9th O'Dubhda Clan Gathering at Enniscrone
(11th - 14th October 2012)
The 2012 O’Dubhda clan gathering kicked off with a tour to Rathcroghan in Co Roscommon to view the grave of King Daithi and visit the Heritage Centre, Owen na gCat souterrain and Strokestown Famine Museum.
Websites are at Rathcroghan.ie and StrokestownPark.ie
There was another tour to Castlebar, centre of the short-lived Republic of Connacht in 1798, which also visited the Museum of Country Life at Turlough House and Mayo North Heritage Centre at Enniscoe, as well as the ancient O’Dubhda Castle at Castletown (aka Cottlestown)
Websites are at Museum.ie and Enniscoe.com
Frank Tivan delivered a talk on ancient historical connections.
The Council of Chieftains meeting was followed by an open Grand Council and Election of Tanaiste (successor to O’Dubhda):
Andrew Dowds was chosen
The Inauguration of Brendan O’Dowd as Taoiseach to succeed the previous incumbent Mike Dowd (Micheal O’Dubhda) was held in the Church at Enniscrone.
The evening Inaugural Banquet was entertained by prize-winning Irish traditional musicians from Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann. An address by Martin Timoney explained the decision to temporarily remove the 1931 monument to the MacFirbis historian of the clan (it was replaced in May 2015 by a new memorial)
A final tour undertaken to view sites associated with the clan history via Ardnaree to Moyne, Killala and Foghill visited the memorial of St Patrick near Kilcummin, site of the French landing in 1798, and Beleek Castle Hotel to conclude the event.