New York association for Irish immigrants reunites in Cork

The County Cork BP & P Association of New York recently celebrated its 24th biennial reunion banquet, at Rochestown Park Hotel in Douglas.

The County Cork Benevolent, Patriotic and Protective Association — to give it its full title — was founded in 1884.

Its website states that the purpose of its formation was “to promote unity, goodwill and protection amongst its members and to foster their culture and traditions”.

By the final quarter of the 19th century, the population of New York was approximately 1,250,000.

Of that, perhaps 200,000 were Irish immigrants, meaning that about one in every six people in New York City was Irish born.

The conditions in which most immigrants lived were not good, and it was to improve those conditions that the first Corkmen’s Association was established.

Assistance

At first, the purpose of the association was to look after any members in need of assistance, and it was only open to men who had been born in Cork city.

Some years later, as the association expanded, it opened its doors to anyone born in Co Cork.

The association gave its members a sense of community and the opportunity to play traditional Gaelic games.

By 1916, a group of Cork women, who had been watching the association with keen interest, had founded the Cork Ladies’ Auxiliary, raising funds for local charities and for the Irish Republican Army back home.

The two organisations worked closely together, and they supported each other across the years.

As the decades passed, New York grew, and so, too, did the association.

Many of its members gained prominence in the labour movement, in commerce, in finance, and in government, both local and national.

In 1983, the Cork Ladies’ Auxiliary was disbanded, its members absorbed as full members of the association.

Honoured

This year, the association honoured two people as outstanding Corkonians, Mary Desmond Power, Grenagh native and former president of the association, and Fianna Fáil councillor and former lord mayor of Cork, Tony Fitzgerald.

Presentations were made at the banquet by association president Diarmuid Connolly, who said both honourees had worked tirelessly together to preserve transatlantic ties, adding that the association was very grateful for their work.

Ms Desmond Power said the Cork Association had always been home away from home for her.

“I am grateful to my family and friends who have supported me over many years,” she said. “Surrounded by so many people here in Cork, and in New York, how lucky we are.”

Bridge between generations

Mr Fitzgerald said the biennial dinner was more than just a homecoming, rather it was a bridge between generations, between continents, and between the past and the future.

“Since 1884, your association has carried the spirit of Cork across the Atlantic, supporting Irish immigrants in New York, while keeping our ties to home, alive and strong,” he said.

“To be recognised by this community — a community that has done so much to keep our traditions and our culture alive across generations — is something I hold close to my heart.

“All of you have carried the spirit and tradition of Cork across the Atlantic for generations, and to include me as part of your story and journey means more to me than words can express.”