Mike Berry

Honored June 8, 2019

Mike Berry was born in 1930 in Co. Longford, Ireland. He immigrated to the United States in 1957 and worked for AT&T Bell Labs for 37 years. His passion in life was playing Irish music and promoting Irish Cultural.  While Mike is mostly know for playing the accordion he also enjoyed played the bodharan, harmonica, spoons, Jews harp and the tin whistle. He was exceptional at lilting and he won the All Irelands for whistling in 1992.

Mike was a longtime member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, The Knights of Columbus 1432, The Tara Association, The Comhaltas Martin Mulvihill Branch, and The Irish American Association of North West Jersey. He was the NJ State AOH Chairman of the Irish Cultural and Heritage Committee for 2 years and Vice President of the Irish American Public Action Committee. He was honored as Hibernian of the Year in 1991 and was the 2003 Grand Marshall of the Sommerville St. Patrick’s Day Parade. He started a band, The Meoldy Aces with his good friends Frank Curran and Tim Powell. In 1990 he started the popular traditional music seisiuns held in Somerville and chaired them monthly for 18 years.

Mike died peacefully in his Bridgewater home in 2014 surrounded by his wife of 42 years, Brigid and his three daughters.