D

Some of the themes that D'Arcy focuses on in these interviews include: class divisions in Irish post-war community and how Kathleen related in an up-scale school environment; growing up in an extremely Irish-oriented household; parents were very open and Kathleen thinks that they were unique in that way (track 4); she was in a convent, as a novitiate, for a year; McNiff school of dancing (track 5); and her work in Dublin in the early 1970s.

This oral history was digitally recorded on a Marantz PMD660. The interview took place over two sessions: February 12, 2009 and April 22, 2009. The 2/12/09 interview is approximately 2 hours long and on two CDs, and the 4/22/09 interview is approximately 70 minutes long. The interviews both took place in New York, and the interviewer was Myriam Nyhan.

This interview was conducted by at Jimmy Deenihan's home in County Kerry, Ireland on June 16, 2016.  The interview covers Deenihan's early life and working life. Deenihan discusses his family and his early ambition to be a Gaelic football player.  He discusses his football career, his career as a secondary teacher, and the injury he sustained in 1982 which led to the end of these careers. He discusses his transition to politics in 1983 and his appointment to Seanad Éireann by Taoiseach Garret Fitzgerald as a member of the Fine Gael Party.  He discusses his work as the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and as Ireland's first Minister for State for the Diaspora.

This interview was conducted by Íde B. O'Carroll at Sister Lena Deevy's home in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts on December 10, 2014.  The interview covers Deevy's work as a nurse in Dublin, Ireland and her work with the Irish International Immigrant Center in Boston. Deevy describes her family and her childhood in Crettyard, County Laois, Ireland.  She recounts training as a nurse in North Wales, England in the 1950s, serving as a midwife in Dublin in the 1960s, and deciding to join the Little Sisters of the Assumption (LSA). She describes her vocation, her decision to join the LSA, and her work in the Ballymun neighborhood of Dublin.  She discusses her decision to leave Ireland for a year in 1988, her decision to pursue a master's degree in education at Harvard Graduate School of Education, and her work with the Irish immigrant community in the Boston area. She discusses her opinion of the importance of creating an inclusive organization in Boston for all immigrants and the importance of creating a safe place for Irish immigrants who may not identify with traditional Irish American organizations that existed in the late 1980s in Boston.

This interview was conducted by Miriam Nyhan on October 13, 2014 at New York University's Glucksman Ireland House in Manhattan, New York. The interview contains Peter Delaney's family history and early childhood in Tipperary, County Tipperary, Ireland. He recounts his time in London, England working as a day laborer and at the National Hotel in the 1960s. He describes his experiences of anti-Irish prejudice in London and the fact that these experiences convinced him to move to Dublin in 1969. Delaney describes how he obtained a visa in 1995 to immigrate to the United States. He shares how he became a facilities manager at New York University in 2006.

This interview was conducted by Íde B. O'Carroll at the Elmer Holmes Bobst Library at New York University in New York, New York on November 10, 2016.  The interview covers Dan Dennehy's family, his family's experience in the Woodlawn neighborhood in the Bronx, and his participation in Irish American organizations.  Dennehy discusses his family, detailing the immigration, education, and work experiences of his parents and and the relationships among Irish and Irish American families in the Woodlawn neighborhood of the Bronx between the 1960s and the 1970s.  Dennehy discusses his family's involvement with the Ancient Order of Hibernians and his role as the Immigration Officer between 2002 and the time of the interview. He recounts the experience of his wife Siobhán and other undocumented Irish immigrants in the 1980s and the fact that this led Dennehy to become involved in Irish immigration issues, particularly through the AOH, the Irish Immigration Reform Movement, and Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform.  He also discusses his relationship to the County Cork Benevolent, Patriotic and Protective Association; his establishment of the Hudson Valley Irish Festival; and his association with the St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City.

This interview was conducted by Íde B. O'Carroll at the Emerald Isle Immigration Center in Queens, New York on March 19, 2015.  The interview covers Siobhan Dennehy's early life in Ireland and her working life in New York City. Dennehy describes her family members, the working lives of her parents, and recounts numerous anecdotes from her childhood.  She discusses her experiences at Trinity College in Dublin in the early 1980s and her decision to immigrate to the United States (US) after her graduation in 1987. She recounts jobs she held in the US before starting at the Emerald Isle Immigration Center in 2002.  She discusses her work at the Center, in particular expanding funding for programs and expanding the communities to whom they target their programs.

This oral history was digitally recorded on a Marantz PMD660. The interview is approximately 80 minutes long, on 2 CDs. The interview took place on March 19, 2009, and the interviewer was Myriam Nyhan.

This interview was conducted by Miriam Nyhan on August 19, 2014 at New York University's Glucksman Ireland House in New York, New York. The interview covers James Diedrich's family history and his childhood Poughkeepsie, New York. He recounts the history of Metallic Lathers & Reinforcing Ironworkers, Local 46 and his family's membership in that local. He recounts stories related to him by his parents about their experiences of the racial tensions in the Bronx in the 1960s and 1970s.

This interview was conducted by  Íde B. O'Carroll in Chicago, Illinois on November 21, 2014.  The interview covers Peter Dineen's family and his working life.  Dineen describes his family and his childhood on a farm in County Cork, Ireland.  He discusses his experiences in college in Cork, his working life after graduation, and his decision to immigrate to the United States in 1993.  He recounts his decision to settle in Chicago, his early experiences in Chicago, and the establishment of his business, Hibernian Development, in 1999.  He also discusses his work with the Center for Immigration Support and relates numerous anecdotes from his time in Chicago.

Joan Dolan's first memories come from her time as a child growing up in Ireland. Her mother had moved her there from New York when she was only two and a half years old to live with her grandparents and her uncle. She had grown up on a small farm in Killarue, and she attended National School in Cavan until the age of eleven. Her parents and had come back to Ireland in order to bring her back to the United States. She has thought about her return to America at age eleven after spending nine years in Ireland. Joan only knew life on the small farm on which she lived. She felt that moving to New York was both exciting; however she has second guessed her parents' decision to bring her back to the United States. She does not have regrets about returned when she did, as affirms that she has a wonderful life here. She does; however, remember that her uncle wished that she could have stayed until she were grown up, as she brought happiness to the lives of two older people and a bachelor. She thinks perhaps she should have left as a seventeen or eighteen year old. Joan admits that is was difficult reunite with her parents since she really did not know them. She began to know her parents only after she was brought back from Ireland when she was eleven years old in April of 1948. She describes her father as a quiet man who was dedicated to his family and his work. Her mother was a talented cook who had received on the job training in her first years as an immigrant in Providence, Rhode Island.

Although she is happy with the way events of her life have turned out, Joan wonders what her life would have been like if she had stayed in Ireland. She does feel; however, that she would have had to have left Ireland in order to immigrate to the United States anyway. It just would have been a matter of time as there would have been little room for her on the farm, and there were few jobs to be found in Ireland. Since she did return at a young age; however, she had to adjust to American life. She recalls the drastic change, "From Killarue to Times Square, my goodness." She attended St. Jean Baptiste High School on the Upper East Side where she admits that it was difficult to fit in at first. The immigrant mentality focused on assimilation. Joan remembers that she did not want to project an image of Irishness in school; rather, she wished to be seen as an American. These feelings changed as she grew past her adolescence, and she wished to explore and promote her Irish culture.

When Joan was twelve years old, her parents enrolled her in Irish dancing classes in 1949 under the direction James McKenna. She describes him as a strict, yet effective instructor. She had lost interest in dancing after a year of lessons, and she decided to quit. When she was nineteen, Joan resumed Irish dancing under the direction of Peter and Cyril McNiff. She became one of their ceili dancers, and she danced competitively for four years. She describes her time she spent dancing as one of the greatest parts of her life—she danced because she enjoyed dancing, and so she could be around the friends she made in her ceili, including Andy McCann, Eva McManus, Peter McNiff, Cyril McNiff, Hannah O'Leary, Larry Reddigan, Peter Smith, Gerry Wallace, Lori Walsh, Mike Bergin Peggy Bergin, Edmund Brown, Joan Cass, Eugene Clancy, Pat Clancy, and Jimmy Erwin. She described the ceili uniforms of her team as being quite simple—green skirts, white stockings, white shirt, and a black dance jacket. She compares those more traditional outfits to many of the new styles used in Irish dancing today. She very much approves of popular productions such as Riverdance because have brought Irish dancing into the mainstream; however, the outfits—wigs, outrageous colors, and fancy embroidery—really do not embody the spirit of the dance; rather they commercialize the Irish dancing.

After Joan married Felix Dolan, she lived in the Woodlawn and Highbridge sections of the Bronx. Both areas were decidedly Irish; however once she had kids, the Dolan family moved to Golden's Bridge in Westchester County, NY. She believes that she has gravitated towards people with common interests. Even though this section of Westchester was ethnically diverse, Joan managed to find many Irish friends, including her best friend Ann McEnearny.

Joan sincerely believes that it is important that her Irish culture lives on through the generations. Joan gave her children traditional Irish names, and she afforded all of them Irish dancing lessons. Her children have now named their own children traditional Irish names, and some of them have begun Irish dance lessons. In addition to dance, Joan also believed that attending Irish events as a family promoted the preservation of Irish culture. Joan has practiced what she believes as the Dolan family has marched annually with the Gaelic League in the St. Patrick's Day Parade. Today Joan continues to attend ceilis as she still retains her passion for dancing.

This oral history with Joan Dolan was digitally recorded on a Marantz CDR 420. It is 120 minutes long, on 2 CDs. The interview took place on November 16, 2006, and the interviewers were Andrew Ciancimino and Marion R. Casey.

This oral history was digitally recorded on a Marantz PCM660. The interview is approximately 130 minutes long, on 2 CDs. The interview took place In New York on October 26, 2008, and the interviewer was Myriam Nyhan.

This interview was conducted by Miriam Nyhan in New York, New York on February 23, 2014.  The interview covers Mary Donovan's early life in Ireland, family history, and travels between Ireland and the United States (US). In her family history, Donovan includes the lives of her parents, grandparents, and aunts and uncles who immigrated to the US. She describes her decision to move to the Ealing neighborhood of London, England to gain a license in registered nursing. She recounts meeting her husband in 1951 while at an Irish dance hall in Ealing. She discusses her many moves between Ireland and the US due to her husband's homesickness and how her nursing license allowed her to find employment in both countries.

This interview was conducted by Miriam Nyhan on October 5, 2015 at New York University's Glucksman Ireland House in Manhattan, New York. The interview contains Sean Doyle's family history and his memories of growing up in Dublin, Ireland during World War II. He describes his memories of his father talking about his time in the Frongoch internment camp in Wales as a prisoner of war because of his involvement in the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Doyle recalls his time as a bar owner in New York City in the Yorkville neighborhood of Manhattan in the 1960s and 1970s.

This interview was conducted by Danielle Zach in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania on June 17, 2014.  The interview covers Frances Duffy's life in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and her involvement in Irish American cultural and political organizations.  Duffy describes her parents, their immigration experiences, and, her father's experiences as a young child in County Donegal, Ireland. She discusses the strong Irish community her parents were part of in Philadelphia during Duffy's childhood.  She discusses her and her husband's involvement in political organizations focused on Irish republican issues, particularly between the 1970s and 1990s. She recalls the riots in Northern Ireland in 1969 as being the event which spurred her and her husband to join the Derry Society of Philadelphia and later the Philadelphia Committee for Irish Freedom and Irish Northern Aid Committee (NORAID).  She also discusses her family's annual trips to County Derry and her memories of the announcement about the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

Mr. Dunn discusses a range of topics, beginning with his childhood growing up in Sunnyside, Queens. After failing out of St. Teresa's Catholic School, Woodside, Queens, in the 7th grade, Dunn went on to finish the year at St. Anthony's Catholic School in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. At the age of 16 Dunn dropped out of Queens Vocational High School and began a series of part-time jobs that lasted for a year. When he was 17 Dunn enlisted in the Navy. He was stationed in Guantanamo, Cuba for four years, and was discharged at the age of 21.

Dunn discusses his time in the Navy where he completed the G.E.D. (General Equivalency Diploma). While in the service, he also prepared for the city civil service test. He took the exam for the fire service. After passing the test and returning to New York, Dunn began his career as a fireman. He quickly climbed up the ranks of the fire service, moving from rookie fireman to deputy chief, lieutenant, and captain. Dunn then returned to school with the help of the G.I. Bill, and applied to Queens College in New York. Eventually, he received his Bachelors and Master's Degrees. In 1959, at the age of 24, Dunn married his wife Patricia. He tells of the purchase of their first house in Douglaston, New York and the decoration of its backyard with stone faces and gargoyle statues acquired from torn down buildings in Harlem.

Dunn retired in 1999 after serving 42 years as a fireman. Two years later the attacks on the World Trade Center occurred. Dunn remarks upon the construction of these buildings and their collapse. He shares that much of his life post-retirement is spent writing articles and giving lectures on the topic of building construction and fire-safety.

Vincent Dunn was interviewed on 13 November 2007 at Glucksman Ireland House at New York University by Karen Shua-Haim and Linda Dowling Almeida. This oral history with Vincent Dunn was digitally recorded on a Marantz CDR420. The interview is 1 hour, 56 minutes long, on two CDs and had been logged at ten minute intervals.

This interview was conducted by Danielle Zach at New York University's Glucksman Ireland House in New York, New York on June 19, 2014.  The interview covers John Dunleavy's life in Ireland and in the United States. Dunleavy recounts his earliest memories from childhood, in particular working with his uncle who was a blacksmith and experiencing rationing during World War II.  He discusses his first experiences in the US, going to the employment agency at the Irish Institute in Manhattan his service in the US Army, and his career as a bus driver. He also discusses his involvement in New York's St. Patrick's Day Parade and Irish republican political organizations.  Throughout the interview, Dunleavy recounts numerous anecdotes from all phases of his life, including stories about people he knew and events in which he was involved.

This interview was conducted by Danielle Zach on February 8, 2015 in Rye, New York. The interview covers Monica Durkan's early childhood in the suburbs of Dublin, Ireland and her travels as Pan American World Airways flight attendant. She relates her many moves for her job as a flight attendant, including four years in San Francisco, California before traveling to London, England for 6 months in 1974. Durkan recalls her experiences of anti-irish sentiment after the Monaghan and Dublin bombings in 1974 while living in London. She describes meeting her husband, Frank Durkan, in 1975 in New York, his involvement with Irish American organizations, and his connections with activist Paul O'Dwyer. She describes the Irish American community's polarization over political history and the Irish Civil War causing rifts in the Irish community. She identifies the Irish Republican leanings of Irish immigrants compared to Irish Americans and how women are taking leading rolls in Irish politics.