by Mark Kennedy 2025

We started out in Clare’s green hills,

Where Brian Boru once reigned,

A High King crowned in Killaloe,

Our legacy unchained.

From Shannon’s flowing waters

To Lough Derg’s quiet shores,

The blood of Kings still stirs in us—

A heritage that soars.

The O’Kennedys, rebellious,

So named by Cromwell’s hand,

Were thorns in every empire’s side

That sought to take our land.

In every rising, every cause,

Our name was on the line—

From pike to pen, we stood our ground

With courage in our spine.

We come from hills of Tipperary,

From the Shannon wide and strong,

From Wexford fields and Kerry’s cliffs,

Where stories turn to song.

We bear the name of chieftains,

Of poets, priests, and seers—

And Brian Boru still rides with us

Through the shadow of the years.

We tilled the land in silence
Where the mist meets Keeper Hill,
In Templederry’s winding lanes
Castle Otway standing still.
From Portnard to Foilduff,
Curreeny to Tooreenbrien,
In Garravane we fought and farmed
Our spirits never dyin’.

In Ormond’s ancient shadow,
We stood by Nenagh’s keep,
In Lorrha’s abbey ruins
Where monks still seem to sleep.
From Toomevara’s historic village
To where Shannon waters glide,
The Kennedys of Lower Ormond
Held their ground with pride.

We are the flame that crossed the sea,

When hunger drove us far—

To Boston’s ports, New York’s rough streets,

Beneath a different star.

But Ireland lived within us

In every fight and vow—

We raised our voices in new lands

Yet kept the old words somehow.

One rose to lead a nation—

With Wexford in his soul,

Young Jack with dreams and daring

Who made the broken whole.

And Bobby marched with justice,

And Teddy stood his ground—

The harp still played behind them

As they turned the world around.

From Gaelic fields to Congress halls,

The name has echoed wide—

In science, sport, and service

Wherever Kennedys reside.

Yet every stream and stone back home

Still whispers of our kin—

For every Kennedy abroad

Still carries Ireland in.

So gather now, ye daughters, sons,

Of castle, farm, and quay—

From Clonmel, Doon, and Dingle

To shores across the sea.

We toast the past that shaped us,

The future yet to be—

For we are all one story:

We are the Kennedys.

The post We are the Kennedys. appeared first on Irish Kennedy Heritage Group.

Brian Patrick Kennedy, Seanchaí of I.K.H.G. and author of the series of books  recently celebrated his 85^th birthday. Heartiest congratulations Brian, and many more to you. Still going strong Brian attributes his good health and longevity to his interest in writing books and eating fish. No great comfort  for me there, Brian –I was hoping it’s down to your good Irish Kennedy genes.

Go maire tú gcéad, Brian

The post Happy Birthday to our Author and seanchaí appeared first on Irish Kennedy Heritage Group.

The post Death of our Chieftain Rody. appeared first on Irish Kennedy Heritage Group.

The post 2023 Gathering Final details appeared first on Irish Kennedy Heritage Group.

The post Death of Donnchadh Ó Cinnéide appeared first on Irish Kennedy Heritage Group.

However the good news is that we are already planning our 2023 gathering.

In line with previous years we are provisionally planning on getting the Kennedy Clan together on the 2nd week in July; i.e. July 8th, 9th 2023.

We are hoping that many of our overseas members will be able to travel to North Tipperary at that time – however we are also aware that a particular date may not suit some people so we are also planning to facilitate those people by including a virtual segment to the gathering whereby members can partake through Zoom or similar digital platform.

We are still in the early stages of planning so I will keep you updated between now and then. If there are places of Kennedy interest that you would like included in our 2023 itinerary then feel free to let me know for our consideration.

In the meantime keep safe.

Slán agus beannacht.

The post Kennedy Clan Gathering 2023. appeared first on Irish Kennedy Heritage Group.

The post 2020 Gathering Cancelled appeared first on Irish Kennedy Heritage Group.

9th Annual Kennedy Clan Gathering week beginning 14th July 2019

Sunday 14th July . 2 00 pm.

Assemble at Chief Rody Kennedy’s Angelsey Lounge carpark, Rearcross.  Motor car trip in convoy to Brian Boru’s Fort, Killaloe, the original base and seat of power of King Kennedy of North Munster.  Brief history of Beal Borúmha and environs by Brian Patrick Kennedy.  Return to the Anglesey Lounge, Rearcross, for refreshments.

8.00 pm: Annual Gathering including the launch of Brian Patrick’s latest book – “The Irish Kennedys who moved Eastward – to baronies adjacent to Ormond”

Tuesday 16th July . Coach trip to Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry. The Dingle Peninsula has the 2nd highest concentration of Kennedys anywhere in Ireland outside of North Tipperary. Micheál Ó Cinnéide and his Dingle cousins have put together a fantastic list of events for the day beginning in Tom Crean’s South Pole Inn in Anascaul, travelling around the peninsula and ending up back in Dingle before returning to Rearcross. You will also of course have the opportunity to see some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere in Ireland. See attached map and itinerary underneath.

Thursday 18th July.
Visit to the Rock of Cashel, Co. Tipperary. This was the seat of power of the Kings of Munster. Our Chairman, Donncha O Cinnéide has put together a programme of history and culture for the evening of 18th.  Members will make their own way to Cashel in the late afternoon.  A historical walk around the rock featuring a visit to King Cormac’s chapel will be followed by an evening of food, drink, music and entertainment in the nearby Brú Ború Heritage Centre.  Some members may wish to prolong the night by taking in a feast of traditional music into the late hours.

Thursday 18th July.

Visit to the Kennedy Homestead, County Wexford. While this is not on the official program for the Kennedy Gathering this year, some people are planning an independent visit to the ancestral home of US President John F Kennedy at Dunganstown, County Wexford. The visit will make the most of opportunities that they would otherwise miss out on for visitors to Ireland for the Gathering. The journey will be by individual vehicles leaving Chief Rody Kennedys at 9 am on Thursday 18th July. It will return for the visit to the Rock of Cashel in the late afternoon. Visitors wishing to join this tour should contact the address at the end of this newsletter.

Saturday 20th July.

11.00 am.

Foilycleara Kennedy descendant’s gathering.  Assemble at Chief Rody Kennedys at Rearcross.  Visit to the townland of Foilycleara in convoy.  Return to the Anglesey lounge for light lunch and Foilycleara gathering in the afternoon.

8.00 pm

New Ryan book launch. Upperchurch.

The many connections between the Kennedy and Ryan families have been well in evidence at our gatherings. The Kennedys and the Ryans are inextricable. Their relationship goes back many hundreds of years. It is a challenge to find a Kennedy who is not related to the Ryans or a Ryan who is not related to the Kennedys.

“The Ryans of Tipperary and Kilkenny – their origins in Eliogarty, Ikerrin, Kilnamanagh and parts of Clanwilliam, Crannagh, Galmoy and Middlethird baronies.” will be of interest to many of our members.

The launch takes place in Pa Ryan’s Pub, Upperchurch, Thurles on Saturday 20th July. Ryans were first recorded in this area in the year 1305 and there are many of the name there to this day. For those who wish to stay over, B&B accommodation is available adjacent to Pa’s Bar on a first come first served basis

The post 2019 Clan Gathering Itinerary appeared first on Irish Kennedy Heritage Group.

The post Newsletter 71 November 2018 appeared first on Irish Kennedy Heritage Group.

The post Irish Kennedy Clan Gathering 2019. appeared first on Irish Kennedy Heritage Group.