Family Diaspora flocks to Galway again for twelfth annual Mannion Clan Gathering

It’s the twelfth annual Mannion Clan Gathering, focusing on the exploration of the origins, history and heritage of the ancient Ó Mainnín or Mannion Clan of East Galway.

All are welcome – Mannions or not – to this special Heritage Week event on Saturday, August 16, and is being arranged to offer the general public an opportunity to explore the decade-old Mannion Clan Historical Trail.

It will also highlight the work that is currently being undertaken as part of an initiative to develop a bilingual StoryMap dealing with the history of the Ó Mainnín Clan in medieval and early modern times.

The project is being funded by a grant from The Heritage Council under the Community Heritage Grant Scheme 2025 of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

This digital heritage initiative involves the production of bilingual videos and podcasts relating to the historical, archaeological and cultural heritage of the Mannion Clan, to be added to Phase 1 of the StoryMap project begun in 2024, which can be viewed via: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/.../23936012b4594ee19bf993e6...

This coincides with the second day of the three-day 2025 Mannion Clan Gathering on the weekend after next - Friday to Sunday, August 15 to 17 – with a guided tour of the Mannion Clan Historical Trail, beginning in the car park of Frank Mannion's Lounge Bar, Abbeyknockmoy at 10.30am.

Killaclogher, Clooncurreen and Menlough castle sites will be visited during the tour, as will Ramore ceremonial mound in Mullaghmore West in the parish of Moylough.

It was at this ancient assembly site that a Brehon law agreement was drafted by a Mac Egan lawyer for two leading branches of the Mannion Clan in May 1584.

Ballymannion, a sub-townland that formed a central part of the Ó Mainnín Brehon law deed, will then be visited.

After a break for refreshments in nearby Menlough, the tour group will head for Kilconnell Abbey, where the last recorded Chief of the Name of the Mannion Clan – John son of Malachy – was buried in a tomb dated 1648, with two of his kinsmen from their traditional stronghold of Mionlach Uí Mhainnín, now Menlough village.

The final stop on the tour will be at the site of the battle of Finnure to the northeast of Loughrea, where in AD 1135 the reigning Ó Mainnín king of Soghan was slain in a violent confrontation between the forces of the O’Connors of Connacht and the O’Kellys of Hy Many. The tour group will then return to Abbeyknockmoy, arriving back about 5.30pm.

The second event of the day will take place in Thompson's Lounge Bar, Menlough from 8pm to 10pm, and will feature the introduction and screening of Phase 2 of the StoryMap titled ‘The Mannion Clan Historical Trail’ / ‘Conair Stairiúla Chlann Uí Mhainnín’.

This will be followed by a number of illustrated presentations outlining the foundational roots and various branches of the Mannion Clan in East and West Galway, utilising a broad spectrum of DNA test results.

This twelfth Annual International Gathering of the Mannion Clan will kick off on the Friday evening, August 15, at 7pm in Thompson's Pub, with an Irish music session by popular trad group Blasta, featuring brothers Enda and Pat Mannion, and Ronan Regan.

This will be followed by the official opening of the 2025 Mannion Clan Gathering by Galway County Heritage Officer, Marie Mannion, with local County Councillor, Michael Connolly, welcoming the attendees to their ancestral homelands.

An illustrated talk on the history and heritage of the Mannion Clan will then be delivered by Clan historian, Dr Joe Mannion.

The evening will conclude with a top-class demonstration of traditional Irish and sean-nós dancing by champion dancer, Meadhbh Ni Chualáin.

On Sunday week, August 17, the Ó Mainnín ancestral village of Menlough will play host to a variety of exciting events, including a Clan Mass celebrated by Fr Colm Mannion OP, a piper-led international Clan parade, and a BBQ overlooking the Mannion chieftain’s castle site.

This will be followed by a Gaelic medieval arms and armour demonstration by Dave Swift of Claoímh re-enactment group, a traditional Irish music session featuring Fr Colm Mannion, Alan Mannion, and Enda Fahy, and the 2025 Clan Gathering farewell and closing ceremony.

Attendance is not limited to members of the Mannion Clan, however, and all are welcome! For further information, email [email protected].

Pictured: Attendees pictured at the Ó Mainnín chieftain’s tomb in Kilconnell Abbey are some attendees during the 2024 Mannion Clan Gathering.