Michael Connolly, of Portland, has been named Irish Person of the Year 2006 by the Irish American Club of Maine.

Connolly is the son of Michael and Norma Connolly of Atlantic Street in Portland. He grew up on Munjoy Hill listening to his father’s stories of his friends who worked “along shore” in Portland Harbor. After graduating from Portland High School, Connolly studied history at Florida Southern University and at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, before earning his doctorate at Boston College. His dissertation on Portland Longshoremen’s Union blended his interests in labor history, local history and Irish-American history.

Connolly is the editor and a contributor to the 2004 book They Changed Their Sky: the Irish in Maine. He is a professor of history and political science at Saint Joseph’s College in Standish, where he teaches the course History and Culture of Northern Ireland.

Connolly produced a series of interviews for Channel 4 Community Television, documenting the oral tradition of the Portland waterfront and the Irish-American community. Among his resources were such men as Larry Welch and Steve Concannon, skillful storytellers with long memories.

During the late 1980s, Connolly saw that the number of Irish Speakers in Portland was dwindling. He coordinated the efforts of many to organize an Irish language reception in honor of these important culture-bearers, which was held annually for many years. The Portland Irish-speaking community was documented by Boston scholars after Connolly insisted they visit the community.

Connolly had a voracious appetite for traditional music while in Ireland. He brought that influence back with him to Maine, first in contra dance circles, and later as a charter member of the Portland Ceili Band. He is also credited with bringing the first Irish set-dances to Maine in the 1980s.

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