Newsletter from The Irish American Partnership

Nollaig na mBan Women’s Christmas Breakfast Celebration January 8, 2014 - The University Club, Washington D.C.

The Irish American Partnership hosted the second annual Nollaig na mBan, Women’s Christmas, Breakfast Cele-bration on Wednesday, January 8, 2014 at The University Club in Washington D.C.

Nollaig na mBan is a historic Irish tradition held annually in January throughout Ireland. The Irish American Part-nership commemorates this tradition, illuminates wom-en’s progress, and recognizes Irish female leadership and its impact worldwide.

This year, the event honored General P.X. Kelley, in par-ticular his mother Josephine Christine O’Sullivan Beara Kelley who emigrated from County Cork. Gifts were presented to five Cork city schools in honor of Josephine Kelley who had recalled listening to the Shandon Bells of Cork as a young girl.

The event featured keynote speaker Kathleen O’Toole, O’Toole Associates. Kathy was the first female police commissioner of the Boston Police Department and re-cently completed a 6-year term as Chief Inspector of the Garda Siochana Inspectorate. Kathy told of the influence of her grandmother.

Irish Ambassador Anne Anderson and Norman Houston Director of the Northern Ireland Bureau attended.

Other special guests included Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter, Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick and Con-gressman Jim Moran.

Fr. Gerry Creedon, a native of Cork gave the invocation and Mary Conroy Hendersn a native of Galway sang the Irish and American national anthems. Monqiue Miller chair of the event welcomed the guests and thanked the committee for their work on the event.

Many thanks to all who attended.

The Partnership received correspondence from Principal Billy Lynch, Scoil Cholmcille Christian Brothers School:

Proceeds from the event were granted to five schools in County Cork, Ireland, in honor of General Kelley’s mother, Josephine Christine O’ Sullivan Beara Kelley:

North Presentation Primary SchoolScoil Cholmcille Christian Brothers SchoolScoil Mhuire FatimaSt. Vincent’s Convent National SchoolNorth Monastery Christian Brothers Secondary School

“Thank you to the Irish American Partnership and General P.X. Kelley in particular for the check we received today in memory of Josephine Christine O’Sullivan Beara Kelley. What a lovely beginning to the new year!

We have already piloted the project and it proved successful so thanks to your kind donation we will be able to finance a bigger project. We believe that by nurturing readers at this early age, they will have a hobby for life, a love of learning, and a deeper understanding of themselves and others.”

We know exactly what to do with the money, we have a plan to set up book clubs for the boys in the senior classes and this will allow us to purchase books that the students will be interested in. We would like to call the project the Kelley Bookclub in memory of Josephine.

A great celebration recognizing and honoring Irish women and the impact of their leadership.

Many thanks for supporting education in County Cork, Ireland

With special appreciation

The Irish American Partnership33 Broad Street, Suite 805 - Boston, Massachusetts 02109 - Phone: (617) 723-2707 - Website: www.irishap.org - Twitter: @irishaporg

Her Excellency Anne AndersonAmbassador, Embassy of Ireland

The Honorable Jim MoranU.S. Representative

The Honorable Richard E. NealU.S. Representative

The Honorable Carol Shea-PorterU.S. Representative

General P.X. Kelley, USMC (Ret.)Chairman Emeritus,

The Irish American Partnership

Kathleen M. O’Toole, Esq.Board Member,

The Irish American Partnership

John ConnarnMember,

The Irish American Partnership

Linda MaguireNewbridge Silverware

http://www.curraghllc.com/

Monique Miller, Esq.Committee Chair

Tom NicholsonBoard Member,

The Irish American Partnership