Belmar Mayor Matthew Doherty 2012 Irishman of the Year

The Order of the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh of the Jersey Shore Name

Belmar Mayor Matthew Doherty 2012 Irishman of the Year

BELMAR: Mayor Matthew Doherty was selected as the 2012 Irishman of the Year by the Order of the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh of the Jersey Shore. He will receive his title officially at the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh’s 21^st anniversary dinner on Saturday, June 16.

“It is a great honor to receive this distinction from my Shillelagh brothers.  I truly appreciate what this means coming from such an outstanding organization,” said Mayor Doherty.

“I endeavored to find a man with strong community ties and impeccable integrity, a man unafraid to speak his mind and one who can speak from his heart,” said former Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh president Ed Hunter, who helped select Mayor Doherty for this award.

Mayor Doherty was elected mayor of Belmar on November 2, 2010, as Belmar’s first new mayor in over twenty years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Georgetown University. Mayor Doherty is a Financial Advisor with Investor’s Bank.

He has been to Northern Ireland several times to participate in the Bloody Sunday March in Derry and to meet other Republican leaders. He has also visited Ballybriggen, Ireland, Belmar’s sister city. He was named one of Irish Echo’s “40 Under 40” for being an outstanding Irishman, and he received this honor at the Irish Consulate in New York City.

Mayor Doherty served as Borough Council President, ADA coordinator, Harbor Commissioner, and Belmar Planning Board member in addition to his responsibilities as mayor. He spearheaded numerous Belmar improvement projects, including the provision of free beach access for all Monmouth County First-Aid and Fire Department volunteers, the implementation of Mobi-Mats on the beach for ADA-approved accessibility, the redevelopment of the 9^th Avenue pier at the Belmar Marina.

“Matt Doherty is not only an active member of the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh, but he is a leader—both as mayor of Belmar and as an Irishman. He exemplifies the qualities of a dedicated, passionate man with strong ties to his communities. He’s what we’re all about,” said current Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh president Robert Driscoll.

Mr. Driscoll, a retired Detective Lieutenant of the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey Police Department, will also award Mayor Doherty a World Trade Center steel cross by at the council meeting on Wednesday, September 5 at 6 p.m.