A DREAM COMES TRUE: TIPPERARY 2019.
Sometimes dreams really do come true and for me that’s exactly what happened. For years, I had “dreamed” of attending the annual Kennedy clan gathering in North Tipperary. I had tried figuring out how I would manage it on my own but had pretty much concluded it wasn’t going to work. Age has its challenges and traveling alone in a foreign country is difficult at best! But age also brings surprises and thus on my 80th birthday my DREAM to attend the IRISH KENNEDY HERITAGE GROUP ANNUAL GATHERING became a possibility. A gift…to end all gifts, from my children. Wow… I was on my way.
Early on July 5, my oldest son and I boarded a Delta plane headed for Shannon and eventually the village of Silvermines, Tipperary. My dream was beginning to come true. Saturday, Jim and I found our way to Toomevara and a visit with Patrick and Phyll Kennedy. Through DNA research we had connected months before. I almost had to pinch myself to believe I was sitting having tea with them. Sunday was the first day of the Kennedy Heritage Group event. The group traveled from Rody’s bar in Rearcross to nearby farms and on to Glencullloo and then to Killoscully and finally Toor before returning to Rearcross. Jim and I lost our way initially but caught up with the group at Killoscully and enjoyed the absolutely fabulous celebration in memory of Dr. Henry Kennedy at Toor.
There is so much to be said about all of this but as I recall this day, it is the brilliance of the tiny villages ablaze with flowers and tidy streets that comes back to me. The event in Toor included lovely Irish music on the street provided by a group of young local musicians.
The evening at Chief Rody’s pub was amazing. I am sure there were close to 100 of us, visiting, sharing a Guinness or just taking it all in. Brian Kennedy’s latest book, “The Dispersal of the Irish Kennedys” was introduced, Mark Kennedy gave an update on his DNA research of the Irish Kennedys and of course there was music and Irish dancing. Returning to our lovely little B&B in Silvermines, I was filled with absolute delight. Such wonderful, grand people these Kennedys are!!!
The following Tuesday was the second day of celebration with the Kennedys. We gathered at the Nenagh Heritage Centre and spent several hours viewing the Irish Kennedy Heritage Display. A number of Kennedys (including myself) had provided pictures and stories of their Kennedy heritage and our dear Phyll Kennedy did a marvelous job developing the display area. To say that we were all very proud is putting it mildly. We also enjoyed a tour of the Heritage Centre historic period rooms and then we moved on to tour the beautiful Nenagh Castle. Jim and I took time later to visit with a recently acquired (DNA find) Tipperary Meagher cousin who just happens to be married to a Kennedy and Maureen believes our relationship is probably more Ryan than Meagher! So it goes in North Tipperary.
The Grand Finale of the IRISH KENNEDY HERITAGE GROUP’S celebration was July 12. About 20 Kennedy cousins boarded a tour bus at Chief Rody’s pub in Rearcross and headed for New Ross and the Kennedy (JFK) Homestead. It was a grand group with many conversations going forward and backwards, to and fro as we traveled the roads of Tipperary, Limerick and Wexford counties. Is there anything more beautiful in this world than the fields and lanes of Ireland?
Enroute to New Ross we stopped and enjoyed light refreshments and tea and then journeyed on to New Ross. Patrick Grennan, a Kennedy family descendant, greeted us and gave us a charming and enlightening tour of the home and farm. AND…provided tea and cookies for us as we finished our tour. The remaining time allowed for a visit to the famine ship in the New Ross harbor. About 5:30 we boarded our bus once more and arrived at a lovely hotel high on a hill, Brandon House, where a large table was set waiting our arrival. Talk about SPECIAL! Wow, everything was splendid.
It was nearing dusk as we headed back to Rearcross and our group was quieted having been well fed and very well informed all the day long. These Kennedys keep going though and thus as we arrived in Tipperary town, Chief Rody announced we were going to have one more little stop at the Kickham pub just up the street. The absolute treat of the evening was having our bus driver, Sean Ryan, arrive at the pub with his accordion. Sean entertained us for about an hour and of course more than a few voices joined in the lilting Irish melodies. Could there possibly have been a more grand ending to just a magical three days with our Irish Kennedys?
So you see, DREAMS do come true…mine certainly did. And now the good news is that I will carry all these special people, places, green green fields and yes ancient cemeteries in my dreams forever.
By Sarann Ryan Slattery on her visit to Kennedy Clan Gathering 2019.
