Firm Foundation: Patrick Talty
By Ken Callahan
It is an indication of the vitality and enthusiasm of Irish Americans in the numerous ways they come to celebrate their shared heritage and culture.
It would be a long paragraph indeed that listed the numerous societies, clubs, historical groups, and dancing troupes that populate Greater Cleveland, so numerous in fact that no one social club could contain them all. Certainly among the reasons for this vitality is the relatively recent freedom enjoyed by the Irish people for nigh on a millennium, and the fact that, unlike other European people, they continue to seek national unity.
Few Greater Clevelanders have embraced and shared their Irish heritage for the benefit of the Irish American community more than Patrick E. Talty and his extended family. Pat is the son of James Patrick Talty and Margaret Mary Lennon; his dad’s mother was Helen McGuan from Cree, in County Clare. His dad’s father, Michael Patrick Talty, was from Doonbeg, also from County Clare, though the pair met and married in Cleveland. Patrick’s mom was the daughter of Margaret Mary Coyne of Crossmolina, County Mayo.
The Talty family, large even by Irish Catholic standards, have long been prominent in Euclid and Cuyahoga County political life. Pat’s mom’s uncle Leo Lennon was appointed by Governor Frank Lausche to the St. Lawrence Seaway Commission, while his uncle Jim Lennon was active in organizing the Postal Union. Pat served on Euclid City Council, was the Democratic candidate for County Auditor in 1978, and served by appointment to the Euclid Development Corporation and the RTA Citizen’s Advisory Committee. He was elected Democratic Ward Club Leader for the City of Euclid.
And of course, Pat is nephew to the late and legendary Judge Francis J. Talty, who served first in the General Division of the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court (where he presided over the second Sam Shepard trial) and retired as the Presiding Judge of the Probate Court. Judge Talty is remembered in a wide variety of Greater Cleveland landmarks, Brookpark ballparks (he was President of the Greater Cleveland Baseball Commission) and the Administrative Building at the Cleveland Zoo. He was a Founder of the Irish American Archives Society.
Patrick attended St. William parish school in Euclid, Cathedral Latin, and got his undergraduate degree from the University of Dayton. He was awarded an MBA from Case Western Reserve and earned his JD from Cleveland Marshall College of Law.
Pat met his wife, Bridie, of Westport, Liscarney, County Mayo at the West Side Irish American Club in 1970, where they were introduced by their mutual friend, Gerry Quinn. Bridie is the daughter of Peter Hastings and Ellie Coyne.
Pat and Bridie were married in Cushlaugh, County Mayo on May 27, 1972, by the Rev James Prendergast. They reside in Rocky River, where Pat has his law practice, and are members of St. Christopher’s parish. They have a son, Michael, who is a graduate of St. Ignatius High School and who was awarded a law degree by Ohio State University.
Of his early years, Pat says “it was not until high school that I realized what a large family I was part of.” Pat is one of six; his dad was one of 9. At one point there were 30 Talty children living in Euclid, Ohio. “While smaller families may have had more material belongings, our intangibles were, to us, of greater value.”
Throughout the arc of his life, Pat Talty has shown a consistent commitment to the Irish American community: he has been a member of the West Side Irish American Club since 1970; he was a Founding member of the East Side Irish American Club in 1978; Founder and Treasure of the Irish Heritage Club; a Board member of the Ohio Rose Committee and was secretary for the St. Patrick GAA Football Club.
Irish culture will surely continue to thrive in Irish America, even for people generations removed from their emigrant forbears. The contributions made by Pat Talty and his family will ensure it.