VIRGINIA AOH NEWSLETTER
WINTER, 2009
Next
state meeting:
Saturday, 24 January,
2009, 10:00 am SHARP
Our Lady of Angels Roman
Catholic Church
13752 Mary’s Way (just
off US 1)
Woodbridge, Prince William County Virginia
(703)494-9259
Please call the church
for directions and/or use
Mapquest, http://www.mapquest.com
This is the Winter, 2009,
Virginia AOH Newsletter, the sixth edition of our State Newsletter.
Irish Gala!
IRISH GALA!!
Saturday evening, 31 January, 2009, 6:30 pm-11:00 pm, Our Lady of
Angels Catholic Church, Mary’s Way, Woodbridge, Prince William County,
Virginia. Celebration
in honor of Saint Brigid. Music, refreshments, food,
and lots and lots of fun. Tickets are $20.00/advance & $25.00/door.
Contact Barbara Tivnan, (703)494-4779, Shirley Sullivan, (703)494-4578, or any
member of the Lt. Col. Dowd (Woodbridge) Division for tickets and information.
Gifts for Saint Patrick ’s Day: The Irish
Collection, 125 Mill Street, Occoquan, Virginia 22125, www.irishco.com, (703)492-9383, Fax: (703)
492-9655. Quality merchandise AND you receive a 10% discount when you show your
AOH membership card.
All Virginia AOH Newsletters are archived at
http://www.aohvirginianewsletter.com
Ed
Moran, Editor
HOME:
(703) 820-2854
FAX:
(212) 214-0427
EMAIL:
kerryman@att.net
|
1. CHAPLAIN 2. PRESIDENT 3. VICE-PRESIDENT 4. SECRETARY 5. TREASURER 6. PAST PRESIDENT 7. PARLIAMENTARIAN 8. INSURANCE ADVISOR 9. CHARITIES AND MISSIONS 10.
ORGANIZER 11.
PRO-LIFE 12.
HISTORIAN 13.
CATHOLIC ACTION 14.
FREEDOM FOR ALL
IRELAND 15.
POLITICAL
EDUCATION 16.
IMMIGRATION 17.
BUY IRISH 18.
IRISH AWARENESS 19.
FINANCE 20.
HIBERNIAN OF
THE YEAR |
21.
NEWSLETTER
EDITOR/PUBLICITY 22.
CONVENTION
CHAIR 23.
WEBMASTER 24.
DEGREES AND
CEREMONIALS 25.
VETERANS’
AFFAIRS 26.
FAIRFAX COUNTY
BOARD 27.
PRINCE WILLIAM
COUNTY BOARD 28.
COLONEL JOHN
FITZGERALD DIVISION (ARLINGTON) 29.
MSGR. BRADICAN
DIVISION (ANNANDALE) 30.
FATHER WILLIAM
CORBY DIVISION (FAIRFAX) 31.
LT. COLONEL
JOHN A. DOWD USMC DIVISION (WOODBRIDGE) 32.
FATHER EDWIN
KELLEY DIVISION (MANASSAS) 33.
GEN. THOMAS
MEAGHER DIVISION (FREDERICKSBURG) 34.
COLONEL THOMAS
CUNNINGHAM, JR. DIVISION (ASHBURN) 35.
FATHER JOHN
MUNLEY DIVISION (WINCHESTER) 36.
MAJOR JAMES H.
DOOLEY DIVISION (RICHMOND) 37.
JOHN CARDINAL
O’CONNOR DIVISION (WILLIAMSBURG) 38.
ST. PATRICK
DIVISION (TIDEWATER) 39.
FATHER JOHN
LYNCH DIVISION (ROANOKE) |
- S
T A T E C H A P L A I N
Rev. George E. Zahn
St. Paul’s Church
909 Rennie Avenue
Richmond, VA 23227-4808
(804) 329-0473
No
Report.
2. S T A
T E P R E S I D E N T
Pat
Naughton
(804)
360-2969
One of the primary purposes for founding the Ancient
Order of Hibernians in America was to provide a means for the Irish to help
each other. We are in tough economic times and we need to help each other now
more than ever. The New York Irish have been doing this for years with their
Green Pages. As webmaster of the Dooley Division I’ve set up a Green page
devoted to helping AOH members and friends of AOH, http://home.comcast.net/~p.naughton/Greenpages.html.
This listing contains Irish people who have a business or members looking for
work. The businesses do not have to sell Irish products. I have asked Hugh
O’Brien, Chairman of Buy Irish, to help expand this listing with others that
need our assistance. Mike Creegan, State Webmaster, will be adding links to get
this information out. We all have a choice on where we spend our money. Let’s
help our family first. If you would like to be listed, please send a note to
Hugh O’Brien, taramen@aol.com
This year’s Right to Life March is very important to show the incoming
administration our passion for the sanctity of life. Please consider attending
the Mass for life which is held on January 22nd at 7:30 a.m. at the National
Shrine of the Immaculate Conception located at 400 Michigan Avenue. For more
information about the mass and prayer vigils, visit their website at www.nationalshrine.com. Our Brothers
from Washington, DC will hold a breakfast from 9 am-Noon at the Irish Channel
Restaurant at the intersection of 5th and F Streets. A full breakfast along
with coffee and juice will be served at a cost of $20 per person. Theodore
Cardinal McCarrick and the Archbishop of Washington, DC have both been invited
to attend. AOH members are asked to gather at Constitution Avenue and 6th
Street facing the Supreme Court Building on the left side of the street. The
March kicks off at 1pm, so please be there by that time. As I have met with
many of the Divisions across the state, the biggest common problem is
recruiting and retention. This will be the focus of the next state meeting.
Division Organizers are encouraged to attend. There will be materials from
National for each Division. Each Division is asked to discuss their success in
this area.
Congratulations to the Dooly Division in Richmond
bringing in 30 new members this past Fall. We look forward to hearing about
this recruitment drive.
We are less than six months away from our Convention
in Stafford. Bruce Denault and his committee have done some great work in
putting together a low cost quality convention. Plans are to have an ice
breaker at the Marine Corps. Museum on Friday. The
meeting, banquet, and Round Tower degree will be held near the hotel in
Stafford at William of York Church. Some states have no ice breaker no banquet
just a brunch on Sunday. Good conventions build lifetime bonds between members
and Division. We are known for good conventions. Now is the time to get your
ideas in to Bruce for what you would like to see in the convention. Send your
requests to bdenault2002@yahoo.com
In Friendship, Unity, and Christian Charity,
Pat Naughton
3. V I C
E—P R E S I D E N T
Rich
Aleksy
(703)
369-3189
Agnes
and I would like to wish each of you and your Families a very Blessed and Merry
Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Please
don't forget to take time out during these Holidays to think of and pray for
our Military Personnel, especially those in harm’s way and our Veterans. We owe
each and every one of them so much for what they do to protect our Freedom.
We want to take this opportunity to thank you for the
accomplishments that your Divisions have made, but we must continue to do more
to let people know who the Hibernians are.
Please submit your Form 9's with your elected Officers
and Chairmen. Please also submit your
Form 11's with your Per Capita and membership information.
Necrology - we continue to send out Mass Cards and
Letters for our deceased Brothers including Father Michael C. Kelly, former
State Chaplain. Please keep our Deceased
Brothers and their Families in our prayers.
4. S E C
R E T A R Y
Chuck
Curran
Greetings and Blessings of the New Year to all Virginia
Hibernian Divisions! By this time, each
Division should have held elections of officers and either held or scheduled
installations of the new officers. The
Secretary of each Division should file the AOH Form 9, Report of Elections,
with the National Secretary and State Secretary as soon as possible after the
election. The National Secretary now
accepts electronic reports at aohsecretary@verizon.net. The report form can be found at www.aoh.com; click on AOH Forms. I have not yet received the Form 9’s for all
Divisions. Please provide these reports
as soon as possible. Please check to
make sure that all e-mail addresses are correct and current as this is our
principal method of communication today.
I would also remind each Division
that AOH Form 11, annual financial report, is due to the National Secretary and
State Secretary by February 15.
It
is with sadness that we must note the untimely passing of Fr. Mike Kelly, a
Past State Chaplain, who was killed by a falling tree as he helped to clear a
highway of another tree on New Year’s Eve.
Fr. Kelly’s funeral was held January 6 at St. Francis de Sales Parish in
Purcellville, VA. Please keep Fr. Kelly,
Fr. Richardson, and all other deceased Hibernians in your prayers.
The next Meeting of the AOH and LAOH Virginia State Boards will be held
Saturday, January 24, 2009, at Our Lady of Angels Parish Hall, 13752 Mary’s Way, Woodbridge,
Virginia. The meeting will begin at
10:00 am. Please mark your
calendar. I hope to see you there.
5. T R E
A S U R E R
Joe
McCarthy
(540)
888-3664
Rich Aleksy (Temporary while Joe
recovers from surgery.)
(703) 369-3189
Complete Financial Report
will be provided at the State Meeting on January 24.
6. P A S
T P R E S I D E N T
Dan
Brennan
(757) 471-7274
As we enter this new year it
is important that we actively pursue new and younger members. Our organization,
like so many others, is getting old. In order to continue the fine work the
Ancient Order of Hibernians has done in the past, we need more Brothers.
You can recruit from your friends and neighbors. Let
everyone know who the AOH is and what we do. Let everyone know that we are an
organization of Irish Catholic gentlemen who are proud of our heritage and our
religion. Contact your parish priest and offer the services of your Division to
assist him in any way needed. Encourage our kids to learn about their Irish
heritage and ancestry. We have such a great history, both in Ireland and in
this country.
We need to do more than just meet once a month. We
need to be active in both church and community. Let everyone know the
Hibernians are there to help and make for a better world.
7. P A R
L I A M E N T A R I A N
Arthur
Grimley
(703) 971-6831
No Report.
8. I N S
U R A N C E A D V I S O R
Dave
Zerby
(540)
374-1982
The
current financial crisis that the United States and the rest of the world are
experiencing is affecting many financial institutions including insurance
companies. There is, of course, great anxiety on the part of many. While we see
no immediate change in this situation coming soon, I feel that we must all pay
rigorous attention to our investment and money management decisions. As I have
previously indicated to you, I spend a prodigious time searching for the best
policy for the Virginia AOH in terms of amount of premium and financial
viability of the insurance company. I have
also indicated previously that my employer and I always, always, take a drastic
reduction in commission to provide the best value for the Virginia AOH. I shall
continue my efforts in the same vein. Insurance premiums have escalated over
the years due to many major natural disasters, e.g., hurricanes, etc. If
anybody has a lead on a better premium or any other matter in regard to the
Virginia AOH’s insurance policy, please let me know at your earliest
convenience.
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to everyone.
9. C H A
R I T I E S A N D M I S S I O N S
John Rickard
(703) 368-4795
No
Report.
10. O R G A N I Z E R
Rich
Aleksy
(703)
369-3189
I encourage every Division to recruit new Irish Catholics to your
Divisions. I would like to work with each of your new Division Organizers in
Promoting new Brother Hibernians into our Order. Our State President Pat and I
have distributed materials throughout the last year and we will make these
materials available to your Organizers once we find out whom you have selected.
I encourage your Organizers to accompany you to the next State Meeting.
- P R O—L I F E
Larry
O'Brien
(703)
978-5651
PRO-LIFE MARCH AND RALLY 2009
The Pro-Life March this year is on Jan. 22nd.
For those of you who march with the Knights of Columbus, you are to be
complimented. The K of C has probably the largest presence at these marches,
and they’re certainly committed to the Pro-Life movement. Without a formal
survey, it’s probably safe to say that many of you are knights. However, you
are now being asked to march with them next year, to march with us this year,
and to alternate your marches as a way to divide your loyalty between the K of
C and the AOH. The same applies to those of you who march with your parishes
and other groups. This is a team effort.
For those of you who are ill or frail, wheelchairs and
other assistance will be provided. Last year and in previous years, very
elderly, disabled and challenged individuals attended, and their conditions
were more extreme than anyone in our group. For those of you who believe you
can’t take off work to attend, ask yourself how many people who are running
businesses, and others with very pressing problems are taking valuable time
from work to attend, especially this year. For those of you who are concerned
about the elements, dress warmly, layer up, and offer it up. For those of you
who rationalize the distance, speak with brother knights, Hibernians, and
others about people who travel from New York, Ohio, Missouri, and other great
distances. Traveling from the state bordering where the rally and march are can’t possibly be an imposition.
For those of you who believe you’re too important to
attend, we can’t help you, but maybe a confessor can help you with your lack of
humility. Any excuse will work. If,
however, you have an Irish conscience and you’re motivated by Catholic guilt,
any other way you spend that day has to be a very unpleasant one. For those of
you who might forget when the march is, this is a reminder. To use a sports
analogy, you can’t win the game by sitting on the bench. For those of you who are indifferent, you may
want to check your pulse to see if you’re still alive. For those of you who believe your presence will be negligible and
unnecessary, remember that this is a team effort. If you want to recruit new
members, you have to get the AOH out there and lead by example. For those of
you who question what impact your presence has on the Pro-Life movement,
collectively it sends the right message and people should know when it is
explained to them, despite the media.
Conversely, the
question is what message does your absence send? Either way,
you send a message. Lip service won’t
suffice. You have to demonstrate, unequivocally, the AOH stands for Pro Life,
and that you do, too. Members who attend will be duly noted in the next newsletter.
If you don’t see your name, examine your conscience. The next newsletter will
be a mirror of what you did or did not do for the Pro Life cause. The bottom line is saving souls.
Surf and Google Pro-Life and abortion web sites,
especially the abortion sites and you’ll see a plethora of repulsive
information. You’ll see stories about Planned Parenthood, one of the several
merchants of death that, among other egregious offenses, has encouraged girls
to lie about their ages. You’ll see euphemisms, such as a “wide-range of
complete gynecological and pregnancy termination services”. If after you visit
these sites, or if you profoundly reflect on these activities, and you
still elect not to join us in an atmosphere of solidarity and camaraderie, then
again, check your pulse.
Remember, the Life Principles mean “Equal Care with No Exceptions!” Join us at the Irish Channel Inn, aka Irish
Channel Restaurant , which is located at the intersection of 5th and
H Streets, NW. Breakfast will be available between 9 am and noon. According to
the web site, this breakfast is being sponsored by the DC Board of the AOH, and
there is a nominal charge of $20. The AOH is scheduled to group at the
intersection of Constitution and 6th Streets on the left side of the
street at 1 pm. Although some members may have AOH banners, and AOH members may
debate a slight repositioning of our ultimate rendezvous, note my cell phone
number for this or any other reason, (703)201-2072. Feel free to go to several
of the Pro-Life web sites for other pre- and post- march and rally activities,
such as prayer and rosary services at the Shrine; or call me before the events
at home, (703)978-5651, evenings and weekends. Otherwise, please pray for a
successful rally and march, and that collectively we
can save at least one life, or many more, and that ultimately we can lead souls
into heaven, including our own. (See attached flyer below.)
12.
H I S T O
R I A N
Bruce Denault
(540) 446-9123
Biographies of our namesakes continue with a
military theme and with the biography of LtCol John Fitzgerald.
In 1769, John
Fitzgerald emigrated from
During the Valley Forge encampment, Fitzgerald was
sent to
He returned to his business in
13.
C AT H O L
I C A C T I O N
Jack
Devaney
johndevaneyjr@verizon.net
(703)
278-8352
Catholic Voting in the Last Election and What Are You
to Do
Did you notice the lack of
the figure of death and the New Year child in the newspaper cartoons? Have death and the killing of babies become
so commonplace that it is no longer newsworthy?
In the past election, exit
polls showed Catholics voted 54 to 45 percent to elect President Obama. This is greater than 52 – 46 split that was
among all Americans. How can this be? The Bishops before the election suggested
that the choice of the election was more than a moral option. A few Bishops
came out and said voting for pro-abortion was against God’s law. Maybe a few of
the faithful didn’t get to Mass on those days.
After the elections it was a different story. The Bishops under the guise of NCCBA said
that this type of voting was a sin. I do
believe this came a little late. I am
not sure who is listening to the Bishops, if anyone. Maybe it has something to do with the contempt
the liberal universities have for the Magisterium.
Professors from such
universities as Pepperdine, Boston College, Duquesne, Notre Dame, and St.
Peters College argued that fighting poverty, reforming health care, and
otherwise would have greater benefit than tending to the effects of abortion.
Catholic colleges served as hosts for Obama political rallies. Among these are
Mount Mercy College and St. Ambrose, IA; St. Louis U, MO; Villanova, PA.; St.
Peters, NJ got the services of the nearby Catholic Schools to provide musical
entertainment for the 3000 attendees. Nine
members of Obama’s Catholic National Advisory Committee were professors at
Catholic colleges.
Faculty at Jesuit Georgetown
University ranked seventh in donations to the Obama campaign with donations
totaling $179,000. Sociologist Anne Hendershott documents the decline of the
Catholic academy in her new book “Status Envy,” and a new national survey by
the Center for the Study of Catholic Higher Education drives home the point. Theological
dissent, contempt for the bishops and the Vatican, capitulation to the “Sexual
Revolution,” and imitation of elite universities and their glorification of
academic freedom and cafeteria-style curricula produce graduates from Catholic
colleges that are far less committed to the moral, social, and political values
of their predecessors.
The Freedom of Choice Act will be on us
shortly. It is the intent of President Elect Obama to take away the State right
to protect the unborn child. There are
many politicians who will have a say in the outcome of this Federal Law. There
are 72 pro-abortion Catholics in the Congress. If the remaining Catholics vote
as in the election there will be a total vote of 261 out of 385 total votes for
passage of this bill. With our Connolly, Maryknoll College (no religion) and
Moran, Holy Cross (Catholic) taking the lead for us in Northern Virginia, you
can see the Catholics are well represented and will support the abortion cause.
If you care, let your
Congressman know. While they give lip service to their faith, that do
understand politics.
14.
F R E E D
O M F O R A L L I R E L A N D
No Report. (Chairman position
open)
15.
P O L I T
I C A L E D U C A T I O N
No Report. (Chairman position
open)
16.
I M M I G
R A T I O N
No Report. (Chairman position open)
17.
B U
Y I R I S H
Hugh
P. O'Brien
(540)
786-4214
As we are keenly aware, the dire economic
news of the past year has affected nearly all of us, both directly and indirectly.
Home foreclosures, job losses, business failures, deep pension fund and stock
market devaluations, and low consumer confidence are a few of the signs that
the country is in a serious economic crisis, namely a recession. Other nations too in this global economy have
experienced major downturns, including
To help mitigate the situation in a
particular Hibernian way, State President Naughton has proposed that the AOH
establish “Green Pages” under our State Buy Irish website. This would provide a link to businesses run
by AOH members or supporters and doesn’t necessarily have to be Irish products
or services. Webmaster Mike Creegan has
set up a list of local businesses owned/operated by fellow Hibernians and
friends on the “Businesses to Patronize” page.
Also, it was suggested that he include information from the North
American Celtic Buyers Association which he linked to our Buy Irish page. Our main effort, however, is focused on
supporting the businesses owned/operated by fellow Hibernians and friends
during these financially troubled times.
Any submissions you may have should be forwarded to Webmaster Creegan.
Musical Notes: Did you happen to watch a performance on PBS
during the recent Christmas holidays of a trio of male singers dressed in black
with Roman collars?
They are three Irish parish priests
gifted with marvelous voices (two tenors, one baritone), who sang a range of
hymns and songs in Latin, English, and Spanish.
These included inspirational renditions of Ave Maria, Panis Angelicus, O
Holy Night, and a traditional Irish Blessing.
The CD album is simply titled “The Priests” and is manufactured and
marketed by RCA Victor. It would be a
splendid addition to your music collection.
18.
I R I S
H A W A R E N E S S
John
O’Hara
(703)
217-5527
Hope this article finds everyone in great spirits
after enjoying a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s Day holiday. Now
that we have these holidays behind us and the New Year is upon us, it’s time to
start looking at the Irish events for the 2009.
After all the biggest event of the Irish calendar year, St. Patrick’s
Day will be here before we know it.
Irish eyes will be smiling in the Southeast and will
steal your heart away during the month of March at some of the best St.
Patrick's Day celebrations anywhere. From Savannah's mega multi-day
celebration, the second largest in the United States, to the many charming
parades and festivals in our own Commonwealth, these parades, festivals and
special events offer lots of Irish fun for all ages.
For those of us that are interested in taking part in one
of the many civic celebrations planned for St Patrick’s Day in 2009 the
following quick guide to our area and the larger Southeast region is provided
courtesy of About.com's website:
Virginia St. Patrick's Day Celebrations
·
St.
Patrick's Day Celebration and Parade in Old Town Alexandria
Saturday, March 7, 2009 - Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria gets a jump at 12:30 pm on St. Patrick's Day celebrations with a
fun-filled day of events, including a classic Car Competition, the popular Fun
Dog Show, and the Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade along King Street.
·
Norfolk St. Patrick's Day Parade
and After Parade Party
Saturday, March 14, 2009 - Norfolk, Virginia
This fun-filled Irish parade steps off at 10 am and features marching bands,
clowns, floats and more. Following the parade, the After the Parade Party
celebrates with live musical entertainment, food, and fun.
·
Shamrock the Block in Richmond
Saturday, March 21, 2009 -
·
Blue
and Gray St. Patrick's Day Parade
Saturday,
March 14, 2009 - Fredericksburg,
Virginia
The
Blue and Gray St Patrick's Day Parade and celebration in Fredericksburg at 11:00
on March 14th, the St. William of York St Patrick's Day celebration the evening
of March 14th, and the Fredericksburg St. Patrick's Day Parade on
March 15th.
·
Manassas
St. Patrick's Day Parade
Saturday, March 14, 2009 - Manassas, Virginia
Inisfail,
Inc. presents the St. Patrick’s Day Parade featuring bands, dancers and other
groups. Beginning Center Street in Old Town Manassas. This year is the 10th Anniversary
of this terrific Irish celebration.
·
Roanoke
St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival
Saturday,
March 14, 2009 - Roanoke, Virginia
St.
Patrick’s Day Parade kicks off at 10:00 am featuring bands, dancers, and other
groups.
Nation’s Capital St. Patrick's Day
Celebrations
The
Parade will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2009 at 12:00 Noon and
will proceed down Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th
Streets, N.W., in our Nation’s Capital. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of
the best attended parades in
For
those of you who live in the Northern Virginia area or are just up in the area
of our Nation’s capital during the next few months, you may also want to
consider attending one of the below Washington, DC Parade fundraisers, which
always provide some great Irish entertainment as well as good food, beverages,
and friendly company. All of the fundraisers
take place between 3:30 pm and 7:00 pm at the below indicated locations and
dates:
Sunday,
January 25, 2009 FLANAGAN’S
HARP & FIDDLE
Saturday,
January 31, 2009 (note Saturday date) MCGINTY’S PUBLIC HOUSE
911
Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20910; 301-587-1270
Sunday,
February 8, 2009 IRELAND’S
FOUR PROVINCES (VA)
Sunday,
February 15, 2009 THE
IRISH CHANNEL
SUNDAY,
FEBRUARY 22, 2009
MURPHY’S OF
SUNDAY,
MARCH 1, 2009
SUNDAY,
MARCH 8, 2008
3412
Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; (202) 244-0860
St. Patrick's Day in the Southeastern
United States
Georgia St. Patrick's Day Celebrations
·
Savannah St. Patrick’s Day Parade and
Festival
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - Savannah, Georgia
The St. Patrick's Day celebration in Savannah is the city's largest annual
celebration and the second largest St. Patrick's Day celebration in the United
States. Likened by some to a Mardi Gras celebration, the spirited St. Patrick's
Day festivities in
·
St. Patrick's Day
Celebrations in Atlanta
Various Dates and Times -
Get the details about how
North
Carolina St. Patrick's Day Celebrations
·
Emerald Isle St.
Patrick’s Festival
Saturday, March 14, 2009 - Emerald Isle, North Carolina
Featuring more than 75 arts and crafts vendors, food vendors, clowns, amusement
rides, and other family-friendly activities, as well as three stages of
entertainment including Irish music, a beer garden and much more, this St.
Patrick's Festival offers fun for all ages.
·
St. Patrick’s Day Parade and
Charlotte Goes Green Festival
Saturday, March 14, 2009 - Charlotte, North Carolina
The 12th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade and Charlotte Goes Green Festival are
expected to be bigger and better than ever. The parade steps off at 11 am at
Tryon and 9th street in uptown Charlotte and marches south to Tryon and 3rd
Streets, featuring local bagpipe bands, Irish dancers, floats, and more. The
festival, located on
·
Raleigh St. Patrick’s Day Parade and
Festival
Saturday, March 14, 2009 - Raleigh, North Carolina
The 27th Annual Raleigh St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival begins at 12
noon, featuring over 3,500 marchers, floats, pipe and drum bands, horses,
dancers, and more. The
South
Carolina St. Patrick's Day Celebrations
·
North Myrtle Beach St. Patrick's Day Parade and
Festival
Saturday, March 14, 2009 - North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
This one-day St. Patrick's Day celebration begins at 9 am with a parade along
Main Street. Following the parade, a street festival continues throughout the
day until 4 pm, offering musical entertainment, arts and crafts booths, food
vendors and rides and games for kids.
Tennessee
St. Patrick's Day Celebrations
·
Wearin' of the
Green Irish Day Parade and Arts and Crafts Festival
Saturday, March 21, 2009 - Erin, Tennessee
The small historic rural valley community of Erin, located west of Nashville at
the foot of Tennessee Ridge, celebrates large for St. Patrick's Day with
parades, an arts and crafts festival, a carnival, and much more.
19.
F I N A N
C E
Rich
Aleksy
(703)
369-3189
Report will be made at the
next State Meeting.
20.
H I B E R
N I A N O F T H E Y E A R
Rich
Aleksy
(703)
369-3189
Brothers, I received seven inputs for our 2008
Hibernian of the Year Award. Every
submission nominated excellent Brothers and activities. The winner will be
announced at the next State Meeting.
21.
N E W S L
E T T E R E D I T O R/P U B L I C I T Y
Ed Moran
(703) 820-2854
The
article which appeared in the November/December issue of the “National
Hibernian Digest” was not the article I submitted. The new editor simply
substituted a different article without the courtesy of any notice to me. Since
I cannot trust the new editor, I am publishing here the article I submitted for
the November/December issue:
VIRGINIA AOH NEWS FOR NOVEMBER
HIBERNIAN DIGEST
Virginia Hibernian Divisions
are busy planning their Christmas celebrations, and Bruce Denault
(Fredericksburg) is busy, busy, busy planning the 2009 Virginia state
convention. Bruce recently held a
meeting in Fredericksburg to begin the planning, and he could use more help for
this task. To volunteer please contact
Bruce at (540)446-9123, bdenault2002@yahoo.com
. We all need to pitch in to make this a
successful convention.
James L. Rogers (Arlington) has
announced that after serving several years as President of the Arlington
Division, he will not be running for reelection. He will be greatly missed. Everybody who has had contact with James
over the years always found him a most pleasant lad to deal with. James is
gracious, witty, charming intelligent and optimistic. He is a dedicated Hibernian and a dedicated
Catholic, but James was never preachy about these 
aspects of his life. Rather,
James led by example and was supportive of so many people and good causes. The
Arlington Division recently hosted a Virginia state meeting which was followed
by a cookout and wonderful fellowship.
Virginia Hibernians have come to expect nothing less
From left to right: "Rich Aleksy, Virginia V-P; Joe Kennedy,
2008 Virginia Hibernian of the Year; Pat Naughton, Virginia
President"
from any project with which James is associated. We shall miss your leadership greatly, James,
but you deserve a respite after so many years of dedicated service. Good
luck to you, and God bless you, James.
22.
C O N V E
N T I O N C H A I R
Bruce
Denault
(540)
446-9123
The Hampton Inn near St William of York offering $85
per night and a breakfast; estimated needs are 75 rooms. Contract has been
signed.
Bob Sullivan
has made liaison with the National Museum of the Marine Corps (NMMC). They will
cater the icebreaker. Dates are open in July 2009 at the NMMC. They are
prepared to finalize a menu and lock in the dates as soon as we are able to
meet with them and sign a contract.
We have all the facilities we need and the full
cooperation of St. William of York Parish.
We can host the convention for both the AOH and LAOH as well as support
a banquet with entertainment, an installation of Officers, and a Tower Degree.
Bob Ghormley is working with a caterer. We have not yet decided on entertainment.
We are planning a Committee meeting for late January
2009. Coordination for this will take
place at the State Quarterly Meeting.
23.
W E B M A
S T E R
Mike Creegan
(703) 221-4692
Let me begin by wishing all of you and your families a
Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year. There have been a few changes or
additions to the State Board’s website. I have added a “Prayer” line to the
website’s banner. The purpose of the “Prayer” line is to list the names of our
injured, sick, or deceased Brothers or family members that can benefit from our
prayers. The names will scroll across the banner followed by the Our Father and
the Hail Mary. To minimize fraudulent
requests, names should be submitted by Division, County, or State officers.
Another addition is a link to “Businesses to
Patronize”. This link will take you to a
page listing businesses owned or operated by fellow Hibernians or friends of
the Order. While we should always try to support our brother Hibernians and
friends when we can, it is particularly important during the current economic
situation. I would encourage all to visit the page and avail yourself of the
services these businesses provide.
We are quickly approaching the magical month of March.
Soon we will be planning our participation in Saint Patrick’s Day parades,
dances, and everything else to celebrate our Irish Catholic heritage. I would encourage each Division to provide me
with information and fliers on any activities you are planning. Let’s publicize
these events on the State website.
Below are the statistics for our website covering the
year 2008. Our website continues to receive quite a few visits. Numerous
websites in the
|
Month |
Unique visitors |
Number of visits |
Pages |
Hits |
Bandwidth |
|
Jan-08 |
276 |
368 |
1561 |
3026 |
16.58 MB |
|
Feb-08 |
281 |
358 |
2210 |
5251 |
31.79 MB |
|
Mar-08 |
505 |
608 |
2587 |
4541 |
41.11 MB |
|
Apr-08 |
420 |
650 |
2375 |
3956 |
40.96 MB |
|
May-08 |
479 |
671 |
2406 |
3528 |
41.72 MB |
|
Jun-08 |
399 |
541 |
2082 |
3303 |
28.24 MB |
|
Jul-08 |
383 |
570 |
2061 |
3389 |
71.82 MB |
|
Aug-08 |
357 |
559 |
2663 |
4728 |
68.88 MB |
|
Sep-08 |
371 |
586 |
2228 |
3727 |
104.53 MB |
|
Oct-08 |
399 |
655 |
2873 |
4649 |
114.31 MB |
|
Nov-08 |
446 |
753 |
3270 |
4920 |
121.89 MB |
|
Dec-08 |
450 |
779 |
4387 |
5939 |
132.54 MB |
|
Total |
4766 |
7098 |
30703 |
50957 |
814.37 MB |
24.
D E G R E
E S A N D C E R E M O N I A L S
J. J. Kelly
(703)
455-1507
No
Report.
25.
V E T E R
A N S’ A F F A I R S
Dan
Brennan
(757)
471-7274
I receive a newsletter called Military.Com. This
newsletter has items of interest for all veterans of all branches of the
service. One of the features that you can access is a state-by-state listing of
veteran’s benefits. I want to share with you some of the programs that Virginia
offers her veterans. The state of
Virginia provides several veteran benefits. Among them are--
Veteran
Long Term Care Benefits
Veteran
Employment Benefits
Veteran
Education Benefits
Other
State Sponsored Veteran Benefits
Virginia
Veteran Long Term Care
The Virginia Veterans Care Center (VVCC) is a
state-of-the-art model for long term health care and the only state home for
veterans in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The mission of the VVCC is to provide affordable, high quality,
comprehensive nursing and domiciliary care to Commonwealth residents who are admitted
to the VVCC, are aged or infirm, and are honorably discharged veterans of the
United State Armed Forces.
VVCC has 240 beds in the facility to provide
comprehensive, high quality care with on-site laboratory work, X-rays, dental
clinic, physical therapy, respiratory therapy, podiatry care, and many other
ancillary health care services for those qualified. The Salem VA Medical Center
is also located next door for additional services for those qualified.
Additionally, the building and grounds offer an array
of amenities to include wheelchair-accessible nature trails and deck, library,
chapel, barber shop, billiard room, wood working shop, and convenience store.
This facility is nestled in the landscape of the Blue Ridge mountainside and
has been enjoyed by our veterans since it opened on Veterans Day, 1992.
This is just one of the services that the Commonwealth
offers its veterans. You can learn more about them by checking out Military.com.
You can also check out what other states are offering. It is a good place to also find out how you can
assist our veterans and their needs.
Please keep in mind all of our members who are serving
on active duty. They can use our prayers to keep them safe. A letter or a card
does wonders for their morale and spirits. Let them know what the Division has
been doing and that we care.
26.
F A I R F A X C O U N T Y B O A R D
Dan
Rhoades
(703)
532-6385
No
Report.
27.
P R I N C
E W I L L I A M C O U N T Y B O A R D
Russell
Keating
(703)
392-3997
No
Report.
28.
COLONEL
JOHN FITZGERALD DIVISION (ARLINGTON)
James
Rogers
(703)
413-3062
Here are the officers elected at the December
meeting.
President – James Rogers
Vice President – James Carmody
Recording Sec. – Michael Greaney
Treasurer – Chris O’Connor
Financial Sec. – Chris O’Connor
Sentinel – Phil Sheridan
Marshall – Brendan Whelan
Standing Committee: John O’Neill, Sr.
29.
MSGR.
BRADICAN DIVISION (ANNANDALE)
Gene
Bransfield
(703) 820-2464
No
Report.
30.
FATHER
WILLIAM CORBY DIVISION (FAIRFAX)
Pat
McGinty
(703)
250-3143
The Father Corby Division is in the midst
of planning for a HUGE Saint Patrick's celebration at Saint Mary's. We are currently assigning tasks and
recruiting members to assist. Membership
is currently at forty-four, and we are exploring ways to increase members,
especially younger members. Paul Kourtz
is holding Bunco cardgame practice sessions in preparation for our next
card party.
31.
LT.
COLONEL JOHN A. DOWD USMC DIVISION (WOODBRIDGE)
Pat
Cushing
The Division had our installation of new officers on
Sunday, 11 January, 2009, at the Montclair Country Club.
Our Fourth Annual St. Brigid's Irish Gala will
be held on Saturday, 31 January, 2009.
32.
FATHER
EDWIN KELLEY DIVISION (MANASSAS)
Jon Kennedy
(703) 754-2482
The
Division is planning for the annual National Right-to-Life March which is
scheduled, as always, for 22 January. We plan on having an active presence at
this year's demonstration which will be on a Thursday.
The Division is also
preparing for the Manassas Saint Patrick's Day parade which is scheduled for
Saturday, 14 March, 2009. Please visit the parade's website, www.stpatparade.net
Our monthly meetings are held the
2nd Monday of the month, 7:30 pm, George Brent K of C Hall, downstairs.
33.
GEN.
THOMAS MEAGHER DIVISION (FREDERICKSBURG)
Bruce Denault
(540) 446-9123
Fredericksburg, Virginia Instituted: November 11,
1987
Meeting Time:
3rd Tuesday, 7:30PM Membership: 21
Meeting Location:
Fredericksburg Knights of Columbus Council Home, 4724 Harrison Road,
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
PRESIDENT VICE-PRESIDENT
Bruce A. Denault Robert
E. Ghormley
FINANCIAL
SECRETARY TREASURER
Vacant William
Halpin
RECORDING
SECRETARY ORGANIZER
Robert J. Sullivan Vacant
As a fundraiser, the Coffee and Doughnut Breakfasts at
St. William of York have been successful. In addition to serving as a source of
revenue, the breakfasts have been a great recruiting tool.
September 14- International Fall Festival at St.
William of York. We provided corned beef
and cabbage lunches for nearly 200 people.
The proceeds went entirely to the Parish building fund.
October 10 – International Fall Festival at St
Mary’s. We provided traditional Irish
meals for about 50 people and donated the proceeds to Catholic education.
Welcome aboard Mike Ferry who joined us as our newest
member in October.
We continue to plan for the State Convention for July
2009.
Hampton Inn near St. William of York offering $85 per
night and a breakfast, estimated needs are 75 rooms.
Bob Sullivan has made liaison with the National Museum
of the Marine Corps (NMMC). They will cater the icebreaker. Dates are open in
Jul 2009 at the NMMC. They are prepared to finalize a menu and lock in the
dates as soon as we are able to meet with them and sign a contract.
St. William of York Parish will provide all the
facilities for the convention, banquet, and Tower Degree.
Bob Ghormley is working with a caterer. We have not yet decided on entertainment.
In November we voted on our Officers for calendar year
2009. The following were elected:
President: Bruce A. Denault
Vice-President:
Robert E. Ghormley
Financial Secretary: VACANT
Treasurer: William Halpin
Recording Secretary: Robert
J. Sullivan
Chairman of Standing
Committee: Hugh O’Brien
Marshall: VACANT
Sentinel: VACANT
Organizer: VACANT
They were installed during our December business
meeting.
To wrap up the year, on December 14th, we laid the
wreath at the Sgt. Kirkland Memorial to honor him and the fallen Irish from
both sides who gave their lives during the Battle of Fredericksburg.
Our division By-Laws were reviewed and updated.
Revision/amendments were submitted to the State Board for endorsement and to
forward to the National Board for approval.
Upcoming
Events
The General Meagher Division will host a Coffee and
Doughnut Breakfast the fourth Sunday of each month at St. William of York
Church.
We are scheduling a meeting of the Convention
Committee for late January.
We will have a presentation in March or April from the
Rose of Tralee representative. We are entertaining the idea of sponsoring a
Rose of Tralee competition.
Our St. Patrick’s Day celebration actually begins at
11:00 on Saturday, March 14 at the Blue and Gray Brewery. The parade kicks off
at noon and the festivities will last at least until 3 pm.
That evening, enjoy Celtic music and dancing as our
celebration continues with a corned beef and cabbage dinner at St. William of
York Parish.
The Irish-American Social Club, in conjunction with
the Fredericksburg Jaycees, sponsors the Fredericksburg St. Patrick’s Day
Parade in downtown Fredericksburg Sunday evening, March 15th.
Irish
Marines
The curator at the National Marine Corps Museum is
scheduled to talk at 1 pm on March 28 at the museum. He will discuss the
Irish Marines.
Goals
1. Continue to
promote and support Catholic education in the Fredericksburg area.
2. Continue our
efforts to recruit Catholic men of Irish descent, hopefully increasing our
division size by 20%.
3. Continue to
be an ever-increasing presence in our community, promoting Irish awareness and
education.
4. Work with
other Catholic organizations in the Fredericksburg area to promote and support
the need for Catholic High School facilities in central Virginia.
34.
COLONEL
THOMAS CUNNINGHAM, JR. DIVISION (ASHBURN)
John O’Hara
(703) 217-5527
The Cunningham Division had an active and eventful
fall. While our members continue to volunteer
time each month at the Interfaith Relief Organization in Leesburg, and in
service to the all of the parishes served by our members, without a doubt our
10th Anniversary Celebration was the highlight of last quarter. The
Division celebrated its tenth anniversary at Our Lady of Hope Parish in the
Cascades section of
Member Mike Lillis and his
wife along with member, Pat Blake, enjoying the night’s festivities Seamus Kennedy performing
the “Unicorn” with enthusiastic audience participation
It was an honor to have our State President, Pat
Naughton, join us for our December meeting and preside over the installation of
our new officers for 2009. We would like
to thank Pat for taking the time out of his busy schedule and joining us for
the evening. We look forward to another successful
year under our newly-elected Division’s officers.
St. President, Pat
Naughton joining the Division’s members for refreshments after the
Installation Newly Installed Officers
with Division Founder, Ned Woisard, second from left; then State President
Pat Naughton; and reelected Division President John O’Hara with the
officers
Good luck to all of our organization’s newly elected
officers throughout the State. The
Cunningham Division wishes all of our State leadership the best of success for
the remainder of their term as well and we look forward to the State Convention
in July 2009.
35.
FATHER
JOHN MUNLEY DIVISION (WINCHESTER)
Jack Rogers
(540) 877-3023
Things have been quiet with this
division the last few months. Dan
O'Boyle is now at home recuperating. He came home to a nice handicap ramp built
by our parish youth group with material supplied by our division. Joe McCarthy has completed his radiation and
chemo. He looks good, feels good, and is
upbeat and thankful for all the prayers.
At our Nov. meeting we were able to write checks for local charities
totaling about $2200.00. We installed
one new member in September, Jim Carty, who is now an active duty Lt Cdr
USNR. He left for Bahrain at 3:00 am
this morning for a one-year stint with his reserve unit. We expect to install another man this month;
he is an engineer and looking forward to a two-year job assignment in UNITED
ARAB EMIRATE early 2009. The last slate
of division officers are going for a repeat for 2009. They were unanimously elected (unopposed).
36.
MAJOR
JAMES H. DOOLEY DIVISION (RICHMOND)
Matt Costello
(804) 690-8425
The Division is planning on participating in the
National Right-to-Life March in Washington, DC on Thursday, 22 January, 2009. Members will be riding buses
from the greater Richmond area to join fellow marchers. We are engaging in our annual raffle and
preparing for annual Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations.
37.
JOHN
CARDINAL O’CONNOR DIVISION (WILLIAMSBURG)
John Flynn
(757) 564-1514
The Williamsburg Division is alive! We have
approximately 50 members and meet once a month at an Italian restaurant in
Williamsburg. (That is permitted, isn't it?) We shall be forwarding more
information for publication in the State Newsletter and promise to become more
active at the state level in the future.
38.
ST.
PATRICK DIVISION (TIDEWATER)
Mark
Monaghan
(757) 471-6557
All right Gang! Christmas is over, and it is
time to plan 2009!
I have attached a basic schedule of events for
2009. Note that I need--
·
A leader and a
group for the 22 JAN Right to Life March to go up with the K of C
·
A volunteer to
pick up the fight against FOCA and work with the parishes
·
Volunteers to
help at St. Patrick Elementary 25 -31 JAN if invited
·
Repairs to the
float in FEB (Steve Cogan, leader)
·
Dates to visit
the Poor Claires in West Point, VA
·
Invitation and
cost to have a table at--
-St. Greg's Fair in May (Pres Monaghan)
-Holy Family in SEP (Dan Brennan)
-St.
John's in JUN (Blake Cahill)
-IAS event at Murphy's (Mike Bromley)
·
Invitation for
Neptune Festival in SEP 09
We are
looking to maintain a strong presence in Tidewater this year, especially in the
parishes. We are hoping to send some of our members to the Right to Life
March 22 January this year in support of the Church's efforts to support the
culture of life. We are also hoping to participate with Saint Patrick
Elementary School in this year's Catholic Schools Week 15 - 31 January 2009.
We also hope to plan several visits to the Poor Claires now living in West
Point, Virginia, who have been one of our special charities over the
years. Our annual participation in the Knights of Columbus Saint
Patrick's Day Parade has grown with the inclusion of all of the Catholic
schools in Tidewater. We have invited His Excellency, Bishop DiLorenzo,
as well as the three Catholic schools on the peninsula. We should have
close to 250 members, students, teachers, and parents marching again this
year.
Our efforts
to demonstrate a presence at our parishes is two-fold. We hope to bring
awareness of our organization and bring in new members. Additionally, we
hope to sell Irish wares that can assist us with some income to offset our
charitable donation costs. So far we have four events in planning:
the St. Gregory the Great Fair in May; the Holy Family fair in
September; the St John' the Apostle fair in June; and the Irish-American Society
event at Murphy's Tavern. We hope to participate in the Neptune Festival
in September, but we shall, as always, provide our memorial wreath and color
guard at the Veterans' Memorial on Memorial Day in May; and march in the
Veterans' Day parade in November. It should be a year to hold together
and share our common bonds as veterans, Irish descendants, and Catholics.
It will also be a year to push out beyond our safe boundaries and interact with
the community, and hopefully grow in membership. Anyone in the Tidewater
area interested in helping with our events, please contact Pres. Mark Monaghan
at jaxops1@verizon.net
39.
FATHER
JOHN LYNCH DIVISION (ROANOKE)
Matt Duffy
(540) 989-6067
No
Report.
Mark Monaghan has a great sense of humor. It is
impossible to be with him more than five minutes without his causing you to
laugh and laugh and laugh. Mark has served as President of the Saint Patrick
(Tidewater) Division and was recently reelected. Mark is originally from
Philadelphia. He attended Jacksonville, Florida, University and majored in
History. While at Jacksonville U. he enrolled in the Navy Reserve Officer 
Training Corps (NROTC) and upon graduation he was
commissioned in the U.S. Navy. Mark spent twenty years in the U.S. Navy
retiring as a Lieutenant Commander. He served in Surface Warfare.
Mark Monaghan
Mark had various interesting assignments during his
career in the Navy. One assignment that particularly stands out is his two
years instructing NROTC at Holy Cross College, Worcester, Massachusetts. He
thoroughly enjoyed that experience and picked up a Master’s degree during that
period. Looking toward his retirement from the military he thought he would
become a teacher. Unfortunately he discovered that when he interviewed at
various public school systems, the response was rather chilly when his military
record was noted. Instead Mark began working for defense contractors and does
so to this day. This often involves extensive travelling which can be tiresome.
In spite of all this, however, Mark manages to be very
active in the Hibernian Division in the Tidewater area. Mark credits past Virginia state president
Dan Brennan (also retired Navy) with getting him involved with the Hibernians. Mark
has been a keen supporter of the Saint Patrick’s Day parade in the Tidewater
area as well as the dinner associated therewith. Mark is particularly proud of his and his
Division’s involvement with the awarding of scholarships to Catholic school
students. They have categories most improved, etc. and award scholarship funds
to both males and females in well-attended ceremonies. The scholarship funds
are awarded to students at several Catholic schools.
The Tidewater Division, like all Divisions nationwide,
has experienced some difficulties recruiting and keeping members. The Division
currently stands at thirty members with good attendance at the monthly
meetings. The Tidewater Hibernians have attempted recruiting at the parishes
after Mass and have found it not to be very successful, so they have come with
the idea of attending spring fairs since it seems that every parish that has an
elementary school has one. The plan is to sell distinctive T-shirts at these
festivals. The Tidewater members are excited at the prospects presented by
these projects and even some inactive members have resurfaced due to the creativity
being demonstrated. Mark has been president and the driving force behind these
new, creative ideas. Mark is also vehemently Pro-life and expresses that view
openly and often.
Mark’s wife Patricia works for the Census Bureau. His
daughter Katherine also attended Jacksonville U. (a family tradition). She is married to a sailor, and she works in
the field of graphic arts design. His other daughter, Theresa, is a junior at
Marymount U., Arlington, Virginia. Mark is very proud of his two daughters and
attributes the family’s contentment to the extraordinary gracefulness of his
beautiful wife, Patricia. Like all happy, content men, Mark is adamant in how
much his wife has been a help to him in so many ways over the years. Mark is a can-do guy who is a doer, not a
talker. The Virginia Hibernians are particularly lucky to have him as an active
member. Thanks, Mark, for all you do!
We feature books, fiction and nonfiction of
interest to the Irish and Irish-Americans.
“Ireland of the Welcomes” magazine has
excellent reviews of recent books published. You may subscribe to “Ireland of
the Welcomes” at PO Box 54161, Boulder, CO 80322-4161, www.irelandofthewelcomes.com,
(800)726-7207, FAX: (303)661-1816. 6 issues/year, $33/year, $56/2 years, $74/3
years. Also do not forget www.readireland.ie
for weekly lists and reviews of books.
Anne
Enright has released “Yesterday’s Weather.” Fiction. Anne was the winner of the Man Booker Prize
for “The Gathering” in 2007. She is one of the most interesting and
accomplished writers of her generation. Anne shows her readers how
opportunities for grace emerge from the humdrum details and obsessive crises
that make up our lives. She lives in Dublin.
“The
Irish Americans” by former University of Notre Dame Professor (35 years) Jay P.
Dolan. It is a history of Irish America
from 1700 to the present and focuses on four areas: religion, politics, labor,
and nationalism. He lives in the South Bend, Indiana, metro area.
“The
Cripple of Inishmaan” is a play by Martin McDonagh which is currently being
performed in New York City. It is a sneeringly black comedy whose subject is
stage-Irishness, the smoothingly quaint charm that continues to be used in
Ireland and elsewhere to paper over the harsh realities of village life. You
may remember “The Lieutenant of Inishmore” (2006) also by the same author.
“The
Seafarer”, a play by Conor McPherson, is currently being staged in Chicago. It
was staged in NYC last season. The play is about four hard-drinking fellows who
meet one Christmas Eve to play cards and drown their sorrows. Into their midst
comes an accomplished, well-to-do stranger who has come to collect a
long-standing debt owed him.
“Young Irelanders”, by Gerard Donovan, is a
collection of short stories. You might remember him from his novel “Schopenhauer’s
Telescope” which was long listed for the Booker Prize. The book pursues the
lives of young Irish husbands, wives, friends, lovers, and thugs. The dramas
are of the small, personal scale: infidelity, gossip, grief, and abandonment. The
author lives in New York City.
All
these should be available from www.readirealnd.ie and amazon.com.
This section features reviews, good and
bad, of Irish-themed pubs and restaurants.
In light of the upcoming Saint Patrick’s
Day celebrations we are reminding you of the previous Irish-themed restaurants
we have reviewed that achieved 5-shamrock status. Many people have inquired as to why we do not
publish reviews of Irish-themed establishments which have been visited but have
not achieved 5-shamrock status. These
establishments have been found wanting due to several factors, e.g., quality of
the food served, the prices charged, the atmosphere, or lack thereof, etc., etc
. The response, of course, is why waste
space and time publishing information about Irish-themed restaurants which have
been found wanting. The preference is to emphasize the dining palaces which are
the best. To refresh your recollection
the 5-shamrock establishments so far have been—
Murphy’s, 713 King Street, Olde Towne,
Alexandria, Virginia (703)548-1717, Fax: (703)739-4583
Kate's Irish Pub & Restaurant, 6131 Backlick Road,
Springfield, Virginia (703)866-0860
Rare Olde Times, 10602 Patterson Avenue (Route 6), Richmond Virginia (804)750-1346
Annie Moore’s Pub, 3555 Electric Road, Roanoke, Virginia (540)904-5466
Editor’s
Notes:
The review of
Murphy’s in the Autumn, 2009, issue has elicited the most responses of any
restaurant review.
Bob Hickey has mentioned that O’Connell’s, 112
King Street, Olde Towne, Alexandria, (703)739-1124, is often crowded; and while
Bob would not make any statements about the food, he did feel that O’Connell’s
is worth a look-see.
Several
members have indicated that they well remember that the food at Murphy’s was
always excellent and felt guilty that they had not been there for several
years. They were happy to read that the food quality and service were still
excellent and the atmosphere still warm and welcoming. The members had indicated
that they had stopped going to Murphy’s because parking is a tad difficult.
They have vowed to accept the parking situation and return to wonderful
Murphy’s.
A couple of
members have agreed that one must be careful which Irish-themed restaurant one
enters into in the Olde Towne, Alexandria, area as, apparently, one Irish-themed
restaurant has a white-haired weasel who is permitted to roam free in the
establishment.
It is
recommended that if you are thinking of spending any of Saint Patrick’s Day,
Tuesday, 17 March, 2009, at any of these establishments, you contact the
restaurant prior to Saint Patrick’s Day to ascertain if you need reservations
or a ticket, etc., for admission.
The first thing that strikes one about John O’Hara is
his humility. Having lunch with him while interviewing him, one is struck by
how openly and readily he talks about his wonderful and beautiful wife Marian
and his two children, Sean and Erin, a boy and a girl. John spends a great deal
of time on these, his favorite topics. This is interesting in light of all he
has achieved and been in his life.
John O’Hara
John is originally from Brooklyn, New York. He spent
his earlier years in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn and his later years in
the Bay Ridge section. He is the oldest of ten. His Irish roots are in County
Roscommon of his father’s side and in County Sligo on his mother’s side. John
went to Saint Francis Prep high school in Brooklyn. Upon graduation from an
all-boys high school he attended Hunter College, which is part of the City
University of New York (CUNY). John started at Hunter when it was only the
second year that Hunter admitted men. Previously Hunter had been a female only
institution. It was quite a cultural shock for him to go from an all male high
school to an institution of higher learning where there were at the time so few
males in attendance. John happily and easily survived this cultural shock and
graduated from Hunter with a Bachelor’s degree having majored in history. He
also earned a Master's Degree in International Relations.
John has had a longtime and deepening interest in
languages, especially German, which began at Saint Francis Prep high school.
John worked at the F.B. I. office in New York beginning as a clerk. After
serving for nine years in various capacities with the F.B.I., John entered
service as a Special Agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service
(NCIS). He has served overseas in Rota, Spain; London, England; Stuttgard,
Germany; and Italy. John has also served in Newport, Rhode Island, NCIS
headquarters in Washington, DC, and C.I.A. Headquarters, Langley, Virginia.
John retired from NCIS in 2004 and was looking forward to spending lots of time
in Florida. During 2007 while Donald Rumsfeld was Secretary of Defense, the
Undersecretary of Intelligence, US Department of Defense, called him to request
and urge him to return in service to the U.S.A. John responded positively, as
he always does when asked to do something.
John is currently with the U.S. Department of Defense,
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. He explained that
geospatial-intelligence is the review and analysis of information and data
gathered from America’s satellites. It was difficult pulling this information
out of John as he is so reluctant to talk about himself. John has received
numerous awards from the U.S. government including, but not limited to, the
National Intelligence Certificate of Distinction, Navy Superior and Meritorious
Civilian Service Medals, and the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding
Public Service for his accomplishments in the fields of counterintelligence and
counterterrorism. He has been a guest lecturer on the topic of counterespionage
operations at the Naval War College and has lectured on numerous occasions at
the F.B.I. Academy on various counter-terrorism related subjects.
Even though he is from the New York City area John is
a fanatic Boston Red Sox fan. He explains that as a former Brooklyn Dodgers fan,
he finds it is impossible to root for the Yankees. He is also a Mets fan, a
Rangers fan, and a Jets fan.
Both of John’s children attended James Madison
University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. His son Sean is currently enrolled in law
school in Baltimore, Maryland, and his daughter Erin is pursuing an M.B.A. at
the University of Maryland.
John credits Bill Halpin with getting him involved
with the Ancient Order of Hibernians; and he also mentioned that he has been
the lucky recipient of advice and guidance from Ned Woisard. John is currently
president of the Ashburn Division again and chairman of the Irish Awareness
section of the Virginia AOH Board. John has long been an activist in the
Hibernians, and the state and local levels have benefited, and the Virginia AOH
is better for his activism.
It is obvious from spending time with John that he
LOVES his wife Marian and is proud of his children. Everybody who has dealt
with John acknowledges him as a great guy who gets things done. John is proud to
be an American, proud to be Irish, and proud to be Catholic. A more giving,
compassionate, and all-around good guy would be difficult to find. Thanks,
John, for all you do and represent!
Ed,
I don’t know what your personal issue is with Art
Grimley, but I strongly suggest you back off in the State AOH Newsletter. It is
a vehicle to put out information, not for you to personally demean a brother.
You have attacked him several times in the past – as National Right to Life
Chairman, and in his position as President of St. Brendan’s Division. You have
gone too far, Brother.
You snide remarks towards others – e.g., Russ Keating
– and anyone else who has not met your standard by submitting a report – are
totally out of place.
J J
J J Kelly
Past State President, VA AOH
National Chairman, Veterans Affairs
The editor's response to this email is too lengthy to be
published here. If you would like a copy of the editor's reply, please send an
email to kerryman@att.net or phone
(703)820-2854.
Editor’s note:
J. J. Kelly, [sic] National Chairman, Veterans Affairs, Past
State President, VA AOH, objects to the use of “[sic]” in his taxonomy because
he states that his actual [sic] title is “National Chairman, Veterans
Affairs”. I have consulted with a professional
grammarian who has a Ph.D. in Linguistics.
She agrees with me that the grammatically correct title is “National
Chairman, Veterans’ Affairs”. She
advises me that just because the original title is grammatically incorrect does
not mean that the person who employs the incorrect title should be exempt. In other words, she advises that repeating a
grammatical error is not permissible. She suggests that I, as editor, can
actually write—
“J.J. Kelly, [sic] [sic] National Chairman, Veterans Affairs,” etc. As that Virginia Celtic philosopher, Jack Devaney, often says, “My grammarian can beat up your grammarian.”
ED MORAN
kerryman@att.net
Telephone: 703.820.2854 (U.S.A.)
Fax: 212.214.0427 (U.S.A.)
3705 SOUTH GEORGE MASON DRIVE
#2618
FALLS CHURCH, VA 22041-3728
U.S.A.