In Boston, US Congressman James M. Curley Lays Corner Stone for the New Hibernian Hall in Roxbury on May 30, 1913

-
On Sunday, May 30, 1913, Massachusetts Congressman James Michael Curley laid the corner stone for the new Hibernian Building on Dudley Street in Roxbury, before a crowd of over 5,000 people.  Curley was joined by numerous Irish leaders from the city, state and nation, including members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, which organized the project in 1906 to create a headquarters for AOH divisions throughout greater Boston.

The ceremony was called to order by Patrick J. Larkin, president of the Hibernian Building Society.  Also on the dais were architect Edward T.P. Graham, past AOH National President Matthew Cummings, President of the Ladies Auxiliary Mrs. Ellen Ryan Jolley and AOH State President John H. Dillon.

"The building will contain one of the largest dance halls in Boston, on the top floor of the four-story building, as well as a large banquet hall," and various smaller rooms for meetings and cultural activities, Graham told reporters.  "On the first floor there will be two large double stores, with meeting room in the rear.  The basement contains eight bowling alleys, five billiard tables, store rooms and a boiler room.  The building is finely situated...near the Dudley Street Terminal."

Congressman Curley gave the keynote address on the Progress of the Irish People in America, in which he said, "The Irishman today stands for liberty and progress and his daily life is the most highly developed form of American citizenship," wrote The Boston Globe, which continued,  "He spoke of the character, purity and honesty of the Irish, who came here at the time of the 13 Colonies and made such a republic possible.  He told of the Irish in the Civil War.".

After the address, Congressman Curley "laid the stone with a silver trowel.  The crowed cheered and waved small American flags," according to the Roxbury Gazette weekly newspaper.  "President Larking placed in the corner stone a copper box containing a copy of the ddes, pictures, newspapers and other things which will be of interest to the future."

Hibernian Hall officially opened on October 1, 1913, and for nearly half a century served as a gathering place for the region's large Irish community.  Read more about Hibernian Hall in the recent issue of BITA's Travel & Culture Guide. 

Today Hibernian Hall houses the Roxbury Center for the Arts, a non-profit group dedicated to promoting arts and culture to the Roxbury community. 

For more information on Boston's Irish history, visit Irishheritagetrail.com.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Blazing the Trail" depicts early Irish filmmaking, showing on November 23 in Brookline

-
Image
The Boston Irish Film Festival is presenting a fresh new look at early Irish filmmaking with the presentation of Blazing the Trail: The Story of the Kalem Film Company in Ireland. The multimedia event takes place on Monday, November 23, 2009, at the historic Coolidge Corner Theater at 290 Harvard Street in Brookline, MA, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The project was created by film scholar and director Peter Flynn, founder of the Boston Irish Film Festival , and produced by Dawn Morrissey. They will show a selection of rarely-seen films from the early 20th century, as well as several short films that put the historical film in retrospect and modern context. Live music will be interspersed between the films to create an old-time Nickelodeon atmosphere. Musicians are pianist Peter Freisinger and vocalists Victoria Hayes and Liz Hayes. There is also a chance to win free tickets to this premier event through the Boston Irish Tourism Association . Tickets to the show are $9.75 and are availa
Read more

General Edward L. Logan, Namesake of Boston's Logan International Airport

-
Image
General Edward L. Logan (1875-1939), namesake of Boston’s Logan International Airport , died on July 6 1939 from a sudden 'heart ailment.'  His brother, Reverend Leo J. Logan, presided over the funeral mass at the Gate of Heaven Church in South Boston, with tributes by leading politicians like Senator David I. Walsh , former Massachusetts Governor and Boston Mayor James M. Curley and former Mayor John F. Fitzgerald .  Logan is buried at the Calvary Cemetery in West Roxbury.  A first generation Irish-American, military leader, civic leader and municipal judge with family roots in Galway and South Boston,  Edward was the oldest of nine children of Lawrence and Catherine (O’Connor), according to Michael Cummings of Milton, an expert on the Logan Family. Edward’s father Lawrence immigrated to Boston from Ballygar, County Galway, in 1858, and became a successful businessman at a young age when he became president of the Boston Brewing Company in South Boston.  The family resided a
Read more

Damian McGinty, former Celtic Thunder Star, Performs in Hartford and Providence this Fall

-
Image
Damian McGinty , the young singing star from Derry, Northern Ireland who performed with Celtic Thunder , is returning to New England in October as part of a national tour with  Ethan Bortnick . They will be performing in Hartford, CT on October 5, followed by two shows in Providence, RI on October 12, 2014. Find details here. McGinty was part of the original Celtic Thunder ensemble for several years, and left the band in 2012 when he won a coveted spot on the television show Glee .  Since then he has embarked on a solo career that has taken him around the world.  In 2013 McGinty was Cultural Ambassador for his home city of Derry, Northern Ireland . Find year round details on Celtic and Irish cultural activities at IrishMassachusetts.com .
Read more