8 July 1998

By DEIRDRE KELLY

AN Achill family who have never met will celebrate a special reunion on Friday night.

If all goes according to plan the twelve siblings of the McNamara family of 'Maryfield', Pollagh, will be together for the first time ever.

Their story of missed meetings started when some of the older members of the family had emigrated to the U.S.A. before the younger children were born. For instance Sr. Bernadette had entered the Holy Ghost Order and was serving in Texas before Seamus, the youngest child was born to Michael (Mickey Denis) and Mary (nee Burke) McNamara.

The family members in descending order are Tommy (Cleveland), Mary Celine (Ohio), Sr. Bernadette (Mississippi), Patricia (Chicago), Philomena (Florida), Denny (Chicago), Anne (Florida), Michael John (Shropshire), Margaret Mary (Ballina), Carmel (Achill), Imelda (Castlebar), and Seamus (Castlebar).

Over the years many attempts have been made to get the family together in its entirety. In 1966 when their father Michael passed away, two members were unable to return home from America. At a reunion in Keel in 1983 only ten again could be present. This was bettered in 1990 when eleven succeeded in getting to celebrate the eightieth birthday of mother Mary in Chicago.

A few short months later Mary passed away while still on holiday in Cleveland, Ohio. While many of the European-based members travelled home, some of the America-based family could not attend the funeral in Achill.

On this Friday night the McNamara's hope to get it right and will begin their celebrations with a Mass in Pollagh Church at 7p.m. followed by a family dinner. A buffet and function with friends, neighbours and relations will follow in the Wavecrest Hotel at 10p.m.

A class reunion with former pupils of Dooagh National School is also planned.

Connaught Telegraph - News & Sport - July 1998