Calling all McGraths - landmark four-day international gathering to be held next month

Derry families with the surname McGrath are being encouraged to attend an international gathering next month.

The global McGrath family will return to its ancestral northern homeland for the Clan McGrath International Gathering 2026, a landmark four-day event taking place between June 18 and 21 in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh.

Marking 30 years since the first modern gathering in 1996, this homecoming brings the clan back to Termonmagrath, the medieval territory that shaped McGrath identity for centuries.

Set against the backdrop of the Fermanagh Lakelands, the Gathering will be based at the Killyhevlin Hotel, overlooking historic Lough Erne—once a key waterway for medieval pilgrims travelling towards the McGrath heartland. The programme blends scholarship, ceremony, and celebration, offering attendees a rare opportunity to walk in the footsteps of their ancestors.

Highlights include:

• Opening Ceremony at Enniskillen Castle, honouring the ancient ties between the Maguires and the McGraths and a talk on genealogical research, followed by a guided tour and boat journey to Devenish Island.

• A pilgrimage into the clan’s spiritual heartland, visiting McGrath Castle and the Termon Centre, Pettigo, for a seminar on the clan’s historic role as Coarbs, hereditary overseers of Lough Derg.

• Unveiling of a Clans of Ireland Historical Sites Plaque at Lough Derg Visitor Centre and a special visit to Station Island with the Prior of Lough Derg.

• A day in Donegal, including tours of Donegal Friary and Donegal Castle, to learn of the connection between the Clan O’Donnell of Tyrconnell and the Clan McGrath and to take time to explore the region’s renowned craft shops.

• A journey through medieval sovereignty, visiting Tullyhogue Fort, the Hill of O’Neill Centre, St Patrick’s Cathedral Armagh, and Navan Fort—sites central to the stories of the Clan O’Neill, Brian Boru, and the medieval McGraths.

The Gathering concludes with a Gala Dinner at the Killyhevlin Hotel, where the tourch will be ceremonially passed to the McGraths of Thomond, hosts of the next international gathering that will celebrate the 400th Anniversary of building of the McGrath Castle of Sleady in Co. Waterford.

Reconstituted in 2024, the Clan McGrath Society continues to expand its global reach, connecting McGraths from Ireland, the UK, North America, Australia, and beyond. The 2026 theme celebrates the clan’s historic roles as poets, guardians, and custodians of sacred sites, while strengthening modern cultural and genealogical ties.

The Clan McGrath International Gathering 2026 promises an unforgettable reconnection with the landscapes, legends, and legacy that shaped the McGrath story.

Tickets are available for the full four day programme or daily tickets are also available. To book your place or for more information visit the website at Clan McGrath or contact the Clan McGrath Society by email on [email protected]