Young Irelands GFC – Irish in Philly

News, People

Looking After Their Own: Irish Community Rallies to Support Sean Hughes and Family

Grange, County Armagh, native Sean Hughes is in a medically induced coma in a Delaware hospital after suffering a severe head injury in a job site accident.

Hughes, a resident of Drexel Hill for the past five years, is a member and player of the Young Irelands Gaelic Football Club. Now, members of that tightknit community—and for that matter, hundreds of people from literally everywhere—are coming to the aid of Hughes, his wife Emily O’Neill and son Sean, 2 years old.

An online fund drive sponsored by the Young Irelands thus far has raised close to $70,000 in financial assistance for the family in just a few days.

No one expected the campaign to have a global reach.

December 18, 2020 by Jeff Meade

News, Sports

Fight Club!

That's Chuck Cawley as "Twinkle Toes," a reference to his recent dance competition for the Delco Gaels.

It wasn’t your usual Saturday night at the Irish Center in Philadelphia. In the ballroom, under crystal chandeliers, where many brides and grooms danced their first dance as husband and wife, Irish dancers did the South Galway set, and traditional musicians performed, was a ring. A boxing ring.

And there was a night of boxing to go with it. The Young Irelands Gaelic Football Club’s “Fight Night” was a fundraiser for the footballers and a card that included more than a dozen local amateur fighters and more than a few comedians—you’ll see that in the photos taken by Eileen McElroy and Una Mullan.

Check out the photo essay Eileen and Una did for us. And check out Eileen’s wonderful time lapse video to see how the Irish Center’s ballroom was transformed into “Fight Club.” It’s amazing how fast people move when there’s Irish music involved.

View the photo essay here.

See Eileen’s video here or check it out at the top of the page.

May 4, 2012 by Denise Foley