The first post-Covid Clan McGrath International Gathering took place from 8th – 11th August 2024 in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. The theme of the Gathering: ‘Walking with our McGrath ancestors through the evolution of Irish
history’. Our programme was thoughtfully planned and locations selected to help us discover how the McGraths lived through key periods of Irish history. From the early Celtic period to the Viking incursions and the Norman invasion our clan and its diaspora has had a major impact on the Ireland of today and the lands in which we settled. Through our gathering we looked forward to building our connections and friendships and welcoming our guest to Ireland, there ancestral home. (Slideshow images can be viewed below)

Day 1 – Thursday 8th August 2024

Following registration and the opening ceremony we visited the Wexford Heritage Centre and travelled through early Celtic Ireland to discover what life was like for these early inhabitants, how they lived, worked, fought and what they believed in. We explored early Irish Christianity and the invasion of the Vikings, followed by the Normans which faced the great Irish clans we know today. With our walk with the ancestors, we learn the foundations of the clans and how they formed Irish Society. (Slideshow images can be viewed below).

The next part of the programme was a visit to the Dunbrody Famine Ship. The Irish Famine, the most fundamental historical event to impact our ancestors and the reason why many were driven from Ireland to explore new lives in distant lands. Here we boarded an Irish famine ship (coffin ship). We heard eyewitness testimony of life and conditions onboard, how people afforded their fare, their expectations of where they were going, their opinions of the Ireland they were leaving. This was and emotional visit for all. (Slideshow images can be viewed below).

Our final visit on Day 1 was to learn the story of one of those immigrant families, the Kennedy’s with a visit to the family homestead. The Kennedys, a family who took the opportunities presented to them, rose to the highest
offices of state in their new homeland. Famous around the world for their Irish heritage, we explored their humble beginnings, how they lived and what influenced their decision to make the journey that ultimately led to their descendant, John F Kennedy becoming President. (Slideshow images can be viewed below).

Rounding of the Day 1 we enjoyed social time together withe Ceol agus Craic, fun and music in Dungarvan. (Slideshow images can be viewed below).

Day 2 – Friday 9th August 2024

The day started with a visit to the Rock of Cashel, also known as Cashel of the Kings, one of the most prominent seats of power in ancient Ireland. Set on a dramatic outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale, the Rock of Cashel, iconic in its historic significance, possesses the most significant collection of medieval buildings in Ireland.
Here sat one of the most famous of all the McGraths, Miler. We delved into Miler’s early years in Ulster, his transition from the son of a Chieftain to a Bishop of the Catholic Church and later an Archbishop of the Anglican Church, his influence of a Tudor Queen and move to Cashel with 200 armed kinsman from Ulster. We explored his reputation as a great swordsman and his reputation as the most handsome man in Ireland. Miler’s story links us to the Butlers of Cahir who engaged with Miler, and the Desmond Rebellion in Munster (confederate wars) which, as we learned from our second visit of the day, had a huge effect on the fortunes of the Clan McGrath. (Slideshow images can be viewed below).

Next on our programme was the home of the Butler family of Cahir. The Butlers or Earls of Ormonde were a prominent Anglo-Irish family. Cahir castle had a change of ownership during the Irish Confederate wars, showing us the turmoil society faced in the time of the McGraths in Waterford. Here we saw how the elites of society lived in comparison to those outside their walls and learn of intrigues, plots the games of thrones the elite played in Irish society. (Slideshow images can be viewed below).

Rounding off Day 2 we took the scenic route back to Dungarvan, travelling the old road from Clonmel, familiar to our McGraths ancestors. It is also the road that after the siege at Sleady Castle. Green and his bandits disposed of the bodies of the soldiers they slew into the river, the bodies were not found for 12 months. The Irish countryside has provided protection and cover
for Irish rebels for centuries. The knowledge of the countryside of the Nire Valley allowed the rebels to stay one step ahead of the enemy.

Finally to end Day 2, we enjoyed a social evening with music, chat and laughter and many took the opportunity to explore Dungarvan.

Day 3 – Saturday 10th August 2024

We started the day with a trip to Dromana, once the seat of the Lord of the Decies the Fitzgeralds, relations of the Earl of Desmond (Irish Confederate Wars). Katherine FitzGerald married Colonel Villers, thus the House came to the ownership of the English Villers-Stuart family. The Villers Stuarts are
famously remembered for radical views, and a famous election in 1826 with Daniel O Connell, although Henry Villers, a protestant, stood in support for Catholic Emancipation. During the Irish Confederate wars the Lords of the Decies were allied with the McGraths, Lady McGrath’s sister married into the Fitzgeralds of Dromana. We were welcomed warmly by the current owners and we followed a guided history of the house and the McGrath role in it. (Slideshow images can be viewed below).

The next part of this beautiful sun filled day was spent at Lismore. This quaint little town with bakeries and cafes, is the seat of the Duke of Devonshire in Ireland. Steeped in Irish history it is a good representation of the changes during the Tudor reign in Ireland. The McGrath Tomb is the burial place of John McGrath, the likely Chief of the McGrath Clan in Thomond, and his wife Catherine Prendergast is located in St. Carthage’s Cathedral and is dated 1486, the tomb features some of the best late medieval carved stonework anywhere in Ireland. (Slideshow images can viewed below).

A departure from our programme was a visit to Ballyduff Towers The magical towers provide a fairy tale setting which does not reflect the sad period in Irish history where extravagance and starvation lived side by side. The Towers were built in 1850 by Arthur Kiely-Ussher for his wife. The extravagant gates were the only part of the castle to be built as money ran out soon after their completion. He held an estate of approximately
8000 acres, the majority of which was rented to tenant farmers, but he retained approximately 1000 acres for himself. It’s was a place to take time out and appreciate. (Slideshow images can be viewed below).

As we moved towards the end of the day, we took time to pay a tribute to Dan McGrath, the late Ceann Fine / Chieftain of Thomond, who was so instrumental in re-establishing Clan Gatherings in Dungarvan. The Gathering participants visited Dan’s grave and were accompanied by Dan’s brother John for a short memorial and laying of flowers. (Slideshow images can be viewed below).

Our final event of Day 3 was the pinnacle of our tour programme and the gathering participants experience something that had never been done before. Not only did we have the freedom to explore the ancestral home of the McGrath family, it was the location of a key social event in the programme. Within the shadow of Sleady Castle a BBQ was hosted, live music echoed from the gables of the castle as we celebrated our 2024 Gathering. Here we unveiled a plaque to mark Sleady Castle as a national
Clans of Ireland Historical Sit and launched the Clan McGrath Society’s built heritage project Sleady 400. (Slideshow images can be viewed below).

Day 4 – Sunday 11th August 2025

On our final day we began by visiting the ancient Church of St. Benedict’s Abbeyside. The Clan McGrath were patrons of the medieval Abbey and we visited the McGrath dated 1400 and learnt about the major restoration work being undertaken by the parish. It was also an opportunity to attend Mass for those that wanted to take time to reflect in this ancient monastic site with such connections with the Clan McGrath.

Next on our programme was a visit to Curraghmore Estate the seat of the current Lord Waterford and the historic seat of the de le Paor family, one of the most powerful families in county Waterford, Mary de le Paor famously told Philip McGrath before she married him “Her fathers stables would be more befitting a lady”. We saw Lady McGraths roots and explored the famous Curraghmore gardens and sampled the tea and scones in their newly opened tearooms.

Waterford is Irelands oldest city its port was founded by the Vikings in the 914 AD. A visit to this ancient town brough our tour full circle, as we leant on day one in Wexford where the Normans (descendants of the Vikings) landed, they quickly marched to Waterford and their leader Richard de Clare
(Strongbow) married Aoife MacMurrough in Waterford cathedral. Hence a new alliance and hierarchy was established in Ireland. The invasion of the Normans subsequently leading to conquest of Ireland by England.

Our final event of the Clan McGrath International Gathering 2024 was our Gala Banquet. Joining in celebration and culminating in the inauguration of the newly reconstituted Clan McGrath Society / Cumann Chlann Mhic Craith
Accompanied by our Piper, the evening was hosted by our newly inaugurated Taoiseach (Chief) Scott McGraw who oversaw the McGrath banner pass from Thomond to the Clan McGrath of Ulster who will host the next gathering in 2026. (Video of the parade of the Clan to the gala dinner and slideshow of images available below)