County Clare’s Gathering could be record breaking – largest gathering of people with the same name in the world

Everyone named Claire, Clair or Clare need to travel to Ennis this June

County Clare’s Gathering could be record breaking – largest gathering of people with the same name in the world
Everyone named Claire, Clair or Clare need to travel to Ennis this June

The Gathering Ireland 2013 will be the subject of a unique world record breaking attempt this June when the largest ever gathering of persons with the same first name is attempted in County Clare.

The Clare Volunteer Centre, supported by the Gathering Clare Steering Committee, is inviting people with the name Claire, Clair or Clare to travel to Ennis to participate in the potentially record breaking feat on 23rd June.

The largest gathering of people with the same first name is 1,096 Mohammeds as part of the Dubai Shopping Festival at Creek Park, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 10 February 2005. The previous record for a same-name gathering was created by 375 "Marias" in Spain in 2003.
The record breaking attempt forms part of the ‘Welcoming Claire to County Clare, Ireland’ project, one of the estimated 230 Gathering festivals and events taking place throughout County Clare during 2013.

According to Sharon Meaney, Manager of the Clare Volunteer Centre “This is a family event where everyone from babies to grandparents is welcome to attend. You don’t have to be from County Clare, you may not have even heard of County Clare but you will share a name that is synonymous with being 'clear, bright and famous’. What makes our event unique is that it will be a gathering of people with the same name at the same time in a location of the same name. We would ask people to bring proof of identity like a Driving Licence, Passport or birth certificate which can prove their first name as Claire, Clair or Clare.”

Ms. Meaney said the same-name gathering will form part of a weekend of welcomes featuring a free music event on the Friday 21 June in Ennis as part of the Love: Live Music event. The weekend also will feature street entertainment on Saturday 22nd June and a special edition ‘Welcome to Clare’ card which will offer special offers and discounts to various attractions countywide for the weekend. Volunteers will be on hand on the streets of Ennis that weekend to give out information and guidance to visitors.

Tracy Crawford of BallyO Promotions and Director of the new Ennis Roots Music weekend added: “As it is the year of the Gathering, we are thrilled to extend the Love:Live event to incorporate a weekend of events, of which ‘Welcoming Claire’s to County Clare’ will form part of.  We are all committed to getting the message out there, that if you want to visit Ireland, there is no better place to come to than County Clare”.

A short film is being filmed & produced by Martin O’Malley of Malbay Studios featuring volunteer and mother-of-three Claire Daly dancing in various locations around the Clare showcasing what the County has to offer. Well-known Irish dancer Michael Donnellan is providing Claire with dancing lessons to make sure she dances in tune, while Tess Purcell of Style n’ Mind is providing style advice as well as bringing together Clare-based fashion designers to dress Claire.

​
Nster.com