• 2017-18 elections
    Mike McCabe, President
    Tim McNamara, Vice President
    Jane McSally, Treasurer
    Secretary, Angela McGuirk
    Sheila Danehy, Membership Chairperson
    Maureen Moore, Parliamentarian
    Amanda Potkay, First Year Trustee
    Mike Flyte, Sergeant-at-Arms

    · Executive Board Bios ·
    President-Elect, Mike McCabe
    Treasurer of ihs since its inception. Oversees all financial aspects of the club. Head of Finance for the Irish Festival since its inception. Founder of the ihs Sláinte Scholarship Golf Tournament. Founder and President of Sláinte Milford, Inc. Responsible for grants totaling $38,000 from the Irish government. Only member to continuously serve on the Executive Board since the founding of the club. Irish Man of the Year 2016. Attorney for 36 years with a law practice in Milford, McCabe, Wikstrom & Barney, llc. Married to Tracy Craig McCabe. Four children, Eileen, Jennifer, Katie and Owen. Five grandchildren, Amie, Emma, Scarlet, Declan and Quinn (and one on the way!) I would like to continue serving the club in a new role as President, as we enter the next phase of our existence. I have 11 years’ experience in dealing with the club’s finances. I have the time, energy and dedication to serve the club as President.

    Vice President-Elect, Tim McNamara
    My name is Tim McNamara. I am running for the position of Vice President. I have been an ihsm member for three years. During this time, I have been involved in many volunteer roles including, these committees: Bar Management Committee, Audit Committee, Irish Festival – 3 years, St. Patrick’s Day Parade – 3 years.
    In addition, I have volunteered for St Patrick’s Day Clubhouse Festivities setup and break down, basement cleanup, Super Bowl Party 2017 and as a fill in host for Thursday Night Trivia.
    I am the father of three children. I graduated from Sacred Heart University and am employed by the Bridgeport Public Schools system.
    Being a member of the ihsm has allowed me to better connect with my Irish heritage. It would be an honor to serve on the Executive Board and continue the great work that so many others have done throughout the history of this club.

    Treasurer-Elect, Jane McSally
    Secretary-Elect, Angela McGuirk
    First, I would like to say I am very grateful for this opportunity. My husband, Christopher McGuirk and I have been active Members for almost two years. I am a volunteer bartender at the Clubhouse who also enjoys making all the drink specials for many of our wonderful events such as the New Year’s, Super Bowl, Derby Day, and Halloween parties. I’ve have also helped at our fantastic Irish Festival and participated in the St. Patrick’s Day Parades. I am a full-time merchandiser and I hold a Bachelors of Arts Degree for English. I will use my degree to really embrace this secretarial position and I will combine my positive attitude and excellent customer service experience to connect with Members. I’m organized, reliable and capable. I have a positive outlook on all aspects of life and of work. Our Club is changing and growing daily and I’m devoted to keeping up this momentum. I want to ensure our Club continues to be a welcoming place for our Members and their guests by actively participating on the Executive Board, Activities Committee and being an all-around volunteer.

    Membership Chairperson-Elect, Sheila Danehy
    Hello Fellow ihsm Members,
    My name is Sheila Danehy and I am running for the position of Membership Chair in the upcoming elections.
    I am the 7th of ten children and my large, Irish Catholic family background has somewhat defined me for most of my life. My husband, two children and I joined the ihsm in early 2016 and we have been actively involved with the Club since. I am a member of the Milford Irish History Project Committee; my husband and I are members of the cast of Tara Theatre’s upcoming play; I am a regular at Trivia Night; and I have been a volunteer at the Oyster and Irish Festivals as well as at many of the ongoing social activities held here at the Club. My husband and I have had some wonderful times and have made many friends since we joined the ihsm. We fully plan to be lifetime members and contributors to the Club’s success. My hope is that by becoming the Membership Chair, I can further help in achieving the Club’s ultimate goal of membership and, possibly, clubhouse expansion (to a point where it still feels like home to the current and, especially, longtime members). together, with a combination of hard work, dedication and a commitment to our future, we can make the ihsm the very best that it can be.

    Parliamentarian-Elect, Maureen Moore
    As a charter member I have been active in ihsm since the beginning, was Activities Committee Chair for several years, and served a 3-year term as Trustee on the Board of Directors. In the past I served as Sunshine Committee Chair, as a member of the Membership and By-Laws Committees, co-chaired the Vendor Committee (Marketplace) for ihsm festivals, and organized the Tea Cup Raffles. My experience this past year as Parliamentarian was a positive one. Members were forthcoming with suggested revisions to the ihsm By-Laws, and the committee members were thoughtful and conscientious in their review of those suggestions. As a result, a number of them were adopted. I am interested in continuing to serve as Chair of the By-Laws Committee to further encourage member participation in the revising, as necessary, the rules that govern our organization. I would like to have your vote of confidence this year, to re-elect me as your Parliamentarian.

    First Year Trustee-Elect, Amanda Potkay
    Thank you for the opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Amanda Potkay. I have been a Member in Good Standing of ihsm since 2014. My proud Irish heritage comes from both my mother and my father. My mother is also an active Member of the ihsm and dedicates much of her time to volunteering. I am the owner and operator of a small Medical compression garment company; I started this business about two years ago. Along with operating my business, I have continually been an active Member. Since the opening of the Clubhouse, I have served as a volunteer bartender on a weekly basis. In addition to bartending, I have organized several craft-making events at the Clubhouse as a fun way to bring Members together. I am on the Social Activities Committee and have assisted in many events, from the Children’s Halloween Party to the Drumming Circle. I am also responsible for planning the Members’ Monthly Happy Hour which is open to the entire Membership.
    As a Member, a volunteer, and a bartender at ihsm, I have made strong friendships, connected with my heritage and established myself as a competent and reliable part of this organization. I believe the strength of our Club is our commitment to heritage and our spirit of fellowship. I would consider it an honor to serve the Membership as a Trustee for the next three years.

    Sergeant-at-Arms-Elect, Mike Flyte
    My name is Michael Flyte and I have been a club member for 3+ years and have volunteered previously prior to my membership with various Club events. I also have been an active volunteer bartender since the Clubhouse on Bridgeport Ave has opened. My grandparents, Steve and Kathy Kraffmiller, have been active members in the club for many years and I wish to carry on their founding values. As Sergeant at Arms, I plan on fulfilling the responsibilities associated with this position and I am excited to be able to give my input to future board meetings. I take pride in the fact that I am part of the younger generation of club members and I look forward to participating in the club’s bright future.

  • The day we’ve waited for has arrived! City inspections were done on 11/9, and final inspections to be completed by 11/16, in time for our first meeting in our new home!
    The monthly IHSM meeting will be held at the clubhouse, on Tuesday, November 24th. The building and bar will open at 5:00 pm, social hour with food will begin at 6:30, as usual, and business meeting will commence promptly at 7:30. The bar will remain closed during the meeting. CURRENT MEMBERSHIP CARDS WILL BE REQUIRED FOR ADMISSION TO THE BUILDING. Please note that the bar is a cash only operation, no credit cards, no checks, no tabs. There is an ATM on the premises.
    Activities Committee members will be on hand to take reservation payments for the New Year’s Eve Party to be held at the clubhouse. The event is 50% sold out already! Tickets will be available for pickup for those who have paid since the October meeting.

  • The day we’ve waited for has arrived! City inspections were done on 11/9, and final inspections to be completed by 11/16, in time for our first meeting in our new home!
    The monthly IHSM meeting will be held at the clubhouse, on Tuesday, November 24th. The building and bar will open at 5:00 pm, social hour with food will begin at 6:30, as usual, and business meeting will commence promptly at 7:30. The bar will remain closed during the meeting. CURRENT MEMBERSHIP CARDS WILL BE REQUIRED FOR ADMISSION TO THE BUILDING. Please note that the bar is a cash only operation, no credit cards, no checks, no tabs. There is an ATM on the premises.
    Activities Committee members will be on hand to take reservation payments for the New Year’s Eve Party to be held at the clubhouse. The event is 50% sold out already! Tickets will be available for pickup for those who have paid since the October meeting.

  • Members are invited to come and enjoy their beautiful new home this weekend! Hours on Saturday will be 12 pm to 1 am; hours on Sunday will be 12 pm to midnight. You’ll need your current IHSM membership card, and your ID (proof of age). Slainte!!!

  • *IHSM Clubhouse & Bar open Sat, 11/21 and Sun, 11/22! Also, Keltic Kick is playing there Saturday 9-12 pm !!!!

  • 7/2/15 club renovations update

  • As of July 2nd the club’s liquor license and permit has been approved.

    President Ed Mead gave the following report at the June 30th meeting.
    The barroom is close to being finished! The bar and the behind the bar shelving is completed. The lighting, ceiling fans and hard wood flooring are installed. Bistro tables and barstools have been ordered. Work is being done on installing the tile floor behind the bar. Once the tile floor is installed the bar equipment will be installed. There are pictures on our website MilfordIrish.org.
    Much has been done to the old Star Café to turn it into our first club house. Volunteers have renovated our rental property and we have had tenants in since January of this year.
    Volunteers and a few contractors have been working on the club house since August of 2014. Our volunteers have made it possible to keep our renovation costs down. Over $3,000.00 in cash and $10,000.00 in materials have been donated to us. The club has spent in over $60,000.00 for the renovation of both the rental house and the clubhouse. That doesn’t include the down payment. At this time the IHSM is appealing to membership for the funds to complete the renovations. At our June meeting Vice President Kathleen Stern asked that members consider making a financial donation to IHSM.
    If each of our 641 members would make a financial donation to our club, it will go to completing the renovations and for the purchase of the remaining items needed to complete our house.     Checks should be made payable to IHSM and sent to IHSM, 131 Bridgeport Ave., Milford, CT 0646. You’re your help the IHSM club house will be a beautiful meeting place for the enjoyment of music, club events and good Irish “craic”. Please help make our dreams for a grand clubhouse come true.
    For additional information contact Kathleen Stern kvstern@optonline.net or
    Mike McCabe attorneymccabe@yahoo.com:
    Some of the items needed are:
    4 Bistro bar tables & 23 barstools $2500.00 donated
    Air Conditioning
    Glass Washer
    A low table for the window seats
    3 Window boxes (our windows are 4’ wide)
    Plants for the window boxes
    4 pair of window shutters
    Paint for the outside of the building
    3 Electric hand dryers
    Stone for outside columns $ already donated
    Hardwood flooring $3500.00 donated $2300.00 still needed
    25 Table tops for meeting room
    13 table bases
    100 Chairs for meeting room
    Fixtures for meeting rooms

  • festival info

  • Below goes in the heading on the main festival page.
    Drag down heading. Copy the items below into box. That should bring up all the area pages. Then make appropiate changes. I suggest if there are many edit boxes keep them. I find it easier to edit small boxes.
    Example each band has its own box and its own picture.

    Entertainment |Cultural | Directions| Irish Market Place | Food
    Volunteer | Children’s Area

  • 2015 scholarship winners

  • The recipient of the IHSM William McNamara scholarship is Kelliann McCabe. Kelliann is the niece of Mike McCabe and is a student at Trumbull High School. After graduation, she plans on attending the University of South Carolina.
    The Jonathan Law recipient of the IHSM Lyle James scholarship is Sofya Calvin. She will be attending Cornell University.
    The Joseph A Foran winner of the IHSM Lyle James scholarship is Shaina Arsenault. Shania will also attend Cornell University.

  • The installation of IHSM’s officer and board members took place at our June 30th meeting. Left to right are President Ed Mead, Vice President Kathleen Stern, Secretary Lisa Doyle Smith, Treasurer Mike McCabe, 1st year trustee Katelyn Fitzpatrick, 2nd year trustee Joe Burton, Membership Jane McSally, Sergeant at arms Dennis McNamara and 3rd year trustee Maureen Moore. Missing was Parliamentarian Hilary Schorsch.

  • History of Club

  • It is only fitting that the Irish Heritage Society of Milford had its beginning in the month of March! In 2006, Martin Hardiman and Christopher McEnerney, who had worked together on the Milford St. Patrick’s Day Parade, frequently discussed the possibility of forming an Irish Club in Milford. They placed a small article in the local newspaper announced that a meeting would be held, inviting anyone interested, and over 80 people attended in response!
    From this first meeting, volunteers came forward and formed committees. The By-Laws committee held meetings and presented the by-laws to members at the May 2006 meeting. The Irish Heritage Society of Milford (IHSM) was now an official non-profit club located in Milford, with co-founders Marty and Chris serving as the first co-Presidents, along with an elected Executive Board.

    The IHSM wasted no time in becoming active in Milford and the surrounding area. In August 2006, the group had a booth at the Milford Oyster Festival, and in September 2006, at the young age of 6 months, members had organized their 1st Annual Irish Festival. Within the following year, the tradition of the Lyle James Memorial Golf Tournament was begun, providing funding for three scholarships, awarded each year, as well as other local charities.

    Proudly displaying its impressive array of all of Ireland’s county flags, the IHSM has marched in parades from New Haven to Mystic to Yonkers, NY, and at Irish nights for both the NY Mets and the Bridgeport Bluefish.

    The membership of the IHSM, numbering around 200 by the end of 2006, has doubled in size, and along with its elected leaders, is working together toward the ultimate goal of a permanent home, a clubhouse of their own.

  • June 11, 2015 11:21pm
    Volunteers are needed to work at the clubhouse. This Saturday June 13th, Brian Murphy will be there at 9:00am. Wear your old clothes. Bring rags if you have some. Work gloves and dishwashing gloves may be helpful. There is still plenty to do before the clubhouse opens.
    According to Brian some basic jobs that need to be done are:
    1. Repair where needed the ceilings in the other 2 rooms
    2. Paint those ceilings
    3. Clean the walls in back room
    4. Hang bathroom partitions and paint
    5. Level some low areas of floor in preparation for the new flooring
    6. Remove stumps along side of building
    7. Prepare outside for paint
    8. Paint the front and side doors
    9. Fill parking lot sinkhole with gravel
    Volunteers are needed every weekend until the clubhouse is open. Volunteers can call the clubhouse 203-301-9073 to make sure that someone is there. Volunteers can also come on late afternoons on weekdays. Brian will be there after 4:00pm. Again you can call 203-301-9073 after 4:00 to verify. Volunteers can also call Brian 203-338-1240. “
    Brian’s email is: brytymrjg@yahoo.com. There may be some Sundays when volunteers will be needed.

  • May 2015
    The CT Irish-American Historical Society honored Kathy and Steve Kraffmiller with the 2015 Heritage Award.
    An Award Brunch was held on May 31st at Trinity Bar in New Haven.The award is in appreciation of their many years of service on behalf of Irish-American History in New Haven and Milford. A Waterford vase was presented to them. They joined the CT Irish-American Historical Society (CTIAHS) in 1993 and in 2006 became charter members of the Irish Heritage Society of Milford. They have served on different committees over the years and were very instrumental in organizing the genealogy seminar in 2011. Steve served with IHSM search group for our clubhouse.

  • 4/2015 IHSM Scholarship
    APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR WILLIAM MCNAMARA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP – DEADLINE IS APRIL 30TH. This scholarship is for students planning to pursue further education in September 2015 in a full-time study program in a 2 or 4 year college, vocational, or technical school. Applicants must be child, grandchild, stepchild, nephew, or niece of IHSM member in good standing (member for at least two consecutive years and dues paid in full for all years, including current year). If you are unable to pick up an application at a meeting, please contact Debbie Mead at 203-877-9446. All details and criteria are included in application information.

  • Important Message from IHSM Parliamentarian

  • Hello IHSM Members.

    At last month’s membership meeting, I asked everyone to review the bylaws & provide any feedback they may have via index cards left on the tables. Unfortunately, the wait staff cleared-off the tables before I could retrieve the cards. I will provide a copy of the current bylaws at our next meeting, November 25, and ask that you please take a moment to provide this important feedback for the Bylaws committee review.

    You may also review the bylaws on the IHSM website (contact page) and respond to me via my email address: parliamentarianihsm@gmail.com
    Please be sure to include the Article Name & Number you are referencing in the email.

    Thank you,
    Hilary Schorsch
    IHSM Board Member – Parliamentarian

  • 2015 IHSM Irish Woman & Man of the Year

  • Priscilla Crouch James & Brian Murphy
    What a wonderful Irish Man and Woman of the Year Dinner! Congratulations to Brian Murphy as the 2015 Irish Man of the Year.
    Thanks to everyone who made this a special night for me and my family. I was so honored to be nominated and chosen as the 2015 Irish Woman of the Year. Thank you Ed Mead for the wonderful introduction. Many thanks to Jenn Hussey, Paula McGill and Lisa Doyle-Smith and the rest of the planning committee; great job! Thanks to Benny and the wait staff at Costa Azzurra for a delicious corned beef dinner. Colleen and the Boys gave us great music and the Mulkerin Irish Dancers are the best. And to everyone else who made this event such a success.
    It was terrific to see so many club members at the dinner. I am so pleased to be a part of this great club. We are celebrating our 9th year as a club and soon our own club house will be opened. May be soon, we will be having all of our events in our club house.
    Thanks again, Priscilla Crouch James

  • Celebrating & Remembering Lyle James and Bill McNamara
    Join friends and family as we celebrate the memory of two great friends of the IHSM, Lyle James and Bill McNamara.

    Lyle was a great friend to many and a father of two. He worked for Southern CT gas for 38 years and played golf often. Bill was a tireless worker for the IHSM in its formative years, putting in many hours and ideas to aid the success of our club. We honor and celebrate their lives with scholarships in their names.

    It is with great pride Slainte is able to conduct this event in their honor and provide funds for both the Lyle James Memorial Scholarship and the William McNamara IHSM Scholarship. The James Scholarship is for students of Milford high schools and the McNamara scholarship is a competitive academic, service and community scholarship open to member family’s children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

    The Irish Heritage Society and Slainte salute these two fine individuals. We remember their contributions to our cause by extending our hands to help others. The proceeds from this great day of golf, friends and fun will be used to benefit these local scholarships for deserving students.

  • Biographies of 2015 candidates
    Vice President Nominees:
    Kathleen Dunn Stern
    I am a charter member of The Irish Heritage Society of Milford since its inception in March, 2006. I truly love this club. I have met so many wonderful people and done so many extraordinary things because of The IHS. I have learned so much about my Irish heritage as well.

    Over the past 9 years I have been on the executive board of the IHS as Trustee for 2 years and as Vice President for 3 years. I have been an active member of The Social Activities and Membership Committees and the book club. I have run The Ladies Brunch for the past 6 years. I have been The Volunteers Chairperson for Our Irish Festival since 2006. I have been stage manager for the plays presented by our IHS Tara Theater as well as performing on stage in Remembrance and in The Country Boy.
    I was honored to be named Irish Woman of the Year in 2012 along with Bill McNamara as Irish Man of the Year.
    I am very excited that The IHS will now have a clubhouse. As a member of the club and as Vice-President, if elected, I pledge to continue to work hard to make The IHS the best it can be!

    Kevin Kiely
    When I joined the club a couple of years ago, I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew that I wanted to help out in some fashion with the club. I have spent my time at the club volunteering for many committees; including the golf committee twice, the festival committee twice, the bylaws group, and some time spent at the clubhouse/rental house. Through these committees I have gained some great friendships, learned some lessons, but in the end, finding myself with a passion to do more.
    I am seeking the position of VP to help expand and grow our club. I have a degree in hotel/ restaurant management, and have over 27 years management experience to date. I have a creative business savvy, and I’m not afraid or too proud to reach out and ask for something to help this club. I believe in principles, and feel the membership should feel comfortable speaking to someone that thinks like a member. I bring experience, a passion for our heritage, and a willingness to help create ideas to increase the funding for our club. I ask that on May 26th you choose me as one of your leaders on the elected board.

    Treasurer Nominee:
    Mike McCabe
    Treasurer of IHS since its inception.
    Oversees all financial aspects of the club.
    Head of Finance for the Irish Festival since its inception.
    Founder and Chairman of the IHS Slainte Scholarship Golf Tournament.
    Founder and President of Slainte Milford, Inc.
    Attorney for 34 years – partner in McCabe & Wikstrom, LLC in Milford.
    Married to Tracy Craig McCabe
    Four children, Eileen, Jennifer, Katie and Owen
    Four grandchildren, Amie, Emma, Scarlet, Declan, and Quinn

    Parliamentarian Nominee
    Hilary Schorsch
    I have been a member of IHSM for 3 years. During this time, I’ve been an active member of the Membership Committee as well as the Irish Festival Advertising Chair.
    One of the responsibilities as the Parliamentarian this year was to update the club bylaws. This required forming a Bylaws Committee which encompassed numerous hours of meeting & drafting the document, soliciting information from General Membership, updating the Board & Members of our progress, and finally, presenting the final document to be voted on by general membership. This was a team effort and we were thrilled to have the bylaws incorporated in a landslide vote!
    I am excited to have the opportunity to serve as Parliamentarian for a 2nd term, there is a lot of work to be done, and I’m ready for the challenge.

    Secretary Nominee
    Lisa Doyle Smith
    Thank you for this opportunity to run for re-election to the position of Secretary!
    I have been an (almost) lifelong resident of Milford. I am a Registered Nurse, currently working in home care, and am mom to two amazing and talented boys, David (age 10) and Michael (age 8). I can assure you that if I am not at an IHSM meeting, I am probably down at the baseball field with them!
    I have been involved in a number of events and committees and have enjoyed volunteering alongside my fellow members over the last few years to plan such events as the Irish Man & Woman of the Year Dinner, the Annual Irish Festival and the Annual Slainte Golf Tournament. This year I am the Chair of the Festival Food Committee (any volunteers out there?). I have been directly involved in the purchase and renovation of the new Clubhouse (although I won’t take credit for all the physical work that has been done!) and am a member of the Building Committee. It has been a positive experience working with the amazing Board that was elected last June. I consider myself a voice for families and am not afraid to think outside of the box or “push the envelope.” As we continue to grow and have a positive impact on our community, I look forward to being able to continue serving you!

    First Year Trustee Nominees
    Katelyn Fitzpatrick
    My name is Katelyn Fitzpatrick, I am running for first year trustee. I was born and raised in CT but have been granted Irish citizenship through my grandparents. I am driven and hard working – I graduated from UConn in 2010 with a major in chemical engineering and minors in chemistry and molecular cell biology. I joined IHSM to meet others in the area when I moved to Milford three years ago. I have met some wonderful people, but would like to get our young professional members more involved, after all we need some future leaders! I love to volunteer and I have donated to the Christmas Family and Shamrock Salutes. Some of my other interests are tennis, reading, and traveling – I backpack a different country every year (of course Ireland was my first!)! I look forward to meeting even more members and recruiting more young professionals.

    Bill Clark
    I am honored to be nominated for the IHSM First Year Trustee position.
    Here is some background on me. I am a life long resident of Milford, married to my wife MaryEllen for 28 years and have three children. I have been an electrician for 28 years. MaryEllen and I have been members of the club for over ten years, at which time, I have donated my time working on the electrical needs of the new club house and at our festival. Also I am a member of the Bylaws committee and served on last years festival committee.
    Since I regularly attend membership meetings, I have a good understanding of IHSM Members wishes for the future of our club and know I can help get us there. Thank you.