MEDIA RELEASE
2017 ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS
SAINT PATRICK'S DAY PARADE
For more information contact
Jim Mohan
Cell: 314-440-7079
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hibernians Recognizes Outstanding St. Louisians
St. Louis--The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) will honor a number of distinguished St. Louisians at a special reception and award ceremony Thursday, March 9th at 6:00 PM at Electricians’ Hall 5850 Elizabeth in South St. Louis.
The Hibernian celebration, now its 16th year, known as “Hoses, Handcuffs and Hard Hats” is dedicated to firefighters, law enforcement officers, public safety personnel and union members who have died in the line of duty since September 11, 2001.
Theevent was renamed “The Judge James Dailey Wahl Memorial Hoses, Handcuffs and Hard Hats,” this year to honor its founder, James Dailey Wahl, a long-time St. Louis Municipal Court judge, who passed away in December after a battle with leukemia.
As in the past, this years’ benefit is being held in conjunction with theannualAOH Saint Patrick’s Day Parade on March 17 in Dogtown (Baile Madra in Irish).
Receiving special honors will be firefighters and law enforcement officers from St. Louis City and St. Louis County. The honorees include St. Louis City Police Officer Ryan Murphy, St. Louis County Police Officer Dave Holmes, St. Louis County Firefighter John Reynoldsand St. Louis City Firefighter Kenny King.Chief Ron Battelle, Executive Director of BackStoppers,was selected the 2017 AOH Civic Leader. Mike O’Mara was named the AOH 2017 Labor Leader.
Also receiving special recognition at the event will be the family of Judge James Dailey Wahl, who the Hibernians have selected as Grand Marshals of the 34th annual Ancient Order of Hibernians Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.Marching at the front of the 2017 parade, will be Wahl’s wife Kathy, and their children Tommy, Kerry, Kristin, Kelly Wahl Chew and son-in-law Zach Chew.
The Irish Session Players and Mayer-Torno School of Irish Dance will perform.
The event is open to the public. The suggested donation is $20.00 per person. Funds raised help underwrite the AOH Parade and help support Irish charities.
“We are very gratified by all the support of the St. Louis community, especially our civic leaders and labor unions have given the Hibernians, and especially Anheuser-Busch/InBev "said Kelly Wahl Chew, who is helping organize this year’s event in her father’s honor.
“The Hibernians also want to thank Local 73 of the St. Louis Fire Department, Local 2665 of the St. Louis County Fire Department, the Emerald Society of St. Louis and the IBEW Local 1 for all their support in helping us put on this event to honor these outstanding individuals,” she added.
Organizers also wanted to acknowledge a number of businesses for their assistanceincluding, John D. McGurk’s, Seamus McDaniel’s Pat Connolly's Tavern, Friendly's Sports Bar & Grill, Joey B’s, The Haven, Maggie O’Brien’s, Keeton's Double Play Classigue Wine and Spirits,
For more information on the “Judge James Dailey Wahl Memorial Hoses, Handcuffs and Hard Hats” event, contact (314) 421-3100.