Start over with new Macbook Pro to get iphotos?

Hi. I just bought a new Macbook Pro.

• MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015)
• Yosemite 10.10.5 (14F27)

I set it up and transferred all my old Macbook Pro information from Time Machine that was on an external hard drive.

• I don't know if I used Setup Assistant or Migration Assistant
• It took about 24 hours to get through the automatic processes
• Despite the unacceptable set up time, everything now works like a charm and I have all my old settings.

EXCEPT...aaah!...seven years of photos are gone from my iphoto library! My old computer has been wiped and sold, so imagine my panic.

Looking at my TM backups, I think the photos are there, but I can't get to them.

• I can't copy the iphoto library over to my new Macbook because it's something outrageous like 131 GB (which I don't understand).
• Importing the old library via the Photos app on my new Macbook results "An error occurred while repairing permissions."
• I can't do anything to the old iphoto library because I don't have the old Macbook.

I read something to the effect that there is a way in setup assistant to check a box and retrieve the iphoto library. I am completely willing to start over with the new Macbook. I've only been using it for about three weeks and don't need anything saved.

I would appreciate advice on how to retrieve my pictures from TM on my external drive. If that advice includes starting over, please specify the EXACT steps!

Thank you in advance.