Well-known trial attorney Mark McNabola met legendary actor Bill Murray at The Irish American Hall of Fame Gala on June 10. Both the Murray and McNabola families are longtime friends from St. Joseph Parish and Loyola Academy in Wilmette.
The seventh annual event, held at the Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox Ave. in Chicago, honored the latest Hall of Fame class.
The class included Bill Murray, along with his family, including Joel, Brian and John Murray. Also in the class was actor Martin Sheen. In addition, John Fitzpatrick (business and industry); Audie Leon Murphy (public service); Maureen Catherine Connolly (sports); Fr. Mychal Judge (religion); Lawrence J. McCaffrey (education); and astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly (science) were honored.
The black tie event in the IAHC’s Erin Room was hosted by WGN’s Brian Noonan.
Nominations were solicited throughout the U.S. from September through December 2015. More than 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 prominent Irish Americans from across the country elected the winning nine inductees.
Past inductees have included: 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), Actress Maureen O’Hara (2011), Pittsburgh Steelers owner Daniel Rooney (2013), Astronaut Colonel Eileen Collins (2013), Archbishop Fulton Sheen (2014) and Labor leader Mary “Mother” Jones (2014)
