Hibernian Radio with Mike "Houli" Houlihan

Christine Lawless & Kevin O’Connor

Fox’s Pizza in Orland Park & Mokena, Guinness, Madden Funds and Flood Brothers Disposal present the Hibernian Radio Hour at our recording location known as ‘The Bunker’ and this week we welcome Dr. Christine Lawless and Kevin O’Connor. Christine is the Founder of Chicago Irish Singers Club and she is hosting Irish singing workshops at both Gaelic Park on Wednesdays and at The Irish American Heritage Center on Thursdays where workshop attendees will learn 6 songs while learning about Irish history. Christine discusses her Irish heritage and explains how she got introduced to Irish singing. Kevin is a Tenor with the Chicago Irish Singers Club and also taught at the Old Town School of Folk Music. He shares how he got involved with Irish music and emphasizes the importance of keeping traditions alive. “It’s so important that we pass these songs down.” We dive right into some tunes with Kevin’s rendition of an Irish ballad, ‘The Croppy Boy’ followed by Christine’s rendition of an Irish folk song called ‘Téir Abhaile Riú’. They host free Irish trad singing sessions at The Mystic Rogue every second Monday and also at Gaelic Park every third Sunday. “The reason we do this is to keep the tradition of Irish singing alive in Chicago!”. Kevin sings the lively song called ‘Tippin’ It Up To Nancy’ and that’s followed by a very special rendition of ‘The Soldier’s Song’ by Christine who is joined by the one and only Houli himself! Christine ends this week’s interview with a treat for our listeners when she does some Irish lilting! Houli then brings us up to date on some upcoming events including the 10th Annual Irish American Movie Hooley taking place September 27-29 at the Wilmette Theatre and that’s followed by this week’s obituaries. A very special show this week, folks! 

Paul Houlihan

Fox’s Pizza in Orland Park & Mokena, Guinness, Madden Funds and Flood Brothers Disposal present the Hibernian Radio Hour and this week Houli dedicates this week’s show to his oldest brother Paul who passed away on Monday. Houli has some fond memories of his brother who was 13 years older than him and spent a lot of time working at their family business before joining the Army in the ’50s. Houli shares some of his favorite stories about Paul including how certain bartenders knew to help him out when he was making sales with clients and the time Houli had pneumonia as a kid and got to spend most of that time with his brother. Rest in Peace to a wonderful guy.

Jeff Lange

Then we take a dive into the vault with a look back at one of Jeff Lange’s interviews from December 2023. Jeff is a retired 30-year veteran of the Cook County Sheriff’s Police and was born and raised in Bridgeport. He is the 1st Vice-President of the Emerald Society and has served as a Board Member for almost 10 years. He began his Law Enforcement career at Cook County Jail in ’86 where he also met his wonderful wife Cathleen before he went to work for the Sheriff’s police. He was mainly 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. “Our basic focus was ‘mid-level and up’ narcotics people”. He takes us through a typical day working undercover and shares a story about how he gained an informant’s trust. “You need to have an in.. It’s about getting involved.” Jeff shares his experience visiting the Emerald Isle in 2015 when he carried the US flag with The Emerald Society in Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. He also shares some of his funnier career stories including watching a colleague deal with a suspect who was undressing in the station.. It’s always a good time when Jeff is around! We head over to obituaries with a special section dedicated to the late Paul Houlihan – please keep Paul and his family in your prayers.

Geno 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 recorded live at a jam-packed Chief O’Neills pub to celebrate their 25th anniversary! Houli is reunited with his former co-host, Geno Cooney, from their show ‘The Craic’ that centered around Irish music and was recorded at Chief O’Neills for their last few episodes. Geno and Houli catch the listeners up on what they’ve been up to since then and they delve into the interesting life story of Chief O’Neill and his influence in the Irish community as well as Irish music in Chicago. Geno shares the story of first meeting Houli and they reminisce about the trip to Ireland they went on together a few years ago. The banter is great between these two pals and the jokes are flowing throughout this week’s show! Irish fiddler Liz Carroll briefly jumps on the mic followed by another great guest, James Mallon from County Armagh who released a book called ‘Frightened Pilgrim’ that tells the story of his amazing life.

Geno Cooney and Siobhan McKinney

He shares some of those life stories from his memoir including the incredible miracle he experienced at Lourdes at just 8 years old! The one and only Peter Brady joins the guys and reminisces about the good times he had as a guest on ‘The Craic’. They remember Peter’s late brother Eamonn and he tells the story about the band he had with his siblings and the madness surrounding their instruments being stolen during a time they were raising awareness for Irish in America. The guys are then joined by Chief O’Neill’s proprietors, Siobhan and Brendan McKinney, who delve into all the exciting plans they have for this special 25th anniversary week. They tell the story of when they first met at the Milwaukee Irish Fest and how they came to open their business. Be sure to check out this great pub with delicious food, amazing in-house Chief O’Neill’s branded drinks and great concerts! Geno ends our special show this week with some of his signature ‘Dad jokes’. Thank you to Chief O’Neills and be sure to get out and support them during their celebrations!

Alamo

Fox’s Pizza in Orland Park & Mokena, Guinness, Madden Funds and Flood Brothers Disposal present the Hibernian Radio Hour at our recording location known as ‘The Bunker’ and this week we take a dive into the vault and take a look back at one of the interviews from ’21 with our most popular guest,  James ‘The Duke’ Lynch AKA: Alamo! Alamo is a U.S Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran and a 39 year Veteran of CPD. He spent 15 years as a bodyguard to Mayor Richard M. Daley and shares some stories from that time. It’s no secret that Alamo is a devoted fan of the ‘Duke’ John Wayne, even going as far as having to repeat the 5th grade because he skipped school for a month to see “The Alamo” 60 times in the theater. He even took time off work to attend Wayne’s funeral! He discusses how John Wayne had a huge part to play in the rise and success of the Marine Corps. Alamo tells Houli the insane story about how he lost both his knees stationed at a 60 caliber machine gun post with Ollie North serving as his platoon commander at the time! “You always respect your enemy, but we were better!” He is a Bronze Star recipient, having lost both knees in the war but still returning to combat after a 3 month recovery and he has many great stories to share including how he passed his entry test for the Police Academy, how his mother had a stroke when she was falsely told Alamo had been killed and getting drunk at John Wayne’s house with the man himself. His wife, children and the old days are just some of the many topics that these two pals cover. This local legend and dear friend is a real character and we ask all our listeners to send prayers and love his way during his battle with cancer. Houli brings us up to date on some upcoming events including the 10th Irish American Movie Hooley next month. Then we head over to the obituaries followed by  ‘Houli-Town’ to end another great one this week!

Lyons Police Chief Tom Herion

Fox’s Pizza in Orland Park & Mokena, Guinness, Madden Funds and Flood Brothers Disposal present the Hibernian Radio Hour at our recording location known as ‘The Bunker’ and we begin the show with another episode of ‘Black Irishman’ which tells the story of Seamus O’Hooligan Jr, starring Greg Hollimon. This week we welcome back an old pal of the show for the 4th time, Lyons Chief of Police Tom Herion. Tom grew up in St. Peter Canisius and moved to St. Juliana when he was 18. He attended Weber High School and has been in Law Enforcement for over 35 years, working in Federal, State and local departments. Tom has held many titles including Sergeant and Undercover Narcotics Agent before moving up to Chief of Police, a title that he has held for over 6 years. He dives right into a local case that ended with a raid on a truck hijacking operation and he explains how they were able to track one of the trucks here in Chicago and catch them. “It was probably one of the biggest seizures in Nike history!” This local legend is an avid piper and has been staying busy with The Chicago Garda Pipes & Drums, taking part in many police events including a fundraiser for Officer Danny Golden. They played at 95 locations during last St. Patrick’s Day season! He recently became President of the Board at the Irish American Heritage Center and shares some of their upcoming plans including construction in the parking lot and hiring some new faces as well as hosting some great Irish events. Tom shares his personal feeling about the sale of marijuana in his jurisdiction and the importance of his role as a mentor to his officers. It’s clear he loves his job and he is a perfect example of an Irish warrior! Houli brings us up to date on some upcoming events including Skinny & Houli’s trip to Ireland in October followed by the obituaries. We head over to ‘Houli-Town’ to end another exciting show this week!

Enda Monaghan

Fox’s Pizza in Orland Park & Mokena, Guinness, Madden Funds and Flood Brothers Disposal present the Hibernian Radio Hour at our newest recording location known as ‘The Bunker’ and we begin the show with another episode of ‘Black Irishman’ which tells the story of Seamus O’Hooligan Jr, starring Greg Hollimon. This week we welcome a J1 student from Ireland, Enda Monaghan, who is the nephew of Houli’s old pal, Mike Monaghan. Enda has been working at Beverly Country Club since he arrived in Chicago back in June and jumps into some of the duties he had at that job including valeting and working on the golf range. Houli shares the time he met Enda’s uncle in Manhattan at the Blarney Stone Pub back in the ’70s and he has a few stories to share from his own experience at Beverly Golf Club. Enda lives in Mayo and mentions some of the biggest differences he noticed between Ireland and Chicago’s south side while living here. He shares his plan to travel with his girlfriend and their friends for the remainder of his stay, visiting the west coast including Vegas and San Francisco. Enda chats about his family back in Ireland and mentions some of the Chicago celebrities he ran into while working at the club. Houli then brings us up to date on some upcoming events including Skinny & Houli’s trip to Ireland in October and the 10th Annual Irish American Movie Hooley which will begin on September 27th. Paddy Houlihan joins us this week to discuss the Movie Hooley’s success and these two take a look at this year’s incredible lineup including the award-winning ‘Kneecap’. Then it’s over to the obituaries followed by a trip to ‘Houli-Town’ hosted by Paddy!

Jean, Annie and Mike Lundin

Fox’s Pizza in Orland Park & Mokena, Guinness, Madden Funds and Flood Brothers Disposal present the Hibernian Radio Hour at our newest recording location known as ‘The Bunker’ and we begin the show with another episode of ‘Black Irishman’ which tells the story of Seamus O’Hooligan Jr, starring Greg Hollimon. When we had our old pal Sgt. Terry Dunn on the show back in May, he recounted the story of helping save a young girl from choking many years ago and this week we welcome that same girl, Annie, and her parents, Jean & Mike Lundin to the show. 20 years ago when she was only 7 years old, Annie got a cupcake stuck in her throat at school and was thankfully resuscitated by firefighters. Her gym teacher performed the Heimlich to no avail but the firefighters were able to suction the cupcake and save her life. Jean and Mike recall the moment they got the call and the many emotions they experienced, particularly when Jean witnessed the First Responders trying to save her daughter who had already turned blue. They give credit to the firefighters who saved Annie’s life and Jean remembers everyone cheering when the cupcake was eventually removed! Mike also shares his own incredible story of when he fell down an elevator shaft and was hanging by his leg, before being rescued by firefighters. He spent 7 months recovering in hospital and rehab. Their son, Sean, has also had some close calls due to his extreme allergy to peanuts. “Miracles have to be acknowledged!” This wonderful family notes how these kinds of experiences change your perspective on life  Jean and Mike have been married for 37 years and share the story of how they met at a dive bar.. Annie ends this week’s show by sharing her hopes of getting her Masters to work as a Therapist in the future. We wish this incredible family all the best and we’re honored to have them on the show! We take a musical break with “Just Like That’ by The Coronas followed by an update on some upcoming events including Skinny & Houli’s trip to Ireland in October. Book your spot via Derry Cronin at 1-800-664-7474! We take another musical break with “An Irish Party in Third Class/John Ryans Polka/Barney Pilgrim” by The Celtic Ceili Band followed by a trip to ‘Houli-Town’.

Marianne Rowan Leslie

Fox’s Pizza in Orland Park & Mokena, Guinness, Madden Funds and Flood Brothers Disposal present the Hibernian Radio Hour and we begin the show with another episode of ‘Black Irishman’ which tells the story of Seamus O’Hooligan Jr, starring Greg Hollimon. This week we are recording live from our party at Barney Callaghan’s for the Skinny & Houli trip to Ireland happening in October and the duo have reunited to co-host this week’s episode. We welcome Marianne Rowan Leslie, the Chair of the South Side Irish Parade, to the show this week. These three pals dive right into discussing the plans for next year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 16th. Marianne spent 37 years at Northern Trust where she worked as a Senior Relationship Manager. She joined the committee when the South Side parade was reintroduced back in 2015 and she explains the reasons in joining. They fondly remember one of the founders of this great south side tradition, George Hendry, who sadly passed away last week. Marianne delves into discussing what’s involved with running the parade committee including raising money, working in conjunction with CPD to ensure everyone’s safety and coordinating the ins and outs of the whole event. “It’s a huge family reunion and injects a lot of money into the economy!” She will be visiting Ireland in September to see her daughter and visit some other family. Skinny’s role in helping bring the parade back, Marianne’s family ties to Ireland and some of the objections they faced back in 2015 are just some of the other topics discussed between these old pals. Skinny and Houli reminisce about the best memories from past trips with some of the past Ireland trip attendees including Tommy McDonald, Cathy Daly, Tom ‘Froggie’ Maguire and Mary Ellen Duffy. Then it’s over to the obituaries followed by a special ‘Who Cares’ segment for old times sake!

Tim McCarthy

Fox’s Pizza in Orland Park & Mokena, Guinness, Madden Funds and Flood Brothers Disposal present the Hibernian Radio Hour at our newest recording location known as ‘The Bunker’ and we begin the show with another episode of ‘Black Irishman’ which tells the story of Seamus O’Hooligan Jr, starring Greg Hollimon. We take a dive into the vault this week and revisit one of our favorite interviews with retired legend, Tim McCarthy. Tim worked in Law Enforcement for 48 years, spending 26 years as Orland Park’s Chief of Police and the other 22 years with the Secret Service. He grew up in St. Denis Parish, attended Leo High School and graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Finance. He and Houli discover that they have many friends in common and reminisce about some of the well-known characters from their neighborhoods. Tim began with the Presidential detail when he joined the Secret Service and recounts the infamous story about taking a bullet for President Reagan during the attempted assassination by John Hinckley Jr. He delves into the craziness of that experience and shares his feelings about the shooter’s release from prison. He gives us some insight into what Reagan was like behind closed doors and tells the story about a St. Patrick’s Day dinner he attended along with celebrities and political figures. Tim has many great stories to share about working for the President including how he feared his kids would accidentally pull one of the hospital machine plugs out while visiting the President’s room and how one of his daughters always answered the special White House phone they had at home. He then talks us through his experience as Orland Park’s Chief of Police and shares some of the stories from that post. The ongoing social unrest, the rise in crime in Chicago and the frayed relationship between the police and citizens are some of the many topics these two delve into. Tim also chats about his future plans which mainly consist of spending time in Florida to enjoy a well-deserved break. This guy is a true Irish warrior and everyone at Hibernian Radio salutes you, Tim! Houli brings us up to date on some upcoming events including our upcoming party at Barney Callaghan’s on July 24th for the Skinny & Houli trip to Ireland happening in October this year. Then it’s over to the obits followed by a trip to ‘Houli-Town’.

Pat Fitzmaurice

Fox’s Pizza in Orland Park & Mokena, Guinness, Madden Funds, Flood Brothers Disposal and The Saw Doctors at the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom on July 20th present the Hibernian Radio Hour at our newest recording location known as ‘The Bunker’ and we begin the show with another episode of ‘Black Irishman’ which tells the story of Seamus O’Hooligan Jr, starring Greg Hollimon. This week we welcome back our good friend, retired CFD Ambulance Chief Pat Fitzmaurice to the show! Pat was our very first guest on Hibernian Radio and we’re honored to have him return for a third time! Pat grew up on the north side and attended Foreman High School. He is a 45 year CFD veteran who has been retired for 3 years. “I don’t know if I could work for this administration but I miss the people!” The current pressure on EMS with the rise in shootings and the lack of competency in both the Mayoral and Governor’s office are hot topics at the top of this week’s show. “They don’t have a clue!”. These two pals also discuss the latest push by local politicians for the police to stop conducting traffic stops. “It’s like sending a carpenter to work without a hammer!” Pat mentions the current state of Chicago Public Schools, recalling some of the school calls he responded to as Ambulance Chief including a kindergartener trashing the principal’s office. He also shares some of the scarier mental health crisis calls he responded to and these two pals both emphasize the importance of having well-trained paramedics respond to serious calls. The toxicity of the media and some of the issues Pat fought against while on the job are just some of the many topics they cover on another great show!  Houli brings us up to date on some upcoming events including the upcoming party at Barney Callaghan’s on July 24th for the Skinny & Houli trip to Ireland happening in October this year. Then it’s over to the obits followed by a quick trip to ‘Houli-Town’.