Dave Burke
One Man Making a Difference

Despite what you may hear to the contrary, there is only one Dave Burke, not a multitude of them. The confusion arises from the sheer volume of activity and the accolades surrounding his name.

A proud resident of Lawrence, Massachusetts, where he lives with his wife Pat, with their son Kevin nearby, Dave spent four decades with the Lawrence Housing Authority, where he worked closely with city residents and gained a reputation for helping families down on their luck.

He has been a trusted advisor to many political leaders in the Merrimack Valley including current mayor of Lawrence Michael Sullivan. And he has helped many presidential candidates campaign in nearby New Hampshire.

In 2002 Dave won a coveted hospitality award from the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) for his volunteer work welcoming visitors to the Lawrence State Heritage Park. And the Mass. Cultural Council has recognized Dave for promoting cultural diversity in Lawrence.

But it is in the Irish community that Dave is best known, not just locally but across the USA and indeed, in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Dave’s unflinching devotion to all things Irish goes back four decades. As a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Lawrence, Division 8, he has been involved in peace and justice issues in Northern Ireland since the 1970s. He’s marched for human rights in Derry and helped rebuild areas devastated by the Troubles. He has supported Irish language programs in Belfast while also helping to foster support for Ireland’s National Museum in Dublin.

In 1999, when the Hibernian Hall in Lawrence closed its doors, Dave and his AOH colleagues began searching for a permanent home for thousands of books, documents and memorabilia collected at the Hall over the past century.

Working with city officials, they converted an unused 2,000 square foot space into an Irish Room at the Lawrence Public Library. Today the Irish Collection boasts 7,000+ items, many of historical significance to researchers and authors.

In 2006, Dave led the effort to erect a Famine Memorial in Lawrence in remembrance of the Great Hunger of the 1840s, raising funds through a non-profit group he formed, The Irish Foundation of Lawrence.

This fall the AOH is awarding Dave the Sean MacBride Humanitarian award for his lifelong work helping others. He’ll receive the award at Stonehill College from his friend and colleague Jack Meehan, national president of the AOH.

The award acknowledges Dave’s lifelong efforts helping others, and a reminder of what a difference one man can make.

For more information visit www.massaoh.com