Kinsella Reunions

Members of the Kinsella Clan have seperate reunions throughout the year. This page lists reunions and, after they've been held, a short description of how things went. It's a way to keep track of the larger Clan.

If you are planning a Kinsella reunion, please e-mail me so I can post it here on the Homepage.

August 2-3
Members of the Irondequoit Kinsellas are holding a reunion in Canada August 2nd -3rd.
Jim Kinsella

Description
Approximately 30 of the Irondequoit Kinsellas ranging in age from 3 to 70 showed up to reminisce, eat, and enjoy the water. The children of John and CB gave their parents an appreciation and memory book they had compiled with help from friends and relatives along with a Trivial Pursuit game featuring questions about their family history and events. All had a wonderful time.

August 14 - 17
The Ballytimon Kinsella's (Co. Carlow) will be holding Kinsella Fest '97 in Chicago from August 14 - 17 1997.
Austin Weber
John Kinsella Barker

Description
The Ballytimon branch of the Kinsella clan recently held a reunion dubbed "Kinsella Fest" in Chicago. More than 40 family members attended the four-day event, held August 14-17, at the downtown Embassy Suites. Participants came from Australia, Ireland, California, Oregon, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Glorious summer weather greeted the Kinsella's and although rain threatened, it stayed away (thanks to our "toast" to Dermot MacMurrough). Events included a "Caribbean party" (featuring a great calypso band) at Navy Pier on Thursday evening and a "family nostalgia night" on Friday (old photos and home movies brought back memories and generated quite a few good laughs).

The highlight of the event was on Saturday, when the participants boarded a chartered bus (designated the "Kinsella Kruiser") and drove to the 17th annual "Irish Fest" up in Milwaukee. The Kinsella clan also rented a special hospitality area (the "Kinsella Kompound") to rest our weary feet and segregate ourselves from all the rowdy "O's" and "Mc's" running around. Many other Kinsella's from throughout the Midwest stopped by to say "hello."

The Kinsella's also marched in a special parade that snaked one-mile around the "Irish Fest" grounds. Adorned with green top hats, green leis, matching Kinsella "tea shirts," flags, banners, horns, kazoos, and other noisemakers, the Kinsella's represented the largest group in the parade, which also included bagpipe bands, stepdancers, Irish dogs, and other family groups.

In addition, the group sang a Kinsella chant comprised of "give me a K," "give me an I," "give me an "N," etc., to spell out K-I-N-S-E-L-L-A, which was warmly applauded by the throngs of people who lined the parade route. Everyone knew that the Kinsella's were present!

The final day of "Kinsella Fest" was marked by a special Sunday Mass at historic Old St. Pat's Church (a 150-year-old structure in downtown Chicago that features outstanding Celtic designs on the ceiling, walls, and stained glass windows). The pastor extended a special "welcome" to the Kinsella family seated in the front pews, which received a large ovation from the entire congregation. After Mass, the family ate brunch at a local restaurant and participated in a trivia contest (questions concerned Chicago history; Irish history; and family history) to conclude the festivities.

The newest member of the Ballytimon Kinsella's made a special appearance at the reunion two-month-old Kathryn Eilish Brown, the daughter of Carmel (Kinsella) Brown of Portland, OR. Also attending the event was Eilish (Kinsella) McCarthy of Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia, who came with her husband and their four children.

This was the second time the Ballytimon Kinsella's have held a family reunion in America. The first event took place in 1991 at Lake Tahoe, CA. The family is planning to hold it's next reunion in 2001 at a site yet to be determined (California, Ireland, Australia, and the Caribbean are being considered).

"The event was very enjoyable," says Mary Paul (Kinsella) Weber, of Northbrook, IL, who organized the event with her two sons. "Everyone had a great time in the Windy City and Milwaukee. If they didn't have fun, it was their own fault."

"We had a terrific turnout for our reunion," adds Pat Kinsella (Mary Paul's brother), of Burlingame, CA. "I think all Kinsella's everywhere would have been proud of enthusiastic efforts to promote the family name and our proud Irish roots."

Mary Paul is the matriarch of the Ballytimon Kinsella's in America. At the invitation of her Irish-born aunt, Elizabeth Kinsella, she immigrated to Chicago more than 50 years ago from the family homestead (Ballytimon) in Fenagh, County Carlow, Ireland. One by one, Mary Paul eventually brought over three younger sisters, her youngest brother, and a niece -- all of whom eventually settled in other cities.

The Kinsella Fest reunion celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Ballytimon Kinsella's in America. Mary Paul's uncle, Martin Kinsella, arrived in Chicago from the sleepy farm village of Fenagh in 1897. He was eventually followed to Chicago by two of his sisters, Ellen Kinsella and Elizabeth Kinsella. Mary Paul and her son, Austin, are currently writing a family history, entitled Memories of an Irish Country Childhood, that should be ready by Christmas.

August 16
Arrangements have been made for a special Kinsella Family "hospitality tent" at the 17th annual "Irish Fest" in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Saturday, August 16. Any Kinsella clan members attending this event are welcome -- look for the Kinsella flags and banners (or people wearing Kinsella "tea shirts")!!!
For more information, contact Austin Weber.

Please send questions or comments to Jim Kinsella (the son of John Kinsella, son of Daniel Kinsella, son of...).

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