Irish of Minnesota

08/21/2026

Three new portraits have been added to the Irish of Minnesota portrait gallery. Thanks to Bishop Kevin Kenney, Sean McDonough and Philip Scanlon for being a part of this exhibit! You can check them out at the link below. Sláinte!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.102475628232011&type=3

Irish of Minnesota is a photography exhibition focusing on the portraits and stories of Minnesotans with Irish heritage. It is a collaboration between photographer Tom Dunn and the Irish Fair of Minnesota.

08/21/2026

08/08/2026

08/07/2026

Congratulations to Saint Paul, Minnesota native, Joe Mauer, on being inducted into the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame last night at CHS Field in Lowertown! It was an honor to photograph this event for the Irish American Baseball Society and a beautiful night for outdoor baseball!

08/06/2026

ANNOUNCEMENT: Joe Mauer is going into the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame! ☘⚾

Few catchers in baseball history can match the accomplishments of Joe Mauer. The hometown Minnesota legend spent his entire 15-year career with the Twins, collecting six All-Star selections, three batting titles, three Gold Gloves, five Silver Sluggers, and the 2009 American League MVP Award. Mauer's .306 lifetime batting average and 2,123 career hits are extraordinary numbers for any player, but virtually unprecedented for a catcher. The only catcher in Major League history to win three batting crowns, Mauer earned his place among baseball's immortals with induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2024.

On August 6, he'll be inducted into the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame before the St. Paul Saints take on the Louisville Bats at CHS Field in St. Paul, MN.

Mauer, whose middle name is Patrick, traces his Irish roots back to the west of Ireland. His mother, Teresa (Tierney) Mauer, traces her Irish heritage through her maiden name, Tierney, as well as the Lydon, Murphy, and O’Malley clans of County Galway and County Mayo.

"I'm proud to be inducted into the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame," said Mauer. It's an honor to join this prestigious group representing our shared Irish heritage through the game of baseball."

Before he became an Hall of Famer with the Twins, Mauer was a three-sport star at Cretin-Derham Hall, just four miles from CHS Field. He was the Gatorade National Player of the Year in football, committed to play football at Florida State, a two-time All-State in basketball, and the USA Today National Player of the Year in Baseball. The Saints inducted him into the St. Paul Baseball Hall of Fame in 2025.

08/06/2026

Excited to be photographing Minnesota Twins own Mr. Joe Mauer for The Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame as he gets inducted tonight right before the Saint Paul Saints game at CHS Field!

Send a message to learn more

07/22/2026

Some amazing live Irish music and craic every Wednesday night at Waldmann Brewery starting at 8:30! Don’t you dare miss it!

06/05/2026

Danny Diamond
Minneapolis
Musician

My family are from Belfast and North Co. Down. I was born in Belfast but grew up in Dublin and lived there until my mid-30s. I moved to Minneapolis with my wife, Anna Lethert, in late 2019.

Do you have a favorite family story about being Irish?
Probably remembering my mother playing a traditional tune, The Return of Spring, on the tin whistle to soothe me to sleep when I was a little kid living on the Black Mountain above Belfast city.

My favourite place is Sliabh Liag, a mountain near my parents’ home in Donegal which has spectacular 2,000 ft. sea cliffs. There is an old pilgrim’s path up the back of the mountain that has existed for thousands of years. I try to climb it every time I’m back home.

06/05/2026

Pete McCauley
Saint Paul
Musician, Video Producer

My fifth great grandfather on my paternal grandmother’s side was Sir Richard Everard (1590-1660), who – although loyal to the
British Crown in his early life – was captured and imprisoned by Cromwell’s army in 1651 for defending the city of Limerick against Cromwell’s army, escaping ex*****on by a thread. His estate was seized and burned down by Cromwell, and the ruins still stand on a small private farm in County Tipperary.

In 2007, after many years of performing as a rock & roller, I started an Irish Folk-Rock group called The Hounds of Finn with Leslie Rich (originally from Belfast). The Hounds blend traditional and contemporary Irish music with other genres, like folk, rock, and bluegrass – as well as our own original material. Now, after almost 20 years of performing with the Hounds, I feel like I’m finally able to call myself an “Irish Musician...”

06/05/2026

Neill O’Neill
Saint Paul
Retired Lawyer and Current Board Member of Irish Network MN

Where is your family from in Ireland? Rathlee, West of Sligo

Who is your favorite historical Irish character? Brian Boru. He provided example for rising above the fray to lead at a time when leadership was critical

Do you have a favorite piece of clothing handed down to you by an Irish relative? My father’s “Sluggo” riding/driving cap. It brings me back.

“My Irish heritage provided me with a lust for life…and my German heritage kept it in check”