THERE WILL NOT BE ANY NEW POSTS FOR THE NEXT 2 WEEKS.
Posted by Jim on January 26, 2012
LAOH Kings County Board Brooklyn announces 92nd Anniversity Celebration in Honor of St. Bridget
Posted by Jim on January 23, 2012
On Sunday February 12,2012, The Kings County Board of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians will hold their 92nd Anniversary Celebration in Honor of St. Brigid of Ireland at Hunters Steak & Ale House located at 9404 4th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11209 from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Tickets are $35.00 per person, as last year and includes live music, appetizer, Brunch Entree, coffee, cake; You are cordially invited to attend the Brunch as our guest, if your busy schedule will allow it.
We will feature an exhibit on St. Brigid ofIreland. We will also be presenting our annual Kings County “St. Brigid Plaque” to a deserving L.A.O.H. member.
We look forward to seeing you in Brooklyn. Please RSVP by February 2nd 2012 to JoAnn Gundersen 718-219-4378 or Judy Rose Chairperson at 718-344-8599. We look forward to your continued support of this important event.
Yours in Friendship, Unity and Christian Charity,
JoAnn Gundersen
LAOH Kings County President
Brooklyn Irish-American Parade Committee announces
Posted by Jim on
37th Annual Brooklyn St. Patrick’s Parade
Sunday March 18th in Park Slope
9:00AM Mass, Holy Name Church
Bishop Octavio Cisneros, Celebrant
Breakfast after Mass in Shepherd’s hall
Noon Assembly for Bands and Marching Units
on Prospect Park West between 15th St and 9th St
After Parade Reception at Shepherds Hall
Live music, food, refreshments, soda bread
Parade Honorees:
Grand Marshall – John Ridge, noted Author and
VP New York Irish History Roundtable
Aides to the GM:
James Healy – AOH Kings County Board
and Division 12 Officer
Donald Kent – McClancy Memorial High School
Gloris Bishop – M.J. Smith Funeral Home
Harry J. Farrell – President Local 1-2 U.W.U of America
Anne Hearn – United irish Counties/ Co. Longford
Virginia Sheehan – LAOH Division 6
Frank Keegan – noted Irish Band Leader
John Moore – Brooklyn Shamrocks Football Club
Parade Chairperson – James McDonagh
Co-Chairperson – Michelle Brennan
Parade Journal – Kathleen McDonagh
Pro – Joe Ferris
Bay Ridge Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Sunday, March 27th, 1 p.m.
Posted by Jim on
The Bay Ridge St. Pats parade “steps off” at 1 p.m. It follows a route down 5th Ave. to OLPH RC Church at 60th Street at 5th Avenue. The Grand Stand is located at 75th Street & 5th Avenue. $5 raffles will be sold.
For those inclined to make a full morning of it:
Mass starts at 9 a.m. at St. Patrick’s RC Church on 4th Avenue and 96th Street.
The parade lineup begins at noon, and begins to move at 1 p.m.
37th ANNUAL ROCKAWAY BEACH ST. PATRICK’S DAY SAT. MARCH 3, 2012
Posted by Jim on
PARADE DAY \SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
9 AM MASS FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE IN IRELAND
ST. FRANCIS DE SALES
BEACH 129TH ROCKAWAY
BLVD, ROCKAWAY, NY
10:30 AM BREAKFAST BRUNCH
FOR HONOREES AND
FAMILIES
(BY INVITATION ONLY)
1:00 PARADE STARTS AT BEACH 129TH AND NEWPORT AVE
Division 19 announces St. Patrick’s Day Dance March 17th in the Baile na nGael 2750 Gerritsen Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11229 from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM, $30.00 donation beer, wine, soda, and food (BYOB). Bill Sheehan will be honored for his outstanding dedication to the AOH.
Posted by Jim on January 22, 2012
Contact: for prayers or announcements of fundraisers, etc. please contact Jim@BrooklynIrish.com or Louise@BrooklynIrish.com
Posted by admin on July 7, 2011
Pray for the following people and their families: The courageous people of the Short Strand section of Belfast, Fr. Jack Alexander SJ formerly of Brooklyn Prep H.S. (very sick), Ret. Pastor of Good Shepherd Parish and Chaplain FDNY Msgr Thomas Brady(very sick), Caitlin Martin(sick), former H-Block Prisoner of War Kieran Meehan(dec.), John Manning Sr.(sick), Kings County Board Vice President Mike Patterson(sick). If anyone wants to have us remember a loved one in our prayers, contact us at Jim@BrooklynIrish.com.
AOH Div. 6 : No report given on next meeting in St. Anthony Church Cafeteria 715 Leonard St. Greenpoint B’klyn
Posted by Jim on June 20, 2011
AOH Div. 35: Next meeting Feb. 14th at 8:00 pm in the K of C #126, Columbus Council (718)336-8117, located at Quentin Road & Nostrand Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11229
Posted by Louise Sullivan on June 20, 2010
AOH Div. 12 (aohdiv12bklyn.org) : Next meeting will be Jan. 19th at 8:00 PM in the Leif Bar(718-745-5901) – All members should attend
Posted by admin on June 20, 2011
Division 12 Elected Officers are:
President – Kevin Mahoney
Vice- Pres. – Jim Sullivan
Recording Sec’t – Steve Kiernan
Financial Sec’t – Tom Gottlieb
Treasurer – Tom MacLellan
Marshell – Tim O’Shea
Sentinal – Dan Kelsch
LAOH Div 19 : Next meeting will be Feb. 2nd @ 8:00 PM at 2750 Gerritsen Ave.(718) 891-6622) Brooklyn, NY 11229
Posted by Louise Sullivan on June 20, 2010
AOH Kings County Board Meetings: All County meetings will take place on the 4th Mon. of each month at 8:00 PM in a place designated by County President. Next meeting will be Jan. 23rd at Kevin Ryan’s Irish Pub 2128 Flatbush Ave. Marine Park Brooklyn, NY 11234 (718) 253-2782
Posted by admin on
County Board Members:
President – James Sullivan
Vice Pres – Mike Patterson
Rec’d Sec – John O’Farrell
Fin’l Sec – Frank Thompson
Treasurer – Steve Kiernan
Grievance – Randy Litz
Marshall – James Healey
Sentinel – Rich Mulligan
All elected and appointed Board members must attend
All divisional presidents and vice presidents or their representatives should attend
All up to date dues paying members are gladly invited to attend
All Board members must contact County President 24 hrs in advance if they can not attend, except in cases of extreme emergencies
LAOH County Board Meetings: All County meetings will take place on the 2nd Wed. of each month at 2750 Gerritsen Ave. B’klyn, NY 11229 (718) 891-6622. Next meeting will be Feb. 8th at 8:00 PM.
Posted by admin on
President – Joanne Gundersen Div 22
Vice Pres – Judy Rose Div 22
Rec Sect – Rose Coulson Div 22
Treasurer – Mary Hogan Div 6
Historian – Katherine Keane Div19
Miss&Char – Bridie Mitchell Div 6
Cath Act – Tricia Santana Div 19
Mist Arms – Margaret McEneaney Div 19
Sentinel – Ann Marie Bendell Div 19
Major Degree
Posted by Jim on March 29, 2011
MAJOR DEGREE CALENDAR
Printed below is the current calendar for Major Degrees. Additions may be added as some states determine that they will try to have a degree conducted at their state conventions. Such requests must be sent to degree teams immediately so arrangements can be worked out on both ends. Also, it is imperative that those hosting a Major Degree begin NOW to contact those eligible in order to maximize the number of candidates taking the degree in your area.
DATE DEGREE TEAM DEGREE LOCATION CONTACT PHONE EMA
02-26-12 Isle of Erin MDT Bristol,PA prljam4ever@juno.com
04-01-12 Isle of Erin MDT Swedesburg, PA Pete Hand 610-277-0676 hjerrylewis@comcast.net
04-14-12 Brian Boru MDT Ocean City, MD JJ Kelly 703-475-9415 IrishKnight1@Verizon.net
Fall 20012 Isle of Erin MDT Phila, PA Dan Kline mulcleen619@comcast.net
Division 5: No report given for next meeting Kitty Kiernans Pub (718) 921-0217 – 9715 3rd Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11209-7716
Posted by Jim on June 20, 2011
AOH Div.19: Next meeting will be Wed. Feb. 15th at 8:00PM 2750 Gerritsen Ave. 11229 (718) 891-6622
Posted by Jim on September 22, 2011
AOH Div.22: Next meeting will be Wed. Feb. 15th at 8:00PM American Legend Post 157 on 345 78th St 11209
Posted by Jim on
LAOH Div. 6: no report on next meeting
Posted by Louise Sullivan on
LAOH Div.22: no report given for next meeting
Posted by Louise Sullivan on
Division 21 Breezy Point/Rockaway Beach(AOHRBNY21.org): Membership meetings are held on the last Tuesday of every month at the Knights of Colombus 333 Beach 90th St.,Rockaway Beach NY. Meetings start promptly at 8:00pm. Next meeting Jan. 31st
Posted by Jim on September 21, 2011
PASSING OF JOE PATERNO
Posted by Jim on January 24, 2012
The Brooklyn Prep Alumni Association on behalf of all of its members extends our sincere condolences to the Paterno family on the death of one of the Prep’s most distinguished alumni, Joe Paterno, ’45. His insistence on academic excellence, his concern for his players both on and off the field and his focus on their preparation for the real world were beliefs fashioned by his Jesuit education and its focus on the formation of the whole man. Joe’s connection with the Prep never diminished. He once said “It had an influence on me all my life. It was an experience I would wish every student who goes to high school would have. It was just a great, great environment. I have nothing but good thoughts every time I think about my high school days”.
We will all miss him and are proud that he was one of our own. Joe was a man of faith and we pray that he may now rest in the peace of our loving Father.
Best regards,
The Brooklyn Prep Alumni Association
Duffy freed but Shivers jailed over Massereene attack
Posted by Jim on January 23, 2012
Prominent republican Colin Duffy has today been found not guilty of the Real IRA attack on Massereene British Army base in 2009, although there was disbelief at the court when his co-accused, Brian Shivers from Magherafelt, was found guilty.
Following a significant campaign to avert what appeared to be a likely miscarriage of justice in the case, Justice Anthony Hart issued his long awaited judgement this morning at Antrim courthouse.
There were cheers as it was announced that Mr Duffy had avoided a guilty verdict — which would have been the second miscarriage of justice of his life — but the announcement of the verdict against Mr Shivers was greeted with shock.
Although the evidence against both men was paltry, the case against Mr Shivers — who suffers from advanced cystic fibrosis and was clearly incapable of the attack — had appeared considerably weaker.
Delivering his findings in the absence of a jury under special Diplock anti-republican legislation, the judge first addressed the case against Mr Duffy.
He surprised the court when he said he was satisfied that Duffy’s DNA was found in the car — but that the prosecution had failed to link him to the IRA attack.
“I consider that there is insufficient evidence to satisfy me beyond reasonable doubt that, whatever Duffy may have done when he wore the latex glove or touched the seatbelt buckle, meant that he was preparing the car in some way for this murderous attack,” the judge said. “And I therefore find him not guilty.”
The Lurgan man has endured a lifetime of harassment and false charges against him by the RUC police and subsequently the PSNI, and saw his lawyer Rosemary Nelson assassinated by a loyalist/British death squad in 1999.
Mr Duffy spent over two and a half years at Maghaberry prison awaiting the start of the trial, a situation which justice campaigners described as a form of internment.
At Maghaberry, he joined other republican prisoners on a ‘dirty protest’
against the criminalisation of political prisoners. He was routinely subjected to violent strip searches when attending court hearings.
The evidence presented against them immediately aroused suspicions of another PSNI frame-up, and centred on highly unusual DNA evidence.
In the course of the investigation, a glove tip, alleged to contain molecules of Mr Duffy’s DNA, mysteriously appeared in a burnt-out car used in the attack. Another sample — also infinitessimally small — was said to have been found on a seatbelt buckle. Mr Shivers’ DNA was allegedly found on a mobile phone and matches said to be linked to the getaway car.
Although the various DNA samples were mixed with the DNA of other unidentified individuals, the PSNI case was backed by a scientist’s declaration of a ‘one in a trillion’ match to the DNA of the two men — according to an entirely new method of statistical analysis, devised and presented to the court by a little-known US mathematician.
Finding Mr Shivers guilty, the judge claimed he had lied about not being involved, and that the DNA proved he was guilty.
“I am satisfied that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that Shivers set fire to the Cavalier at Ranaghan Road [the alleged getaway car] and I therefore find him guilty on each count on the indictment.”
The bizarre judgement seems certain to be appealed, although there are now concerns for Mr Shivers’ welfare. During the course of the trial, he was granted bail on the basis of his medical condition. It is thought his incarceration at Maghaberry could prove fatal.
Both Mr Duffy and Mr Shivers currently remain at the courtroom amid general confusion and shock at the judgement.
Appeal for Republican prisoner
Posted by Jim on January 20, 2012
The wife of a Derry republican prisoner has appealed to the city’s political leaders to do something about the crisis at Maghaberry prison before someone dies.
Some 35 prisoners at Maghaberry are engaged in a protest against strip-searching and to secure the right of republican prisoners to political status.
Lorraine Taylor, whose husband Tony Taylor is currently one of 35 republican prisoners currently protesting abuses at Maghaberry, spoke of her worry and heartbreak over his plight
Suffering from ill health, he was was badly beaten by prison warden staff in December. This week it emerged that he had been secretly hospitalised by the prison authorities.
“Tony is on remand in Maghaberry Prison from August 3, 2011 and is currently on a dirty protest,” she said.
“He is in ill-health since being blown up in a bomb 18 years ago and has no spleen, no kidney and shrapnel in his body. Now they think he has septic arthritis, which could be poisoning his blood.”
Mrs Taylor, who is caring for three children, one of whom is special needs, has been worried sick about her husband since he was jailed. She is furious at the lack of communication from prison authorities about his illness.
“Tony has been taken to hospital by prison staff and on no occasion did anyone let me know. They have a duty to let me know, yet I hear nothing.
They wouldn’t even tell me which hospital he is in.”
“Tony never complains. I notice through the visits how weak he is becoming, the weight is falling off him and he can’t even nurse my youngest child on his knee during visits anymore. He always rings me around 4.30pm every day and when he doesn’t phone I know there is something up. It was another prisoner’s wife who told me that Tony had been taken into hospital.”
She said this week that he “always puts on a brave face for us, for the children, but it’s heartbreaking when I look at him because I’m thinking to myself ‘he’s going to die in there.’ This has been the hardest six months ever, I cry all the time.”
Earlier this week, Mrs Taylor inquired about her husband’s condition. “I had rang the hospital to see how he was, and they told me he had a bad night and was in pain all night. Then I spoke to the Governor, who told me that Tony had a comfortable night – so who’s telling lies here? What if he was dying, are they going to tell me he’s doing great? It’s a disgrace. It’s their duty of care to keep the family informed of what’s happening.”
“All I want is for them to be treated normally. I want all the MPs and political leaders to help stop the dirty protests and improve conditions in there, so Martin McGuinness and Mark Durkan must get involved and put pressure on Justice Minister David Ford.
She added: “I want my husband to be treated like a human being, or he will die.”
PAROLE DENIED
Separately, Republican Sinn Fein has criticised a decision to deny compassionate parole to another protesting prisoner which it said “exposed the inhumanity of the British prison service when dealing with republicans”.
Following the death of his father, Damien McKenna, from Lurgan, was refused compassionate parole to attend his father’s funeral.
RSF Spokesperson Josephine Hayden said Mr McKenna was refused on the grounds that he is a protesting prisoner.
“Once more the real face of British rule in Ireland shows itself.
“Britain and their hirelings have learned nothing over the course of centuries of occupation.
“Thirty-one years after the brutality of the H-Blocks and the hunger strikes of 1981 yet another group of Irish Republican prisoners are being brutalised by a prison system designed to break the spirit of resistance.
“Irish history teaches us it will have the opposite effect and will instead galvanise the spirits of the POWs in their struggle for a free Ireland.”
An Old Vision of a New Ireland
Posted by Jim on January 12, 2012
By Former RUC inspector and Tuesday Journal columnist Norman Hamill.
Ahead of the Uniting Ireland conference in the Millennium Forum at the end of the month, organised by Sinn Féin, former RUC inspector Norman Hamill writes that the partition of Ireland was a mistake for unionists and argues that it is not to late to build a modern, inclusive, re-unified nation.
Wouldn’t it be good to put an end the long conflict between Orange and Green?
The Good Friday Agreement is an interim solution. It’s a big step along the way. We can choose our national identity. We can see ourselves as Irish or British or both. Structures are in place to safeguard our differing identities. The big questions about the longer term can be left to the democratic process.
Unionists and nationalists are free to seek support for their respective causes. Those of us who want to see the re-unification of Ireland have the chance, hopefully in a non-threatening atmosphere, to try to win new friends and to influence new people. It’s an opportunity we would be foolish to waste.
The Society of United Irishmen was founded in Belfast in 1791. Its leading members were Presbyterians. Their aim was to unite Irishmen of all creeds to achieve reform and to break the link with England. In Tone’s famous words they wanted, “to substitute the common name of Irishmen in place of the denominations of Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter”. While it is true that the majority of Presbyterians were much less radical, even today a fair number of Presbyterians, including myself, are proud that their ancestors were active in the revolutionary movement, even though more recent ancestors tended to be unionists. (One kinsman escaped from the army by floating down the Bann in a barrel.)
Is it a paradox that an ex-cop can express admiration for ancestors who played their part in the ‘armed struggle’? I can only say that at as a police officer I wasn’t following any political agenda. In any case, I’m a republican of the constitutional variety.
The partition of this island was a mistake for unionists, an injustice for nationalists and a tragedy for Ireland.
For unionists it was a mistake, although they did have rational concerns. Their fear that “Home rule would be Rome Rule” was substantially vindicated. Nationalist Ireland didn’t really try to separate church and state. Politicians were overly deferential to the bishops. Could this have happened if partition hadn’t happened?
I don’t think so. A confident and assertive, much larger Protestant minority would have secured genuinely pluralist independence. Instead, unionists demeaned themselves by allowing themselves to be motivated by fear. They clung to the coat tails of their already out-of-date notion of England. The English didn’t want them and felt no reciprocal loyalty to them.
The people of this island have the right to determine their own future without interference.
For this reason, nationalists who found themselves within the separated area had a real sense of injustice.
Lastly, partition was a tragedy for Ireland because it distorted both parts of the country. The south initially became a narrow, right-of-centre, agrarian theocracy. Meanwhile, the north acquired its “Protestant parliament for a Protestant people”. It became an unhealthy statelet contaminated by sectarianism. Without partition, a genuinely pluralist nation would have developed much sooner. And diversity could have been the ‘salt’ to ensure higher standards in public life.
Despite today’s grave financial crisis, the Republic’s modern industrial base remains strong.
The north no longer has an industrial base. Most unionists don’t realise that, despite a slow start, self-government in Ireland has been an economic success.
It’s not too late to put things right. Both parts of the country have grown further and further apart but we shouldn’t give up on the vision of a modern, tolerant, successful and re-united Ireland.