Upcoming Events

Sunday, June 14, 2026 at 4pm at the United Irish Cultural Center

Join us Sunday June 14, 2026 at 4pm at the United Irish Cultural Center, St. Francis Room as the ILHS hosts ILHS Board Chair Emeritus Patrick Goggins for a talk about the history of the Irish Forum, in conversation with ILHS Board Chair David Vela.

By David Vela

Co-Founder of the Irish Forum in 1980, Patrick’s talk will be about the unique nature of the Irish Forum and how it brought together diverse voices from all sides in the conflict to promote peace and to effect justice in Northern Ireland.

Pat was “reared in Montana, New Mexico, Texas, and The Dakotas.” His first trip to Ireland was in 1961 to the Goggins home in County Mayo. Member of the United Irish Societies since 1985, Pat is co-founder of the Black Irish Club (1988). Pat, involved in political organizing at the grassroots level, co-founded the Irish American Caucus (California Democratic Party), and was an early supporter of the San Francisco Irish Immigration movement. Pat also co-founded the San Francisco Irish American Bar Association. His life has been one of coalition-building, interethnic comity, emphasizing shared histories, literary, political, historical, and familial. His current interethnic work is with the Chinese community, regarding past contributions to building of railroads, and other current cultural collaborations.

Patrick’s talk will also be “about a grandson of Irish immigrants from Mayo and Cork” going to “the largest copper mining town in the world, ‘Butte America’ (in Montana)”, and his return to his ancestral homes in Ireland. When Patrick arrived, he was greeted by a relative who said: “Glory be to God – it’s young Patrick Goggins come back home to Mayo from America!” Pat has kept the bond of the current generation of Irish relatives still coming to America.

Date: Sunday, June 14 at 4pm

Location: United Irish Cultural Center – St. Francis Room, 45th and Sloat Blvd, SF