The ancestral village of Menlough, East Galway, will once again become the focal point for the global Mannion diaspora when it hosts the Thirteenth Annual International Mannion Clan Gathering from Friday, 14 August to Sunday, 16 August 2026. Coinciding with the opening of National Heritage Week, the three-day celebration promises a rich programme of history, culture, genealogy and traditional Irish heritage.
Festivities begin on Friday evening at 7.00 pm in Thompson’s Pub, Menlough, with registration and a welcoming reception, offering visitors from Ireland and overseas an opportunity to meet fellow clansfolk. The official opening will be performed by Galway County Heritage Officer Marie Mannion, who will extend a welcome on behalf of Galway County Council.
The opening evening also features an illustrated presentation on the history and heritage of the Mannion Clan by clan historian Dr Joe Mannion, tracing the story of the Ó Mainnín family through the centuries. The programme concludes with a performance of traditional Irish sean-nós dancing by champion dancer Meadhbh Ní Chualáin.
Saturday’s events centre on a guided tour of the Mannion Clan Historical Trail, led by Dr Joe Mannion. Participants will gather at Frank Mannion’s Lounge Bar in Abbeyknockmoy before travelling to a number of sites closely associated with the clan’s remarkable past.
Among the locations visited will be Killaclogher, Clooncurreen and the site of Menlough Castle, together with the ancient ceremonial mound at Ramore in Mullaghmore West. It was here, in May 1584, that a landmark agreement between the two principal branches of the Mannion Clan was drafted under Brehon Law by a Mac Egan lawyer. The tour will also include Ballymannion, a sub-townland central to the historic Ó Mainnín legal deed.
Abbey visit
Following refreshments in Menlough, the group will visit Kilconnell Abbey, where John, son of Malachy, the last recorded Chief of the Name of the Mannion Clan, was buried in 1648 alongside two of his kinsmen from the clan’s traditional stronghold of Mionlach Uí Mhainnín. The final stop will be at the battlefield of Finnure, near Loughrea, where the reigning Ó Mainnín king of Soghan was killed in AD 1135 during a fierce conflict between the O’Connors of Connacht and the O’Kellys of Hy Many. Local historian Paul O’Donnell will provide an historical account of the battle.
Saturday evening returns to Thompson’s Lounge Bar, where Jim Hollarn, the clan’s genetic genealogist from San Diego, California, will present the latest developments in the Mannion Surname DNA Project. This will be followed by a family history and genealogy session with Noel Murphy and Peadar Ó Mainín of the Rosmuc Area Genealogy and DNA Group.
The gathering concludes on Sunday with a full programme in Menlough, including a Clan Mass celebrated by Fr Colm Mannion OP, a piper-led international clan parade and an engaging presentation on medieval and early modern Irish clothing and weaponry by Proinsias Mag Fhionnghaile, chieftain and historian of the McGinley Clan.
The weekend will finish with the annual Mannion Clan barbecue overlooking the site of the former Ó Mainnín chieftains’ castle, followed by a traditional Irish music session featuring Fr Colm Mannion, Alan Mannion and friends. Contributions from gathering participants will add a fitting finale to the celebrations.
Visitors are expected from across Ireland as well as from the United States, Canada, England and Latvia, reflecting the worldwide reach of the Mannion family. While the gathering celebrates the history of the Mannion Clan, attendance is open to everyone with an interest in Irish heritage, local history or genealogy. Further information is available by emailing [email protected].
