COUNTY LAOIS ASSOCIATION - NY
Happy St. Patrick’s Day
CO. LAOIS ASSEMBLES ON TUESDAY, March 17, 2026
- At 2:40pm. Please arrive early in case we leave on time.
- On West 48th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenue.
- Dress Code: no sneakers, jeans, County jerseys, or crazy head gear.
Honoring Dan Kehoe: Last year, we lost Dan Kehoe, a dear friend and stalworth Laois member since the 1960s. Dan was our 2007 Grand Marshal and he and his family have marched with us in the NYC Parade over the years.
Sincere thanks to the Traver family for honoring Dan’s memory by sponsoring Laois’ participation in this year’s Parade.
Dan Kehoe, born in Kilkenny and one of eleven children, arrived in New York in 1958 where he laid down roots and married Frances Swan of Co. Carlow. Dan became a member of the Laois Association shortly after arriving in New York and played for our Junior Hurling and Football Clubs. He secured a job with the New York City Board of Education and quickly rose through the ranks. He became Head Custodian Engineer at several of the city’s most prominent schools, including the High School of Music and Arts. He was known for his immense kindness, and over the years he helped Irish immigrants find jobs and housing. Dan was an avid runner and completed 62 marathons around the world. He also enjoyed playing golf, sharing memorable stories, and always being ready for a game of cards.
He is survived by Frances and their children: Myles Kehoe, Edward Kehoe, and Lesley Traver, and their families. He is also survived by his sisters, Nano Braid and Gemma Lynch, and his brother Vincent Kehoe.
We dearly miss Dan and we offer our prayers for his family.
Grand Marshal: We are delighted to announce that Myles Kehoe, Dan’s eldest son, has accepted our invitation to be the 2026 Laois Grand Marshal.
Myles was the first of the Kilkenny Kehoes born in America and is proud to lead County Laois in the New York St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The eldest son of Dan and Frances (our 1998 Grand Marshal), Myles was carried as a child on the shoulders of players of the Laois Hurling & Football teams of the 1960s and has marched up Fifth Avenue with his family ever since. A native New Yorker, Myles has never lived anywhere but his home state. He graduated from Iona College in New Rochelle, NY, where he earned a degree in Finance. After college, Myles worked in finance for the Bank of Boston and Montefiore Medical Center before earning his credentials in Facility Management and Engineering and transitioning to a long and successful career with the City of New York. Myles and his beloved partner, Jeanne Marie, live in mid-town Manhattan and enjoy spending time and traveling with his sons Chris, 26, and Brian, 25, and extended family and friends.
On a personal note: Myles was an altar boy at our wedding when Fran and I were married.
Delegation from County Laois, Ireland: The Laois County Council are delighted to accept our invitation to travel to New York for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The delegation will be represented by the Cathaoirleach (Chairman) Mr. Barry Walsh and Chief Executive, Mr. Michael Rainey. We look forward to having them join us this year. We also welcome Emer Dunne, an acclaimed Irish folk singer from Mountmellick, who also is traveling to New York to join us.
In Memoriam: We also are saddened by the loss of Leo Kehoe, Dan’s brother, during the past year. He was our 1997 Laois Grand Marshal. Leo, also born in Kilkenny as one of eleven children, was a member of the Laois Association since the 1960s. Shortly after arriving in the U.S., he married Ann Fitzpatrick of Co. Clare. Leo played for our Junior Hurling and Football teams where he was one of our all-stars. On one occasion he grabbed the football near the Laois goal and ran the length of the field surviving many tackles and concluded with a kick over the crossbar for a point. He also was an avid golfer where he regularly won the long drive contest.
After entering the New York Police Department, Leo graduated first in his class. He was assigned to the Tactical Patrol Force (TPF) unit where he was deployed around the city to places of civil unrest. After a few years, he transferred to the New York Fire Department where he worked until his retirement.
Leo is survived by Ann and their children: Sandy Sheehan, Leo Kehoe Jr., and Sean Kehoe, and their families. He is also survived by his sisters Nano Braid and Gemma Lynch, and his brother Vincent Kehoe.
We dearly miss Leo and we offer our prayers for his family.
Tom Phelan: Over the past year, Mountmellick native Tom Phelan wrote a number of memoir pieces for the Irish Echo. One recaIIed the effect a beloved teacher had on the town, another toId the story of a farmer who refused to respect fences, and another was about Tom’s mother raising turkeys for the Christmas market. You can read these pieces and others at https://www.irishecho.com/authors/tom-phelan.
Tom’s wife, Patricia, is the program director for the Irish Family History Forum genealogy group (www.ifhf.org), which meets monthly at the Freeport Memorial Library in Freeport, NY.
Sláinte,
Mike Dunphy
President
973-886-6097
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