September 2014 – Meeting Minutes & Updates

The meeting was held on September 2nd, 2014 at Gerard’s Restaurant in Adam’s Village, Dorchester, MA.

PRESENT – Derek Mawn, Mary McDermott, Bridie McDermott, Charlie Mawn, Jimmy Keaney, Cathal Mawn, Noel Murphy & Cathy Mawn.

The Christmas Party will be held on Sunday December 14th from 4 to 8 PM. The Christmas Party will be held at Heritage Hall, 114 Granite Ave, Milton, MA.

Due to their deaths, condolences are extended to the families of  long-time member  Tom Keaney  and Eddie “Ned” Fitzgerald, brother –in-law of Jack Maguire.

We are planning for another volunteering event at the Greater Boston Food Bank around the holidays.  Please email [email protected] if you are interested and we can select a date that works for all.

We are looking to update the website with photos from Leitrim Society events throughout the years.  If you have photos you’d like to share, please email them to leitrimsocietyofboston.com or mail copies to Leitrim Society of Boston PO Box 204, Milton MA 02186.

The next meeting will be Tuesday October 7th at 8 pm at Gerard’s Restaurant in Dorchester’s Adams Village. ALL ARE WELCOME!

Leitrim Famine Book Launch

A Chairde,

The Friends of County Leitrim Committee is pleased to announce the publication of a revealing new book on the Great Famine in Leitrim:

‘The Dead Buried by the Dying’ The Great Famine in Leitrim (Merrion Press) by Dr. Gerard MacAtasney.

On Sunday September 7th, the book will be launched by Dr. Maureen Murphy of Hofstra University at The Manhattan Room located at Rosie O’Grady’s 800 7th Avenue, second floor. The event will commence at 5 pm and will conclude at 9 pm. A light buffet will be served and the committee respectfully request that anyone attending call 917-751-8154 or 914-693-8888 in advance to facilitate the food service. Professor Murphy was the Director of the Great Irish Famine Curriculum Project for the New York State Department of Education.

Dr. Gerard MacAtasney is the acclaimed author of Sean Mac Diarmada: Mind of the Revolution (2004), The Other Famine – The 1822 Crisis in County Leitrim (2010), Tom Clarke: Life, Liberty, Revolution (2012), and The Plantation of Leitrim, 1585 to 1670 (2013). MacAtasney’s new work brings previously untapped information into the public domain through exhaustive research in official government papers, parish registers and estate records. The book depicts the impact of the famine throughout the county as thousands starved to death. As comprehensive as they are compelling, MacAtasney’s findings are contained within the most detailed account of the famine at local level yet to be written. Dr. Gerard MacAtasney will speak about the famine in Leitrim and will be available to answer questions and sign books.

Dr. Gerard MacAtasney will feature at a number of other events in the Tri-State area over the same weekend:

On Saturday September 6th the book will be launched in Connecticut. The event will take place in The Playwright Irish Pub and Restaurant, 1232 Whitney Avenue, Hamden, Conn 06517. Tel: 203 287 2401. The event will commence at 7pm and will conclude at 10pm. Dr. MacAtasney will be available to sign books at this event. The Playwright Pub is renowned in Connecticut for his good food and high quality beverages.

On Monday September 8th Dr. Gerard MacAtasney will speak about the famine in Leitrim at the Rambling House, 4292 Katonah Avenue, Bronx, NY between 7pm and 10pm. He will also speak about Sean MacDiarmada and Thomas Clarke. Books will be available for purchase at this event.

On Saturday September 6th, The Brooklyn Irish American Parade Committee and Our Lady of Knock Division #9 LAOH will hold their annual Irish Heritage Trail and Irish Patriots Day at Greenwood Cemetery following 12 o’clock mass in Greenwood’s chapel. The Minerva on Battle Hill in Greenwood cemetery was donated by Leitrim native Charles Higgins to commemorate the Battle of Brooklyn. Dr. Gerard MacAtasney will give a brief oration at the Higgins Mausoleum. For information on this event call (718) 499 9482 or visit www.brooklynpatricksparade.com

The book makes an ideal gift for people with Leitrim connections as well as for the history enthusiast. Donations towards defraying the cost of the launch will be gratefully accepted by the committee. Checks should be made payable to Gerard MacAtasney.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Committee: Joe McManus, Bernadette Dunleavy, Thomas Maguire, Anthony Flynn, Cathy Mitchell Miceli.

May 2014 – Meeting Minutes & Updates

The meeting was held on May 6th, 2014 at Gerard’s Restaurant in Adam’s Village, Dorchester, MA.

PRESENT – Derek Mawn, Jim Keaney, Mary McDermott, Theresa Wilson, Phil Bohan, Charlie Mawn, Mary and Connie McEleney, Jack Maguire, & Maura Weir.

The Volunteer Event at the Greater Boston Food Bank was a success!!  We had 7 Leitrim society members attend and with the assistance of another volunteer team, we sorted over 6000 lbs of food.  We will put together another event in the fall and will send additional information out in September.

The board voted to make a $100 donation to the IPC/IIC Collaborated Coalition for Suicide Prevention:

The Dóchas Suicide Prevention Coalition is a network established by the Massachusetts Irish community, local organizations and non-profits that offer education, support and referrals to assist members of the community who struggle with suicidal thoughts and to assist people who have been affected or bereaved by suicide. Their aim is to support and encourage a community led approach for the prevention of suicide and self-harm in Massachusetts, especially in the Greater Boston Area.

We have started to plan for the Annual Christmas Party in December and will provide details as they become finalized.

Deepest sympathy extended to the family of Ellen Fay, who lost her courageous battle with cancer on May 2, 2014.  Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this time.

It was decided that a meeting in June would not be necessary and it was voted to cancel this meeting.  Have a safe, happy and healthy summer!

The next meeting will be held on September 2nd, 2014 at Gerard’s Restaurant in Adam’s Corner.  ALL ARE WELCOME!

LSB help out at the Greater Boston Food Bank

On Saturday, April 26th, our LSB team joined forces with the BeantoIMG_1662wn Cats (University of Arizona Alumni Boston) for a very rewarding afternoon at the Greater Boston Food Bank.

The food bank is a top class facility opened in 2009 with the aid of generouIMG_1663s city based sponsors. Upon arrival at the warehouse, we had a briefing on the activities and services provided by the food bank, followed by a guide on procedures for our assigned tasks of the afternoon on inspecting, sorting, and packing food and grocery products.

Our role as a group, was to inspect frozen food supplies (donated by various corporations such as Stop and Shop and other grocery stores), sort by food type – beef, pork, poultry etc. and package into boxes of 35lb approx., ready for distribution to worthy causes in the Greater Boston area.IMG_1666

The pallets of frozen food kept coming but we kept knocking them down until our shift was over! At the end of the day we sorted through, and packaged:
* 6405lbs of food, 98% of which was salvageable
* which provided for 5230 meals
* averaging 402 meals per volunteer!

We had a great time today and are eager to volunteer again for this wonderful cause.

We’d love to sign up more members and friends of the Leitrim Society of Boston for our next trip to help the troopers at the food bank, stay tuned…!

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LSB Volunteer day at the Greater Boston Food Bank

Volunteers play a critical role in ending hunger by giving their time and talent to support The Greater Boston Food Bank. Last year, more than 25,000 volunteers worked a total of 62,000 hours, a contribution worth more than $1,000,000.

The Leitrim Society of Boston have organized a day to help out at the food bank on Saturday April 26th, 2014 from 1.00 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. Places are extremely limited so if you are interested in registering your participation please contact Mary McDermott (marypmcdermott@hotmail.com) ASAP.

Volunteers work in our warehouse, inspecting, sorting, and repacking donated food and grocery products.

Upon arrival, the team will orient you to The Greater Boston Food Bank and its services, and then you will be trained for your project. At the end of the shift, we can gather everyone back together to discuss impact, answer questions and take a group photo.

Some volunteers load boxes onto conveyer belts, some inspect or sort products, and others check and label boxes. While a few of these tasks require the ability to lift a 30 pound box, most tasks require only that a volunteer stand and inspect products for a few hours. Please remember to wear closed-toed shoes for your shift (no sandals or flip flops).

Your assistance is a crucial part of helping to End Hunger Here!

April 2014 – Meeting Minutes & Updates

The meeting was held on April 1st, 2014 at Gerard’s Restaurant in Adam’s Village, Dorchester, MA.

Present – Derek Mawn, Jim Gallagher, Mary McDermott, Jim Keaney, Charlie Mawn, Frank Gallagher, Mark Fitzpatrick, Noel Murphy, Connie & Mary McEleney, Jack Maguire, Phillip Bohan, Bridie McDermott & Cathy Mawn

The Leitrim Guardian magazines have arrived. We will distribute them at the Spring Dance.

Our Annual Spring Dance has arrived!  It is on Saturday night, April 12th from 7:30 to 12 at Concannon’s Irish Village. Hoping to see friends and neighbors there!

There will be Membership Applications available for sign-up at the dance or you can download a copy from here and fill it out and bring to the dance!

Any donations for the raffle are gratefully appreciated.

Kevin McCann from Belturbet was in Boston for the Irish Film Festival last month.  A Producer, he had a movie entered called Volkswagen Joe which received “Most Inspiring Best Short Award”. He is raising money for a film about Seán MacDiarmada.  There was a donation of $250 sent from the Leitrim Society of Boston. If anyone has interest in this project or a wish to donate, they may speak to Pres. Derek Mawn ([email protected]) regarding contact details.

There is a Volunteer Opportunity at the Greater Boston Food Bank for Saturday, April 26th from 1:00 to 3:30 at 70 South Bay Avenue, Boston, MA  02118. There is parking available. There are spots for 10 people, on a first come basis. Mary McDermott is organizing this. Mary may be contacted at [email protected]. There will be fliers on the tables at the dance.

Hoping to see all of you Saturday Evening at the Spring Dance!

The next meeting will be held May 6th, 2014 at Gerard’s Restaurant in Adam’s Corner. ALL ARE WELCOME

March 2014 – Meeting Minutes & Updates

The meeting was held on March 4th, 2014 at Gerard’s Restaurant in Adam’s Village, Dorchester, MA.

PRESENT – Derek Mawn, Jim Gallagher, Jim Keaney, Charlie Mawn, Maura Weir, Mark & Nelba Fitzpatrick, Mary McDermott, Denis McGloin, Amanda Mawn and Cathy Mawn.

The Leitrim Guardian magazines should be arriving any day. Again, our apologies for the delay.

Please do not forget to send in the Membership Renewal Forms for 2014.

Be sure to “Like and Share” the Leitrim Society of Boston on Facebook.

The Spring Dance will be held April 12th from 7:30 to 12 AM at Concannon’s Village. Music will be provided by Noel Henry’s Irish Showband. Tickets are $10 per person.

The next meeting will be held on April 1st, 2014 at 8PM at Gerard’s Restaurant in Adam’s Corner.  ALL ARE WELCOME !!

LSB Spring Dance 2014

index~~element76Saturday April 12th, 2014 from 7.30 p.m. – 12.00 a.m.

The Leitrim Society of Boston invites you to our annual Spring Dance at

Concannon’s Irish Village
60 Lenox St, Norwood , MA 02062
781-762-2232

Musical entertainment on the night is provided by the Noel Henry Showband.

http://www.noelhenryband.com/

Come enjoy a great family evening.

Tickets – available at the door, are $10 per person and we hope to see you all there!

And don’t forget to LIKE and SHARE this event to help spread the word…

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