The top 25 who made a difference - celebrating the Irish Voice’s 25th Anniversary

I know a couple of these on the list and have met some others. I really have to question the validity of the claim that they are influencers. They are all on the same chicken dinner, slap themselves on the back circuit in NYC. Loads of more deserving people out there that the level of people (most of them) on the list never associate with. Pat the Baker, Jim the Plumber, Mary the Nurse etc. The one I have the most issue with is Peter King, now there is one person who talks out both sides of his mouth and also his ass. He is a right wing rabbke rouser who supported the IRA and does not recognize that the Taliban in the stan are exactly like the IRA (one side in a brutal civil insurgancy except we support the corrupt Karzai Govt). Suppose I should expect the knock on my door tonight!!!

I would nominate the millions of immigrants, like my father, who came to the US in the 20th century and worked menial jobs and sacrificed to allow their children to get a good education,teach them about work ethics, and lay the foundation for their success.

You are on to something, dingle999. This appears to be a list of 25 most influential Irish Americans in the New York area. It's a great list but confined to that geographical area. Patrick Fitzgerald has not really done a great deal to advance Irish interests, so he might not have made the list anyway. But its interesting that even though he was raised in NY, he has spent the last ten years in Chicago and might have been off the radar screen for this list. Even Pittsburgh's Dan Rooney, AIF co founder and US Ambassador to Ireland did not make the list. My Chicago recommendations would have been Michael Flatley, Chicago born and raised, and James Kenny, successful businessman and former US Ambassador to Ireland.

Hmm no mention of Patrick Fitzgerald ? i.e Scooter Libby and Rod Blagojevich