AOH Home of the Brooklyn Irish
Baile na nGael
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Posted by Jim on April 17, 2019
Active Firefighter
Christopher A. Slutman
Ladder Company 27
Wake (One Day Only)
Thursday, April 25, 2019
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Joseph A. Lucchese Funeral Home, Inc.
726 Morris Park Avenue
Bronx, NY 10462
Funeral
Friday, April 26, 2019
11:00 AM
Saint Thomas Church
1 W 53rd Street
New York, NY 10019
All Off-Duty Members should attend in Class A Uniform
Posted by Jim on April 16, 2019
Notre Dame’s Main Structure Has Been ‘Saved And Preserved
Firefighters have managed to save and preserve the main structure of Notre Dame, according to a fire official who told AFP
Another official has added to Reuters that the two main towers have also been preserved.
According to the Guardian, a preliminary investigation has revealed the fire started accidentally.
One firefighter has been injured while tackling the massive blaze at the 850-year-old cathedral.
A police drone image has revealed the true extent of the devastating blaze that has shocked many around the world.
Thankfully, all precious artefacts and artwork have been saved from the historic building, according to a Notre Dame cathedral priest.
In a tweet, French journalist Nicolas Delesalle cited Père Frédéric, writing: “Good news: all the works of art were saved. The treasure of the Cathedral is intact, the Crown of thorns, the Holy sacraments.”
The historic building’s spire and roof have already collapsed. No casualties have been reported as of yet.
The cause of the fire is not yet known, however, officials have indicated it could be linked to current renovation work.
The French President, Emmanuel Macron, has cancelled a planned public address and has arrived at the scene.
Credit: PA
Last year the Catholic Church launched an urgent appeal for funds to repair the building, which was showing serious signs of decay.
The construction of Notre Dame – which means ‘Our Lady’ – began in 1160 and was mostly completed a hundred years later in 1260. It has been modified on numerous occasions throughout the centuries since.
On Twitter, the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, described the fire as ‘terrible’.
She said: “A terrible fire is underway at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. The @PompiersParis are trying to control the flames. We are mobilised on the spot in close connection with the @dioceseParis. I ask everyone to respect the security perimeter.”
Posted by Jim on April 15, 2019
FDNY HOLY NAME SOCIETY – 95TH ANNUAL COMMUNION MASS AND BREAKFAST
The Fire Department Holy Name Society, Manhattan, Bronx, and Staten Island, will hold its 95th Annual Communion Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Sunday, April 28, at 10:15 AM. The Mass will be followed with a procession to the NY Hilton on 6th Ave and 53rd Street, where a meal will be shared and the Honorees will be recognized. The breakfast will begin at approximately 11:30 AM. During the breakfast, the Holy Name Society will honor Retired Battalion Chief, Joseph Bryant, B-35 who served as President of the HNS for 38 years, and DC Jimmy Ginty from Rescue Operations who currently serves as President of the Fire Family Transport Foundation. This year, the Father Mychal Judge Humanitarian Award will be presented to the Nurses of the FDNY who represent both BHS and WTC Medical Monitoring. Donations are $65 per person. For ticket reservations, send a check to the Holy Name Society, Attention: Chris Ward, 1800 Pettit Avenue, North Merrick, NY 11566. Spouses and children are cordially invited. Please respond before April 20th. Members are requested to attend in dress uniform. Members shall assemble on 51st Street, East of 5th Avenue at 9:45 AM. Please visit http://www.fdnyholynamesociety.com for more information.
FR. MYCHAL JUDGE SCHOLARSHIP RAFFLE
During the HNS Annual Communion Mass on Sunday, April 28, there will also be 3 tickets drawn for the Fr. Mychal Judge Scholarship Raffle. The cost of the Raffle ticket is $100. Awards are: 1st Ticket: $5,000; 2nd Ticket: $3,000; and 3rd Ticket: $2,000. Winners need not be present at the Breakfast. All proceeds from the drawing will go to funding the Fr. Mychal Judge Scholarship Fund. Tickets and further information can be found at www.fdnyholynamesociety.com. They must be returned to the Holy Name Society by April 20, 2019. Return Raffle to: FDNY Holy Name Society, PO Box 604633, Bay Terrace, NY 11360.
HIGHER EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP DRAWING
The Holy Name Society, Manhattan, Bronx and Staten Island, will hold a Higher Education Scholarship Drawing at the annual Communion Breakfast on April 28, 2019. The Higher Education Scholarships consist of two $1,500 awards, payable to any college or trade school of the winners’ choice. Applicants must be graduating from high school in June 2019. Members must be in good standing and be PRESENT at the Breakfast to have their children eligible for the drawing. Applications can be obtained from Scholarship Chairman, Bill Meade, P.O. Box 525, Maspeth, NY 11378, telephone 917-716-1074, or at http://www.fdnyholynamesociety.com/documents/HigherEducationScholarshipApplication.pdf. Completed applications must be returned by April 19, 2019, to be included in the drawing.
Posted by Jim on April 13, 2019
The DUP in north Belfast has won the competition for the most outrageous
pre-election news story after it emerged that their candidates’
nomination papers have been signed by a convicted cocaine dealer, as
well as another infamous loyalist convicted of driving at speed into a
crowd of nationalists.
DUP north Belfast councillor Dale Pankhurst and former Stormont minister
Nelson McCausland have been canvassing alongside Mark Officer, who was
jailed in 2015 over a cocaine haul worth nearly £1m. The loyalist
kingpin was handed a 40-month sentence for being involved in the supply
of the Class A drug. His name is also listed among those who signed
nomination papers for Gillian Simpson, a DUP candidate in north Belfast
alongside Pankhurst.
Mr Pankhurst’s own nomination papers were signed by notorious Orangeman
John Aughey. He was jailed for one year after violently mowing his car
into nationalists at the Ardoyne shopfronts in July 2015 during a
protest over the Orange Order’s bid to march past the sectarian
flashpoint. One teenager became trapped under his vehicle, was run over
and was dragged along, suffering life-changing injuries.
In a statement issued in the name of its local councillor Ryan Murphy,
Sinn Féin said the DUP had displayed ‘staggering arrogance and
hypocrisy’ in its approach to the election. They said: “The DUP likes to
portray itself as the party of law and order yet, when it comes to
election time, they clearly have no difficulty sharing platforms with
the representatives of loyalist paramilitary organisations which are
still actively involved in everything from drug dealing to extortion and
murder.”
Other unionist candidates have made headlines for different reasons. The
election posters of far-right loyalist Jolene Bunting have been reported
to the PSNI as potential hate crimes. The independent councillor, who is
seeking re-election next month, put up campaign posters with slogans
including “Put veterans before immigrants” and “Local homes for local
people”.
Sinn Féin councillor Ciaran Beattie described the posters as the
“politics of hate”, while Alliance representative Micky Murray said they
were “blatant, everyday racism”.
Another independent unionist councillor, Henry Reilly, formerly of UKIP,
had his account closed by Twitter after he issued a sectarian screed on
the social network. The Newry, Mourne and Down representative told
Twitter users that “Ulster Protestants will fight hard” in any upcoming
war in the north of Ireland.
Reilly declared: “IRA-types telling me the Prods are finished – I would
remind the Provos that there is now no British Army or RUC here to
protect them – Any war they start will be with Ulster Protestants alone
and it will be a fight to the last and Ulster Protestants will fight
hard”.
Posted by Jim on
An analysis piece from the Enniscorthy Guardian looks at how Scotland’s
approach to Brexit resonates in Ireland.
As the parliament in Westminster continues its descent into anarchy you
could be forgiven for thinking that British politics has reached a state
of such utter dysfunction that it may never recover.
Thank God then for Scotland which – in an increasingly lunatic world –
looks like it will emerge from the morass of Brexit with its dignity
intact.
There is no denying that those most aggressively seeking Scottish
independence have seized on Brexit as a powerful propaganda weapon to
advance their cause.
While that is certainly true, it does a disservice to Nicola Sturgeon
and her administration to suggest that advancing Scottish independence
is the only reason that they have so vigorously fought to stop Brexit.
Though a majority of Scots voted against independence in 2014, when it
came to the Brexit vote in 2016 the vast majority of Scottish voters –
62 per cent – said they wanted to stay in the EU.
Now as the UK prepares to drive off a cliff, in the most demented act of
political self harm witnessed in Europe for decades, our Scottish
neighbours are pleading with Europe not to abandon them in their hour of
need.
Debate in Westminster has become a tragic farce but in Europe sense,
logic and responsibility have generally prevailed in the face of British
irrationality.
A striking example of this came in the EU chamber last week when
Scottish National Party MEP Alyn Smith made an emotional rallying call
to the European Parliament.
In what he said could be his last ever speech to the European
Parliament, Smyth insisted that Scotland remains a European nation and
he begged the lawmakers in Strasbourg to leave the door open to
Scotland’s return in the event that Nicola Sturgeon and her party can
secure a vote for Scotland’s independence from the UK.
“We celebrate international solidarity, we celebrate freedom of
movement. If the European Union did not exist we would need to invent
something like it and Scotland would like to be part of it,” said Smyth
to applause in the chamber.
“Chers collègues, I’m not asking you to solve our domestic discussions.
I am asking you to leave a light on so we can find our way home,” he
added.
It was a powerful, articulate contribution to a debate that, in Britain,
has become more vicious and increasingly half-witted with every passing
day.
If there were more politicians like Mr Smyth in Westminster then Europe
might have been spared this abject mess.
The SNP’s fight for Scottish independence still has a long way to go but
recent polls have shown that more and more Scots believe Brexit will
make Scotland’s independence more likely.
Crucially 43 per cent of previously undecided Scots polled in the last
week say that Brexit had made up their minds and that they now back
independence.
Whatever about Westminster, there are interesting times ahead in
Holyrood.