Irish American Leaders 2020
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NEW JERSEY’S IRISH AMERICAN LEADERS 2020 Make our state a better place! NEW JERSEY’S IRISH AMERICAN LEADERS 2020 INSIDERNJ.COM is once again pleased to present its annual and profiled list of New Jersey’s Irish American leaders and activists as a salute to this year’s holiday. The annual tribute is our way of honoring, celebrating and acknowledging the accomplishments and numerous contributions of Irish Americans, statewide. The list includes quite a few newcomers and veterans of previous compilations, as well. Collectively, they have all demonstrated a commitment to their Irish American heritage and to their communities. Tom Barrett, compiler of the list, would like our readers to know it is purely subjective. WE HOPE YOU ENJOY IT! 1 Top Hats & Tails of Yesteryear McGovern’s Tavern This year we offer a salute and a tip of the ‘top hat’ to the landmark Irish Pub, none other than McGovern’s Tavern on New Street in Newark. Established in 1936 by Frank McGovern himself (a Cavan man) in the same year as the Newark St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the pub, one of New Jersey’s oldest Irish establishments, has been newly refurbished, even renovated some would say, for the first time in 84 years. Closed for upgrades in June 2018, much to the disappointment of its loyal customers, it re-opened for business in November 2019. If one were to closely examine this vintage photo of the Frank McGovern Association (circa1958), none other than Frank McGovern himself stands proudly in the middle of his loyal entourage on Irish Parade Day. Besides serving as a place for ‘refreshments’ and as a social club, McGovern’s Tavern in the late 1930’s and in the years leading up to World War II and beyond, was also a place of refuge for the Irish born come to America. If directed there, Frank McGovern would be sure to accommodate you: something to eat, surely something to drink and, often enough as was his want, even a line on a line of work. Many a man just in from Ellis Island and other ports of entry slept on the pool tables in the back room. No one was ever turned away. So if visiting Newark on a Parade Day or any other day or evening, you can always look forward to some classic Irish hospitality. If you’re lost downtown, just ask anyone how to get to McGovern’s. They’ll easily point the way. 2 TIM AMBACHER WILLIAM (BILL) BARONI EILEEN DONNELLY Well known proprietor of Joe’s Former NY/NJ Port Authority BIENNAS Place / Union. 2020 honoree / Executive, Seton Hall Law Deputy Grand Marshal of the 60th Annual Cryan Association Professor and New Jersey State 2020 Belmar St. Patrick’s Day fete’ along with co-honoree Anna Senator. His mother immigrated Parade. Member / Woman of Irish Fitzpatrick. to America from Ireland. Heritage Jersey Shore since 2004. Currently Treasurer for the Belmar Lake Como Parade Committee. JOSEPH P. BRENNAN, ESQ. KEVIN BRENNAN OF THE LAUREL BRENNAN Three-term Essex County WEST ORANGE BRENNAN Highly regarded South Jersey Surrogate (retired). Twice elected CLAN Labor leader. Secretary-Treasurer West Orange Council President. General Chairman of the WO NJ State AFL-CIO. Past recipient Decorated Vietnam War veteran. Parade and Trustee / Friendly Sons of the Evangelina Menendez Former Grand Marshal / West of St. Patrick of the Oranges. Trailblazer Award. Orange Irish Parade. 3 BRIAN BORU, INC. DECLAN BURKE MEGHAN BARRETT BURKE, HONOREES. Senior Director/ Center for Science ESQ. (77th Anniversary): Glen Ridge Po - & Digital Assessment Design, ETS, In-house Counsel, Colas Inc. lice Chief Sheila E. Byron-Lagatutta, Princeton. “Man of the West”/ Global Infrastructure Construction Essex County Clerk Chris Durkin, Dunmore, County Galway, Ireland. Co., Morristown. Former Partner / Father Thomas P. Quinn of St. Graduate/ Ireland’s National Connell Foley. Honors grad. Michaels, Cranford and Kevin University, MA/Seton Hall, Providence College/University P. O’Connor / Teamsters Local 469. MBA/Rutgers. of Galway, Ireland. JD/SHU Law School. BOBBY BYRNE EUGENE J. BYRNE, ESQ. MICHAEL D. BYRNE Acclaimed Irish-American Trustee of the Friendly Sons of Grand Marshal/ 85th Anniversary musician and former Grand St. Patrick of the Oranges. Former Newark St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Marshal of Belmar’s St. Patrick’s Grand Marshal of Newark Irish Former 9-year General Parade Day Parade. Decorated Vietnam Parade. Gene has marched in the Chairman. Board member/ Saint Veteran. NYC Irish parade faithfully for 62 Patrick's Guard of Honor and the years. Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of the Oranges (" 2014 Young Irishman of the Year"). 4 ROBERT BYRNE TOM BYRNE, JR. COL. PATRICK CALLAHAN Jersey City Municipal Clerk Founder/Byrne Asset Management Superintendent/NJ State Police. (recently retired after 31 years LLC. Former Chairman/NJ State Re-nominated by Gov. Phil of service). Democratic Committee. Past Chair - Murphy as full-time head of man / New Jersey State Investment force. Former Chief Honoree / Council. Son of the late Gov. Irish Echo / Law & Order Awards. Brendan T. Byrne. BRIAN CAMPBELL TOM CANNAN DENNIS F. CAREY, III Finance Executive, Writer / Retired Newark Detective. Board Essex County Superior Court Essayist. Silver Pen Award member, Project Children. Trustee / Judge (retired). Grandson of winner/ Star Ledger. Grandson Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of the the legendary Dennis “I run of George Bell/ 1961 Grand Oranges. Former Grand Marshal / Essex” Carey (1953-1969) Marshal of Newark’s St. Patrick’s West Orange Irish Parade. PGA, who engineered a 50,000 Day Parade. USGA & MGA Rules official. countywide vote plurality for JFK in 1960. 5 JOHN CARR MICHAEL PATRICK ROBERT “BOBBY” Past President/ Friendly Sons of the CARROLL CARROLL Shillelagh/Belmar Chapter. Former Former GOP Assemblyman. Son of the late and famed labor Belmar/Lake Como Parade Grand Member/ Friendly Sons of St. leader ‘Big’ Jim Carroll of Heavy Marshal. Past Chairman, NJ Irish Patrick. Son of the late Maurice Construction Laborer’s Local 472 Festival and driving force for its (Mickey) Carroll, former NY Herald in Newark. Currently successful new location at Monmouth Park. Tribune reporter and director of attorney in private practice. the Quinnipiac Polling Institute. RICHARD CARTY CHIP CAVANAUGH DENNIS M. CAVANAUGH 2020 Grand Marshal/Burlington Chairman/Belmar & Lake Como U.S. District Court Judge / County St. Patrick’s Day Parade. St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Chip’s District/NJ (retired) whose Vietnam Vet. Accomplished Irish mom, Jackie, was a former Deputy mother was born in County & folk musician and teacher. Grand Marshal. Clare, Ireland. Related to the late Frank McGovern, famed proprietor of McGovern’s Tavern in Newark. 6 JAMES A. CAVANAUGH MARY PAT FOSTER MARY ELLEN CLYNE, PH.D. Former Essex County Freeholder, CHRISTIE President and CEO/ Clara Maass now successful restaurateur. Former NJ First Lady. University Medical Center. Only person who Owner/Iron Bar and Revolution / of Delaware grad. Seton Hall holds a BSN, MSN and a Ph.D Morristown. Former Grand Marshal University MBA. Ninth/10 children in Nursing from Seton Hall of the Nutley St. Patrick’s Day born to a Pennsylvania Irish University. Forrmer Essex County Parade. Catholic family. Former Essex Irishwoman of the Year. County Irishwoman of the Year. EUGENE AND RAYMOND PATRICIA CODEY, SC, ESQ. GOV. RICHARD J. CODEY CODEY Accomplished attorney and Sister State Senator (D-27). One of the Still the ‘dynamic duo’. Twin of Charity. President/Catholic most influential legislative lead - brothers, Gene a retired Superior HealthCare Partnership of New ers in New Jersey history. Served Court Judge in private practice Jersey. with distinction and bi-partisan with Connell/Foley, LLP and praise as the state’s 53rd Gover - Raymond, Business Manager for nor and President of the NJ Sen - Madison Township. ate. Strong advocate for mental health reforms. 7 JERE’ COLE PAT COLLIGAN JACK COLLINS Essex County Sheriff’s officer President/New Jersey State PBA. Princeton Public Affairs. Former (retired). Currently National Former Grand Marshal of the Speaker of New Jersey General Secretary of the Ancient Order Nutley Irish Annual St. Patrick’s Assembly. College Professor. of Hibernians. Day Parade. Basketball Coach. Lawyer. Farmer. KEVIN P. CONLIN KATHLEEN M. CONLON HUGH W. CONNELLY Chairman, President / CEO / Director / Burn Community & One of the founders / Burlington Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield Disaster Programs/ St. Barnabas County St. Patrick’s Day Parade. of New Jersey. More than 37 Medical Center. Former Deputy President/Business Banking / years of executive management Grand Marshal/ Newark St. Patrick’s Univest Bank & Trust Company. experience in health care, with Day Parade. a concentration in hospital systems. 8 MARYANN CONNELLY THOMAS B. CONSIDINE FRAN MCHUGH COON Popular principal of Bayonne’s Managing Partner / Gravilaur RN at Mountainside Hospital, Dr. Walter F. Robinson Commu - Solutions, LLC. Former NJ resident of West Caldwell. Former nity School named for local Commissioner / Banking & Nutley Parade Deputy Grand historian who was the author Insurance. Named Top 100 Marshal. Traces roots to County of “The History of Modern Lawyers of Irish Descent. Longford, Ireland. Bayonne.” GERRY COONEY CAROL SHARKEY MICHAEL C. CORCORAN Former professional boxer and CORCORAN Morristown’s first civilian Public Golden Glove champion Former Grand Marsha / West Safety Director overseeing police, renowned for bouts with heavy - Orange Parade. Her mother, fire and office of Emergency weight champion Larry Holmes, Helena Sharkey, was the1979 Management. Former West Orange Michael Spinks and George Grand Marshal (first NJ woman Deputy Police Director/ U.S. Navy Foreman. Resident of Fanwood. Grand Marshal) and her father veteran. Alfie Sharkey was 1999 Grand Marshal. The family hails from County Roscommon, Ireland. 9 PATRICIA K. COSTELLO CRAIG J. COUGHLIN JENNIFER CRITCHLEY, ESQ Essex County Assignment Judge Well regarded Speaker of the NJ Partner, Connell Foley, LLP.