Order of Hibernians hold Irish flag raising in Holyoke
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – March is Irish-American Heritage Month, and the celebrations have already begun in Holyoke.
The United States is often referred to as a melting pot of all different cultures, and in Holyoke, the Puerto Rican and Irish communities are prevalent within the city. To celebrate Irish-American Heritage Month, the community came together to celebrate its roots.
Holyoke bars compete to fund St. Patricks Parade
'There is a parade of events that even start as early as January all the way until March when we march on Holyoke streets,' said Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia.
The Hibernians of Eastern Hampden and Hampshire counties hosted its raising of the Irish flag at Holyoke City Hall on Saturday.'It is a great feeling,' said Joseph O'Connor, President of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. 'Family, friends, just everybody comes together, and all celebrate and have a good time.'
These events, from selecting this year's Colleen to the many fundraisers, lead up to the St. Patrick's Parade in Holyoke. But this year, Mayor Garcia isn't just looking forward to one parade.
'The folks over there in Ireland reached out to a Puerto Rican kid from Holyoke to be their Grand Marshall,' Garcia said.
Garcia said he is counting down the days until his flight.
'Everything that I've learned, understood about Irish culture growing up here in the city, my neighbors, brothers and sisters,' Garcia said. 'I just can't wait to go there and experience it and see it, and learn more about the history and traditions in Ireland over there.'
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
10 hours ago
- Fox News
Marine experts find likely remains of 18th-century treasure ship that was lost for centuries
Underwater archaeologists may have discovered a long-lost 18th-century treasure ship that vanished over two centuries ago. Marine expert Edmond O'Byrne told Pen News that his team found what is believed to be the Recovery, a British ship that was lost off the coast of Wexford, Ireland, in 1787. (See the video at the top of this article.) The ship carried various treasures, and its cargo included a large quantity of marble and bronze. James Caulfeild, 1st Earl of Charlemont, collected the valuable materials during a tour of Europe. The ship also carried rare art and natural curiosities owned by John La Touche, one of the wealthiest Irish bankers of his time. But the ship met its end when it sank 85 miles south of Dublin, its intended destination. The vessel had recently stopped in London after beginning its journey in Italy. Six people died in the wreck, including the ship's captain and two of his sons. The ship was largely forgotten about before researchers caught wind of its likely remains. During a recent interview with Pen News, O'Byrne said that, one day, his side-scan sonar "picked up an unusual object on the seabed." "The ship was at the mercy of the sea." He told the agency, "At first I thought it was a torpedo, because the image would be slightly distorted on the side-scan sonar." But the shipwreck revealed its age when his crew spotted a copper sheath on the vessel. In the 18th century, copper was used by the Royal Navy to protect wooden ships from barnacles and shipworms. "When we went [underwater], it turned out to be a 20-foot-long rudder covered in copper sheet," O'Byrne recalled. "Now that really identified her." He added, "In 1773, when she was built in Chester, the Recovery was one of about 200 ships out of the British merchant fleet of about 10,000 that had their hulls covered in copper sheathing." "Any wrecks that we have a record of weren't copper sheathed." Using a drone, researchers also spotted a piece of timber coming out of a sandbank, which O'Byrne said was "definitely from a ship." "It could have been any bit of timber but when I told the pilot to drive closer, I could see that there was a timber nail hole in that plank," he said. "I told one of the boys to go down and take that up, and when he did, there was a two-foot by one-foot copper sheath nailed to the timber." The team also uncovered an anchor, timber fittings and artifacts including a teapot and inkwells. Some of the findings offer a glimpse into how the ship went down: For example, the rudder was found around 800 feet away from the shipwreck. "We reckon when she came around Carnsore Point, she came into shallower water, and pulled the rudder and part of the stern off," O'Byrne described. "And then the ship was at the mercy of the sea." The rudder was also covered in copper. It may be the only 18th-century copper-covered rudder that's ever been found. "We've searched and, so far, nobody can tell us that there is a copper-covered rudder in existence from that time anywhere," O'Byrne added. "It could be the only one of its time." The true value of the cargo is unknown, though La Touche's possessions have fetched vast sums of money in the past. One sculpture that he commissioned sold for £520,000 in 1997, which equals roughly $1 million U.S. dollars today. O'Byrne also believes that, with the shipwreck sitting 65 feet below the service, the cargo may still be in good condition. "If they had to journey some distance on land to get to the port and then be loaded and then unloaded, they would have to be packed very, very well," he observed. "So there is a chance that something would survive." For now, the ship is going to remain undisturbed while O'Byrne's team monitors it to see if any shifting sands reveal its treasures. Recovered shipwrecks are of great interest to marine historians. Earlier this year, a centuries-old ship was found beneath a former fish market in Spain. Last month, the Wisconsin Historical Society announced the discovery of a 19th-century tugboat in Lake Michigan.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Easthampton enjoys strawberry season at annual ice cream social
EASTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – The Easthampton community is celebrating the start of strawberry season. Easthampton aims to enhance transparency with new public records management Locals got together at the annual Strawberry Ice Cream Social at the River Valley Co-Op, a locally-owned grocery store. From nearby vendors to different flavored ice cream, families enjoyed food produced by farmers in their neighborhood. 'So all the beef is coming locally, so we've got grass-fed beef burgers, we also have beyond-burgers for our non-meat folks, we've got homemade coleslaws and potato salads,' said Karen Mageorge-royal, store manager of River Valley Co-op. Proceeds from Thursday's event will support a local non-profit. Each month, the grocery store gives back to an organization in need. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Building catches fire on Franklin Street in Westfield
WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A fire broke out in Westfield late Thursday night on Franklin Street. Westfield Starfires join students for STEM showcase The fire took place at around 11:00 p.m. at the same building as Santiago's Family Restaurant on the corner. 22News has reached out to officials and will update this story when more information becomes available. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
