Nollaig Shona Duit

Deacon Tom Costello – Chaplain
Michael Byrne – President
Sean O’Rourke – Vice President
Timothy Myles – Recording Secretary
William McGough – Financial Secretary
John M. Ryan – Treasurer
Peter Begley – Standing Committee
Richard O’Neill – Marshal
Ken Ferguson – Sentinel

And Our National and State Officers
John C. O’Connell – National Editor, NY State District 6 Director
James J. Burke – NY State Vice President
John M. Ryan – NY State Veteran Affairs
Joseph McDonald – NY State Internet Communications

The emigrants are buried in a mass grave in Lynbrook.  The memorial service took place at the corner of Merrick Rd and Ocean Ave in Lynbrook (across from US Lumber) at the monument in the cemetery.

About 100 people attended the event, including National Historian Mike McCormack, National Editor John O’Connell, New York State Vice President Jim Burke and Nassau County President Mike Byrne.

Below is an article from the last Hibernian Digest by Mike McCormack:

The immigrant voyage of millions of Irish to America in the nineteenth century was staggering in its hardship.  Many know of the Coffin Ships during the Great Hunger and the incredible death toll associated with the 6 to 8 week journey on inadequate vessels designed for hauling cargo rather than passengers.  However, little known but just as significant were the tragedies attending those who fled the imposed cruelties in Ireland before the blight even occurred in 1845.  Before that tragedy, mass emigration from Ireland accounted for one- third of all traffic across the Atlantic.  Between 1825 and 1840, 220,000 Irish emigrated to the U.S. at a time when there were few maritime or immigration regulations in place.

Perhaps none who ventured across the Atlantic seeking a better life had as tragic an end as the 100 Irish men, women and children who set forth on October 16, 1836 on the ship Bristol and the 116 who followed 8 days later on the ship Mexico.  Little remembered today, both of these ships wrecked, with a loss of 216 lives, off Long Island’s south shore within weeks of each other.  The double-tragedy shocked all who read the spectacular headlines for months to come. The wrecks were among the deadliest maritime accidents in U.S. history up to that time.  Their fates brought about  sweeping changes in the government’s neglect of the maritime industry, with measures to insure safer travel, including tasking federal ships with sea rescues which evolved into the Coast Guard.  So many avoidable deaths so close to land and perishing so horribly, gripped the nation’s emotions.  Even  Walt Whitman  wrote about the event in his poem, The Sleepers, from Leaves of Grass.

I look where the ship helplessly heads end on, I hear the burst as she strikes,
I hear the howls of dismay, They grow fainter and fainter.

The Bristol departed Liverpool on Oct. 15 and reached the shores off Far Rockaway on Sunday, November 20 awaiting a pilot escort to guide them through the Narrows.  Local boatmen acted as pilots bringing arriving vessels into port safely.  Though licensed by the harbor, pilots were generally self-employed.  The ship waited for a pilot to arrive, but the New York pilots, who had little regulation and cared less for Irish immigrants, ignored the captain’s signaling, preferring not to work on Sunday!  Later that evening, a storm and strong currents drove the Bristol toward Rockaway Shoals.  The ship grounded and the captain told the passengers to go below and give the crew a better chance to work on deck.  In about an hour, a tremendous wave struck.  Life boats  and everything moveable were swept off the deck. The hatches were ripped off and the vessel filled with water.  Of the 82 steerage passengers below, none but a few close to the hatchways, were saved.  Not a sound was heard; death was instantaneous as 60 persons swam unprepared, into eternity.

The Mexico left Liverpool eight days later but had a more difficult crossing, encountering storms and pummeling seas.  She took twice as long as the Bristol, to reach New York.  Arriving on New Year’s Eve, Captain Charles Winslow signaled for a pilot, but callously, the pilots had adjourned to a Manhattan saloon to ring in the New Year.  Winslow tried to keep the ship away from the treacherous shoreline while he waited for a pilot to respond to his signals, but currents and a storm carried his ship to the Long Beach shore.  The ship was also overloaded with a cargo of iron bars and coal, which added to the difficulties in controlling her.  To the  owners, the passengers were simply another commodity, occupying a cargo deck leased to a passenger broker.  The crew, weakened by the weeks of battling high winds and flailing seas, and hampered by freezing temperatures, lost both lifeboats in launch attempts.  Not till 3 p.m. did a rescue boat reach the Mexico, led by 51-year-old local wreck-master Raynor Smith, who ignored the perils posed to his long boat and six-man crew.

He took in 8 survivors, including Capt. Winslow, 4 crew members, and 3 passengers who had volunteered to help the crew.  The remaining famished and terrified passengers were left behind praying that the boat, or others like it, would return for them.  As day turned to night, Smith, his crew and other would-be rescuers refused to risk another trip to the Mexico as the seas churned unabated.  The weather was so intensely cold, that it was difficult for anyone to remain on deck longer than half an hour at a time.  Fifteen minutes after the rescue boat had departed, the ship struck the bottom at Hempstead beach, not more than a cable’s length from the shore.  It is believed that none drowned, but all froze to death.

A correspondent for the Morning Courier and New York Express later reported: When (passengers) perceived that no further help came from the land, their piercing shrieks were distinctly heard at a considerable distance, and continued through the night until one by one they diminished. The next morning the bodies of the many unhappy creatures were seen lashed to different parts of the wreck, embedded in ice.  Of the 104 victims, two-thirds were women and children, all of whom stood praying on the deck of their broken ship in zero-degree weather just 200 yards off Long Beach where they slowly froze to death in sight of the land of their dreams.  Only their tears made it to shore!

Below are pictures from the ceremony by Rose Byrne.

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Thomas J. Lilly joined Division 8 back in 1968 and became a full member in 1971. He served as a three time President of the Division, worked on the Pro-Life and Freedom for All Ireland Committees in Nassau County and served as Legal Council for the National FFAI Committee back in the early 1980s. He heled the AOH fight for prisoners rights in Northern Ireland, including arranging a health furlough for Terry Kirbey in 1979. He currently serves as Division 8′s Historian.

Tom is a native of the Flatlands area of Brooklyn, the youngest of three children born to Frank Lilly and Mary Ellen Kelly of Mary Queen of Heaven parish.  He attended Most Holy Trinity High School in Brooklyn.  Tom then spent three years at Maryknoll College and later graduated with a B.A. degree from St. John’s University.

After four years in the Navy, mostly aboard the aircraft carrier Coral Sea in the Near East, Mediterranean and Caribbean he resumed his educational career, earning a J.D. Degree at night from Fordham Law School, becoming a member of the Bar in 1961.  Later, also at night, he received an LLM at N.Y.U. Law School.

Tom was appointed an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York by Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.  He went on to start his own practice and is very sell known in the area of labor relations and employment law.  He has taught in that field as a professor at the Xavier Institute, C.W. Post, and at Cornell School of Industrial-Labor Relations.

A bright thread running through the tapestry of Tom’s life is his resolve to put into practice Christ’s teaching of service to our brothers and sisters, especially to the “least among us”.  This dedication led him to devote his legal career to the protection of the rights of working people to organize to defend themselves and promote their interests.  It led him to unswerving advocacy on behalf of the unborn and their mothers and his position as a board member of Momma’s House.  That dedication is also the impetus for his tireless efforts in support of our neighbors who need assistance in hard times.  Tom has had a lifelong devotion to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, emulating his father as a longtime member.  He has served as President of the Nassau-Suffolk Central Board and is currently President of the St. Boniface Conference of that Society.

The principle of service to community also led Tom to political involvement as the local Democratic leader in Sea Cliff.  In the 1980’s he spearheaded the presidential campaign of Sen. Henry “Scoop” Jackson on Long Island and former DA Denis Dillon has credited Tom as the first person to encourage him to run for public office.  Tom, himself, has also run for office.

In 1958 he married Marge Doherty of Park Slope.  They later moved to Sea Cliff, where they have resided for over forty years.  They have of four children, Thomas and Joseph, (both attorneys), Mary Jo and Sean (both teachers), and are the grandparents of Thomas, Eileen, Sarah, Jones and Catherine Lilly.

Tom and Marge are active members of St. Boniface Martyr Parish in Sea Cliff.  He served as President of the Parish Council, was fundraising captain for the parish, taught Religious Education classes and belonged to the Nocturnal Adoration Society.  A parish publication in 1973 declared that “the name Thomas Joseph Lilly has become synonymous with St. Boniface School”, where he served as Chairman of the School Board for many years.

He will be honored by Division 8 on January 13th with a testimonial dinner.

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.

The County Convention shall consist of County Officers, elective and appointive as per Nassau County by-laws and the President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Financial Secretary, Treasurer of each division, whose financial obligations to National, State, and County shall have been paid up and settled at least 15 days before that set for the convention, National Officers as per Secs. 1 and 2 of Article VIII, National Constitution, State Officers as per Secs. 3 and 4, Article VIII, National Constitution, past State and National Presidents and all past County Presidents who are bona fide members of the County and are in good standing in their respective Divisions. Each Division shall elect (5) alternates, but no person can be chosen as an alternate who has not been a member in good standing for at least six months prior to his election as an alternate.

Each Division shall be entitled to one additional delegate for every twenty-five members in good standing or major fraction thereof, over the first fifty members, based on the Annual Report of the December 31st preceding. All attendees must have 2011 AOH membership card for admittance to the convention.

Election of County Board Officers will take place as well as voting on any changes in by-laws and any resolutions or nominations for National Life Membership. All elected and appointed officers are expected to submit written reports of their activities for the past two years.

“All Divisions shall have their Division Charter at the convention and have ceremonial bunting if a member has passed away since the last convention”

Michael Byrne, President
Sean O’Rourke, Vice President
Tim Myles, Recording Secretary
Ed McGlade. Financial Secretary
Jim Burke, Convention Chairman

The 96^th Biennial 2011 AOH/57th Biennial LAOH New York State Convention will be held at the Hilton Pearl River, 500 Veterans Memorial Drive, Pearl River, N.Y. 10965, from Wednesday, July 13 through Sunday, July 17.

You can make a reservation with the Hilton Pearl River by calling (845) 735-9000. When making your reservation say “AOH Convention.” The room rate is $143 a night and is available two days before and two days after the convention. Reservations must be made no later than June 26, 2011.

Room reservations can also be made with the Holiday Inn Orangeburg, 329 Route 303, Orangeburg, NY 10962, by calling (845)359-7000. As with the Hilton Pearl River, when making your reservation say “AOH Convention”. The room rate is $129 a night and is also available two days before and two days after the convention. Reservations must be made no later than July 5, 2011

In addition, mail your convention registration form to the following address:

Mr. Timothy O’Neill and Ms. Carmel Reilly
Convention Registration Committee Co-Chairs
P.O. 182
Pearl River, NY 10965

Please make your check or money order payable to AOH NYS Convention.  A convention registration form postmarked on or before June 1, 2011 will be $210.  After June 1, 2011 the cost will be $235.

Yours in our motto,

A. Warren Scullin
2011 AOH/LAOH-NYS
Convention Chairman

John was born in the Bronx the eldest of four with his brother George, and sisters Maureen and Sheila.  His mother Julia was born in County Mayo in 1900 and died in 2008 making her the oldest Mayo woman at the time.  His father, Eli, was born in Newfoundland and lived to be 89 years,

John attended Christopher Columbus High School.  After graduation, John served two years in the US Navy.  He then went onto work for GMAC for 32 years as a Special Collections Manager.  John is a 3^rd and 4^th Degree Knight in the K of C, and is an usher and Eucharistic minister at Our Lady of Mercy RC Church and Central Island Healthcare.  He is also a member of the Holy Name Society.

John joined AOH Division 7 in 1990.  He has served as President of that division and is currently Financial Secretary.  John also serves on the Nassau County Board as Political Education Chair and sends emails daily to all the divisions.  John attends all meetings, parades, marches, and pro-life rallys in the NY area, Albany, and Washington DC.  John is a active member of the Nassau County AOH Feis Committee raising funds for the commemorative journal.

John lost his first wife Mary to cancer and is married to his wife Geraldine for 34 years and have three married sons, John, Jack, and Joseph.  They have one granddaughter, Keira.  He considers it a great honor to be selected as an Aide to the Grand Marshal, Mary Higgins Clark.

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

Jim has been a member of the AOH for 57 years and this honor is very well deserved.On the night he received his Life Member Medallion, a citation from Congressman Peter King, another citation from Glen Cove Mayor Ralph Suozzi, a Life Member sash from Division 8 and also a various gifts from both the men’s and ladies’ divisions of Glen Cove.

Division 8 also honored their Division Life Members Ed Doohan, Tom Lilly, and Martin Mannion.

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All officers that up for re-election maintained their offices, including President Shamus Boyle, VP Brendan Moore, Secretary Tom McNabb, and Treasurer Jim McKay. Incumbent directors Keith Carney, Christopher Norris, and Danny O’Connell join newcomers Jere Cole, Mike O’Connor, and Robert Mott to round out the executive board.

The convention also welcomed a number of special guests addressing the assembly Martin McGuiness, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, will address the joint session at the convention; Siobhan Dennehey our John F. Kennedy recipient; Jimbo Crossan, AOH National President Board of Erin; Victor Boyle, AOH National President in Canada; Ireland’s Ambassador to the United States, Michael Collins; Niall Burgess, Irish Consul General of Ireland in New York and Martin Ruane, Irish Counsel General in Chicago.

The 2012 convention will take place at Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY, while the delegation awarded the 2014 affair to the city of St. Louis.

Picture to the right: Nassau County President Mike Byrne presents a Nassau AOH shirt to National VP Brendan Moore.