The American Irish Association of Westchester held its annual Mass of Remembrance and dinner dance, celebrating its 45th anniversary, in late fall at Fairways.
This year’s honorees were Dympha Tully of Tully Travel as Irish Woman of the Year; Kevin Fitzgerald, popular Yonkers photographer, as Irish Man of the Year; and Father Willem Klaver, a Mill Hill Missionary priest now new pastor of Saint John the Evangelist Church in White Plains, who was honored with the American Irish Community Worker Award. The United Irish Counties were honored with the Irish American Achievement Award for 2019.
The Presentation to Tully was made by Eileen Carey, the presentation to Fitzgerald was made by Bob Stauf and Judge Tom Daly, the presentation to Klaver was made by Bob Stauf, and the presentation to the United Irish Counties was made by Cathy Marshall and Carol Daly.
Music was provide by the Tara Gold band and performances were made by the Deirdre O’Meara School of Irish Dance, the New York Studio of Irish Step Dance, and Owen McCarvill, Piper.
There were about 120 people in attendance, including many elected officials who presented proclamations to the honorees, including Congressman Eliot Engel, State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, State Sen. Shelley Mayer, Assemblyman Nader Sayegh, Mayor Mike Spano, City Councilman John Rubbo, County Legislators Gordon Burrows and David Tubiolo, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, and the Conservative Party of Westchester.
