Cahir Rua O' Dochartaigh - the last Irish-based O Dochartaigh clan chieftain - fell at the hands of the English forces in 1608 after he mercilously sacked Derry from his Inishowen base.

A massive gathering of ancestors who use various spellings of the traditional Irish O Dochartaigh name is to take place in the peninsula and in Derry from Tuesday, July 1 to Thursday, July 10, 2008. As the ancestral home of the clan, Buncrana - where The Keep is all that remains of the castle built by the O Dochartaighs in 1430 - will be the centre for the festivities.

"We are organizing an extensive schedule of tours and attractions for this new reunion," Eva Doherty Gremmert, the 2008 Reunion Co-ordinator says on the official reunion website.

"We are building on the success of previous O'Dochartaigh clan reunions held in Ireland since 1985.

"New and exciting events are planned to commemorate the anniversary of Cahir Rua's death, including holding genealogy workshops and enjoying good old fashioned traditional pub crawls. We'll share the pomp and circumstance of the Mayor's reception in Derry City, as well as the fun, feasting, and drink of a medieval banquet. A couple of the events will show-case talented local musicians, dancers, and storytellers," she said.

In 2005, 437 people attended the reunion from ten countries and 39 American states.

Many of those who came say they will be back in 2008 to see and hear more while taking in the rich heritage of the O Dochartaigh Clan.

"The official web site for the 2008 reunion is www.odochartaighreunion.com and will carry extensive information, schedules, registration and other important references," Ms Doherty Gremmert said.

"In 2005 we found the internet to be an effective and efficient organizing tool. Using this powerful tool, the reunion committee intends to attract more participants worldwide than ever before."

Members of the reunion committee include many individuals who have diligently served the clan over the past 25 years. They are inviting clan members from all over the world to make this a "once-in-a-lifetime trip".

Buncrana-based genealogist Pat O'Dougherty, who has carried out extensive research on his ancestors spanning 40 years is the driving force behind the clan reunion.

The ex-professor of horticulture at Oakland University in Michigan moved to Ireland in the early eighties to research the O' Dochartaigh, O'Doherty, O'Dougherty, Dubhartaigh, Doorty, Doherty and other variations of the name and the movements of his ancestors. Since then a number of clan reunions have been staged but next years is being tipped as the big one.

The clan's current chieften is Spaniard Dr. Ramon Salvador Dogherty and he is expected to attend next years big gathering.

The Spaniard is a direct descendant Sean O'Dochartaigh (Cahir's brother who fled to Spain after the Flight of the Earls in 1607) and lives in Cadiz. He is eleventh in direct line from the Lords of Inishowen and In July 1990 was ceremonially inaugurated as 37th O' Doherty chieftain.

Octogenarian, Pat O'Dougherty said he was "amazed" to discover that the Spanish descendant had held on to the second anglicisation of the traditional Irish O' Dochartaigh surname, 400 years after the last chieften's death.

Cahir O' Dochartaigh (1587 - 1608) was only 14 when his father (Shane Mor O' Dochartaigh) died and there were many family quarrels before he was finally acknowledged as Lord of Inishowen. He has been described as extremely tall and handsome and very brave in battle. Still only in his teens, he was knighted by Mountjoy for military bravery and, in 1603, was invited to visit the Royal Court in London.

On his return to Ireland he was made an admiral of the new city of Derry. But trouble always surrounded him and when accused of treason, he was provoked into attacking and sacking Derry which he mercilessly burned. Retribution came swiftly; a strong Crown force was dispatched and he was killed, and his head was sent to Dublin to be exhibited.
Cahir's was the end of the O' Dochartaigh lordship of Inishowen and many other left for all corners of the world after Derry was sacked.

The O' Dochartaigh Keep, all that remains of the castle built by the clan in 1430, still stands at Buncrana at the mouth of the Crana River.

For a full guide to events during the clan reunion log on to www.odochartaighreunion.com.