Mary Ann Doonan Honored As Irish Mayor For The Day In Stratford

STRATFORD, CT – (From Office of State Sen. Kevin Kelly): At Wednesday's St. Patrick’s Day celebration at Town Hall in Stratford, Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford) and Stratford Mayor Laura Hoydick honored Mary Ann Doonan as Irish Mayor for the Day. Sen. Kelly presented Doonan with a General Assembly Official Citation recognizing her special title for the day and celebrating her work for the Gaelic American Club where she served as the first ever woman president of the group in 1997.

“We all thank Mary Ann Doonan for her continued service to our community throughout the years,” said Sen. Kelly.

Senator Kelly served as master of ceremonies for today’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration at Town Hall in Stratford. The event began with the raising of the Irish flag in a ceremony on the green in front of Town Hall.

Mary Ann Doonan has lived in Stratford for almost 60 years and is a parishioner at St. James Church. Born Mary Ann O’Connell in County Kerry, Ireland, Mary Ann was the oldest of 14 children. At 16 years old, she left Kerry to pursue her dreams in the United States. In addition to her work for the Gaelic American Club, she has held many roles related to the Greater Bridgeport St. Patrick’s Day Celebration over the years including establishing the Miss Shamrock Scholarship program and serving as Treasurer and in 2011 Chairperson. She has volunteered for many other groups including the Mercy Learning Center, Merton Center, Under the Bridge program and Ancient Order of Hibernians.

This press release was produced by the Office of State Sen. Kevin Kelly. The views expressed here are the author's own.