Friends of St. Patrick in Seattle

The Society of
The Friends of St. Patrick in Seattle

Click to see Photos from The Friends of St. Patrick Banquet held Saturday, March 14, 2009, at the Washington Athletic Club, Seattle.
Special Guest: Irish Attorney General Paul Gallagher

Special Guest at the Banquet was Ireland’s Attorney General, Paul Gallagher, shown above with US Congressman Jim McDermott. Attorney General Gallagher is the legal adviser to the Irish Government and the chief law officer of the Irish State. Click photo for more pictures.

Ireland's Attorney General Paul Gallagher, US Senator Maria Cantwell, State Senator Ed Murray, at the 2009 Friends of St. Patrick Banquet. Click photo for more pictures.

Tickets are $85 per person.
To order tickets via email or telephone, contact Margaret Dore at 206-389-1754 or email Friends@irishclub.org.

Purchase Tickets On-Line

To order tickets by mail, write:
Friends of St Patrick
11616 NE 134th St
Kirkland, WA 98034
Please make checks payable to "Friends of St Patrick".
2009 Banquet Entertainment:

Entertainment will include stepdancers from the
Baile Glas Irish Dancers and music and singing by The Muses.
To see more photos or to listen to a sample of The Muses' music,
click on the photos above. For more information,
go to www.baileglas.org or www.themusesmusic.com.
2008 Special Honored Guest:

His Excellency John Bruton,
European Union Ambassador to the United States,
and former Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister).
Click here for more information.
Also in attendance as honored guests in 2008 were Seattle Archbishop Alexander Brunett, Irish Government Minister John McGuinness, T.D., and Irish Consul General Una Fannon.

Photos from the 2006 Banquet:

At the 2006 Banquet, St. Patrick's Day Parade Grand Marshal
and travel guru Rick Steves (left), with Fr. John Madigan (center) and
Seattle Auxiliary Bishop Joe Tyson.

At the 2006 Banquet, US Senator Maria Cantwell with
Seattle Archbishop Alexander Brunett.

From left, Acting Irish Consul General Úna Fannon, Irish
Government Cabinet Minister Noel Dempsey, T.D.
and Friends of St. Patrick Officer John Keane,
converse with US Senator Maria Cantwell.

For more pictures from last year's Banquet, go to
2006 BANQUET PHOTOS.

For pictures from the 2004 Banquet, go to
2004 BANQUET PHOTOS

Friends of St. Patrick History
Originally named The Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, the Society was founded in Philadelphia on March 17, 1771. At its first meeting were George Washington’s Irish-born aide-de-camp General Stephen Moylan, along with John Dickenson and Robert Morris who signed the US Declaration of Independence. George Washington himself later became an Honorary Member.
The Friendly Sons started in Seattle in 1941 and was a male only organization until 1989 when it welcomed women and changed its name to The Society of the Friends of St. Patrick. The change came under pressure from Seattle Archbishop
Thomas Murphy who kidded that otherwise he would start supporting the Angry Daughters of St. Brigid! Carol Costello in 1999 was the first female President of the Seattle organization.

DOUBLE CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE
Picture from 1978 Sunset magazine, taken at Seattle's 1977 Parade. Three Dailey boys are carrying the banner, sons of Jim and Mary Colette Dailey. Behind them and to the right are Bruce Cosacchi's daughters: L-R Maureen, Sheila and Laura. Bruce is on the extreme right. Diane Hackett is in the center, back, wearing a bandana.

Following are some pictures from previous banquets. The names and years are listed where they've been identified.

DOUBLE CLICK ANY PICTURE TO ENLARGE

1. 2 3.

4. 5. 6.

7. 8. 9.

1. 1948 BANQUET, Crowd picture
2. 1963 BANQUET, Archbishop Connolly, Pat Barry, Bob McGrath,
Seattle City Councilman Wing Luke
3. 1964 BANQUET, Don Sullivan, Jim Murphy, Bill Lukoskie, Bob Murphy
4. 1963 BANQUET, Bob McGrath, Mike McCay, Councilman Wing Luke
5. 1962 BANQUET, Jim Dore at piano, brother Fred at left,
and cousin John Dore on right
6. 1966 BANQUET, Ben Maslan, John Miller, James McAteer (President)
7. 1964 BANQUET, Bill Lukoskie, unknown, Jim Murphy, ? Powers,
Gene Cheevers, Judge John Wilson, Bob Murphy, Don Sullivan
8. 1965 BANQUET, Friends President Thomas Geraghty on left,
Seattle Mayor Dorm Braman on right.
9. 1965 BANQUET, Tom McMurray, Thomas Geraghty,
Society President Jim McAteer on pipes,
with the Blanchet HS Gaelic Pipe Band.

1955 - Then Senator John F. Kennedy regretfully declines an invitation
to speak at the 1956 Friendly Sons Banquet

1960 - Mike McKay, Charles P Moriarty, Fred Dore, President

1965 - Irish Consul General Charles V Whelan was the principal speaker

1965 - The Seattle P-I mistakenly identified him as "British Consul General"