The Front Cover 1976

In making preparations for this, our 70th. anniversary and the nation's Bicentennial, it was felt appropriate to reproduce the cover of the 1912 dinner, the oldest program in the Society's files.

     The Society commissioned artist Jack Demers to recreate the cover and we are grateful and proud of his accomplishment.

     In examining the rare original it was noted that the Irish Flag, in addition to the Golden Harp, also included a crown, which puzzled us. Our own research was unavailing so we consulted the prestigious American Irish Historical Societyof New York City.

     William D. Griffin, Ph.D., Librarian and Archivist of that Society, promptly informed us as follows:

     "The flag shows the crowned harp that was the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Ireland down until the dissolution of the union between England and Ireland.

 As early as 1798, Irish republican patriots began using a harp-- without the royal crown as their symbol xxxx"

As we read Doctor Griffin's letter we looked over our bifocals at a bookcase where rested serenely, a book titled "The Year of Liberty--The Great Irish Rebellion of 1798" by Thomas Pakenham! Shame on us.

     We are most grateful to Doctor Griffin and in justice to those who selected the 1912 program cover it should be pointed out that the ready made covers of those days were purchased of a vendor in Philadelphia who is not known to have been an expert in Irish History!