The Michigan Irish American Hall of Fame has announced its 2025 class of inductees. The Hall of Fame honors Irish Americans with strong ties to Michigan who have made significant contributions to various fields in Michigan life.
Category of Public / Community Service:
Jack M. Cahill
A fifth-generation Irish American, Jack Cahill grew up in Northwest Detroit. He served as Assistant Attorney General for Michigan from 1978 to 1987 and again from 1990 to 2008. Jack’s community leadership spans multiple roles, including President of the Irish Lawyers Association of Detroit, President of the AOH of Detroit, and President of the Gaelic League of Lansing. He also led the Irish American Unity Conference from 1991 to 2012.
Jack founded the Irish Studies Scholarship program at his alma mater, Catholic Central High School, and was a founding member of the Irish ballad group, Cahill and Murphy. Since 1984, the group has performed at Irish events, fundraisers, and festivals.
His dedication to Irish unity took him to Ireland over 25 times, where he collaborated with figures such as Sean MacBride, Sinn Fein’s Gerry Adams, and Irish Taoiseach Charles Haughey. Jack was instrumental in promoting the MacBride Principles, which advocate for eliminating religious discrimination in Northern Ireland. His efforts led to Michigan adopting the principles in state investment law.
An expert in Irish history and politics, Jack is a sought-after speaker on Irish affairs at academic events across Michigan.
Joan Kavanaugh O’Halloran
Joan Kavanaugh O’Halloran grew up in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, before moving to the Detroit area. After the loss of her first husband, Kenneth, in 1984, Joan remarried in 1996 to Tommy O’Halloran. Together, they promoted Irish music through organizations such as the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, and the Gaelic League/Irish American Club of Detroit.
Joan’s commitment to Irish culture was recognized in 2013 when she was named Hibernian Woman of the Year. In 2023, she was appointed Chairperson of the Motor City Irish Fest, and most recently, she was selected as the Grand Marshall of the 2025 Detroit St. Patrick’s Parade.
Sheila M. Cassidy
A first-generation Irish American, Sheila Cassidy has been a lifelong leader in Southeastern Michigan’s Irish community. She maintains dual citizenship and travels to Ireland annually. Sheila started Irish dancing at age three and competed in the All-World Championship in 1980. She currently serves as the Chairperson of the Queen of Detroit Irish Societies and co-chairs the UIS Parade kickoff event. Her extensive involvement in promoting Irish American culture also includes serving on the Detroit St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee and the Motor City Irish Festival Committee, among many other committee and fundraising obligations.
Sheila played a key role in creating the 2019 Friendship Agreement between the City of Detroit and County Cork, Ireland, and serves as UIS liaison during the County Cork annual visit to Detroit.
Category of Business and Industry:
Thomas Michael Murray
Tom Murray, the oldest of seven children, was deeply immersed in Irish heritage from an early age. His father, Chris Murray, was President of the Detroit Gaelic League/Irish-American Club for 18 years, where Tom grew up assisting in events and supporting the Gaelic League.
In 1982, Tom founded the Detroit Wolfetones Gaelic Football Club, which has thrived for over 40 years, winning three North American Championships. Tom also helped establish the Detroit Harps Youth Gaelic Football program.
In 1998, Tom opened Conor O’Neill’s Traditional Irish Pub & Restaurant in Ann Arbor, which has been named Michigan’s best Irish Pub for over two decades. His commitment to Irish culture extends to hosting a weekly Traditional Irish Music Session, one of the longest-running in the U.S.
In honor of the memory of their daughter Maeve, who passed away in 1993, Tom and his wife Maureen have raised over $2 million for the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital’s Save A Heart Fund through various charitable events
Category of Arts and Entertainment:
Michael John (Jack) Derrig
Born in New York to Irish parents and raised in Ireland, Michael “Jack” Derrig came to Michigan after serving in the Korean War, where he earned a Bronze Star. Jack spent 32 years working at GM while also establishing the “Irish Imports” shop in Dearborn, where he promoted Irish heritage through imported goods. He later opened “The Irish Baker,” offering traditional Irish products like scones, shortbread, soda bread, and sausages.
Jack was also a gifted musician and radio show host. His show, “Meet the Irish,” was broadcast across Detroit for over 30 years, and his promotion of Irish music became his lasting legacy in the community. Jack’s contributions to Irish culture and his promotion of Irish music made him a beloved figure in Michigan’s Irish American community. In 2009, he was honored as the Grand Marshall for the Detroit St. Patrick’s Parade.
The 2025 Michigan Irish American Hall of Fame inductees will be honored at a public ceremony at 11:30 AM on the Grafton Stage of the Michigan Irish Music Festival in Muskegon, Michigan, on Saturday, September 13, 2025.
To see the members of the Hall of Fame, please visit the Hall of Fame website at http://www.michiganirishamericanhalloffame.org/.
