People with the surnames O’Sullivan and Sullivan, from Ireland and around the world, made history this Saturday by celebrating the largest congregation of people with the same family name. Incredible.
Almost 2,000 people sharing the same Irish name gathered in the picturesque South West village of Castletownberewhere Guinness World Records through an official observer certified the figure.
«With a total of 1,848 family members«The O’Sullivan clan holds the Guinness World Record, congratulations!» declared the observer before an expectant crowd.
Now the O’Sullivans have taken the record from another Irish surname, the Gallaghers, who previously occupied the privileged place globally.
The surnames O’Sullivan and Sullivan are common in County Cork and the south west of Ireland. And members of the enormous Irish diaspora came to Castletownbere to celebrate the meeting and increase the numbers.
Mary Sullivan, an Irish-American, said she had «traveled more than 3,000 miles (4,800 kilometers)» to join the record effort.
«We’re Americans but we love our Irish heritage and we trace it back through the family tree,» said the 59-year-old from Ohio.
Congregation organizer Jim O’Sullivan from Castletownbere said he had doubts about being able to get enough people together due to the morning rain. «But people came in numbers and we did it,» the host said.
One of those who traveled the furthest was Michel Sanchez O’Sullivan, from Mexico, who told the AFP Agency that his grandfather was an O’Sullivan from New York who settled in his country of origin.
«As far as we know we are the only O’Sullivans in Mexico, it’s great to be here and explore my Irish roots,» said the 35-year-old, who carried his daughter Olivia on his shoulders.
With information from AFP
