The Silver Key Award
For more than a quarter of a millennium, the Society’s central mission has been to assist newly arrived Irish immigrants to Boston, most recently by providing support in the areas of employment, housing, education, finance, health and law.
Despite the growth of the Irish economy, a large number of Irish men and women continue to immigrate to the Boston area. Some of these individuals occasionally find themselves in difficult circumstances because of illness, lack of affordable housing, seasonal employment, or problems with immigration authorities. The proceeds from the Silver Key Award Reception are used to underwrite the work of the Charitable Irish Society in helping individual Irish immigrants on as as-needed basis.
In recognition of the Society’s mission, the Silver Key Award is conferred annually upon individuals who have demonstrated outstanding dedication in helping new immigrants.
Previous recipients of the Silver Key Award have been Phillip Haughey, Elaine Flynn, Emily Winterson, Rev. Bartley MacPhaidin C.S.C, Rev. Daniel Finn, Sr. Lena Deevy L.S.A., Anne and Bill McNally, Jerry Quinn, John McClure, Dr J. Kevin Nugent and Una McGeough-Nugent , Ed Forey, Kieran O’Sullivan, Robert and Claudina Quinn., Connie Cassidy Koutoujian, Paul Harold, Richard Finnegan and Neal Finnegan,Olga Reisman; Michael Cummings; Jim O’Brien. Gobnait Conneely; Carol A. D’Arcy and Brian O’Donovan.
This year we will be honoring John and Maureen Connolly; Neil Hurley and Thomas P. O’Neill III. The event will be held at a Cocktail Reception on Thursday, October 30, 2008 from 6:00 to 8:30 PM at the Massachusetts Historical Society, 1154 Boylston Street, Boston. Tickets are $100 (including wine, beer and hods d’oevres).
John and Maureen Connolly, Neil Hurley, Thomas P. O'Neill III
