Eoin McKiernan

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McKiernan Eoin McKiernan on July 18, 2004. Founder of the Irish American Cultural Institute, catalyst for the Irish renaissance in the US. Eoin was born in 1915 and raised on Manhattan Island, New York. He earned his BA in literature and classical languages from St. Joseph's College, NY, his Master's in Psychology from the University of New Hampshire, and his PhD in English from Pennsylvania State University. He was the chair of the English Department at the State University of NY at Geneseo before moving to St. Paul in 1960 to chair the English department at the College of St. Thomas. His parents' love of their homeland inspired him to study Irish culture as a youth, earn a scholarship to study in Ireland as a young man, master the Irish language, build relationships with national leaders there and ultimately establish the Irish American Cultural Institute, an international organization to preserve and promote the Irish culture. As president of the IACI he awarded grants to Irish writers, composers, artists, and Irish language endeavors; he introduced Irish- Americans to literary and historic tours of Ireland, established a summer program there for American high school students, launched a reforestation program for Ireland, brought Irish writers, musicians, actors, educators, and diplomats each year to audiences across the US, published Eire-Ireland, a scholarly journal of Irish studies, and elevated the subject to a university level academic program. He also established Irish Books and Media to bring Irish-published literature to US readers, and Irish Educational Services, which supports Irish language schools in Ireland. For his work he received many awards, including honorary doctorates from the National University of Ireland, Marist College, and the University of St. Thomas, and recognition as a top Irish-American of the century. Eoin was a man of extraordinary patience, understanding, and kindness. He was devoted to his family, and enriched our lives with love, wisdom, and humor. He was a man of great faith; he had a profound compassion for his brothers and sisters of the human family and was tireless in his civic and charitable efforts on behalf of the poor and vulnerable. He was a remarkable man and we will miss him dearly. Eoin was preceded in death by his wife, Jeannette; his mother, Delia Nagle (Lahinch, Co. Clare, Ireland); father, Henry J. McKiernan (NYC); brothers Tom and Jim; sister, Marge, and granddaughter, Gillisa Hetzler. He is survived by his nine children, Deirdre (Joseph Hetzler), Kevin (Catherine Boyer), Brendan (Kathy), Nuala (Thomas Rosensteel), Ethna, Fergus (Ann Schilling), Grania (Nicholas Doyle), Gillisa, Liadan (William Lorsung); 34 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Helen and Eileen, and many nieces and nephews. Visitation Thursday, 4-8 PM at WILLWERSCHEID FUNERAL HOME, 1167 Grand Ave, St. Paul, 651-228-1006. Mass of Christian Burial 10 AM Friday at CHURCH OF ST. LUKE, 1079 Summit Ave., St. Paul. Memorials preferred to Irish Educational Services, c/o American Bank, 1578 University Ave. W., St. Paul, 55104, or to Catholic Charities.

Published on July 21, 2004