Inver Exiles Re-Union in New York

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: New York, United States
Surname/tag: Inver_Parish

Father Edward Harley organized a gathering of Irish people from the parish of Inver, County Donegal, Ireland for bonfire night,^[1] St. John's Eve, 23 June 1920. The purpose seemed to be to raise money for to help the boys and girls at home to build a national hall in Mountcharles. The American Association of the children of Inver was firmly established but there seems to be no record of it lasting. Many old neighbors were brought back together again after many years. Others who had dropped out of sight showed up as well as those who were considered lost.

Tammany Hall

Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York City political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789, as the Tammany Society. It became known as having a role in politics in New York City and New York State and helping immigrants, mostly the Irish, and controlled the Democratic Party nominations.

Immigrants weren't allowed to be members until 1817 when the Irish Militia protested and invaded several offices. By the 1820s, Tammany Hall was accepting Irish immigrants as members of the group. Tammany Hall helped the Irish immigrants by helping with finding/providing employment, shelter and even citizenship. They even helped those who were sick or injured and couldn't work with food and finances. In exchange for the help that the immigrants received they voted for the candidates that Tammany Hall was supporting. ^[2]

Articles

CHILDREN OF INVER TO RECALL OLD TIMES ,Sons and daughters of the parish of Inver, County Donegal, Ireland, are going to recall old times, places and memories at a bonfire night celebration, to be held In Brooklyn Tammany Hall. Grand avenue and Pacific street, June 23. The old home songs will be sung and the old home dances danced, and the old home stories told. Old home orators, too, will orate. A committee has been formed by the Rev. Father Harley. of Drimbaran: James Gallagher, of the Thuras; Joe MacRory.of Tawna-tallan Mrs. Maggie Gallagher Lickdyke, of Tawnatallan; John Kenny, of Tullinagraina: Seumas MacManus, of Glen Coagh, and the Rev. Father Mulhern, of Letlrfad. The proceeds will go to help build the new national hall in Mt. Charles.^[3]

Inver Exiles Re-Union in New York from the Derry Journal July 16th 1920 The exiled children of Inver in Brooklyn and New York celebrated bonfire night in Tamney Hall with a remarkably fine gathering organised by Father Edward Harley, Drimard; James Gallagher, the Turas Hill; and Seumas MacManus of Glen Coagh. In numbers in enthusiasm, and in enjoyment it was the biggest and best gathering of Inver exiles ever brought together in America’s two leading cities.

It was a gratifying success and has firmly established the newly founded American Association of the children of Inver. It brought together many old neighbours who hadn’t had the opportunity of seeing one another for years. And it brought to the fore some who had dropped out of sight, and were considered as lost. The loving thoughts of many a heart was, by this night turned to the old home again, and it set many a tongue talking upon subjects on which they had long been silent.

The gathering was a means also of raising considerably more than a hundred pounds to help the boys and girls at home to build a national hall in Mountcharles. The affair, altogether, was success both financially and sociably, that it has set all the Inver exiles looking forward with big expectation to their next reunion, which, with more time and opportunity to organise, will take place in a larger hall, in the fall, or early winter. The size and enjoyment of the gathering was all the more wonderful, considering that it was held in the dead of summer when as a rule, people refuse or are unable to remain indoors, and when also a great proportion of the Inver girls and some of the boys had already gone off into the country or to the seaside. On this occasion some journeyed back from the country specially to attend. And the far-off Philadelphia Inver exiles sent a special ambassador in the very welcome person of Paddy (Con) MacHugh, of the Mullinbois, who proved himself an eloquent addition to the gathering.

There was plenty of Irish and American dancing, the music being supplied by Mr. King’s Orchestra. Songs were contributed by Mike McGinty, of the Old Brae, and Patrick Quinn, Coalisland. The famous Irish-American poetess, Teresa Brayton attended specially to recite several of her own beautiful Irish poems, with which she captured and charmed the gathering. Addresses were delivered by Father Edward Harley, the chairman of the Association, who delivered a stirring national discourse, and by Seumas MacManus, the treasurer. Mr. Jim Meehan Doorin Point, as floor manager, ably piloted the proceedings. The door keepers were Joe MacRory, of Mountcharles, and Neddie Harley, Drimbaran. Jack Gallagher, Lickdyke, had charge of the men’s cloak-room while the women’s cloak-room was well looked after by Mrs. Maggie Gallagher Lickdyke, and Mrs. Cassie Monaghan Brazier.

Members who, by their activity in helping to organise the gathering, and especially by their energy in pushing the sale of tickets, were Mrs Lickdyke, Mountcharles; Patrick Blaney, Gortward; Mrs Brazier, the Old Brae; Mike McGinty, The Old Brae; Barney Brannigan, Tullyhummer; Eddie Dorrian, Drimfinn; Jim Meehan,The Point; Pat Gallagher, Lingnall; Mrs. Grace McCallion Hogan, Ballymacahill; Mrs. Mary Gallagher Cunningham, Lignall; Rev Father Mulhern, Letterfad; Mrs. Mary Boyle Lynch, Lettermore; Johnnie Kenny, Tullinagriana; Mr. and Charles O’Neill, Drimgorman Barr; James Blaney, Gortward; Miss Mary Fay, Ballintra; Patrick Cannon, Ardara; Patrick Kennedy Genties; Miss Marcella Kenan Brooklyn; Mrs Bridget MacQuie Ritchie, The Back Lane; Judge Patrick Monaghan Gargrim; Dan Keenaghan, Drimbigh; Patrick Tully, Frosses; and Mrs Meehan MacSherry, Ballymacahill. The six first mentioned outstripped all the others in their work, and earned especial praise and thanks for the very large number of tickets that they disposed of. Amongst others who were present there were, in addition to forementioned- Joe harley, Drimard,; Miss Ellen Meehan and Andy Meehan, Doonin Point; Mrs Barney Meehan Loughfad; Mrs Hugh Monaghan, Kenif Gargrim; JamesO’Neill, Drimgarman Barr; Maggie Morris and Annie Morris, Donegal; Winifred Furey, Abernadoorney; Mrs Mary Macguire Henry, Clogher; Mr and Mrs John Brogan, Drimagra; Mrs Patrick Kennedy McCallieg, Drimarone; Miss Florence Reilly Drimbigh; Mrs Sarah Waugh Wilson, Ballylonghan; Miss Margaret Kennedy Altidoo; Miss Merian Barron, Frosses; Michael Lyons, Claremorris; Hugh MacAloon, Cluny; Dan Sweeney, Gorthnasillach; Franois Friel, Mountcharles; Michael O’ Neill; Drimgarman Barr; John O’ Neill, Drimgarman Barr; Mrs Margaret McQueeny, Drimgarman Barr; Mike Breslan Ballybrillaghan; Margaret Boyle, Lettermore; John Breslan, Ballybrillaghan; Mr and Mrs Conny Kelly Drimkeelan; Mr and Mrs Michael Mulheran, Letterfad; Paddy Sheils and the Misses Sheils, Stonepark; Daniel McGragh, Kilkenny, Glenties; John McQuire, Lettertraina; John Gillespie, Glencolmcille; Frank McGragh Killkenny; Annie Boyle, The Wee Ainey; Willie Byrne, Dunkineely; Patrick Brennan,Duggan, Derrybeg; George B McCahill,Croagh; Felix Boyle, Chiny; Miss Cath. Boyle, Cluny; Hannah Boyle, Chuny; Miss Annie Meehan, Aughiln; Patrick Gallagher, Drimkeelan Hill; Joe Keenaghan, Drimbigh; James Cook, Coolum; Mrs Mary Boyle, Mause; Miss Catherine Sheridan, Newtowntully, Ramelton; Anthony Foy, Ballybofey; Patrick Kennedy, Beagh, Ardara; Pete Gillick, Ballybofey; John Gallagher, Beagh; Patrick Cunningham Faiatamon; Miss Rose A Sheridan Newtowntully; Joe Rose Inver; Owen Friel Keelogs; Miss Annie Lynch, Belfast; Miss Jane McKeown Belfast; Mrs Nellie Furey O’Rourke, Tullywoos; James Harvey, Ardaghey; Patrick Mc Call, Dungannon,etc,etc.

For the continuous holding together of the Inver exiles here, and the carrying on of good work by them a permanent council was formed with Father Harley as president; vice-presidents, James Gallagher, Mrs Lickdyke, and Pat Gallagher; treasurers, Father Mulhern and Seumas MacManus; secretaries, Joe MacRory and Johnnie Kenny; council members Mrs Brazier, Jim Meehan, Mrs Hogan, Eddie Dorrian, Neddie Harley, Miss Ellen Meehan, Mrs Cunningham, Mike McGinty, and Patrick Cannon.

The proceedings began at eight o’clock and wound up at two in the morning, when all the Inver friends’ bad farewell one to another, and went to their various homes with happy memories of that pleasant reunion just ended, and pleasant anticipations of the next that should come.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ http://irisharchaeology.ie/2016/06/st-johns-eve-or-bonfire-night-irish-folklore/
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tammany_Hall
3. ↑ https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87658205/the-standard-union/
4. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/swdro/posts/446416675450971

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Category:Inver_Parish%2C_County_Donegal
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Inver_Civil_Parish%2C_County_Donegal
• https://www.townlands.ie/donegal/inver2/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_dance
• https://books.google.com/books?id=W0tMAAAAMAAJ&lpg=PA90&ots=mn7GWKRmpK&dq=Inver%20Ireland%20songs&pg=PA91#v=onepage&q=Inver%20Ireland%20songs&f=false