Location(s)
It started—as so many things both “Irish” and “Philadelphia” seem to—with Tommy Moffit.
Tommy was the first inductee into the Delaware Valley Irish Hall of Fame. Six years later, the Hall of Fame is still adding to its list of honorees.
This Sunday, the organization will gather to honor:
- Patricia Noone Bonner, active in efforts to create a free and united Ireland;
- Paul Phillips, Jr., past president of the Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade committee, as well as a grand marshal;
- J.J. White, active in the Philadelphia Irish Famine Memorial;
- And the late Michael Cavanaugh, remembered for his active involvement in many Irish organizations, both here and in County Mayo.
Also scheduled for honors is Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, for his involvement in efforts to seek and just and equitable solution to the immigration issue.
Bonner, Phillips, White, Cavanaugh and Specter will join a pretty fair-sized crowd of high-profile citizens, including people like Jim Coyne, a driving force behind the Philadelphia Irish Famine Memorial project, union chief John Dougherty, the Boyce Family, Mike Driscoll of Finnigan’s Wake, the Irish Edition’s Jane Duffin, and so many more.
The Hall of Fame started with someone who is probably on a lot of unofficial Irish hall of fame lists, Vincent Gallagher, president of the Commodore Barry Club and a well-known and well-loved entertainer.
“Vincent really came up with it,” explains Bob Hurst, former Philadelphia FOP head and president of the Hall of Fame board. "He first mentioned it in 2001. After we organized a board of directors, we wanted to reach out to individuals and families throughout the Delaware Valley, and in many areas of endeavor, such as the arts, literature, dance, education, religion, entrepreneurship, the law … any area. So far, we’ve stayed pretty close to that goal.”
Members of the panel select honorees based on nominations from the community. Board members include: treasurer Bill Donahue; secretary Kathy McGee-Burns; Artie and Carmel Boyce; Jim Boyle; Jim Coyne; Anne Donofry; John Egan; Tom Farrelly, Tom Higgins, Sean McMenamin; Jim Meehan; Attracta and Tom O’Malley; Geraldine Quigg, Maureen Brett Saxon, John Shields; and Bernadette Browne Truhlar.
On Sunday night, they’ll be joined by more than 400 like-minded people who will gather at the Irish Center to honor the new inductees. Philadelphia Emerald Society pipe major Joe Tobin and piper Del Campbell will escort the group to the front of the ballroom. And, one more time, the Irish of the Delaware Valley will do what they do particularly well: remember.
