A Memorable St. Patrick's Month
Irish Flag at Boston Harbor Hotel/Image taken by Sean P. Moynihan
Each March, we have the pleasure of celebrating the patron Saint of Ireland through expressions and events focused on Irish culture and traditions including music, film, dance, food, parades, history and language. Boston, in particular, has an incredible history of embracing all things Irish. This year was no exception and amounted to a month long celebration with several events that were extremely successful.
I was thrilled to kick off this year’s various St. Patrick’s Day festivities by supporting my good friend State Representative James Murphy who was awarded the Kevin G. Honan American Irish Legislator of the Year by the Massachusetts American Irish State Legislative Caucus. The event took place at the residence of the Consul General Sighle Fitzgerald, who graciously opened her home to celebrate with Rep. Murphy, who is House Chairman of the Joint Committee on Financial Services. Guests were entertained by the Forbes School of Irish Dance of which Rep. Murphy’s daughter Maeve is a student. Rep. Murphy spoke of his love for his parents and his appreciation of his upbringing and the sacrifices his parents made on behalf of him and his siblings. He remarked that “When my Dad emigrated to the United States in 1960 from County Kerry he had nothing and I grew up with everything.”
The Ireland Funds Young Leaders event at the Intercontinental Boston Hotel featured young Bostonians who are ensuring that the celebration of Irish heritage continues to the next generation. The guest of honor was none other than local CBS sports journalist Steve Burton who spoke fondly of his own heritage and talked of the partnership between the Ireland Funds and the Ron Burton Training Village. A big thanks to and Anisha Chakrabarti, Director of Corporate Communications and Strategy at Kraft Sports and Entertainment and Cathal Conlon, VP of Marketing and Community Affairs for the New England Revolution.
Above images courtesy of the Ireland Funds
Synergy Investments, founded by Limerick native Dave Greaney, held its annual St. Patrick’s Day luncheon at Bostonia Public House which featured traditonal Irish entrees, music provided by Devri led by Donegal native Declan Houton, Irish step dancing, and a visit by the Boston Gaelic Pipe Band.
President Joe Biden at the 2026 Irish American Partnership St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast/ Image courtesy of the Irish American Partnership
As always, the Irish American Partnership put on a tremendous St. Patrick’s Day breakfast celebration Tuesday, March 17th. Over 480 guests had a surprise visit from President Joe Biden whose Irish heritage has always been a source of tremendous pride. The President spoke of how “coming up Irish American gave me pride that spoke to both sides of the Atlantic. Heart and soul, the truth of the old and the new. I learned the values passed down from generation to generation around countless Irish American dinner tables, just like my own. Those Irish values became American values.”
“The Irish are nostalgic for a future that hasn’t happened yet” - President Joe Biden
“It is extra special to be in Boston this St Patrick’s Day, on the 250th anniversary of Evacuation Day, a defining moment in the early stages of the American War of Independence.”-Minister Helen McEntee
Brockton’s own, former Majority Leader of the MA House of Representatives and former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland for the Biden Administration, Claire Cronin introduced President Biden to an incredibly enthusiastic crowd! President Biden mentioned how important it is to honor where we came from and to never forget and romanticize the visions of the past. He emphasized that we should remember what is possible and to recommit to the unified work that lies ahead of us.
Special guest Dr. Norah Patten, Irish aeronautical engineer and astronaut candidate is expected to become the first Irish person to travel to space later this year. Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Helen McEntee gave the key note address and brilliantly captured the enduring relationship between Boston and Ireland highlighting the successful cultural, business and educational links. The crowd was also joined by Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey who said “This breakfast is the Massachusetts-Ireland connection in action. No two places on earth are separated by 3,000 miles but feel like they are right next door”. She also filled the crowd with laughter commenting that Boston didn’t need to “dump green stuff in our river” to properly celebrate the patron Saint of Ireland!
The team at the Irish American Partnership with President Joe Biden
Hats off to Mary Sugrue Clodagh Boyle Grace Gardiner and the entire team at the partnership. ☘️🇮🇪🇺🇸 They “played a blinder!”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE IRISH AMERICAN PARTNERSHIP CLICK HERE