Club News

Our 2023 Colleen is Ciara Johnson-Corwin! Ciara is 17 years old and a Senior at Westfield High School.  She is the founder and president of Letters for Rose and the Future Medical Professionals Club and Westfield High.  She is also the President of Key Club, Multicultural Club and co-president of Best Buddies.  Ciara is a member of the National Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society, Student Council, and a member of both the Unified Track and Ski Teams.  Ciara volunteers at Baystate Medical Center as a way-finder and greeter. She enjoys participating in the Baystate Springfield Educational Partnership at the hospital where she started a podcast and two PSAs.  In her free time, she loves to Irish step dance as well as dancing, hiking, working with watercolors, and traveling.  Upon graduation, Ciara plans on attending a college majoring in Biology of Global Health and minoring in Disability Studies.  Ciara would like to pursue a career as a physician.  

Our 2023 Court:

Kelly Burns - Kelly is 19 years old and a Sophomore at Clark University where she is studying Political Science.  Kelly is a member of the Pre-Law Society where she serves as Communications Director.  She is also a Yoga Club Member and Dance Society Emcee.  Kelly attended Westfield High School where she was captain of the gymnastics team, a member of the Key Club and a member of the National Honor Society.  In her free time, Kelly enjoys working out in the gym and practicing yoga.  She also enjoys attending sporting events, learning American Sign Language, thrifting and babysitting.  Kelly is employed part time by K’s Japanese Restaurant in Westfield.  She plans to attend Clark University for 5 years in order to obtain her Master’s Degree in Public Administration.  Upon graduation, she would like to explore a career in law. 

Shannon Corbett - Shannon is 17 years old and a Senior at Westfield High School.  She is employed part time by Big Y.  Shannon is a member of the band where she serves as Drum Major.  She is Vice President of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, and is a student class representative on the Student Council.  Shannon participates in the Westfield Promise Early College Pathway Program which allows her to take dual enrollment classes through Westfield State University.  She is passionate about the arts, which has led her to perform in downtown Westfield with members of the band, and also paint murals at local schools.  She was also nominated and selected for the Senior District Music Festival.  In her free time, Shannon is a member of the YMCA leaders club and a student pilot.  Upon graduation, Shannon plans on pursuing a career in aviation and would some day like to become a commercial airline pilot.

Cailyn Crean - Cailyn is 17 years old and a Senior at Westfield High School.  She is employed part at Dunkin’ Donuts.  She also tutored a second grader in reading and math throughout her junior year of high school. Cailyn is a member of Best Buddies and Letters for Rose Club.  She participates in the Westfield Promise dual enrollment program, has remained an honor roll student all four years of high school and is a member of National Honor Society.  Cailyn is an active member at her church and volunteers at the Westfield Soup Kitchen. Cailyn enjoys babysitting, being with friends and family, and working as a camp counselor over the summers at Camp Shepard.  She participated in Irish step dancing at the Sons of Erin with Mrs. Z from the age of 5 until Mrs. Z retired, she then moved on to dance at other studios.  She loves going to the Cape and spent many summers there as a young child.  She also enjoys exercising and writing. Cailyn plans on attending a four year college or university in the fall and hopes to study film and writing   

Sarah Moriarty - Sarah is 18 years old and a Senior at Westfield High School.  She is a member of and serves on the Executive Board of the National Honor Society, Student Council, and Letters for Rose, where she delivers letters to nursing home residents. Sarah is Senior Class Secretary, a member of Council on Peer Education, and Reshaping Reality, a club focused on promoting body positivity.  She is a member of the Creative Writers Club, Debate Club, Best Buddies, Drama Club and serves as a National Honor Society Tutor.  Sarah is a member of the Varsity Volleyball team and also the Youth Advisory Council for the Western Mass Charity Dance-a-Thon.   Sarah enjoys taking piano lessons, playing the ukulele, singing, writing, poetry, theater, baking a decorating.  She is an active member of her church music group – Psalm 33, an altar server, church reader.  Sarah plans on attending a four year college, potentially followed by law school.  She is contemplating minoring in English, poetry, law or Spanish.

Congratulations to our Parade Marshal for 2023 Kevin O'Connor! Kevin and his wife Joyce reside in Westfield, between them they have 5 children and 11 grandchildren. They enjoy spending time with their family and enjoy travelling to Florida along with the Cape, Maine and the Jersey Shore.

Kevin is the Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer for Westfield Bank where he has very happily worked for the past 13 years. He’s been in banking for the past 44 years having spent 28 years at the same company through multiple mergers of Third National to Bank of New England to Fleet and to Bank of America and a short stint at NewAlliance. He enjoys being able to work and live in the same community allowing him more time with local business and community organizations.

Kevin is a Member of the Sons of Erin. Chairperson of the Board of Trustees for the Western Mass Charity Dance-at-hon, a fundraiser led by local youth groups with guidance and leadership from adult volunteers. The group was formed by many parishioners of Blessed Sacrament Church and is a citywide effort. He spent several years on the Finance Committee for Blessed Sacrament. Kevin is the Chairperson of the Board for the Genesis Spiritual Life and Conference Center – Kevin has been on the board for the past 5 years and was their Treasurer before becoming Chair. He is Vice President of the Board for the Irish Cultural Center of Western New England, where he serves on the Finance, Audit and Executive Committees. Kevin recently resigned after 15 years with the Kiwanis Club of Westfield where he was a Past President and the 2018 Kiwanian of the Year. He had been a past member of the Kiwanis Club of West Springfield. He is a past member and board member of the Rotary Club of West Springfield, past nearly 10 year board member and Vice President for the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce and past Chairperson of the Westfield Business Improvement District.  

Congratulations to Mary Jane O'Donoghue McMahon on being named the 2023 Dorothy B. Griffin Irishwoman of the Year.

Congratulations to the 2023 Club Officers

President - Jim Laverty

Vice President - Steve Griffin

Treasurer - Bridget Canty

Sgt. at Arms - Kevin Fitzgerald

Recording Secretary - Megan Sweet

Membership Secretary - Dennis Moran

Board of Directors

Mike Conroy

Dermot Hurley

Mike Kane

Mike McMahon

Paul Miller 

Steve Witkus

The Club's General Membership meetings are held on the first Sunday of each month at 12:00 noon.  Meetings are usually suspended for the summer months of June, July and August. 

The Club has created a Commemorative Veteran Coin to be issued to the Club's Irish-American Veterans.  You are also eligible to receive one on behalf of a deceased family member that was a veteran.  The coins can be personalized with an engraving at your own expense.  Please contact Dermot Hurley to receive your coin.