About Us
In the early 1980's, a small group of energetic and visionary people living in Ireland dreamed of a worldwide O'Dochartaigh reunion. The names of Doherty, Dougherty, Doerty, and all the other 140 various spellings would come to Ireland and discover their homeland. The dream became reality with the hard work and drive of the O'Dochartaigh Reunion Committee in 1985. This committee is the volunteer group that plans, organizes and implements the reunion events.
Held every five years since, each succeeding clan gathering builds on the previous ones gone before. In 2005, visitors were treated to amazing events ranging from a formal evening Medieval Banquet to roving bus tours. The reunion was attended by over 425 O'Dochartaighs from 10 countries and 39 US states. We had the wonderful experience of sharing our common heritage and forging lasting friendships.
Many of the original Irish reunion committee members are still engaged in the planning of each clan gathering and still serve the clan in this capacity after more than 25 years.
Pat "Inch" Dougherty and 1985 chairman Paddy "Joe" Doherty were instrumental in setting the pace for the earlier clann gatherings. For instance, only after the 2000 reunion did Pat "Inch" retire from active participation. After that O'Dochartaigh gathering, Eva Doherty Gremmert was asked to succeed her predecessors and assumed the duties of Reunion Coordinator in 2001. Upon the highly successful completion of her first assignment in 2005, the Ireland-based committee asked her to continue her tenure.
There were five reunions, faithfully held from 1985 to 2005. The committee then decided to break with tradition and hold a very special clan gathering in 2008. It commemorated the death of the last remaining Irish chieftain, our own Cahir Rua O'Dogherty. The 400th anniversary of his untimely death occurred July 5, 2008. So to honor him and his great place in our clan's history, we gathered at Derry City and Inishowen in 2008.
There are many, many people who have already indicated that they are coming over to Ireland this summer. They include individuals, family groups, O'Dochartaigh Clann Association members, participants in the Y-DNA project, others who have attended reunions in the past and some who have found us on the web and are coming on their own. Some of these groups have organized membership lists and some don't, but all are welcome. The Reunion Committee appreciates the publicity generated by all this interest through the various e-mails, discussion lists, newsletters and the like.
The 2010 dates are 1-10 July, and everyone connected to all the varieties of the O'Dochartaigh surname are welcome and encouraged to attend. There are a wide variety of events scheduled, appealing to young and old, singles, married couples, and families of all types.
The 2010 Reunion Committee is composed of: John “Saddler” Doherty, Chairman, Eva Doherty Gremmert, Coordinator Anna Connolly, Carita Kerr, Helena Downey, James Doherty, Joe “Paul” Doherty, John “Paul” Doherty, Kitty Barr, Marie Doherty Wallace, Mary “Saddler” Doherty, Michael Noone, Rosaleen Hegarty, Ruby McNaught.
