Mannion Clan set to gather in Menlough
A THREE-DAY event will mark the 13th annual gathering of the Mannion Clan in their ancestral village of Menlough this weekend.
The annual gathering draws members of the Mannion Clan from different parts of the world and the 2026 edition will feature a programme of historical, cultural and heritage events throughout the weekend from Friday to Sunday.
The event coincides with the start of National Heritage Week. It will allow those in attendance to explore the decade-old Mannion Clan Historical Trail and will also provide an update on the Mannion Surname DNA Project.
Following a meet and greet session at Thompson’s Pub in Menlough, the 2026 Mannion Clan Gathering will be officially opened by Galway County Council Heritage Officer, Marie Mannion.
An illustrated talk on the history and heritage of the Mannion Clan will be delivered by Clan historian, Dr. Joe Mannion. The evening will also feature a demonstration of traditional Irish sean-nós dancing by champion dancer, Meadhbh Ní Chualáin.
A guided tour of the principal heritage sites that make up the Mannion Clan Historical Trail will be led by Dr. Mannion on Saturday. Members of the public are invited to partake, and across the weekend's schedule of events, by meeting at the car park of Frank Mannion’s Bar in Abbeyknockmoy before 10.30am.
Killaclogher, Clooncurreen and Menlough Castle sites will be visited during the tour, as will Ramore ceremonial mound in Mullaghmore West in the parish of Moylough. The walk will then head towards Ballymannion and Kilconnell Abbey, where the last recorded Chief bearing the name of the Mannion Clan – John, son of Malachy - was buried.
The final stop on the tour will be at the site of the battle of Finnure near Loughrea, where the tour group will be addressed by local historian and former tour guide, Paul O’Donnell.
On Sunday, Menlough will host a variety of events as part of the Mannion Clan gathering, including a mass, a piper-led parade, and a presentation on Irish clothing and weapons in medieval and early modern times.
For more information on the Mannion Clan Gathering, email: info@mannionclan.org.