2023 Gathering (No 67)

Chieftains After Action Report

Having served as Tainaste throughout the two years of COVID quarantine, I had plenty of time to plan the amphibious O'Malley Gathering of 2023.

We started in Westport with the Chieftain's reception at Westport House. Author Anne Chambers gave a great talk about Grace O'Malley's life and times and concluded her remarks by reciting a poem which called upon the O'Malleys to rekindle the spirit again, "round the tomb of Granuaille" — which we would be doing soon enough. But after the reception, we walked into town for an awesome concert by Irish contemporary composer Shaun Davey and family. The concert was held in Holy Trinity Church of Ireland in town complete with lighting to accentuate the marvelous stone work. Crowd pleaser of the evening was "Ripples in the Rock Pools," from the "Grace O'Malley Suite." The "after" was back at the hotel bar where a proper sing-song was had. And it was here that Katie O'Malley and I learned for the first time that our boy, Jack, could actually sing! "Paddy on The Railway" became his signature party piece from that evening forward.

The next morning commenced the largest amphibious operation of the O'Malley Clan in modern times as the 300 of us headed by bus and other transports to Roonagh Quay for the ferry ride over to Clare Island, the home and final resting place of Grace O'Malley.

People arrived boat by boat. And split off in various directions to explore the island or take a guided tour by Sandy Dunlop — First Gentleman of the Guardian Chieftain, Ellen O'Malley Dunlop — who took a number of logistical duties that day including cab driver and cab purveyor. Former Chieftain Cormac O'Malley put on a great exhibition of his mother, Hellen Hooker O'Malley's iconic old black white photos of Clare Island in 1930's — many bid on the works of art to take home. A local O'Malley farmer and his sheep dog put on a great exhibition for all to see on the pitch. Unlike the O'Malley's themselves, the dog obeyed every command. And the sheep did as the dog told them.

We all gathered up the hill at O'Grady's Inn and Restaurant for the afternoon of music and barbecue. Carl O'Grady put up a big tent to cover the parking lot against the forecast of a sketchy piece of windy weather. There were times when it felt as if the whole thing would be taken up in the air but the show went on. Niall McCabe opened, followed by Patricia Treacy who like the Sailing Queen herself played on through howling wind and rain. As the less hearty fled the island early, the islanders knew their weather. And by the time my band, O'Malley's March, took the stage, the tent had filled up with the newly arrived natives. The winds died away. The skies parted. The sun shone bright. And the flaps of the tent were rolled up for the magnificent view across Clew Bay.

It was all about the music - Martin leading O'Malley's March and friends

Click on the image above for a video of the 2023 Gathering

As the longest awaited awaited chieftain in modern Clan history, I had plenty of time to put together the set. And this is what we played and the keys in which we played them. The band never sounded tighter or better:

O'Malleys March Clare Island Set

• Wait for Me G                
• Body of An American D
• Man of the House, reels Em, etc       
• Farewell Clonbur D
• Native People Em                              
• Streets of Baltimore Eb
• Jared Pipe Thing Eb                          
• Granuaile E
• Oro Em,                                               
• Whiskey in Jar, Thin Lizzy version D
• Polkas, Em, G, A                                  
• Kelly the Boy from Killanne D
• West's Awake G                                  
• Ring of Fire Bb

To wrap up the evening, Leo Moran and the Saw Doctors took the stage and put on the show of shows with people singing every word of most every song, including "Will You Meet Me on Clare Island." Leo and the guys had come all the way from the Glastonbury Folk Festival and traveled the width of Ireland to be there for us. Prince of a man. I was so grateful. For the encore, he brought all of the musicians of the afternoon on stage to play together, what else, "The Green and Red of Mayo" — and he gave your humble Chieftain the high honor of singing the words.

The party continued.

The next morning we all made it up to the Abbey on the hill where Grace O'Malley's tomb lies beside the altar. We chieftains attending processed in behind the piper and flag bearers. A harp provided the music for the Mass. The Chieftains past stood in semicircle behind the altar. And the Clan was together in peace and God's protection in that holy place once again.

Lunch at the community center on Clare Island concluded with the installation of Nano as the new Chieftain. We all sang "Óró sé do bheatha abhaile" and said our goodbyes.

Best weekend ever.

"There's an old man at the airport, 

Back across those years so long.

He's kept his grandpa's promise —

His kids still sing the songs.

Before he bids farewell to Ireland

And flies home across the sea,

He can hear his own heart saying,

Wait for me…."