March 16, 2022 Friendly Sons of St. Patrick Gala
Photos by AnieWatt.com - John Sanderson & Jill Nelson
The 238th Anniversary dinner of the Society of the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick in The City of New York
After a two-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic, over 600 members and guests attended the 238th Anniversary dinner of the Society of the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick in The City of New York on Wednesday evening at Cipriani 42nd St. White or black tie with decorations were called for at this much-anticipated celebration on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day.
Following a lively cocktail hour, the dinner commenced after a moving invocation and featured speakers the Reverend Joseph M. McShane SJ and Captain Scott Kelly. Father McShane is stepping down as President of Fordham University, a position he has held since 2003 during his tenure he has overseen a host of initiatives to raise the national profile of the University and further its Jesuit mission. Scott Kelly is a former NASA astronaut and retired United States Navy captain who has traveled more than 200 million miles in space and has orbited the earth more than 8300 times. In 2015 he stayed a record-breaking 340 days at the international space station. A patriot as well as an author Kelly has an identical twin brother, Mark who is also a former NASA astronaut and the current junior US senator from Arizona.
The spirited evening also featured performances by the societies Glee club singing such traditional favorites as the sidewalks of New York and culminating with the Star-Spangled Banner. John A Coleman III, President of the society made pertinent toasts during the course of the dinner and spoke of the organizations mission and accomplishments while acknowledging the various members who contributed to the evenings success.
Read MoreThe 238th Anniversary dinner of the Society of the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick in The City of New York
After a two-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic, over 600 members and guests attended the 238th Anniversary dinner of the Society of the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick in The City of New York on Wednesday evening at Cipriani 42nd St. White or black tie with decorations were called for at this much-anticipated celebration on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day.
Following a lively cocktail hour, the dinner commenced after a moving invocation and featured speakers the Reverend Joseph M. McShane SJ and Captain Scott Kelly. Father McShane is stepping down as President of Fordham University, a position he has held since 2003 during his tenure he has overseen a host of initiatives to raise the national profile of the University and further its Jesuit mission. Scott Kelly is a former NASA astronaut and retired United States Navy captain who has traveled more than 200 million miles in space and has orbited the earth more than 8300 times. In 2015 he stayed a record-breaking 340 days at the international space station. A patriot as well as an author Kelly has an identical twin brother, Mark who is also a former NASA astronaut and the current junior US senator from Arizona.
The spirited evening also featured performances by the societies Glee club singing such traditional favorites as the sidewalks of New York and culminating with the Star-Spangled Banner. John A Coleman III, President of the society made pertinent toasts during the course of the dinner and spoke of the organizations mission and accomplishments while acknowledging the various members who contributed to the evenings success.
