Hibernian Radio with Mike "Houli" Houlihan

Great show today as our old pal John Kass drops by “the bunker’ to shoot the breeze as we talk Chicago politics, south side style. It’s been two years since Kass appeared on the show and he and Houli are laser focused on a variety of targets like Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and both agree we are now enjoying a “cultural revolution” in politics. After 38 years with the Chicago Tribune Kass left “the paper” and started up his independent JohnKassNews.com with almost daily columns enlightening readers both nationally and locally. He started as an intern with the Daily Calumet while still in college and brings his southside moxie with him as he tells us of some of Pritzker’s greatest stunts, “He broke his leg standing up!” Houli and Kass both revel in the fireworks of Chicago corruption stories of sex, politics, and money. He calls Johnson the “worst mayor in the history of bad mayors!’ Lots of fun stories from both these guys including the time the high potentate of Japan had to apologize to the people of Japan for destroying their eco-system because of some blue gills gifted to him by Mayor Richard J. Daley. Don’t miss this funny and enlightening look back from two old pals who have “heard the chimes at midnight”. More to enjoy at JohnKassNews.com and his Chicago Way podcast on WGN radio.

Patty Casey

Fox’s Pizza in Orland Park & Mokena, Madden Funds and Flood Brothers Disposal present the Hibernian Radio Hour and this week we welcome returning guest and good friend, Patty Casey, to the show. Patty is a retired 32 year CPD veteran who grew up in St. Ita’s parish and attended St. Gregory’s High School. She worked as Commander of Youth Investigations and oversaw 4 units in different locations including the Juvenile Intervention & Support Center which has since been disbanded. She is a true Police family Matriarch and it’s safe to say her family’s blood runs blue – her husband, daughter and two sons are all cops! Patty began working on the west side, before moving onto the Gang & Tactical Team where she did some undercover work. This legendary lady has an impressive resume including working in Violent Crimes and in the Special Investigation Unit. Patty and Houli begin this week by jumping into a conversation surrounding the questionable actions and budgetary spending of Mayor Brandon Johnson. They discuss how the police resources are taking a hit during budgetary cuts and the impact that will have on our officers. ‘Chicago police have the highest suicide rate out of any police department in the country!’  The SAFE-T Act that made a number of reforms to the Criminal Justice system and the issues that have arisen since it’s introduction is a hot topic. ‘Citizens have to speak up, we have to let our voices be heard!’ The current anti-police climate, the recent murder of Officer Enrique Martinez and their mutual respect for Paul Vallas are just some of the many other topics these two dive into this week. Patty encourages any officers listening to reach out to Bank The Blue, an organization that provides mental health support for our First Responders and who are fighting to help end the stigma of seeking mental health treatment. Even in her retirement, she is still working to help fellow officers and is dedicated to helping and understanding young victims as well as ending the stigma behind mental health within the Police Department. Houli then brings us up to date on some upcoming events followed by the obituaries. We end this week’s show with a trip to ‘Houli-Town’!

John Paul and Tom Haran

Fox’s Pizza in Orland Park & Mokena, Madden Funds and Flood Brothers Disposal present the Hibernian Radio Hour and this week we’re honored to welcome back two of the Haran brothers from the south side of Chicago. The y are CFD Chief Tommy Haran and CFD Lieutenant John Paul Haran who are great craic together. They are two of the thirteen kids and many others are also First Responders, a testament to their parents, both of whom emigrated to Chicago from County Mayo in the ’60s. They begin by mentioning their brother, Finbarr, who was recently awarded Policeman of the Year by the Emerald Society for saving many innocent lives while getting injured in the process earlier this year. He was working in Oak Lawn as security when he was shot 5 times by a disgruntled employee and miraculously still managed to subdue the perpetrator! “The guy was coming to kill everyone in the building!” JP has been with the Fire Department for 24 years and Tommy has been working with CFD for 29 years.. “It’s been very good for me and my family. It’s important work!” Tom works at Station 4 at O’Hare Field and JP works on Truck 49 on the Southeast side and they go on to recount the hilarious story about their road trip to Boston for a Red Sox game and the shenanigans they got up to while staying at a local Firehouse nearby. They also mention the crazy antics they got up to at their recent trip to Munich for Oktoberfest. The brothers dive into some more serious stories including discovering they had a half-brother through an online Genealogy company. The changes they’ve seen over the years especially regarding mental health support, the importance of camaraderie at work and their family reunions are some of the other topics the guys touch on this week’s show. Houli then brings us up to date on some upcoming events followed by the obits and a quick joke to end a jam-packed show!

Houli

Fox’s Pizza in Orland Park & Mokena, Madden Funds and Flood Brothers Disposal present the Hibernian Radio Hour and this week we have a special show with Houli who fills the listeners in on his recent trip to Ireland. He and Skinny reunited to return to Ireland once again and recorded last week’s show at the Killarney Brewery & Distillery with the Brewery’s owner & proprietor, Tim O’Donoghue as well as the Managing Director, Barry Spellman and former Mayor of Killarney, Niall O’Callaghan. Houli gives a special shout out to the other folks who joined them on their travels, many of who have been on previous trips with the duo before. Derry Cronin from Specialised Travel and their bus driver, Philip Smith also get a special shout-out. Their week-long itinerary included visiting Dublin, Killarney, the Ring of Kerry and Adare to name a few. Houli describes Ireland as “a preview of heaven” and mentions on the importance of getting in touch with your Irish roots. He shares the story of his first visit to Ireland back in 2009 and how his movie ‘Our Irish Cousins’ came to be after that trip. Houli shares some of the things he and Skinny got up to on their recent trip including meeting up with their good pal and former Irish Minister of State for the Diaspora, Jimmy Deenihan. Houli’s favorite memories from past trips and the film projects that have been inspired from his Irish travels are just some of the other topics shared with the listeners this week. We take a musical break with ‘Indian Summer’ by The Saw Doctors. Houli then brings us up to date on some upcoming events followed by the recent obituaries. We take another musical break with ‘The Foggy Dew’ by Sinead O’Connor and The Chieftains and end this week’s show with a quick trip to ‘Houli-Town’.

Tim O’Donoghue

Fox’s Pizza in Orland Park & Mokena, Madden Funds and Flood Brothers Disposal present the Hibernian Radio Hour and this week we have a very special Skinny & Houli reunion show recorded at the Killarney Brewery and Distillery while the duo are on their annual trip to Ireland. They welcome the Brewery’s owner & proprietor, Tim O’Donoghue to the show along with Managing Director, Barry Spellman and former Mayor of Killarney, Niall ‘Botty’ O’Callaghan to the show. Tim dives right into the history of Killarney Brewery & Distillery and shares how Liam Healy and himself made the decision to open the establishment. The guys discuss their love of Chicago and delve into the long standing connections they have with the city. Killarney even has a 4th of July parade!

Niall ‘Botty’ O;Callaghan

Niall shares the importance of the brewery for the local community and mentions the fact that Springfield, Illinois is Killarney’s sister city. “This is the greatest town in the world… We’re the diamond in the crown!” Barry jumps in and shares how they managed to put the building plans together during the pandemic and create a family-friendly design. “It’s designed to be a family establishment.” Niall shares the incredible story of his family roots and emphasizes the resilience of the Irish people. The guys give a shout-out to the wonderful team they have working at the brewery followed by a special whiskey tasting for Skinny & Houli live on-air! The craic is mighty between the guys with plenty of great stories from the Irish lads for our listeners this week. We take a musical break with ‘I Love To Go Awanderin’ by The Saw Doctors. Then it’s over to the obituaries followed by a trip to ‘Houli-Town’!

Chris and Mike Flood

Fox’s Pizza in Orland Park & Mokena, Madden Funds and Flood Brothers Disposal present the Hibernian Radio Hour and this week Houli welcomes Chris and Mike Flood to the show from The Flood family who have been sponsors of Hibernian Media for many years. Chris and Mike share the story of the upcoming Inaugural Family Rosary Rally and how it all stemmed from a Zoom meeting they set up during the pandemic. They have made that family zoom meeting a weekly tradition every Wednesday night and share how important it has become to them. “It brought family members a lot of healing and closer to the faith!”. They discuss the incredible story of Father Patrick Peyton who devoted his life to spreading the devotion to Mary and encouraging families to pray the rosary. He used radio, television and some well-known names in Hollywood to accomplish his important mission and we hear how he experienced a miracle after being diagnosed with advanced tuberculosis. Chris and Mike were able to get in touch with the Vice-President of the Chicago Bears, Pat McCaskey. to help set up the Inaugural Family Rosary Rally which will take place October 20th at Legend Field – Notre Dame College Prep. Cole Kmet, captain of The Bears, will be in attendance and they will have music from Willows Academy Chamber Choir. The importance of saying the rosary and the positive aspect of using the media to spread messages of hope and prayer are some of the other important topics discussed on a very special show this week. They end their interview with a short recording of Father Patrick Peyton sharing some wise words from 1985. Houli then brings us up to date on some upcoming events followed by the recent obituaries. We end this very special show on a musical note with ‘Lady of Knock’ by our dear friend, Catherine O’Connell.

Jeff Lange and James ‘Duke’ Lynch

Fox’s Pizza in Orland Park & Mokena, Madden Funds and Flood Brothers Disposal present the Hibernian Radio Hour and this week Houli welcomes back an old friend , Jeff Lange. Jeff is a retired 30-year veteran of the Cook County Sheriff’s Police and was born and raised in Bridgeport. He is the Vice-President of The Emerald Society and has served as a Board Member for almost 10 years. He first worked as a bouncer at Shenanigans in the early ‘80’s and began his Law Enforcement career at Cook County Jail in ’86 where he also met his wonderful wife Cathleen before working for the Sheriff’s police. He was involved in Narcotics, Undercover as well as the Metropolitan Enforcement Group – an undercover task force made up of the State Police, the County Police and municipalities in that area. Jeff and Houli begin the interview by remembering their dear friend, James ‘Duke’ Lynch, who recently passed. Jeff then updates our listeners on some upcoming events at The Emerald Society including the Annual Awards Night at Gaelic Park on November 2nd with our very own Houli as MC! The Annual Turkey Dinner will take place at the FOP Lodge 7 on November 14th with the Pipes and Drums and music from The Larkin and Moran Brothers with a very special raffle prize! Jeff recounts some of the more memorable stories from his impressive career this week including going undercover as a UPS driver to intercept drug packages as well as a crazy story about an officer who got acid in his bloodstream after putting blotter paper in his pocket during an arrest. The craic is always mighty when Jeff is on the show! We take a musical break with ‘Exhilarating Sadness’ by The Saw Doctors followed by the recent obituaries. Then we head over to ‘Houli-Town’ with some jokes from our special guest, Jeff Lange. Another great show this week folks!

Bob Fioretti

Fox’s Pizza in Orland Park & Mokena, Guinness, Madden Funds and Flood Brothers Disposal present the Hibernian Radio Hour and this week Houli welcomes back an old friend of the show’s, Bob Fioretti. This southside native was former Alderman of the 2nd Ward where he focused on providing high quality education throughout Chicago and helped create more than 8000 jobs. He has worked as Special Assistant State’s Attorney for several counties. and has been involved with more than 500 civil rights cases. He’s running for Cook County State’s Attorney as a Republican and he chats about the progress of his campaign, highlighting some of the people he has met along the way. “People want safe streets, strong communities and thriving businesses. The only way is by bringing crime down and having a strong State’s Attorney.” Bob has requested to debate Eileen O’Neill Burke and discusses some of his opponent’s changing positions on her views since running in the primary. It’s safe to say Bob is a fighter and he shares the unbelievable story of his cancer journey which he went through while still working and attending council meetings. The importance of backing our First Responders, the issues within the media and the importance of his faith throughout his extensive career are just some of the other topics these two pals dive into in this insightful interview. Bob is looking forward to election day on November 5th and urges our listeners to get out and vote! Houli then brings us up to date on some upcoming events followed by this week’s obituaries. We end a special show this week with some of Houli’s ‘special’ jokes!

Alamo and Houli

Fox’s Pizza in Orland Park & Mokena, Guinness, Madden Funds and Flood Brothers Disposal present the Hibernian Radio Hour and this week we have a very special show in memory of our dear friend and our listener’s favorite, James ‘Duke’ Lynch aka: Alamo. We dive into the vault and have a listen to some clips from Alamo’s final appearance from January 2024. Alamo was a retired 39 year veteran of the Chicago Police Department and a U.S Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran who grew up in South Shore. He attended St. Philip Neri School followed by Lyons Township High School. He was a man of valor, Bronze Star recipient, having lost both knees in the war and still returning to combat after his recovery in Hawaii. It is no secret that he was a devoted fan of John Wayne, admiring him so much that he had to repeat the 5th grade because he skipped school for a full month to go see “The Alamo” 60 times in the theater! We take a look back at his final show where he began by discussing his cancer journey and giving a special shout-out to his doctor,at Northwestern, Dr. Sarah Fenton. Then we hear about his experience working as a bodyguard for the Illinois Film Office for 15 years where he met plenty of celebrities including Robert DeNiro, Mel Gibson and Jack Nicholson and we hear a story about Nicholsan’s on-set shenanigans while shooting “Hoffa”. Alamo shared many stories with our listeners during his final show including his experiences in Vietnam, the shenanigans he got up to in Australia and the time he was shot during his time as a Chicago cop. He ended this interview by sharing his love for his wife, kids and grandkids and by thanking his family and friends for their prayers. Alamo will live on in our memories and we send our love and prayers to Alamo’s family. Houli brings us up to date on the latest obituaries and a trip to our favorite place known as ‘Houli-Town’.

Kevin Edward Flynn

Fox’s Pizza in Orland Park & Mokena, Guinness, Madden Funds and Flood Brothers Disposal present the Hibernian Radio Hour and Houli begins this week’s show by paying homage to a guest favorite and our dear friend who will be missed dearly, James ‘Duke’ Lynch who recently passed away. This week we welcome back a longtime friend from The Skinny & Houli Show days, Kevin Edward Flynn. This is Kevin’s second time on Hibernian Radio and he is a singer, songwriter and storyteller born and raised in Chicago. Kevin is primarily known for his work as front man for Irish-folk group Kevin Flynn & The Avondale Ramblers. Kevin now performs solo and he chats about how he took some time away from music after starting a family and focusing on his job as a therapist. He’s happy to be back focusing on his music career and putting his repertoire together. He launches into an array of original tunes on guitar and harmonica including ‘Here We Go’ and a newer song called ‘We All Love To Play’. Kevin and Houli discuss the importance of taking things in your stride but enjoying yourself along the way and he hopes to hopefully find a monthly residency in a local Chicago music joint. He treats us to some more tunes including ‘Move On Ahead’ and his final song this week called  ‘Still A Little Something More We Can Get Out Of This Night’ which he dedicates to his lovely wife, Amber. We’re honored to have this Chicago music legend join us again! Houli then brings us up to date on the recent Obits followed by a quick reminder about the Annual Irish American Movie Hooley coming up September 27th at the Wilmette Theatre. See ya there!