It's now April 2011 and in just over 450 days the Clan Gathering will begin again in Newmarket, County Cork, Ireland. What do the McAuliffes want from next years gathering? Will it be just another opportunity to travel to Ireland to enjoy its famed hospitality and scenic beauty, to then go home and put it aside for another four years? Or will this be the time to consider whether people want more from their clan? Between now and the start of the gathering there will be ideas put forward about the future of the clan and what it means to people. I hope that everyone visiting The MacAuliffe Site will take the opportunities provided to take part in discussion and have their say. The discussion forums on this site have been quiet for some months now but I expect them to get busier as we get closer to the 2012 gathering. There is no doubt that the four-yearly Gathering or Rally is an important event for those who are able to attend. We don't hear much from those who are not able to attend the Gathering in Ireland. Do they want nothing from their clan? Is there no other expectation than that there will be opportunity made for people to visit Ireland and meet with other McAuliffes every four years?

I don't believe that people have no interest in other things from a clan. Providing services, however, requires a clan organisation and unlike most other Irish clans we McAuliffes do not have a formal clan organisation. If it were not for the work of a dedicated band of people in County Cork who arrange and manage a clan gathering every four years we would have no clan events at all. Because we have no formal clan organisation we do not enjoy the services that other clans are able to offer such as newsletters, historical research, identification and protection of historic sites, genealogy assistance for members, etc. Perhaps I am wrong in believing that there are many McAuliffes out there who would like more services.

It may be that there are other ways of providing services than through a formal clan organisation. It could be argued that we haven't needed it for the Clan Gathering so why can't we provide other services in the same way? I'd like to hear people's thoughts about that. I'd like to hear more of people's thoughts about anything to do with the McAuliffes. Through the forums provided here you can make your thoughts known. Perhaps at the 2012 Gathering decisions can be made that reflect what people want. Right now there are more forums available for McAuliffes to have a say than have ever been provided before. As well as this blog there is a Discussion Forum and several Facebook groups. Let's start talking with each other.

Future of the clann

Later this year this blog will put up topics for discussion in association with information that will be added to The McAuliffe Site. This will be material related to matters to be discussed by a committee initiated at the clann rally in July 2008 and which will be convened later this year. 

The committee will be looking at coming up with recommendations for the future of the clann, including whether or not there should be a formal structure for the clann. The work of the committee will be helped by knowing what McAuliffes want. With that in mind, relevant information will be added to the web page and it is hoped that this blog and the Discussion Forum can be a means by which McAuliffes around the world can have a say.  There is, of course, no reason why people with views on what they would like for the clann can not have a say already by contibuting now to either of these forums. 

In a post left on the McAuliffe Message Board this week Sheila McAuliffe' had this to say:-

clan gathering 2008 -- Sheila McAuliffe, 22:48:56 02/06/09 Fri
Hi all you McAuliffe's out there HAPPY NEW YEAR. Would love to again catch up again with all my friends and relatives at the next clan gathering. Had a great time at the 2008 gathering , the committee had done such a splendid job well done only to have it topped off by some disgruntled old man at the end trying to cause an argument about the role of the clan chieftain. Whoever you are I hope you drop dead . Anyway I can't wait to see you all again less that person. Keep safe , stay well until we meet again.

The Message Board most often carries questions and information from people doing family history research.  None of the posts that preceded Sheila's were about the rally or anything connected with it, so Sheila was not responding to a previous post. What, therefore, inspired such venom? It is, after all, more than six months since the rally and the meeting that Sheila seems to be so incensed about? 

For those who may not know, there was a meeting near the end of the 2008 rally. The meeting was a scheduled part of the rally programme, called to discuss the future of the clan.  It was included in the programme because there were indications that some people favoured establishment of a formal clan organisation.  Some dissatisfaction had also been expressed about the committee decision that there would not be an election of chieftain and instead the chieftain elected at the 2004 rally was asked to continue in the role. That role is a purely nominal one, however, and carries no powers beyond the rally. As far as I'm aware no one is claiming otherwise, so it does not present a problem.

At the meeting there was some lively debate about the pros and cons of a formal versus informal clan structure. The outcome of the meeting was that a committee was planned for the purpose of looking at options for the future of the clann.

Back to Sheila's message - I believe I am the 'disgruntled old man' who is the target of her invective. At the meeting I spoke in favour of a formal structure for the clan. There WAS a question about the role of the chieftain but it was not asked by me. If someone else had been her target I would have deleted Sheila's post. Unless Sheila has some special influence with the Almighty I'm not too worried about her wish that I drop dead. I'm just intrigued that she should still be holding such venom about a meeting that took place more than six months ago. 

Who needs a clan?

In 2000 "David" from the UK posted on a County Cork internet forum asking to be sent a membership form for the McAuliffe Clan. Eight years on David would still not get a form because there is no formal clan he could join.  

 

We have a Rally Committee that has done an excellent job of organising clan gatherings on a regular basis over several years. Without their efforts there would be nothing to bring the McAuliffes together. The McAuliffes are well behind other clans in that respect.

Many Irish clans have formal organisations that offer a variety of services to their members. Included in those are postal voting for elected officers to accommodate the worldwide spread of members, membership certificates, a clan database to assist members with genealogical research, clan publications and newsletters.

 

We McAuliffes have none of those. Perhaps we don't want them or need them? Is the clan an anachronism in the modern world? Perhaps the other clans are just catering to nostalgia. All we want is to get on with our lives and once in a while have a gentle reminder of our roots, like the opportunity of a trip to Ireland and a visit to the ancient clanlands that someone kindly sets up for us. Then it's back to the real world again.

 

Yes, that's it? Let those other clans do what they want but we McAuliffes don't need any of that stuff. Right? we McAuliffes don't need any of that stuff. Right?

Welcome to my McAuliffe Clan Blog!

Welcome to all those who can claim connection to the McAuliffe clan, whether by marriage or descent.
It is now 2008 and an important year for the clan because it will see another clan gathering in July, in County Cork, Ireland. It will be held on 18, 19 and 20 July at Newmarket, which lies in what was once the McAuliffe clanlands. If you were unaware of this forthcoming gathering you can find out more at http://clanmcauliffe.com/rally/

May 2008 be a great year for all of you.