Scene.
Currently he is acting as Editorial Consultant for the paper helping to shape its future development.
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