Irish American Home Society Membership
[Note: this post is dated 18 July 2024 and reflects event that would begin on 1 March 2019. Only one picture was able to be recovered from Facebook, and context comes primarily from memory.]
“We believe that this society will afford all of our membership the opportunity to continue their appreciation and preservation of the Irish culture.”
James Michael Cerrigione, III and I were sponsored and accepted into the Irish American Home Society on 1 March 2019, and it was a very proud day for us. I had known for years that the society did wonderful things for the local community and greater Irish immigrant diaspora in general.
Plus, they have a great fundraising golf tournament which I’d played in several times before.
Unfortunately, I no longer desire to have anything to do with this society.
When the first annual dues payment of $100 came around, it was at the exact moment the covid pandemic shut the country down and their management asked us in writing not to go there. Well, I pay membership dues in person so, of course, I was going to wait until they opened again and I could walk back in.
“Members are allowed to access the club’s outside property if they so choose to take a walk, read a book, enjoy a quiet lunch or other activity provided the rules of social distancing are observed. As a reminder, outside alcohol is not permitted. The inside of the club remains off limits except by permission of the board for sanctioned activities.”
As ridiculous as the former stated policy is now seen in retrospect, I understand that at that time they had little control of that type of decision. A year later, they wanted two years of dues totaling $200, regardless of the length of of time of their lack of service to their members.
“Hi Joe. I noticed you didn’t pay your membership last year in 2020, and therefore your membership is suspended. If you are interested in renewing your membership, I can create a new invoice for $200 ($100 each for 2020 & 2021) and you can pay online or mail in a check.”
First of all, I dislike being called “Joe.” Ms. Radcliffe has never meet me; my membership paperwork stated Joseph. That all being put aside, I know her job is collect money, and her demand in itself although ‘not great,’ was fine, they have bills to pay. I was unemployed and depleting my savings for the entire period they were closed. I never took one dime in governmental dole, and though their demand was off-putting, I still would have paid those dues if that were all.
My real problem with them was more substantial. During August of that off year, when business were allowed to start opening back up, I went on their Facebook page to see their status and I saw an interaction under a post’s comments that I didn’t like. The I.A.H.S was dismissive of another member’s concern over the promotion of a drink ‘they created’ which they named the “Longkesh Lemonade.” The member, a woman, politely voiced her opinion that it might be insensitive to those that suffered and died there but she was abruptly dismissed, with the I.A.H.S poster [probably a bartender] stating something to the affect that they could ‘do whatever they wanted.’ [I would quote the interaction here, but I’m unable to find it, try as I might, and I’m pretty good online researching. It’s probable that post had subsequently been deleted; who knows?]
Anyway, if memory recalls, I replied under their exchange that I found it unbelievable that they didn’t at least understand her concern. Of all places, they know the heartbreak and loss that happened there! I then agreed that they could do whatever they wanted to do at their establishment, but that I was free to choose whether not to stay a member.
The I.A.H.S. suspending my membership was meaningless wordplay. I was already gone.
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