The highlights of the meeting were a presentation on Bloody Sunday and a unanimous vote to spend $150 for 100 military bracelets that will be sold for $5 each as a fundraiser.
This document summarizes the monthly meeting of the Father Kelley Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians held on video via Zoom and in person at the George Brent Council of the Knights of Columbus in Manassas.
15 members were in the hall and 3 were online for a total of 18 members which is more than 20% of 76 and qualifies as a quorum.
Meeting was called to order at 7:33 p.m. by President Tom Masarick.
Recitation of the opening prayer & Pledge of Allegiance:
Our Father x
Hail Mary x
St. Michael the Archangel was omitted from the prayers.
Glory Be x
Pledge of Allegiance x
Roll call of Officers for Fraternal Year 2021:
Position Name Present/Absent/Excused
President Tom Masarick P
Vice President Patrick Sullivan E
Chaplain Fr. Ed Guilloux E
Recording Secretary Brian Tumulty P
Financial Secretary Richard Aleksy P
Treasurer Richard Ring E
Standing Committee Pete Hawkins P
Marshall Mike Curry P
Sentinel Dan O’Leary P
Immediate Past President John Masarick P
Reading of minutes from previous meeting: Approved unanimously the amended minutes from the July meeting. Minutes were wrong on whether there was a quorum
President’s Report:
Our Lady of Knock Mass: On Saturday August 10th the Fr. Kelley Division celebrated Our Lady of Knock Mass with Corporate Communion. I would like to thank AOH Brother JP McCusker for scheduling the event and I would like to thank all of the regulars that showed up and supported our event. Also, it would be nice to see more Hibernians attend our events, such as this one.
Bingo Kitchen: On Sunday August 1st, the following AOH Brothers supported our Bingo Kitchen: JP McCusker, Vince Fitzpatrick, and Tom Masarick. The new Grand Knight of the George Brent Council has announced that all bingo kitchens will now pay $100 for each event regardless of business taken in on that day.
Irish Dinner with Irish Music: Brothers, last month I provided a list of events that was suggested by our officers. One such event was to have an inexpensive Irish Dinner with Irish Music. I have been moving forward with this idea and have the following available: The event would be scheduled for Friday, September 17th at 7:00 pm at the Knights of Columbus Hall. There is no cost for the Hall. The night before Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day. The suggested meal would be corn beef and cabbage with soda bread for dessert. Our entertainment is currently pending as Dominic Preston has another obligation. However, I have another source if Dominic cannot play for us. More to be discussed later. Cost of the event would be funded by attendees. Desired AOH Fr. Kelley attendees would be from our members, spouses and families. I plan to move forward if I can get 40+ attendees.
Olympics: I would like to congratulate Kellie Harrington (from Ireland) for winning women’s lightweight boxing with a record of 5-0 for Ireland. Kellie won the Gold Medal in a match against Brazil.
Unity: Please help me this year to work harder on “unity” and bringing us all closer together to accomplish the objectives of our division and to grow our membership.
Reading of communications and correspondence: none
Introduction on new candidates: Pete Hawkins said Matthew Wilk of Haymarket is here and is very excited about joining. He is married. Motion to approve his member was made and seconded. Vote was unanimous.
Chaplain’s Report: No report
Report of the committee on the sick: Pete Hawkins reported that Junita Oliver, wife of original AOH member John Oliver, has passed away
Report on the Standing Committee: Pete Hawkins — No Report
Events/ calendar: report by Pete Hawkins:
Recently we held the Mass for Our Lady of Knock
AUGUST:
20-22 August — Bi-Annual State Convention in Richmond suburb of Glen Allen
28 — Beer Tasting fundraiser (Dan O’Leary) donations are $25 for two beers; two door prizes include a gift certificate for a tour of the brewery; aim is to sell 40 tickets which would be $1,000 minus toe cost of $280; we only need to sell 12 tickets to break even; 3 to 6 pm; in the brewery room in back; we only need to sell 12 tickets to break even
28 August – morning Road cleanup (Rick R.)
SEPTEMBER:
5 – Bingo kitchen team 2
13 – AOH officers meeting in the club room
14 – Division meeting and barbecue
14 – Shamrock degree
17 – Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day event at Old Town Sports Pub
JP McCusker questioned whether people wo go to the Old Towne Sports Pub will be able to go the parade the next day and the dinner on the 17th as well.
Tom said he’s looking for something to bring us together and for about 40 people to attend.
Mike Riley said the ticket sales are already on the calendar and cannot be canceled.
There also was other back and forth.
There was a vote on having an early dinner on Sept 17 that was seconded.
The vote was 17 in favor of the dinner. One opposed.
18 – Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day parade
OCTOBER:
2 – Manassas Fall Jubilee
3 – Bingo kitchen
11 – AOH officers meeting
12 – Division meeting in George Brent bingo hall
23 – backup date with Old Busthead for a beer tasting at the Old Town Sports Pub
TBD — Gettysburg Trip (Rick R.)
Freedom for All Ireland: Dominic Preston – reported remotely via video – Kellie Anne Harrington of Ireland beat Beatriz Ferreira of Brazil to win the women’s lightweight boxing gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. She had a wonderful parade today, but of course they had to have restrictions. So only the neighbors could welcome her.
I just heard, if you’re visiting any part of Europe, they can require you to take a COVID test. Everything is getting back to normal and wonderful Ireland, friends of mine are going on holidays or vacation. People are starting to go back inside to the pubs, which is a good thing is a great thing.
On climate change, when I was growing up in Ireland, we never saw a dolphin in Ireland. Nor did you see humpback whales. The waters of the Atlantic up north, were starting to get warm. Yeah, there is climate change.
Historian: Mike Eggleston
This is the third in a series on the troubles in Northern Ireland. They went from 1969 to 1998. It’s an attempt to provide a brief one-page background of key events and each includes wall murals that commemorate the event in Northern Ireland.
Bloody Sunday (also called the Bogside Massacre) occurred in the Bogside area which is located just outside of the city walls of Derry in Northern Ireland. It occurred on 30 January 1972, just five months after a similar incident in Bogside, 9-10 August 1971. Bloody Sunday came to be regarded as one of the most significant events of the Troubles, because so many civilians were killed by forces of the state. With the highest number of people killed in an incident, it is considered the worst mass shooting in Northern Ireland’s history. Bloody Sunday fueled Catholic and Irish nationalist hostility towards the British Army and worsened the conflict. Support for the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) rose, and there was a surge of recruitment into the organization, especially locally.
The incident occurred during a period of escalating violence between civilians and the British army because of the government’s practice of interment without trial of civilians introduced on 9 August 1971. In the closing months of 1971, 30 British soldiers were killed as unrest continued throughout Northern Ireland. Anti-interment protest marches took place in January 1972 and often included stone throwing by civilians and use of rubber bullets by the army. On Bloody Sunday protesters planned a march to the city center where an ant-interment rally would be held. About 10,000-15,000 people were in the march and the British Army erected barriers. The organizers directed a detour, but some of the marchers broke off from the group and started throwing stones at the soldiers. At 3:55 P. M. soldiers fired on the people throwing stones and two were wounded. Ten minutes later the soldiers were ordered to leave the barriers and arrest civilians. The civilians ran and the soldiers gave chase on foot and in armored vehicles. Some civilians were trapped and arrested or shot. In one case civilians found a barricade and started throwing stones at the soldiers. The British opened fire killing six. In another incident, Jackie Duddy, was running alongside a priest, Edward Daly, when he was shot in the back. Father Daly tried to help waving a white handkerchief to prevent further gunfire. The photograph of Father Daly and Duddly made news around the world. His effort did no good. Duddly was mortally wounded. Father Daly was uninjured. The final toll was 14 civilian dead and over 15 wounded. None of the British soldiers were seriously injured.
An initial investigation called the Widgery Inquiry attempted to prove that the marchers were armed. It was published on 19 April 1972 and has since been labeled a “White Wash.” A second commission of inquiry, chaired by Lord Saville, was established in January 1998 to re-examine Bloody Sunday. The Saville report was published 15 June 2010. It stated that British paratroopers “lost control,” fatally shooting fleeing civilians; those British soldiers concocted lies in their attempt to hide their acts and that the civilians were not posing any threat. An investigation of murder by soldiers followed and in July 2021, it was decided not to prosecute because statements from 1972 were deemed inadmissible as evidence.
I think some of the witnesses had died of old age in the 50 years since the event occurred. But got any questions? Okay. Yeah, I got copies here at my desk if you want to grab it on the way out. Thank you.
Immigration: Richard Ring – absent
Trip to Ireland: JP – the tickets are on order and will be ready for Sept. 17
Tom Masarick said the 2020 winner will wait until May 2022 to take the trip. The 2021 winner also is waiting until 2022.
Pro – Life: Mike McManus– absent — no report
Political Education: Vince Fitzpatrick – no report
Veteran Affairs: Doug Morrison– absent –
Mike Riley said he has used veterans’ services from the state for veterans include tax incentives and therapy consultants. The state has significant programs.
Strategic Planning: Mike Riley –
I have offered and recommended that we discussed the lessons of the Moto each monthly meeting and I noticed in the minutes Tom did cover unity.
And at the Mass, we went to for Our Lady of Knock, Father Ed talked about how we can receive unity and Holy Communion, and how we need to examine our attitudes towards each other. So, a good unity lesson. And for our distinguished colleagues in the back, who will eventually go through a shamrock degree, to make sure that we are discussing friendship, unity, and Christian charity. And those are part of the strategic plan. And I am encouraging us to at every meeting, talk about one of these factors, so that we enhance our understanding of why we exist and prepare our new members for the shamrock degree. This falls in line with my first teaching plan goal that I identified as targeting, identifying, and recruiting new members so that we can engage him in numerous division activities, which we talked about tonight.
We need more than 17 people showing up, we need more than seven showing up at a Mass, we need to be a group that shares unity and friendship together as we develop what charities we want to support. So please consider that as we are out there. I admit I play softball on Tuesdays. I don’t play tonight, I’m here.
When we changed the meeting nights, it did confound me a bit. And that’s why I’ve asked permission if I could submit reports. As we prepare for these degrees on the 14th of September and the ninth of November, I also recommend that the sponsoring brother be in attendance.
In May we had a discussion about the bingo kitchen, and that it would be reevaluated. I still recommend dropping the support of another organization and focusing on our own activities. Now that we have COVID restrictions, easing somewhat again. We may face it again. We should be harvesting the desire people wanting to get out and take advantage of things with beer and wine tastings, which we heard about tonight. I think if we were out there doing these things in friendship, charity, in unity, we would have a greater wealth of contributions coming in.
There was a Irish history video. I don’t know if that video is available. But that’s something maybe we want to show either at a dinner, or at one of our meetings. These are the kinds of things that we need to look at which will enhance our ability. And we see other organizations like in Illinois, they got a grant, a hunger grant for a chapter in Illinois, is that something we can pursue at the national level? Again, that’s a way for us to demonstrate our ability to reach out and do the things that of our, our organization.
I noticed in the bulletin a mention of prayer, penance and pubs.
What if we did prayer penance and pubs at Old Town Sports Pub or something like that? These are things that are out there that we should be taking part of as we strive to increase our membership.
Hibernian Hunger Project – looking at Food Lion in October
There was a general discussion about adding Irish cultural activities to our programs. President Tom M. asked Dennis and Mike Riley to get together to come up with ideas. Tom said the club room if often available on Friday nights and could be used as a venue for showing a movie or for having a guest speaker.
Webmaster: Brian Tumulty – no report
Charities: Rich Aleksy
JP is looking at a clothing drive for Medical Missionaries in the fall
Project St. Patrick: Rich Aleksy – no report
Club Room: Tom Masarick – the club room is open every Friday; you only need to be accompanied by a Knight
Auditors Report: Vince Fitzpatrick – It was completed last month
Bills and Claims: Financial SecretaryRich Aleksy
none
Receipts of the Meeting (Income): Financial Secretary Rich Aleksy
$99 bingo kitchen check incoming
Report of the Treasurer: Richard Ring — none
Updated Aug. 1, 2021
Unfinished business: President Tom said that last month we talked about Irish cookbooks, a golf tournament and military bracelets
Dan O’Leary said his mother’s community raised $7,000 with military bracelets. He said it’s an easy fundraiser. To buy 100 of them the cost is $150. We could sell them for $5 each and earn $350. They come in two colors, light-colored wood and a mahogany. They have all the military branches. I have 10 that could be sold tomorrow if they come in.
Dan said his goal from the beer tasting is to make $500.
John Masarick motion to spend $150 on bracelets to sell them as a fundraiser. It was and seconded to buy bracelets. Unanimous vote.
New Business:
We need a delegate to replace Vince Fitzpatrick at the state convention. There is a contested race for state president. No volunteers.
Good of the order:
Greg Rebbert said Mike McManus is doing better.
John Masarick said Joe Cahill’s mind is very sharp, but he can’t talk. He cannot walk right now and hopes to come home in October.
Prayers were requested for Joe Tumulty, brother of Brian Tumulty, who is a retired New York City firefighter who worked the pile of the World Trade Center after 9/11 and had recently been diagnosed with lymphoma related to the work.
Prayers also requested for Joe Martin, who also has cancer.
An Our Father and Hail Mary were offered.
End at 8:55 pm
