The Irish American Society of Nassau, Suffolk and Queens, Inc.
297 Willis Avenue, Mineola, New York 11501
Officers
Patrick Kearney
President
Denis O’Sullivan
First Vice President
Kathleen Meehan
Second Vice President
April 24, 2015
Betty McLoughlin
Treasurer
Dear Member,
Mary Coyne-Byrne
Assistant Treasurer
May O’Boyle-Deegan
Financial Secretary
Rosemarie Byrne
Assistant Financial
Secretary
Eileen Daley
Recording Secretary
Catherine Coll
Corresponding Secretary
Kevin Kerrane
Sgt. at Arms
Board of Directors
Patrick Kerins, Jr.
Chairman
May O’Boyle Deegan
Vice-Chairman
Pat Browne
Rosemarie Byrne
Mary Coyne-Byrne
Eileen Cronin
Patrick Kearney
Brendan Kerins
Bridie Mahoney
John Mahoney
Betty McLoughlin
Brigid McNulty
Mary Mikowski
Pat O’Hanlon
Denis O’Sullivan
Mike Quinn
Board of Trustees
Dolores Casey
Frank Collins
John Doyle
Patsy Kearney
Mary O’Hanlon
It looks like winter may have left us at last; soon we will be hearing the heat is killing me. We are very
busy at the Center right now planning for the rest of this year. So far this year we have been successful
with most of our functions however our support base is declining for several different reasons. People who
can’t see and won’t drive at night and some more who are just too tired to come out; I won’t go any further
with that since I don’t want to depress anyone. There are a number of people who would like to come out
more frequently if they had someone they could travel with. If anyone has an idea of a way for people to
connect up with other people close to them let me know, I don’t know if we could break our membership
roster down by zip code or something else along that line.
Over the lifetime of the center most of the renovations and work was done by volunteers with expertise in
carpentry, electricity, plumbing and general contracting, that group is aging out too, so we need
replacements for them. Why do I worry about doing more renovations since the hall looks very good right
now? Take a close look at the lobby; it needs to be brought up to a level that will match the rest of the hall.
The plans to do that were made quite a while ago and if we let it go until we have to do it then it will leave
the rest of the hall looking like it needs work, so we end up with a catch twenty two. If you happen to be in
one of the above mentioned trades and would be willing to give some of your time to help renovate the
lobby call the office or get in touch with myself or Pat Kerins.
The visit by Fiona McCabe from the Council General’s office was a big success. When I left to pick her up
at the train there were three people in the library and I was worried that I brought her out for nothing, when
I got back the library was full. If you need more information you can call the Consulate General’s office in
Manhattan. Fiona did volunteer to come back out later if we need her. The other successful night was our
Ceili with Joanie Madden with over 130 people, in Ceili talk that is over sixteen sets, Joanie also agreed to
come back. The Spring Dinner Dance looks like it will break one hundred people and that will make the
last three months a much needed success. While we can relish the moment we still need to strive to keep it
going in the right direction. After some of our meetings I noticed some of our new inductees were left to
fend for themselves, last meeting I tried to get them on the line first for tea, coffee and cake. That did not
work too well as some of our regulars were on the line before the meeting had ended. At future meetings
please allow the new members through the line first then talk to them, bringing in new members is great,
but allowing them to fade away is not the way to go.
I want to thank Mike Quinn for his twenty seven years of faithful service as our Bar Chairman, also for his
fourteen years as Chairman of the Board. Mike has agreed to stay on as a member of the board and as a
bartender. Jerry Kerins will be the new Bar Chairman. Our Recording Secretary, Eileen Daly, had surgery
and is stepping down, and she will be replaced by Bridie McMahon. Thank you both and please keep
Eileen in our prayers. The Annual Mineola Festival which is usually held near the train station will be held
on Willis Ave and Jericho Turnpike on Sunday, September 13th this year, so our Center will be in the
middle of it. Jeff Clark, John Doyle and Patrick Kerins have agreed to form a committee to make plans for
that day. Patrick Kerins is also working on this year’s picnic which will be on the 23rd of August, in
Cantiague Park; we will have a much larger area than last year, and if you would like to help see Pat.
Please say a prayer for all our sick and deceased members.
Pat Kearney.
President
516-746-9392
email [email protected]
www.irishamericansoc.com
Facebook: Irish American Society of Nassau, Suffolk, and Queens
fax 516-742-7086