February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Frank Cull
Great Irish Fair Chairman Al O’Hagan has announced that a quartet of Shanachie Emeralds, storytellers, will be honored at the 20th annual Great Irish Fair.
The fair will be held Saturday, Sept. 9 and Sunday, Sept. 10, with the awards ceremonies on opening day. Details of the fair will be announced at a press conference on Aug. 24 at noon in Brooklyn Borough Hall.
The chief brehon for the year 2000 will be Ed Wilkinson, editor of the Brooklyn Tablet.
The Bard Award will be presented to Jack Shanahan, former Associated Press ace who covered City Hall. Shanahan recently led the fight to restore the "Fighting" Father Duffy statue in Times Square and is also a contributor to the Brooklyn Tablet. The Bard Award will be presented to Shanahan by Bill Farrell, another Big Apple favorite, who is a feature columnist for the N.Y. Daily News.
The Round Tower Award will go to author Terry Golway who penned the book, "The Irish in America." Golway is also an editor and columnist for the New York Observer.
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The Thomas Cuite Award, named for the late famous speaker of the New York City Council, will be presented to Dick Ryan. Ryan has long been associated with Catholic New York, the Brooklyn Tablet and a score of weekly and sports publications.
Frank Durkan, attorney and human rights advocate, will be receiving the Paul O’Dwyer Memorial Award for his contributions to the O’Dwyer legacy. Durkan, a behind-the-scenes operative, is one of the leading community activists in the tri-state area. The award is named for his late uncle, the legendary Paul O’Dwyer.
The Colleen Queen is Lenore McFall, a native of Brooklyn’s Gerritsen Beach.
The Fair has been moved to a new site in Brooklyn, the Dreier-Offermann Park which is close to the Belt Parkway.
For more information contact Margaret Keaveney at Brooklyn Catholic Charities (718) 722-6215.
PR man Bolger
From the blackboard at the NYC Board of Education Emerald Society comes news that Dr. Philip Bolger has been named the society’s director of public relations.
Bolger was the first president of the Board of Emeralds.
In other news, well known educator and community activist Donald Ryan, publisher of the Rockaway Point News, and also a member of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation Emerald Society, celebrated with his staff at Kennedy’s Restaurant in Breezy Point. The occasion was the 75th anniversary of the Rockaway Point News, the eyes and ears of the "Irish Riviera" in Breezy Point, N.Y.
New presidents
Grand Council of United Emerald Societies sends word that Gil Murphy is the new president of the Transit Authority Emerald Society and Tom Duffy is the new president of the NYC Housing Authority Emerald Society. Emerald congratulations are extended to both.
Police emeralds
From the police blotter, Joe Keenan, president of the Police Department Emerald Society, has announced the appointment of Marianna Murray as editor of the society’s newsletter with George Anderson as co-editor. Past president Ray McGowan was named "webmaster" for the Society’s home page online. Keenan also announced that the society will be hosting its first annual golf outing on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at the South Shore Golf Course in Staten Island, N.Y.
For more information contact chairman John West at (718) 871-0653.
Seeking a grand marshal
New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade historians are reaching out to the Fire Department Emerald Society to help locate the 1942 parade grand marshal, a member of the fire department. The marshal’s name was John J. .McCarthy.
The question arises as to which McCarthy led the march. Was it Assistant. Chief John J. McCarthy, who wrote the book, "The Science of Fighting Fire," or was it John J. McCarthy, the president of the Fire Department Holy Name Society (Manhattan, Bronx, Richmond).
Anyone with information can drop a line to Emerald Informational Services, P.O. Box 735, Pearl River, N.Y. 10965.
Scholarship winners
Bill Sullivan, chairman of the scholarship committee for the Police Emerald Society of Westchester, has announced the winners for 2000. Kerry Dumser, daughter of Captain Jim Dumser, Mount Vernon Police Department, copped one award while Kathleen McLaughlin, daughter of Lt. Jim McLaughlin, Yonkers Police Department, took home the other scholarship award.
Malcolm McNab, of the Los Angeles Police Emerald Society, has gone Hollywood on us. McNab played all the trumpet solos for the music in the current movie, "U-571."
Steve Reilly, chairman of the Police Emerald Society of Westchester golf outing, has announced that the Society’s golf outing will be held Sept. 14, at the Old Putnam Country Club.
For more information contact "Tiger" Reilly, (914) 941-5913.