Editor’s Corner:
History Happens Every Day
At Last, it is Irish Heritage Month. I have to note, this may be our finest issue yet. All the St. Patrick’s Season Honorees sent to us are listed within ~ what an impressive group of people our Lord has blessed us with. We also have as a varied newsmagazine of special events this month, plus profiles, music, Irish language, book and reviews, loads of new advertisers, Kids and Health Craic, St. Patrick (of course), food, fun and great opportunities for friendship.
Among the stellar honorees is our own Taking the Fields of Glory Columnist Vincent Beach. He is truly one of those Man You Don’t Meet Everyday personalities in word and action. Besides writing the column, he is the force of nature so successful in bringing Cleveland St. Pat’s GAA to a strength and popularity not seen in our time, including a men’s and ladies Gaelic Football teams; Men’s Hurling and Woman’s camogie teams and three youth teams.
Vince is also a teacher in iIrish and Pj McIntyre’s Speak Irish Cleveland classes, held every Tuesday. We are wrapping up our 8th year creating an Irish language, sport and culture community (the mission of the GAA across the world) in Greater Cleveland, and beyond.
Also honored is a personal friend and advisor, spiritual leader and funnyman. Fr. Thomas Mahoney is this year’s Hibernian of the Year.
For as long as I can remember, Fr. Tom has been part of the fabric of our Irish community. Saying mass at Cleveland Irish Festival; The Famine Memorial with Fr. Jim O’Donnell; years of every special event, milestone, wedding and funeral, summer party; and so much more. He has been a blessing to our community for his word, advice, and action, and so much more. Read about Vince, Fr. Tom and all the honorees, within.
By the grace of God, we are holding the auld head above water, thank you for your support to help us do more than just treading covid. Celebrate this and every season with us; advertise with us; and refer advertisers to us, so they may join our gifted community as well. Plus, all advertisers get a special discount only available to iIrish advertisers:
Refer an advertiser and receive 25% off your ad;
refer two and get 50% off your ad;
refer three and receive 75% off your ad,
and of course, refer four, and your ad is free that month!
The Top referral ambassador gets a free ad for themselves, or the non-profit organization/event of their choice.
Now, about our cover: The Man is Daniel B. Chambers, our inaugural iIrish Person of the Year. I could wax eloquently about all that Danny is and does, but the words within say it more fully than I could. He is a leader, a man not afraid to do the hard work and make the hard decisions to make our community, Irish and not, better.
Have you ever wanted to march in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade?
We invite all advertisers and partners to join our iIrish staff in the Akron St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 12th (1:00 Kickoff) and Cleveland St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 17th (1:06 p.m. Kickoff). I do need an RSVP, so I get enough stay hot coffee dispensers to have in our two vans. We invite you, your family and friends and well-behaved dogs to join us. All you must do is rsvp, show up, and behave appropriately on a feast of The Saint.
I hope to see you soon, see you in Akron and Cleveland Parades, and share a “pepsi” (and a cigar if you like them) many places before, during and after.
…
Nuair a stapann an ceol, an damhsa déanann an amhlaidh
(When the music stops, so does the dance)
John
