The Council of the Order of Merit is pleased to confer the appointment as a Companion of the Clans
of Ireland Order of Merit upon the following individuals:
Madame Ellen O’Malley-Dunlop, the Guardian Chieftain of the O’Malley Clan for 10 years, during
which time she has been instrumental in leading the growth and influence of the Clan.
The O’Malley Clan Association was founded in the late 1940s, initially to raise funds for the
restoration of the Grace O’Malley castle of Carrigahowley, near Newport, County of Mayo on the
shores of Clew Bay. The first Clan Rally was held in 1953 at the restored castle and Gatherings have
been held annually since then. Each year a Tánaiste is elected, who succeeds to the Chieftainship a
year later. The Chieftain represents the Clan in all matters for the duration of their chieftainship,
with the Guardian Chieftain providing continuity and guidance as chair of the Council of past
Chieftains.
She served as Chieftain in 1993-1994, organising a memorable Clan Rally on Clare Island. She was the
first serving Chieftain to visit the USA and engage with O’Malleys in New York and Chicago. She
edited the Clan Newsletter for many years and was a Director of the Granuaile Trust, which was set
up to raise funding for the preservation of O’Malley heritage, such as the unique frescoes in the
Cistercian Abbey on Clare Island. As an active member of the council of former chieftains, she has
been centrally involved in the activities of the clan for over 30 years.
For over 20 years Ellen has been Co-Director of Bard Mythologies and the organiser of the Annual
Bard Summer School Clare Island, County of Mayo. Bard Mythologies runs workshops, seminars and
discussion groups exploring Irish myths and legends and their relevance to current discourse. It
publishes materials arising from the various programmes and events.
Ellen is a qualified psychotherapist and was a founder member of the MSc masters programme in
Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy in Trinity College. She has served as member of the board of the
National Women’s Council of Ireland and the Task Force for the Child and Family Agency and she was
also the chair of the Irish Council for Psychotherapy.
Ellen served as CEO for the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre for 10 years (2006-16). As a result of this role,
she has become a highly respected advocate for the rights of victims of sexual violence in this
jurisdiction. She was elected as chair of the board of the National Women’s Council of Ireland in
2017. She served as a member of the Board of Gaisce, The President’s Award, for 5 years, and was a
member of The Legal Aid Board for 5 years.
She is Adjunct Professor at the University of Limerick’s Law school where she works particularly with
the Centre for Crime, Justice and Victims Studies.
Ellen O’Malley-Dunlop was elected to The Council of Europe’s GREVIO Committee, in June 2022. She
now serves as a Vice President. GREVIO is the body of independent experts responsible for
monitoring the implementation by the parties of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing
and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention).
Mr. Paddy Tuffy, is a resident of Enniscrone in the County of Sligo, and for the past forty years, has
been one of the principal supporters behind O’Dowd clan.
Whilst holding no specific role or rank within the clan structure, he has selflessly devoted his time
and attention to raising the profile of our clan, as well as the wider community within Enniscrone
and beyond. This support is given unbidden, and arises from a love of his community and the history of the area. Specifically, the support given to Gertie MacHale and Conor MacHale, in the organising
of our first clan rally in 1990 was without a doubt one of the reasons that the clan has become the
successful organisation that it is today. Since that time, both Paddy and his wife Chris, have been
actively involved in the organisation of every rally. This is especially important as they are based
locally, and have arranged so many aspects, where the personal touch is key.
His contribution has been deeper than that. Paddy has contributed so much to individuals who have
been searching for their own personal family history. Time and time again, we have pointed these
people in the direction of Paddy, as his local knowledge seems limitless. Many people have returned
to Ireland with this new found information being the starting point for their own personal journey of
discovery. Indeed, our clan ranks many among its regular attendees, as those for whom Paddy has
provided guidance and support.
Paddy’s knowledge goes beyond the O’Dubhda clan. He has a wealth of knowledge about the
surrounding archaeology and history, from ring forts, to the megalithic stones that dot the area. He
has knowledge of the families that came and went over the centuries. This has been fundamental to
helping individuals carry on their own family research.
Mr Paddy Waldron, Pádraig Óg de Bhaldraithe, is known to many people around the World for the
work that he has done since 2007 and continues to do in cultivating the attitudes and values which
inform Irish society and the diaspora through the transmission of knowledge relating to our names
and identity that has come to us from our ancestors. This work is fundamental to the principles of
Clans of Ireland.
Paddy has a keen interest in genealogy and local history and describes himself as “an amateur
genealogist masquerading as a historian”. He makes his research available and gives of his time to
numerous genealogical and historical organisations.
In synopsis his related biography includes having been
• Chairman of the Council of Irish Genealogical Organisations (CIGO) for 2011 and 2012.
• Chairman of the Clare Roots Society from 2013 to 2017
• Public Relations Officer of the Kilrush and District Historical Society
Paddy is also author of many articles and a lecturer at many history society events and clan gather-
ings. In particular he lectured at the Clans of Ireland Cultural Summit in 2019, entitled Analysing and
Understanding Y-DNA Results and Y-DNA Projects.
Clan associations that have benefited from his knowledge include the O’Kellys, the O’Deas, the
O’Hallorans and the Curtins.
Societies to have benefited from his lectures and articles include
• the Genealogical Society of Ireland,
• the Shannon Archaeological and Historical Society,
• the Clare Roots Society,
• the Glin Historical Society,
• the Irish Genealogical Research Society,
• the Irish Family History Society,
• the Rathkeale and District Historical Society,
• the Irish Hellenic Society,
• the Castleconnell Historical Society,
• the Kilrush and District Historical Society,
• the Irish Palatine Association,
• the Limerick Historical Society,
• the Thomond Archaeological and Historical Society,
• the Kilkee History Society,
• the Mayo Genealogy Group,
• the Killaloe-Ballina Local History Society and
• the Friends of the Hunt Museum.
The Clans of Ireland Order of Merit is the ultimate accolade that can be conferred by Clans
of Ireland and its constituent member clans. It is an order of merit granted to persons who have
influenced Irish culture and heritage to an extraordinary degree or who have brought their Clan
remarkable reverence.
The Order of Merit is awarded to a maximum of four persons each year, whose names are
announced on St Patrick’s Day, 17th March. The conferring of the award to the recipients as
Companion of the Clans of Ireland Order of Merit will be made during the Saturday of the Annual
Summit, on Saturday 5 th April 2025.
4 and 5 April 2025 Annual Summit and Annual General Meeting
At the Saint Stephen’s Green Club
9 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, D02 C891.
Friday 4 April: Summit Event is a field trip site tour.
Saturday 5 April: AGM to take place both Live and on Teams.
Saturday 5 April: Summit to be live streamed on Clans of Ireland Youtube channel
Summit Theme: ”Association between People and Place in Medieval Irish Society.”
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION CONTACT: treasurer@clansofireland.ie
FRIDAY 4th APRIL
9.45 Meet Coach at Stephen’s Green Club
10.00 Travel to Glendalough
Via Lough Tae – Photography stop
12.00 – 13.00 Glendalough Monastic Site (St Kevin & St Lawrence O’Toole) and Visitor Centre,
13.00 – 13.30 – Early Irish Monasticism – Luke McInerney
13.30 – 13-50 – Transfer to Glenmalure,
14.00 – 15.00 – Lunch Pub grub at Glenmalure Lodge
15.30 – 16.15 The territory of the O’Byrne of Glenmalure and site of the Battle of Glenmalure in 1580, led by Dr Emmett O’Byrne
16.30 – 17.00 Return travel to Dublin
17.30 for 20.00 Dinnéar an Chathaoirligh (Chairmans’s Dinner) at Stephen’s Green Club (optional)
SATURDAY 5th APRIL
10.00 – 11.00 Registration & refreshments.
11.00 – 12.00 Annual General Meeting
12.00 – 12.15 Presentation of Clans of Ireland Order of Merit awards 2025
12.15 – 12.45 Dean Dunne on Lawrence O’Toole – “Saints and Sinners”
12.45 – 13.15 Paráid agus Fáiltiú Ceannairí Finte na hÉireann – Parade and Reception of Chiefs and Leaders
13.15 – Group photograph
13.30 – 14.30 Light lunch during which a number of organisers of this year’s Crinniu will be invited to announce them.
14.30 – 15.30 Lecture: Dr Paul McCotter. Dept of Archaelogy UCC. (Title TBC related to Summit theme) with Fireside chat with Luke McInerney and Q&A
15.35 – 16.00 Winning Essay Presentation: Cora Crampton – Three women of the O’Byrnes: perspectives on Gaelic political marriage in the sixteenth century
16.00 – 16.05 Q&A
16.05 Presentation of the Ó Ceallaigh Dal gCais Trophy to Cora Crampton
16.00 Closing address by An Cathaoirleach
19.30 for 20.00 ~ Clans of Ireland Gala Dinner Reception (Black Tie with medals and Honours) including
Parade of Companions of the Order of Clans of Ireland (Compánaigh Fhinte na hÉireann)
12 January 2025 - On the passing of Mr. Conal O'Farrell, Chieftain of the O’Farrell Clan of Annaly, Co Longford
We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of a great leader, An tUasal Conal O’Farrell, Chieftan of the O’Farrell Clan of Annaly, Co. Longford. We send our sympathies and condolences to his wife, Rose, his family, and to the O’Farrell Clan.
“It is with great sadness that I wish to inform you of the passing of Mr Conal Henry O’Ferrall (1933 – 2025), Chieftain of the O’Farrell Clan of Annaly, Co Longford. Conal & his wife Rose led the Farrell Clan through 9 International Farrell Rally’s since 1993 and has been a dedicated and inspiring leader. Our Clan were delighted when the Clans of Ireland bestowed the Order of Merit on Conal in April, 2024, a great day for all the Farrells. Thank you to the Clans of Ireland committee for the wonderful event marking a life time of service to our Clan.”
– John Christopher O’Farrell
2024 Lughnasadh – Message from the Cathaoirleach
1 August 2024
A chara,
I want to begin by announcing the winner of the 2024 Essay Competition.
This year, there was a strong list of competitive entries, which were adjudicated by a panel chaired by the renowned Dr Katharine Simms. In her adjudication report, Dr Simms wrote that they “found a final judgement particularly difficult this year as it came down to a choice between apples and oranges, so to speak”.
The winner of the 2024 Chiefs and Clans Essay Competition is an essay by Cora Crampton, a local historian whose entry, “Three women of the O’Byrnes: perspectives on Gaelic political marriage in the sixteenth century”, explores the position of sixteenth-century Gaelic aristocratic women with sympathy, referring not only to current scholarship on the wars in Leinster, but the conflict of brehon law and canon law.
Mr Tommy Graham, Editor of History Ireland, expressed his unreserved decision to publish the winning essay in the Nov/Dec ’24 issue of this most worthwhile magazine, adding that coincidentally, it dovetails with some articles that, I understand, explore the Brehon Laws/ Cáin Adomnáin difficulties dealing with carnal relations in Tudor Ireland, which are intended for publication in the Sept/Oct issue of the magazine. Luke McInerney, Clans of Ireland Director of Publications, declared that there were at least two entries deserving of publication in the next Anthology of Essays, expected to be published in 2026.
I would now like to thank both the subscribers of Linea Antiqua, as well as Luke McInerney and Rob O’Halloran, who have undertaken this massive and intensive editorial project on an unpaid and voluntary basis. I would also like to welcome Dr Russell Ó Riagáin, who has agreed to join the team and will begin work with Luke and Rob at the end ofthe Summer. You will recall that Dr Russell Ó Riagáin presented a lecture to Clans of Ireland on “Contextualising Middle Irish Genealogy”, in June 2023, viewable, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CR_hSS7gVI&t=114s.
The priority is that the final publication will be of such significance for all students of Irish genealogy that it will set a standard for historical transcription for generations to come. I understand that some of us are eagerly anticipating the finished work, but it is worth repeating that the overarching priority is that the transcription will be the best and most accessible production possible for contemporary readers. I was recently reminded of how inaccessible the original Linea Antiqua is and how transformative our transcription will be. I want to thank all of those people who subscribed to this project, as without your involvement, it would not have been possible. A precise date cannot yet be anticipated, but Subscribers will be given as much notice as possible of the Launch, to which they will be invited.
The matter currently receiving considerable analysis by the Board is how the names of our member organisations reflect their individual origins. Most Ceannairi or clan leaders are aware of the importance of distinguishing their clan from unrelated kindred groups who may share the same surname.
I cannot stress forcefully enough how inadequate the use of a simple surname is in the world of Irish clans and historical families. It is quite unsatisfactory to record a member organisation’s name without either a precise geographic or kindred reference of origin, unless it does not wish to be considered as a clan and will simply be considered as a name association. The policy of Clans of Ireland to offer membership only to applicants that have provided proof of historical geographic or kindred origin is now strictly enforced by the Registration Committee.
Clear examples of best practice in the differentiation of origin is available by considering the various members who are all loosely anglicised as Fitzpatrick, all of whom have different origins and none of whom have a shared kindred or progenitor.
Mac Gilpatrick of the tribe of Cas – Mac Giolla Phádraig Dál gCais / Fitzpatrick
Mac Gilpatrick of Leinster – Mac GiollaPhádraig Laighean / Fitzpatrick
Mac Gilpatrick of Ulster – Mac Giolla Phádraig Ulaidh / Fitzpatrick
O’Mulpatrick of Bréifne – Ó Maol Phádraig Bréifne / Fitzpatrick
Fitzpatrick of Upper Ossory.
A point worth noting is that general descriptions, such as county references, are not references to hereditary territory(dúiche na fine). This is emphatically not what Clans of Ireland is trying to achieve, as county references, in particular,suggest a lack of accuracy as relevant historical references, given that counties did not come into being until the 16th century or close to the end of the Gaelic period. This applies to all member organisations, Gaelic, Anglo-Norman, Gallowglass or more recent historical families.
In summary, those member organisations whose names do not reflect an historically accurate origin as a clan or historical family are considered to be name associations. I suggest that should you wish to seek advice on this matter, you engage with Michael O’Crowley, the Clans of Ireland Registrar, who is always willing to share his knowledge and experience.
I will finish with a reminder that the festival of Lughnasadh, celebrated in Ireland since pre-historic times, is almost upon us. The festival was reputedly named after Lugh Lámhfhada, who took his name after the month of August, or Lúnasa in Irish.
The mythological story is that Lugh wanted to mourn his foster mother, the goddess Queen Tailtiu, following her death on the first of August, so he invited the people of Ireland to her funeral and buried her under a mound at Teltown in the ancient Ríocht na Midhe, (Kingdom of Meath), approximating to the contemporary counties of Meath, Louth, Westmeath and Longford and even encompassing parts of Dublin, Cavan and Kildare at its height. The date of this, the first Óenach Tailten, is often debated but may have been as early as the Neolithic period.
It was the responsibility of a clan chieftain to convene a regular assembly of the people of the túath, an Óenach, for political, social, and perhaps commercial purposes. In the case of an overking, the Óenach would have been attended by people from a number of túatha, such as at Óenach Tailten, under the auspices of the king of Tara.
Óenach festivities included feasts with the newly harvested crops, entertainment with music and dance, matchmaking, and sporting games, such as running, long and high jump, and horse racing. There were also contests of storytelling. The pre-Christian marriage ritual of hand-fasting would have taken place at these festivals where a couple would be bound
Together with ribbon, possibly the origin of the term tying the knot. Indeed, this ritual was used by my daughter, Dubheasa, during her recent marriage ceremony.
Such festivities are still celebrated in Ireland today, such as at Puck Fair in Killorglin, County Kerry, which dates back to the sixteenth century and has its roots in Lughnasadh.
Is mise le meas,
Gearóid Ó Ceallaigh
Cathaoirleach
2024 Summer Solstice - Message from the Cathaoirleach
20 June 2024
A chara,
Today, June 20th, is the Summer Solstice of 2024, occurring when the Sun is at the highest point in the sky for those of us in the north. Here in Ireland, up to 16 hours of daylight can be expected. This year has the earliest Summer Solstice since 1796 due to the fact, as I learned from an astrologist, that this is a leap year and the Gregorian calendar is not in perfect alignment with the amount of time it takes for the earth to orbit the sun. Normally, it is on the 21st.
While most of us are familiar with the event surrounding the Winter Solstice at Newgrange, where some of the attendees at this year’s Cultural Summit visited in April, the Summer Solstice is also an important day in the calendar for other ancient landmarks in Ireland. On that same trip in April, we visited one of those landmarks, the Hill of Tara, where each year, at the Summer Solstice, people gather to celebrate the Sun and its benefits for crops and nature at the landmark that is recognised as the ancient seat of the high kings of Ireland.
Other locations where people visit to mark the Summer Solstice include the 5,000-year-old Carrowkeel Cairns in County Sligo, the comparatively young 2,000-year-old Drombeg Stone Circle outside Glandore, in County Cork and most familiar to me, the Grange Stone Circle at Lough Gur in County Limerick, which was built around 2200 BC. This morning, the sun rose directly over the largest of Lough Gur’s 113 standing stones.
The Summer Solstice is one of eight sacred days in Ireland’s Celtic tradition, associated with fertility, nature, new beginnings, and the goddess Áine. June 23rd marks St John’s Eve, which is also the date of a Celtic celebration held in honour of Áine, when traditionally bonfires were set alight, so the night of the 23rd is also known as Bonfire Night.
Since the Cultural Summit in April, the Board and committees have been planning and implementing, including the arrangements for the 2025 Annual Cultural Summit. One of the main objectives for the Board is to advance further awareness, particularly among the Clans of Ireland member organisations, of how surnames and kindred are not necessarily synonymous nor, indeed, related. This is likely to be central to the theme of the Summit. I urge you, if you have not done so already, to accurately differentiate your clan from other clans who share a similar surname. I suggest that you look at the registry of Clans to clearly see those clans that are linked to their tuath or place of origin and please do not hesitate to contact the Registrar if you would like further information.
The newly formed Traditional Gaelic Irish Attire Committee in conjunction with the Public Affairs Committee have been developing a strategy to create public awareness and state recognition for traditional Irish dress, as is the case in most countries. You are likely to hear more about this during the months ahead.
I can also say that adjudication is currently underway to decide on the winner from the good entry of excellent essays for the Chiefs and Clans Essay Competition. The winner will be announced during the Summer, and the prize will be presented at the 2025 Cultural Summit.
Is mise le meas,
Gearóid Ó Ceallaigh
Cathaoirleach