The Irish America Hall of Fame was founded by Irish America magazine in November 2010. It recognizes extraordinary figures in the Irish American community who have had a profound effect on the Irish in America and strengthened the bonds between the United States and Ireland.
The Irish America Hall of Fame is the centerpiece of the Dunbrody (2001) Famine Ship's new Emigration History Visitor Center in New Ross, Co. Wexford. It was developed in collaboration with publishers Niall O'Dowd and Patricia Harty of Irish America Magazine. The exhibition celebrates the lives, works, and achievements of noted Irish individuals such as: President John F. Kennedy and the Kennedys, Henry Ford, Donald Keough, and President Clinton.
Honorees
2010 Inductees
- Donald Keough : Chairman of the Board of Allen & Company Inc.; Former president, COO, and a director of The Coca-Cola Company — Inducted November 2010
2011 Inductees
- Dr. Kevin Cahill : Medical Doctor and Chief Medical Advisor for Counterterrorism — Inducted March 2011
- Bill Clinton : 42nd President of the United States — Inducted March 2011
- Mary Higgins Clark : World-renowned author of suspense novels — Inducted March 2011
- Charles Feeney : Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, and Humanitarian — Inducted March 2011
- Michael Flatley : Lord of the Dance — Inducted March 2011
- William J. Flynn: President and CEO of the Mutual of America and chairman of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy — Inducted March 2011
- Denis P. Kelleher : Founder, chairman and CEO of Wall Street Access — Inducted March 2011
- Jean Kennedy Smith : American diplomat, former United States Ambassador to Ireland, founder of Very Special Arts — Inducted March 2011
- James D. Watson : joint 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for mapping the structure of DNA — Inducted March 2011
- Maureen O'Hara : Irish actress and legend of the American silver screen — Inducted July 2011
- Bill Ford, Jr. : Executive chairman of Ford Motor Company — Inducted December 2011
2012 Inductees
- Loretta Brennan Glucksman : Advocate for Ireland — Inducted March 2012
- Ray Kelly : New York City Police Commissioner — Inducted March 2012
- John Lahey : President of Quinnipiac University — Inducted March 2012
- Tom Moran : Chairman, president, and CEO of Mutual of America — Inducted March 2012
- Kevin Roche : Architect — Inducted March 2012
2013 Inductees
- Joe Biden : Vice President of the United States — Inducted March 2013 and addressed immigration reform in his keynote speech.
- Brian P. Burns : Chairman of BF Enterprises, Inc. — Inducted March 2013
- Robert M. Devlin : Chairman of Curragh Capital Partners — Inducted March 2013
- John Fitzpatrick : President and CEO of Fitzpatrick Hotel Group, North America — Inducted March 2013
- Bruce Morrison : Former U.S. Congressman and head of Morrison Public Affairs Advocacy Group — Inducted March 2013
2014 Inductees
- Christine Kinealy: author and founding director of the Ireland's Great Hunger Institute at Quinnipiac University
2015 Inductees
- Hillary Clinton : Politician - Inducted March 16, 2015
- Robert J. "Bob" McCann: CEO of UBS Group Americas and Wealth Management Americas
- Patrick Quinn: creator of the Ice Bucket Challenge, which has raised over $100 million in donations for ALS research
2016 Inductees
- President Bill Clinton: Lifetime Achievement award "in recognition of his extraordinary role in bringing peace to Northern Ireland."
- Eileen Collins: Astronaut, NASA's first female space shuttle commander
- General Martin Dempsey: former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Pete Hamill: novelist, essayist, and journalist
- Edward J.T. Kenny: special consultant at Mutual of America.
2017 Inductees
- William C. Campbell: joint 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- Michael J. Dowling: university professor and health service executive
- Tesa Fitzgerald: nun of the order of the Sisters of St. Joseph and the founder of non-profit organization Hour Children
- Terence M. O'Sullivan: labor union leader Laborers' International Union of North America
- Kevin White: athletic director
2018 Inductees
- John O. Brennan: former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
- Jerry Brown: Governor of California
- Dennis P. Long: president and chief operating officer of Anheuser-Busch
- Kelli O'Hara: actress and singer
2019 Inductees
- John C. Dearie: lawyer and politician New York State Assembly
- Adrien Flannelly: radio broadcaster, 'Dean of Irish Radio in the U.S.'
- Terry George: screenwriter and director; In the Name of the Father, Some Mother's Son,
- Charlotte Moore: stage actress; artistic director and co-founder of the Irish Repertory Theatre
- Arturo O'Farrill: pianist, composer, and director for the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra.
2020 Inductees
- Jean Butler: dancer, actress and musician, Riverdance
- Judy Collins: singer-songwriter and musician
- Patrick Doherty: New York State comptroller and promoter of MacBride Principles
- Thomas Kelly: teacher, school principal, district superintendent
- Sean McGarvey: labor union leader International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
2022 Inductee
- Denis O'Brien: billionaire businessman, and the founder and owner of Digicel
2024 Inductees
- John Feerick: Sidney C. Norris Chair of Law in Public Service, Fordham University
- Joanie Madden: traditional musician, Cherish the Ladies
- Patrick Boland: Orthopaedic Surgeon
References
- O'Neill, Aliah. "Doctor as Peacekeeper", Irish America magazine, March 10, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "Several buzzwords, not all of them kind, have been used to describe the current state of health care in America."
- O'Dowd, Niall. "Politician, Peacemaker, and Hero to Millions of Irish", Irish America magazine, March 10, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "As a major supporter of the Irish peace process, Bill Clinton moved mountains."
- Harty, Patricia. "The Bestselling Author is Proud to Call Herself An Irish Girl From the Bronx", Irish America magazine, March 10, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "The oldest living resident of New York died recently at age 111 and in a New York Times article only months earlier, she told the reporter that she had kept her mind alert by reading Agatha Christie and Mary Higgins Clark."
- Romano, Kristin. "The Billionaire Who Quietly and Selflessly Gave it All Away", Irish America magazine, March 10, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "Charles "Chuck" Feeney has amassed billions of dollars in wealth. However, he doesn't own an opulent house, a car or a Rolex. He prefers taking cabs, riding the subway, or just walking when he's in New York."
- McGoldrick, Debbie. "The Man Who Brought Irish Dance To the Global Stage", Irish America magazine, March 10, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "He's been the world's most famous lord for the past 15 years. Now Michael Flatley is poised to become a movie star . . . and a 3D one at that."
- Langan, Sheila. "A Leader in Business and a Force for Progress In the Northern Ireland Peace Process", Irish America magazine, March 10, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "When William J. Flynn was celebrated in a special issue of Irish America in 2008, the outpouring of praise from both sides of the Atlantic was immense."
- Drew, April. "The Irish Immigrant Who Became a Titan of Wall Street", Irish America magazine, March 10, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "Denis Kelleher, the son of a shoemaker, immigrated to New York in 1958, at age 18, with $1.50 in his pocket."
- Romano, Kristin. "Activist, Humanitarian, Diplomat", Irish America magazine, March 10, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "Often referred to as the shy Kennedy, Jean Kennedy Smith has quietly blazed her own trail while still holding true to the family legacy of public service. "
- O'Dowd, Niall. "He Helped Map the Structure of DNA. Up Next is a Cure For Cancer", Irish America magazine, March 10, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "James Watson helped unravel the structure of DNA, a feat so stunning that it is considered the greatest scientific achievement of the 20th century. "
- Harty, Patricia. "Our name is on every product that we sell, and that really gave us the determination to see this through.", "Irish America magazine", December 18, 2011. Accessed March 22, 2012. "The incredible leadership of Ford Motor Company and its executive chairman, Bill Ford, Jr. are hardly surprising when you look at the history of the company and its founder."
- Romano, Kristin. "Loretta Brennan Glucksman Advocate for Ireland", "Irish America magazine", March 14, 2012. Accessed March 21, 2012. "Loretta Brennan Glucksman has worked tirelessly to promote Irish culture and to establish strong ties between America and the island of Ireland."
- Romano, Kristin. "Ray Kelly New York's Top Cop", Irish America magazine, March 14, 2012. Accessed March 21, 2012. "A former-marine, a beat cop and the only person ever to serve two, non-consecutive terms as New York City Police Commissioner, Raymond P. Kelly has dedicated his life to serving his country and his city."
- Langan, Sheila. "John Lahey Educator and Preserver of Our History", "Irish America magazine", March 14, 2012. Accessed March 21, 2012. "President of Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut for over 25 years, Dr. John L. Lahey is as dedicated to leadership and education as he is to his Irish ancestry."
- Romano, Kristin. "Tom Moran Businessman and Humanitarian", "Irish America magazine", March 14, 2012. Accessed March 21, 2012. "Chairman, president and CEO of Mutual of America, Tom Moran grew up in Staten Island, one of three children of an Irish-Italian-American mother and an Irish-American father, with roots in Counties Fermanagh and Tipperary."
- Langan, Sheila. "Kevin Roche Visionary Architect", "Irish America magazine", March 14, 2012. Accessed March 21, 2012. "Kevin Roche has established himself as one of the finest modern architects of his generation."
- O'Dowd, Niall. "Vice President Joe Biden Statesman & Everyman", "Irish America magazine", March 21, 2013. Accessed April 8, 2013.
- Escobar, Felicia. "Vice President Biden Calls for Immigration Reform at the Irish America Hall of Fame", "The White House Blog", March 22, 2013. Accessed April 8, 2013.
- Harty, Patricia. "Brian P. Burns Art Collector and Benefactor", "Irish America magazine", March 21, 2013. Accessed April 8, 2013.
- Langan, Sheila. "Robert M. Devlin Businessman and Philanthropist", "Irish America magazine", March 21, 2013. Accessed April 8, 2013.
- Romano, Kristin. "John Fitzpatrick Hotelier & Humanitarian", "Irish America magazine", March 21, 2013. Accessed April 8, 2013.
- Langan, Sheila. "Immigration Reformer & Peacekeeper", "Irish America magazine", March 21, 2013. Accessed April 8, 2013.
- "Hillary Clinton inducted into Irish America Hall of Fame". US News. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2015-03-16.
- Hall of Fame Irish America Magazine, accessed Jan 10, 2016
- Irish America Magazine, accessed 13 March 2024
- Irish America Magazine, accessed 13 March 2024
External links
- Irish America magazine at Irish Central.com
- Irish Independent article on President Clinton's speech at the 2011 Hall of Fame event