Every year The Emerald Association hosts a
fabulous dance at the Star Ridge Center in Brewster with music by
various well known bands. The cost includes a catered dinner and
Irish entertainment. It is usually a sold out affair. The
date for the dance this year is March 20, 2010 and the chairpeople are
Christine & Eddie McDowell (ph 845-279-3380). The Emeralds of the
Year, Marian and Jack Hayes, will be honored at this affair.
Marian & Jack Hayes
EMERALD OF THE YEAR: 2010
Picture N/A at this time
Bridie Hamilton
EMERALD OF THE YEAR: 2009
The Emerald
Association has proudly chosen Bridie Hamilton to be our 2009 Emerald of
the Year. Bridie and her twin sister, Margaret, were born in Cloonfad,
County Roscommon, Ireland to the delight of her parents, Patrick and
Anne Heneghan. She also has another sister, Mary. She attended
Cloonfad National School, but had to leave school at the young age of 14
years when her father died to work on their farm. A short time later,
she spied Sean Hamilton and it was love at first sight. In 1955 when
Bridie was just eighteen, she became engaged and emigrated to the U.S.
shortly thereafter. She lived in the Washington Heights section of New
York and got a job three days later. She moved to Greenwich, CT and
worked for a family there during the summer and then worked at their
Park Avenue house during the winter.
Sean worked in England
before emigrating to Brooklyn, NY. in February of 1956. In November of
1956, Bridie and Sean were married and lived in Brooklyn for their first
16 years of marriage. Their first son, Sean, was born in 1959, followed
by Patrick, Maureen, Dan and Patricia, who arrived in 1966. The family
was growing. Bridie enjoyed spending summers on Tonetta Lake in
Brewster, so the family left Brooklyn and moved up to Putnam County for
good in 1972.
Bridie went to work
full time for the U.S. Post Office in Carmel in 1977, in addition to
raising her children. She retired after 22 years in 1998 and enjoys
spending time in Cape Cod during the summer and taking short vacations,
but is always happy to come home to Brewster and being with her family.
Her son, Sean, lives in Tonetta Lake with his wife, Brenda, Patrick
lives in Burlington, CT with his wife Nancy, Maureen lives in Virginia,
Dan lives in Dover Plains with his wife Beth and Patricia lives in Hyde
Park with her husband Brian. The Hamiltons have 10 grandchildren and
enjoy being grandparents very much.
Bridie is very involved
in The Emerald Association and has served on the Executive Board for
several years. In addition to that, she has chaired dances, picnics,
assisted with the Journal, worked at the registration desk and food
court at our Annual Feis and has received awards for her Irish soda
bread. She and Sean were chosen to be Grand Marshalls of the 2007
annual St. Patrick’s Parade in Mahopac. If you think she is very busy,
there’s still more to come. She is also very involved in the community,
especially Kiwanis, which benefits special needs children, and has
served as Treasurer of that organization for several years, been
involved with the Silent Auction and been a major Fund Raiser for their
dinners. It is with great pleasure that we honor this wonderful lady
tonight who shares her time and talents with so many. Please put your
hands together as we recognize Bridie Hamilton as our Emerald of the
Year of 2009.