JAMES A. CURRAN-DIVISION 1
Chartered July 23, 1873
LADIES-DIVISION 2
Chartered April 29, 1897

Maurice A. Donahue Memorial Scholarship

Three area students will receive the 2023 Maurice A. Donahue Memorial Scholarship.

Gavin Sullivan of Holyoke who will attend UMass Amherst

Patrick Sweeney of Holyoke plans to attend Holyoke Community College

Caroline Taylor of Southampton plans to attend Stonehill College

All three recipients have been involved in community service: Gavin Sullivan-volunteers for Special Olympics; Patrick Sweeney-volunteers at the Take and Eat Program at Our Lady of the Cross in Holyoke, and Caroline Taylor participates at Our Lady of the Valley Church in Easthampton in the weekend meal program and Rise against Hunger event at Easthampton High.   The scholarships will be presented at the Hibernian Annual Summer Picnic at Hamel’s Pavilion on Sunday August 27, 2023 1p-4p.  For tickets call John Gaughan @ 860-904-3056 or Fran Hennessey @ 413-785-5687.  The public is invited to attend as the Hibernians are also celebrating Holyoke’s 150th Anniversary of Incorporation as a city.  Read the Holyoke Sun article about the scholarship awards, and read what the Republican had to say.  Catholic Mirror.

 

 About the Maurice A. Donahue Memorial Scholarship:

 

The AOH was fortunate to have had the late Maurice A. Donahue, Massachusetts Senate President, as one of its staunch supporters.  Maurice supported our speaker’s program, The Shanachie Newsletter, and the Makem-Clancy Concerts.

On April 26, 1980, our beloved Treasurer, the late John F. Kennedy, a local banker, announced that the AOH Scholarship would be named the Maurice A. Donahue Scholarship Award.

Since 1980, it is estimated that the club has awarded up to $60,000.00 to exemplary kin and/or relatives of AOH members.  Monies were raised by the Shamrock Open, by the Ned Dean Golf  Tournaments by Thomas Francis Dillon (1980-1994), the John F. Kennedy (Banker Jack) Golf Tournaments by Daniel P. Curran (1994-2006), and by the Irish Quilt Raffles by Paula Paoli, President and other members of the LAOH ( 2000-2012).

The AOH Irish Night, held annually, now renamed The Daniel P. Curran Irish Night, is the main fundraiser for the Maurice A. Donahue Scholarship fund, besides the other smaller events held throughout the year.

 

About Maurice A. Donahue:

“Let us place ourselves in the shoes of the less fortunate, and determine humanely what we all must do- and do it.”

Maurice A. Donahue

Democratic National Convention (Chicago, 1968)

 

“He lived the words of integrity, honesty, dignity, decency, scholarship, and intellect.”

David Bartley (June 17, 1999)

 

Maurice A. Donahue served as:

  • 1949 – Elected State Representative
  • 1951 – Elected State Senator, 2nd Hampden District
  • Re-Elected to the State Senate eight times from 1952-1966
  • 1959 –1964  Senate Majority Leader
  • March 25, 1964-1970 President of the Massachusetts State Senate
  • University of Massachusetts – 1970-1988
  • Walsh-Saltonstall Professor of Practical Politics
  • Director of the Institute for Governmental Services

“Maurice A. Donahue has dedicated his life to helping other people and making his community a better place to live.  He worked in a manner not to bring credit upon himself but only to bring aid to others. He truly exemplifies what a public servant should be.”

Mayor Martin J. Dunn  (January 6, 1969)

 

“He stands out as the politician who has done the most for Education in the Commonwealth.”

The Boston Globe