Family Association

The United States McCraw

Sleady 400 Shirts Are Available!

The Sleady 400 Video Promo

Joanne's "Sleady 400" Plan

To donate to the Sleady 400 Campaign, click below.

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When members of the USMFA, led by the late Dr. Faye McCraw Moore, toured Ireland in the summer of 2011, one of the highlights of that trip was visiting our (McGrath) family Sleady Castle ruins in Waterford.  While there, we were treated to an oral history of the castle by then 22-year-old Joanne Hickey, daughter of the castle's owner, John Hickey.  Joanne is fiercely Irish, her knowledge of Irish history is unsurpassed, and her love of the castle is second to none.
 
Two years ago (and eight years later...), when a group of us returned to Ireland in June, 2019 for the biennial McGrath Clan gathering/international reunion, we visited Sleady Castle once more and were again greeted there by Joanne Hickey, who was all the wiser and even more intense about preserving the castle, its grounds and history.  It is important to note that the seven-year construction of Sleady Castle, completed in 1628, was initiated exactly 400 years ago!
 
Recently, I suggested that Joanne assemble a list of needed enhancements and improvements of the castle grounds, and she did so in typically fine fashion, providing specific details about each phase of work, and including beautiful photographs and drone video footage, projected costs and times of expected completion.
 
Finally, I asked Joanne to set up a GoFundMe page in order for those of us who wished to do so to make contributions to her family's efforts to preserve and enhance Sleady Castle and its environs.
 
Please take a few moments to review Joanne Hickey's presentation below and consider making a donation to help preserve one of the few remaining old Irish-built structures in Ireland, part of our family heritage, the incomparable Sleady Castle.
 
Thanks!
Steven A. McGraw, Sr., Immediate Past President
United States McCraw Family Association

Hear Joanne's Interview on Irish Radio Canada!

  To show it's support, the WV McGraw Reunion Association has created and offer for sale Sleady 400 shirts and other merchandise with all profits being donated to the Sleady 400 campaign.

  Shipping is available from the US and the EU to help cut costs!

Click Here

Read more about Sleady Castle in this article from our Fall 2019 Newsletter!!