Bronx AOH Division 5 bestows honors

Bronx AOH Division 5 bills itself as the fastest growing AOH division in Bronx County

 

By Irish Echo Staff

Ancient Order of Hibernians National Treasurer Sean Pender, New York LAOH FFAI Chair Dolores Desch, Woodlawn AOH "Man of the Year" Fr. Brendan Fitzgerald, and former New York Assemblyman John Dearie, whose political forums made presidential candidates open the door to Irish agenda issues, will be honored by the Ancient Order of Hibernians this Sunday, October 21.

The “Spirit of 1916 Awards” will be presented by Division 5, Woodlawn at the Rambling House Party Room, on Katonah Avenue at East 236th street, 3 to 7 p.m.

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"A special award is being presented to John Dearie for his decade long battle to make American political candidates address Irish agenda issues like visa censorship against Sinn Féin, a special envoy and the MacBride Principles,” said Division 5 president, Martin Galvin.

“His efforts in 1992 made the north of Ireland an American campaign issue which opened the door to Sinn Féin visas, the appointment of Special Envoy Mitchell, and dramatic change in the North,” Galvin said.

And Galvin continued: “Sean Pender is not only the current National Treasurer, but also a former Freedom-for-all-Ireland Chair of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. He is being honored for his leadership in the Malachy McAllister campaign and on all AOH campaigns arising from British rule and injustice in the north of Ireland.

"Dolores Desch is the New York State LAOH Freedom-for-all-Ireland Chair. She is being honored for her leadership role in Albany and throughout the state, raising awareness in the LAOH of the issues in the north of Ireland and participating in organizing the Irish Freedom Mandate Centennial Commemoration in the New York State legislature. She is the first LAOH member to be presented with this award.

“Fr. Brendan Fitzgerald, will be presented with the 'John Egan Award' as Division 5 Man of the Year. Since becoming pastor of St. Barnabas Parish and Division 5 Chaplain, Fr. Fitzgerald has made a tremendous contribution to the AOH, Woodlawn Irish community and St. Barnabas, most recently in making "Gaelic Mass Day" a heralded success. He is being recognized as the division member who has done the most to make Division 5 a growing Irish force.”

Added Galvin: “This year’s honorees will receive Spirit of 1916 Awards as an added honor to them and to honor the ideals and heroic sacrifices of the Easter Rising which led to freedom for 26 of Ireland’s 32 counties.”

In addition to the awards presentations, Division 5 will award grants for the promotion of Irish charities, Gaelic games, and Irish culture in the Woodlawn area. The division, located in the heavily Irish area of Woodlawn-Wakefield, bills itself as the fastest growing division in the Bronx.

Music will provided by Gerard and Susan Corbett. A ticket at $30 includes a free buffet. For tickets or information call (718)994-1410.

 

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