What is an Irish Clan?
At a very basic level, a Clan is a group of people who share either common ancestry or a common surname.
Traditionally, there are two types of Clan. One type is a group of people with the same surname,
but who are not necessarily related to each other. The other type is a group of people who are related
to each other, but do not necessarily share the same surname. Historically, the Clan system was popular
amongst the Gaelic-speaking tribes (Irish, Scottish, Welsh and Breton) and has survived with varying
degrees of success to this day.
The growing influence of the Gaelic League at the turn of the twentieth century rekindled an interest
in Gaelic culture and prompted the current cultural revival. The first modern Irish Clans were formed
in the latter half of the twentieth century, and today they function as special interest groups
which actively safeguard their cultural heritage.
Irish Clans are somewhat similar to genealogical societies or One Name Societies - but with an additional
social dimension which is unique. The Irish Government established
The Clans of Ireland in 1989
to co-ordinate the activities of the Irish Clans, and over one hundred and fifty Irish Clans have been
registered to date.
In recognition of the special rôle which Irish Clans play within the national cultural revival, the
Irish Government has accredited
The Clans of Ireland as a Registered Charity, and all registered
Irish Clans are automatically eligible to apply for charitable status.
What is the Flannery Clan?
The Flannery Clan (Clann Fhlannabhra in Irish) is a collection of people who can claim descent
from a Flannery / Flannelly, and may be descended from any of the three component septs. We formally
registered the Flannery Clan on 1
st January 1999, and we were awarded charitable status
(CHY 13530) on 29
th November 1999. Foundation membership (up to 1
st December 1998)
was one hundred and seventy-five souls scattered across Ireland, England, U.S.A., Canada and Australia;
our membership has since spread to France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Oman and Scotland.
Who can join?
Membership is open to everyone of Flannery / Flannelly ancestry; and includes partners, spouses
and children. It is firmly understood that there are many spelling variations of the name
(especially in the U.S.A.) and all phonetically similar variations are deemed valid. It does not
matter how far back the ancestry occurred, nor does it matter if the name is not your current
surname (i.e. maiden names, etc.). It is quite acceptable for people to be members of more
than one Clan.
What does the Flannery Clan actually do?
The Flannery Clan organises cultural activities and events. These may be broadly divided into
RESEARCH and RECREATION.
Recreation : The Clan organises Clan Rallies at frequencies and venues to suit the members.
These gatherings are social outings where people can eat, drink and make merry. They are the ideal
excuse to travel to interesting places and enjoy the company of interesting people. A number of
cultural activities are usually organised at these gatherings to suit member's expressed preferences.
Research : The Clan offers assistance to anyone interested in tracing their ancestors by
co-ordinating the efforts of family historians. There are numerous websites detailing genealogical
sources - the Clan tells you where to find them. A lot of research has already been done - the Clan
helps you avoid re-inventing the wheel by putting you in touch with established trail-blazers. Archive
records are spread out all over the world - the Clan gives you the benefit of all centralised records,
and puts you in touch with members in your areas of interest. In 2003, we initiated a
Y-DNA project that helps members to trace their roots even when conventional records no longer exist
Do I have to pay for membership?
Yes, but just a token. The Flannery Clan is officially registered with
The Clans of Ireland (CoI)
in Dublin. The CoI charge each clan an annual registration fee which covers a certain amount of publicity
and marketing. The CoI recommends that each Clan charges its members an annual subscription
of EUR 6.25 (US$8) per adult. This is intended to defray the cost of the CoI fee, membership drives, mailshots,
newsletters, newspaper notices, stationery consumables, etc. Whilst we would be very reluctant to decline
an application from a prospective member who could not afford the subscription, we will endeavour
to follow the advice of CoI and seek
EUR 6.25 (US$8) per adult - or EUR 12.50 (US$16) per family - and
will gratefully accept any available donations.
What do I get for my money?
All new members receive a decorative membership certificate, genealogical record sheets, and are automatically
entitled to purchase Flannery Clan publications at cost price.
An informative quarterly newsletter entitled
"Floreat Arbor" is issued to all subscribing members
of the Flannery Clan around the globe, and helps to keep everyone abreast of research development and
social events. Regular features include a topical editorial; progress reports on membership, archives,
gatherings, website; and special features on items of specific interest to members.
The Winter quarterly includes an annual Research Supplement which lists the individual research interests
of all of our members. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only research directory in the world
which is specific to Flannery / Flannelly research!
Members are cordially invited to attend our Clan Gatherings around the world. National gatherings are organised
by members at various local venues around the world. An international gathering was held in Dublin in 2000, and
it is intended to hold future international gatherings every ten years. National gatherings
were held in Ireland in 2002 (Galway), 2004 (Tipperary) and 2006 (Mayo), and the next one is pencilled in for 2008 (Limerick).
The Flannery Clan is actively researching relevant historical and genealogical information, and compiling
a comprehensive database to which everyone is welcome to both contribute and consult. Members receive
advice with their own personal research, and also receive priority in the overall research programme.
In due course, individual family trees shall be correlated for reference.
In the long run, members individually make a significant contribution to, and ultimately derive benefit from, the
collective fund of family history which will be available for future generations. In the process, members
are afforded numerous opportunities to attend convivial social gatherings at home and abroad.
Where do I go from here?
If you are interested, contact the Flannery Clan by phone, fax, email, or post, and ask to join. It's
that simple. Annual subscriptions fall due on 1
st January and may be paid by cash or cheque - made
out to The Flannery Clan (Account No. 24006050) - or paid online using
PayPal. We look forward to hearing from you.
Contact . . . Lorcán J. O'Flannery
Phone . . . . +353 1 6763666 (business) or +353 1 4592451 (home)
Fax . . . . . . +353 1 6760310 (fax)
Email . . . .
oflannery@eircom.net
Address . . . Flannery Clan, 81 Woodford Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, Ireland.
Registered Charity CHY 13530
