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The "Story" of The McDara Family of Trade
The "Story" of The McDara Family of Trade
The Origin of the name “McDara Family of Trade”
Daniel was a wood worker by trade. He and his wife Fiona started their home and accepted a large number of talented craftspeople from all parts of Ireland, Scotland and beyond.
Not being related through blood or marriage, the group did not constitute a Clan, but rather a Guild of Tradespeople with a common economic interest.
Daniel was named the first “McDara Mór”. Essentially meaning “The Great Son of Oak”, he was the unquestioned leader of the guild they christened the “McDara Family of Trade”.
The 16th century was not a good time to be Irish in or near Galway
A bylaw of 1460 ordained:
"That no dweller should set or sell land or tenement, within the same town Galway, to no Irishman, without licence from the council for the time being, on payn of forfaiting said lands and tenements, and one hundred shillings to be divided as above written"
In spite of draconian restrictions like this, Galway showed signs of linguistic and cultural assimilation into the Gaelic society around it. In 1536 King Henry VIII sought to put an end to this with an Act that includes the following items:
Item, that everie inhabitant, as well within the said towne, as the suburbs of the same, doe shave theire over lipps, called crompeaulis [ Irish: croiméil "moustaches" ]; and suffer the haire of their hedds to growe, till it cover theire eares, and that every one of them weare English capps.
Item, that noe man, woman or childe, weare noe mantles in the streets, but cloaks or gowns, dubletts and hose, shapen after the English fashion, of the country cloth, or any other cloth it shall please them to buy.
Item, that noe man, woman or child, weare, in their shirts, or any other garments, no saffron [a favourite colour of the native Irish]...
Item, that every inhabitant within oure said towne endeavour themselfes to speake English, and to use themselfes after the English facon; and, speciallye, that you, and every one of you, doe put your children to scole, to lerne to speke English...
The Tribes of Galway
The Tribes of Galway (Treibheanna na Gaillimhe) were 14 merchant families that dominated the political, commercial and social life of the city of Galway between the mid-13th and late 19th centuries. Twelve of the families were of were of Anglo Norman origin (think English), and two were "Normanised" Irish Gaels (essentially English). They prospered greatly from trade with continental Europe and were closely alligned with the English crown.
The McDara Family of Trade was not one of the 14 ruling families. They were not actually even a family, although they behaved like one. In addition, they were decidedly NOT favorably disposed towards English Rule. They thumbed their noses at Henry’s 1536 act...
Many of the men grew the prohibited facial hair
The weavers produced the popular saffron cloth
They generally dressed and behaved like Gaels
This of course created problems.
The prohibition against selling land to Irishmen made life difficult. Crafting requires shops, sheep and goats require grazing land, and trade generally requires access to suppliers and customers. The Tribes of Galway attempted to squash any perceived competition with their international trade monopolies.
Being Irish in Ireland was getting increasingly dangerous
The prohibition against selling land to Irishmen made life difficult for The McDara Family of Trade. Crafting requires shops, sheep and goats require grazing land, and trade generally requires access to suppliers and customers. Additionally, The Tribes of Galway attempted to squash any perceived competition with their international trade monopolies.
Because of its loyalty to the Crown, Galway was occasionally used as an administrative center by the English authorities. The Lord Deputy Sir Richard Bingham, noted for his severity, is described in the Annals as having executed seventy men and women in Galway in January 1586.
A remote, but not too remote, location presented a solution.
St. Mac Dara Island (Oileán Mhic Dara) was just outside the mouth of Galway Bay. A short 2.5-kilometer trip from shore, it offered easy access to shallow-bottomed local fishing boats, but was inaccessible to deep-draft International Traders. Local fishermen could trade raw materials for goods essentially unavailable in Galway. McDara’s Family of Trade could also avoid the appearance of competing with the Tribes of Galway and their lucrative international market. The rocky island supported grassland for raising sheep, goats and other livestock, and ample Connemara granite for construction as well as raw material for the guild’s stone carvers.
There was an already-ancient stone Oratory on the island and the local Catholic community would make an annual pilgrimage on the feast day of St. Mac Dara. A locals market would take place and the guild would show it's wares. In the evening there would be a community dinner called "The Beggar's Feast" based roughly on the story "stone soup".
When the Baron Von Lauffer of Koronaberg Germany was searching for artisans and entertainers for his festival, he became enthralled by the guild and convinced the McDara Mor to bring the entire family to participate in his festival. He paid passage on a ship and the guild began a year-long vacation in Germany.
That was more than twenty years ago, and while the Baron promises every year to pay for the return passage to Ireland, he never seems to find the time or funds to actually do so.
The McDara Family of Trade have built new homes in Germany, safe from the dangers of Galway, but ironically, across the road from the English.
An unplanned relocation to Germany
When the Baron Von Lauffer of Koronaberg Germany was searching for artisans and entertainers for his festival, he became enthralled by the guild and convinced the McDara Mór to bring the entire family to participate in his festival. He paid passage on a ship and the guild began a year-long vacation in Germany.
That was more than twenty years ago, and while the Baron promises every year to pay for the return passage to Ireland, he never seems to find the time or funds to actually do so.
The McDara Family of Trade have built new homes in Germany, safe from the dangers of Galway, but ironically, across the road from the English.
They have even built a copy of St. MacDara's little oratory and host Beggar's Feast annually, no longer on Féile Mhic Dara, the Saint's Feast Day, but during the run of the Barron Von Lauffer's annual festival.
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