This year marks the 10th anniversary of the very first Kennedy Clan tour
The Gathering has gone from strength to strength in the intervening years, even surviving the Covid outbreak by arranging a very successful virtual gathering in 2020. This year sees a whole new and exciting development, as our 2026 gathering assumes a French twist.
A French TV producer is coming to Ireland for the weekend of 10th to 12th July, or more specifically coming to Nenagh to make a T.V documentary based around the Kennedy Clan Gathering. The documentary will be broadcast on the French T.V station, Channel M 6. The producer, Alyssa Makni, has a 9pm slot on Sunday evenings and has a regular viewership of over 2 million people.
If you are a Kennedy or if you have any Kennedy connection, then you are more than welcome to join us at any stage over the weekend.
Events kick off at 3pm Friday 10th in the grounds of Nenagh Castle where Kevin will talk to us on the history of the castle. From there we cross the road to The Heritage Centre. Committee member Pat Kennedy will highlight some of the historical records on display, while visitors will have time to peruse the many photographs, old maps, family histories and scrolls at their leisure. Local guide, Ger will also recount the history of the gaol and facilitate tours of the old gaol.
Next stop is the Abbey Court at 7.30pm for a series of free presentations and talks on various aspects of Kennedy history. The focus will be on audience participation, with information and casual interaction in equal measure over a cup of tea. With Kennedys coming from Australia, New Zealand Switzerland, U.K and U.S.A. as well as from many parts of Ireland, plenty of chat, tracing and reminiscing seems assured, both in The Garden Room and the Abbot’s Bar.
Saturday morning will see the group leave Nenagh by coach for a day trip to the J.FK Homestead in Dunganstown, Co. Wexford and onto New Ross for a tour of The Dunbrody, a recreation of an 1840’s famine ship.
Sunday promises to be more restful. Kilkeary graveyard will be the venue at 4pm where Mattie Ryan will talk about the families who were dispossessed from Lower Ormond to the higher slopes of Curreeney and their return journey to Kilkeary to their final resting places.
And then to round off the weekend in a fitting style, we will repair to Kennedys Pub, Killeen. This pub, in Kennedy ownership for over 150 years promises to provide a lovely mixture of Irish hospitality, Irish Music , Irish culture (maybe a game of 45) and genial company to our international visitors, our French TV crew and all our Irish Kennedys.
Feel free to join us at any stage and for more information you can contact Tom at 0876545646.
