Did you know that an Irishman invented the first modern submarine? His name was John Philip Holland and he was born in Liscannor, Co. Clare, Ireland, on February 24, 1841. He experienced the Irish potato failure suffering poor eyesight as a result. His father was a member of the Coast Guards, and young John inherited a love of the sea. Although his poor eyesight prevented him from following in his father’s footsteps, he developed an interest in ship design. John attended the Christian Brothers School where he came under the influence of Brother Dominic Burke, a science teacher, who encouraged … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: John Philip Holland, Inventor of the Modern Submarine
Irish American Heritage Month Committee
Irish American Heritage Month: The Irish Brigade at Antietam
Did you know that the Irish played a major part in the victory on the bloodiest day in American history, the victory that let Lincoln issue the Emancipation Proclamation? It was at Antietam on September 17, 1862, and it was the victory that emboldened President Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. Foremost among Union forces was the Irish Brigade led by Irish-born Gen. Thomas F Meagher. Their story is an extraordinary chronicle of military valor in America’s cause; once when President Lincoln visited General McClellan’s Union camp, he lifted a corner of the Irish Brigade Flag, … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: The Irish Brigade at Antietam
Irish American Heritage Month: Margaret Haughery
When you visit the beautiful city of New Orleans, be sure to visit the old business part of the city where a statue of a woman overlooks a little square at the corners of Camp and Clio streets. The woman sits in a chair with her arms around a child. The woman is not young and pretty and she wears a plain dress with a little shawl. She is a bit pudgy and her face is a square-chinned Irish face, but her eyes look at you like your mother's. It is one of the first statues ever erected in America to honor a woman, for this was a woman unlike any other. She … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: Margaret Haughery
Irish American Heritage Month: The Foley Brothers “No greater love than to lay down your life for another”
At the young age of 32, Thomas Foley was already an 11-year decorated veteran firefighter of the FDNY and a legend. He was a larger than life individual who embraced life to the fullest and seemed to excel at everything he tried from powerlifting to skydiving. Having learned to ride horses on visits to his grandfather's farm, he even excelled as a competitor on the rodeo circuit. With boyish good looks, Thomas Foley was featured twice by People Magazine and appeared in the FDNY's "2003 Calendar of Heroes." However, being a firefighter was Thomas Foley's first passion; it was all he wanted … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: The Foley Brothers “No greater love than to lay down your life for another”
Call to Action on Irish American Heritage Month
We are currently in the final stages of preparing a new Irish American Heritage Month Video. Last year our video proclaimed Irish American Heritage Month to thousands on social media and the web. This year we wish to better that. We ask each of you not only to watch it but to share it on Facebook, Twitter, etc. and encourage others to do the same. It takes less than 2 minutes, yet if every Hibernian took the opportunity to share this video, then we should have no less than tens of thousands of shares. Tens of thousands of shares will be noticed promoting not only IAHM but the Hibernians. We … [Read more...] about Call to Action on Irish American Heritage Month