East Durham Irish Festival 2023 Honorees
Oliver & Anna Fallon

Oliver Fallon was born in 1942 in Tarmonbarry, County Roscommon, Ireland. In 1958 at age 15, Oliver’s parents, Peter and Gladys, relocated the family (including nine children) to New York City. They settled in St. Jerome’s Parish in the Bronx. A few years later Oliver graduated from Evander Childs High School. From there, Oliver worked for a travel agency before landing a job he would hold for 33 years with the New York Telephone Company. Throughout these years Oliver honed his carpentry and woodworking skills and lent those skills to many friends and family helping with projects in their home.
Now Oliver enjoys woodworking as quite a skilled hobby, in particular making beautiful Irish penal crosses in addition to other handmade items.
Anna Fallon (nee Murphy) was born in Dromtariffe, County Cork, Ireland. In 1961 Anna, one of 10 siblings, left her parents, Kitty and Nick, to come to America at the young age of 18. She first settled on 149th Street in the South Bronx. In 1962, Oliver met his Cork beauty Anna at Gaelic Park, where the Irish in the Bronx and beyond would gather to support the Irish sports games and dances. Oliver and Anna married in 1966 and resided on Walton Ave before moving to Astoria, Queens for 2 years and then finally settling in the Woodlawn section of the Bronx for 35 years. Together they raised 5 children: Kathy, Gerard, Denise, Danielle and Brian and now enjoy spending time with their 7 beautiful grandchildren.
From the late 60s through the 80s, the Fallons and their children spent their summers at The Pot of Gold Campgrounds in Acra, NY. In the early 1990s they purchased a home in East Durham moving here permanently in 2001. It was at that time that MJQ Board members Flan O’Malley (RIP) and Mary Ann O’Sullivan (RIP) encouraged Anna and Oliver to get involved with The Cultural Centre where they would later become Board Members.
A formidable team, Anna and Oliver spent endless hours fundraising and helping out wherever they were needed. Anna immersed herself with the annual MJQ $100 Raffle, always being the first one to get people to buy tickets. If you saw Anna coming you knew you had to purchase a ticket! One of the biggest fundraisers at the MJQ was the replacement of the huge hardwood dance floor in the main pavilion at the MJQ Irish Cultural & Sports Centre (which was then installed by Oliver and many volunteers). Anna of course outdid herself selling tickets that year!
Oliver and Anna were also extremely active with the Catskills Irish Arts Week volunteering their time and efforts, before and during the week, “anywhere and everywhere” they were needed! For many years they opened up their home to both students and teachers needing a place to stay during Arts Week and even chauffeured them back and forth to classes and gave bikes to others for transport around town! They are the epitome of true Irish hospitality and anyone who stayed with them said they were treated like family!
Oliver and Anna have both been honored as past Grand Marshals of the Greenville Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Oliver proudly served as past president of the Greenville Irish American Club. Additionally, Oliver is a past Deputy Grand Knight and a current 4th degree Knight in the local Knights of Columbus and a proud and active member of the local American Legion. Anna belongs to the Greene County Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians and has served in the past as their financial secretary and is also an active member of the local Greene County Women’s Cancer Group and an ever fashionable member of the local Red Hat Society!
After years of a non-stop pace including many, many hours spent volunteering, Anna and Oliver retired from the Cultural Centre Board but still work behind the scenes whenever they can. If you know Anna and Oliver you love them! “One of the nicest couples you could ever meet” is a refrain you repeatedly hear whenever their names are mentioned. A warm smile, a lot of laughs and a wonderful chat can always be had with this energetic and upbeat couple. They are great “craic” as the Irish say and enjoy socializing and dancing with all of their friends and family in and around East Durham and beyond.
Please consider placing an ad in the 2nd Annual East Durham Irish Festival newspaper to congratulate Anna and Oliver on this honor. This special edition paper will be a lovely piece of memorabilia for Oliver, Anna and their families to enjoy and look back on for years to come showing them the love and support from the community for which they have given so much! East Durham is truly the “town they love so well”! Let’s take this wonderful opportunity to congratulate them and thank them for their service to our community by placing an ad in this year’s Festival newspaper!
Congratulate Oliver & Anna Fallon in the East Durham Irish Festival Newspaper
Feel free to call/text Kitty Kelly at 518-965-3641, or message us here for any questions or help on format and layout, including photos etc.
After choosing and paying for your choice of ad size, please email edirishfest@gmail.com with all the information, photos or artwork you would like to include in your congratulatory ad.
Tom & Linda Sutton

Congratulate Tom & Linda in the East Durham Irish Festival Newspaper
Feel free to call/text Kitty Kelly at 518-965-3641, or message us here for any questions or help on format and layout, including photos etc.
After choosing and paying for your choice of ad size, please email edirishfest@gmail.com with all the information, photos or artwork you would like to include in your congratulatory ad.