A Celebration of Triumph over Adversity
James F. McKay, III
Judge James F. McKay, III is the Chief Judge of the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal. Judge McKay was first elected to this Court in 1998. Prior to that, he served fifteen years on the Bench at Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. Judge McKay is very active in the Ancient Order of Hibernians and presently serves as the National Vice President of that venerable organization. Judge McKay also has the distinction of being appointed as the Honorary Consul of Ireland for the State of Louisiana. In addition, Judge McKay serves on the board of the Firemen’s Charitable Benevolent Association as its president. Judge McKay is married to the former Marie Soniat and they have four children and six grandchildren.
Dickie Brennan
A third generation New Orleans restaurateur of the famed Brennan family, Dickie grew up in the kitchens of Commander’s Palace. He has trained in cities across the world to hone is culinary and hospitality expertise. In 1991, he returned to New Orleans and was appointed Executive Chef at Palace Café, the only Brennan to serve in the role as Executive Chef. Later, as an owner of Palace Café, Dickie and his business partners, his sister, Lauren Brennan Brower and Steve Pettus, proceeded to open Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse, Bourbon House and, most recently, Tableau. Dickie remains very active on industry and community boards.
Adrian D’Arcy, IN-NOLA President
Adrian is a partner with the law firm of Shields Mott Lund LLP., specializing in construction litigation. Adrian was born in Dublin but had the benefit of being raised in Kerry. Adrian is one of the founding members of Irish Network New Orleans and is both an officer and board member of Irish Network USA, currently serving as IN USA’s National Events Director. He has been a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians since 1998 and has been an active member of the Irish Channel St. Patrick's Day Club in New Orleans since 1999. Adrian is also committed to promoting youth soccer in New Orleans and currently is the commissioner of the Carrollton Booster soccer program and is Secretary of the Carrollton Boosters’ Board. Adrian is committed to Irish Network New Orleans harnessing the goodwill and energy of the diverse Irish Community in the city to promote Irish cultural awareness in the city and to promote New Orleans to the sister Irish Networks, the North American Irish Community, and Ireland.
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Ronnie Burke
Ronald G. “Ronnie” Burke is Vice President of the Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Committee, an organization that was established in 1947 by his father, Dick Burke, and uncle, Paul Burke. With his brother Richard Burke, Jr., Ronnie is organizer of the Irish heritage group’s annual parade up Magazine Street. The 1400 plus member club also supports a number of organizations including the Friends of St. Alphonsus and St. Michael Special School. A member of a New Orleans political family with deep roots in the Irish Channel, Burke was 4th District Assessor from 1977 to 1998, a position held by his grandfather, grandmother, and father. He is currently Minutes Clerk for Judge Franz Zibilich, Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Section L.
Joni Muggivan, TCRG
Joni muggivan began dancing at the age of 4, and In 1998 became the first dancer in Louisiana to compete at the World Championships in Ireland, where she danced to her own choreography. Today, she owns and runs her own competitive dance school in New Orleans, Richmond & Fredericksburg Virginia, as well as Edmond Oklahoma.
FAMINE COMMITTEE
The mission of the New Orleans Famine Commemoration Committee is to plan, organize and execute the program of events that will educate and inform visitors about New Orleans’ Irish legacy during the 2014 International Irish Famine Commemoration.
Matthew Ahearn, St. Patrick Foundation/Irish Cultural Museum of New Orleans
Matthew Ahearn’s love of history, passion for his New Orleans Irish heritage, and his parents ties to Tipperary and Cork inspired him to found the Irish Cultural Museum of New Orleans; the French Quarter attraction devoted to raising public awareness of the influence and contributions Irish Immigrants have had on the culture and history of New Orleans, opened its doors in October 2012. Ahearn is a general contractor with 30 plus years in commercial construction services. The New Orleans native received a BS degree in construction engineering from California Polytechnic University and an AAS degree in construction technology from Southeastern Louisiana University. Ahearn has also served as an international construction consultant in Poland, China, Canada, Ireland and Central America. He is a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and their past state financial secretary.
Laura D. Kelley, Ph.D. of Tulane University
Laura D. Kelley is currently completing her manuscript,Erin’s Enterprise: The Development of the Irish Community in Antebellum New Orleans due to be published in 2014. She has published articles in Louisiana History and in various edited books. She was the Executive Chair for the 2012 international meeting of the American Conference for Irish Studies which had a record number of 475 speakers presenting on every Irish subject imaginable. She currently teaches at Tulane on a variety of subjects in history, and she is also a Section Editor for Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities KNOWLA project.
Fionuala McGlinchey Monsted
E. Fionuala McGlinchey Monsted is a native New Orleanian raised in a strong Irish Family. Her late father, Dermot served as the Honorary Consul of Ireland for the State of Louisiana and her mother, Ellen hails from County Kerry. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from Newcomb College of Tulane University. She has been involved in many civic and philanthropic causes in the New Orleans area. She is currently a board member of Irish Network New Orleans and a supporter of Irish culture, sports, music, and the arts. She enjoys spending the summers in County Kerry with her family.
Terri Landry, Irish Cultural Museum of New Orleans
Terri Landry holds an undergraduate degree in art history/anthropology and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Illinois. As a writer and producer for Public Television Landry has produced national cooking series featuring renowned New Orleans chefs, including Paul Prudhomme and John Besh, as well as a series of documentaries exploring the ethnicity and cultural history of the Crescent City. Her Irish New Orleans documentary was recognized by the American Association of State and Local History and in 2011 she was honored at the Louisiana Women’s Summit with a Pathfinder’s Award for her work as an independent filmmaker. Currently she is the Development Director and Special Projects Coordinator for the Irish Cultural Museum of New Orleans.
Paul Gleeson, Irish Consul General
Paul Gleeson was announced as Ireland’s first Consul General in Atlanta by former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Brian Cowen in July 2010. He took up office the following month and began the job of establishing Ireland’s first new Consulate in the United States since the 1930s. Prior to taking up his post as Consul General in Atlanta, Mr. Gleeson had responsibility for North-South cooperation within Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs, helping to implement the all-island aspects of Ireland’s landmark 1998 Good Friday Peace Agreement. Away from work, Paul is a fan of most sports, particularly football (soccer) and hurling. He is married to Alita Byrd. They have three children: Zach, Daniel and Ameliana.