THE Cork and Kerry Clan of the O’Sullivans plan to take on the Gallaghers in Donegal for the largest gathering in the world of a family with the same surname.
Over 630 Sullivans and O’Sullivans have already signed up to the event which will take place on the Beara peninsula over the June Bank Holiday weekend in 2026.
Organiser of the event, Jim O’Sullivan of Beara Tourism, said that the Cork and Kerry county mayors have given their support to the event, and it was also acknowledged in the Seanad by Senator Garrett Schill.
‘We are hoping that as many Sullivans and O’Sullivans in Cork will sign up and inform their friends and relations abroad of the event. We have to exceed 1600 in order to take the title,’ he said.
The name Sullivan, or in Irish Ó Súilleabháin is derived from the words Súil (eye) and abháin (one) and means descendant of the one-eyed, or descendant of the hawk-eyed.
In Beara, one of the most widely celebrated members of the family is Donal Cam O’Sullivan Beare, one of the last great Irish chieftains, who, following the Siege of Dunboy, his stronghold in Beara, set off on January 31st 1602 with 1000 men, women and children to walk to Leitrim, hoping to join forces with rebel leaders in Ulster.
The route he and his followers took is now commemorated by the Beara Breifne Way, Ireland’s longest marked walking trail.
The current O’Sullivan clan leader is Kelly O’Sullivan, who is based in the USA and is the granddaughter of one of the five Sullivan brothers who were killed when their ship was torpedoed during World War Two.
The brothers’ ancestors came from Adrigole in Beara and inspired the movie Saving Private Ryan.
Jim said the gathering in Beara in June 2026 will include a whole programme of events throughout the weekend which will run from May 30th to June 2nd.
To register for the event see information and more at osullivanclan.org
