WINDSOR TERRACE — “The tradition continues,” Martin Cottingham declared as he sat on the sidelines and watched over the 43rd annual Great Irish Fair held Sept. 14 on the grounds of Holy Name Parish.
“We had another amazing list of honorees and, best of all, Catholic Education benefits,” he said. “All proceeds assist local Catholic schools as well as Future in Education.”
Col. James P. Tierney, representing the U.S. Army’s Fightin’ 69th Regiment, was honored as the Chief Brehon, the fair’s highest honor. Shannon Keenan, a member of St. Patrick’s, Bay Ridge, and a senior at Sacred Heart University reigned as the Colleen Queen.
Bishop Robert Brennan, who opened the fair with Mass at Holy Name Church, thanked the committee for always beginning with the Eucharist. Noting that it was the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, he told participants to always look up to the cross and never to hang their heads in despair.
“The Cross of Jesus Christ looms large in the history of Ireland,” Bishop Brennan said. “For some, the cross is a symbol of destruction, but for us, it is a sign of hope because it leads to resurrection.
“When we take our eyes off the cross, things begin to fall apart,” he added. “Thank you for keeping our faith as the basis for Irish history.”
Following the liturgy, an award ceremony was held honoring 14 members of the Irish-American community for their contributions to public service, including education, law, policing, and firefighting.
Festivities continued throughout the day as two stages featured traditional and contemporary Irish music, Irish step dancing, refreshments, and Irish goods for sale by vendors. Larger-than-life cartoon characters and inflatable slides delighted youngsters.
A new attraction this year was a portable roaming pub brought by its creator, Patrick O’Rourke of Staten Island. The “Thatch Pub” held about 10 people at a time and served only fresh Guinness on tap.
As darkness fell and the last rounds were served, the Canny Brothers sang on the main stage. Those in attendance prepared for the journeys home as others made plans to visit local establishments.
Vendors closed up shop. All that was left to do for Cottingham and the Irish-American Building Society — the Fair’s sponsoring group — was to add up the funds earmarked for Catholic schools. The tradition had continued.
