Father Peter Whelan, OSB, Catholic CSA Chaplain

Father Peter Whelan, O.S.B., C.S.A.

by

J.C. Sullivan

To describe the life and times of one immigrant to the American South could be also be aptly titled "Holy Men in Modern Times." One chapter would describe Wexford-born Peter Whelan. Oh, he was human, to be sure, but his devotion to God and his fellow man is evident in the way he chose to live his life. He was also a Confederate Chaplain to Irish-Americans in the Montgomery Guards, part of the 1st Georgia Volunteers.

Peter Whelan was born in 1802 in County Wexford, Ireland. He attended Birchfield College in Kilkenny for two years, where he received classical and mathematical education. He may have been influenced by the desperate appeal of John England, the bishop of the new diocese of Charleston, South Carolina. Priests were sorely needed, particularly in the South. He was ordained a priest of the Benedictine Order in Charleston on November 21, 1830. He offered his first Mass in the state of Georgia in 1835 in the home of Robert Semmes. In 1854 a yellow fever epidemic claimed the life of Savannah's first Bishop, Frances Gartland in 1854. Father Whelan was summoned to Savannah and was stationed there for the remainder of his life.

In September 1861 Bishop Augustine Verot was named the third Bishop of the Savannah Diocese, which was formed in 1850. Arriving at his new post from Florida, he was asked to send a chaplain to Fort Pulaski. The Fort, on the Savannah River, guarded the approaches to the city. It was thought to be impregnable as no artillery shells could be directed at it from any nearby land. Part of the garrison there were Catholic troops, in particular the Montgomery Guards, mostly Irish from Savannah.

The militia unit was organized on August 20, 1861. Not having their own banner, Captain Lawrence J. Guilmartin contacted the Sisters of Mercy in Savannah. After Mass on Saint Patrick's Day, 1862, a presentation ceremony was held. Private Bernard O'Neill was appointed standard-bearer and Major John Foley presented it to him.

Father Whelan was present on April 10, 1862 when Federal forces began an artillery bombardment of the Fort. Using new 'rifled' artillery, the rounds were able to reach the outer walls from Tybee Island, more than a mile away. Thirty hours later, with one wall breached by the shot, it was determined that the entire ammunition magazine was in danger of exploding, If that happened the entire garrison would be killed. Colonel Charles H. Olmstead agreed to surrender. Now prisoners-of-war, Father Whelan and the Montgomery Guards were transported to Governor's Island, New York. Bernard O'Neill hid the banner on his person.

Wartime conditions persisted for prisoners and Father Whelan, through the office of Father William Quinn, pastor of St. Peter's Church, Barclay St., New York, applied for the position of Prison Chaplain so he could offer daily Mass at Castle William. Through Father Quinn he was discharged and put on parole. Father Whelan could have left but he chose to remain with his men and minister to them. He eventually returned to Savannah where the Vicar General assigned him the task of overseeing the spiritual needs of the confederate military posts in Georgia.

On one occasion another CSA chaplain, the Reverend James Sheeran of the 14th Louisiana, on leave from Virginia, visited him. In his diary he observed, "He stands nearly six feet with drab hair, coarse ill shaped countenance, round or swinging shoulders, long arms, short body and long legs, with feet of more than ordinary size.... One day he met a brother priest, to whom nature was no more liberal than to himself. "Well," said he, "...your mother and mine must have been women of great virtue....because they did not drown us when the first saw us. None but mothers of great...patience would have raised such ugly specimens of humanity."

During May of the same year Fr. William Hamilton, pastor of Assumption Church in Macon, accidentally came upon Andersonville Prison and stopped to learn how many Catholics were there. His experience led him to petition the Vicar, suggesting a priest be provided; Father Whelan was asked. He arrived at Andersonville on June 16, 1864. Even though other priests and the Bishop visited briefly, Whelan remained for four months. Although he never penned his feelings, a pastor from Macon did. "I found the stockade extremely filthy: the men all huddled together and covered with vermin....they had nothing under them but the ground."

At the fall of the Confederacy, Father Whelan returned to Savannah and served there until 1868. Now aged sixty-nine and in failing health from his wartime tribulations, he administered his last baptism in 1871 and died in February of the same year. The funeral procession was reported in the Savannah Evening News as the longest ever seen in the city. After a 10:00 a.m. Mass a procession of eighty-six carriages and buggies of civilians, religious societies and Irish organizations escorted his mortal remains through Savannah's crowd-lined streets to the Catholic Cemetery. Colonel Olmstead led Confederate Army and Navy veterans. An officer who knew Father Whelan said, "I followed this good old man to his grave with a sense of exultation as I thought of the welcome that awaited him from the Master whose spirit he had caught and made the rule of his live."


Bibliography
Gilliam Bowen, Diocese of Savannah
Father Whelan of Fort Pulaski and Andersonville, Georgia Historical Quarterly, Spring, 1987.

The Irish in Savannah

Father Joseph T. O'Callahan, Medal of Honor receipient

Joseph Timothy O'Callahan was born in Boston, Massachusetts on May 14,1905. He graduated from Boston College Preparatory School in 1922, and entered the Jesuit Order of the Roman Catholic Church shortly thereafter.

He received his bachelor's degree in 1925, master's degree in 1929, and became ordained in the Jesuit Order on 30 Jun 1934. Between 1927 and 1937, he was a professor of Mathematics, Philosophy, and Physics at Boston College.

Between 1937 and 1938, he was a professor of Philosophy at the Jesuit seminary of Weston College in Massachusetts. Between 1938 and 1940, he was the Director of the Mathematics Department at the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts.

On 7 Aug 1940, Father O'Callahan was commissioned a lieutenant (jg) in the United States Naval Reserve Chaplain Corps, assigned to the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida, United States. He was at Pensacola when the United States entered the war.

In 1942, O'Callahan was assigned to the aircraft carrier Ranger, serving off Norway and French Morocco. Between 1944 and March 1945, he served at the Naval Air Stations at Alameda, California and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

On February 12, 1945, he came aboard the aircraft carrier Franklin. On March 19, while only 50 miles off the Japanese home islands as indirect support for the Okinawa campaign, the carrier was attacked by a single Japanese dive bomber. Two 250-kilogram bombs hit the carrier, igniting fires and leaving the ship dead in the water with a 13-degree list.

Lieutenant Commander O'Callahan was in the thick of the raging fires, comforting his injured comrades and administering last rites to the dying while assisting with damage control tasks, despite also being wounded.

US Marine Corps pilot Mike Sansone helped manning fire hoses in a makeshift firefighting team led by O'Callahan; he recalled him bravely leading teams into the fire, safely bringing them out when explosions got too dangerous,and inspiring the men to go back in again when the shrapnels stopped flying.

"He couldn't be everyplace at once, though it seemed like he was." He also went down deep into the ship several times to lead over 700 men to safety. Franklin's commanding officer, Captain Leslie Gehres, described O'Callahan as "the bravest man I ever saw".

He was recommended for, and received, the Medal of Honor. The citation reads:

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Chaplain on board the U.S.S. Franklin when that vessel was fiercely attacked by enemy Japanese aircraft during offensive operations near Kobe, Japan, on 19 March 1945. A valiant and forceful leader, calmly braving the perilous barriers of flame and twisted metal to aid his men and his ship, Lt. Comdr. O'Callahan groped his way through smoke-filled corridors to the open flight deck and into the midst of violently exploding bombs, shells, rockets and other armament. With the ship rocked by incessant explosions, with debris and fragments raining down and fires raging in ever-increasing fury, he ministered to the wounded and dying, comforting and encouraging men of all faiths; he organized and led firefighting crews into the blazing inferno on the flight deck; he directed the jettisoning of live ammunition and the flooding of the magazine; he manned a hose to cool hot, armed bombs rolling dangerously on the listing deck, continuing his
efforts despite searing, suffocating smoke which forced men to fall back gasping and imperiled others who replaced them. Serving with courage, fortitude and deep spiritual strength, Lt. Comdr. O'Callahan inspired the gallant officers and men of the Franklin to fight heroically and with profound faith in the face of almost certain death and to return their stricken ship to port."

O'Callahan was promoted to the rank of commander in Jul 1945 and transferred to the Navy Department and then to the Naval Training Station, Newport, Rhode Island, United States, through the end of the war.

In October 1945, he was assigned to the newly commissioned aircraft carrier Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1946, he served as Escort Chaplain as the body of the late Filipino President Manuel Quezon was carried from the United States to Manila, Philippine Islands. Released from active duty in November 1946, he returned to his civilian profession as a professor at Holy Cross College. He retired from the United States Naval Reserves in Nov 1953 and was promoted to the rank of captain on the retired list. He passed away at Worcester, Massachusetts in 1964.

The destroyer escort USS O'Callahan was commissioned in 1968 in his honor.

Sources: Inferno, United States Navy Naval Historical Center, Wikipedia.

Michael Corcoran, Medal of Honor recepient

MICHAEL CORCORAN
8th US Cavalry, Indian Wars



The family of Michael, Albert, James, Robert, Patti and Donna, we are delighted to have located you and be with you today. The Corcoran surname is found in ancient Irish annals. According to Edward MacLysaght, there are the Mac Corcrain sept (corcair purple), who are of the Ely O'Carroll country in County Offaly and there are the O Corcrain, who were an ecclesiastical family located near Lough Erne, County Fermangh.

Why have we gathered here today at Calvary Cemetery on behalf of one who bore the Corcoran name? Some would call these grounds a resting place for the dead. I look around me and see it is ground for the living.

In 1869, while Andrew Johnson was serving his last year as President, Michael Corcoran, a fellow 'Desert Rat,' served with the U.S. Army in the great Mojave Desert, territory of Arizona. It did not become a state until 1912. The United States at that time was younger, expanding westward to a place where the cultures of the Native American, and other Americans, clashed. Violence and savagery defined the borders

Military service in any desert is not easy duty. Back then it was even harder. Besides the dry heat of the day, the thirst, sudden nosebleeds and the surprising cold of the night, the troopers of the 8th Cavalry were confronted with the ever-present danger of violent death. In one of Corporal Corcoran's letters he wrote, "We had several fights with the Apache Indians this last winter. There is not a day but someone is shot here.....We had three men shot since we got here this spring."

The 8th Cavalry was up against the Apache; the name being a Zuni word meaning "enemy." Their own name for themselves was "Inde", or "the people." By 1869 Apaches were already veterans of fights against the Spanish Conquistadors and the Mexican Army. During Corporal Corcoran's military service the Apache nation was led by a man who has been called "a brilliant personal and charismatic leader, and immensely spiritual." We all know his name - Geronimo.

We don't know exactly what individual actions Corporal Corcoran took on that August day in 1869. We know he displayed courage, valor and unselfishness when he took action against an enemy of the day. Nonetheless, it tells us much about who Michael Corcoran was. In 1916 the government dropped 911 names from the roster of the Medal of Honor. Michael Corcoran's name was not one of them. His discharge papers simply say, "He was a good, sober and faithful soldier." His great-grandson Robert recalls that Michael enjoyed a cup on occasion.

We are here today because of our link to the past. The ancient Celts believed that death in this life meant birth into another life. And, consequently, they believed that birth into this life meant death from the other. While there can be no doubt Corporal Corcoran found himself in a situation that called upon this character and his military training, he didn't flee when danger presented itself. He respected himself and his "Band of Brothers.

General John P. Jumper, former Chief of Staff, United States Air Force, spoke to a graduating NCO Class at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. "The character we seek to define is the fire of conscience that burns within us and superintends our conduct over a lifetime. But character is out of vogue in this world, whose standards are set more by the culture of Beavis and Butthead or the Simpsons, than by the standards of, say, our founding fathers: like John Adams, Thomas Jefferson or James Madison. These men were truly unique. They transitioned easily from the pulpit, to the plowshare, to the musket. They wrote the history of their time with powerful words that will live forever: The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Federalist Papers; and they used words we don't hear today, words that describe the supreme traits of virtue and character that inspired them."

The Irish, it is sometimes said, suffer from too much history. It could be equally stated that Americans suffer from too little. Corporal Corcoran's act of valor on that day so long ago speaks to us of character and individuality.

On Friday, May 31, 1889, twenty years after his actions in the desert, this loving father and husband again saw the need to take immediate action. Perhaps he heeded telegraphed warnings from Elias Unger, President of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club. Unger had warned that the old "South Fork Dam," fourteen miles up the Little Connemaugh River, might give away. The dam, 450 feet higher than Johnstown, held the 3-mile long Lake Connemaugh. At 3:15 pm it broke, sending a crescendo of 20 million tons of oily and muddy water rushing down the Connemaugh valley at forty miles per hour. Over 2,000 people died and thousands more were injured in what has become known as "the Johnstown Flood." Again, by his individual action, reputed physical strength and possiobly help from others, Michael Corcoran demonstrated his character by saving his family from injury or death by drowning. He moved them all to higher ground before the floodwaters devoured most of the city.

If we chose to further examine the character of Michael Corcoran we would first see the character of the parents who raised him. We would also see others who were a part of his life; brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. And we would see him in his descendents today.

Perhaps the energy created here today by our presence and our prayers, will reach the spirit of both Michael Corcoran and his spouse Johanna Culliton. Perhaps this energy will nourish their spirit... and ours as well.

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Saint Patrick's Day in Savannah

JC & Cairenn Sullivan



Six years had passed since we last visited Savannah. The occasion in 1995 was their Irish Cultural Festival, now in its ninth year. We went at that time to witness the event that was begun so the Irish of Savannah could show their children there is more than being Irish than being in a slight state of inebriation and wearing a green plastic hat That was then, this was now ….we were going to be a part of the green plastic hat crowd.

Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland all come to mind when one thinks about being Irish In America. But, the American South? Who would think of Savannah, Georgia, a town with about eleven Catholic churches in it?

The community here has a very long tradition of honoring Saint Patrick. In his book The Days We've Celebrated, the late William L. Fogarty discovered the first official invitation to a 'public observance' was found in the 1813 minutes of the Hibernian Society of Savannah

The closest we could get a room was at the Days Inn, Oglethorpe Mall. We took a bus downtown on the 16th to witness the service honoring Sgt William Jasper, an Irish American Revolutionary War hero who died defending Savannah against the British. The ceremony was very colorful, with speeches from military officers from Fort Stewart and Hunter Air Force Base being the highlight. The pipe band from the Irish Air Force, Dublin, Ireland, was present for the ceremony.

Knowing other Hibernians is a true blessing, We linked up with our friends Don & Patti Fallon, who we had initially met in Louisville, KY. Don is a Parade Marshal and is plugged into the hierarchy of Savannah's Irish community. We enjoyed a reception at the K of C Hall afterwards and were also invited to a private party at the Hilton. Hosted by Mr. It was here I got my first taste of Midleton Irish whiskey. The bottle comes in a wooden box and allegedly one cannot procure it in this country. One sip of it is enough to establish it as the finest and smoothest to ever cross these Irish lips!

Mass is celebrated early on Saint Patrick's Day - 8:30 a.m. - at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Afterwards Savannah's Irish-born Bishop J. Kevin Boland joined the outdoor celebration and struck up a conversation with some Irish lads from County Cork, the band Natural Gas. Together they sang On the Banks Of My Own Lovely Lee. As reported in the Savannah Morning News, Tim O'Riordan said, "Whenever Cork people meet away from home that's the song we sing. It puts some strength into the soul." Boland, in Savannah for forty years, said, "How can you miss home with something like this? We are at home. All the Irish are at home in Savannah."

It would have been too difficult to get to the early Mass from the Oglethrope Mall so Saint Patrick's Day began for us with bus ride downtown. For a buck each way, the Chatham Area Regional Transit (CHART) folks moved busses from the Mall on a continual basis. Although the line was very long, they did a commendable job of moving the large crowd. Once downtown we began to walk towards the marshaling area for the early 10:30 a.m. start. We decided to park ourselves and wait for the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Ladies AOH to come by us. It wasn't long before they appeared and we joined them for the parade. What a great experience it was - all this and a temperature in the 70s!

The streets of Savannah being old, are also narrow, affording we marchers the opportunity to speak to the parade watchers without shouting. The crowd is lively and spirited, in town specifically for the parade. Official estimates later put it at 400-500,000. We had fun placing beads around the necks of small children, with Mom and Dad's permission, of course.

The young ladies of Savannah make a great sport of smooching parade walkers, especially the military. You see them on the sidelines, lipstick in hand, reloading their lips as they reconnoiter their target. Then, like hawks circling field mice, they spring into action and swoop down on the unsuspecting, planting a perfect red lip tattoo on a surprised cheek. It was charming to see an Army Ranger Platoon Leader hard-pressed to stifle a bemused smile.

At the end of the parade we went to the K of C Hall where a rock 'n roll band was just setting up. One of their tunes was the old hit by Jay and the Americans, This Magic Moment. I thought it aptly described Saint Patrick's Day everywhere, especially Savannah.

We partook of refreshments being offered and chatted with many people, including Savannah oncologist Dr. Jim Burke. His dad , also Dr. Jim, and mother, originally from Chicago, are now retired in Florida and were staying in town with son Jim. Much later, looking out the window, we were surprised to see the parade still going by. We estimate it was about four and a half hours long, the largest we've ever witnessed.

We had a return token on CHART and decided to take the return bus to Oglethorpe Mall, arriving back early evening. Our intent was to catch a little R & R but, alas, the spirit was willing but the flesh…….we didn't get back downtown that evening. Boy, are we dating ourselves?

The town of Savannah knows how to promote itself. The Savannah Morning News, for example, dedicated at least four and one-half pages to Saint Patrick's Day, two of which were full color photos. As well they should - the estimated revenue brought into the city by this event is 23 million buckaroos.

There Should've Been a Piper

ON THE OCCASION OF THE RE-DEDICATION OF A BROOKLYN, OHIO PLAYGROUND IN THE NAME OF CORPORAL JAMES P. BROCK, USMC, VIETNAM KIA.
Sunday, July 27, 2008. 2:00 p.m.

Today is Brooklyn, Ohio’s 2008 Memorial Day. This playground is being re-dedicated to honor the memory and spirit of one of Brooklyn's own, Corporal James P. Brock. I am honored to be a part of this and I thank Mayor Patton for the opportunity to take the name of Corporal James P. Brock from a playground sign and bring him to life.

I first met Jim back in 1957 when we were both newcomer transferees to the halls of Benedictine High School. Other than my grade school friends attending ‘Benny', Jim was one of my first new friends there and I was on of his first friends there too. Like me, he was Irish-American. With his red hair, he resembled others in my family, brother Rodger and sisters Mary Jo and Jean.

After graduation, we saw each other on occasion and telephoned to stay in touch. Not long afterwards, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and I went into the Army. Once we were both home on leave at the same time but missed seeing each other. Instead, he chose to visit his sister in Cincinnati, Julie, who is Sister Julienne, a religious Sister.

During our service years, we continued to communicate. His letters followed me to Fort Hood in central Texas, the barren desert of the great Mojave that spanned New Mexico, California and Arizona, to the field near Berlin, Germany. My letters followed Jim to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Okinawa. In the autumn of 1965, his letters bore a new postmark - Vietnam.

Jim was happy that I had somehow missed being sent there and asked how I had "skated this mess." There was more than just a hint of frustration in the tone of the letters. The enemy was elusive; "you can't tell the cowboys from the Indians," he said, a reference to old American movies in which most cowboys we were portrayed as good people, and most Indians as bad people.

On December 9th and 10th, 1965, about 5 clicks northeast of Que Son (Khe San), F Co., 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines and E. Co., 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, lost eighteen of their own in an engagement with North Vietnamese Regulars. One of them, who we remember today, was a Brooklyn native and graduate of St. Thomas More Catholic Grade School. He became the first Clevelander killed in Vietnam.

Casualties of many wars were buried where they fell, or in graves in neighboring states or countries. I have prayed over some in American Military Cemeteries - outside Hamm, Luxembourg, where George Patton is rests with troops who fell during World War Two’s Battle of the Bulge. Also at Gettysburg, Antietam, Arlington and Calvary. Jim, however, was returned home.

Friends gathered at Chambers Funeral Home on Rocky River Drive to comfort his family and mourn our loss. Corporal Milton Fredrickson, stationed in San Francisco, accompanied the casket home to Cleveland. In his marine Dress Blue uniform, he stood ramrod straight next to flag-draped, closed casket. On his breast was a Purple Heart medal, awarded for wounds he had received in Vietnam.

December 31, 1965 dawned in typical Cleveland winter fashion - extremely cold with a gusty wind blowing off Lake Erie. After a Requiem Mass at St. Thomas More Church, over one hundred cars drove to Calvary Cemetery on the East Side. A Marine firing squad commanded by Staff Sergeant Louis Minter saluted their fallen comrade with a rifle volley that startled most of those present. It was followed by the haunting reverie of Taps, from a hidden bugler, then-14 year old James Ginley. Corporal Frederick son presented Corporal Brock's mother with a tri-folded US flag, "on behalf of a grateful nation." Clutching the flag, she threw herself over the gray casket and sobbed, "Oh, Jimmy." My heart was wrenched from my chest; I tasted the salt of my own tears.

I later heard Jim's younger brother, John, joined the Marine Corps, probably to avenge his brother's death. Surprisingly, he, too, was sent to Vietnam. Knowing of Jim's sacrifice, however, they kept him in Saigon. I'm surprised he got that far.

In 2006, Marine Corps veteran Corporal D.G. Marso wrote, “Jim was a wonderful friend and a great Marine. He was like a Big Brother to younger Marines in K Co, 3rd Bn, 2nd Marines, 1963-64. We wish we could have been there for you Jim.
Semper Fi, Brother. Cpl. D. G. Marso 1990351

Some things remain fresh as if they happened yesterday. Today, it is hard for me to believe it is the year 2008; all that seems so very recent. Maybe it is supposed to be that way - to remind us that forty-three years is not a long time after all in the loop that is life.

Visit his final resting place at home in Cleveland at Calvary Cemetery or at panel 4E6 on Washington’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Say a prayer not only for the repose of Corporal Brock’s soul but those of the other 58,195 names listed there. And hate war, not the warrior.

On that last day of 1965, it was still early in a war that would eventually claim so many more American and Allied lives. I now realize that most of us in Cleveland were in shock over Jim's death. And, in keeping with Irish warrior tradition, there should have been a piper at Calvary Cemetery that day.

On a recent Veterans’ Day, I returned to that gravesite for the first time since. With me were representatives from the Marine Corps League, American Legion, Polish Legion of American Veterans and the Cleveland Police and Fire Departments. And, this time, there was a piper.


An earlier version of this story titled The Day the Letters Stopped originally appeared in the Cleveland Plain Dealer in 1995.

Irish Rebellion of 1798 - a book review

Irish-America has been described as a Diaspora without real connections to the mother country. 99% of Americans who claim Irish heritage only know this because of oral tradition. Some say this is enough but others, in increasing numbers, are possessed with a quest for historical knowledge of their families and the events that caused them to emigrate. And they're finding out that Irish history has not been what they've been led to believe. In the process they are discovering they are more Irish than they knew.

A loosening of Anglo and official interpretation bonds has been accomplished with the emergence of the once-forbidden written and spoken word of Irish nationalist leaders such as Gerry Adams. This emergence has unleashed a passion for knowledge and awareness. The Irish rising of 1798 is no exception.

Long neglected by the nation of Ireland herself, it has been Irish America that has shed proper light on the incredibly violent events and subsequent inhuman treatment of the vanquished by the victors. With the incredible rise of interest in the event, a book has re-emerged that sheds first-hand knowledge of both events and attitudes of the period.

Last published in 1802, Steven W. Myers & Delores E. McKnight have edited the memoirs of Sir Richard Musgrave, a loyalist . It is resplendent with vivid eyewitness accounts, lists of massacre victims and rebel and loyalist participants. /they have included a new index with 10,600 references to people and places, especially for the south Leinster area of Wexford, Wicklow, Carlow, Kildare and Dublin, for the east Ulster area of Armagh, Antrim and Down, and for the Mayo region.

A historical treatise, the scholarship of the editors lays out the background of the political/moral/social interworkings of the time.

COMEDIAN AND WRITER BRIAN KILEY, THE TONIGHT SHOW

COMEDIAN AND WRITER BRIAN KILEY

By

JC Sullivan


“My grandfather came to this country from Ireland in search of a better life. My grandmother tracked him down and put a stop to that.” That was a one-liner pitched to the audience on his most recent appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman. “We called him poppy….cause of his opium addiction.” A 2007 Emmy Award recipient for Writing in a Comedy/Variety Series, Brian Kiley appeared as natural as they come – looking as if he was totally enjoying himself. His humor is genuinely funny and refreshing clean.

A staff writer for Late Night with Conan O’Brien since 1994, he’s native of Newton, Massachusetts, where he had a girlfriend when he was ten years old. “We didn’t do anything. We didn’t kiss or hold hands or anything….I think it was good practice for married life.” He has four siblings who are spread out around the country, Mary Lou, San Diego, Paul, Fort Lauderdale, Dan, Phoenix and Clare, the only one who’s remained in their home state. Even his father is elsewhere.

Ed Kiley, living in St. Augustine, Florida, just turned 82 and is a veteran of World War Two’s Battle of the Bulge. In the movie about it, Henry Fonda played a pilot named Kiley. “My older brother told all my friends that was his Dad. When they’d come over they’d ask if he was in the Battle of the Bulge and he say “Uh huh!” Then they’d whisper “It’s him.” Our friends would kiss up to him and he had no idea why.

Kiley was educated in the public school system in Newton and later at Boston College. “I actually met Conan O’Brien when I went to CPD. “I was in Conan’s brother’s class and my brother was in Conan’s class when we were kids.” He and his family have been living in New York. When the writers’ strike occurred he reverted to stand-up comedy to bring home a paycheck. For his stand-up act of one-liners, his children and wife are his inspiration. His kids love that he’s a comedian. Their friends say, “Oh, I saw you on YouTube Mr. Kiley.” “It’s a strange world we live in now. My kids are quoting my jokes from the Internet. You have to behave yourself these days!”

He can be seen at 10:30 pm Thursday evenings on the Cartoon Network’s show, Delocated.
He does admit to being bothered by seeing so much sex on TV, “ …especially when I’m home alone….I can’t get anything done.”

Kiley is relocating to California, following O’Brien as he takes over The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The first show airs June 1st. “Its a little tough on my kids (son 13, daughter 11) but I think they’re OK with it. He’s trying to spend a little more quality time with them before the upcoming separation. “Last Friday my eleven year old had his eleven year old friends over for poker night. It was pretty cute, I must say…..I won close to 400 bucks!”

While obviously exaggerating about his kids, he says “they they’re a fantastic source of material. They’ll be coming out to California in July and my wife Sandra is coming out In 20 years,” Kiley quipped.

Brady Campbell Irish Dance School

CLEVELAND NATIVE RETURNS HOME TO TEACH IRISH DANCE

By

JC Sullivan


Clevelander Patrick J. Campbell joined Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance in April, 1998, rehearsing in Newcastle, England. He then performed for eight years, ten shows a week, six days, at the New York, New York Hotel and Casino and Venetian Hotel, both in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was during this time he met a lovely Dublin lass and fellow Irish dancer, Rebecca Brady. She became Mrs. Campbell and, in 2006, they returned to Cleveland to continue their affiliation with Irish dance. This time, however, it’s there own dance academy, above their own tavern.

Brady-Campbell Irish Dance School is teaching youngsters the joy of Irish dance in a hall above P.J. McIntyre’s, an elegant and authentic Kamm’s Corner Irish pub. “We want kids to come and learn what we’ve learned through our leap in Irish dancing, and have fun doing it, both competitively and recreationally.”

Patrick is President and co-owner of the pub, along with his cousin, Tom Leneghan. Patrick’s father, also Patrick, is County Mayo, Ireland native. He married an Irish-American girl, Mary McIntyre, whose parents were from Co. Mayo as well. The name PJ McIntyre’s is derived from Patrick’s initials and his mother’s maiden name.

Interested readers can visit their website - bradycampbellirishdanceschcool.com or call 216-256-7285. “There’ll be a new session in September,” he said, “with an Open House in August.”


Sullivan is an Irish-American writer residing in northeast Ohio.

Stone Mad - A Gem in the Inner Ring

JC and Cairenn Sullivan



Christ called Peter the rock of his church. Another Peter, Leneghan, has built his rock, an upscale pub/restaurant on Cleveland’s near west side, in what’s called the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood. Stone Mad is in a neighborhood that’s rising. It used to be prominently Italian. While there are still Italian-Americans living there, now you’ll meet Vietnamese-Americans, African-American and Hispanic-Americans residing there.

A copy of the first story about the Leneghan family that appeared in the Mayo News is framed and hanging in a place of honor on a wall at the Tree House in Cleveland’s historic Tremont area. The pub is thrives, with an upbeat crowd always present. With two successful enterprises in Cleveland’s Tremont area, why has he now a third?

“A lot of galavants over the years, and being in New York and Ireland, and a lot of travels and a lot of knowledge about the Pub business. I’m at a time in my life where I’m doing something a little different and having a little fun. I’m just happy the way it turned out. From being in Ireland, I set it up like a little Irish pub.” Where on God’s green earth does a name like Stone Mad come from? “I met a stone mason in Ireland who had written a book called Stone Mad.,” said Pete, not to be confused with his cousin ‘Irish Pete’.


Eileen Sammon is co-owner of Stone Mad, She’s been with Tom & Pete Leneghan since 1996. “I came from the restaurant end of this business and they kind of took me under their wing. They’re two guys I really grew fond of,” she said. “When we first started talking about this we wanted to do a Bocce Ball Court. (What is Bocce you ask? See (www.geocities.com/osuileabhain2000/Bocci.htm) When Pete had his Central Park carriage business he used to go to a restaurant that had one in it so he wanted to incorporate that here. Pete sold the carriage business and has put all his efforts into this for the last three years

Rick Hall, Hall Construction Co., was the General Contractor. “This has an old, 1950s style motiff, like old fashioned woodwork; like things were built 50 years ago. All the stonework is European, like you see in France, Italy or Ireland. We went with a boiled linseed oil, which is what they used to do for protection. To give it an antique look we used tongue oil - many, many coats. The wood paneling in the front is floor-to-ceiling walnut. It was brought in rough-sawn and they did the finish work themselves. Rick and Paul Jones designed the layout and made the booths, bars and wall paneling.”

Cousin Johnny Leneghan from Westport, Co. Mayo, flew in just for the event, surprising the entire family. His reaction to seeing the structure? “Absolutely brilliant – fantastic. It’s worth the trip just to see it.”

The restaurant will not feature any “fast foods.” Michael Fadel, a well-known Cleveland chef, has joined the team. “He designed the kitchens; there’s one downstairs for food prep only. “He takes a big load off my shoulders,” said Pete. Mike McNamara did the intricate art work to be found throughout the pub and restaurant. “He did the same at the Tree House. This was a four month, $30,000.00 project.”

Bar Manager Paul Jones is another long-time associate of Pete & Tommy at the Tree House. “We’ve really gone beyond as far as liquor selection – if you want it we’ll have it. And you won’t see a juke box or television anywhere in the restaurant or pub. We’ve created a atmosphere to stimulate conversation. We’ll have some background music eventually but no television,” Jones said. “Without them it forces people to have conversation with one another.” He prides the staff for top notch service. “We encourage them to chat with everyone. I think one of the most important things we are doing is interacting with people; holding conversations and being interesting; we want to make people feel as if they want to come back.” The crowd has been fantastic. We’ve had a great response from the neighborhood.

Local residents Monica and Arturo Olivera stopped in for refreshmentsand conversation. “With all the plans for things in the Detroit-Shoreway area we’ve heard about, we’re to the point where we’re out of the planning phase and into action. This is a nice place to go in the area and making the area a place to come to. It definitely gives people a different image of the Detroit-Shoreway area, one that can be lived in. This is something positive that people might not be aware of. The neighborhood is growing and being fixed up and it’s more of an attraction for people. This will be one more thing for people to encourage people to stay here. Arturo’s spouse Monica is already planning a get-together with her friends at Stone Mad.

Judging by everything we witnessed on opening night, we’ll be back. For sure!

75th Anniversary of Cleveland's West Side Irish-American Club

CLEVELAND’S WEST SIDE IRISH-AMERICAN
CLUB GREETS MAYO COUNCIL

Cleveland, Ohio. The recent visit of the Mayo Council to Cleveland, Ohio coincided with the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the West Side Irish American Club.

A beautiful evening greeted the assemblage at the 5:00 pm Mass in the outdoor pavilion. Cleveland’s recently-retired Bishop Anthony Pillar graced the assemblage by paying tribute to the contributions of the Irish to the Diocese of Cleveland, beginning many years before the 1931 establishment of the Club. Concelebrating with him were Fathers John Cline and Jim O’Donnell. The genial Dan Chambers, a friendly and natural guy, was the host for the evening’s activities.

Current club President, the unassuming Roscommon-born John O’Brien, and spouse Eileen, were present. “We try to adhere to the reasons we are here in the first place, to promote our culture,” he said in a recent Cleveland Plain Dealer article. “And it’s a rich culture, so whether it’s music or dancing or storytelling, we have it all here.”

In the 1980s the club moved from its humble headquarters in an old theater on Madison Avenue in Cleveland to its present spacious (27 acres) grounds in North Olmsted, Ohio. It was the Madison Avenue location where I was first introduced to the Irish community.

In 1963, in a Fort Knox, Kentucky PX, I ran into a buddy from St. Vincent DePaul grade school in Cleveland, Patrick “Pie” O’Boyle. It was there, over a couple beers, I first learned of the existence of the Club. My family in Cleveland had not been active in the Irish social scene.

While home on leave after Army basic training, I visited the club for the first time. “Pie” had described I-A’s Sunday dance hall scene perfectly, - the girls sat on one side of the hall and the guys on the other. One of the first people I met was a lad named Conor Malloy, who was a very fresh emigrant. It was extremely difficult for this American to understand his Liverpudlian English.

Back then one couldn’t get a drink on Sunday due to what were called the “blue laws.” Private clubs, like the I-A, were the exception. When I attempted to walk into the club’s bar, a tall, gray-haired and ramrod straight gentlemen halted me. That’s when I learned I needed a membership card to gain entrance. When I informed him I was home on leave from the military, Mayoman Patrick Lynch, a World War I veteran from the famed “Rainbow Division”, said, “Ah, you’re a serviceman. Well, that’s different, Go on in.” And I went in…without paying any dues for several years after I was discharged from the Army. When the club came under Helen Malloy’s stern leadership, to her credit, I, and probably many others, finally had to rightfully cough up dues.

The West Side club, like other Irish (AOH and LAOH) organizations, is unique these days as relates to other ethnic and veteran social clubs in the U.S. The West Side I-A is thriving (3,200 members) when the others are not. “It’s managed to transcend generations, which is uncommon for many ethnic clubs,” said Ohio Appeals Court Judge Sean Gallagher in a Plain Dealer interview. He’s right. Perhaps the answer lies in another quote in the same newspaper.

Club Membership chairwoman Pat Gerron, who is of Polish descent, said, “I enjoy the Irish, that’s why I’m here.” Not only do others enjoy the Irish, we enjoy our own. The Irish are never at a loss for words and are the most engaging conversationalists I’ve ever encountered. The German people are a close second but, in this writer’s opinion, they don’t transcend the Irish.

Whether or not there is any truth in the opinion that before the club moved to its present location the leadership wasn’t particularly interested in recruiting American-born Irish, both move naturally amongst themselves, as if they are one. Which we are.

REMEMBERING AN IRISH-AMERICAN SAINT

Cleveland, Ohio. “Three things are necessary for the salvation of man,” said Thomas Aquinas. “To know what he ought to believe, to know what he ought to desire and to know what he ought to do.” Some of our fellow human beings never recognize even one of these truths. Rare is the person who understands two. One who understood all three was a woman who began life in County Mayo as Della Gavin and ended it as Sr. Mary Ignatia, Sister of Charity of Saint Augustine (CSA). Forty years after her passing she has been commemorated and fondly remembered.

A woman ahead of her time, many believe she should be commemorated for her life’s work and vision. Cleveland Attorney John Myers is one of those people. Through his efforts, and the support of numerous others, a street in Cleveland has been co-named Sister Ignatia Way. All this, forty years after her passing. A gathering of her sisters, dignitaries, friends, recovering alcoholics and others were on hand for a ceremony honoring Sister Ignatia’s memory.

From Ballyhane, two miles outside Castlebar, Patrick J. and Barbara (Neary) Gavin emigrated with their seven year old daughter. In 1916, while World War I was raging in Europe, she entered the sisters of Charity of Saint Augustine in 1916. Eleven years later, with fragile health and exhaustion dogging her, she was transferred from the Music Department to the new St. Thomas Hospital in Akron, Ohio. While there she was approached by a co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous to allow one of his patients into the hospital for care. Thus began a spiritually-directed endeavor with men and women addicts. In 1952 she was transferred to St. Vincent Charity Hospital in Cleveland, “to work with AAs.”

On the feast of the Holy Rosary she received permission to open “Rosary Hall Solarium.” Its initials also honor a co-founder of AA, “Robert Holbrook Smith.” Revitalizing RHS is Executive Director Dan Davies’ mission. “The rosary today was said in honor of Sr. Ignatia, who prayed it daily with patients.”

“My boss at the time was Bob Sweeney, who has Mulranny roots,” said Myers. “Bob had the sad honor of being one of her pallbearers when she died. He made me aware of whom she was and I was amazed this woman had helped co-found AA, which is in every country of the world.” To have a woman who was a daughter of Ireland and daughter of Cleveland have such a remarkable affect on the world is a remarkable thing.” Myers thinks that because she was a woman, and a religious, she never got proper recognition in her lifetime from those outside CSA. Myers believes AA would never have achieved its current status without the spirituality connected with the program. “Myers also gives much credit to former Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell, then-Council President Frank Jackson and Cleveland City Council for supporting the legislation co-naming East 22nd St. He was also sure to thank the Gavin and Neary families of Mayo who “shared their daughter with the world.”

Sister Ignatia was a second cousin to Cleveland’s Father Jim O’Donnell. Mary O’Donnell Hayes (John), who is active in the West Side Irish American Club, is another cousin. Sister’s late brother, Patrick, Jr., had no offspring.

Sr. Judith Ann Karam, President and CEO of Sisters of Charity Health System, said, “This is a wonderful celebration of the life of Sister and the wonderful community that is AA. It was always so awe-inspiring for me to see the work she was doing and the influence she had on the people she served.”

Her legacy, according to Sr. Mary Denis, Archivist, for the Sisters of CSA, is, first and foremost, all those who were present at the ceremony; those who have struggled with demons and have come to sobriety. For the community and those who have ministered and supported them, has always been “a willing acceptance of whatever God sends can indeed be a blessing, not only for oneself, but in untold ways, for countless others. Bill Wilson recalled having a small dinner with her on her 50th jubilee and could only think of her of poignant and repeated saying, ‘Eternity is with us now.’”

Sister Ignatia was one of the untold many living saints who now, and throughout the ages, have ministered to humanity. John Myers believes the gift, the miracle, of a path to sobriety, which Ignatia helped form, is something larger than any one person, one program or one institution. “… Her genius was to infuse a movement with a life-renewing and sustaining spirituality. Not that of a faraway Pope, or the dogmas of religion; not the church or the clergy, but rather, the simple spirituality which is appropriately here on the street, an every day spirituality, an every man, every woman spirituality; a higher power found, recognized and shared here on the street. This is why we gather on the street, in this small way, long overdue, to honor her memory and say thank you.” He believes her eventual beatification will become a reality.

Dublin - Ohio, that is!

by

J.C. & Cairenn Sullivan



"If I have the honor conferred upon me to name your village, with the brightness of the morn, and the beaming of the sun on the hills and dales surrounding this beautiful valley, it would give me great pleasure to name your new town after my birthplace, Dublin, Ireland."

Never would John Shields, surveyor of the land nestled on the banks of Ohio's Scioto River, have imagined his words being quoted 189 years after he spoke them. And, never in his imagination would he have pictured folks coming from near and far to honor the culture of his native land.

The popularity of the Dublin Irish Festival is a continuing indicator of the popularity of Irish culture and it's phenomenal growth. Hosted by the City of Dublin, Ohio, you know you're in for a special experience when drive in and are immediately greeted with references to Ireland - from the shamrocks painted on city-owned property to the street names sporting monikers such as Tullamore, Gullway and Emerald Parkway.

Held in conjunction with the Columbus Feis, parking is adjacent to the festival grounds or close by at Coffman High School, where the Feis is staged. Stops for the free shuttle are well marked. Upon entering the festival grounds, clearly marked signs direct you to the six stages and/or areas you might wish to begin in. The reasons one attends an Irish Festival are varied but if the strings linking all of us can be summed into four categories - music, food, shop and camaraderie. The latter includes refreshments, of course.

SHOPS

Shopping at the vendor tents at Irish Festivals for a few years now, we've found one thing missing - tanktops. We have sweaters, sweatshirts and tee shirts coming out the yazoo - but no tank tops. Well, thanks be to God for Philadelphia's Dennery's. Now, there may be others, but Mike's is the first we've seen. Brilliant.

"We came in here yesterday and the City Manager, Tim Hansley, was out in the parking lot. He actually took time to tell us exactly where to go, led us to our spot, even though that wasn't what he was doing at the moment," said exhibitor Pat Foley. "So, everybody has been really helpful." Foley makes wood furniture with an Irish motif - "all the way from shallows to tables, display cases to music boxes with Irish tunes." Because of the special niche they occupy, meaning no one else is doing exactly what the Foleys do. Pat and Sheila will exhibitors at the Milwaukee Irish Festival - the first year they applied.

Other noteworthy exhibitors were Keltic Outfitters, Columbus, Ohio, a source for County Tartans in necktie and shawl and scarves; Cahill Crafted Garden Houses and Gazebos with the Enchanting Thatch Roof Collection, William Cahill, Cincinnati, Ohio.

MUSIC/ENTERTAINMENT

There is musical variety at the Dublin Festival to suit every eclectic taste. Being Clevelanders we are, quite naturally, drawn to the rock stage. The most energetic groups booked were Tempest and the Prodigals. Of the two, Cairenn liked Tempest best because of their authentic fashion. They've been recording since 1988 and have played more than 1000 performances and have released 7 CD's. Although they've been described as folk-rock, their style is based around traditional folk music and they definitely rock.

"If you're going to rock, make something original with your rock," Cairenn said. "However, I can see that when a good song is a good song, it can be done in many different ways. That's what keeps it young and alive for generations to come. I preferred Tempest for the original work that they did. They actually are rockers."

J.C., on the other hand, preferred the Prodigals. At one time the group was voted #1 in an Irish Echo newspaper Readers Poll. The Prodigals hail from Cavan, Clare, Dublin and New York; they feature a driving, high-energy take on Irish music, fusing strong traditional elements with a rock energy.

Being one who likes that old time rock and roll, J.C., too, enjoyed Tempest very much. "But I also liked the Prodigals interpretations of songs that I knew. I like their musical approach to some of these 'old' tunes. It's just as original when you set your own style and interpretation to it.

The lads, Greg Grene, lead vocals/button accordion, Andrew Harkin, bass, Ray Kelly, lead vocals/guitar and Brian Tracey, drums/percussion/background vocals, formed two years ago and are already playing some of the highest-prestige venues around, evidenced by their appearance in Dublin. When they are not on the road they are the resident band at Paddy Reilly's Music Bar in Manhattan, a position they took over from Black '47.

It's always refreshing, of course, to see so many of our youth attracted to our culture. This could not be more evident than in the work of St. Louis Irish Arts, Inc. Founded in 1972, they are a well-established school with a variety of programs in traditional Irish music, song and dance. Instruction is offered in music, singing and step dancing for children and adults. Classes in fiddle, tin whistle, accordion, harp, harmonica, flute and bodhran are held at a learning center and workshops through.

God bless their work - they bring out the best in us.

The lads in the Civil War uniforms were not reenactors but a group headed up by David Kincaid - the Irish Volunteer. Their niche is "the Irish Volunteer - Songs of the Irish Union Soldier 1861-65." Using his background as a musician in the roots-rock band, The Brandoes, David began to do research to find the ballads of the more than 160,000 Irish who fought in the famed Irish Brigade.

Listening to the tunes is a delightful experience. One can imagine themselves around a Union campfire with the Army of the Potomac. Kincaid et al does more than sing, however. His real contribution is the teaching of Irish-American history to our youth and those of us who are life-long students. How many of us knew, for example, that the courageous Michael Corcoran, initial leader of the Federal Irish Brigade in America's War Between The States, refused to march his unit for the purpose of honoring England's Prince of Wales? The simplicity of the guitar, fiddle and mandolin played to Irish tempo and tunes, is time-honored. Hearing the Gaelic songs caused a tingling sensation in the body, as if the genes passed to the current repositor from the ancient ones have said, "Thanks, I haven't heard that one in awhile."

The Irish Volunteer is a collection of twelve songs from the American Civil War, centering on the Union army's famed "Irish Brigade," recruited and commanded by Brigadier General Thomas F. Meagher. The album is the product of years of research, including Civil War reenacting, and seven months of arranging and recording. Great care was taken to give the album an authentic, 19th century feel and sound, from the use of only period style instruments and vocal harmonies, to the enlisting of some of the finest musicians in Irish traditional music.

We saw them at the Milwaukee Irish Festival and we've seen them in Dublin. Donegal's Altan, lead by the forever young and beautiful Mairead ni Mhaonaigh. A renowned fiddler and Gaelic singer, she and the group continue to give the audience Irish ballads, jigs and modern, folk-influenced music with the sounds of flute, fiddle, guitar and other instruments. Their performance in Dublin was as fresh today as it was when Frankie Kennedy was still with us. Undated and therefore popular with many, their music reaches into the strands of time. This is reflected in the success of the nine albums they've produced during a thirteen-year musical career, which has also landed them a contract with Virgin Records.

TOUR

No visit to Dublin is complete without experiencing the beauty of the Church of St. Bridgid of Kildare. We had the good fortune of being guided by Dr. Robert Fathman and his beautiful wife Gina (Rodgers). Originally from Detroit, she from Louisville, he is the unofficial Mayor of Dublin.

"The church was constructed in 1991. When the parish was first established, Christmas Eve Midnight Mass was celebrated in the horse barn," he said. "With horses in the stalls, a dirt floor beneath their feet and faith in their heart, parishioners sat on bales of hay." The renovated original horse barn is still standing.

"The exterior structure is modeled after the Church of Ireland Cathedral in Kildare," Gina added. "Inside one finds contributions from various Catholic churches in Ohio and the world. The hand-carved doors date from the Spanish Colonial period, an original gift to us from Holy Family Church in Columbus. The two bronze angles, Michael the Archangel, and Angel with Jug, are from 17th century Naples."

The altar contains a stone from the 13th century central tower of the St. Brigid of Kildare Cathedral in Kildare, Ireland. A hand-carved statue of St. Bridgid from Italy rests on an elaborately carved 16th century Sicilian wood column. "The Vestment Case is walnut, and was made in the mid 1800s for St. Augustus Church in New Straitsville, Perry County, Ohio," Gina offered.

We wrapped up our visit on Sunday morning, finding many visitors from around the country and State. Cleveland's Ed & Ann O'Donnell were on their first visit to the festival. "I'm duly impressed," he said. "With the resources of the City of Dublin to help, there's no other Irish Festival in Ohio that currently comes close to this."

Indeed, the City of Dublin provides the finest of rest facilities. Everything is either a permanent fixture in Coffman Park or the type that are inside trailers. None of those small portable-types are used, making it a truly world-class Festival. It could not be staged without the, count 'em, six hundred volunteers from among its 29,000 residents.

Were there any complaints? We only heard one - there was no Guinness to be had!

How an Irish-American veteran joins up with Polish-American veterans

While surfing the Internet, Brecksville, Ohio American Legion Post 196 Commander JC Sullivan discovered an Irish Medal of Honor recepient was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Cleveland. County Cork-born Michael Corcoran was a veteran of the Indian Wars. When he inquired at the Catholic cemetery, Sullivan was told there was no Medal of Honor stone at Corcoran's gravesite. Sullivan, through his membership and contacts in the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the largest Irish Catholic fraternal organization in the country, was able to secure a Medal of Honor stone from Uncle Sam.

Hoping to find surviving family, Sullivan contacted Lou Mio at the Plain Dealer, who was their military event reporter at the time. Mio assigned the story to Janet Cho.

The first article published was about Sullivan's attempt at finding Corcoran descendants. The morning the first story ran, one of Corcoran's great-granddaughters read the story and burst into tears when she realized it was her family Sullivan was looking for. She called other family members to tell them about it. They got in touch with Janet Cho. The Plain Dealer followed up with a second story about finding Michael Corcoran's family. Descendants from around the nation made plans to come to Cleveland for the dedication ceremony at the gravesite.

Needing a place relatively close by the cemetery to host Corcoran family members, Sullivan mentioned it to Post 196 Legionnaire Bob Farber, who was a member of PLAV Post 13 in Slavic Village. Farber brought the matter up at the next Post 13 monthly meeting and members graciously voted to donate their Hall (and liquid refreshments) to Sullivan for the post-dedication reception.

The dedication ceremony produced the Plain Dealer's third and final story. Afterwards, at Post 13's Hall, Sullivan commented to fellow veterans, "You guys are great. If I was Polish, I'd join the PLAV." That's when he found out that one didn't have to be Polish to be a member. Being grateful for everything the PLAV had done for him and the Corcoran family, which included providing a color guard for the ceremony, Sullivan became a member. He recently transferred his membership to Tremont's Post #58.

"I've enjoyed the new friends I've made through the PLAV," Sullivan said. "I've always loved the ethnicity of my hometown; it's a strength we have that other cities do not have."

Joseph P. Sullivan, Spanish-American War

A PIECE OF FAMILY HISTORY

by

J.C. Sullivan


Joseph P. Sullivan, born April 2, 1877 in Ashtabula, Ohio, was my great uncle, the brother of my grandfather, Daniel Sullivan. On the 15th of April he was baptized at St. Joseph's Church by Fr. E.J. Conway in the presence of his godparents, William Sweeney and Ellen Lynch. William was possibly the son of Michael and Julie (Sullivan) Sweeney. Julie was the aunt of our grandfather.

In 1898 Joe resided at 644 Lake St., Cleveland, with his widowed mother, Irish-born Elizabeth, who was 42 years old at the time. Joe's father, believed to be from County Cork, had died 7 years earlier, in 1891. He'd been a lineman and telegrapher for the Lake Shore & Southern Railroad. Joe was employed as a printer at the J.R. Sawyer Printing & Publishing Co. in Cleveland.

On June 23, 1898, at the age of 21, Joe went to the Recruiting Station of the U.S. Army at 37 Public Square, Cleveland, for his physical examination upon enlisting for the term of three years "to serve my country." The unit he joined was Columbus-based 14th Regiment of Infantry.

On the Descriptive and Assignment Card of Recruit is stated that he stood 5'5" tall and had a ruddy complexion. Both his eyes and hair were noted as black; his character, good. The date of his last vaccination was not known. He had a scar on his right arm, four inches below the elbow and on his right leg below the knee. He also had scars on the back of his left hand, breast and ankle.

On the 28th of June, 1898, Private Sullivan was assigned to Co. "F", 14th Regiment of Infantry, at Camp Merritt, San Francisco. Originally organized in 1877 as the Fourteenth Regiment, Ohio National Guard, the unit became the Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry (4th OVI) with 49 Officers and 1,319 enlisted men.

As part of the Fourth Expedition to the Philippine Islands, the 14th Infantry, or Fourth O.V.I., was the only Ohio unit to engage in combat during what became known as the War with Spain. U.S. Troops first landed near Ponce on July 25, 1898, where they met minor resistance. The war was short-lived. A trace was concluded and General Nelson miles’ men sustained seven kia and 26 wia in the 19-day Puerto Rican Campaign.

Although Joe only enlisted in June, 1898, I would normally find it unlikely one would be overseas within a month of enlisting. However, he was already in San Francisco on the 28th of June. His discharge papers state the unit saw its first action at Guayana, Puerto Rico, where they suffered 5 wounded. They next attacked at Cayey and Barrio de Las Palmas, near Guayana. A memorial tablet can be found at Guayana listing 26 names of the 4th OVI who died on the island, at sea in transit to there or in training stateside in 1898. It was dedicated in 1923 by VFW members.

Joe’s discharge papers note he fought 'Filipino Insurgents' on February 5-11, March 13, and on June 10, 12, 13 and 20, 1899. These actions occurred in the Philippine Islands where, along with the 1st Colorado, they waged war against Filipino guerrillas through the summer of 1899. The 1st Colorado’s veterans, led by Brigadier General Irwin Hale, 2nd Division, went on to organize one of the three groups that merged to form the VFW.

Joe's Examination Preliminary to Muster-Out of Service or Discharge was dated June 2, 1899, at Pasay, Manila, P.I., signed by 1st Lt. A.I. Lasseigne, commanding Co. F. He was discharged a Private on the 16th of August, 1899, at Manila by Special Order 218, Headquarters, Dept. of the Pacific & 8th Army Corps. He returned by ship to the U.S. via San Francisco. For his service he was awarded the Spanish War Campaign Medal and Spanish War Service Medal.

After his military service Joe moved to Chicago to engage in his civilian trade. It's probable he joined Army buddies there. However, like so many other war veterans, he'd lost his health while overseas, probably to malaria, yellow fever or another tropical-type ailment. He died in Chicago, young and unmarried, a casualty of war long after the fighting was over. We originally thought the family brought him home to Ashtabula to be buried with his parents and his red-headed brother, James. A printer by trade, James was accidentally killed by a streetcar in New York City while crossing the road. My grandfather Daniel was chosen to go to New York to bring Jim’s remains home because he could ride the railroad there without cost, or at a reduced cost. There were some bad feelings in the family because Dan couldn't afford to take the time off work - he wasn't paid for his time off. It was a financial hardship on the family despite his free, or near free, passage.

The Sullivan family rests in the cemetery’s ‘old section’, Lot 29, Row J, St. Joseph's Cemetery, Ashtabula, in the old section, the one closer to the main road. Elizabeth's stone reflects her Irish pride; she was born in Ballaghadareen, on the County Mayo side of the Shannon River, where it borders County Roscommon. Her stone says, "Elizabeth Sullivan. Born in County Mayo." Joe's marker simply states, Joseph P. Sullivan. At one time there was a bronze marker signifying Spanish American War Veteran but the last time we visited the cemetery it was no longer there.

In 1999 my brother Ed inquired at the Parish Rectory about the date of Joseph’s burial but they have no record of it. Perhaps he is buried in Chicago and there is only a stone marker in Ashtabula.

We hope you will visit the family plot one day and say a prayer for the repose of the souls of the Sullivan Family.

Irish America is Vital for Irish Unity - Rita O'Hare

Wed Apr 29, 2009 3:04 pm (PDT)

Forward by Ned McGinley, Past President, AOH in America,

The Constitution of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in America

Statement in Preamble: "To aid and advance by all legitimate means the
endeavors and aspirations of the Irish People for complete and absolute
independence promoting peace and unity for all Ireland"

As usual these words from the Preamble of the Constitution states the
Purpose better than any written word I have ever seen.

Since 1836, 173 years next month, our Order has proclaimed this core value.
Today we are closer than ever to that core goal but yet as we approach
that goal in so many ways there are more dangers and ambushes that Irish
nationalists will face from our enemies.

Dissidents wish to hijack the process and drive it back into the years of
violence are providing fuel for the hard core unionists to scream for more
force. Loyalists will battle to the end and Unionists will utilize them to
stoke the fire of opposition. The British hard core colonial security forces
who will use any means to throw gasoline on that same fire and scream the
Irish are not ready for freedom.

We need to be more vigilant than ever and keep our "eye on the prize" of an
Ireland United and Free for all of it's people.

Rita O'Hare, a great friend of our Order, has written an OP/ED for The
Irish Echo that spells out where we want to go and when we will move forward.

National PEC Committee



Editorial/Opinion from Irish Echo by Rita O'Hare

It is more than 10 years since I first arrived in the United States. My visits
since, and tenure as the Sinn Féin Representative to the United States have
been a varied and incredible experience. Most of all, they have awakened me to
the extremely loyal and powerful voice of Irish America.

I am a native of Belfast who remembers what life was like before the conflict and during it. I have been part of the Sinn Fein leadership for much of those years,
including the past 15 years which have brought us to the promising times of today. I deeply admire the Irish America that cares so much about Ireland. Without
Irish America it is questionable where Ireland - any part of it - would be
today.

It is with this frame of mind that I call on Irish America to join with us to forge the path to unity and freedom. Sinn Fein is an Irish Republican Party. Our aim is a united, independent Ireland. We are not alone. Fianna Faill, the Republican Party, has the same aim. Fine Gael asserts itself as the United Ireland Party and the SDLP also supports a united Ireland. Indeed, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern recently declared that unification is ân imperative not an empty aspiration.â€�

The reality of this broad position is embodied in the Good Friday Agreement
itself. Throughout the peace process, the legitimacy of the aim of unity was paramount and its inclusion in the agreement crucial. For the first time, in
an international agreement between the Irish and British governments, there
was an acknowledgement by the British government that the Irish people - and
the Irish people alone - have the right to determine the future of Ireland.

The agreement makes clear that an end to partition, i.e. a sovereign united
Ireland, is as desirable and politically legitimate as the status quo, and spells
out how it will come about, i.e., by majority vote in referenda north and south. There are those, mainly within unionism but also in the media and among an element of the establishment in the South, who either try to ignore this essential part of the agreement, or denigrate and dismiss it. Those who do use different tactics and arguments but generally assert that to raise the question will alienate unionists.

However, since the agreement and the peace process itself are about ending the discrimination and exclusion of republicans and nationalists and their values and hopes, which are valid and honorable, these arguments are both offensive and spurious.
For too long, any political opinion in
the North that opposed the union was
treated as criminal and treasonous.
That, like so much that dominated life in
the North, has changed forever.
All of us who believe that Ireland’s
best future is unity have not just the
right but the duty to assert this view
and to plan for it. To argue otherwise is
to try to undermine the Good Friday
Agreement itself.
In addition, recent commentary,
sparked I believe by Sinn Féin’s
announcement of a Task Force on Irish
Unity, has sneered that unity is not
achievable in any event, or that people
have “accepted an internal solution.�
While these views can be aired, they are
wrong and often insincere.
In this spirit, Gerry Adams recently
called for a national conversation, to
include the Irish diaspora, on how the
goal of a united Ireland can be achieved.
As part of this discussion, Sinn Féin will
host two major conferences in the United
States: New York on Saturday, June
13, and San Francisco on Saturday, June
27.
Gerry Adams will host the conferences,
introduce keynote speakers and
open it to the floor for contributions. I
am confident that Irish America will
take this opportunity to speak and provide
ideas, initiatives and plans to carry
this conversation into action.
Of course, achieving Irish unity is a
major challenge. It particularly means
that Irish republicans have to reach out
to unionists. Our vision of a united Ireland
is an Ireland where prosperity and
equality are delivered in equal measure,
an Ireland in which orange and green
can build a common future in co-operation
and harmony, an Ireland at peace
with itself and its neighbors.
We intend to mobilize and organize
with all those who see Ireland’s best
interests served by unification, whether
they support Sinn Féin or not. We will
challenge those who pay only lip service
to the goal of unity. We want the
Irish government and those political
parties who aspire to unity to begin to
plan for it in an inclusive way.
And we want Britain to do the logical
thing - and the best thing for both countries
- that is assist in ending the partition
of Ireland.
Lastly, we need Irish America to join
in bringing it about.