| | Manuscript Collection | Save | | 1 | Title: | Robert O'Connor Family Papers
| | | | Creator: | O'Connor, Robert Family | | | | Dates: | 1890-1994 | | | | Abstract: | Robert O'Connor (b. 1939) was born in Dublin, Ireland, and immigrated in 1964 to New York, as there was such high unemployment in Ireland at that time. After completing a science degree, he traveled first to the United Kingdom, and subsequently to the United States. He moved to Chicago, Illinois, as part of a job transfer, and a new career took him to Ohio in 1988. O'Connor married Diane Baron in 1967, and together they have four children. Since coming to the United States, O'Connor went back to Ireland once to seek employment, but did not find the same opportunities there as in the United States. O'Connor has traced his family history in Ireland back a number of generations, identifying relationships primarily with the Sullivan family in County Cork. Living and growing up in Ireland during the turbulent times of the 1960s and 1970s left a deep impression on O'Connor. Believing that children are the true victims of the conflict in Northern Ireland, O'Connor and his wife set up The Irish Children's Fund in 1982. The aim of this fund is to provide money to allow Catholic and Protestant children of poor families in Belfast and Derry, Northern Ireland, to come to the United States and experience life with families in an area free of conflict. This program attempts to foster relationships between these two religious groups. In 1986, the O'Connors set up the Creative Irish Gifts Catalog Company, based in Streetsboro, Ohio, with a sole purpose of providing funding to continue the Irish Children's Fund. The collection consists of photocopies of certificates of birth, marriage, naturalization, diploma from University College Dublin, Ireland, an essay, family tree, genealogy, passport, and five short stories. | | | | Call #: | MS 4881 | | | | Extent: | 0.20 linear feet (1 container) | | | | Subjects: | O'Connor, Robert, 1939- | O'Connor family -- History -- Sources. | Sullivan family -- History -- Sources. | Creative Irish Gifts Catalog Company. | Irish Children's Fund | Irish Americans -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- History -- Sources. | Irish Americans -- Archives.
| | | | |
View Finding Aid
|
View XML
| |
| Manuscript Collection | Save | | 2 | Title: | Marie Smith Family Papers
| | | | Creator: | Smith, Mary Family | | | | Dates: | 1865-1996 | | | | Abstract: | The Marie Smith Family originated in County Mayo, Ireland. Smith's uncle, John Sweeney, was a hotel owner in Cleveland, Ohio, and was a member of the Fenian Brotherhood. Celebrating her Irish identity, Smith attended a variety of conferences and events dealing with Irish issues, in America and Ireland, focusing on matters such as stereotypes and investment opportunities. The collection consists of publications, a declaration of intention, programs, flyers, a journal article, a license for a hotel owner, MacBride Principles information, membership applications for Irish organizations, newspaper clippings, an obituary, and subscriptions to two magazines. | | | | Call #: | MS 4897 | | | | Extent: | 0.20 linear feet (1 container) | | | | Subjects: | Smith, Marie -- Family -- History -- Sources. | Sweeney, John. | Smith family -- History -- Sources. | Fenians. | Irish Americans -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- History -- 19th century. | Irish Americans -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- History -- 20th century. | Irish Americans -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- History -- Sources. | Irish Americans -- Archives. | Ireland -- Emigration and immigration. | United States -- Emigration and immigration. | Northern Ireland -- History -- 1969-1994. | Northern Ireland -- History -- 1994- | Mayo (Ireland : County) -- Emigration and immigration.
| | | | |
View Finding Aid
|
View XML
| |
| Manuscript Collection | Save | | 3 | Title: | Sean A. Boland Papers
| | | | Creator: | Boland, Sean A. | | | | Dates: | 1995-2000 | | | | Abstract: | Sean A. Boland (1943-2000) was born in Manchester, England. At two years of age, his family moved to Gurteen, County Sligo, Ireland. After his mother Margaret Boland died, he was adopted by his uncle and his wife, James, and Bridie Boland. This family immigrated to Cleveland, Ohio, when Sean was twelve years old. Sean graduated from St. Joseph High School and married Bridget Ginty, and together they had three children. Sean joined the Ohio Lottery Commission in 1974, working as an investigator, marketing director, and lastly as a fiscal officer in the purchasing department. Sean was involved in the Irish community during his short life. His uncle, Gus Boland, introduced him to Irish dancing, and together they organized an annual Cleveland Feis. In later years, Sean was president of the Greater Cleveland Feis Society, and he is credited with making it the largest such society in North America. Sean led the Cleveland Feis for seventeen years, and also served on the North American Feis Commission as President and board member. He was the driving force behind the establishment of the Irish Music Academy of Cleveland in 1993 and was an avid supporter of the Cleveland Branch of the Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann (Music, Language and Dance of Ireland). Sean was a member of the Irish American Archives Society, the Irish Northern Aid Society, the Irish American East Side, Inc., the West Side Irish American Club, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Comhaltas Ceoltiori Eireann, Cleveland Branch, and the Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival Committee. In 1994, he was named Irish Person of the Year. During the last ten years of his life, he made annual trips to Gurteen and became involved in establishing the Michael Coleman Heritage Center. In Cleveland, Sean was instrumental in planning the Cleveland Memorial in the Flats, in memory of those who died in the Great Famine. The collection consists of correspondence, a biographical sketch, a Liturgy, a memorial, an obituary, a souvenir program and a tribute. | | | | Call #: | MS 4880 | | | | Extent: | 0.20 linear feet (1 container) | | | | Subjects: | Boland, Sean A., 1943-2000. | Folk music -- Ireland. | Irish Americans -- Societies, etc. | Irish Americans -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- History -- Sources. | Irish Americans -- Ohio -- East Cleveland -- History -- Sources. | Irish Americans -- Archives. | Dance -- Ireland. | Irish Americans -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Social life and customs. | Music -- Ohio -- Cleveland. | Cleveland (Ohio) -- Emigration and immigration -- History -- 20th century. | United States -- Emigration and immigration -- 20th century. | Ireland -- Emigration and immigration -- 20th century.
| | | | |
View Finding Aid
|
View XML
| |
|
