A family reunion for descendants of the McMenamin family from Loughmacrory, County Tyrone, is scheduled for August 8 at Canavan’s in Garvaghey.

Organisers say the event is believed to be the first large-scale gathering of the extended family. Relatives from across the world are expected to attend.

The idea for the reunion came after Jeanette Donnelly, originally from Loughmacrory and now based in Philadelphia, visited Ireland last summer. She spent time with her aunt Bridget McDermott in Dublin, and they discussed memories of growing up in the area. Bridget McDermott and her late sister Mary Jane Logue, who is Ms Donnelly’s mother, were two of 11 siblings in the McMenamin family raised in Loughmacrory.

Family historian Paul Carlin, who is helping to organise the event, said Ms Donnelly later contacted him after learning of his genealogical research. Mr Carlin’s grandmother, Bridget Anne Toner, was a first cousin of the McMenamin sisters.

Mr Carlin has traced the family’s roots in Loughmacrory back to the mid-19th century. His third great-grandparents, Patrick McMenamin and Mary Daly, raised six children in the area. A sister of Patrick emigrated to Pennsylvania in the early 1900s and contact was lost, while a brother stayed and worked the family farm.

In the 1950s, a significant number of McMenamin relatives moved to Middlesbrough in England. Mr Carlin’s work has helped reconnect these extended branches. However, many family members still live in Loughmacrory and the surrounding Tyrone area.

The reunion will include food and entertainment, and attendees are asked to bring photographs and memorabilia. Those interested in attending can contact Paul Carlin on 07716856129 for further details or to reserve a place.