Duhallow News
The McAuliffe Clan Reunite
From June 24th to the 26th, McAuliffes from all over the world and here at home congregated in their ancient territory of Clanawley to celebrate the Clan’s 8th Gathering since 1992. This year the fully restored Old Protestant church, now known as Cultúrlann MacAmhlaoibh was open and the venue for all the weekend events apart from the cultural and history tour on the Saturday and Sunday, facilitated by Mossie Angland. On the Friday night, members of the clan paraded through town behind the wonderful Some of the McAuliffe clan members enjoying the banquet Newmarket Pipe Band to the Cultúrlann, their the Gathering with the Duhallow McAuliffe was absent. John Paul Choral Society. passed away in Australia merely Over the next two days there three weeks before the Gathering were fun Irish classes, a book and sadly never got to see the launch by Philip Taylor on the marvellous venue he created. His McAuliffe clan, a fascinating video name was on everyone’s lips for by Jack McAuliffe, a foot tapping the entire weekend. concert on Saturday night featuring He was ably represented by his Sheila Fitzgerald and a lively widow Barbara and his daughter selection of songs with an Irish Julie, the main organisers of the theme Gathering and who brought with The concert also featured them from Sydney the ashes of musicians Raymond O Sullivan the man who made the Cultúrlann and Timmy Connors together with possible. the next generation of musicians The Clan banquet on Sunday night who showed that Irish music is brought the curtain down on a alive and in rude good health. highly successful weekend. After the concert the audience By Monday, the scattering of the Julie McAuliffe, daughter of John enjoyed tea and sandwiches as McAuliffes had begun, returning Paul, giving a last look over they chatted and mingled and to the four corners of the globe renewed old acquaintances. and the four corners of the country arrangements for the Clan Banquet But there was a glaring absence. from whence they came. They enthusiasm unimpeded by the The one man who single-handedly carried with them memories of a heavy rain. made Cultúrlann MacAmhlaoibh wonderful three days to sustain At the Cultúrlann they gathered possible through persistence, them until they return to their to greet old friends, meet new vision and generosity, Sydney ancestral land again for the 9th ones and enjoy the first concert of based clan chieftain, John Paul Gathering in 2026.
Issue 67 July 1, 2022
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