Honorary Princesses of the
☘️ IRISH AMERICAN SOCIETY of TIDEWATER ☘️
The history of the IAST honoring “fair daughters of Erin” goes back to the 1980s. A one-time-only Maid of Erin pageant was held in 1982 at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. Special guest was Aidan Kirwan, Vice Consul, Republic of Ireland, who crowned the winner. Entrants were judged on poise, personality, and appearance. The Maid of Erin and her court were to represent the IAST and the local Ancient Order of Hibernians at Harborfest, Heritage Day, and the St. Patrick’s Day parade. Melissa Rice was selected as the Maid of Erin by the judges, but first runner up Laura Wolf ended up fulfilling the duties and title of the Maid of Erin.
In 1997, President Tom Porter initiated the selection of IAST Adult, Teen, and Junior Princesses to represent us in the annual Paddy Day Parade as well as subsequent events during their year-long reign. Our Princesses have always been required to be current IAST members or close relatives of members. The princess selection process has evolved over the years, but the current IAST President still makes all final decisions. In the event that the IAST President deems there are no suitable nominees for a princess position in a certain year, then the position will go empty that year. Our Honorary Princesses are announced each March, normally at Finnegan’s Wake, and given honorary sashes to wear as they represent us in the Ocean View St. Patrick’s Day Parade and other events during their official 12-month “reign” and after.
In 2021, President Tracy Fearon created a Princess Committee, led by Chair Lynnette Fitch and Vice Chair Katie McCrory. Lynnette and Katie are in the unique position of being the only IAST Princesses thus far who have also served as IAST Presidents. Tracy also made the informal tradition of our Princesses doing community service a formal requirement; Princesses now have a contract and must commit to a service cause or project they will report at least quarterly to the IAST on in person or in writing. The Princess Committee is tasked with recruiting and nominating prospective IAST Princesses for IAST Presidential approval, and then publicizing and mentoring IAST Princesses after Presidential approval. Any current IAST member can recommend other current members/member’s close relatives as possible IAST Princesses to the Princess Committee Chairs for consideration. The Princess Committee considers all princess candidates on criteria such as suitability (in appearance, personality, conduct, and character) to represent the IAST, involvement in the Irish community, support of Irish culture, interest in her Irish heritage, her/her family’s association with the IAST, etc. The (1) “Princess sashing event” (usually done at Finnegan’s Wake) and (2) riding with the other new IAST Princesses in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Norfolk are the two mandatory event commitments for eligibility.
Occasionally, extra princesses are chosen, such as the MAVA Princess in 2000, who represented Ireland in the Multicultural Alliance of Virginia “Queen of the World Bazaar” pageant. In honor of our 25th anniversary, the IAST President decided to select a special Rose of Tralee Princess to represent us in the Washington DC Irish Centre’s Rose of Tralee Contest that June. The winner of the DC Rose of Tralee Contest each year goes on to compete in the International Rose of Tralee Competition in Tralee, Ireland in August. Another special decision was to have Tom Porter’s twin granddaughters serve a 2nd year as junior princesses in our 25th Anniversary year in honor of Tom and his support of the IAST Princesses. Since then, we have had three IAST Princesses chosen In Memoriam due to horrific circumstances, one after she was killed by a drunk driver, one after a school massacre fatality, and one after she was hit sitting in her car by a criminal fleeing the police. On a happier note, we also have had a few Little Miss Princesses recognized alongside their mothers since our 25th.
Honorary Princesses of the
☘️ IRISH AMERICAN SOCIETY of TIDEWATER ☘️
(Announced Annually at Finnegan’s Wake. Or, in lieu of that, at an alternative Sashing Event)
Year XXVII – 2023
Adult Princesses ☘️ Mrs. Angela Alyce (Killion) Tumwa (Community Service Cause: preservation/teaching of the Irish language)
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☘️ Miss Sydney Alexis-Selina Tumwa (Community Service Cause: childhood literacy)
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☘️ Miss Saidi Gabrielle-Adhiambo Tumwa (Community Service Cause: healthcare for women in poverty)
Year XXVI – 2022
Adult Princesses ☘️ Miss Roxanne Kate Baer (Community Service Project: Projekt 5 501©3 promoting mental resiliency)
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☘️ Mrs. Meredith Whitney Gober-Geary (Community Service Cause: Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia & the Eastern Shore)
Junior Princess ☘️ Miss Claire O’Neill (Community Service Cause: homeless/abused animal charities Hope for Life & Symbiotic)
Year XXV – 2021
Adult Princesses ☘️ Miss “Patti” Patricia Anne Opera (Community Service Project: Shamrock Smiles)
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☘️ Miss Jennifer Ann O’Connell (In Memoriam)
July 21, 1966 – July 15, 2021 Jennifer and her beloved, David Lee Jones, were abruptly taken from us, victims of a horrible car accident they did not cause. We do and will always miss them terribly; they were our friends and active, helpful, and wonderful members of the IAS. Buailfimid le chéile arís sa mhóinéar, agus beidh sé mar mura bhfuil am caite. (We will meet again in the meadow, and it will be as if no time has passed.)
Teen Princesses ☘️ Miss Kira Cervi (Community Service Cause: The Trevor Project)
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☘️ Miss Nadine Frohwitter (Community Service Cause: providing essential items for the homeless)
Junior Princesses ☘️ Miss Olivia Ware (Community Service Project: Shamrock Smiles)
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☘️ Miss Josephine Frohwitter (Community Service Cause: shoreline clean up)
Year XXIV – 2020
Adult Princesses ☘️ Ms. Darcie Rae MacGregor-Schauf
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☘️ Mrs. Jamie Sue (MacGregor) Grover
Teen Princesses ☘️ Miss Cecilia Donovan-Dunn
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☘️ Miss Mathisen Wood
Junior Princess ☘️ Miss “Emmy” Emerald Schauf
This year’s princesses were “sashed” at our special Comóradh 40 EMERALD BALL by the Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Mr. Daniel Mulhall of Ireland
Year XXIII – 2019
Adult Princess ☘️ Dr. “Cat” Catriona (Roy) Dunphy
Teen Princess ☘️ Miss Kelly Fearon Gould
Junior Princess ☘️ Miss Eilidh Crouch
Little Miss Princess ☘️ Miss Juliette Dunphy
Year XXII – 2018
Adult Princess ☘️ Miss Caroline Elizabeth Morse
Teen Princess ☘️ Miss Cara Marie Loughran (In Memoriam)
February 21, 2003 – February 14, 2018 Student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (Parkland, Florida) & The Drake School of Irish Dance. Rest in peace, anam cara séimh.
Junior Princess ☘️ Miss Eadlyn Crouch
Year XXI – 2017
Adult Princess ☘️ Ms. Sandy Michelle Schlatman Hafner Archer
Teen Princess ☘️ Miss Samantha Libasci
Junior Princess ☘️ Miss Alyssa Libasci
Year XX – 2016
Adult Princess ☘️ Miss Laura Payne
Junior Princess ☘️ Miss Gabrielle Brown
Year XIX – 2015
Adult Princess ☘️ Miss Anne-Bernadette Dail
Teen Princesses ☘️ Miss Iris Dotson
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☘️ Miss Caitlin Hagerty
Junior Princess ☘️ Miss Olivia Sandoval
Year XVIII – 2014
Adult Princess ☘️ Ms. Heather Anne Walker Warren
Teen Princess ☘️ Miss Jyllian Barry
Junior Princesses ☘️ Miss Jessica Boyd
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☘️ Miss Jordan Boyd
Little Miss Princess ☘️ Miss Caelin Warren
Year XVII – 2013
Adult Princess ☘️ Mrs. Rebecca Sue (Allison) Norman
Teen Princess ☘️ Mrs. Ellen (Koushel) Tapp
Junior Princess ☘️ Miss Frances Felix
Little Miss Princess ☘️ Miss “Ellie” Eleanor Norman
Year XVI – 2012
Adult Princess ☘️ Ms. Karen Mary Twomey
Teen Princess ☘️ Miss Elizabeth Watson
Junior Princess ☘️ Miss Aubree Musicant
Year XV – 2011
Adult Princess ☘️ Mrs. Bridgett Renee (Cherry) Sakach
Teen Princess ☘️ Miss Caitlyn Taylor
Year XIV – 2010
Adult Princess ☘️ Mrs. “Kate” Kathryn Marie (Collins) O’Neill
Teen Princesses ☘️ Miss Sarah Noble Brash
☘️ Miss Olivia Noble Brash
Junior Princess ☘️ Miss Jaqueline Duvall
Little Miss Princess ☘️ Miss Moira O’Neill
Year XIII – 2009
Adult Princess ☘️ Dr. Maureen Anne Tobin Cahill
Teen Princess ☘️ Mrs. Nina Leigh (Coletti) Galvez
Year XII – 2008
Adult Princess ☘️ Mrs. “Katie” Katherine Meghan (Morse) McCrory
Teen Princesses ☘️ Mrs. Meagan (Oglethorpe) Garibay
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☘️ Mrs. Maggie (Wilcox) Do, TCRG
Year XI – 2007
Adult Princess ☘️ Miss Erin Fay Morrissey
Rose of Tralee Pageant Princess ☘️ Mrs. “Katie” Katherine Meghan (Morse) McCrory
Teen Princess ☘️ Miss Tessa Cristina Tranchant (In Memoriam)
December 1990 – March 2007 Student at An Cor Rud (The Reel Thing) School of Irish Dance, A beautiful Irish colleen taken too soon – Rest in peace, cailin dubh.
Year X – 2006
Adult Princesses ☘️ Mrs. Colleen (Conklin) Gray
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☘️ Mrs. Kelly (Conklin) Lair
Rose of Tralee Pageant Princess ☘️ Mrs. “Katie” Katherine Meghan (Morse) McCrory
Teen Princess ☘️ Mrs. Lauren (Chaplin) Carozzoni
Junior Princesses ☘️ Miss Mary Mooney
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☘️ Miss Julia Mooney
Year IX – 2005
Adult Princess ☘️ Mrs. Carrie Ann (McCabe) Gordon
Rose of Tralee Pageant Princess ☘️ Mrs. “Katie” Katherine Meghan (Morse) McCrory
Teen Princess ☘️ Mrs. Sara Rhodes-Zimmerman, TCRG
Junior Princesses ☘️ Miss Kala Bishop
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☘️ Miss Monica Bishop
Year VIII – 2004
Adult Princess ☘️ Mrs. Lynette Marie (Gilmour) Crouch
Teen Princess ☘️ Miss Maura Ann Flatley
Junior Princesses ☘️ Miss Kala Bishop
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☘️ Miss Monica Bishop
Year VII – 2003
Adult Princess ☘️ Mrs. Tamara Lynn (Cervi) Williams
Teen Princess ☘️ Mrs. Kiera (DeNoble) ?
Junior Princess ☘️ Miss Raeven Pietzsch
Year VI – 2002
Adult Princess ☘️ Mrs. Lisa Victoria (Hunt) Burgess, TMRF
Junior Princess ☘️ Mrs. Emily (Ahern) Wareing
Year V – 2001
Adult Princess ☘️ Ms. Danielle Rose Donovan-Dunn
Teen Princess ☘️ Mrs. Ashley (Fordice) Valdez
Year IV – 2000
Adult Princess ☘️ Ms. Lynnette Elizabeth Fitch-Brash
MAVA Pageant Princess ☘️ Mrs. Amanda (Aasheim) Knapp
Teen Princess ☘️ Ms. Carlyn Aasheim
Junior Princess ☘️ Miss Michelle O’Brien
Year III – 1999
Adult Princess ☘️ Mrs. Nancy (Hartin) Reynolds
Teen Princess ☘️ Ms. Tara Heichel
Year II – 1998
Adult Princesses ☘️ Ms. Mary Frances Paris Fien
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☘️ Mrs. Kathleen (Zygmunt) Urbanic
Year I – 1997
Adult Princesses ☘️ Ms. Ursula Evelyn Jordan
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☘️ Mrs. Heather (Anderson) Rhodes
Teen Princess ☘️ Miss Tara Nemeth
🇮🇪-Fair daughters of Erin all-🇺🇸