{"id":2108,"date":"2016-08-13T15:34:39","date_gmt":"2016-08-13T22:34:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theaposition.com\/traveltattler\/?p=2108"},"modified":"2016-08-13T15:34:39","modified_gmt":"2016-08-13T22:34:39","slug":"michael-patrick-shiels-joins-illustrious-class-in-michigan-irish-american-hall-of-fame","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/traveltattler\/golf\/personalities\/2108\/michael-patrick-shiels-joins-illustrious-class-in-michigan-irish-american-hall-of-fame","title":{"rendered":"Michael Patrick Shiels Joins Illustrious Class in Michigan Irish American Hall of Fame"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Michael

Michael Patrick Shiels and his son Harrison in Lahinch, County Clare, Ireland<\/p><\/div>\n

I wasn\u2019t surprised to see the newly announced class of inductees into the Michigan Irish American Hall of Fame\u2026until I learned I was one of them. The Hall recognizes Irish Americans who have made important contributions in Michigan (thus the surprise). The induction ceremony, open to the public, takes place at high noon<\/span> on Saturday, September 17<\/span>, on the Galway Main Stage in the middle of the huge, annual Michigan Irish Music Festival in Muskegon.<\/p>\n

Former Governor James J. Blanchard will be inducted in the category of \u201cPublic Service,\u201d and three new members will, too, in the field of \u201cEducation\u201d: Kathleen Dewan O\u2019Neill; James J. O\u2019Kelly; and Michael W. Kerwin, each of Detroit and each active in the vibrant Irish American community there.<\/p>\n

Kevin Donovan and Judge Neil Mullally advised that I will be inducted in the area of \u201cArts and Entertainment,\u201d which I suppose is a very subjective decision for anyone who has ever been subjected to my writing about Ireland or heard my live St. Patrick\u2019s Day radio broadcasts from the Emerald Isle. No less than Mary Robinson, who served at the first female President of Ireland, from 1990-\u201997, proved it when I interviewed her on my radio program.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it true,\u201d I asked Robinson, \u201cthat in Ireland, as a writer and performer, I can live tax free?\u201d<\/p>\n

With a straight sounding face she answered dryly, \u201cMichael Patrick that would depend on whether your work was judged to be creative in nature.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ouch. A good old-fashion Irish shot!<\/p>\n

But that is, of course, the real charm of Ireland: its\u2019 people. From the President down to the publican, everyone seems to know that in order to be reverent you have to be irreverent. The fact that President Robinson made a crack at me made me feel closer and more familiar to her\u2026more accepted. And that\u2019s what you can expect when you \u201cgo where Ireland takes you,\u201d as the marketing slogan advises. You will feel welcomed even if the locals \u201cwork the weather on you,\u201d as Mary Griffin, the owner of Dingle\u2019s \u201cTower View Inn,\u201d describes the way she makes small talk with vacationers who stay at her charming guest house.<\/p>\n

The Michigan Irish Hall of Fame is permanently displayed in Hennessy\u2019s Irish Pub in Muskegon, which is fine by me. The warm, casual location is good enough, and irreverent enough, for previous inductees such as former Attorney General Frank Kelley; past State School Superintendent Michael Patrick Flannigan; retired Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Cavanagh, and, posthumously, Father Solanus Casey, Henry Ford and Jack Breslin, to name a few.<\/p>\n

For more information, or to attend the four day Irish Music Festival, log on to MichiganIrishAmericanHallofFame.org<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Michael Patrick Shiels may be contacted at\u00a0<\/em>InviteYourself@aol.com<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 His talk show can be heard weekday mornings in\u00a0Lansing\u00a0on 92.1 FM. <\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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