Details of all events for Gathering  from 10th to 12th July can be viewed  elsewhere in the News or Events section.

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IKHG Committee has been busy planning this year’s Gathering for the 2^nd weekend in July, and thankfully it’s beginning to take shape. We are mindful that we will have some first time visitors as well as many  regular returnees. So we provide a menu of activities and places to visit and people can decide for themselves what you would like to attend. There are however some events that we will need a fairly accurate idea of the numbers attending.

Proposed Itinerary.

Fri. 10^th July.

3.00 pm.  Gathering at Nenagh Heritage Centre. E45 X588 ( housed in Old Nenagh Gaol.)

Pat and Phyllis Kennedy will lead us through many of the exhibits that they have curated in this impressive collection of Irish Kennedy history and memorabilia.

Local guide will lead small groups through the history of the gaol to include the stories of some of those hanged there in the late 1800,s.

6.00pm. Assembling in Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh E45 KA99 for meet and greet and light            refreshments.

Gathering will be addressed by a number of speakers to include-

The Irish Kennedy DNA Project – Update by Professor Mark Kennedy, Victoria, Australia.

The Kennedys of Bredagha, Toomevara.               Paddy Kennedy will recount the history of his own family over the last 300 years.

Terrence Kennedy, Gold Coast, Australia,  will detail the work of his father Brian Patrick Kennedy in researching and recording the wider history of the ‘Rebellious Irish Kennedys’ with particular reference to the baronies of Upper and Lower Ormond before expanding out to the rest of Ireland.

Dr. Paddy Waldron will tell us how he has used DNA to connect different branches of the Irish Kennedys.

Q & A. Visitors will be able to tell their family stories and share connections with those present.

Saturday 11^th July.

9.30 am. Depart Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh by bus to J.F.K Homestead, Dunganstown, Co. Wexford travelling over the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy bridge.

12.15 pm. Arrive at the JFK Homestead and Visitor Centre in Dunganstown,Y34 KW31 the home from which J.F.K.’s great grandfather emigrated during the Great Famine. Patrick Grennan, descendant of J.F.K. and member of the Irish Kennedy Heritage Group will guide us through the history of the Kennedy family before their departure to Boston in the 1800’s

2.15 pm. New Ross, Co. Wexford. Guided tour of the Dunbrody. Y34 A786 This authentic recreation of an 1840,s Famine ship provides a great insight into the famine emigrant experience.

4.30 pm Dinner at The Captain’s Table Restaurant, New Ross. Restaurant on 1^st floor of Dunbrody Visitor Centre, overlooking the River Barrow.

6.00 pm. Depart New Ross and return to Nenagh.

                        Go to bed.

Sunday 12^th.

Morning. Leisure time. List of optional places of interest listed underneath.

3.00 pm. Kilkeary Graveyard. (approx 3 miles from Nenagh)

            Mattie Ryan (Lar), Committee member of I.K. H. G. will speak about the history of his Kennedy ancestors  – their displacement from Lower Ormond to Windy Gap, Curreeney in Upper Ormond and their tradition of returning their dead to their burial grounds in Kilkeary.

6.00 pm. Kennedys Pub, Killeen, Templederry.

            This traditional pub, situated about 6 miles from Nenagh has been in the ownership of the same Kennedy family for over 150 years.

Come to Kennedys, enjoy the spectacular scenery, the friendly atmosphere, with a sprinkling of Irish music and song thrown in for good measure.

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DNA Testing for Genealogy: A Practical Guide

By Mark Kennedy

July 2025

1. Why DNA Testing Matters for Genealogists

Over the past decade, DNA testing has become one of the most powerful tools in a genealogist’s toolkit. It can:

• Break through brick walls when records are missing or inconsistent
• Confirm or challenge family relationships
• Uncover new cousins or entire branches of your family tree

DNA testing doesn’t replace traditional research – it complements it. Think of it as a torch lighting up areas of your ancestry that documents alone can’t reach.

Since the early 2000s, more than 40 million people worldwide have taken direct-to-consumer DNA tests. Some do it to build their family tree, others to explore health risks, others out of curiosity about their ancestry – and many receive surprising results.

This guide explains:

1. Types of DNA tests
2. Choosing a testing company
3. Interpreting your results
4. Sorting through DNA matches

2. Understanding the Types of DNA Tests

There are three main types of DNA tests used in genealogy, each serving different purposes:

2.1 Autosomal DNA (atDNA)

• Most common test, used by Ancestry, 23andMe, MyHeritage, and others
• Analyzes DNA from both parents – useful for tracing ancestry 5–7 generations back
• Best for identifying cousins and building family trees
• This is the focus of this guide

2.2 Y-DNA

• Tracks paternal line (father’s father’s father…)
• Available to biological males only
• Useful for surname studies and deep ancestry
• Not as helpful for recent genealogy
• Offered by FTDNA

2.3 Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)

• Tracks maternal line (mother’s mother’s mother…)
• Inherited by all children, but only passed on by females
• Changes very slowly – best for ancient origins, not recent cousins
• Also offered by FTDNA

Summary: Y-DNA and mtDNA are useful for specific research questions. Autosomal DNA is the most practical test for most people.

3. Choosing a DNA Testing Company

Important:

• AncestryDNA and 23andMe don’t allow uploads from other companies
• MyHeritage, FTDNA, and GEDmatch do allow uploads
• Test first with Ancestry or 23andMe if you want the option to upload elsewhere
• Look out for sales (Black Friday, St. Patrick’s Day, Father’s Day, etc.)

4. Interpreting Your DNA Results

Once your results are back, your DNA match list will be prioritized by the amount of shared DNA and will look something like this:

Each match includes:

• Username or display name
• Estimated relationship (e.g. 2nd–3rd cousin)
• Shared DNA in centimorgans (cM)
• Family tree availability
• List of shared matches,

Likelihood of Shared DNA

4.1 Centimorgans (cM): What They Mean

DNA inheritance is random – shared cM values vary even between same-level cousins. Matches under 7 cM are often false positives.

5. Sorting Through DNA Matches: Step-by-Step

5.1 Start With What You Know

Upload what you know about your own tree first

• Living people remain hidden by default
• Helps you get more useful suggestions from Ancestry.com

Begin by identifying any matches you already recognize:

• First cousins, second cousins, known relatives on specific lines.
• Label or “star” these matches and note how you’re related.
• This creates anchor points – confirmed relationships to help orient others.

Why it matters: These known matches are essential for triangulating unknown matches later.

5.2 Use Shared Matches

Click on any DNA match to view others who also match that person. This allows you to form genetic clusters – groups of people who likely descend from a common ancestor.

• Shared matches suggest a common ancestor
• Begin building genetic clusters around these connections
• For example:
  • If your known cousin on your maternal grandfather’s line shares DNA with five other people, those five are likely also related through that same lineage.
  • Group and label them accordingly.

5.3 Build Genetic Clusters

Sort your matches into rough “genetic groups” using:

• Shared match overlaps
• Family tree clues (names, places, dates)
• Surnames or locations in profiles

You can keep track of this using:

• Ancestry’s coloured dot system (assign colours to maternal, paternal, and sub-branches)
• A spreadsheet (cM values, tree notes, match names, cluster codes)

Goal: Organize your matches into clusters that represent each of your grandparents’ lines(e.g., maternal grandfather’s line) – or further back.

5.4 Prioritize Effectively

Focus on matches that:

• Share more than 100 cM
• Have public family trees
• Appear active or responsive

Avoid deep dives into matches with tiny cM values (less than 10 – 15) or no trees – unless they’re part of a key cluster.

5.5 Work From the Top Down

Start with matches that share more than 50 cM. These are typically 2nd to 3rd cousins and more likely to be genealogically useful.

• Examine their trees: Look for familiar names, places, or ancestral surnames.
• Use the “ThruLines” tool if available: Ancestry attempts to place matches into your tree using shared ancestors.

Be cautious with distant matches (below 20 cM), as these may be false positives or too far back to be traceable.

5.6. Evaluate the Trees

Many matches don’t have trees—or have private or limited trees. For those that do:

• Check for overlapping names or locations.
• Look for common ancestors who may appear in multiple trees.
• Note inconsistencies or gaps.

For matches without a tree:

• Review their ethnicity estimates, locations, or surnames in their usernames.
• Consider messaging them to request access or more information.

5.7 Contacting DNA matches

• Ancestry has an encrypted messaging app.
  • You can set your DNA results and profile to private or public, controlling whether strangers can see or contact you via DNA matches
  • You decide who can message you: adjust settings to only allow matches, contacts, or block specific users
  • Only you and the intended recipient can read your messages; Ancestry itself cannot decrypt them
• Tips
  • Start with shared interest:
    • Mention your shared DNA match and why you’re reaching out
  • Be specific:
    • Reference the amount of DNA you share and any surname, place, or ancestor you’re investigating
  • Keep it brief:
    • A short, clear message gets more responses than a long one
  • Be polite and non-intrusive:
    • Assume they’re new to this and might not be actively researching
  • Offer your tree:
    • Mention if you have a tree online and are happy to compare
  • Ask a simple question: e.g., “Do you have any Callaghans from Limerick in your family?”
  • Be patient:
    • Many matches don’t check messages regularly—follow up after a few weeks
  • Respect privacy:
    • Not everyone is ready to share details or respond

6. Making the Most of DNA Platform Tools

Although Ancestry doesn’t show segment data, tools can still help map and model relationships. For more advanced sorting and clustering, you might use tools like:

6.1 Ancestry Features

• Shared Matches: Helps you cluster
• Notes & Color Coding: Track match lines visually
• ThruLines: Suggests possible connections based on shared ancestors in trees

6.2 My Heritage Features

• Theory of Family Relativity: Suggests how you and a match may be related
• Auto Cluster Tool: Automatically sorts matches into genetic clusters

6.3 GEDmatch & DNA Painter (Third Party Tools)

• GEDmatch:
  • Advanced tools and matching from multiple platforms
  • https://www.gedmatch.com/

• DNA Painter:
  • Maps segments, helps estimate relationships
  • https://dnapainter.com/

• Leeds Method:
  • Manual clustering technique for 2nd–4th cousin matches
  • https://www.danaleeds.com/the-leeds-method/

7. Tips for Reliable DNA Research

7.1 Look for Patterns, Not Guarantees

DNA doesn’t give you answers—it gives you clues. Use the following principles:

• Probability over possibility: Focus on what’s most likely, not just plausible.
• Use evidence over hunches: Use trees and records to back up DNA connections

• Use triangulation: More than one person matching you and each other in a cluster makes the connection stronger.

• Don’t rely solely on one match – look for clusters of evidence

7.2 Document Your Work

Keep a DNA match log or spreadsheet:

• Match name and cM, predicted relationship
• Hypothesized common ancestor
• Cluster or group id.
• Notes on tree content or correspondence
• This helps you track progress, revisit leads and share findings with relatives.

8. Be Ready for Surprises

DNA results can reveal:

• Unknown half-siblings
• Adoptions
• Misattributed parentage (NPE – non paternal events)

Handle these unexpected findings with sensitivity and discretion.

9. Key Takeaways and Strategy

Sorting through DNA matches takes time, patience, and methodical effort. It’s detective work, often requiring both genetic and traditional genealogy. By building out clusters, confirming shared ancestors, and comparing trees, you gradually turn a mess of matches into meaningful family connections. DNA doesn’t replace the paper trail—it enhances it. When used well, it can break down brick walls and bring the past to life in ways that documents alone never could.

• Prioritize testing of older living relatives – they hold more of your shared DNA
• Test with AncestryDNA first, then upload to others for broader reach
• Focus on closest matches with trees and shared matches

The post DNA Testing for Genealogy: A Practical Guide by Mark Kennedy appeared first on Irish Kennedy Heritage Group.

                                                     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.

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Irish Kennedy Clan Gathering 2025.

From early on the Friday evening, it was clear that there was huge interest in the presentation on how best to interpret and use DNA results, to be given by Professor Mark Kennedy. People from many corners of Ireland, as well as visitors from New Zealand, Australia, U. K. and United States gathered in the Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh in anticipation.

After the hotel staff had manfully provided extra seating for the larger than expected  crowd, the Gathering was formally opened by Richard Kennedy, Chairperson of the Irish Kennedy Heritage Group. He expressed his regret at the unavoidable absence of our historian and founder Brian Patrick Kennedy from this year’s gathering and conveyed the good wishes of all present to Brian and his extended Kennedy family, before introducing Mark to the Gathering.

 Chairman, Richard Kennedy introduces Mark Kennedy.

It was then over to Mark who brought the attendees patiently through his carefully prepared visual presentation on how the use of DNA can be used in conjunction with written records to fill in some gaps in family histories. This was interspersed with a question and answer element as Mark answered some general queries from the audience.

As a very enjoyable finale, those present were each able to give a short account of his or her own stories as they travelled along the road of unravelling their family histories.

With tea and light bites provided at the interval and the availability of stronger nourishment afterwards in the hotel bar, a very enjoyable and informative night was had by all.

Professor Mark Kennedy has an attentive audience

More of the attendees in The Abbey Court, Nenagh.

Saturday morning saw us gather at Nenagh Heritage Centre to view the IKHG Display curated by Phyllis and  Pat Kennedy. Pat  gave a brief history of how the display came to be housed in the Heritage Centre.

 Pat Kennedy addressing visitors in Heritage Centre.

People then had the opportunity to amble around the display and study the various displays at their leisure, while the genial Ger from the Heritage Centre guided those interested,  in  an enjoyable  tour of the Gaol Complex.

 Ger explaining one of the less palatable displays in Nenagh Gaol

Later on Saturday afternoon we gathered under the blazing sunshine in Bunratty Folk Park to get a sense of what life was like in olden times in Ireland. Then, into the castle itself for the medieval banquet.

King Henry in jovial mood with Kennedy Clan

King Henry was a loud, rambunctious, but genial host, and we were treated to the best of food and entertainment by his company of musicians, singers, waiters and waitresses. Armed with just a small ‘dagger’,( no forks and spoons) and fortified by a plentiful supply of mead and wine , we forgot our 21^st century niceties as we happily slurped our soup, fingered our spare ribs, knifed our chicken and vegetables, before finishing off with a tasty desert and a nice cup of tea/coffee.  An event thoroughly enjoyed by all.

A special mention to Kelvin Kennedy aka Lord Kelvin, who unfortunately earned the unwanted attention of King Henry, and, unjustly, found  himself cast in the dungeon during the course of the evening. However, he succeeded  in liberating himself through leading the diners in a verse of song, and happily Kelvin was restored to the bosom of his Kennedy Clan.

Well done Kelvin, you were a good sport.

Happy diners at Bunratty Medieval Banquet

 More satisfied souls.

If you are interested in getting more information about the Irish Kennedys, you can look us up on Facebook, or www.irishkennedyheritagegroup.ie   or contact Tom at 0876545646

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Fergus is a medical doctor, born in Waterford, now residing in Canada, who traces his Kennedy roots back to North Tipperary.

Fergus  researched his family history, and being intrigued by the experiences of his father, Don, in World War Two. decided to write a book.  Don Kennedy, was captured and as  a prisoner of war, became a slave labourer on the infamous River Kwai  Railway. The book, detailing the life and times of Don Kennedy, is a most interesting read.

Well done Fergus on  putting it all down on paper.

The post From Ballybunion to River Kwai, by Fergus Kennedy appeared first on Irish Kennedy Heritage Group.

I have always known that I was partially Irish. Certainly not the biggest part. But it has always been the part that seemed to have the strongest pull for me. I had been to Ireland once before, many years ago and I didn’t want to leave. It would have taken very little encouragement for me to pack up and move there. That’s how strong the pull was and is. But at that time, I had no idea where, when or who my ancestors were. This time was completely different.

My mom’s mother was fully Irish and died when my mother was 2. Out of what I believe was deep grief, my grandfather never talked about her and would never allow anyone else to talk about her. While my mother was able to see my grandmother’s half siblings, they were never allowed to talk about her mother because if they did, they would never see my mother again. Over the years, she and I talked about her. But we didn’t even know her name, just Nellie Olson, her married name.  Once my grandfather died, my mom reached out to a cousin, and he was able to begin to fill in some of the blank spaces. She also received a couple of letters from her uncle, her mother’s half-brother. All of which gave us some clues, the biggest one being her name, Ellen E. Kennedy.

Over the last several years Mom and I have been slowly gathering bits and pieces of information from the few items she had, pictures, a couple of old letters, and of course tons of time on all the usual websites looking for clues. This gave us names of people and places, basic details about who Nellie’s family was. Newspaper articles, tiny bits of information from distant family all helped, but nothing that could have prepared me for the feeling that I had the day I went to Gortahumma, the place where my great grandfather Michael Joseph Kennedy is from. Something that would not have happened without Tom Kennedy! I never would have found the townland, much less all the places that we discovered.  Thank you still doesn’t seem like enough, Tom. And a thank you to Dan Ryan, who happened to be walking along the road as we were on this adventure and agreed to come along with us and show us the way to the places he knew about.

It has been several months since that day and I still don’t have a lot of words to adequately describe what it was like that day, other than the phrase from an old John Denver song, “coming home to a place I’ve never been before”. First, it was just plain fun! Even without the connection, it was just fun to explore the places where the pieces of cottages still stand. But the feeling of knowing that these cottages belonged to my ancestors, that I was walking where they spent their day to day lives, was humbling and grounding and still brings tears to my eyes.  Second, I felt like I had finally filled in a missing piece. All the years of wondering, searching and speculating finally had something tangible to anchor to. Third, it was immensely satisfying. I have done a great deal of work on this side of our family tree. It was like history had come to life, my history.

To give you a bit of my family tree and a little context to the pictures Michael Joseph Kennedy was the son of Edward Kennedy and Bridget Crowe. He was one of 8 or 9 children:

Mary Anne (b.1855) who married James Spillane (b. 1845)

Nora (no D.O.B.) who went to Clinton, Iowa and married John Delaney also from Ireland.

Johanna (b. 1859) who also went to Clinton Iowa and married William Dinan – eventually moved to Chicago but went back to Clinton when her health failed and eventually died there.

Dennis (b.1860) – the story goes that he got mad when his father gave the farm to the oldest daughter, Mary, as a dowry. He also went to Clinton Iowa, lived with Nora until he married Ellen Hayes. Eventually he moved his family to Chicago. His grandson wrote that he never spoke of his parents again after he moved. He was murdered in Chicago in 1908 in a fight over the operation of a crane.

Bridget (b. 1862) who married Patrick Murphy

Margaret (b. 1866) who married Richard Burke

Michael (b. 1867) – my great grandfather – he too moved to the US and lived in Chicago. He married Bridget Fitzgerald and they had one daughter, Ellen, my grandmother. Michael died in 1902 by sleepwalking into an air shaft of some sort and falling through a skylight 4 stories.

Edward (b.1869) who died as an infant

Sara (b. 1871) who also died as an infant

The 1911 census had Bridget Kennedy still living at Gortahumma with her daughter Margaret and son-in-law Richard Burke. I have no death records for her or for Edward (possibly Edmund).

It was a trip of a lifetime and I can’t wait to go back.

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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

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Friday July 11^th .(Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh). E45 KA99

From around 6.30pm,  we will gather in the Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh for an informal meet and greet. Then at 7.30pm we will repair to a function room in the hotel, where we will have a few presentations. Prof. Mark Kennedy will give a run down on how to interpret all the information we get in DNA results, and how they can be best used to help make connections that perhaps are not available in written records.

We expect  to have  other speakers also,  yet to be confirmed.

We would love to afford our members an opportunity to address the meeting in a very informal manner.

What we have in mind is that people would make their own bits of family history known to members, and perhaps how they are connected to other members. We tend to spend a lot of time over the weekend doing this on a one to one basis, so we see this as a means of making ourselves known to a wider audience and strengthening connections. A little short written synopsis would be great for my records also.

Saturday July 12^th.

Nenagh Heritage Centre. Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, Bunratty Medieval Banquet.

Nenagh Heritage Centre  E45 X588 ( 10.30am to 12.00 midday)  which houses the Irish Kennedy Heritage Display, doesn’t normally open on Saturdays. However at our request, Ger has kindly agreed to facilitate us on the 12^th July and we will have access to the Centre from 10.30 am for about an hour and a half. If you haven’t seen it already, it’s I think, a must see – if you have already been there, you will most likely spot something new that you may have missed on earlier visits.

Bunratty Medieval Banquet 5.30pm.

We have decided to reserve seats for the 5.30 banquet. This is a taste of Irish Culture – food, drink, music and dance with a little drama thrown in for good measure. This has to be pre-booked and pre paid. We have gone ahead and booked 40 places at the banquet – the cost is €71.50 per person for a group rate. I will need to have exact numbers attending two weeks in advance, by Friday 27^th June at the latest. At present 35 members have confirmed their intention to attend the banquet so if you haven’t already contacted me and you intend to come get in touch with me asap. If there are seats still available, we can book in more than the 40, but only while seats are still available so the sooner I know the better.

There is no need to worry about payment yet, I will be in touch with attendees nearer the time.

Bunratty Castle & Folk Park

As we will be finishing in Nenagh around 12.00 midday, and will be meeting for the banquet in Bunratty at 5.15pm,  members will have ample time to work up an appetite. We recommend a visit to Bunratty  Castle  and Folk Park. We don’t think it’s necessary to organise a group visit, as it is best enjoyed at one’s own leisure.

However,for people attending the banquet, there is a reduced entry fee of around €8 to the Folk Park.

For an idea of what’s in store for you  in Bunratty, click on the following link.

https://g.co/kgs/wm4NuEn

Looking forward to July and meeting lots of Kennedys.

Kind regards,

Tom

The post Irish Kennedys Clan Gathering 2025 appeared first on Irish Kennedy Heritage Group.

At our Committee meeting just before Christmas we discussed some options for Clan Gathering 2025. The following were the results of our deliberations:

The Gathering will, as is now tradition, be held on the second weekend in July.

On Friday 11^th July we will gather in Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh around 6pm for an informal meet, greet and reminisce for our regular attendees and introductions for first time visitors.

Informalities done we will then retire to a meeting room in the hotel ( probably around 8pm) where Prof. Mark Kennedy will bring us up to date on his Irish Kennedy DNA research.

As many of you will know Mark has devoted a great deal of both his time and expertise in establishing connections between many different branches of the North Tipperary / East Limerick Kennedys, and this will be a great opportunity for Mark to bring us all up to speed on his work. Don’t be surprised if by the end of Mark’s presentation you discover you have more cousins than you thought you had before he began.

We are also hopeful that another eminent member of our clan – Professor Liam Kennedy, Queen’s University, Belfast and formerly  of Borrisoleigh  will take us on a  trip through his own Kennedy and Ryan ancestors with reference to the social and political changes that occurred through over 100 years of their family histories. There should be ample time afterwards to get even greater clarity on all topics discussed in the friendly environs of the Abbot’s Bar in the hotel.

I am personally really looking forward to these talks as they will undoubtedly help bring a deeper understanding and knowledge of my own Kennedy ancestry.

Saturday 12^th July

Our proposals for Saturday 12^th are as follows:

Saturday Morning  (at a respectable time)

Nenagh Heritage Centre and Irish Kennedy Display. For those who haven’t see this display previously, it’s a must see on your visit with its collection of copies of treaties hundreds of years old, family histories, photographs, genealogical charts and much more. We are hoping that the staff of the Heritage Centre will once again facilitate us as the Centre is not normally open on a Saturday. There will also, we hope, be a guided tour of the Centre which is the old Nenagh Gaol and has a wealth of history within its walls.

Saturday Afternoon.

Meet up in Bunratty Folk Park, Co. Clare in the afternoon.

Guided tour of Bunratty Castle followed by a leisurely stroll around Bunratty Folk Park.

Bunratty Castle is a 15^th century castle and is the seat of the O Brien Clan descended from Brian Ború, brother of Donnchuan from whom many of our Kennedys are descended.

Bunratty Folk Park stretches to over 25 acres and is basically a recreation of an Irish Village from the 1800’s. You will be able to visit rural farmhouses, village shops and craftsmen at work and much more as you get a taste of life in Ireland in the 19^th/ 20^th centuries.

Mention of taste, we then suggest that we return to the castle for a medieval banquet.

Having attended one of these a few years back I can heartily recommend this feast of food, drink (mead) and entertainment.

There are two important things to consider in our planning of the weekend.

Friday’s events will be free of charge as we just have to cover the rent of the meeting room.

However the tour of Bunratty Castle and Folk Park and the later medieval feast do naturally come at a cost – in the region of €90 for the two combined. The exact figure will depend on the number of us attending – the rate varies depending on the size of the group.

It will therefore be necessary to give them a reasonably accurate number beforehand so I would appreciate if you could notify me of your intended attendance in good time.

I do want to state again that we are in the preliminary stages of planning – there may well be changes as we go along, and there will also be a menu of places of interest that people can explore in their own time.

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