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Denise Foley

Music

The Saw Doctors with the John Byrne Band

The Saw Doctors at the TLA

If you missed The Saw Doctors at the TLA in Philly on Tuesday night, you’ll feel like you were right there, front row center, left, and right, once you see Brian Mengini’s photographs. They capture the electricity and effervescent fun this rock group from Galway brings with them, especially to a town where their fans have the same fervor as Deadheads.

Check out Brian’s photos.

The John Byrne Band opened for The Saw Doctors. Based in Philadelphia, the band is fronted by Dublin-born singer-songwriter John Byrne, Andrew Jay Keenan, who also plays with Amos Lee, Maura Dwyer, and Rob Shaffer.

Check out Brian’s photos of the John Byrne Band.

March 16, 2012 by
News, People, Sports

Getting Ready for the “Donnybrook”

That has to hurt.

When the US faces off against Ireland in the Donnybrook Cup rugby league match on St. Patrick’s Day in Chester, the new head coach of the USA Tomahawks will be bringing his experience as a player to bear.

Marcus Vassilakopoulous has gone up against Ireland before. Vassilakopoulous, who was born in England and now lives in Aston, PA, was playing for the Sheffield Eagles in the UK when he was tapped by David Niu (short for Niumataiwalu), a former player, coach, and one of the founders of rugby league in the US, to play in a game against the Irish Wolfhounds at Glen Mills School on St. Patrick’s Day in 2000. Niu, who lives in Philadelphia, is a teacher there.

Vassilakopoulous qualified to play with the American team because his grandfather was actually born in Wisconsin.

On the freezing cold night in Glen Mills, the US was victorious. Vassilakopoulous met up with the Irish team again on another St. Patrick’s Day in 2004, this time in Atlanta, where, although the humidity was a killer, the Tomahawks won again. His last meet-up was in Moscow, where injuries to the American team forced them to scare up Russian-based American players (one of whom, Vassilakopoulous was sure was CIA, KGB, or both). That time, they lost to the Irish.

Last year, the Wolfhounds ran away with the Donnybrook Cup at the post-St. Patrick’s Day game played at Northeast High School. This year, this classic match-up is at Quick Stadium at Widener University in West Chester, and past experience has taught Vassilakopoulous that the Irish are tough.

“It’s going to tough again like last year,” he said, when reached by phone earlier this week. “I’m going to try to build a bit on our performance last year. We were good in the attacking part of the game, but the defense we’ll have to tweak a little bit. We need to play pretty physical like the Irish do.”

Rugby, like aging, is not for sissies. Blood is often spilled in this centuries-old game that makes American football look like a tea party in comparison. Rugby players hit, slam, tackle, and may well eat their dead, as the t-shirts proclaim. “It’s bone on bone, meat on meat. It’s a brutal sport that’s not for everybody, but I love it,” says Vassilakopoulous. And, he notes, the Irish are as fierce as they come.

“They’re very passionate about playing for their country,” he said. “They put their heart and soul into it and so we expect the same again.”

The coach, who now works at the Glen Mills School, had some of his team out last Sunday for practice. Since the Tomahawks are a national team, its members come from all over—Hawaii, Georgia, Texas, Florida, New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Team captain, Apple Pope, heads the Jacksonville Axmen in Florida. “I got some of the players from Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut here, but all the players have the playbook so we’re all on the same page.”

Vassilakopoulous has taken some time off from coaching the Delaware County Bulls to focus on the Tomahawks. He expects to be headed to Hawaii, France or Italy, and possibly Canada this year.

“We’ll see after this fame,” he said cautiously. “I might not get asked back. I need to make sure the boys perform.”

Although women also play rugby, Vassilakopoulous says, it’s mainly a guy thing. And that’s the way it’s going to stay at his house. Vassilakopoulous and his wife have three young daughters. “Girls do play rugby but my girls won’t be playing rugby,” he said. “Too brutal.”

The Donnybrook Cup kickoff is at 1 PM at Quick Stadium, Widener University, 17th Street and Melrose Avenue in Chester. The day starts, however, with matches starting at 10 AM between the Hibernians RUFC and the North East Irish RUFC, then Msgr. Bonner vs St. Augustine Prep High School at 11:15. The pre-match ceremony starts at 12:45 and features John and Michael Boyce of Blackthorn singing the National Anthem, while their sister, Karen Boyce McCollum, sings the Irish national anthem. The Ryan Kilcoyne Irish Dancers with Bagpiper John Collins of the Philadelphia Emerald Society Pipe Band starts at 12:40. Judge Jimmy Lynn will do the coin toss.

After the match, Blackthorn will be performing at the Grandstand Deck at Harrah’s Chester. For more information, go to the Donnybrook Cup website.

March 15, 2012 by
How to Be Irish in Philly

How to Be Irish in Philly This Week

Eric Van Horn of Delaware County knows how to be Irish.


St. Patrick’s Day dawns bright and early with the annual Judge Jimmy Lynn breakfast at The Plough and the Stars (7:30 AM) in Philadelphia, where you’ll hear music, singing, recitations, and, if you pay close attention to the conversations around you, some interesting political gossip. This is the go-to party for city pols.

Afterwards, there’s a lovely ceremony at the Irish Memorial at Front and Chestnut Streets and ceremonial planting of shamrocks in the raised flower beds.

If you have the energy, join the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 5 K on Forbidden drive in Fairmount Park. You can park at the Valley Green Inn. Proceeds from this charity run go to St. Malachy’s School in Philadelphia.

If you’re from Delaware County, however, you may need to rush right back to Springfield, which holds a spirited parade every year right there in the heart of Irish territory. There are so many Irish immigrants living there, you’ll think you’re in Ireland.

Likewise, Trenton is having its St. Patrick’s Day Parade right on the holiday.

Mass and festivities are being held at the Irish Center in Mt. Airy. We’ve heard there’s a huge feast planned by two of our favorite chefs, Geraldine Quigg and Sarah Walsh. And if I wasn’t going to the Donnybrook Cup—the annual faceoff between the USA Tomahawks and the Irish Wolfhounds in League Rugby—that’s exactly where I’d be.

The two teams last year resurrected The Donnybrook Cup which is being held this year at Quick Stadium at Widener University in West Chester. Afterwards, Blackthorn will be hold court at a post-rumble party at Harrah’s in West Chester. The Irish team, which arrived in town on Thursday, comes to the scrum with last year’s trophy. The national anthem will be sung by John and Michael Boyce of Blackthorn, and the Irish national anthem by their sister, Karen Boyce McCollum.

Also, the Erin Express pub crawl starts at noon on Saturday and goes to 15 pubs. Buses are provided. Remember, you don’t have to drink at all 15 pubs to make this a worthwhile day.

This is the last St. Patrick’s Day celebration at the Shanachie in Ambler. Owners Gerry Timlin and Ed Egan have sold their popular Irish spot after 7 ½ years in business. You probably can’t get reservations for dinner (you can try), but you might be able to squeeze inside to say goodbye to this great Irish pub. Some of us are really going to miss it.

There will be live music all over the place, but of the groups who’ve made use of our calendar, I can tell you that The Shantys will be playing at Reedy’s Tavern in Philadelphia, the Broken Shillelaghs will be at McMichael’s Pub and Grill in Gloucester City, NJ, and Blackthorn will be following up its gig at Harrah’s at Brownie’s 23 East in Ardmore. Bogey Phillips will be singing traditional Irish folk songs at Kennett Flash in Kennett Square.

There’s also a St. Patrick’s Day Party at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Glenside, sponsored by AOH Div. 2. There will be live music, dancing, and activities for the kids.

Things don’t grind to a halt after St. Patrick’s Day, but they do, mercifully, slow down a little.

On Sunday, for example, the St. Malachy’s College Orchestra from Belfast will be teaming up with the Temple University Newman Center and the St. Malachy’s Philadelphia choir for the 11 AM mass at the church in North Philadelphia. This could a religious experience like you never had.

IN-Philly, not letting a few trouncings stop them, will be heading back to Star Finders in Manayunk for their next 7-a-side soccer game. They’ll be playing AC Philly.

A total treat on Wednesday: Celtic Thunder’s George Donaldson will be joining Raymond Coleman live at the Plough and the Stars in Philadelphia. This is a great, intimate setting for hearing live music.

On Thursday, enjoy a real old-fashioned Irish Ceili at the Falvey Memorial Library at Villanova University with musicians and dancers from the Philadelphia Ceili Group and the Villanova Irish Step Dancers.

Then on Friday, the great Scottish & Irish Music Festival and Fair comes to the Valley Forge Convention Center a month late, but with the same great bands and vendors. Expect to see Rathkeltair, Albannach, Searson, the Hooligans, the Bogside Rogues, Andy Cooney, the Mac Leod Fiddlers from Canada, and many, many more. It’s all weekend, and oh what a weekend it is.

Genealogists and wannabes take note: The Ulster Historical Foundation will be at the Irish Center on Saturday to help you find you Irish and Scots-Irish ancestors. Ulster is one of the four provinces o Ireland and includes Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan in the Republic, as well as Antrim, Armagh, Fermanagh, Derry, and Tyrone in Northern Ireland.

March 15, 2012 by
History, News

A Final Resting Place for the Victims of Duffy’s Cut

Students who worked on the Duffy's Cut project carried the caskets to the grave.

They were buried for 180 years, but on Friday, March 9, five Irish immigrants were finally laid to rest at the West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd. When they died—or were killed—along the stretch of the rail line known as Duffy’s Cut in Malvern, they and 52 of their co-workers were unceremoniously dumped into a mass grave that wasn’t discovered until 2005.

This time, their caskets, hewn of pine, were carried reverently by some of the Immaculata University students who participated in the archeological dig that unearthed them and their stories after nearly two centuries. An honor guard from the Philadelphia Donegal Society and the 69th Irish Brigade re-enactors followed them. And the men who found them—Dr. William Watson, head of Immaculata’s history department and his twin brother, the Rev. Frank Watson, a Lutheran minister—brought their small seven-person pipe and drum corps to pipe them home.

The five, four men and a woman, likely a washerwoman who tended the workers, were laid to rest under a 10-foot tall Celtic cross carved in County Waterford, Ireland and finished in New Jersey. The foundation stone on which it sits contains the story of Duffy’s Cut as well as a carving of the John Stamp, the ship that carried them from Derry, and the names of all 57 immigrants and their homelands taken from the ship’s manifest.

Irish tenor, Tommy McCloskey, sang both the Irish and American national anthems, as well as “Danny Boy,” a song often thought to be a ballad for a young man either going off to war or lost to emigration.

Kevin Conmy, deputy chief of mission at the Irish Embassy in Washington stood in for Ambassador Michael Collins, who had been expected to attend but who had to return to Ireland after the death of his mother. The prayer service was conducted jointly by Rev. Watson, and Archdiocesan Auxiliary Bishop Michael Fitzgerald.

Rev. Watson to the crowd of nearly 200 who gathered for the service that the Duffy’s Cut immigrants were victims of both “cholera and violence.”

Eight weeks after sailing to find work in the US in 1832, all 57 immigrants from Donegal, Tyrone and Derry, were dead, some from cholera, a bacterial infection spread through contaminated water or food, and the others, according to forensic analysis, by murder. The Watsons believe that they were killed by local vigilantes—possibly the East Whiteland Horse Company—who feared they would spread the disease to others in the community and who were likely also prejudiced against both the Irish and Catholics.

Janet Monge, an anthropologist who worked on the project, found signs of violence. One skull had what appeared to be a bullet hole. Others had signs of blunt force trauma, including what looked to be the blow of an ax or pick.

“It was anti-Catholic, anti-Irish prejudice, white on white racism,” said Dr. Bill Watson who, like his brother, was dressed in a ceremonial kilt.

Ghost stories and efforts by the Irish railroad community kept the immigrants’ memories alive for a time. But the story had faded like an old photograph by the time the Watsons came across some papers left behind by their late grandfather, an assistant to the president of the Pennsylvania railroad, that showed that the railroad had covered up the deaths.

The dig, which started in 2005, first found old glass buttons, shards of crockery, and clay pipes, including one stamped with an Irish harp and the words “Erin go Bragh,” or Ireland forever. Then, in 2009, the first body was discovered after the Watsons brought in a geologist with radar. It is also the only set of remains to be identified.

John Ruddy was only 18 when he sailed to the US from Derry in June 1832. He was identified initially from a missing upper right first molar, a rare genetic defect that affects other Ruddy family members in the Inishowen region of Donegal. One, Liam Ruddy, flew to the US to give a DNA sample. He himself has no upper right molar and neither do two of his aunts. There is even a family story of a young Ruddy who emigrated to the US and was never heard from again.

Ruddy’s body will eventually be buried in Donegal.

The Watsons had intended to remove all the remains, but most of them—likely the cholera victims–are buried deep near and under tracks still in use which may make that difficult if not impossible. Immaculata is establishing an institute to investigate other mass graves in Pennsylvania. The Watsons are also looking into the possibility that Phillip Duffy, the contractor who brought the immigrants over to work on the railroad, may be buried in St. Anne’s Parish cemetery on Lehigh Street in Philadelphia.

St. Anne’s pastor, the Rev. Edward Brady, attended the Duffy’s Cut ceremony. “We think Duffy, his wife, and either son or daughter are buried there, but there’s no tombstone,” said Father Brady, who serves as chaplain to the Irish Memorial, a monument to Irish immigrants that overlooks the Delaware River at Penns Landing in Philadelphia. “We’re going to have to verify it with funeral records. We’re looking into it.”

View our photos of the Duffy’s Cut funeral services. 

 

 

March 15, 2012 by
How to Be Irish in Philly

How to Be Irish in Philly This Week

She knows how to be Irish!

We say it every year: If you don’t know how to be Irish in the next two weeks, we are drumming you out of the clan.

This is a huge parade weekend, so we’ll start there:

On Saturday, both Conshohocken and Bucks County are having their parades in the afternoon. They’re both popular little parades with lots of kid-friendly events, so whichever one you choose, get there early.

On Sunday, the Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade gets going at noon (an hour later than last year). Since Sunday is when we turn the clocks forward, you probably won’t notice a thing. The whole parade—which may be bigger this year than ever, thanks to predictions of nice weather—will also be streamed live on the CBS3 website and broadcast on the CWPhilly, CBS3’s sister station. As usual, anchor Susan Barnett and meterologist Kathy Orr will be in the broadcast booth with parade chaplain Father Kevin Gallagher, parade director Michael Bradley, and color commentator Karen Boyce McCollum. Look for the ever-lively Bob Kelly on this street.

The Philadelphia parade will start with a Mass at St. Patrick’s Church at 20th and Locust.

Look for www.irishphiladelphia.com marching in the parade. It’s our second year and we welcome marchers who think of themselves as Irish Philadelphians.

Here’s the rundown for the rest of the weekend and week. Hold on to your leprechaun hats.

Saturday

Several pub crawls are in progress: The Erin Express and the Running of the Micks in Philadelphia, and Shamrock and Roll in Delaware County. There’s music, drink specials, and those all-important buses to keep you from doing something stupid behind the wheel. Try not to do anything stupid behind the wheel.

Handy with a Stick, a local trad group, is performing at the Water Gallery in Lansdale. Two of the featured musicians, Bette Conway and John Brennan, are also jewelry makers whose works will be available for sale.

The John Byrne Band is performing a Circle of Friends house concert in the Palmyra, NJ, area.

Jamisons is at Paddy Whack’s on South Street.

The Shantys are rocking out at Reedy’s Tavern in Frankford.

Sunday

Irish Network-Philly is retiring after the parade to The Bards on Walnut Street where, along with socializing, they’re collecting children’s books for donation. They also have a soccer game scheduled for 5:50 PM at Star Finders in Manayunk.

There’s an after-parade party scheduled at the Irish Center in Mount Airy.

Jamison is also having an after-parade party at Finnigan’s Wake in Northern Liberties.

The Jamison Sisters (Ellen Tepper and Teresa Kane) will be performing at the Woodmere Art Musem in Chestnut Hill from 3-4 PM. This is a special opportunity to see Ellen Tepper perform on several different harps including the ancient Irish wire-strung harp. Terry Kane will also be featured singing many different styles of Celtic songs.

Speaking of harps, you can catch Grainne Hambly and William Jackson perform their Masters of the Celtic Harp program in Vineland at 3 PM.

The 65 singers of the VOICES chorale will join Irish singer Gerry Dignan in concert at the Anchor Presbyterian Church in Wrightstown, Bucks County, at 3 PM.

The Heartstring Quartet—four topnotch Irish musicians—will be giving a concert at Calvary United Methodist Church in Philadelphia, at 7:30 PM

You can also catch Ryan Kelly and Neil Byrne of Celtic Thunder in a special acoustic show at The Plough and the Stars in Philadelphia on Sunday night.

Tuesday

The John Byrne Band is booked  to open for The Saw Doctors at the TLA at night.

Hugo Hamilton, best-selling author of “The Speckled People,” a memoir about growing up Irish-German in Dublin after World War II, will be speaking at Villanova University as part of the 14th Annual Literary Festival.

Wednesday

Tullamore Dew—mmmm, mother’s milk to some people I know. There will be a tasting of this Irish whiskey, sponsored by IN-Philly, at The Bards on Walnut Street at 6 PM.

Lunasa, fronted by talented musician and aspiring comic Kevin Crawford, will be playing at the Exhibition Hall at Longwood Gardens at 8 PM.

Thursday

The Port Richmond AOH 87 is sponsoring a talk by Carrie McIntyre, wife of Dr. Anthony McIntyre who with Ed Moloney conducted interviews for the Boston College Oral History Project, documents that the British government is attempting to gain access to because of reputed new information on the IRA killing of a mother 10 children in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Jean McConnville. For the project, Irish Republican and Loyalist paramilitaries were interviewed and some of those oral histories allegedly contain evidence implicating prominent Irish politicians in her death.

Celtic Pride is performing at the Sellersville Theatre and the Irish Rovers will be roving over to the Keswick Theatre in Glenside.

St. Malachy’s Orchestra from Belfast will be performing at the Irish Center.

Friday
Moya Brennan, of the well known Irish folk group, Clannad, will be peforming in concert at The Irish Center in Mount Airy.

Brendan Callahan and John Brennan will hold forth at a house concert in Lansdale.

Brian Conway, Billy McComiskey, and Brendan Dolan, will be joined by RUNA’s Shannon Lambert-Ryan for a concert Friday night at West Chester University. Earlier in the day, Dolan will be giving a free piano workshop at West Chester, sponsored by Kildare’s of West Chester.

Eileen Ivers and Immigrant Soul is on tape at the Appel Farm Arts and Music Center in Elmer, NJ.

Celtic Pride will be at the Temperance House in Newtown.

Mike and Kitty Kelly Albrecht will perform upstairs at Roller’s in Chestnut Hill.

Soprano Jackie Dunleavy Boyle, accompanied on harp by Samanta Wittchen, will be on stage for an Irish concert at Covenant United Methodist Church in Springfield, Delaware County.

You’ll find the Shanty’s at the Glenside Pub in Glenside and the Broken Shillelaghs at the Dubh Linn Square Pub in Sewell, NJ.

St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Saturday this year and it is jam-packed, from the annual Judge Jimmy Lynn Breakfast at the Plough and the Stars, to the ceremonies at the Irish Memorial at the waterfront, to the Donnybrook Cup (Ireland vs. US in live rugby at Widener University in West Chester) to the Springfield, Delaware County, St. Patrick’s Day parade.

There’s lots more which you can see on our calendar. Or check back next week. The calendar is changing daily.

March 9, 2012 by
News, People

Honors for “Doc”

Parade officials Kathy McGee Burns and Michael Bradley, far right, pose with Mayor Michael Nutter, left, and Grand Marshal John J. Dougherty Jr. ,t he 2012 parade grand marshal.

As always, there’s a long day of ceremonies a few days before Philadelphia’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. But this one was longer than most. It was filled with accolades for this year’s Grand Marshal, John J. Dougherty Jr., business manager of IBEW Local 98, the electricians’ union, and a long-time fixture on the city’s political scene.

Saluting Dougherty were mayors (current Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and former Mayor Bill Green), politicos (including most of city council as well as the Pennsylvania State Senate and House of Representatives), clergy, local TV celebs, and family members (including Dougherty’s younger brother Kevin, a judge, who said he knew that Dougherty was destined to be a fundraiser when, as a young child, Kevin asked his big brother to hold his hand when he was scared one dark night and John replied, “Sure. . .for a quarter.”).

Dougherty defiantly repeated his mantra “I’m proud to be white, Irish, Catholic, union, and a Democrat” several times over the course of the day, though he said he’d been dogged by reporters that day who wanted to know, “Did you really say that?”

“I said, yes I did, and I’m going to say it again later,” Dougherty told the crowd at the Doubletree on Broad Street, where he was officially “sashed” as Grand Marshal, as he mimicked hanging up a phone.

“I am proud of those things,” he told the friendly, receptive audience. “That describes my father. Why would I not want to be like my father?”

Early in the day, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, the second oldest Irish organization in the US, laid a wreath at city hall to honor Revolutionary-era patriots of Irish descent. The city erected a plaque on the west side of city hall acknowledging those men, but current construction force the ceremony to the north side of the building facing Market Street.

Also honored: Five men selected for the parade Ring of Honor for their efforts to preserve Irish heritage in the US. Read about them here.

View our photos of the events.

March 9, 2012 by
People

The 2012 Parade Ring of Honor

The Ring, from left, Joseph Kelley, Thomas O'Leary, Gerry Timlin, Grand Marshal John Dougherty Jr., Tom Higgins, and Bill Watson.

By Kathy McGee Burns

It is my privilege and pleasure as the President of the St. Patrick’s Day Observance Association to choose a Ring of Honor. This is a select group of Irish/Irish Americans who have contributed to the continuance and preservation of Irish traditions. I am very proud to introduce you to them.

“It’s not the honor you take away with you but the heritage you leave behind.” – Branch Rickey

Thomas Higgins was born in Philadelphia to Irish-born parents: Tommy Higgins (Mountbellew, Co.Galway) and Peggy Kelly (Termon, Co.Donegal). When he was 10, his family moved back to Galway to raise their family of three sons, Tom, Sean and Mickey, back at the old homestead. Tom was a great athlete, excelling in soccer, basketball and Gaelic football. He often came back to Philadelphia to play football in the North America League. He also played for the Mayo, Donegal and Galway teams. winning championships for all.

After attending college at Holy Rosary (Mountbellew) and the University College of Cork where he earned a B.A. in Liberal Arts, he moved back to Philadelphia
to attend St. Joseph’s University and complete his education in accounting. He is now a realtor.

Tom, who is 6’3, red headed, freckled, and very handsome, still has the youthful look of an athlete. He is now the coach of Gaelic football team, Philadelphia Youth. He has dedicated his life to being a player, manager, and a coach.

I asked him why and he readily said, “Heritage. With the lack of Irish Immigration the sport needs life blood and American youth had to start playing it. Now every team has 2/3’s Irish descent and the rest just plain ordinary kids.”

Tom has three sons who practice what he preaches: Tommy,17, Connor, 15, and Ronan,12, are all Gaelic players. He has been married for 18 years to Dee (McAllister) and they also have a sweet, feisty 8-year-old daughter named Ciara.

Tom wins this honor for his preservation of Gaelic football.

“Among all men on earth, bards have a share of honor and reverence because the muse has taught them songs.” – Homer

Well known musician and pub owner, Gerry Timlin, was born in Coalisland, Co. Tyrone, to Joseph and Susan Timlin. His father was the town barber and carpenter. His father, he said, believed that one always needed two occupations, “just in case.” There were five other Timlin siblings: Seamus, Malachy, Niall, Shane and Eileen.

Gerry first gig was playing the coronet (at age 10) in the local marching band. At his first talent contest (age 14) his brother, Shane, lent him his guitar and after winning, Gerry said, “Holy Smokes, there are people who liked me.” He had caught the bug.

In the 50’s and 60’s there was a resurgence of Irish folk music which had a great influence on Gerry. So by the tender age of 16, Gerry was touring as soloist with a group called the Jolly Tinkermen and shared the stage with the likes of the Clancy Brothers, Dubliners and Paddy Reilly.

When he came to the United States in the 1970s, Tommy Makem, who was his greatest hero, gave him some advice, “Grab the audience by the throat and make them listen to you, talk them through every song.” Gerry paid attention. He is an enchanting, lovely man with a voice that charms your heart. He’s one-half of Timlin and Kane, a musical duo that’s been together for more than 30 years.

His restaurant, The Shanachie, in Ambler, is the fulfillment of a 30-year dream. Sadly, though, just last week Gerry and his partner announced that they had sold The Shanachie, though it’s unlikely that this is the end of Gerry’s career as a publican. He’s already looking to the future.

And he’ll never give up entertaining. “Bringing Irish traditions through music, song and story is very gratifying. When I do a show it is one of the greatest feelings to have an audience along with you knowing they’ll be back for more.”

Gerry is married to Lois and has two daughters, Sherri and Susan. Gerry wins this honor for his years of serving up Irish music—and some good food.

“You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.” Anonymous

Thomas J. O’Leary Jr., was born in Philadelphia, to Thomas and Elizabeth Whalen O’Leary. He was raised in the Westbrook Park section of Upper Darby attending Holy Cross Grammar School, Msgr. Bonner, St. Joseph’s University and the American Academy McAllisters Institute of Funeral Services. The family owns O’Leary’s Funeral Home.

Tommy, as he is affectionately known, has spent a lifetime giving, unselfishly, to many causes. He not only gives monetarily but physically and emotion
ally. There are not many ad books, sports teams, or good causes that do not have the O’Leary name attached to them in some way.

In the ‘80s, Tom and his wife, Carol, were involved with Project Children, an organization founded to provide much needed respites in the United States for children from Northern Ireland. Although they had 6 children of their own– Megan, Kathleen, Elizabeth, Margaret, Thomas, and Colleen–
Tom and his wife opened their home to many of these children to give them a break from the grim politics and violence surrounding them.

His dear friend, Parade chaplain Father Kevin Gallagher, said “Tommy O’Leary is a wonderful man who has served, faithfully and selflessly, the Irish community for five decades. His assistance to families at a most difficult period of their life has helped them cope.”

Tom loves his Irish heritage and especially the people for their happy-go-lucky, friendly ways. His own family has roots in Cork. Tom is a member of the Friendly Sons, AOH #4, and Knights of Columbus. Tommy wins this honor for his dedication to the Irish Community.

“It is with great pleasure that I accept this very generous honor on behalf of the Brehon Society, my dad, and all of the labor leaders, John Dougherty included, who have devoted their lives to the betterment of the American worker.” – JosephT. Kelly Jr.

That was the eloquent response from Joseph T. Kelley, Jr. Esq. when he accepted the invitation to be part of the 2012 Ring of Honor, so appropriate this year because the parade grand marshal is a union leader and the parade theme honors the American worker. “Labor” is in his blood.

Joe Kelley was raised in East Germantown, in Immaculate Conception Parish, by Helen (nee Murphy) and Joseph Kelley, Sr. His father was president of Local 113, IUE, International Union of Electrical Workers and president of the Philadelphia CIO.

Joe attended Villanova University and without knowing what career path he wanted to take, opted to go to Villanova Law School. However, the die had been cast for Joe from the beginning; because as his Dad had spent his life in labor relations, he would end up spending a large part of his legal life practicing union labor law.

Joe Kelley is President of the Brehon Law Society, which was founded in 1976 in order to foster the profession of law among individuals of Irish ancestry. This year under Joe’s tutelage and along with his co-chairs, JohnO’Malley, Esq. and Kevin Kent, Esq., an Irish solicitor, they successfully launched the U.S./Ireland Legal Symposium in Westport, Co.Mayo. This conference tackled critical legal issues faced by United States and Irish companies when conducting business at home and abroad. The keynote speaker was the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny. In October 2012, Philadelphia will be hosting the 2nd Symposium.

Joe Kelley is married to Donna and they have two sons, Joseph the 3rd and Austin, and 2 grandchildren, Sophia and Joseph the 4th called Leo. The Kelley and Murphy Family have roots in Co. Mayo.

Joe wins this honor for building bridges between our home and our homeland.

“How come the bosses had silence on their lips as 57 Navvies were buried in a pit, no stone to mark their resting place, no one to mourn their passing.” Wally Page, “Duffy’s Cut”

There is a saying that beneath every mile of railroad track, there’s a dead Irishman. Well, in the case of Mile 59, the Duffy’s Cut of legend, there are actually 55 men and 2 women.

William E. Watson, PhD, head of the History Department at Immaculata University in Malvern, has made sure that the Irish workers from Duffy’s Cut will be mourned, buried and their resting spot memorialized by a beautiful 10-foot Celtic cross.

In 1832, 57 Irish laborers stepped off a ship, the John Stamp, which had come into the Philadelphia port. According to the ship’s log, they were from Donegal, Derry and Tyrone. They were hired by Philip Duffy to build a section of track, near Malvern, for the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad. Within 6 weeks they were all dead, mostly murdered…brutally. A small number of them had died from cholera but the rest were hunted down, some shot in the head, others beaten with shovel, but most buried in a common grave. Why? They were expendable; there was a strong prejudice against the Irish Catholics and there was a widely held belief that they would spread cholera.

Bill Watson was left paperwork from his grandfather who was secretary to four different presidents of the railroad that led him and his twin brother, Frank, to look for the last burial grounds of these ill-fated immigrants. He saw the injustice. “It’s like an echo through time. They weren’t meant to die there,” he said.

So began the long journey: targeting the exact spot, beginning the dig, fighting the bigotry, getting local cooperation and raising the money. And then they started to appear: coffin nails, buttons, tools, and at one point when Dr. Watson put his shovel into the ground, up popped a completely intact bowl of a clay pipe which was embossed with the words, “Erin Go Bragh,” or Ireland forever. Then, finally, they found the first bones.

No one in Ireland ever heard from these lost children again, but Bill Watson has made sure that they won’t ever be forgotten. The remains of at least some of them, are to be buried at West Laurel Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd on March 9. Watson and his colleagues can’t remove the other remains which are 30 feet down and too near the existing Amtrak tracks, though he hasn’t given that fight up quite yet. He feels that he was chosen by the spirits of the men from Duffy’s Cut, and he intends to do his best by them.

March 9, 2012 by
Music

The Saw Doctors: Coming Your Way

Leo Moran and the Saw Doctors

By Brian Mengini

Celtic rockers, The Saw Doctors, who will be playing the TLA in Philadelphia on Tuesday, March 13, draw on a variety of musical influences to produce their distinctive sound: Performers like Buddy Holly, Bruce Springsteen and Lucinda Williams, styles ranging from country to punk. And, of course, Petula Clark.

Petula Clark? I talked to guitarist and band founder Leo Moran recently, and asked him how a celtic rock band wound up recording a Top 40 hit—the Tony Hatch iconic “Downtown”–with a ‘60s songstress and doing a music video with Clark, now 80.

Moran told me that one night, the group ended the show with their version of “Downtown,” and the crowd went wild. It was an audience favorite for years, in fact, and when the Saw Doctors decided to record it, they asked Petula Clark to reprise her hit. She agreed, and the song hit #2 on the Christmas charts in Ireland. “It was amazing to record with a musical legend like her,” admitted Moran. “She was a lot of fun and we had a great time!”

The band kicked off its largest ever US and Canada tour on February 22 in Ponte Vedra, Florida. The tour will include 29 shows and will conclude April 1 in Los Angeles at the famous Troubadour Club. What is Philly like for a “Doctors” show? We’re “like family,” Moran says. He says he often sees familiar faces in the crowds. In fact, some have likened Saw Doctors’ international fan base to Deadheads, devoted followers of the band, The Grateful Dead.

How would Moran describe a Saw Doctors show for someone who has never seen one? “They are upbeat and downbeat. The shows are uplifting and positive overall. People genuinely enjoy the shows and sing along. Then they tell their friends and the word spreads.” And it’s not all pounding rock. Moran’s own favorite song to play is “’Same Oul Town,’ because it’s slow,” he says. “I feel it’s good to have a balance in the set.”

Opening for The Saw Doctors will be the Philly-based John Byrne Band, which has its own loyal following. You can even get discounted tickets to the show via Byrne, a Dublin native, by emailing him at j-kbyrne@msn.com. I’ll be there on Tuesday night and will have photos for you afterwards.

Brian Mengini is a contributing writer and photographer to www.irishphiladelphia.com. 

March 9, 2012 by