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in Macroom, I dropped my bags, took a shower and went off to the welcome reception. My first
impression was the immediate warmth of the family spirit energized with one another. A pint
here, wine there, and a light meal and coffee allowed the conversations to continue well into the
evening. A great setting and the meet and greet evening became a wonderful baseline for the
weekend of events.

Saturday kicked off with a tour of a Skibbereen Heritage Center dedicated to the Great
Famine. The guide was an amazing historian, Terri Kearney, and author of “The Famine Story”
and several other published stories. As an American, I’d heard a few random and episodic stories
about the famine, but nothing could have prepared me for the how Terri made the history come
alive. Offering specific details of West Cork and Skibbereen family experiences and yes, even
heroes that emerged from this horrifically tragic series of events that were imposed on innocent
ancestors by the ruling imperial powers of the English Government, quiet gasps could be heard
amongst the attendees. The stories being so profound and impactful that I could barely even
thank her for her presentation without choking up. Her response was, “Perfect, I’ve done my job
and made this very real to you.”

The balance of the day was composed with a genealogy presentation and the clan “working
session” (Annual General Meeting) electing a new Taoiseach, Mary McConnell Haislip. Dinner
was to follow and my goodness, the conversations and relationships established from the start of
the weekend were catapulted to an even higher level with some funny stories and conversations
from each side of the Atlantic. We had the great fortune to have several elders from the clan
community join and just enriched the evening even further. The raffle to follow was really fun and
conversations and stories just continued.
Wondering how Saturday could be topped, Sunday was equally amazing. A short drive south
to the property named “Gougane Barra,” the setting could not have been any more spectacular.
The grounds and the historical setting and its foundational connection to the O Mahony family
was extraordinarily magical. A terrific lunch was served at the Gougane Barra Hotel with more
new clan members joining us. The fellowship of O Mahonys continued.

We then proceeded to the grounds as we assembled to the sounds of the Irish piper played
by Donal Kelleher. As he played, he led the clan Counsel to join the clan attendees in singing
the Irish National Anthem. Our new Taoiseach welcomed all, and new attendees from the group
discussed their ancestry, their histories from Ireland, and their sojourns to the US, etc.
We then listened to local historian, Mr. Seán Ó Súilleabháin (Ó Sullivan), who gave an
amazingly compelling and really funny geological tale of “Lough Ghuagan Barra,” and the
folklore history of the O Mahony clan. The commentary was fun and presented in an enlightening
and engaging story telling fashion that the Irish are so well known for.

A short walking tour of the grounds highlighted points of interest, including the burial site
of the 18th Century priest, Father Denis O’Mahony. Seán also walked us around the Rounds of
Gougane Barra, the spring of the Holy Well, the Timber Cross and pilgrimage cells, and into the
Chapel St Finbarr’s Oratory.
As the tour was winding down Seán kept apologizing to the group he had to get home and
tend to the farm. He was so proud both his boys had become local musicians, which left “Dear
ole Da” to get home to milk the cows.

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