Honoree John Donovan and his granddaughter, Bree.
More than 400 people attended the 11th annual Delaware Valley Irish Hall of Fame dinner on Sunday night, November 13, at The Commodore Barry Club (The Irish Center) in Philadelphia.
Honorees this year were Tom Farrelly, a Cavan native, five-time president of the Philadelphia Cavan Society, and an international Gaelic Athletic Association representative; Kathleen Gavin Murtagh, mother of six, who has been active in the Irish Immigration Center, the Mayo Association, and various local charities; and businessman John Donovan, who was instrumental in bringing the Irish Memorial on Penns Landing to fruition and serves on the the Irish Memorial board.
Farrelly, who is usually the emcess of the Hall of Fame event, turned over the microphone to DVIHOF member Tom Higgins for the evening. But Farrelly wound up speechless for other reasons: His siblings from Ireland came over as a surprise.
We were there and took lots of photos of this very enjoyable family evening.
