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Worldwide Storey Reunion 2002 Page One In January, 2001, I received an e-mail from Jack Storey of Belfast, Northern Ireland regarding the history of the Storey surname. After corresponding with Jack via e-mail, I soon realized that we not only shared the same name, but also an interest, even a passion, for the study of our surname's history. In April, 2001, I met with Jack and his wife Anne while they were in the States on business. As we sat in the lobby of our Detroit hotel, Jack told me of the Storey / Story heritage in Ireland, and we for the first time, discussed the possibility of a "Worldwide Storey Reunion". That dream came to fruition on May 5, 2002, when 32 enthusiastic Story's and Storey's met in Northern Ireland for the first ever "Worldwide Reunion" for those who share roots in the Storey and Story surnames. Following is a report of the events that took place on those three amazing days in May. Day 1 At 3:00 PM on Sunday, May 5, thirty-two Storey's/Story's met at the home of Jack and Anne Storey in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The bright Irish sunshine matched the enthusiasm of all who attended this momentous occasion. Although most of us had never met each other before, we each had a sense that we were truly family, and conversations came easy and natural. New acquaintances were made which quickly turned into friendships as we shared our common heritage and interest in family history. As one might imagine...having a house full of people named Storey / Story could be quite confusing, so we were quickly on a first-name basis. Since we had two Jack's (or as Peter Story of Canada pointed out..."a pair of jacks"), we were referred to as "Belfast Jack" and "Indiana Jack". Belfast Jack welcomed everyone to his home and made some introductions naming those in attendance from Seattle, Kentucky, Mexico, Canada, London, Dublin, Belfast and County Cavan, Ireland. I (Indiana Jack) spoke briefly about the growing interest in Storey / Story genealogy. The rest of the afternoon was spent visiting, talking and sharing bits of information about our families. It was truly an amazing experience for all who attended. We all extend our sincere appreciation to Jack and Anne Storey of Belfast for being such gracious hosts.          Day 2 On Monday, May 6, we met at the Liserin House Bed and Breakfast in Belfast where most of the group was staying. From there, a hired coach took us on an amazing trip into the Republic of Ireland and to the site of the famous "Battle of the Boyne" where in 1690,the 36,000 man army of King William III met the 25,000 troops of James. The battle of the Boyne decided the balance of power in Europe and settled the English monarchy dispute by establishing William as King and ending the interference by France and Scotland. The battle had significance for the Story family because Dean George Story was chaplain to Willaim III. We saw the site where Dean George Story viewed the battle and prepared his drawing showing the positions of the armies. From there we travelled to Kilmore Cathedral near Cavan, Ireland where he is buried in the Story vault. It was an awesome experience to stand in the ancient graveyard of the Cathedral and to discover the name "STORY" on the stone vault and to contemplate the historical significance of the ground upon which we stood. The sense of history that each of us felt in this place was deep and reverent. 1  2