Clare Island comes to Chicago / 4-hour event at Gaelic Park
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.
To bring the Chicago Clare Island and Clew Bay diaspora together in Chicago to connect back to their origins and to each other through an exciting exhibition of our joint past using story, visual, music and whiskey.
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
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
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
The Clare Island Gathering: Celebrate your Clan… costumes, flags, banners, photos, posters and signage! Decorate your table and let us know who you are!
- The event will have open seating arrangement
- Each guest will receive:
- Lunch as per below / Let us know of any dietary requirement
- Takeaway Clare Island in Co Mayo booklet with stories, poems and songs
Afternoon Tea
Finger Sandwich Selection: Cucumber & Tomato on Cocktail Rye Seafood Salad on a Brioche Bun Egg Salad on White Bread Open-Faced Chicken Salad on a Croissant Chef’s Choice of Seasonal Pastries / English Scones &; Mini Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffins Accompanied by Preserves / Served with an Assortment of Teas
Friday 8th November 2024.
Pre-event at Industry Ales Brew Pub Chicago https://www.industryales.com / 230 S. WABASH, CHICAGO, IL 60604 (312) 496-3624
Proprietor: Dan Rook. Dan is the 4th Great Grandson of a Clare Island to Chicago emigrant in 1892.
Pre-event get together for drinks, music and a whiskey tasting. 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 whiskey tasting of Clare Island Single Malt, Barrel Aged at Sea against Connacht Distillery, Single Malt, the source spirits for the Clare Island Whiskey until we begin our own production. Local traditional entertainment will be provided on the night. 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”.
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.