Lectures
Hilary Beirne on The Fighting 69th Regiment
The talk will revolve around the history of the NYC St Patrick’s Day Parade and the Fighting 69th Regiment , which is also known as the “Fighting Irish”, a term coined by Confederate General Robert E Lee when this famous Irish regiment almost broke through confederate lines at the battle of Fredericksburg with a high cost of Irish lives.
Tue 15 October 2024
Doors at 7:00pm, Starts at 7:30pm
Tickets: £8
About Hilary Beirne
Hilary Beirne is from Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland, and was educated at University College Galway, University College Dublin, Atlantic Technology University Mountbellew campus, formally known as the Franciscan Agriculture College in Mountbellew, Co Galway and The City University of New York at Hunter College.
In 1988, he emigrated to the United States and two weeks after arriving in New York he was volunteering at the New York City Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.
For the past 30 years, he has worked in various capacities at the world’s largest and oldest Saint Patrick’s Day Parade helping to modernize the Parade operations, and ensuring it is fully funded. Currently he serves as the Chief Administrative Officer of the Parade.
In 2012, Hilary Beirne founded the New York City St Patrick’s Day Foundation along with Sean Lane, current Parade Chairman. The purpose of the foundation is to support all aspects of the Parade. Today, the Foundation is the Parade’s largest donor and Mr. Beirne chairs its Board of Directors.
The 69th Regiment recognized Mr. Beirne in 2012 for his outstanding support of the Fighting 69th Regiment. In 2017, he was designated an Honorary Member of the Regiment by order of the Secretary of the Army. Currently, Hilary Beirne serves the Regiment as a member of the Sixty Ninth Regiment Historical Trust.
In addition to the 69th Regiment and the Parade, Hilary Beirne serves on the Executive Board at VotingRights.ie, is a member of the Ad Hoc Committee to Protect the Good Friday Agreement in Washington, D.C., and a member of both the Roscommon and Leitrim Societies of New York.
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