Grand Marshal - Michael F. "Mickey" Coyne
Irish Mother of the Year - Bridget Conway
Inside Co-Chair - Maureen Cavanaugh
Outside Co-Chair - Kevin McDonough
Michael F. "Mickey" Coyne
2023 Grand Marshal
The Coyne Family truly lived by the Irish motto:” Céad míle fáilte, a 100 Thousand Welcomes” to all who came to their home. A trait Mickey continues to live by and instilled in his children: Meghan, Kevin, Erin, Seamus, and Michael Patrick, thirteen Grandchildren and three Great Grandchildren. Mickey is happiest when he can travel home to Mayo with his kids and grandkids.
Compassion carries over to Mickey’s professional life as a Funeral Director for over fifty years with the McMahon-Coyne-Vitantonio Funeral Home. Serving families from generation to generation he treats all with kindness no matter their financial circumstances. Many families from the Hospice of the Western Reserve are grateful to Mickey for graciously helping them through a difficult time. Mickey truly lives every day as taught by his parents of faith and family first.
Mickey has led an active Parish life from his school days at Saint Aloysius to his current Immaculate Conception Parish. He is not one to just take space in a pew; through his leadership Parish festivals began and many a lively Saint Patrick’s Day party were fun and successful under his guidance. All while being active in Civic Organizations as member of the Chamber of Commerce, sponsoring local Little League Teams, and volunteering with Youth Organizations. Living out his dream of owning an ice cream shop he brought ice cream back to Downtown Willoughby with the opening of Mickey’s Ice Cream and Hot Dog Shop; adding another spot for Mickey and others to meet and greet.
Never one to sit back and watch others work; Mickey became a charter member of the Irish American Club East Side and has served numerous terms as President over the years. He would be one of the first to greet a new member to the Club with a warm hello, pleasure to meet you, and hand always extended in friendship. No job was too big or too small for Mickey around the IACES from Pie Nights, arranging entertainment, or presenting unique ideas to keep the Club growing strong.
Life for Mickey is not all work and no play with his favorite day of all being St. Patrick’s Day since the days of his childhood. Always starting the day with Mass, a family gathering, and then off to the Cleveland St. Patrick’s Day Parade. He fondly remembers jumping into the parade and crossing the finish line with his father marching as a Member of the Knights of Columbus .As a member of the Irish American Archive Society Mickey helps keep the rich history of the Irish Community preserved. He knows his Mom, Dad and Mary Ellen will be proudly watching him as the 2023 St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshal marching with Michelle and all his Family alongside him.
Mickey is Proud of his Irish Heritage and Honored and Grateful as the 2023 Grand Marshal to lead the Irish Community down the Avenue.
Bridget Conway
2023 Irish Mother of the Year
Since arriving in the United States, Bridget has been a member of the West Side Irish American Club. She has always enjoyed and supported events at the Club, frequently selling tickets and bringing family and friends to events at the Club. Her daughters were active in the parade marching units, and Irish dancing. Bridget was also a member of the Hibernians for many years and was the Cleveland Hibernian of the Year in 1979.
Bridget was one of the founding members of the Mayo Society of Greater Cleveland in 2004, along with President Gerry Quinn and many of her close Mayo friends. Bridget has been a very active board member, securing sponsorship for the Annual Ball, organizing bakery for the Mayo Tea and helping allocate the charitable funds to different charities. Bridget is very instrumental in keeping the organization tied to Ballycroy, Achill and Mayo.
One will frequently see Bridget enjoying dinner and events with her family and friends or reading the iIrish Newspaper from cover to cover at PJ McIntyre’s Irish Pub. Patrick and Rebecca Campbell in her honor named the pub’s party room the “Bridgie Ned’s Party Room”. She is and always has been involved in furthering and contributing to Irish Culture. She loves dancing, singing, Irish music, baking Irish Soda bread, and traveling back to Ireland to visit her siblings and friends.
Bridget demonstrates personal qualities that we all have come to admire and emulate. She takes great pride in her family. Bridget owns every aspect of her Motherhood; the day to day dedication and the strength to lead, yet maintains a passion for friends, relatives and neighbors. She is an exceptional Mother.
Bridget is so proud and honored and Thanks the United Irish Societies and the West Side Irish American Club for this recognition.
Maureen Cavanaugh
2023 Inside Co-Chair
Maureen has been a very loyal member of the LAOH. She volunteers to work on their committees and supports their fundraisers. Her artistic talents are evident when she helps with the decorations and centerpieces for our conventions and important state meetings. She is always on the spot to welcome guests and make everyone feel comfortable. In any last minute crises, she readily pitches in and does whatever is needed to make the event successful. At our annual Reverse Raffles you can always find Maureen working on the “Lucky Seven Drawing” organizing the easy sale of tickets and encouraging people to buy for the sake of the Hibernians. At our annual Christmas meetings she helps organize the Secret Santa gifts, food and donations to the charity of the day.
In addition to the LAOH, the Murphy Irish Arts Association is a co-sponsor in nominating Maureen for this honor. She has been a member of the Murphy Irish Arts Center for 45 years. She started as a young dancer and progressed to become a teacher and valuable member of the staff. She has competed in many world championships in solos & teams representing Cleveland, Ohio and the USA. She is a certified Teacher of Irish Dance with An Coimisiun in Ireland. She is a great coach and a real asset to our young soloists & teams preparing for regional and international competitions. Maureen is always a major contributor to our fundraisers, concerts, shows and parades. Speaking of parades, she has marched in more than forty Cleveland St. Patrick’s Day Parades for the Murphy Irish Arts Center and served as a parade marshal for the United Irish Societies. As a teacher in the Mid- American region of Irish Dance, she represents Cleveland, Ohio as she manages the daily Awards ceremonies and acts as a judge escort. Both jobs are time consuming and reflect the organization’s confidence in her integrity and trustworthiness.
Maureen’s unique talents in decorating and sewing are very apparent in the variety of headbands, shawls, and costumes she has worked on over the years as well as the centerpieces and decorations for Murphy’s concerts and fundraisers. She also works for the Association in the Irish Cultural Garden following in her family’s footsteps. Over the years, she has volunteered to help clean the Irish garden and help with its fundraisers. She is one of the key people in making the Irish Garden successful on One World Day every August. Maureen organizes our entry in the Parade of Nations and the display booths as well as the performances in our garden.
Maureen likes to work in the background. She is steady and hardworking and great at making suggestions and following directions. You have definitely seen the results of her volunteerism without really knowing she was instrumental in making it happen. Maureen lives the Hibernian motto and the Murphy Irish Arts Association’s mission statement.
Maureen is grateful to have this honor bestowed upon her and knows her Parents will be smiling on her as she proudly displays her Heritage marching down the Avenue.
Kevin McDonough
2023 Outside Co-Chair
As a teenager Kevin discovered his desire for cooking with the help and expertise of his Mother. This passion led Kevin to open McDonough’s Cafe in Lakewood from 1975 to 1980. He then began working with the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department as a Corrections Officer, but his love of cooking led him to the Jail's Kitchen, which he ran for seven years; feeding 2,000 inmates three meals each day. Kevin was promoted to Warden in 2001, and retired from the Department in 2010 after 30 years of service.
No stranger to hard work, Kevin’s retirement was short lived as he was recruited to be the Lead Resident Supervisor at the Judge Nancy R. McDonnell Community Correctional facility. This is a program sponsored by Oriana House, a National renowned Organization for Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Community Corrections.
Kevin’s knack of bringing people together with food was soon recognized by the West Side Irish American Club. His volunteer chief duties began when he was asked by Helen Malloy to lead a group of volunteers to prepare a Ham and Cabbage Dinner. This event was the beginning of McDonough’s Brigade, a group of dedicated volunteers working with Keven every Friday for many years preparing and serving Pub Grub. Kevin plans, orders the food and cooks for the Club's Steak Roast, Pig Roast, and special events sponsored by the Club. Kevin bursts with pride with the many delicious meals prepared and served by his organized Brigade all while having FUN.
Organization being one of Kevin’s attributes added to the Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival’s success as the Food Service Coordinator and Stage Emcee. He recruited and oversaw the Food Vendors. The Festival was a non-profit, annual civic event, benefiting local and national charities and highlighting the many aspects of our Irish Culture. All through the extensive grounds you would find numerous exhibits and displays, world class performers on nine stages, a vast collection of goods from the finest vendors in the country, and over 300 volunteers that combined to continue this legacy of love for the Irish and their heritage. The festival took a hiatus for a few years but based on the assistance of Kevin and diligent volunteers, the Festival returns in July of 2023.
Not one to sit idly waiting for the Festival to return, Kevin working alongside his brother Joe prepares comfort food at Gunselman’s Tavern. Comfort is the Heart of Gunselman’s a welcoming neighborhood establishment in Fairview Park where the food, atmosphere, and staff are fantastic with an Irish Tune playing in the background. Serving only the best to their guest, Gunselman’s has won Cleveland’s Best Burger Award not once but twice.
Kevin has a heart bigger than any kitchen he has worked as recognized with his involvement with the Ziggy’s Friends Rescue. This is a not for profit group helping local pets find there forever home. Working with Paul Baker of Brigid’s Cross, the two have facilitated fundraisers to continue the work of this wonderful Organization.
Work is not just a four letter word to Kevin but an activity for him. He is entering his 29th year as a Board of Trustee Member of the West side Irish American Club; serving 24 of those years as the Club’s Vice President. He never has to be asked twice to belt out a Happy Birthday on meeting nights or sing a solo with the entertainers on stage. Kevin will always give his All; All of the Time.
Kevin is truly honored to be recognized as the United Irish Societies 2023 Outside Co-Chair.
Past Honorees
- 1958
- Grand Marshal - John J. O'Malley*
- 1959
- Grand Marshal - Patrick J. O'Malley*
- 1960
- Grand Marshal - John T. English*
- Inside Co-Chair - Raymond J. Reilly*
- Outside Co-Chair - William F. Chambers*
- 1961
- Grand Marshal - William J. Cannon*
- Inside Co-Chair - William T. Monroe
- Outside Co-Chair - James P. Conway*
- 1962
- Grand Marshal - Thomas E. McDonald*
- Inside Co-Chair - James M. Lynch*
- Outside Co-Chair - James J. Lynch*
- 1963
- Grand Marshal - Patrick T. Lynch*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Celia Carney*
- Inside Co-Chair - Joseph P. Rochford*
- Outside Co-Chair - James T. Kilbane*
- 1964
- Grand Marshal - Michael McGlynn*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Margaret Spellacy*
- Inside Co-Chair - Martin J. Cooney*
- Outside Co-Chair - William F. Sweeney
- 1965
- Grand Marshal - Arthur McChrystal*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Agnes Chambers*
- Inside Co-Chair - Augustine Boland*
- Outside Co-Chair - James T. Breslin*
- 1966
- Grand Marshal - James T. Kilbane*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Margaret Browne*
- Inside Co-Chair - Mary V. McNeeley*
- Outside Co-Chair - Ignatius E. McIntyre*
- 1967
- Grand Marshal - James M. Lynch*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Catherine Kline*
- Inside Co-Chair - Mary E. Reynolds*
- Outside Co-Chair - Daniel L. Berry*
- 1968
- Grand Marshal - John E. Ryan*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Bridget Boland*
- Inside Co-Chair - Eamon D'Arcy*
- Outside Co-Chair - Thomas J. Barrett, MD*
- 1969
- Grand Marshal - Thomas Scott*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Elizabeth Kenny*
- Inside Co-Chair - James E. Murray*
- Outside Co-Chair - Hon. Michael A. Sweeney*
- 1970
- Grand Marshal - James J. Boland*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Bernadette Murphy*
- Inside Co-Chair - Thomas Byrne*
- Outside Co-Chair - Thomas Coughlin*
- 1971
- Grand Marshal - Michael B. Comer*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Anna Esther Kilbane*
- Inside Co-Chair - Mary B. Cook
- Outside Co-Chair - Thomas F. Campbell, PhD*
- 1972
- Grand Marshal - Patrick T. Duffy*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Beatrice Lynch*
- Inside Co-Chair - Patrick J. O'Malley*
- Outside Co-Chair - Canon Liam J. Kitt*
- 1973
- Grand Marshal - Hon. George J. McMonagle*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Mary Reynolds*
- Inside Co-Chair - Patrick W. O'Malley*
- Outside Co-Chair - James B. Mooney
- 1974
- Grand Marshal - John P. McNea*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Anna Sweeney*
- Inside Co-Chair - Ralph Connor*
- Outside Co-Chair - James W. McGorray*
- 1975
- Grand Marshal - Patrick J. Byrnes*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Anna Rita Kilbane*
- Inside Co-Chair - Oliver E. Murphy*
- Outside Co-Chair - William J. Kiernan*
- 1976
- Grand Marshal - James M. Carney*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Delia McIntyre*
- Inside Co-Chair - Edward J. Campbell*
- Outside Co-Chair - Patrick J. Gallagher*
- 1977
- Grand Marshal - Thomas F. McManamon Sr.
- Outside Co-Chair - Peter D. Corrigan, MD*
- Inside Co-Chair - Frank M. Sheehan*
- 1978
- Grand Marshal - Patrick J. McGeever*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Delia Gibbons*
- Inside Co-Chair - Maura Dowdall
- Outside Co-Chair - John J. Gill
- 1979
- Grand Marshal - Bryan Kilbane (In Memoriam)*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Loretta Prendergast*
- Inside Co-Chair - Margaret Mylett
- Outside Co-Chair - James P. Reynolds*
- 1980
- Grand Marshal - Oliver E. Murphy*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Mary Howard O'Malley*
- Inside Co-Chair - Thomas J. Reynolds*
- Outside Co-Chair - Hon. Ann McManamon
- 1981
- Grand Marshal - Canon Liam J. Kitt*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Nora Hastings*
- Inside Co-Chair - John Coyne*
- Outside Co-Chair - Hon. John V. Corrigan*
- 1982
- Grand Marshal - Martin L. McLaughlin*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Beatrice McIntyre*
- Inside Co-Chair - Michael G. Lavelle*
- Outside Co-Chair - John P. Coyne
- 1983
- Grand Marshal - Michael McGarry*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Anne Grey*
- Inside Co-Chair - Edmund P. Byrne*
- Outside Co-Chair - Terrence Joyce*
- 1984
- Grand Marshal - John T. Patton Sr.*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Mary Terese Hurley*
- Inside Co-Chair - Deneen C. O'Reilly
- Outside Co-Chair - Leo P. D'Arcy*
- 1985
- Grand Marshal - John O'Neill*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Ursula Lynch*
- Inside Co-Chair - Patrick T. Murphy
- Outside Co-Chair - John O'Brien
- 1986
- Grand Marshal - Michael Roddy*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Mary O'Neill*
- Inside Co-Chair - Eileen A. Reynolds
- Outside Co-Chair - Kevin W. Reynolds
- 1987
- Grand Marshal - Thomas McCaffrey*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Hanna Byrnes*
- Inside Co-Chair - Daniel M. Corcoran*
- Outside Co-Chair - John F. McGarry
- 1988
- Grand Marshal - Owen R. Quinn*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Bridget Birney*
- Inside Co-Chair - Walter J. McNally
- Outside Co-Chair - Richard A. Walton
- 1989
- Grand Marshal - Hon. Gerald T. McFaul
- Irish Mother of the Year - Angela Kerrigan*
- Inside Co-Chair - Stephen L. Mulloy*
- Outside Co-Chair - Roger S. Weist*
- 1990
- Grand Marshal - James P. Reynolds*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Noreen Garriga
- Inside Co-Chair - Margaret A. Lackey
- Outside Co-Chair - Sean Anthony Boland*
- 1991
- Grand Marshal - John B. Quinn*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Kathleen Cooney*
- Inside Co-Chair - Peter B. Hannon
- Outside Co-Chair - Thomas O'Neill*
- 1992
- Grand Marshal - Terry Joyce*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Bette Berry*
- Inside Co-Chair - Robert E. Hearns*
- Outside Co-Chair - John Togher*
- 1993
- Grand Marshal - Alphonsus O'Leary
- Irish Mother of the Year - Julia Burke*
- Inside Co-Chair - Thomas J. Ross*
- Outside Co-Chair - Helen C. Malloy
- 1994
- Grand Marshal - Thomas Byrne*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Nora Jordan*
- Inside Co-Chair - Marilyn Madigan
- Outside Co-Chair - John J. Hennessy*
- 1995
- Grand Marshal - Edward Campbell*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Pauline Gallagher*
- Inside Co-Chair - Rita Lally
- Outside Co-Chair - Paul Gallagher*
- 1996
- Grand Marshal - Thomas Ross*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Eileen Hennessy*
- Inside Co-Chair - Toby Haffey*
- Outside Co-Chair - John Campbell*
- 1997
- Grand Marshal - Joseph Boland*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Mary Celine O'Leary
- Inside Co-Chair - James Kilbane
- Outside Co-Chair - Dennis Dunn*
- 1998
- Grand Marshal - Patrick T. Kilbane*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Mae Moore Keenan*
- Inside Co-Chair - Bonnie K. McNally
- Outside Co-Chair - Sr. Maureen Burke SND
- 1999
- Grand Marshal - Raymond "Rip" Reilly*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Mary Kilbane*
- Inside Co-Chair - John J. Togher
- Outside Co-Chair - Fr. J. Brendan McNulty
- 2000
- Grand Marshal - William Chambers*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Nora Carr*
- Inside Co-Chair - Linda Carney
- Outside Co-Chair - James McGuirk
- 2001
- Grand Marshal - Lonnie McCauley*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Sara McLaughlin*
- Inside Co-Chair - Bridie Joyce
- Outside Co-Chair - Bridget Boland*
- 2002
- Grand Marshal - Frank Sheehan*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Mary Hastings-McCluskey
- Inside Co-Chair - Tom Kilbane
- Outside Co-Chair - Pat Dowd
- 2003
- Grand Marshal - Eamonn D'Arcy*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Mary O'Donnell Hayes*
- Inside Co-Chair - Rasa M. Chambers
- Outside Co-Chair - Harry Simon*
- 2004
- Grand Marshal - James Patrick Caffrey*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Anne O'Donnell Mulloy*
- Inside Co-Chair - Frank Hoban*
- Outside Co-Chair - Nell Buckley
- 2005
- Grand Marshal - Helen Malloy
- Irish Mother of the Year - Patricia Campbell*
- Inside Co-Chair - Linda Hannon
- Outside Co-Chair - Kevin McGinty*
- 2006
- Grand Marshal - Bill Carney*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Joan Cavanaugh*
- Inside Co-Chair - Ed Morrow*
- Outside Co-Chair - Gerald Quinn
- 2007
- Grand Marshal - Stephen L. Mulloy*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Mary Ellen Boland*
- Inside Co-Chair - Mary Alice Fitzgerald
- Outside Co-Chair - Kathy Whitford
- 2008
- Grand Marshal - John Campbell*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Kathleen Hough
- Inside Co-Chair - Michael Keenan
- Outside Co-Chair - Norine Hastings
- 2009
- Grand Marshal - Tom Reynolds*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Shirley Chambers
- Inside Co-Chair - Maire Leffel
- Outside Co-Chair - Fr. James P. O'Donnell
- 2010
- Grand Marshal - John Hayes*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Bonnie McNally
- Inside Co-Chair - Shannon Corcoran
- Outside Co-Chair - Fr. Thomas Johns
- 2011
- Grand Marshal - Gerry Quinn
- Irish Mother of the Year - Kathleen Lackey Sheehan
- Inside Co-Chair - Sheila Murphy Crawford
- Outside Co-Chair - Fr. Thomas Mahoney
- 2012
- Grand Marshal - Walter J. "Mickey" McNally
- Irish Mother of the Year - Vera Casey
- Inside Co-Chair - Una O'Leary Escolas
- Outside Co-Chair - William G. Chambers
- 2013
- Grand Marshal - Kevin McGinty*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Una Ellis*
- Inside Co-Chair - Timothy Leahy
- Outside Co-Chair - Daniel B. Chambers
- 2014
- Grand Marshal - Andy Dever
- Irish Mother of the Year - Bridie Joyce
- Inside Co-Chair - John O'Brien Jr.
- Outside Co-Chair - Mark Owens
- 2015
- Grand Marshal - Daniel M. Corcoran*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Patricia Hollywood
- Inside Co-Chair - Maire O'Leary Manning
- Outside Co-Chair - Fr. Bob Begin*
- 2016
- Grand Marshal - Jack Coyne
- Irish Mother of the Year - Bridget McIntyre
- Inside Co-Chair - John Myers
- Outside Co-Chair - Teresa Reilly Kowalski
- 2017
- Grand Marshal - Roger S. Weist*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Angela Murphy*
- Inside Co-Chair - Margaret Lynch
- Outside Co-Chair - John Patrick Lackey
- 2018
- Grand Marshal - Sheila Murphy Crawford
- Irish Mother of the Year - Joan (Hartnett) Reali
- Inside Co-Chair - Noreen Halley
- Outside Co-Chair - Linda Burke
- 2019
- Grand Marshal - William "Bill" Homan
- Irish Mother of the Year - Eileen Kilroy
- Inside Co-Chair - Patti Maher Hanrahan
- Outside Co-Chair - Sr. Corita Ambro
- 2020
- Grand Marshal - Thomas J. Scanlon*
- Irish Mother of the Year - Kathleen Mangan
- Inside Co-Chair - Maureen Mohney
- Outside Co-Chair - Christopher Cooper
- 2021
- No New Honorees Selected
- 2022
- Grand Marshal - Thomas F. McManamon Jr.
- Irish Mother of the Year - Rita Lally
- Inside Co-Chair - Patricia Coleman Lavelle
- Outside Co-Chair - Eileen Mangan Stull
*Past Honoree Has Been Called Home