A community always likes to honor its own. Sometimes the honor is deserved for work close to home. Sometimes the honor is deserved for work that reaches far from home.
Such is the case with the honor that the Ancient Order of Hibernians is about to bestow on former New York State Assemblyman John Dearie.
If the Good Friday Agreement came with a trophy, Dearie, "the father" of the Irish American Presidential Forum, would have his fingerprints all over it.
The forum, which first took form in 1984, reached its zenith in 1992 when two presidential candidates, Bill Clinton and Jerry Brown, spoke at a forum in Manhattan that would later result in a U.S. visa for Gerry Adams, a U.S. Special Envoy to the North, and federal support for the MacBride Principles on fair employment.
Dearie, for a politician, has always leaned towards the self-effacing. But you can't stay in the background forever when your work has yielded such magnificent, history-changing, results.
And so, on Sunday November 19, John Dearie will be among a group of community standouts being honored by the Bronx County Ancient Order of Hibernians.
This is appropriate. That first forum in 1984, attended by former vice president Walter Mondale, was held at a beach club...in the Bronx.
Being honored alongside Dearie will be Irish music artists Erin Loughran and Mickey Coleman, National Ancient Order of Hibernians Treasurer Liam McNabb, and Barry Clarke of Wilton Construction.
In a reminder that even with the Good Friday Agreement Northern Ireland remains a critical issue for Irish America, Mark Thompson of Relatives for Justice will speak at the awards gathering in Rory Dolan's on McLean Avenue in Yonkers.
Thompson, according to an AOH release, "will explain what is at stake and release a shocking new report on the legacy killing of long time Bronx resident Liam Ryan in Tyrone."
Added the release: "Besides presenting "Spirit of 1916" Awards to each honoree, the event will remember the historic Presidential Forum organized by John Dearie, where candidate Bill Clinton made historic pledges which led to the Good Friday Agreement.
“John Dearie has been a champion for Irish justice, leading on Irish issues like a Special Envoy for the north of Ireland, ending visa censorship against Sinn Fein, and the MacBride Principles. He is receiving a special award in this 25th anniversary year of the Good Friday Agreement, because his efforts to make Ireland an American political issue secured Bill Clinton’s Irish Presidential Candidate Forum pledges, which opened the door to the agreement.
“Mickey Coleman and Erin Loughran are each being honored for their tremendous contributions to Irish music and sport, both in New York and Ireland. Mickey, a well-known Tyrone Irish footballer, is also a singer/songwriter and guitarist while Erin, a multiple All-Ireland medalist fiddle player, founded the Erin Loughran School of Irish Music & Arts, teaching classes in Woodlawn and Pearl River. Mickey also founded Shoreline Builders.
“Liam McNabb is the current AOH National Treasurer, the New York State AOH Political Education Chair, and Vice Chair of the Irish-American Heritage Museum, playing a major AOH leadership role on all Irish issues nationally and also within his home state of New York.
“Barry Clarke after learning the construction business at Celtic General Contractors under the prominent Tyrone born businessman Patsy Clarke, he built his own company Wilton Construction Management, and supports a number of Irish charities dealing with Irish heritage and justice.
"After a long political battle and despite overwhelming Irish and American opposition, the British Tory government pushed through their Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill at Westminster seeking to take away hopes of justice from families denied the truth about the murder of their loved ones during the Troubles. Belfast High Court will hear a legal challenge beginning on November 20th.
"Mark Thompson, of Relatives for Justice, will travel from Belfast to provide an update on this crucial legal case so far joined by 20 families. He will also be releasing a new report about the murder of Tyrone born American citizen, Liam Ryan, in Ardboe, County Tyrone on November 29th, 1989."
The awards event will take place from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Music will be provided by the Kitty Kelly Band. Dinner tickets are $90 and reservations are highly recommended. For tickets or information about congratulating the honorees in the souvenir journal call (347)880-1403 or email nolanbxbp@hotmail.com or call (718)597-6327, or email jacksligo@hotmail.com.
