Crestwood Woman Crowned 2019 Queen of Chicago Gaelic Park

OAK FOREST, IL — Eight shining young women making their way in the world gathered together Saturday night for the annual Chicago Gaelic Park. Gaelic Park Board of Directors along with coordinator Maura Kenny hosted the event. Judges were Anne Walsh Lang, Donna Killen and former Orland Park mayor Dan McLoughlin.

Gaelic park offers the competition to single women of Irish heritage between the ages of 18 and 20 who have a connection to keeping the message of Gaelic Park alive. All the candidates met those requirements and more. Education seems to top their priorities, along with keeping up Irish culture. The 2019 queen contestants were well rounded volunteers in their communities.

Judges had a difficult task, but were drawn in particular by an Oak Forest High School graduate resident, Bridget Giblin of Crestwood. Bridget attends St Xavier University on a full ride scholarship as a bio/pre-med student. She is also a student ambassador at SXU. Currently she is a server at Gaelic Park and works at Palos Courts. In her spare time, Bridget plays Gaelic football and volleyball, volunteers at Park Lawn and can carry a tune on the fiddle, as she did Saturday night with Emma Cooke.

Bridget is the daughter of Brendan Giblin from County Roscommon; mom Marie's family are from Clare Island. As the 2019 Queen of Gaelic Park, Bridget will be attending many Irish and Irish-American functions representing the Park.

Rachel Hoban was named first runner-up. Rachel is a Marist graduate currently attending Chamberlain College, where she is studying nursing. She currently works at both the United Center and Rocco Vino Italian restaurant. Her family originates from County Kerry and Mayo.

Other contestants included: Eileen McGowan, Bridget Rickert, Mary Kate Luzzo, Erin Rickert, Emma Cooke, and Katie Baker.

Gaelic Park President Bill O'Sullivan noted that the founder of the Queen contest, the late director Kay Knightly, would be so proud to see these young women have such high goals and are carrying on traditions of their heritage. It was especially noted that this year’s function fell on International Women's Day.