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Warrenpoint golf club, on 21 August 1999, saw the gathering of four generations of the Boyle family, descendants of Johnny and Mary. Most live in Ireland but some came from England, Canada and Switzerland. Of the ten children of Johnny and Mary, the families of nine were represented. Only the family of Terry could not be contacted. Three survivors of the original family; Alice, Peter and Tommy, were there, as was Maggie, Tommy's wife. Unfortunately, Marie, John's widow, was unable to travel from England. The event had been triggered by the tragic death of three members of Tommy and Maggie's family, Brian and Briege and their daughter Sasha, in Rostrevor, in January. Brian O'Callaghan and Joseph O'Reilly agreed that it would be worthwhile to organise a happier event for the entire clan since it seemed that the only time most of them met was at funerals. One of the features of the reunion was the compilation of a comprehensive family tree, coordinated by Brian O'Callaghan, which was prominently displayed throughout the weekend. This showed that since they were married over 90 years ago ago their descendents have grown to over 200 -
The success of the events of the two days was a tribute to the dedication and hard work of Brian O'Callaghan, to whom a special "thank you" is due. In addition to the get-together and dinner in the golf club on Saturday the 21st, events including mass followed by a picnic were organised at the home of John and Majella McEntaggart in Tullydonnell of Sunday 22nd. This event catered especially for the very youngest members of the family, Johnny and Mary's great-great-grandchildren. It included a visit to the fairy fort fondly remembered by many of the adults there. On the Sunday the weather was glorious, warm and sunny and the children had a grand time, with a bouncy castle and fun and magic in the fairy fort. The occasion was a rare opportunity for Johnny and Mary's grandchildren, many of whom had grown up in close contact with each other, to reminisce and update their family histories. |