Friday Events (28th October)

Friday Events (23rd June)

• Weekend Ticket Bundle

  2:00 pm - 2:00 pm

  One Booking for all of the events over the three days. Where applicable, this will include adult tickets to events. If you do not wish to attend all of the events, or if you wish to purchase children's tickets, please book your choice of events separately.

• Annual General Meeting

  2:30 pm - 2:30 pm

  The Annual General Meeting of the O'Malley Clan will include reports on the activities of the last year, the consideration of any motions submitted for discussion and the election of the new Tanaiste. Would you like to nominate someone who'd make a good Chieftain? Visit https://ireland101.com/omalleyclan/tanaiste to download a nomination form for your choice of Tanaiste who will become Chieftain in 2024. While all are welcome to attend, only members of the O'Malley Clan Association may vote. The exact time and venue for the AGM will be announced later.

• Chieftain's Reception

  6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

  Welcome to Mayo. Come and join Chieftain Martin at Westport House to kick off the 2023 annual O'Malley Gathering. Opening address from Anne Chambers, biographer of Grace O'Malley.

• Gala Concert

  8:00 pm - 8:00 pm

  A very special one-off performance of extracts from the Granuaile Suite, featuring Shaun Davy, Rita Connolly, Donal Lunny, David Brophy and Cora Venus Lunny. This epic work was composed by Shaun Davy in the 1980's for singer Rita Connolly and has been performed all over the world. The songs portray episodes in the life of one of Ireland's most celebrated and courageous women, Grace O'Malley (Gráinne Ní Mháille), chieftain of a powerful, seafaring clan with extensive territories in Mayo and Galway. 'Granuaile' made its public debut at the Lorient Interceltic Festival in 1986, it was performed and filmed at the Greenwich Festival, London, in 1987, and the next year toured with the RTE Concert Orchestra to London's Albert Hall. A regular companion piece to The Brendan Voyage in Shaun Davey concerts, Granuaile continued Davey's unique collaborations between musicians of aural and classical traditions. The songs tell of Grace's loves and battles; it is intimate, expansive and sometimes explosive.

Saturday Events (24th June)

• Update on Clan Projects

  9:45 am - 11:00 am

  Dr Maurice Gleeson will update us on the progress of the O'Malley DNA project in general and the Finding Grace's DNA project in particular. Chieftain Martin will talk about his work to build a community of O'Malleys across the USA and Registrar Don will outline the growth in membership and the online resources being assembled for members.

• Saturday Ticket Bundle

  9:55 am - 9:55 am

  One booking for tickets to all the events on Saturday. This includes the Update on Clan Projects, Return transport from Westport to Clare Island and adult tickets to the festivities on the island. If you do not want to avail of all of these, or if you wish to purchase child tickets to the Saturday festivities, then please book events separately.

• Update on Clan Projects

  10:00 am - 11:00 am

  Among other updates, Dr Maurice Gleeson will update us on the exciting Finding Grace's DNA project. We're trying to track down her genetic signature, so that O'Malleys everywhere can check and see how closely they may be related to the famous Pirate Queen. Note that the venue for this event has not yet been determined. It is also possible that the timing may change.

• Transport from Westport to Clare island

  11:30 am - 8:00 pm

  Combined return ticket for Bus from Westport to Roonagh Pier and ferry to Clare Island. Buses depart from the Town Hall Theatre at the Octagon in Westport at 11:30 am and the ferry departs Roonagh at 12:30 pm. Return ferries will depart from Clare Island pier at 7:00 pm (early ferry) and 10:00 pm (late ferry). Buses will meet the ferry at Roonagh and return to Westport. If you wish to make your own way to Roonagh, ferry tickets may be booked directly from the ferry companies at https://www.omalleyferries.com/ and https://www.clareislandferry.com/. Ferries may also be available from Kildavnet pier, Achill Island. Check with the ferry companies.

• Saturday Transport from Westport to Clare island

  11:30 am - 11:30 am

  Combined return ticket for Bus from Westport to Roonagh Pier and ferry to Clare Island on Saturday 24th June. Buses depart from the Town Hall Theatre at the Octagon in Westport at 11:30 am and the ferry departs Roonagh at 12:30 pm. Return ferries will depart from Clare Island pier and buses will meet the ferry at Roonagh and return to Westport. Return times will be announced later. If you wish to make your own way to Roonagh and Clare Island, ferry tickets may be booked directly from the ferry companies at https://www.omalleyferries.com/ and https://www.clareislandferry.com/. Ferries may also be available from Kildavnet pier, Achill Island. Check with the ferry companies.

• Saturday Festivities on Clare Island

  1:00 pm - 8:00 pm

  On arrival at Clare Island harbour, overlooked by Grace O'Malley's castle, walk to the Community Centre for a light lunch. Use the early afternoon as you wish - rent a bike to explore the island or go on a guided Famine Walk. You could go for a swim at the beach or just relax with a drink and enjoy the scenery. There will be games and events for our younger visitors. Then assemble at Sailors Bar for an evening of music and dancing. We'll have some famous and not-so-famous performers, and a chance to join in the Céilí. Eat at the barbecue and drink at the bar (not included in your ticket) as you wish. Weather permitting, we'll sit around a bonfire and sing a song or two before departing to catch the ferry and bus back to Westport.