17 March 2025
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.