The Feis (pronounced Fesh – an Irish word for dancing competition) and Festival will include a lineup of competitive events, including dancing competitions on all levels, pipe and drum band events, and singing, music, Irish art and soda bread contests.

There will be food, drinks, an Irish village of vendors and games for the young children. A Catholic Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Musical guests will be the Irish band, the Sporting Paddies.

Admission is $10 for adults. Children under 16 will be admitted free.

This year, the Feis will honor its longtime chairman, Edward F. Friel, who retired from heading up the event after the 2009 feis.

“It’s a tremendous honor,” said Friel, who was the chairman from 2003-2009. “It means even more to me because I am following in the footsteps of my Uncle John.”

Friel’s Uncle John is former Feis Chairman and AOH National Life Member John Bownes, who passed away last year.

Friel is a longtime member of the Padraic Pearse Division 3 of the AOH in the Five Towns. He has served on the division, county and state levels of the AOH, while also heading up special events such as the Feis and AOH county ball.

He is also on the board of directors of the Irish Americans in Government and is a member of St. Mary’s Morris Stella Council of the Knights of Columbus and a Fourth Degree Member of the Steven Moylan General Assembly.

He lives in Westbury, NY with his wife, Nina, and they have three married children.

This will be the third consecutive year the Feis and Festival will be held at Molloy College as part of Irish Studies Institute Program. The Feis expects around 2,000 attendees for this year’s celebration.

More information on the Nassau County Ancient Order of Hibernians’ Irish Feis and Festival can be found on its website: www.nassauaohfeis.com.

About Molloy College: Molloy College, an independent Catholic college based in Rockville Centre, was founded in 1955. The College is a mid-sized, comprehensive Master’s institution that serves a student population of approximately 4,200 undergraduate and graduate students.  Molloy students can earn degrees in a variety of outstanding academic programs, including nursing, business, education, social work, music therapy and many more.

About The Irish Studies Institute: The Irish Studies Institute at Molloy College illuminates and documents the central role Irish Americans have played and continue to play in the United States, and extend and enrich exchanges between Irish Americans and those from other cultural backgrounds.  The Institute highlights the rich history, integration and cultural exchanges of the Irish throughout New York, the metropolitan area and beyond.

About the Nassau County Feis Corporation, Inc.: A not for profit company whose members are comprised of the Nassau County Ancient Order of Hibernians. The Feis Corporation’s purpose is to plan, promote and implement the Feis and Festival every year.

About the Nassau County Ancient Order of Hibernians:  Founded in 1836, the Ancient Order of Hibernians is the largest Irish Catholic organization in the United States. With almost 35,000 members nationwide, almost 10,000 in New York State and almost 900 residing in the eight Divisions in Nassau County. Membership is open at all men age 16 and over, who are of Irish birth or ancestry, and are practicing Catholics. For more information, please visit their website at www.nassauaoh.com or contact Nassau County Organizer James Henry at organizer@nassauaoh.com.

ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS

NEW YORK STATE BOARD

FREEDOM FOR ALL IRELAND COMMITTEE

CHRISTMAS APPEAL

BENEFIT SOCIAL

THURSDAY, OCT. 28  6-10PM

O’REILLYS PUB

31st ST. AND BROADWAY, NYC

ENTERTAINMENT BY

TOM CASEY

THE AOH CHRISTMAS APPEAL BENEFITS VARIOUS GROUPS IN THE NORTH OF IRELAND. THEY INCLUDE RELATIVES FOR JUSTICE, BLOODY SUNDAY TRUST, PAT FINUCANE CENTER, COISTE, CAIDRE AND CROSS-COMMUNITY GROUPS. YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED IN THIS CONTINUING  EFFORT FOR TRUTH, JUSTICE AND A UNITED IRELAND.

$20.00 SUGGESTED DONATION

CASH BAR    LIGHT BUFFET

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT NYS AOH CHAIRMAN TIM MYLES AT 516-660-7456 OR TIMTAM614@AOL.COM

CAN NOT ATTEND BUT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A DONATION, CHECKS ARE PAYABLE TO NYS AOH. MAIL TO TIM MYLES, 19 HOWARD PL., LYNBRYOOK,NY 11563

IRELAND UNFREE SHALL NEVER BE AT PEACE

A brother for 57 years, Jim has served this organization and division in many facets, remaining active in almost all activities.

So good luck Jim, as the National Board will have a very tough decision on its hands come July.

According to editor Keith Carney, the site will also include expanded news and features not appearing in the newspaper.

The site is HibernianDigest.com, which was designed by Nassau County Webmaster Joe McDonald, who was named Online Editor of the paper.

So please stop by the Digest website and we ask for all divisions to add the link to the Digest site to its respective websites.

For more information about the digest or to send in a story, contact National Editor Keith Carney at editor@hiberniandigest.com or Online Editor Joe McDonald at onlineeditor@hiberniandigest.com.

To place an ad and reach thousands of  Hibernians nationwide, contact Ad Director Steve Everly at adsales@hiberniandigest.com.

Also good news from the convention for Nassau Hibernians, it is expected that new State President Charles “Chip” McLean will announce Saturday night that he is appointing our County Recording Secretary and Division 14 President Tim Myles to the State Board as State Freedom For All Ireland chairman; our County Treasurer and former County president [Div. 15] Jack Ryan as State Veterans Chairman; and immediate past Nassau County President John O’Connell [Div. 8] as the State Publicity Chairman. That makes four Nassau County brothers serving on the New York State AOH Board.

Below Are Pictures from Albany sent by brother John O’Connell

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