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12 Inspirational Irish Women Awardees Announced

A Philadelphia judge, an award-winning kids’ radio host, a decorated firefighter, and the regional president of the Sisters of Mercy are among the 12 women to be honored this year at the second annual Inspirational Irish Women Awards event on Sunday, May 22, at the Commodore Barry Club (The Irish Center) in Philadelphia.

Founded last year, the awards are given to women of Irish descent whose lives are an inspiration to others. Among last year’s honorees were Siobhan Reardon, first woman president of The Free Library of Philadelphia; Denise Sullivan Morrison, poised to become the next CEO of Campbell Soup Company; Rosemarie Timoney, founder of a school of Irish dance and longtime promoter of Irish culture; Emily Riley, executive vice president of the philanthropic Connelly Foundation; and Kathy Orr, Emmy-winning CBS3 meteorologist who will serve as emcee for this year’s event.

Two of last year’s winners, Liz Kerr, RN, a nurse on Temple’s transplant team, and Kathy McGee Burns, president of the Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Observance Association, were part of the 2011 selection committee.

Proceeds from the event, an afternoon cocktail reception at the Irish Center, 6815 Emlen Street, Philadelphia, will go to the Irish Center.

For more than 50 years, the Center has served as a home away from home for thousands of Irish people living in Philadelphia. As a meeting spot for Irish cultural organizations, dance, and music groups, it has been the solid foundation of the city’s vibrant Irish community. Without this home base, many of the region’s Irish cultural and charitable organizations would be left without a meeting and event space; some would not be able to continue their activities without the crucial support that the Center provides.

This year, the Irish Center has launched a capital improvement fundraising campaign to repair its roof and to finish construction of an elevator—two jobs that will require a significant influx of cash.

The awards program is co-sponsored by the Irish Immigration Center of Philadelphia, a 501 (c)(3) organization that has been serving the needs of the region’s Irish immigrants since 1998. Through the Immigration Center’s fiscal sponsorship, donations, sponsorships ranging from $100 to $1,000, and the purchase of reserved tables is tax deductible.

Tickets to the event cost $40 and cover beer, wine, soft drinks, as well as various hot and cold appetizers. Table reservations are $450. No tickets will be sold at the door. Ads in the program booklet range in price from $25 to $100.

To purchase tickets, tables, or ads by mail, make checks out to the Irish Immigration Center of Philadelphia, and send them to the center at 7 South Cedar Lane, Upper Darby, PA 19082.

For more information on the event or to purchase tickets or tables online at a secure site, go to www.inspirationalirishwomen.com. You can also send an email to inspirational.irish.women@gmail.com.

The 2011 Inspirational Irish Women Honorees are:

Sister Christine McCann, the Regional President of the Sisters of Mercy in Merion, serves as the Board Chair for Mercy Health System and the Coordinator of the Catholic Health East Sponsor Council. In addition, she is active on the Boards of Catholic Health East and Gwynedd- Mercy College. The Sisters of Mercy, an Irish order, is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.

Margaret Reyes is retired from the Department of Fire and Rescue Services in Montgomery County, Maryland, where she was a firefighter, emergency medical technician, and instructor in specialist rescue training. She currently works as a trainer/educator of the courts in Delaware. Ms. Reyes is also a nationally certified Swiftwater Rescue Technician Instructor and Hazmat Specialist. She was activated by FEMA to several natural and man-made disasters, including the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, and received a meritorious Service Medal from President Bill Clinton for her service there. She is now an activist on immigrant issues. She holds dual Irish and American citizenship.

The Honorable Pamela Pryor Dembe is the president of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and former president of the Brehon Society.

Kathy Fanning is president of the Philadelphia County Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians. This year, Fanning, who is a charter member of LAOH Division 39, received her national life membership from the LAOH.

Kathy O’Connell is the longtime host of WXPN’s “Kids Corner,” a Peabody Award-winning radio show for children.

Anne McDade Keyser Hill, at 86, is still at the helm of two local companies, Plasti-Seal Corporation and John F. Keyser & Sons, in Huntingdon Valley. She was a female business owner at a time when she felt she had to sign her name with just a first initial because “men didn’t want to do business with a woman.” She was active in organizing and heading up parish-linked programs for singles (where she met her current husband, Joe, a retired teacher and writer).

Mary Ann McGinley, PhD, RN, is senior vice president for patient services and chief nursing officer at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Under her leadership Jefferson was granted magnet program status for nursing excellence in 2009, a designation granted to fewer than 5% of US hospitals. She is also recipient of many awards including The Clara Barton Award for Courage in Nursing, 1997 and The Distinguished Alumni Leadership Award from Gwynedd Mercy College in March, 2000.

Carmel Boyce, a mother of six from Letterkenny, Donegal, is, with her husband, Barney, a pillar of the Philadelphia Irish community. She serves on the board of the Irish Center, is financial secretary of the Donegal Association, and has been involved in countless charities. All of her children are actively involved in the Irish community, many in music and dance, helping to keep the culture alive.

Karen Boyce McCollum, Carmel Boyce’s youngest child, is a graduate of Drexel University. She is the associate director of corporate communications for Cephalon, an international biopharmaceutical company. She is also community relations director for and on the board of Irish Network-Philadelphia, a member of the Donegal Association, a singer (she sang at last year’s event), a former Rose of Tralee, and mother of two (soon to be three). She has been named one of the Irish Echo’s 40 Under 40.

Christine M. Coulter is an Inspector in the Philadelphia Police Department’s traffic divisions (special operations). For the past eight years, she has gone on yearly missions to El Salvador with the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus where she has worked on neighborhood projects, including building a bridge, a medical center and a library, as well as teaching computer skills and English to children. She also sponsors a child from the Honduras through Amigos de Jesus, a project founded by Philadelphia-based priest, Father Denny O’Donnell.

Posthumous Awards

 

Liz Crehan Anderson was a tireless promoter of Irish traditional music, dancing, and Irish-speaking in the Philadelphia area until her untimely death at age 54. The niece of Junior Crehan, the famed Clare fiddler, she was a familiar figure at session, house concerts and workshops and was playing and encouraging people to attend workshops until two days before she died.

Sister Peg Hynes SSJ, born in Philadelphia to parents from Galway, was director of the Heart of Camden Housing which helped Camden resident become homeowners. She was honored by the UN, the Fannie Mae Foundation, and many other organizations for her work to provide affordable housing for the poor. A two-time cancer survivor, she was killed in a tragic car accident in 2002.

Looking for a few reasons to be inspired? Check out these four recent profiles:

April 29, 2011 by
Music, News

Belfast Choir Coming to Philadelphia

Cappella Caeciliana

I have heard the Heavenly Host and it is 20 people from Belfast.

In their real lives, they’re bankers, priests, music teachers, insurance brokers and telecommunications workers. But when they sing, Cappella Caeciliana, Northern Ireland’s premier liturgical choir, will literally make you feel like you died and went to heaven.

They’re coming to the Philadelphia area the last week in April for two concerts, one at Villanova and the other at St. Malachy’s Church in Philadelphia, bringing 18 singers, a playlist of religious and Irish music, and a brand new composition by Neil Martin, who, as a musician, has played alongside Sinead O’Connor, Phil Coulter, Altan, and the Dubliners and records on Universal with his own West Ocean String Quartet.

Founded in Belfast in 1995 on the feast of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians, Cappella Caeciliana specializes in liturgical music that’s largely gone from weekly worship. When was the last time you heard your church choir sing “Tantum Ergo?” Or “Ave Maria” in Latin? Or “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring?” Many younger Catholics will have to say, “Never.”

Choir member Phillip O’Rawe, who works for British Telecom, says the choir was started to “prevent that tradition from dying out.

“A lot of what we sing would rarely be heard at Mass because it’s a lot of Latin stuff from the 16th century and requires a reasonable advanced choir to sing it,” he says. “Although we do a wide range of music, including Irish music, from the 16th century till today. We just don’t sing secular music, except for the Irish stuff which we do for tours and concerts.”

When the choir was formed it was largely all Catholic. “It was started by three priests and a couple of other guys who roped in their friends,” O’Rawe says.

And those three priests? They’re “The Priests,” the break-out group made up of Fathers Eugene O’Hagan, Martin O’Hagan (they’re brothers), and David Delargy who have three CDs on Sony (one spent 13 weeks on the UK classical album charts) and can fill a concert hall the way many priests these days wish they could fill their pews.

Cappella Caeciliana is no slouch in the CD department either. They also have three, including Cantate Domino (2001), Sing for the Morning’s Joy (2005) and O Quam Gloriosum (2008), all available at CDBaby.com, where you can listen to excerpts of their music. The priests are on the CDs, but as  part of the choir. “If we had known [The Priests] were going to be famous we would have had them do some things as a trio and we could make a lot of money,” jokes O’Rawe, laughing. (The poverty, chastity, and obedience vows are still in place: the priests are hardly rock stars since they continue their parish work and fit their musical careers around daily Mass, baptisms, weddings and funerals.)

The choir members are not all Catholics anymore. “Over time we changed and spread the net wider to keep bringing new blood in,” says O’Rawe. “But everyone in the choir has a feeling for the music. A lot of the members have have grown up with the music and have sung in other choirs. It’s very much their own ethos and the underlying religious significance is important to them. I think if people believe what they’re singing, they’ll give a better expression of it.

“Not that we’re a bunch of holy Joes going around all day in prayer,” he adds quickly, laughing. “Still, we try not to have our pictures taken in pubs because it might get used in the wrong way!”

Having Protestants in the choir will likely be helpful when the choir sings choral evensong at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, on April 29. “It’s Anglican and we’re used to Anglicans and the way they do psalms,” says O’Rawe. “They’re very much into chanting, which is more English style, while ours is a much more Italian style of singing.”

And being from Northern Ireland has had its perks. The concerts are free because the choir was able to get funding from both the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (via the UK National Lottery) and Culture Ireland, the Irish republic’s international arts program. The National Lottery made it possible for the choir to commission a new work from Neil Martin, “Exsultet,” a traditional Easter song of praise, to be premiered in Northern Ireland and on the US tour.

The only thing required to join Cappella Caecilia is the voice of an angel. When O’Rawe joined the choir at its inception, there were no auditions as there are now. Having an exceptional voice is vital: Except for the occasional organ accomaniement, the choir, as it name suggests, sing a cappella. “And there’s no hiding place in a choir of 20,” he points out.

Cappella Caecilia will perform at 7:30 PM on April 27 at Villanova University’s St. Thomas Church on the Villanova Church and at 7 PM on April 28 at St. Malachy’s Church, 1429 North 11th Street in Philadelphia. Both concerts are free.

 

April 20, 2011 by
Music, News

On the Road to Dingle

Irish Thunder Pipes and Drums

Irish Thunder Pipes and Drums

For many of them, it will be their very first trip to Ireland.

But what a way to go, as members and friends of a gen-u-wine Irish-American bagpipe band, and one of the most popular in the Delaware Valley at that.

Seventeen members of Irish Thunder Pipes and Drums will be heading to the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland’s wild southwest to take part in the Pan Celtic Festival. With friends and family, 78 people altogether are going on this trip.

The Pan Celtic Festival is a huge gathering of clans from Ireland, Scotland, Wales … anywhere there are Celts. The festival takes place from April 26 through May 1. The Irish Thunder band will march in the Parade of all Celtic Nations through Dingle Town on Friday night the 29th, says Pete Hand, the band’s drum major.

The last time the maroon-kilted band traveled to Ireland, it was in July of 2000, for the All-Ireland Pipe Band Competition in Kilkenny. So, says Hand, this journey has been a long time coming. Members of the band have talked about a return for several years, but plans for this year’s trip crystalized over the hot dogs and potato salad at the annual band picnic last year.

“We’re getting excited now … we’re getting closer,” says Hand, who leads the band.

“It’s the first time (traveling to Ireland) for me,” adds Hand. “It’s the first time for a few of the other guys, too. It’s gonna be great ..I think its really going to be fun.”

Irish Thunder won’t be the only pipe band in the parade, but they’ll be one of the few carrying an American flag. “I’m sure we’ll be playing some American tunes that they don’t normally hear over there,” he says.

Of course, there will be plenty of time for sight-seeing as well. The travelers will do the obligatory Ring of Kerry, take in the white-knuckle view (1,300 feet above sea level) from Conor Pass, and visit the Cliffs of Moher.

Hand also notes that in Dingle, a town of 1,300 when nothing else is going on, there are 52 pubs. Band members are likely to belly up to the bar in, oh, a few of them. Says Hand: “We might have a contest.”

April 8, 2011 by
News, People

2011 Philadelphia Rose of Tralee Crowned

With tears in her eyes, the 2011 Philadelphia Rose of Tralee, Beth Keeley, poses for photographers.

A 25-year-old writer from Philadelphia, Beth Keeley, was crowned the 2011 Rose of Tralee at a gala event Saturday night at the Springfield Country Club in Springfield, Delaware County.

Keeley, a graduate of Temple University who spent a semester abroad in Dublin, is web content coordinator/project manager at eCity Interactive, an online marketing and web design company in Philadelphia. While at Temple, Keeley lived in a community service themed dormitory and she and her house mates worked in homeless shelters, food kitchen, cleaning community parks and raising money for cancer research. She and her father host a radio show on Saturday mornings. Her Irish roots are in Donegal and Mayo.

She will travel to Portlaoise on June 3-6 for the Rose of Tralee Regional Final.

Three familiar faces to Irish immigrants—Pat Bonner, Frances Duffy, and Serena White—received the Mary O’Connor Spirit Award for their tireless work with the newly arrived at the Irish Immigration Center in Upper Darby and with organizations such as Irish Northern Aid and Clan Na Gael.

CBS3 consumer reporter Jim Donovan was the host—and a very funny host, at that—and music was provided by Mary Beth Ryan and Friends. It was a special evening for Mary Beth Ryan—her mother is Mary O’Connor awardee and her 12-year-old daughter, Tara, was a Rose Petal, one of two programs for younger women and girls to become involved in the Rose of Tralee Program, which has a focus on community service and charity. The Philadelphia Rose participates in the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, does an annual food fundraiser around the Christmas holidays for a local food pantry and last year for the first time participated in Philly Clean-Up Day.

Along with 2010 Rose of Tralee Mairead Conley, there were five former Roses at the event, including Christine Frawley, the 2006 Rose, who was a judge.

It was a real family night, as you’ll see from our photos. And there wasn’t a soul there who wasn’t having a great time.

April 8, 2011 by
News, People

Mary O’Connor Award Winners Announced

Mary O'Connor Awardee Serena White

This Saturday, the 2011 Philadelphia Rose of Tralee will be chosen at a gala event at the Springfield Country Club. The Philadelphia Rose of Tralee was established in 2002 as an official center of the International Rose of Tralee Festival, one of Ireland’s longest running regional festivals that has as its central focus the selection of the International Rose of Tralee, a young woman of Irish descent who is chosen, according to the International Rose of Tralee website, by the “indefinable quality that captures ‘the truth in her eyes,’” a reference to the song on which the Rose festival is based.

The original Rose of Tralee was a woman named Mary O’Connor, a woman of humble beginnings who fell in love with the wealthy son of her employer. She, wisely sensing that their union could never be because of their class difference, refused William Mulchinock’s offers of marriage. But it was a flase accusation of murder against her lover that tore them apart. He fled to India where he worked a a war correspondant. When he finally returned, it was on the day of Mary’s funeral. Though William Mulchinock married and had a family and emigrated to American during the famine years, he returned to Ireland to live again in Tralee and was buried next to Mary in Clogherbrien, County Kerry.

Three years ago, the Philadelphia Rose of Tralee Centre established a separate award given the night of the Rose Gala to a woman who embodies the proud spirit of Mary O’Connor. This year, the Mary O’Connor Spirit Award is being given to three women who have worked tirelessly for a variety of causes in the Irish community: Pat Bonner, Frances Duffy, and Serena White.

Sarah Conaghan, co-chair of the Philadelphia Rose of Tralee, provided these brief bios of this year’s winners:

 

Pat Bonner and Frances Duffy: Still activists!

Patricia (Pat) Noone Bonner, was born the 5th oldest of seven children (5 girls and 2 boys) and was raised in Philadelphia where she still lives today.  Her later school years were spent in the old Good Shepherd Parish and graduated in 1958 from West Catholic High School for Girls.

Pat’s first trip to Ireland was three months long.  She and her father sailed to Ireland aboard the USS America in 1959.   Her family roots are in County Mayo, specifically Ballina.

In 1964, Pat married Knute (Phillip, Sr.) Bonner and are the proud parents of eight children: Patrick, Mary Beth (she and her band provide the entertainment for the Philadelphia Rose Gala), Phillip, Jr., Sean, Seamus, Erin, Brigid and Deidre.  Currently, they have seven grandchildren and one more on the way!

Pat is still very active with groups that promote the reunification of Ireland such as Clan na Gael, Irish Northern Aid and the Federation of Irish American Societies.  Like many strong women through out history, it’s not the big dramatic things that have made a difference in people’s lives but the small and steady efforts of their tireless abundant devotion; this would sum up  Pat.  With her father, Martin Noone, who was a proud soldier of the East Mayo Brigade, Republicanism and the rights of Irish Soldiers has been instilled in her from an early age.   She doesn’t just talk the talk but walks the walk.  Not only would you see Pat and her husband Knute attending almost every Irish function in the area for over the past 40 years or more, they would have been volunteering.  A number of years ago Pat started the Philadelphia area branch of the Irish Political Prisoners Children’s Holiday program when she learned that children of political prisoners were not given the opportunity to enjoy a holiday in the United States.  Through her long standing friendship of over thirty years with the family of Tom Conaghan, founder of the Irish Immigration and Pastoral Center in Upper Darby, Pat began volunteering in 2001. As she would say “I’m only doing my father’s business!”

Frances O’Donnell Duffy was born on September 20 and raised in the Germantown section of Philadelphia by Irish immigrant parents, James and Bridget O’Donnell from Letterkenny and Creeslough, County Donegal, who instilled a great love for her Irish ancestry.  Living in a very Irish neighborhood she had many friends with the same family background, and she and her friends enjoyed going to dances all over the city.  It was at one of these functions that she met Daniel Duffy from Derry City, County Derry.

On August 2, 1958, Dan and Frances married and settled in Collingdale, PA. With moves to Germantown and West Philadelphia, they eventually settled in Upper Darby where they raised their four children, Mary Frances, Theresa, Danny and Maureen, instilling the same value and love of Irish ancestry in their own children.

Along with her husband, she became a member of the Derry Society in 1970 holding several offices including recording and financial secretary as well as treasurer.  While a member of the Derry Society she worked on committees that brought several youth groups from Derry with the focus on arranging events and housing with families in the Philadelphia area, housing many in the Duffy household.  The Duffy house saw many visitors from individuals such as Northern Irish political leader John Hume to the Doire Colmcille Minor Football Team.  You never knew who you would find at the dinner table or sleeping on the living room floor. It didn’t matter –Frances always made them feel welcome.  Over the years the Derry Society disbanded, but in 2009 Frances played an integral part in bringing it back to life. On May 1, the Derry Society will hold its second annual Derry Society Social at the Irish Center in Philadelphia.

Frances and her husband were involved with many of the Irish societies and were members of the Irish Center and the Federation of Irish American Societies where Frances held the office of recording secretary and is currently the treasurer.

They were members of Irish Northern Aid from its formation in the early ‘70s working toward a united Ireland.  Frances is still a member of Irish Northern Aid.

On December 23,, 1975, Daniel Duffy was indicted by a federal Grand Jury which charged him with conspiracy to ship weapons to Ireland in the fight for Irish freedom from British rule.  Frances showed great strength as she stood by her husband during this time.  As a result she returned to the work force to help support her family.  From May until July of 1976 she attended the trial in the afternoons while working in the mornings.  When the trial was over and her husband was acquitted,  she enjoyed being back in the work force and she remained in her position at Merrill Lynch for 28 years.  She started as a PBX operator and worked her way up to become assistant to administrative manager and ended her career at Merrill as the main administrative support person for one of the firm’s most productive management teams.

In 2004, she retired and continued in supporting the Irish community by volunteering at the Irish Immigration and Pastoral Center in Upper Darby where she assisted by fielding phone calls and walk-ins for such things as Irish citizenship for Irish Americans, helping individuals with the forms to renew their passport, green card applications and filling out of forms for American citizenship.  One of her most successful and rewarding accomplishments at the Center was the formation of the “Senior Luncheon Group”.  Along with Mary and Sarah Conaghan, she worked to contact a group of senior Irish Immigrants and those of Irish American descent to gather at the Immigration Center on Wednesday for lunch and an afternoon of social interaction.   After 8 ½ years, she left the Immigration Center.

She is still an active member of the Derry Society, Clan na Gael, and LAOH Trinity division where she holds the post of “Freedom for Ireland” representative.

Serena White arrived into the High (maiden name) family as Alicia Serena just after the start of World War II.  Her family moved to Drexel Hill in 1953.  Except for a year away, she has lived in the same home for more than 57 years.  Serena’s mother, a Bolger, Kinsella, Reilly, is her Irish connection and their roots go back to counties Carlow and Cavan in Ireland.

Serena attended Archbishop Prendergast High School and was a proud member Prendie’s first graduating class.  After high school, she taught third grade at St. Joseph’s in Collingdale, while attending Immaculata College.  Then she went to work for Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania (now Verizon).  During her 33 plus years at “Ma Bell”, Serena was part of the external affairs department. During her last eighteen months there, she worked in Harrisburg where she managed the special services group.  When Serena retired in 1994, she was working and interacting with 38 independent telephone companies in Pennsylvania.

In 1976, Serena married and became a Mom to her 20-month-old stepson on the same day.  Since her son had special needs, she joined a parent advocacy group that negotiated with schools and health professionals to get children the services they needed.  Also part of Serena’s work was representing parents’ views at the vounty level and with the Pennsylvania Department of Education in Harrisburg, where she was the first parent Representative for the statewide Student Assistance Program.

In 2000, Serena met Father Gerry Burns.  He asked her to do him a favor and the rest is history!  Serena spent ten years with Tom Conaghan, Fran and Pat helping the Irish and Irish Americans at The Irish Immigration and Pastoral Center.  Currently she devotes time to LAOH, Trinity division 4, where she has been a charter member since 1998.  Serena also serves as 2nd Vice-President for the Federation of Irish American Societies, (including the Commodore John Barry USN Association), and is the National Secretary of Tar Anall America – a program that supports former Irish political prisoners and their families.

Serena has two beautiful and loving grandchildren who live with her.  Her grand­daughter Alicia is a 16-year-old veteran Rose Petal in the Rose of Tralee pageant, and grandson Paul is a 13-year-old first time escort.

 

 

 

April 1, 2011 by
News

School Days, Irish Style

 

 

The kids of Gael Scoil 2011.

The kids of Gael Scoil 2011.

By Tom Slattery

Not only did Mercer County’s AOH Division 10’s 4th annual Gael Scoil attract a record number of students, but it also added new cultural sessions, some high-profile teachers and an Irish breakfast. As the student count kept rising, the committee had to scramble to keep up, but like any good show, the audience was unaware of the backstage maneuvers.

At the last minute we had to go to a three-track program; however, this was almost seamless because we had put in place a formal monitoring system, with a supervisor moving the monitors as necessary. Yes, you have to have at least a male and a female monitor in each session to accompany the kids for nature calls and to report quickly on any student or facility problem. You also have to have a registered nurse on duty for emergencies which are going to occur when you have 64 7- to17-year-olds moving around, including an hour session outside learning Irish football and hurling.

But it was the infusion of qualified (actually, overqualified) faculty that marked the success of our 2011 offering. Dr. Christine Kinealy, author of seven books on the Great Hunger, gave two classes for the older children (12-17). Of course, she presented An Gorta Mor, along with a session on Irish Women. Carol Russell, author, art critic and Northern Ireland activist gave a class on Irish Literature, again for the older kids. Mary Kay Mann, an outstanding musician who also teaches, ran two classes on the tin whistle, each class with close to 30 students. The only way to prevent pure mayhem was to have three monitors in the room holding onto the whistles until Mary Kay had a chance to introduce the topic and was ready for the kids to sound off. Realizing the number of younger kids, we added a second storyteller, Dave Emerson, who has already been invited back for 2012.

Pat McCabe, a Dubliner and brother of Mick, who started the program, once again came over from Dublin to help the GAA run their sessions; however, as a chef by trade he indicated he would like to cook up something for the kids. As a result, with the generosity of Breffni Foods of Hamilton, owned by Division 10 member Frank Connell, and a contribution by Gerry Maguire, another Division 10 member, the 64 kids and some of their parents were served a great Irish breakfast of sausage, bacon, eggs and scone. Michael Snowden, a horseman who has taken two horseback riding vacations in Ireland and who was attending as a driver, ran two showings of National Geographic’s video “The Irish Horse,” and showed pictures he took in Ireland—including riding the horses into the Atlantic Ocean. These were run for the younger kids. We also showed “The Secret of Kells,” a great documentary making full use of today’s graphics, in the cafeteria during lunch. Lunch (pizza, juice and cookies) was included in the program.

Other sessions included Irish Language once again run by Daltai na Gaeilge, this time just for the younger students; two musical instrument sessions taught by Mark and Tim Carroll; a bagpipe demo and talk by Marty and Ian Ferrick; an Irish Song session led by Tom Glover; a step dance exhibition by the DeNogla Dancers; Irish Geography by Jim MacFarland; a session on Irish Heroes and one on the Wee People by Tom Slattery.

Saturday afternoon we handed out the “hoodies,” which always seems to create the sense of a school and camaraderie. On Sunday, like every Sunday before, all students wore their hoodie.

Sunday’s lunch time has become a beehive of activities, with the entire school moving around the spacious cafeteria, which is decorated not only with the Irish flag but also with the 32-County and Four-Province flags. One group is eating, while another is baking (scone), and still a third is making Brigid’s Crosses. Those who finish ahead of their classmates are able to view the copy of the Book of Kells, check out the GS library of 40-plus Irish youth books, or just relax and listen to the traditional Irish music in the background.

Sunday’s last half-hour was a great wrap-up. The kids all got called up to get their Certificate of Completion. This year they also received a scroll tied together with a green ribbon. The scroll contained the Irish Declaration of Independence. In their binders they got handouts from some teachers, a tri-fold on the Book of Kells; and info on the Irish Way Program presented by the Irish American Cultural Institute, who also loaned us a copy of the Book of Kells.

Of course, all of the above does not just happen. Starting in late September, the committee starts biweekly meetings. Within a month we move to weekly meetings. The committee, which has been intact since the first Scoil, includes GS founder Mick McCabe, Division 10 members Don Carroll, Gerry Maguire, Gerry O’Rahilly (Division President), John Walsh (Division Past President), as well as Trenton Division 1 member Jim MacFarland and Montgomery County (PA) member Tom Slattery. This year we added June Balaz, Division 10 LAOH, to oversee the Monitor program.

Key to keeping the cost low ($100 for first child in family, $75 for each additional) is the generosity of Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville, N.J., which permits us the use of their fantastic facility, along with major sponsors McCabe Concrete, CCC Celt, and Niall Brady. Thanks to those who sponsored students; AOH Philadelphia Division 88, NJ AOH State Board, and Bob McNally.
Thanks to LAOH 10 for supplying the scone baking assistance; and to James “Trader Jim” Walsh who made the tin whistles available for every child. Thanks to Daltai who made the language support pins available to the children.

Planning for 2012 is already under way. We look forward to creating a fourth-track for the young’uns (6- and 7-year-olds) that will pave the way for future entry into the 8- to 17-year-old main program.

You can follow the Gael Scoil history on www.gaelscoil.us . At their March 10 banquet, the Friendly Sons & Daughters of St. Patrick of Mercer County presented their annual Community Service Award to the Gael Scoil.

 Photos by Gerard O’Rahilly


March 25, 2011 by
News

A Message From Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade Director Michael Bradley

Michael Bradley

Parade director Michael Bradley in the booth with CBS3's Kathy Orr.

We started off parade season with a great fundraiser at AOH Division 39 in Tacony. Thanks to President Ed Dougherty, who provided us hospitality at their club. The event was chaired by Joe Fox, the president of the AOH Philadelphia County Board, and Kathy Fanning, the president of the LAOH Philadelphia County Board. Music was by Frank Daly’s great band Jameson; dancers were from Chrissy Zeo Harbison’s fantastic Celtic Flame School of Irish Dance. Everyone danced, sang and had a great time while raising
money for the parade.

The next major event was a fundraiser with another great night at 2nd Street Irish Society in South Philly. Thanks to President Michael Remshard who provided us a great night at their club. The event was chaired by our newest board member John Stevenson, the founder of 2nd Street Irish Society. Music was by John McGillian’s band 5 Quid and the dancers were from Jeannine McGuire’s 2nd Street Irish Society Step Dancers. Speeches were given and I made mention of 2nd St Irish Society’s 15th anniversary and that their club has a whole wall with awards won at the Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day parade. After what I saw at the parade, you are going to fill up more walls! Again, our goal was to mingle with our hosts and guests in a relaxed atmosphere and have a good
time while raising money for the parade.

We had a VIP Reception for our major sponsors, which was held in the Grand Lobby at CBS3 and is the highlight of the social calendar. Grand Marshal Sister James Anne Feerick IHM was introduced, gave a heartfelt speech and even danced for us. Kathy
McGee Burns introduced the Ring of Honor: Sr. Kathleen Brabson, S.S.J., Bernadette Browne, Honorable Pamela P. Dembe, Denise Foley, Liz Kerr, Eileen Lavin, Sister Christine McCann, R.S.M., and Honorable Kelly C. Wall.

We introduced the great CBS3 /CW Philly 57 team of Susan Barnett, Kathy Orr, Bob Kelly, Perry Casciato, Chris May, Jim Donovan, Dave Huddleston, Susan Schiller and Joanne Calabria. All mingled with guests and a fantastic time was had by all in attendance.

The highlight of the night was that we had the honor of presenting John Dougherty a plaque for all his years or support with the Irish community and specifically his support for the parade. There would be no parade of this magnitude without John Dougherty and
IBEW Local 98, so make sure you thank him when you see him. We also gave awards to major sponsors Sandy Muller and Marty Farrell from Muller Beverage. The music was provided by Karen Boyce McCollum, Brian Boyce and Luke Jardel and the dancers were from the McDade School of Irish Dance. The outstanding food was served by Cescaphe Caterers; I don’t think I have ever been to a wedding as elegant as this affair.

Our next fundraiser kicked of parade week on Sunday March 6 at Springfield Country Club where we had over 850 in attendance. Blackthorn provided their usual fantastic show. The dancers were from the McDade, Cara, and McHugh School of Irish Dance,
and ended with all of them performing together as one! CBS3 anchor Susan Barnett left her own son’s christening to be there! CBS3’s Bob Kelly is always there with us and a huge crowd favorite at Irish events. I invited the “The Man of a Thousand Voices” Joe
Conklin who had the crowd in stitches with his impersonations of Philly celebrities who were supposed to be at the fundraiser but couldn’t make it, notably Allen Iverson, Charlie Manuel, Cole Hammels and Andy Reid! We were joined by our Irish radio hosts Mike Concannon, Marianne McDonald, and Vince Gallagher. Special thanks to “professional volunteers” Linda Bradley, Carmel and Barney Boyce, Frances Duffy, Pat Donnelly, Tom Kearney, Kathy Metzger and especially Chris Phillips for organizing the Silent
Auction. We had an awesome time and I have already booked Springfield Country Club for Sunday March 4, 2012, for next year so save the date!

We started Thursday March 10 at City Hall for a wreath laying and tribute to the Irish patriots with the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick. We then proceeded on to the magnificent Mayors Reception Room for the Governor’s and Mayor’s proclamation of March as “Irish
Month.” Kathy McGee Burns introduced our Grand Marshal Sister James Anne Feerick IHM and Ring of Honor, and the dancing was provided by Rose Marie Timoney and the Timoney School of Irish Dance. Hard to believe that Sister James Anne was never
Grand Marshal before, I guess it just goes to show you how many outstanding Irish and Irish Americans we are blessed to have in our region. Mayor Nutter and Councilman Bill Green spoke and we were joined by State Reps Brendan and Kevin Boyle as they
read proclamations.

Over at the Doubletree Hotel for the annual luncheon, Kathy McGee Burns sashed our Grand Marshal, Sister James Anne to a thundering applause. They also sashed our outstanding ring of Honor: Kathy Orr and Perry Casciato from CBS3 were in attendance and another great time was had by all in anticipation of our parade. 2010 Grand Marshal and a celebrity in his own right, Seamus Boyle, the national president of the AOH, was saluted. We were also graced by the presence of Sandy Muller from Muller Beverage, presents from Johnny Doc and local 98, and amazingly a perfect parade book with a photo of Sister James Anne on the cover. Everyone always just takes it for granted that these books show up on time and I want to acknowledge all the hard work on the parade book by Greg Skahan from Griffiths Printing and Pat Donnelly.

On Sunday March 13, the Mass was magnificent, organized by Len Armstrong and the committee. The Emerald Pipers led a procession up the aisle to start the Mass celebrated by Cardinal Rigali, Father Kevin Gallagher, Father Chris Walsh, and others too numerous to mention for fear of forgetting someone. The singing, always an Irish tradition and treat, was headlined by the St. James Alumni Choir, Soloist Karen Boyce McCollum, and National Anthem by Frank Gallagher. While the Mass was going on, George
Hollingsworth, who is retired from the City and whom I cannot do without, was in work clothes screwing down a dance floor at the performing area, while Joe Callan was helping me organize the performing area.

We had 187 groups and started the parade at 16th & JFK at 11:15 a.m. The bands were awesome, the dancers magnificent, the marchers inspiring, and the crowd never stopped cheering. Timmy Kelly started us off with his usual jaw-dropping, tear-wiping
rendition of Danny Boy, and Frank Gallagher chipped in with America the Beautiful, and the crowd’s enthusiasm never waned the whole four and one half hours. The 2011 Theme was: ST. PATRICK, BLESS OUR RELIGIOUS SISTERS WHO SERVE, INSPIRE AND EDUCATE.

We were led off this year by our friends from Philadelphia’s Finest, the Emerald Society Pipes and Drums. I cannot thank enough John McNesby, president of FOP Local 5, and Harry Marnie for their hospitality and help at FOP 5 after the parade. Special thanks to
Captain Tom Helker, without his help and support, we could never be successful.

I have to give a special hello and thank you to our sisters who marched this year. The Immaculate Heart of Mary Nuns and the Sisters of Mercy nuns made all of us proud and had a ball while doing so. Sisters, thank you and I hope to see you all next year!

Kathy Orr, Susan Barnett, and Bob Kelly did another outstanding job and were ably assisted by Father Kevin Gallagher and Karen Boyce McCollum. I was honored to be asked to go into the booth and do some commentating, but to tell you the truth, it was so
hot in there and I couldn’t sit still that long, my ADD was in high gear and I left after I lost interest in the booth, and not being on the street. So I have a brand new appreciation of our commentators and the preparation and work that they do! If you would like to
see the parade, go to www.CBSPhilly.com and you can watch the entire parade, or it is on Comcast Video on Demand for free also.

My family joined up with Mike Driscoll’s Family and we rented a double-decker bus. We put the Philly Phanatic and the Penn State Nittany Lion up on top of the bus so all could see him and save him from being mobbed by the crowd. He was obviously a huge hit
and a great addition.

Our award winners and info on our awards party can be found on our Web site at www.philadelphiastpatsparade.com. We look forward to seeing all the winners, sponsors, marcher and friends at our awards party on Wednesday April 13, 2011, at
Finnigan’s Wake at 6 p.m., where we will also announce our Trip to Ireland Winner.

If you have any questions or require information, please visit our Web site. Come join the fun and get to know our board members and the CBS3 celebrities!

The next major Irish event that I am hosting is on Sunday, June 5. We will have the 13th Annual Irish Festival at Penn’s Landing with vendors, dancers, bands, entertainment and the Man and Woman of the year awards. Do not miss it, it is a great event!

Please go to the CBS3 Web site and tell them how much you appreciate their involvement in the Irish community. I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank the Denise Foley, a proud 2011 Ring of Honor member, and Jeff Meade for all their coverage and support not just this month, but 365 days of the year. Their photos are simply “THE BEST” I am proud to call them friends!

Special thanks go out to my wife Linda, and sons Mickey and Colin, for understanding all the time that I have been missing from their lives the last month, to president Kathy McGee Burns and 1st VP Bob Gessler, 2nd VP Chris Phillips, Secretary Mary Frances
Fogg, Treasurer Len Armstrong, all our Board Members, CBS3 President Jon Hitchcock and his staff, Mayor Nutter, Melanie Johnson, Jazelle Jones, George Hollingsworth, Joe Callan, our producer and friend Liz Naughton, and 2nd VP Chris Phillips, who ably handled all the chaos at 16th and JFK and Pat Donnelly for all her help, and to my good friend at CBS 3, without whom this parade wouldn’t make it one minute on TV, Perry Casciato. And a really big special get well quickly to Paul Phillips, I need you to get
well NOW, because I need someone to tell me how bad I screw things up now that Jim Kilgallen, Jack McNamee, & Tom Moffit are gone!

If you are reading this, and missing all this fun, why don’t you get a group to march? All you need is one key person and we’ll do the rest. Contact me at www.philadelphiastpatsparade.com!

By the end of the parade we had over 20,000 marchers strong pass through. To the six groups who did not pass through before TV coverage ended, please accept our apologies, we will make it up to you next year or in some way through this year. The last group is
just as special as the first group to me! We certainly were blessed with great weather!

The title of parade director carries a tremendous responsibility that has been placed on me, but even though it is an unbelievable amount of work, all I can think about, is what an honor it is for me to serve and honor, you and your ancestors. I am very proud to
have that responsibility, and promise to do my best at all times, for everyone in the Irish community. Don’t forget, we have 26 members on our board and they all contribute in some way this fine parade! Make sure you thank them when you see them.

On behalf of the Saint Patrick’s Day Observance Association, thanks again for a wonderful display of religion, tradition, culture, friendship, and love for all things Irish!

In Honor of St Patrick,

Michael J. Bradley Jr.

Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade Director

March 24, 2011 by
News, Sports

A Donnybrook Breaks Out on Saturday

A member of the Irish Wolfhounds rugby team at practice.

They come at each other like charging rhinos, tackling each other at the chest and knees until someone is on the ground under 600 or so pounds of human flesh. All for a prize that looks like a football with a growth disorder.

It’s rugby, and it’s coming—for one day only—to Philadelphia this Saturday, March 19, reviving a tradition called The Donnybrook Cup, which pits a semi-pro/amateur team from the US against Irish players, many of whom play in the Rugby League in England.

The Tomahawks—the US National team, ranked 15th in the world—will face the Irish Wolfhounds (ranked 7th) at Charles Martin Memorial Stadium on Cottman Avenue in northeast Philadelphia, with kick-off at 4 PM (gates open at 2:30 PM). The match-up was a regular St. Patrick’s Day event until 2003, and it’s being revived this year with two teams who have met on the field six times, with the Tomahawks holding a 4-2 edge.

If you don’t think of rugby as an Irish sport—or even an American one—you’re mostly right. “Footy” is most popular in places like England—where it was born—and Australia (Aussie actor Russell Crowe owns his own rugby team). But, says Wolfhounds’ coach Alan Robinson, it’s actually the number two sport in Ireland.
“It’s second after soccer,” says Robinson, who also coaches a team in Coventry, England.

And all those rugby t-shirts you’ve seen are true: They play without protection, they have bigger balls, and they may indeed eat their dead. Well, maybe not that last one, but rugby is as tough as American football, but without helmets, pads, and multimillion dollar salaries. (Ironically, the team is sponsored by a UK insurance and risk management company, Bartlett Group.)

Here’s basically how it works in the International Rugby League:

The object of the game is to get the ball to the other end of the field (where you need to place it on the ground, a goal that gets you 4 points). That earns you the right to kick it for another 2 points. You can also kick it over the opposing goal for one point. The means by which you get there is a series of what in American football are “downs.” That’s where the kicking, running, tackling and blood happen. There are no quarterbacks with a rocket arm in this game—passing is done backwards or sideways so the player with the ball needs to stay a little ahead of his teammates. And the game lasts for 80 minutes, 40 minutes a side.

“Unlike American football, where they rest between downs, in rugby it’s continuous play,” says Robinson. “We don’t rest at all.”

That means rugby players spend more time than their American football counterparts using the cardiovascular machines at the gym, as opposed to the weights. “American footballers are big athletes, but big guys have a tougher time in rugby, you really need to be cardiovascularly fit,” Robinson explains.

Many of his players get plenty of running practice while training for their semi-pro teams. For example, Brendan Guilfoyle, team captain, plays for the Treaty City Titans in Limerick City, as do four other Wolfhounds. Some play for British teams, like the West London Sharks and Northampton Demons. Their opponents are, appropriately, multicultural, with four players from Hawaii, a New York player of Tongan descent, Salesi Tongamoa, and a team captain named Apple Pope from Florida. (Interesting side note: Pope, who has played in Australia, has two brothers, Taco and Pepci. His mother, Chili, has siblings named Peper and Cofi. It’s a long story, involving a grandmother named “Pork.” You can’t make this stuff up.)

Promoters are expecting an exciting game from two teams made up of some of the cream of the rugby crop and some up-and-comers. Fans can expect 80 minutes of pure unadulterated action. You’d be crazy not to go. About as crazy as they are to play a game where one of the most popular t-shirts reads, “Give blood. Play Rugby.”

March 18, 2011 by