Boston’s fallen firefighters to be honored at 2014 Irish Heroes of New England Awards

The Irish Emigrant newspaper, in partnership with IrishCentral.com and Irish America magazine, will be holding its third annual Irish Heroes of New England awards on December 3 in Boston.

The Guinness brewing company and its “Made of More” campaign will be a main supporter of the event.

The Irish Heroes of New England Awards seeks to recognize members of the Irish American community, who through their acts of selfless bravery, leadership or community service, and inspirational stories showcase the best of what it means to be Irish.

In a statement, Connell Gallagher, publisher of The Irish Emigrant said “Heroes give more than they take. They think of others before thinking of themselves. And heroes inspire us all to be better people. With countless heroes worthy of recognition, the Irish Heroes of New England Awards seek to honor a representative group of individuals that epitomize the Irish spirit of service and giving.”

Irish Heroes of New England Awards Honorees 2014:

• Lt. Edward Walsh, Boston Fire Department (Posthumous)

• Firefighter Michael Kennedy, Boston Fire Department (Posthumous)

• Officer James Flanagan, Weymouth Police Department

• Mark Porter, Director of Operations, Let’s Stop Cancer Foundation

• Katie O’Halloran- Katie Born to Run

• John Dunleavey- Keynote speaker at 2014 Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress conference

In 2013, the annual awards recognized individuals with a focus on acts of bravery and courage, and fundraising efforts in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings. Honorees last year included Officer Richard Donohue; MBTA Transit Police, Lt. Sean O’Brien, Boston Fire Department; and Ken Casey, of the Dropkick Murphys and Claddagh Fund.