Harp Strings Vol50 No3 by Harp and Shamrock Society of Texas

Harp Strings Keeping Irish history and culture alive in South Texas for 50 years! Volume 50 Issue 3

The Official Newsletter of the Harp & Shamrock Society

The Harp 50th at Alamo

The weather was perfect for the 50th Anniversary of the Harp & Shamrock Society Wreath Laying Ceremony at The Alamo. The 2017 Irishman of the year, Carolyn Dowd is flanked by Councilman Roberto Trevino and Alamo Director Becky Dinnin. For the past 50 years Harp members have been honoring the Irish and Irish American heroes who sacrificed their lives for freedom.

Spring 2017

2017Awards Honorees

“And the award goes to...” The main event of our year that leads into our March madness is the annual Awards Dinner. This year’s recipients were outstanding in many ways and have helped and continue to help the Society in many different ways. The 2017 Irishman of the Year is Carolyn Dowd, the wearer of many hats and the driving force behind our Passport to Ireland. 2017 Cusack Award winners are John Smith and JT Norris, two familiar faces and hard workers.

Volunteers Make Our Events GREAT!

Thank you to every one of the 120 volunteers who made our Irish events successful. The Passport to Ireland is our golden opportunity to remind folks of the Irish contribution and long history in this part of the world. Some of the volunteers are pictured below and more inside. From left: Dennis Moroney awards a guest; Bernadette & Michael O’Grady share some history; Mae Kelly hands out Irish Flats info; Gary Guerreio & Shannon Callihan helped folks find Irish family names on our big colorful map.

April Social at Lion & Rose

Make sure you’re on our e-mail list to find out when the next fun night out is for the friendly folks of the Harp and Shamrock Society! PRESIDENT Melissa Schulz

210-831-2072

VICE PRESIDENT Melinda Britten

210-699-8632

2nd VICE PRESIDENT Elissa O’Brien 210-348-6877 TREASURER Wayne Faught

210-835-6766

SECRETARY Dana Goodman

210-219-7356

CHAPLAIN Bill Merriman

210-259-3482

Letter from the Editor

IRISHMAN OF THE YEAR Carolyn Dowd 2017 BOARD of DIRECTORS 210-896-1598 Darryl Britten 210-215-9952 Joan Moody 210-656-2666 Erin O’Brien 210-348-6877 Michael O’Brien 210-422-2446 Eileen Faught 210-379-8462 Kevin P. Dowd 210-845-4424 Linda Grosse 720-987-6318 James Gorman 210-954-0713 Elizabeth Hajek 210-861-3813 Terence Peak 210-218-8795 John Smith 210-240-7736 Editor in Chief Kevin Patrick Dowd

shamrockeditor@gmail.com

The Staff:

Chris A. Hayes Eileen Faught Mariee Pilkington John McCarthy Pat Peak Erin Binkley Carolyn Dowd

I have never been more proud of Carolyn Dowd, my wife, than when she was chosen Irishman of the Year and did an outstanding job of delivering an amazing speech in front of the most iconic symbol of Texas, The Alamo. Remembering the Irish contribution to this battle and this area has been and continues to be a main focus of this Society. Carolyn is at the forefront of making that happen with the Passport to Ireland. The complete video is available on our web-site and our Facebook page. This newsletter can only come together from all the folks who step up and lend a hand. Gerry Mulvey did a great job of getting the Harp honorees story covered on the recent trip to New York City. Chris A. Hayes once again delivers an insightful backstory on one of our own local SAGAC players. Special Thanks to David Foegel for all the fantastic photoes throughout this issue. Kevin Patrick Dowd www.harpandshamrock.org

Letter From The President

Hello Members and Friends, Here we are, going into summer when the society takes a short break from the many wonderful, educational and family events we put on each year. Our March events were such a success, which you will see by the many pictures that follow in this newsletter. Everything ran smoothly, from the 5k run (even with the rain the turnout was amazing), Councilman Trevino and Alamo Director Becky Dinnin both spoke at our 50thWreath Laying Ceremony but Carolyn Dowd’s speech was the best. If you didn’t hear it live at the Alamo you can view it by going to the Harp & Shamrock Society’s Facebook page. The River Parade and Arneson Stage music were a huge hit with the crowds. Most importantly, it was an opportunity to work once again with the City Operations Department and Paseo Del Rio to participate with our Passport to Ireland activities in the St. Patrick’s Day Festival held at La Villita. We brought the Irish to the festival and rocked it! Next up for the society are the two Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day fundraisers; Irish Stew and Soda Bread Competition and H&S Golf Tournament. Work has begun on these two events but We need YOU to help the halfway committees! How? Golf sponsorships big and small, raffle items and TEAMS. We want to fill the course this year, that means 18 teams. The contacts for the golf tournament are Diana Jordan and Wayne Faught. For more information on the Irish Stew and Soda Bread Competition, contact Dana Goodman. Please don’t forget the swearing in of new Board Members and Officers will be held as part of the Irish Stew and Soda Bread Competition. Mark your calendars for those September events. Thank you one and all for your assistance, volunteering hours, donations, attendance, encouragement and ideas that make the Harp and Shamrock the great society that it is. I hope to see everybody at the election/general membership meeting where we will be awarding scholarships and voting in our new board members and officers. Please check the newsletter or website for dates and more information. Enjoy your summer, Melissa Schulz

Melissa and Carolyn deliver the 50th Anniversary wreath to the doors of the Alamo on St. Patrick’s Day.

Harp members and Consul General of Ireland Austin Adrian Farrell (far right) were on hand to welcome the AOH state convention leaders here in S. A.

www.harpandshamrock.org

Harp & Shamrock Celebrates!

www.harpandshamrock.org

Harp History In The Making!

Our Halfway to St. Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s events are Sept. 15-16, 2017!

www.harpandshamrock.org

The Second Annual Irish Echo Community Champions Awards

6 The awards are open to people from all walks of life, every kind of job, and will shine a light on the efforts of those who serve and advance worthy concerns and causes, and by doing so are living up to the best traditions of the American Irish. Award winners can be wellknown or true unsung heroes. All will have in common the drive and desire to help their families, friends, neighbors, and communities. The Second Annual Irish Echo Community Champion Award ceremony was held Friday May 5th at the Manhattan Club at Rosie O’Grady’s in New York City. There were 28 honorees, of which 19 attended. This was a high-class event. The editor of the Echo, Ray O’Hanlon was the master of ceremonies. The Echo CEO and publisher, Connla McCann from Belfast was there as was the Consul General of Ireland at New York Barbara Jones. The key note speaker was New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer.

ent during the awards event.

Here the Consul General of Ireland Barbara Jones is accepting a Harp and Shamrock Fiesta Medal from Allison.

The Harp and Shamrock Society had the most award winners of any group represented. Our winners were: Eileen Burke-Faught, Linda Grosse, Allison Mulvey, and Elissa O’Brien. Allison Mulvey represented the Society at the award ceremony. There were about 100 guests in attendance. The award ceremony started at 5:30 PM with the banquet following. The food was excellent and the beer and wine flowed. Each award winner was introduced and presented with their award and were allowed to make a statement. Allison thanked the Echo for the awards in the name of each of the Harp & Shamrock members recognized but were unable to attend. She also thanked Joan Moody for working to make the nominations.

Allison with CEO and publisher of the Echo, Connla.

The awards started with a brief introduction by the Echo Editor. Eight medals were distributed and were proudly worn by each recipi-

There were two special organization awards also given. It was a truly special night to hear all of the extraordinary things that these unsung heroes were doing on a day-by-day basis to help the Irish community and the world in general. Two of the Harp and Shamrock Society’s members were winners of last year’s Irish Echo Community Champion award.

Allison with several of the other award winners and Consul General of Ireland Barbara Jones

Allison Mulvey’s award!

The Echo published a special edition with pictures and a short bio/ statement of each recipient. They even ran a congratulatory statement for our award winners. To top it all off, Allison won an Aran Sweater as a door prize for the award winners attending. For more information see: irishecho.com/wp-content Irish-Community Champions

By Gerry Mulvey Special thanks to Gerry Mulvey for the on scene reporting and doing a great job of representing the Harp in NYC. Editor

Tales From the Pitch

7 A BRITISH INVASION! (The good kind.) By Chris A. Hayes San Antonio Gaelic Athletic Club ological tests on runners, cyclists, says he’s made many friends in the player Christopher Shannon was swimmers and ice hockey players organization and his favorite posiborn in Shrewsbury, England. in order to prescribe exercise protions on the pitch are half-back and grams for them. Then he returned half-forward. He to Bath and earned a bachelor’s also enjoys travdegree in Sport and Exercise Scielling to the outences a year later. of-town games Before continuing with his edu- in Austin, Dallas, cation, Chris spent a year working Houston and last in a Shrewsbury grocery store and year’s USGAA snowboarding in Fernie, British Finals in Seattle. Columbia. But when the snows And now Chris has become one of melted, he returned to his studthe coaches of the team. Cheerio! ies, but this time at the University If you or someone you know is interof Nottingham. After five years, ested in playing Gaelic football or beChris earned a PhD in Metabolic Physiology. He then accepted a job coming an SAGAC sponsor, please go to sanantoniogac.org or “San Antonio in diabetic research here in San Gaelic Athletics Club” on Facebook. Antonio. Chris met Aisling Burns at the It’s a medium-sized town in the University of Nottingham when he county of Shropshire and is apwas a student there and she was an proximately 160 miles (257 km) intern. Aisling is from Co. Sligo, northwest of London. Chris’ parents Ireland and is currently working are Andrew; a former accountant, on a PhD in human metabolism and Lynne; a former school teacher. and disease. Chris says he hopes His older brother is Matthew and to convince her to join him in his younger sister is Lauren. the United States when she comChris studied kinesiology at the pletes her education later this year. University of Bath for two years. (Aisling is pronounced ash-lynn.) He then travelled to Ottawa, CanChris joined the SAGAC almost ada to complete a year of indusimmediately upon coming to the trial experience at a sports science Alamo City even though he never center. There he performed physiplayed Gaelic football before. He

Photo above: SAGAC and Harp members Jimmy and Amber O’Halligan pose in front of one of Amber’s painting at the Radius Center during an art show in April. Photo left: The SAGAC hangs with the Texas Rose of Tralee at Irish Heritage Day. Keith Breen (from left), Sean Hipp, Chris King, Chris “Clark” Hayes, Katherine O’Sullivan, our Texas Rose, Mono Aguilar, Chris Shannon, Brian Thackaberry and Baby Flora.

Calendar No Board meeting in July!

August 10 Thu. Board Meeting 12 Sat. Social

September Thanks and Welcome New Members January — March 2017 Katherine & Anthony Brown Anna Buchanan & Ron Pearson John Francis & Mary Jane Burke Eric & Victoria Edwards Dianne & George Fadok Desmond Farren Nancy & Dan Flack – Life Members Frances C. Ford Linda Garrahan Robert & Marie Henry Stephen Hight – Benefactor Member Linda & Billy Keen William W. & Penny Kendrick Michael Maglaras Michelle & Niles Masteller Thomas McCabe Patrick & Terri McDaniel Edward McInerney Joseph & Wendy Millhouse Deirdre Murphy – Benefactor Member Randy Raisch Jane Thomson Chris Tilton Dru Van Steenberg & Timothy Cone Nicole Walter

15 Fri. Halfway to St. Patrick’s Shamrock Golf Classic Fort Sam Golf Course 16 Sat. Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day Hooley @ O’Beethoven

October 12 Thu. Board Meeting Please check the calendar on our web site for the latest Irish happenings!

Thanks to Our Sponsors

Returning Benefactor Members for 2017 Richard & Janice Duggan Robert M. Meade

www.harpandshamrock.org Twitter: @harpshamrocktx Facebook: The Harp and Shamrock Society of Texas Instagram: harpshamrocktx

Valero Waxy O’Connor’s

The Harp and Shamrock Society of Texas P.O. Box 15306 San Antonio, TX 78212