Irish Cultural Society of San Antonio

Irish Cultural Society

of San Antonio Texas

MINUTES 21JAN01

IRISH CULTURAL SOCIETY
MEETING MINUTES:
- JANUARY 21, 2001

Our guests were introduced: Melanie McInnis, Byron and
Thelma O'Shaughnessy, Pauline and Vincent Forbes, and Sister
Marian Frances Margo. The sister is the first cousin of
Romeo Perez and lives at the O.L.L.U. convent. The minutes
were read and approved. The treasurer's report was good and
bad news. $1000 in dues came in (24 members are still
unpaid), but our Christmas party went in the red. There
were fewer in attendance, in spite of the nominal cost for
the meal. Sister Carmen drew our attention to the Noel
Henry dance and displayed a brochure about the Crystal Tours
trip to Ireland this year. Jane McDaniel asked for details
of our hosting of the reception after the Chieftains' concert.
The cost to us is $2000 which will gain ICS publicity on NPR
as well as radio announcements for Irish Heritage Day and the
Noel Henry dance. In addition to the cost of tickets, entrance
to the reception is $25 for NPR members, $35 for non-members.
Maura asked for seven volunteers to hand out flyers before the
concert. President Kelley announced that we would not award the
scholarship this year but will double it next year.

Our speaker, Tom Harrell, made the connection between Tammany
Hall and the prospering of the Irish in America. The ward
bosses took up the cause of the downtrodden. In the years from
1840 to 1880, the Irish went from desperate poverty to places
of influence, despite the hostility of such people as Thomas Nast
who reviled the foreigners and their Catholic faith. Tammany
Hall was founded in 1789, long before the wave of Irish immigrants.
It was named for a Delaware Indian chief noted for his wisdom.
The building still stands in New York City. We dismissed early
so that we could browse through Mr. Harrell's display of original
cartoons by Thomas Nast. Thirty-six members were in attendance.

Respectfully submitted

Peggy Hill, Secretary