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Great Irish Fair Celebrates Culture, Heritage While Promoting Unity in Brooklyn

By Currents News and Ed Wilkinson

WINDSOR TERRACE – Traditions can be broken, even at the Great Irish Fair. 

Each year at the fair, the master of ceremonies ends the official awards ceremony with the singing of his original Ballad of the Great Irish Fair. But as the formalities at the 44th annual fair were coming to an end on Sept. 13 on the grounds of Holy Name Parish, Park Slope, Jim O’Dea instead broke into a rendition of “A Nation Once Again,” which looks forward to a united Ireland. 

The change of direction was made to honor Great Irish Fair Chief Brehon Niall Murphy, a Belfast lawyer and civil rights activist who has been working for years to protect the victims of political strife and to reimagine a union of the Irish Republic with British-controlled Northern Ireland. 

Murphy, who said that a game plan calling for one Ireland where the Irish people will determine what will be the future of Ireland is underway, added that he accepted the honor of being chief brehon on behalf of all victims of government-induced violence in his homeland. 

He said he was impressed by the comments of the honorees at this year’s Great Irish Fair, and the sentiments expressed “will live with me for the rest of my life.” 

RELATED: Community Comes Together at Great Irish Fair to Support Catholic Education

Fourteen people received awards for their contributions to the Irish-American community. 

Genna Cottingham, a junior at Villanova University and a life-long parishioner of Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Windsor Terrace, reigned over the fair as the Colleen Queen. She expressed her thanks to her parents, Kathleen and Martin Cottingham, Jr., who recently stepped down as director of the fair after 17 years at the helm. 

A member of the Buckley School of Irish Dance, Genna has performed many times at the Great Irish Fair. 

A new tradition began when an award in memory of Martin Cottingham, Sr., was announced and presented to Martin, Jr. The elder Cottingham, who died a little more than a year ago, was heralded as one of the biggest cheerleaders of the Great Irish Fair, to which he dedicated many hours of volunteer time. 

The day began with a 9 a.m. Mass at Holy Name celebrated by Bishop Robert Brennan. Among the concelebrants were three diocesan priests who were among the honorees: Msgr. James Keely, Father James Cunningham, and Father Christopher Heanue, who is the director of the diocesan Irish Apostolate. Also honored was Sister Helen Kearney, CSJ, former president of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Brentwood. 

RELATED: Life of Father Varela, and a ‘United Ireland,’ Highlighted at Great Irish Fair

Bishop Brennan noted the celebration was taking place one day before the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. Bishop Brennan said, “The reality of the cross is all around us. But the Lord reassured us that the cross is not the final answer.” 

Instead, he said the Church takes consolation in the Resurrection of Jesus and “we take courage from his victory which will be ours.”  

He added that the Irish celebrate “cultural roots and pass them on so that they can bear good fruits.” 

Bishop Brennan also thanked the Irish-American Builders Society organizing committee for earmarking the proceeds of the fair to Catholic Schools in Brooklyn and Queens. 

Following the liturgy and presentation of awards, Irish music and dancing rounded out the day-long schedule.  

Two different stages hosted the sounds of The Brooklyn Bards, The Prodicals, the Canny Brothers Band, Slainte, the Susan and Gerard Band, and Trad Seisiun.  

There were also performances by the Buckley School of Irish Dance and the O’Malley Irish Dance Academy. 

Catholics in the Diocese of Brooklyn Turn to God To End Violence in the World During Day of Prayer

By Currents News

In a solemn Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph in Brooklyn, Bishop Robert Brennan called on Catholics to dedicate time to prayer for peace, emphasizing its profound power in a world rife with violence and division.

“The world needs your prayers. Our city, our community needs your prayers,” Bishop Brennan said. “In a time when prayer is sometimes mocked for being just an empty expression of emotion, St. John Chrysostom reminds us that it’s far more powerful.”

The Mass on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrow Mass marked a time to ask for God’s help in ending violence in New York City and around the world.

Parishioners at the Mass reflected on local and international crises unfolding — like those in Ukraine, where Russian forces have claimed advances in several parts of the war-torn nation.

Russia has also launched joint military drills with Belarus, apparently to test the readiness of their armed forces.

In response, President Donald Trump urged NATO countries to collectively refrain from purchasing Russian oil, heightening geopolitical tensions.

Prayers extended to the Holy Land as well, where Israeli strikes targeted high-rise buildings in Gaza City on Sept. 14, with officials claiming the structures were used by Hamas militants. The attacks forced residents to evacuate hurriedly, grabbing belongings just moments before the impacts.

On Sept. 15 U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Israeli leaders to discuss pathways to ending the ongoing war.

Meanwhile, Catholics in the Diocese of Brooklyn are doing their part in prayer.

“Jesus the risen Lord is present among us — especially present among us when we gather in prayer,” Bishop Brennan said. “We ask Him to make of us instruments, agents of peace and reconciliation in the world.”
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Celebrating the Blessed Mother: Our Lady of Sorrows Church Honors Patron in Queens, New York

By Currents News

Sept. 15 marks the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. 

For the Corona, Queens church that bears the name of the Marian title, honoring the Blessed Mother has been a ten-day celebration.

Mass on the feast was just one of many events held in honor of their patron.

Starting on September 6, the church prayed a Novena wherein every day different ministries within the parish took over the celebration to honor the Marian title.

It was first used by seven young people in Tuscany, Italy in the 1200s as the principal devotion of their order. 

On Sunday, Sept. 14 a Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Hector Rodriguez of the Dominican Republic.

Catholic News Headlines for Monday 9/15/2025

Catholics join Bishop Robert Brennan in a day of prayer for an end to violence around the world.

Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Corona, Queens, held a 10-day celebration ahead of their patron’s feast day.

The Diocese of Brooklyn’s Irish American community gathered for the Great Irish Fair, which benefits Catholic schools in Brooklyn and Queens.

From Brooklyn and beyond, Catholics all over celebrated Pope Leo XIV’s 70th birthday this past Sunday.

Catholic News Headlines for Friday 9/12/2025 

A fourteen-year-old flute player’s musical journey began at her New Jersey church, where her parish family nurtured her talent and faith. Now, she’s heading to Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program.

Authorities have caught and identified a suspect in the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Pope Leo XIV will soon be turning 70 – we share how you can send him a birthday prayer and well wishes.

New Jersey Flute Prodigy Credits Spiritual Home In Achieving Dream Opportunity With Julliard

By Katie Vasquez

As Chideha Osondu’s fingers play notes, the sound of her flute fills St. Thomas the Apostle Xhurch with angelic music. The Bloomfield, New Jersey church is where she got her start with the instrument. 

Back in 2020, she asked the organist, Patricio Molina if she could participate. 

“At first, I didn’t think he would allow me to play, especially since I was such a beginner,” she told Currents News. “But for him to allow me and gave me the opportunity meant a lot.”

And that was just the beginning: Molina saw the potential in Osondu, and was able to get her music lessons. 

“In a matter of like 6 months, her progress was so extraordinary. I was shocked,” Molina, who is also the director of music at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, told Currents News.

The New Jersey parish has opened its doors to give the 14-year-old performance experience. 

“I really, I want the parish to know that she, the seeds were planted here,” said Father Lawrence Fama, St. Thomas the Apostle Church’s pastor. “We helped her grow by our prayers, by our love, by her, our support, our encouragement for her.”

Now thanks to the help from her church community, she was accepted to the music advancement program at the Juilliard school. 

“I know she will always look back at Saint Thomas as the beginning of this beautiful story of her life,” said Father Fama. 

It’s a tuition free weekend program that is designed to help students reach their potential. 

“She’s just so excited. And we are too, that she’ll be learning from the best of the best and playing with other students who are very talented,” said her parents, Chinwe and Ejike Osondu. 

It’s accomplishment that her parents believe was divine intervention.

“Everything God just orchestrated everything in just incredible ways,” said Chinwe, “no matter what happens, remember to put God first and just keep thanking Him and doing whatever you can to show Him how grateful you are.

“I’m proud of her, of course. I feel for her. This is this is still the beginning,” said Ejike. “You pray and put in their work and let god do the rest.”

Chideha Osondu will forever be grateful to God and the faithful that stood by her. 

“It’s good to have perseverance and continue to pray, because God’s always there,” she explained. “And, without him, I don’t think it’d be as far as I got.”

She will keep practicing, with a goal of eventually performing at Carnegie Hall.

Catholic News Headlines for Thursday 9/11/2025

They may not have been alive to remember where they were on Sept. 11, 2001, but students at one Catholic Academy in Queens are still preserving the memories of those we lost that day.

24 years after 9/11, officials are continuing to identify the remains of victims from the World Trade Center attack – the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner has identified more than 1,600 individuals.

The FBI is releasing photos of a person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

In NYC, St. Helen Catholic Academy Students Honor Lives Lost on 9/11

By Katie Vasquez

It was a solemn procession outside St. Helen Catholic Academy as the Queens school remembered the lives lost on 9/11. 

“It was horrible knowing that this happened to people 24 years ago,” 7th grader Clara Wierzbicki told Currents News.

“I like this because especially we are giving people who died, first responders, the recognition that they deserve,” said 6th grader Joe Griffith of the experience: 400 kindergarten through 8th grade students placed a patriotic pinwheel outside the church and school as a way to honor the victims.

While these kids were too young to have any memories of that dark day, the neighborhood was deeply affected.

The principal of the Howard Beach school wanted to make sure students knew about it.

“We have so many families that were touched that day that it was really important that the students who were not born at that time, who it is just a piece of history for, understand how close it is to our community and our church and our families,” said principal Tara Di Rico. 

One mother of two students at the school, Andrea Ammirabile, was working downtown on the day the World Trade towers fell. 

 “Everybody panicked in my building, and we were all kind of running around. And the first initial response from my office was to stay in the building. There was so much flying debris, even before they had fallen,” said Ammirabile. 

The morning started with prayer in the gym, and PJ Marcel, a parent and member of the Forest Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps, brought a piece of a beam from the south tower of the World Trade Center.

“You could see their minds trying to develop and process what’s going on here, because they weren’t even a thought 24 years ago when the attacks on American soil took place,” said Marcel. 

That’s another reason for this recognition: to make sure future generations never forget. 

“I think we need more peacemakers. We need more heroes. We are in an environment where these kids are living in a form of fear regularly. And I think [we need] to be reminded that we had struggles, we had tragedies. So this is not something new to what we hear in the news today, but we came together,” said Di Rico. 

“I think it’s good that we don’t forget about it, because of the heroes that sacrifice themselves to save others,” said Wierzbicki. 

Throughout the school day, the students worked on projects focused on processing what happened on that tragic day.