Dear Cousins,
 
May 5th in Feakle, County Clare, Ireland was a most amazing day for all the Loughnanes.  It was the first time that the great grandchildren of John & Bridget nee Kelliher Loughnane, Patrick & Anne nee Minougue Loughnane, Ellen nee Loughnane & Michael McMahon, and Anne nee Loughnane & John Torpey were together in one place at the same time.  It was the first time that so many of us were reunited with our Loughnane cousins from Inchaboy, Gort, County Galway.  Actually, according to my records, there were even 5th cousins to one another in attendance.

There were actually two committees working on the reunion:  Joe Loughnane, Noel Loughnane, Mike Loughnane, Billy Loughnane and Liz Loughnane were primarily responsible for everything organized with the venue at the Loughnane's Hostel.  Jim & Mary Rose Loughnane, Rose Pilkington, and William & Marian Purcell were primarily responsible for the venue at the original Loughnane home in Bauroe, Feakle.  The reunion/gathering would not have happened without all the hard work, organizing, and planning that was accomplished by these wonderful cousins.  I cannot begin to thank them nor will I ever be able to thank them for what they accomplished in one day in the long history of the Loughnane Families in and from Feakle, Co. Clare, Ireland.
 
This reunion/gathering was a powerful testament to the descendants of the Loughnanes who came out of Inchaboy, Gort, Co. Galway to bring us together to celebrate their oneness.   I am told by Mike Loughnane of Canada that all the Loughnanes came out of House #23 in Inchaboy, Gort.
 
When we first started planning this gathering in January 2014, we knew we could get 60 to 75 Loughnanes to attend but we hoped for 100.  It was magical and brilliant that over 200 showed up at Loughnane's Hostel on May 5, 2014.  If you were there, you know what a powerful statement the Loughnanes made that day.
 
There are many cousins to thank for making this day so remarkable that we will talk about it for a very long time.  And, I want to let all of you know who were responsible for this fantastic gathering.

Joe Loughnane was the chief organizer and along with Mike and Noel Loughnane worked with Billy and Liz Loughnane to determine how best to fit everyone into the Loughnane Hostel area. 

Billy and Liz Loughnane opened their home to all of us.  They worked diligently in preparing the grounds to accommodate all of us.  This was no easy task.  They made the kitchen available, they brought in a portable bar, they served coffee and tea, they made available the room for the showing of Joe Loughnane’s photos and the videos, and they let all of us into their mini-museum of what was once the Loughnane store.  You walked into that room and you could feel like you were there 100 years ago.  You should know that Billy's grandfather sold 7 steerage tickets on the Titanic and all 7 lived!  I would also like to thank Collette Purcell and her girlfriend who worked in the kitchen.  Billy and Liz had the foresight to put out the guest book so that everyone who attended had the opportunity to write their name and address documenting their participation in the 2014 Loughnane Reunion/Gathering.  And, it was Billy that made sure our Loughnane cousins from Inchaboy, Gort attended so that the link to the 1700’s is continued even to the present day.
 
Mike Loughnane did a wonderful job of feeding us all.  He came in his van, set up the grills, and cooked away almost all day.  The food was hot and it was delicious.  There were meaty burgers, there was delicious chicken, and there were thick juicy sausages.  And, they were all Loughnane meats!  If only we had someone like Mike here in Chicago!  And, it was Mike who made it possible for Fr. Raymond Sweeney to assist at the Mass.
 
Noel Loughnane was the man responsible for all those mouth-watering and delicious desserts.   You might have felt that you were full after Mike's burgers but when you looked at those masterpieces of cakes, you had to have some.  Take a look at the photo showing all the desserts set out for us.

Joe Loughnane was the man to thank for all the lovely roasted baked potatoes which were devoured by everyone.   Joe was also responsible for the photo show.  Joe arranged to have his friend Gerry there to document the reunion/gathering by taking photos.  And, Joe will be making available for all of us photos from the gathering.  It was Joe’s idea to have name tags and so he supplied the tags so that all of us would know who everyone else was.  I would like to thank Vera Loughnane for her diligent work in seeing that everyone had a name tag and signed the guest book. 

It was Billy and Liz Loughnane’s idea to have a Mass to start off the day.  The local parish priest, Fr. James O’Brien, said the Mass and was assisted by one of the Sweeney cousins, Fr. Raymond Sweeney.  The Mass was dedicated not only to those of us present but to all the Loughnane’s that have passed our way and are no longer with us.

William and Marian Purcell had the most wonderful idea of planting a tree to be dedicated to the memory of William and Mary Loughnane (who built the original Loughnane home in Bauroe, Feakle) and their multitude of descendants.  I asked each of the present day Loughnane’s who were in attendance to take a shovel full of dirt to help plant the tree and be an important part of the dedication of what will now be known as the “Loughnane Tree”!  I stated that day:  Fifty years from now and even a 100 years from now our descendants will keep us alive in their memories by telling their children and their grandchildren, “This is the Loughnane Tree planted and dedicated in 2014”! 

Jim and Mary Rose Loughnane along with Jim’s sister Rose Loughnane Pilkington and 1^st cousin Myra Gibbons hosted the gathering at the original Loughane home in Baruoe, Feakle.  Some drove and some of us walked from the Hostel to Bauroe just at William and Mary Loughnane walked that very same road over 170 years ago!  There were sandwiches and tea and wine and even a “wee bit of the Irish” for each and every one of us.  William Pilkington, with a great smile on his face made sure everyone had some food & drink.  Jim had painted the old house and cleaned it up so that all of us could walk in that front door, look at the fireplace, the sleeping rooms above, and think to ourselves, “I am here because of what they endured during the ‘Famine Years’ to make this all possible today”.

Martin Quilty is to be thanked for bringing boxes of apples and oranges for everyone.  He also is responsible along with Sr. Eilish Sweeney for getting the Morrisey’s to attend.

You will be happy to know that our Loughnane Reunion/Gathering donated over 500 euros to William Loughnane’s charity “Wide Awake Now”.  The event was held on Saturday May 31^st and was a great success.  The money went to a very good cause.  Thank you very much.

The committee was delighted that Loughnane’s came from all over Ireland and we were happy and excited to have Loughnane’s from outside Ireland in attendance:  Sr. Eilish Sweeney came from New York, Myra Gibbons came from London, Mary and John Fenerty traveled from Liverpool, and himself and my wife Melissa came from Chicago. 

Gerry Nihill photographed and documented what occurred on May 5^th and along with photos taken by Myra Teasdale and myself has made them available on Joe Loughnane’s website which is:

https://picasaweb.google.com/105143616003865858099/LoughnaneReunion...     All photos may not be on the website but will be soon.

If you have photos from the day, please send them to myself or Joe Loughnane to be added to the website for everyone to view and enjoy.

I have to tell you that I could not have been prouder to be a Loughnane on May 5^th, 2014.  To see and witness what Joe Loughnane, Noel Loughnane, Billy & Liz Loughnane, Jim & Mary Rose Loughnane, and William and Marian Purcell organized and accomplished that day sent me “over the moon” with joy and happiness. 

For those of you who came from close-by as well as from far and away, thank you, thank you.  Your willingness to share in this day is a true testament to “family” and to what it means to be a “Loughnane”.  When the sun did shine that day, I knew that it was a sign that our ancestors were smiling down on us and telling us to always keep the memoires of the Loughnane families alive in our memories and our stories.

To me to be a part of the mini-Loughnane reunion in Feakle last September and to be a part of the fabulous Loughnane reunion in Loughrea last September of 2013 reminds me again and again that our heritage is so important to me and to all of us.

Although you can find most everyone’s e-mail address in the addresses of this e-mail, here are some important addresses:

Joe Loughnane                                 joeloughnane@mail.com

Billy & Liz Loughnane                      loughnaneshostel@gmail.com

Noel Loughnane                               noel.loughnane@gmit.ie

Michael Loughnane               michael.loughnane@yahoo.com

Jim & Mary Rose Loughnane            maryrosel@eircom.net

Rose Pilkington                                 rose_pilkington_5@hotmail.com

William & Marian Purcell                 purcellfeakle@yahoo.ie

Myra Gibbons                                     mjgibbons@rocketmail.com

Martin Quilty                                           martin.quilty@hse.ie

Gerry Nihill                                          gerrynihill@yahoo.ie

Paddy & Melissa Savage                    coachmpsavage@hotmail.com    psavage1944@gmail.com