Taioseach Confirms: "The End Of This Is Within Our Grasp" - Irish Center 2025
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Irish News 1-9 Irish America 12-23 Sports 26-31
59 Years
1962 - 2021
Volume 59, No.09 June 2021/ Meitheamh 2021
Taioseach Confirms:
“The End Of This Is
Within Our Grasp”
T
hroughout the month 80 percent of adults by the end
of May, Covid deaths, of June, which at one point
hospitalizations and cases looked in serious jeopardy, now
continued to fall in both the seems plausible once more. The
Republic of Ireland and the government have set a new
north of Ireland. The improve- target of 60 percent of adults
ment in the situation has led (2.5 million people) being fully
to both jurisdictions relaxing vaccinated by the end of July.
restrictions as the whole island Announcing the reopening
starts to reopen for business plans at Government Buildings
after 15 months of lockdown, on May 28, Taoiseach Micheál
bringing much needed relief for Martin told the nation: “The
businesses and people. end of this is within our grasp.”
In the Republic, the case Martin said Ireland was
numbers had fallen to around taking “definite steps towards
400 a day by the end of the normal times,” and he outlined
month and there were slightly a significant gradual easing
fewer than 100 Covid patients of restrictions in the coming
in hospital, of which less than months.
40 were in Intensive Care “Now the challenge is to
Units. Deaths had also dropped keep moving forward safely,
dramatically. In the north the remembering all the time our
situation was even better. determination to make sure
The numbers reflect the that when we reopen each part
rapid expansion of the vaccina- of our society and economy, it
tion program in the Republic. stays open,” he said.
By May 31, half of all adults “This is an important time
had been given at least one for us all. After the trauma of
shot of the vaccine and 20 the last fifteen months we are
percent had been fully vac- finally taking definite steps
cinated. In the north, the 68 towards enjoying normal times
percent of adults had received with friends and loved ones
Exciting plans are afoot to rebuild the United Irish Cultural Center at 45th at least one shot and 43 percent again. We’re almost back to a
Avenue and Sloat in San Francisco. After serving the Bay Area Irish community were fully inoculated. In the point where we can just enjoy
for 46 years the building would need significant maintenance and upgrades to Republic 300,000 shots were the ordinary extraordinary mo-
stay operational, and the Board are proposing that a complete rebuild is the best adminstered in the last week of ments in our lives. The sense of
way forward. For more information please see pages 15,16 and 17 inside. May alone. hope, excitement, and relief is
(The picture above is a conceptual rendering of the new Irish Center, courtesy of The government’s target palpable.
Studio BANAA). of offering at least one shot to Continued on page 3 inside
Inquest Finds British Army Responsible For Ballymurphy Massacre
The Families of the 11 victims killed by the British Army’s Parachute Regiment between August 9 and August 11, 1971, rejoice after a
coroner’s inquest finally clears their relatives’ names, and puts the blame for the tragedy squarely at the feet of the soldiers.
Read the full story on page 7 inside.
THE IRISH HERALD / THE NEW IRISH GAEL June 2021/ Meitheamh 2021 15
• U nited I rish C ultural C enter •
Visionary Redevelopment Proposal
Reveals New Look For Irish Center
by Liam Reidy, President, United Irish Cultural Center, (lreidy@irishcentersf.org)
W
hat an exciting month Talent or Treasure. Many in 5 lane pool, saunas, kiddies pool mittee is being currently being acarew@irishcentersf.org
we have had at the the community will be able to and locker rooms. established to help fundraise for We have great music lined
Center! The whole donate money to help rebuild, The above ground structure the project. If you would like to up for Wawona Gates in June.
Irish American community is but there are others who have will house a dedicated museum get involved email: campaign@ The Kevin Roche trio play on
buzzing with optimism since graciously already offered their on the ground floor at street irishcentersf.org . June 5. On June 12 we host Ivor
the public meeting on May 7 time and talents to the commit- level, with a bar, restaurant Around the Center Collins, Bryan Lynch and Eoin
during which we revealed a tee to rebuild the Center. and gallery or entertainment After an absence of the O’Sullivan. The first year anni-
bold new visionary proposal to Whatever happens, there is venue. On the second floor, the more than two decades, an Irish versary of Wawona Gates occurs
rebuild the Center. While the a mountain of work to be done St Patrick’s room occupies the dance Feis returns to the Center on June 19 and sees the return
Building Working Group com- in the meantime, so roll up your entire footprint of the building on Sunday June 27, as we host of Fret & Fiddle from Pacifica.
mittee explored several options sleeves! with a stage, bar, and kitchen. the 2021 John and Maureen On June 26, we welcome back
this past spring, the option to The conceptual plan to The third floor consists of a Kennelly Memorial Feis. Com- the Boys of Malin, Felim Egan
redevelop the existing site was redevelop the Irish Center was dedicated library and genealogy petitions start at 8am and will (accordion), Darcy Noonan
the concept that made most developed by Dane Bunton and center. The fourth floor consists run throughout the day. (fiddle) and Eamonn Flynn
sense. A new building provides Nastaran Mousavi, Principal of Irish dance studios, music, We celebrate the one year (keyboards).
the community with a greater Architects at Studio BANAA, San language and conference rooms, anniversary of Wawona Gates Many thanks to all those
variety of spaces devoted to Francisco. Both architects had administration and office on Saturday June 19 and all who came out to Wawona Gates
cultural programming uses that provided some “pro-bono” work space. The fifth floor consists local Irish dance schools are and volunteered or participated
is currently not available. One last year to the Board as part of of a gym and exercise studio invited to participate to dance in the Dowling Library Fun-
of the options during the period an effort to repurpose some of and sports hall. The sixth floor on the outside dance stage from draiser during the Kentucky Der-
of discovery and brainstorming the spaces at the Center, when houses the rooftop restaurant, 2.00-3.45pm. by on May 1. There was plenty
was to sell the existing building we explored the concept of a re- garden and observation deck. Our Irish Summer camp of colorful fascinators, and style
and move elsewhere in the city model to the existing structure. The new building provides for starts June 7 at the Collins on display during the afternoon
or develop a new center outside Earlier this year we reached back more space dedicated to cultural Center, St Cecilia’s Church. Kids of fun. The big winner on the
the city. This option did not out to the firm to get their input programming, the library and will have a chance to learn how day was the Library.
enthuse or energize the group. on a new building redesign. Irish arts. to play the drums, tin whistle or A special word of congratu-
Neither did the idea of remodel- The new conceptual build- The May 7 meeting was keyboards, speak Irish, par- lations to all the students who
ing the center or adding couple ing provides almost 100,000 well attended by a large cross ticipate in drama, storytelling, received Leo T Walsh scholar-
of more floors to the existing square feet of space. Our current section of the community, and multi-media production, art ships last month. A combined
structure. The reasoning was building is a 20,000 square feet the message about a proposed classes, and even hip hop! On total of $40,000 was disbursed
the high cost of rehabbing the facility. However, nothing is new building was well received Friday June 25 there will be a by the committee to graduating
building and tearing everything set in stone yet as to what will overall. concert featuring all the camp- 8th Grade students and High
back to the studs to structurally eventually be built, and the next The same sentiment was ers at the Irish Center. School Seniors heading off to
support the addition of any new step is a meeting with the San present at the General Members The Irish Dance exhibition college in the fall. Special thanks
floors on top of the existing Francisco Department of City meeting on May 13, during organizing group spearheaded to Peggy Nevin and Carmelle
structure. Planning. which the membership voted by Anne Cassidy Carew is busy Reiser for co-ordinating this
Pre-construction cost analy- The new building will con- unanimously to proceed with collecting memorabilia and years efforts. Many thanks to
sis for the new building comes sist of two floors underground the rebuild concept and to take documenting Irish dance stories all the donors and sponsors of
in at $45-50 million dollars. and six floors above ground it through to the next phase. at the moment. The group will the Awards—without you there
The grand redevelopment plan level. The subterranean areas are For more information about continue their efforts through would be no cause for celebra-
proposed by Redmond Lyons made up of one floor of dedi- the plan for the future of the the summer in time for the fall tion!
and his committee calls on the cated parking with room for 30 Irish Center go to www.irishcen- presentation. If you have a story Safe travels to all those who
entire community to contribute vehicles, while the second floor ter2025.org to tell or something to con- are traveling this summer! Stay
and participate with their Time, houses an aquatics center with a A capital campaign com- tribute you can reach Anne at Safe!
Some of photographs of the attendees at the May 7 Public meeting on the future of the Irish Center.
Photos courtesy of Kevin Kelleher and Emily Trinh.
Clockwise from top left:
Jim Fogarty, Rose O’Connor, Martin Falvey.
Marty Halloran addresses the audience.
Liam Reidy, UICC President.
Gerry Cassidy.
Eamonn Flynn in a pensive mood.
Mark Burke, UICC Vice-President.
Redmond Lyons, Chair of the Rebuilding Committee.
Lynn Buckart and Diarmuid Philpott.
16 June 2021/ Meitheamh 2021 THE IRISH HERALD / THE NEW IRISH GAEL
• U nited I rish C ultural C enter •
The Genesis Of The Irish Center 2025 Project
by Liam Reidy
was contemplating on getting tion of no revenue coming into
involved at UICC Board level the UICC but still having huge
and I asked I him give me a fixed costs that needed to be
year to figure it out, and see paid on a monthly basis.
what would be the best course Out of all the innovative
of action to move forward. and creative ideas that were
So I joined the Board in hashed about grew two simple
January of 2019, after some enterprises that worked in
encouragement from the Presi- adherence to pandemic restric-
dent at the time, Anne Cassidy tions. Wawona Gates became
Carew. For much of 2019, it our outdoor dining experience
was all about steadying the ship and an Irish Shoppe that sells
C
ounty Mayo native, and getting the UICC back on a all your favorite Irish tea, bread
Redmond Lyons, has been path to financial stability after making ingredients, crips,
very vocal in recent years a brutal year in 2018, when the sweets, chocolate bars, biscuits
about renovating or redevelop- UICC was hemorrhaging an av- and soda drinks imported from
ing the United Irish Cultural erage of $6,700 a week. That in Ireland.
Center. Back on October 25, itself was an interesting statistic St. Patrick’s Appeal
2018, Redmond went on the re- given that 2018 was also the In conjunction with our
cord at a public UICC meeting first year the UICC functioned new businesses, John Ring, a
to boldly suggest that knocking as a 501c3 nonprofit public long time UICC supporter and
the existing structure and start- charity organization. former Board member, along
ing over might be the best way Strong Fiscal Control with his childhood pal Tom
forward. As soon as he had said So with a lot of belt McKeon (current Board mem-
this, the room fell silent for tightening, regular events to ber) dreamed up the concept of
several seconds, as the enor- get people back to the Center, the St Patrick’s Appeal which
mity of what he had suggested membership engagement, and would essentially allow all
soaked in. with the help of many vol- Board members, UICC staff and
I was in the audience that unteers, we ended the 2019 our wider UICC community
night, and it was the first time financial year in the black. to fundraise on behalf of the
I had ever heard anyone say Operations at the Center man- Center. It was a huge success
something as brazen as erasing aged to pay all the bills when and raised $170,000. We had
our beloved Center. It certainly they came due, and we were over 500 individual contribu-
had never crossed my mind as able to save the $150,000 in tors during the campaign.
a way to “fix” what was wrong members dues for a rainy day. We ended the year in a stellar
at the Center, but I really didn’t During the year we had some financial position, and added
know the motivation or drive memorable nights, including many more new members to
behind such an outlandish idea. the return of “Fight Night” on the membership roster.
Redmond’s provocative a balmy July evening, our first Tangible Assets
suggestion was made the night annual Oktoberfest that fall, Towards the end of last
the Board at the Irish Center and a packed house for a Wolfe year, the Board felt it necessary
announced that it was closing Tones concert in November. We and wise to make some invest-
the Bar and Restaurant. The ended the year in great finan- ments to the building, after
UICC membership had hardly cial health for the first time in the success of the St Patricks,
the stomach to deal with the several years. Appeal. So, I reached out for
closing of the hospitality wing With the dawn of 2020, advice to my friend Redmond
of the Center, let alone to the Center was getting ready Lyons once again. Last October
entertain ideas of demolishing to celebrate 45 years on 45th we spent several hours on the
the building. To many it all Avenue. Early year momentum roof, doing some proactive roof
seemed too much to deal with saw many concerts and sessions drain cleaning work in advance
and the Center closed anyway at the UICC, and the Grand of the winter rains, and some
on December 31, 2018. It was Marshals St Patrick’s Day din- additional plumbing repairs in
a difficult and sad time for ner signaled a good year ahead. the building. Naturally enough
everyone in the Irish American
community.
Motivation to Remodel or
“The building should be However, we couldn’t have
been more wrong.
Covid-19 Outbreak
the conversation drifted to the
future of the Irish Center. We
both felt that a rebuild of the
Rebuild
Shortly after the October left free and clear to the Much has been written here
in these pages about the impact
Center may never happen now
following the global health
community when it is
2018 meeting, I reached out of Covid-19 on the UICC during crisis. So, we looked at the pos-
to Redmond and met him on the past 15 months. On March sibility of a new roof, maybe
a couple of occasions to dig 12, 2020 the local Department installing solar panels, maybe a
deeper into his thoughts for the
future of the Center. He spoke finished and there should of Public Health shut down all
event spaces across the city.
structural upgrade of the build-
ing could be warranted and be
passionately about completely Now, for the second time in two a genuine good use for the St
transforming the existing space,
by adding dedicated cultural
be no debt after it’s built.” years, we were been excluded
from our own building. The first
Patricks Appeal funds.
We really didn’t know what
space for the Irish arts, music,
theatre, and dancing. With
limited space already, he said
—Redmond Lyons time was for economic reasons,
and now being forced out by
a global health crisis. Would
the future held. I told Redmond
that I felt like we had spun our
wheels as a Board for the past
we would have to add a few we resurface at the other side two years, and that the future
floors to the existing structure of the pandemic? We didn’t of the Center was unsustain-
or maybe a completely new even know when that would be able, due to the large volume
building. Should the plan be to likely. By early April, newly ap- of Board and volunteer time
remodel then we would have pointed Treasurer Craig Viehweg required to keep the Center
to do a major overhaul of all made a startling statement to financially healthy. I said we
the facility systems; electrical, the Board “that having re- should hold off on any major
plumbing, fire alarm, elevator, viewed the UICC’s finances, that facility improvements for now
HAVC, roof and exterior facade. without raising another dollar and revisit the idea of revamp-
Like many of us down in 2020, the UICC would run ing the Center after Christmas,
through the years, he said with out of money in mid-October by bringing more people to
a smile on his face “we might 2020.” That was an eye open- the table to discuss it in greater
even add a few windows to the ing statement on a zoom call. detail and see what the viable
St Patricks room!” So progress at the UICC stalled options were.
At the end of it all, he felt out again at the end of the first Exploratory Meeting
the community could rally quarter. Further staff reductions Redmond and I spoke in
behind any effort to renovate The conceptual renderings of the new Irish Center building on were made to shore up the fi- early January and decided to
or rebuild the Center. these pages are courtesy of Studio BANAA. nances and extend the financial organize a meeting for later
At the end of one of our Above: Exterior Bird’s Eye View looking to the south-east. runway beyond mid-October. that month to test the waters
coffee meet ups, I can remem- Below: Exterior Lobby at Street Level (45th and Wawona Corner) Creative Responses to Covid among several Board members,
ber him cautioning me that Next page, from the top: So the UICC went into a contractors, and interested
he would be soon be retiring The proposed interior of the Emerald Pub, showing the reuse of huddle to make some play calls community leaders.
and that we would have to the glue lams that are currently in the St. Patricks room. during the early part of the County Clare native
eventually stop meeting up for The interior of the rooftop restaurant. lockdown. Weekly zooms meet- Leo Cassidy was also heavily
coffee and actual do something The new St Patrick’s Room. ings lasted for hours, discussing involved in these early discus-
about the Center! I told him I The new gym. to how to deal with the situa- sions and has been instru-
THE IRISH HERALD / THE NEW IRISH GAEL June 2021/ Meitheamh 2021 17
• U nited I rish C ultural C enter •
mental in driving the project
forward from the start. $5 Million Fundraising
And so the UICC Strategic Goal Set for Sept 1
Planning Working Group met
Redmond Lyons was very forth-
for the first time to discuss the
right when he spoke publicly at the
future of the Irish Center. In
May 7 meeting at the UICC, where
those early meetings, we dis-
plans were revealed for a complete
cussed four options related to
rebuild of the Irish Center.
the UICC Building.
Lyons focused on three major
• No Action
points during his speech.
• Remodel and add another
• How would the new Irish
floor(s)
Center be built?
• Sell the building and
• Who is going to fund it?
move elsewhere
• Will the building be
• Start over with a rebuild.
sustainable?
Those present at the
Lyons called on community wide
early meetings included: Jimmy
cooperation between union and non-
Driscoll, Martin Connolly,
union contractors, UICC members,
Redmond Lyons, Joe McFadden,
partners, and volunteers to help
Marty Halloran, Cyril Hackett,
build the center like they did back
Con Lyons, Leo Cassidy, Aengus
in the early 1970s. He stated “if the
McCarthy, Séamus Canning,
entire community is not fully behind
and Pat Uniacke. UICC Board
this rebuilding effort then the project
members in attendance were
will not be successful.” Lyons also
Mark and Molly Burke, Craig
stressed “that the building should be
Viehweg, Brian Gaffney, Jose-
left free and clear to the community
phine Brogan and Tom McKeon.
when it is finished and that there
A Consensus View
should be no debt after it’s built.”
After several meetings,
Lyons also told the audience
the group narrowed the op-
“that the Irish-American community
tions down to one choice and
must raise $5 million by September
that was to start over with a
1, and if this goal was not met, the
completely new building. The
project would not be going ahead.”
consensus was unanimous.
The reasoning behind that lofty
There were multiple advan-
target was that if we can’t raise 10
tages which include: increased
percent of the projected cost quickly,
space for Irish arts, and cultural
then we will never raise the ultimate
programming, greater foot-
amount. It is also important for
print for an expanded library
granting agencies and foundations
and genealogy center, possible
to see that the community is fully
aquatics facility, sports hall and
behind the endeavor. It is also hoped
gym. Several smaller entertain-
that capital support can be secured
ment venues could be housed
from the Irish government down the
within the shell of a new build-
road.
ing. In addition, there would
Redmond also pointed out that
be dedicated dance, music and
“an important feature of the new
language classrooms as well
building is that it is sustainable in
as offices for other local Irish
the long run. A sustainability report
American organizations. The
is underway to examine how eco-
St Patrick’s room would be re-
nomically successful the building can
tained, as well as the option for
be once it has opened.”
a restaurant on the roof top.
A new building would be
more attractive to rent out to
our members for special family
events such as weddings. Col- Consul General Offers
lectively this this seemed the Support
best way to forward and got
people excited about the future Western US Consul General
possibilities. Robert O’Driscoll spoke at the May
So we engaged San Fran- 7 meeting in full support of the new
cisco based Studio BANAA vision being proposed for the United
architects Dane Bunton and Irish Cultural Center. O’Driscoll said
Nastaran Mousavi, to develop “that this was potentially a historical
some conceptual designs and moment in the history of our com-
renderings for a new building at munity here in San Francisco.”
the corner of 45th and Wawona. He continued “That the proposal
Both architects had previously outlined this evening is part of a
undertaken some “pro bono” long Irish heritage and tradition of
work last year for the Board the Irish providing meeting places
when were entertaining the idea for their communities down through
of remodeling the UICC. the years here in San Francisco. The
The concept design right proposal outlines a vision for a mod-
now spans eight floors and ern and dynamic Irish Center, and it
encompasses almost 100,000 turns the page on the next chapter
square feet. and proud volume of stories of the
Initial Feedback Irish in this city. The Center envi-
There was a very positive sioned here has the potential to be a
response to the proposal design home for the Irish into the 21st cen-
revealed for the first time to tury and also to be a meeting point
the public on May 7, the result of Irish culture and the multitude
of many months of meetings of other nation-leading cultural and
between the Builders working artistic institutions and communities
group and architects. The UICC that call the Bay area and California
members voted unanimously home.”
on May 13 to proceed to the O’Driscoll also stated “that the
San Francisco Department of Irish government has in the past
Planning for feedback on the supported similar rebuilds for Irish
ambitious plan to transform Centers overseas in New York and
the site. London, and that with if there was
While we may have ar- collective support united in a com-
rived this juncture, somewhat mon vision for the future then it
fortuitously, it is certainly an would most likely receive capital sup-
exciting time in the history of port down the road.
the Irish Center. O’Driscoll ended by saying “I’m
Footnote so excited about this project and the
And by the way, if you are legacy it might leave for the genera-
wondering if the roof at the tions of Irish Americans that will
Irish Center leaked this winter, follow.”
the answer is No!
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