To register as a member of the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society , please subscribe to the List.  Membership is free of charge and open to all interested persons, regardless of ancestry.

Our organisation is described in three parts:

• Section A describes the process for application for membership of the Clan Society.
• Section B outlines the aims and objectives of the Clan Society.
• Section C describes the administrative structure along with the roles and functions for the individuals involved.

A. Joining the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society

A1. Persons interested in being formally registered as members of the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society must apply through the Clan Society’s website, emailing their applications to the Clan Society’s official membership Email address listserv@listserv.heanet.ie (known as “The List”) and including the following text: "subscribe fitzpatrick-clan your_firstname your_lastname" but leaving the Subject Line empty. Applicants will be contacted subsequently by the Clan Society’s List Administrator.

A2. Persons who visit the Clan Society’s website (www.fitzpatricksociety.com) and who register for membership of the website group as well as those who avail of social media platforms used by the Clan Society to promote its aims and aspirations are not thereby automatically registered as members of the Clan Society. The email requirement in A1. must be met to ensure formal membership.

B. Aims of the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society

The Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society (hereinafter frequently referred to as the 'Clan Society') is the recognised and long-established body for this clan. It is a not-for-profit, non-political and non-sectarian entity. Its affairs and activities are administered by a board (known as The Board) whose role and membership are approved by the registered membership of the Clan Society.

The aims of the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society are:

B1. To establish, record, promote, preserve and disseminate the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig
Clan history, heritage, culture and tradition.

B2. To identify An Giolla Phádraig, Chief of his name, Rí Osraidhí.

B3. To understand the variant surnames of Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig and to identify and acknowledge the Hereditary Chieftain of each variant Name.

B4. To bring together as members of the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society all those individuals worldwide who have any interest whatsoever in the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan either through having the Fitzpatrick surname or any surname associated with the Fitzpatrick name, or who are related in any way to the Fitzpatrick 'family ', or who are otherwise interested in this ancient Irish Clan.

B5. To provide a focus and a forum for creating a worldwide awareness of the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig dynasty and for communicating Clan Society information worldwide.

B6. To foster an open and helpful environment for sharing knowledge between Clan Society members engaged in researching their family ancestry.
In this context, respecting the requirements and constraints of national and international data protection legislation along with sensitivity to moral considerations, the Clan Society aspires to assisting members in researching their family trees by advising them on publicly available sources of information on (deceased) relatives or by facilitating members in posting details of their family trees.

B7. To advise members who are using DNA analysis as a tool for researching their recent ancestry with a view to identifying a Recent Common Ancestor with other members.

B8. To document, archive and publish ensigns, arms, tartans, flags, banners, posters, genealogy charts, reports, books, journals, maps, media and newsletters of interest to the Clan Society.

B9. To develop and maintain an Internet presence to facilitate and support the Aims of the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society.

B10. To promote, organise and operate the International Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society Gathering or other events in Ireland and to promote and assist Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society regional and local gatherings or other events elsewhere. Internet services may be necessary to hold these events periodically.

B11. To liaise with international, national and local authorities and other bodies in matters of interest to the Clan Society.

B12. To raise funds deemed necessary and appropriate for the advancement of the Aims of the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society.

C. Proposed Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society Administrative Structure

C1. To promote and achieve the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society’s Aims as described in Section B the administration of the Clan Society is undertaken by a board known as The Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society Board or “The Board”.  The practical work involved in these endeavours is conducted to a great extent by a number of committees (see C.4).

C2. The responsibility for conducting Clan Society business is delegated to The Board by the registered membership.  Board decisions are made in the best interests of the Clan Society.

C3. This Board is composed of a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer as well as the Chairs of the individual committees referred to in C4.  In addition, a lifetime honorary position exists on The Board for An Giolla Phádraig, Chief of his name, Rí Osraidhí or for his deputy, An Giolla Phádraig, Tánaiste.  Pending the identification of An Giolla Phádraig, The Board may at its own discretion invite a known descendant of Bryan Fitzpatrick, Lord and First Baron of Upper Ossory to occupy the honorary position on The Board.

C4. The committees referred to in C1 are listed as follows: Membership Committee; Gatherings Committee; History and Antiquities Committee; Library and Archives Committee; Digital Media Committee; DNA Research Committee; Genealogy Research Committee; and, Fitzpatrick Scholar
Committee. The general roles and responsibilities of these committees are broadly described as follows:

• Membership Committee: Is concerned with promoting and encouraging recruitment to the Fitzpatrick – Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society; examining and approving applications for formal Clan Society membership registration made through its official mailing list – the HEAnet-Listserve known as “The List” - in consultation with the Clan Society’s List Moderator, and with the relevant administrators of its other online facilities: Social Media Groups (i.e. the Social Media Moderator) and the Website (i.e. the Webmaster); communicating with the registered members of the Clan Society as necessary; withdrawing and terminating membership in consultation with these administrators as appropriate and subject to any terms of membership protocols; and advising the List Moderator, the Social Media Moderator and the Webmaster on any action taken.
• Gatherings Committee: Is concerned with encouraging, promoting and coordinating the organisation of Fitzpatrick – Mac Giolla Phádraig – Clan Society gatherings and other events; actively seeking and recruiting Clan Society member volunteers who would sponsor and organise such events at international (Ireland), regional and local levels.
• History and Antiquities Committee: Is concerned with encouraging the pursuit, recording and coordination of information from various sources on the history, heritage, culture, tradition, genetics, genealogy, heraldry, cartography and other attributes of the Fitzpatrick Clan;
  Library and Archives Committee: Is concerned with encouraging the organisation, archiving and presentation of information from various sources on the history, heritage, culture, tradition, genetics, genealogy, heraldry, cartography and other attributes of the Fitzpatrick Clan.
• Digital Media Committee: Is concerned with developing and maintaining the Clan Society’s Website (through the Webmaster), its social media facilities (through the Social Media Moderator) and its HEAnet-Listserve (i.e. “The List”) facility (through the List Moderator); exploring and encouraging the use of other platforms for use by Clan Society members in pursuing their interests and research into Fitzpatrick history, heritage, culture and tradition and to assist in communications within the Clan Society including the development of an electronic Newsletter (through the ePublications Editor).
• DNA Research Committee: Is concerned with maintaining a knowledge of up-to-date genetic research, particularly regarding developments on DNA testing and analysis; advising on DNA testing and analysis policy including the security and confidentiality of Clan Society members’ data; educating and advising members on understanding and interpreting their DNA test results; liaising with the hosting company of any Clan Society DNA Study and any other DNA service provider(s) as deemed appropriate by the DNA Advisor.
• Genealogy Research Committee: Is concerned with researching the genealogy of persons claiming descent from An Giolla Phádraig and of persons claiming descent from any chief of a variant surname; preparing and presenting genealogical information of interest to the Clan Society members and other individuals or organisations who are interested in Fitzpatrick genealogy; maintaining a catalogue of descendants of the First Baron of Upper Ossory; facilitating worldwide availability of copies of Fitzpatrick Clan genealogies and charts; advising individual members on family research.
• Fitzpatrick Scholar Committee: Is concerned with the promotion and organisation of the Fitzpatrick Scholar Prize; seeking written submissions from interested contributors on topics concerning the history, heritage, culture and tradition of the Fitzpatrick Nation; organising the review and shortlisting of contributions; organising an appropriate adjudicator to determine the recipient(s) of the Prize; and organising the presentation of the Prize. 

C5. The Board would therefore include the following positions, listed on our Officers Page.

C6. The Board is led by the Chairperson.

C7. The functions of the individual members of The Board on behalf of the Clan Society are:

• Chairperson: Leads and directs the activities of The Board.
• Vice Chairperson: Takes the place and exercises the role of the Chairperson in his/her absence.
• Secretary: Receives and processes general communications and decides on whether to redirect such communications to the Chairperson or other appropriate Board member, or another ‘Go-To’ person (see C9.), or if they should be distributed to the Clan Society registered membership (this may involve communicating first with other Board members to agree the appropriate approach); organising virtual meetings of the Clan Society registered membership where necessary, communicating matters of interest to the Clan Society registered membership and obtaining their views or their views on specific matters or issues; organising the regular virtual meetings of The Board using suitable online services; preparation of agendas and minutes of Board meetings and posting/circulation of these and related documents; organisation of secure storage of Clan Society administrative documents and organisation of means of access by Board members to these documents.
• Treasurer: Administers the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society's finances; receives and supervises donations; prepares annual statements of account; pays bills; applies for grant aid and other funds to support Clan Society activities.
• Committee Chairpersons: Oversee the work of their individual committees; report regularly to The Board on the work of the committees; participate at the meetings of The Board and in taking Board decisions, exercising their right to vote where necessary.

C8. Decisions to introduce new policy or to change existing policy are taken at Board meetings. All positions on The Board, including that of An Giolla Phádraig, carries the right to vote or to abstain from voting at Board meetings. Each position has one vote. However, in the event that one individual member of The Board occupies more than one position, that individual has only one vote. In order to cast a vote or to abstain from voting a member must be present at the relevant Board meeting whether the meeting is conducted physically at a single venue or virtually over the Internet. Where a vote is taken, decisions are made by simple majority. Where necessary, the Chairperson has the casting vote.

C9. The Board and the Clan Society membership are supported by a separate round table 'Go- To'/Advisory Team whose roles are described in C10, and are listed on our Officers Page.

C10. The Go-To/Advisory roles are described as follows:

• List Moderator: In consultation with the with the Digital Media Committee, the Membership Committee and, if necessary, The Board, moderates the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society HEAnet Listserve membership register i.e. “The List”; examines and approves List applications for Clan Society membership registration as appropriate; withdraws and terminates membership as appropriate and subject to any terms of membership protocols.[Note: In order to satisfy any requirements the Higher Education Authority of Ireland might have had in granting approval for hosting the Clan Society mailing list at the outset, it is considered important that the individual having the role of List Moderator should remain based in Ireland.]
• Social Media Moderator: In consultation with the Digital Media Committee, the Membership Committee and, if necessary, The Board, moderates the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society Social Media Groups; examines and approves applications for access to Social Media Groups as appropriate; withdraws and terminates such access as appropriate and subject to any terms of membership protocols.
• Webmaster: In consultation with the with the Digital Media Committee, the Membership Committee and, if necessary, The Board, develops and maintains an Internet presence including relevant website(s), databases, and communications, for The Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society and provides electronically-based services to its members as appropriate or necessary.
• ePublications Editor: In consultation with the with the Digital Media Committee, the Membership Committee and, if necessary, The Board, develops and distributes periodic electronic communications such as a newsletter.
• DNA Advisor: In consultation with the DNA Research Committee and, if necessary, The Board, advises on developments in DNA testing and analysis; advises on Clan Society DNA policy concerning the security and confidentiality of members’ data; advises members on understanding and interpretation of their DNA test results; liaises with the hosting company of any Clan Society DNA Study and any other DNA service provider(s) as deemed appropriate by the DNA Advisor.
• Genealogist: In consultation with the Genealogy Research Committee and, if necessary, The Board, researches and advises on the genealogy of persons claiming descent from An Giolla Phádraig and persons claiming descent from any chief of a variant surname; maintains a catalogue of descendants of the 1st Baron of Upper Ossory; facilitates worldwide availability of copies of Clan genealogies and charts; advises individual Clan Society members on family research.
• Historian: In consultation with the History and Antiquities Committee and, if necessary, The Board, advises on the history, heritage, culture and tradition of the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan and its variant surnames; advises on material from published and unpublished sources and enables worldwide availability of copies of records, documents and manuscripts of interest to the Clan Society.
• Herald: Advises on the heraldic achievements of the Fitzpatricks, their grants, manner of use and display; enables worldwide availability of copies of these achievements.
• Cartographic Adviser: In consultation with the History and Antiquities Committee and, if necessary, The Board, advises Clan Society members on the use of historical and modern maps of Ireland to support their Irish research and how these maps relate to place name identification of Irish baronies, civil parishes, electoral divisions and townlands in the Griffith Valuation records, the Census of Population of Ireland returns and similar sources.
• Librarian/Archivist: In consultation with the Library and Archives Committee and, if necessary, The Board, assesses, collects, organises, preserves, maintains, and where practicable, provides access to originals and copies, including electronic versions, of records, documents and manuscripts of interest to the Clan Society; keeps safe all Clan Society artefacts, typically banners, flags, shields, the bell, posters, charts, maps, images and books.
• Gathering Organiser(s): (Ireland, Europe, Americas, Australasia, Africa): The Gathering Organiser (Ireland) promotes, organises and operates the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society International Gathering and other events in Ireland; outside Ireland, Gathering Organisers promote, organise and operate regional and local gatherings and other events of the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society in their region; all events must be arranged in accordance with any Clan Society international events time schedule, in coordination with the Gatherings Committee and as approved by The Board; Gathering Organiser(s) will assist in the promotion of the Gatherings and other events of fellow Gathering Organisers.

C11. Go-To/Advisory roles may be added or deleted or amended as deemed necessary by The Board.

C12. Board members and members of the Go-To/Advisory Team are encouraged to proactively engage in pursuing the aims and aspirations of the Clan Society for its continued advancement.

C13. With regard to both The Board and the 'Go-To'/Advisory Team, there is no special privilege, honour or status implied by any committee or other round table role. Those involved are registered members of the Clan Society who are willing to share their expertise, advice and experiences voluntarily to further the aims of the Clan Society and to help other members with their family research.

C14. Roles are written in the singular and it is expected that certain roles will involve several members working together. Overlap of some roles will depend on cooperative working across these roles. A role is not the exclusive domain of one researcher and it will be the case that many will be researching different aspects within the same role. For example, different individuals might be researching Fitzpatrick in America, or Fitzpatrick in Australia, or a particular line of descent, or the descent of a name variation, and all would be Historians. These tasks would also be typical of the Genealogist role. Other roles are of a similar nature.

C15. Ideally, membership of The Board and of the 'Go-To'/Advisory Team should reflect a good balance of age, gender and location.

C16. In order to achieve the aims of the Clan Society, The Board encourages the use of traditional and technological methods as appropriate.

C17. The Board primarily communicates electronically. Meeting formats and locations may be decided as appropriate.

C18. The members of The Board and of the 'Go-To'/Advisory Team are always responsible to The Board and their roles are at all times as listed here and otherwise as directed from time to time by The Board in consultation with the Clan Society’s registered membership (see C24. and C25.)  All roles are voluntary and are unpaid.

C19. Work completed by members of The Board and of the 'Go-To'/Advisory Team must be carried out in the best interests of the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society.  Any issues arising are addressed by The Board.

C20. To facilitate effective succession planning for the Clan Society and to promote continuity of its management operations, the eligibility requirements for serving on The Board and on the 'Go- To'/Advisory Team are as follows:

The Board

• Chairperson: Ideally, a prospective candidate would have had at least 5 years continuous registered membership of the Clan Society along with 3 years serving in a Board role.  Attendance at least one International Gathering or one Regional Gathering would be desirable.
• Other Board Roles: Ideally, prospective candidates should have at least 3 years continuous registered membership of the Clan Society.
  The 'Go-To'/Advisory Team.
• All Roles: Prospective candidates for a particular role should ideally hold registered membership of the Clan Society for at least one year and possess skills and competencies relevant to that role.

C21. Prior to filling any positions on The Board or the 'Go-To'/Advisory Team and apart from the Clan Society membership requirements referred to in C20., prospective candidates must be invited, or volunteer or be nominated by another registered member of the Clan Society to fill the position. In all cases the individuals concerned would have to be proposed and seconded by Clan Society registered members. Their candidacies are then put to a vote of the registered membership to approve or reject the nominations.

C22. Members of The Board may serve for a maximum of 5 years continuously but the registered membership of the Clan Society must approve renewal of their membership of The Board annually. In particular circumstances and to uphold the Clan Society's interests, The Board may propose an extension of the 5-year term but any proposed extension would require approval by the registered membership.

C23. Decisions reached by The Board are to be communicated by the Secretary to the Clan Society registered membership using the HEAnet Listserve email facility (“The List”). Other matters may be brought to the attention of the membership using appropriate online means (Website, social media, The List).

C24. Following the initial formal approval of this document by the registered membership of the Fitzpatrick - Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society, any proposed future changes to the document may only be made by a registered member of the Clan Society and should be submitted in writing to the Secretary of The Board no later than 31 October of any year. Such proposals will be considered and decided on by The Board as soon as possible after that date. Where the decision of The Board on any proposal would result in a material change to existing Clan Society policy or could, in the opinion of The Board, significantly impact on the ongoing conduct of the business of The Board or of that of the Clan Society, approval to change this document accordingly and to implement any such changes would have to be first sought from the registered membership of the Clan Society. Where The Board decides to accept a proposed change to the document where such change and its implementation are of a relatively minor nature then it will not be necessary to seek the opinion of the registered membership of the Clan Society. In such cases The Board may implement its decision as a matter of course.

C25. In addition, to facilitate urgent improvements considered necessary for the conduct of ongoing Clan Society business, any changes proposed for the roles and responsibilities of the members of The Board or those of the Go-To/Advisory Team may be agreed by The Board and implemented as soon as possible thereafter for an interim period pending approval by the registered membership of the Clan Society.

C26. Where the approval of the Clan Society registered membership is required concerning a decision of The Board or on some other matter then this must be determined at an International Clan Gathering OR at a virtual General Meeting of the membership OR by means of a suitable online voting system. The registered membership of the Clan Society corresponds to the list of persons registered on the HEAnet Listserve email facility (“The List”). Decisions of the Clan Society membership are to be determined by a simple majority vote following a valid poll see C27.)  The Board may determine whether a particular ballot is conducted in secret or otherwise.

C27. Where a vote of the registered membership of the Clan Society takes place then, in order to ensure the integrity of the outcome in so far as possible, the valid votes of at least 60% of this membership must be cast and counted.