The inaugural International Clan Gathering was staged over the August bank holiday weekend
in the village of Clondalkin which lies on the south-western outskirts of
Dublin City. Clondalkin is a pleasant village with one church, four pubs,
three hotels, and an ancient round tower. The village is five miles from
the Dublin mountains, eight miles from Dublin City centre, and is well served
by railway and bus routes. A total of eighty-six guests attended the event,
and represented the four provinces of Ireland; England; Germany; Canada
and U.S.A. Approximately one third of the members travelled from the
U.S.A., one third from England, and one third from Ireland.
The informal ice-breaker in the Green Isle Hotel on Friday evening was well
attended and proved to be an enjoyable session as kindred spirits became fast
friends. Many of us were finally able to put faces to names grown familiar
through months and even years of correspondence. The evening was, of course,
too short!
The new hall at Áras Chrónáin (an Irish cultural centre)
in Clondalkin was booked for Saturday, and was the venue for a genealogical
workshop in the morning, and a genealogical exhibition + executive meeting
in the afternoon. Our guest lecturer, Paul Gorry, excelled as a font of
genealogical wisdom and provided a crash-course in Irish genealogy on Saturday
morning. The lecture / workshop provided a forum for both general knowledge
and personal tuition, and the quality of questions posed by our members showed
that they had already done their homework.
The Saturday afternoon A.G.M. barrelled along at a brisk pace. The acting secretary
and chairman opened the proceedings with brief welcoming addresses which
highlighted their personal and collective goals. Two motions were raised
by the acting executive committee and unanimously passed by a show of hands.
The first motion dis-solved the Flannery Clan Society and formally ratified
the Flannery Clan / Clann Fhlannabhra. The second motion formally adopted
the revised Constitution. Following the appointment of the executive committee
and the honorary officers, the new clan was blessed in Irish and English
by the Clan Chaplains. The newly-elected Chieftain treated us to an entertaining
address which recounted his earliest memories of the extended family, and his
hopes for the future development of the clan. The formalities continued with
brief reports on research and finance, and concluded with the book launch
and an informal open session. All attendees received a special commemorative
certificate as a souvenir of the occasion. The remainder of the afternoon
gave members the opportunity to view the heritage exhibition. The twelve
stands provided information on early records, heraldry, artefacts, distribution
in Ireland around the Famine, Flannery Bridge, and various aspects of the
Flannery Clan. The highlight of the heritage exhibition was the presence
of the two chalices: the James Flannelly Chalice 1647, and the Peter Flannery
Chalice 1715. These precious artefacts were generously loaned to us by their
diocesan custodians, and proved popular with photographers.
The Saturday evening banquet in the Green Isle Hotel was a popular event. Our
hosts laid on a lavish spread which was consumed with gusto amid the buzz
of animated conversation. The background music was provided by CDs from absent
clan members, as James Flannery (GA) warbled, Tim Flannery (CA) twanged, and
CJ Studer (Alberta) beat out a lively rhythm. After dinner songs included
performances by Cliff Flanary (WA), Bernadette Flannery (Leeds)
and Thérèse Flannery (Cork). The evening moved into high gear
as we were treated to a display of traditional Irish dancing by the local dance
school. In the finish, a number of intrepid souls threw caution to the wind
and beat a path to the dance floor to give their own unique rendition of a few
classic dances. The raffle was sportingly sponsored and helped to bridge the
fiscal deficit. Prizes included commemorative coins, candles, certificates,
whiskey, books, prints etc etc. The table quiz elicited some remarkably
lucid answers for the lateness of the hour. Ultimately, the team of Ned Studer
(Alberta), Mike Flannery (OH), Becky Flannery (OH) and Meghan Flannery (OH) emerged
victorious, and the handcrafted trophies (made from fragments of the stone abutments
from the 2nd Flannery Bridge in Galway - unique conversation pieces
for the mantelpiece!) were carried off to North America.
The Clan Mass on Sunday morning was concelebrated by our chaplains, Fr. Austin
Flannery OP and Fr. Michael Flannery PP, using our ancient chalices. Readings
by Cliff Flanary and Gail Schweiger (VA) thought-provokingly dwelt on ancestors;
and the sermons bound past, present and future generations in the warmth of
camaraderie. The service was punctuated by an outstanding solo performance
of "Our Lady of Knock" by Bridgette Kathleen Gan (PA) to
spontaneous applause. A commemorative oak-tree (generously donated by
Seán Flannery of Flannery's Nurseries in Naas, County Kildare) was planted
in the scenic grounds of Áras Chrónáin. Relatives of our
recently deceased founder, the late Jimmy Flannery (Leeds), commissioned a
stone monument to mark the tree and the man. The tree is symbolic of our
heritage, and will be a focal point for future generations. The sun emerged
on cue for the blessing of our oak-tree, and the unveiling of the memorial
stone. A number of group photographs were taken by a precariously perched
Pádraig before the assembly adjourned for a long lunch which lasted
well into the night for some.
We shall all carry away our own special memories of the event. The old
saying "Well begun is half done" inevitably springs
to mind, and it was heart-warming to receive so many messages of thanks after
the weekend. Hopefully we have laid a solid foundation for the future, and
the Flannery Clan will flourish as both a learned research co-operative
and a cordial social group - Deo volente.
