By Tom Ryan, Kansas City Star Reader Advisory Panel

Yesterday, Muhammad Ali visited the birthplace of his great-grandfather, Abe Grady in Ireland. Abe emigrated to America in the 1860s.

Ali unveiled a plaque and spent a great deal of time meeting people at Abe’s house on Turnpike Road in the town of Ennis, County Clare.

This American Family of ours is quite amazing, isn’t it?

The Kansas City Irish Fest is Sep. 4 – 6 at Crown Center. It’s advertised as “Celebrating Celtic Pride” but I believe we can cast a wider net and say it’s a family reunion of sorts. For Ireland is a diverse nation with roots more complex than just the Celts. Saint Patty was a Welshman, probably…so we can celebrate St. David’s Day, wear the leek and daffodil, as well as the shamrock.

And as Ali just showed us, the roots of America’s strong family tree spread far and wide beneath us…a world-wide network. And tracing where the Celts came from?…wow, that’s a few linear feet at the Central Library.