The Irish American Hall of Fame announced its 2016 Class of Inductees. Among the ten outstanding Irish Americans (in seven categories) who will be inducted is Coloradoan
Emily Hanrahan Warner. She was also a nominee in 2015, but this year she was the selected as an Inductee in the Science category. Born in Denver, Colorado, Hanrahan Warner made aviation history in 1973 when she was hired by Frontier Airlines as the first woman airline pilot for a U.S. scheduled airline.
Hanrahan Warner traces her Irish roots back to Longford in County of Westmeath and to Waterford, home of the famed crystal factory. Her ancestors came to America during the famine of 1845-50.

Hanrahan Warner and will be honored at the 6th Annual Irish American Hall of Fame Gala on April 23, 2016 at The Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago. The other inductees include:
Arts & Humanities: Brian Dennehy – Award-winning actor of stage and screen;
Frank McCourt – Pulitzer Prize winning author;
Spencer Tracy – Oscar-winning actor and one of the biggest stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Business & Industry: Denis Healy – Visionary business and civic leader and President of Turtle Wax, Inc.
Public Service: Edward F. Dunne – First Irish Mayor of Chicago, the only person ever to serve as both Mayor of Chicago and Governor of Illinois, and Founding President of The Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago; Brigadier General Thomas Francis Meagher – Leader of the Fighting 69th, the Irish Brigade, heralded as one of the fiercest fighting units in the history of the U.S. Army.
Sports: Nolan Ryan – Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and all-time strikeout leader
Religion: Andrew Greeley – Best-selling author, sociologist, philanthropist and priest
Education: Anne Sullivan – Known in history and popular culture as The Miracle Worker for her work with Helen Kelle.

In addition to honoring the following distinguished inductees and guests, The Gala will also feature a special Centenary Tribute to the Irish American contribution to the Easter Rising of 1916.
2016 Irish American Hall of Fame Inductees

Now in its sixth year, The Irish American Hall of Fame is national in scope and operated under the auspices of the Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago. Nominations were solicited throughout the U.S. from September through December 2015. Over 300 nominations were received and a rigorous screening process was applied to produce a final slate of more than 30 candidates. A voting body of more than 100 Irish Americans from across the country, including the Celtic Connection in Denver, elected the winning 10 inductees.

The purpose of the Irish American Hall of Fame is to preserve the “story” of the Irish in America, by recognizing and honoring the outstanding contributions of Irish Americans to society in the areas of Arts & Humanities, Business & Industry, Public Service, Sports, Religion, Education and Science. Telling their story preserves our story. The Irish American Hall of Fame is a place where the shared story of the Irish in America will be available to all with an interest in the bond between Ireland and America.

Previous inductees include:
President John F. Kennedy (2011), Playwright Eugene O’Neill (2011), President Ronald Reagan (2014), Author F. Scott Fitzgerald (2013), Actor James Cagney (2013), Sister Rosemary Connelly RSM (2011), Golfer Ben Hogan (2015), Dancer Michael Flatley (2014), Director John Ford (2011), Ford Motor Company Founder Henry Ford (2011), Actress Maureen O’Hara (2011), Pittsburgh Steelers owner Daniel Rooney (2013), Astronaut Colonel Eileen Collins (2013), The Fighting Sullivans (2012), Labor leader Mary “Mother” Jones (2014), Hall of Fame Baseball Manager Connie Mack (2014), Father Edward Flanagan (2012), NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins (2015) and Mother Mary Frances Clarke BVM (2014)

For more information on the Irish America Hall of Fame and all 51 inductees, visit www.iahof.org. For tickets to the Irish American Hall of Fame Gala, visit the website or call 773-282-7035.
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