Clare Island Comes to Chicago!
Throughout the years many visitors to Clare Island have come from Chicago with similar stories of their heritage, but to the surprise of the local islanders, many of these visitors did not know each other. How curious that people crossed the Atlantic Ocean to find their relatives and did not know others living close to home. Now is the time to find your relations or fellow island connections, living nearby, or throughout the US. We hope and expect participation from near and far connecting back to Clare Island and Clew Bay in celebration of their ancestors of emigration.
Come and learn about your ancestral home! Meet friends and relatives who share your common heritage. Learn more about Clare Island and its rich history and exciting future!
We have two exciting events planned for November 8 and 9 in the greater Chicago area.
Friday, November 8: 6:00 pm to ???
Industry Ales Brew Pub Chicago
- Pre-event get together for drinks, music and a whiskey tasting
- 230 S. WABASH, CHICAGO, IL 60604
- Tel: (312) 496-3624
- Proprietor: Dan Rook –
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Dan is the 4th Great Grandson of Austin O’Grady (1841-1916) and Winifred O’Malley(1828-1909) who emigrated from Clare Island to Chicago in 1892 (Visitation Parish) and James Murray (1833-?) and Margaret Coghill (1828-1908).
No charge / registration only for numbers – This gathering will be very informal and a chance to mingle and meet others with ancestral ties to Clare Island. Carl O’Grady will make a short presentation on the process of maturation and of the Dolphin, the old ferry boat from 1968, which now acts as our maturation warehouse. We will enjoy a tasting of Clare Island Single Malt Spirit Drink against Connacht Distillery, Single Malt Whiskey, the source spirits for the Clare Island Whiskey brand until we begin our own production.
www.clareislandwhiskey.ie for more details!
Local traditional entertainment will be provided on the night. Niall McCabe, singer/songwriter from Clare Island will give an update on his career and hopes for the future and possibly one of his own songs.This is an adult-only venue (21+ years of age) and dinner, and drinks will be available from the Industrial Ales menu. Please join us for a fun, relaxed gathering of Irish music, storytelling and good old-fashioned Irish “craic”.
Saturday Nov 9: Noon to 4:00
Chicago Gaelic Park https://chicagogaelicpark.com
- A Celebration of Clare Islands heritage and diaspora
- 6119 W. 147th Street, Oak Forest, IL 60452 (708) 687-9823
- Chicago Gaelic Park is an indoor venue we have reserved to explore and celebrate our ancestral heritage, meet other clans and families with ancestral connections to Clare Island and learn about the island history and plans.
- Plans are for a primarily adult gathering with whiskey tasting, music, presentation and good conversation.
- Cover charge and afternoon Tea: €45 per person. Participants will receive a special Event Clare Island booklet with stories, poems and songs.
We have attached a draft schedule of events for our 4-hour gathering. Once you book, you will receive, via email, a copy of the registration form that we ask each family or Clan to complete and return. Please be prepared to answer as many of the questions on the registration form as you can along with giving an estimate of the number of attendees from your family or Clan. For purposes of this event, we are asking that multiple family units who are descendants of an emigrant from Clare Island select a “Chieftain” who can represent the “Clan” and register as a Clan. By grouping families together in Clans this way, we can be much more efficient in presenting a few facts about each Clan. We noted above that Dan Rook of Industrial Ales is the 4th generation from Austin O’Grady. By grouping all of Austin’s descendants into a Clan we will have time to cover some highlights of their history, rather than trying to say something about the 100+ individual families who are descendants of Austin. Obviously, if a single family wishes to represent their Clan’s history we will welcome that as well. Finally, we welcome anyone that would like to join us even if you do not have an ancestral connection to Clare Island. Join us and learn about our fascinating island!
The Clare Island Gathering: Celebrate your Clan… costumes, flags banners, posters and signage! Decorate your table and let us know who you are!
Noon: Arrival and afternoon Tea (light lunch)
Upon arrival we will have a selection of finger sandwiches and tea in the tradition of an Irish mid-day meal. Please enjoy these refreshments as you get settled, find your Clan and begin to mingle with other descendants of Clare Island.
1:00 – 2:00 Carl O’Grady opens the event
Carl and Chieftain review of Clans in attendance
Our shared history of emigration / community building
The Irish Clan System and its demise / The great famine / Grace O’Malley /
Current life and times / population trends / farming & fishing trends
2:00 – 3:00 Introduction to Niall McCabe singer/songwriter / songs and story
3:00 – 3:30 Clare Island Whiskey Brand
Clare Island Whiskey journey / helping to build a sustainable future for Clare Island
3.30 - 4:00 Event opens to participants to mingle once again and build connections
4.00 Gathering ends…drive home safely
Option to purchase following event
- Clare Island Single Malt, Barrel Aged at Sea, 3rd Release
- Clare Island Single Malt, Barrel Aged at Sea, 3rd Release – Tasting Packs
- Clare Island Single Malt, Barrel Aged at Sea, 3rd Release – Glasses
- Clare Island Whiskey Jumpers / t-shirts Clare Island, A Treasure of Memories by Christopher O'Grady
- Clare Island, A Treasure of Memories, book by Chris O’Grady
Clare Island Comes to Chicago!
Registration Form
Ancestorial Family Name or Names:
Nominated Clan Chieftain Name (Representative):
Your Name:
Phone:
Email:
Clan attendees*
Note – Cover charge is covering cost of room rental and lunch.
Original Emigrant(s) From Clare Island/Clew Bay (please complete as many details as are known). You may provide up to four couples who emigrated. Please limit to direct family (Father/Mother/ Grandparents etc.) Do not list uncles/aunts etc.
Full Name: Full Name of Spouse:
DOB: DODeparture: DOB: DODeparture:
Approx. Date of Emigration: Approx. Date of Emigration:
US Destination City: US Destination City:
Full Name: Full Name of Spouse:
DOB: DODeparture: DOB: DODeparture:
Approx. Date of Emigration Approx. Date of Emigration
US Destination City US Destination City
Full Name: Full Name of Spouse:
DOB: DODeparture: DOB: DODeparture:
Approx. Date of Emigration Approx. Date of Emigration
US Destination City US Destination City
Full Name: Full Name of Spouse:
DOB: DODeparture: DOB: DODeparture:
Approx. Date of Emigration Approx. Date of Emigration
US Destination City US Destination City
Brief Description of Heritage/Clan/Family History - We are descendants of two couples from Clare Island, Austin O’Grady & Winifred O’Malley and James Murray and Margaret Coghill. Our family settled in Chicago’s Visitation Parish. Thomas Murray (son of James) married Mary Grady (daughter of Austin), therefore we are related to Carl O’Grady and his father Chris and their families in two ways. We are 2nd cousins to Chris through the Murray connection and 2nd cousins once removed through the Grady connection. Thomas Murray and Mary Grady’s daughter Catherine married William Rook and lived at 5520 Carpenter Street in Chicago. William passed away at the age of 38 leaving Catherine and her 8 children (aged 3 to 13). PJ O’Grady (Mary’s brother) was very instrumental in their very survival. In September 2017 we had the wonderful opportunity to visit Clare Island and Chris O’Grady’s older brother, Jackie, in Clifden. We have a wonderful picture of Joe Rook (Catherine’s youngest) and Jackie (now deceased) holding uncle PJ O’Grady’s pocket watch which was handed down to Jackie by his father, John, Austin’s brother. This picture and experience was a tangible connection to our past and to Clare Island
Picture/Document Upload: Please use the following link to upload pictures, family tree charts or other documents of interest. Make sure documents are named with family names and details. Sign and date the Authorization of Use below allowing Clare Island Whiskey to use any or all these documents for this event and on its website. We plan to use select submissions from this application in the booklet included in the Cover Charge. https:loaddocs.com
I hereby authorize ….. Signed and dated:
Clare Island is Coming to Chicago Gaelic Park November 8-9
