The 2026 Award Winners

Parade Marshall

Elizabeth “Beth” Hawley

John & Agnes Burke Award

John Ford

Paul G. Caron Award

Joe Christofori

Mary B. Troy Award

City Line Cafe

Parade Marshall Elizabeth “Beth” Hawley

Born the daughter of Robert and Clara Hawley, and Beth grew up in East Forest Park in a lively house on Buick Street with her six siblings: Robert, Margaret, Richard, Christopher, Michael, and Karen, who passed away in 2017. She attended Holy Cross Grammar School and Cathedral High School, graduating in 1981, before going to the College of Our Lady of the Elms. At Elms, She played women’s basketball and field hockey and later earned both a Graduate Certificate in Teaching Middle School Math (2007) and her Master of Education degree (2013). Her career in Catholic education began in 1985 at St. Bernadette School in Hollywood, Florida, but Western Massachusetts had always been home. She returned in 1986 and began a 24-year chapter at Our Lady of Hope School, where she taught grades 4–8, served as Director of Development, and directed the extended care and summerprograms. Over the years, she was humbled to be recognized in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers (2000, 2003, 2006), and to receive the Harold Grinspoon Teacher of Excellence Award (2007) and the Western Massachusetts Junior Achievement Teacher of the Year Award (2008).

Coaching has also been a major part of her life. Elizabeth served as an Assistant Girls Basketball Coach at Holyoke High School and Head Softball Coach at Dean Vocational from 1989 to 1994. She continued coaching at the collegiate level as Head Soccer Coach and Assistant Basketball Coach at Elms College from 1987–2002, and she spent the summers of 2005–2009 as the Physical Education Instructor for the Celtic Summer Camp. Today, she remains active in youth athletics through the LPGA*USGA Girls Golf Program at The Ranch in Southwick, where she volunteers as Assistant Site Director and Coach.

For decades, she also played in the women’s fast-pitch softball league at Freeman Park. The league was more than just a place to compete—it was where she formed many lifelong friendships with so many people, including many who grew up in Springfield’s Hungry Hill neighborhood. In 2009, following the diocesan school merger and the closure of Our Lady of Hope School, she joined St. Thomas the Apostle School as a middle school math teacher and, in 2023, was appointed principal. Beth has lived in East Springfield for nearly 26 years, and is a communicant of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish.

John & Agnes Burke Award
John Ford

ohn Ford, is a Springfield native and an Irish citizen as of 2024, who currently resides in Wilbraham, with his wife Susan (if you’re thinking “poor girl” you’re not that far off!) Together they have two children Jake and Kelsi as well as three well loved grandchildren.

John is an established soccer coach for multiple teams, including ELM, Chicopee AJACS, Western United, and Stars of MA. He is also the president of the East Longmeadow Soccer Association and has been for the last 14 years. He, in fact, took the 2009 U14 girls team to Ireland to participate in the Limerick Cup Tourny.

Near and dear to many people’s hearts, John is a highly appreciated coach for the Special Olympics (both in Springfield and Massachusetts). He has coached a multitude of sports over the last 39 years and was lucky enough to take a group of Special Olympics Soccer players to Ireland in 1999 as part of a goodwill soccer tour.

John was inducted into the SOMA Hall of Fame in 2007. Aside from coaching, John has been a member of the John Boyle O’Reilly Club for the past 42 years and currently serves on the GAA Committee, Honor Guard, Players Guild, and the Ireland Trip co-Coordinator. He has also volunteered in the kitchen at the Springfield Rescue Mission, helping many in need of a warm meal.

Paul G. Caron Award
Joe Christofori

Joey Christofori, born to Dante & Florence Christofori, The youngest of 5 children, his siblings Carol, Judi, Laurie & Billy were raised in the heart of Hungry Hill at Phoenix and

Freeman.

Joe started at an early age to learn about the true bond of Hungry Hill. Every greeting was an insult, every encouragement followed by a warning of possible catastrophic failure. Truly, if people were being overtly nice to you, you should likely be very worried

that they all know something dire about your future. But it was always good fun and it taught humility and camaraderie.

Joe, a mediocre high school student, attended Cathedral High School, HCC, STCC, and finally Emerson College, where he made the Dean’s List twice in his tenure there. When Dante & Florence received the letter, they assumed it was a dastardly prank when it arrived at Phoenix Terrace. Dante, so skeptical of this news, that Florence contacted The National Dean’s list Registry, where they promptly sold her the yearly Dean’s list Book as proof of its legitimacy. Thus began Joe’s 35-year career in the film industry, working on countless films, documentaries, commercials, and music videos. Among them are Academy Award-winning films such as Amistad and The Fog of War.

In 2006, he traveled to Ireland with the O’Brien Brothers and has returned nearly every year, making numerous excursions to the West of Ireland, where he has developed many friendships. Joe, along with John Ford, managed the John Boyle O’Reilly Club Tours to Ireland in recent years.

For St. Patrick's Day, Joe started & leads the Hungry Hill Hikers group every year on the Full 10k Holyoke Road race day to help celebrate the High Holiday, get people out, and earn their pints for the day's festivities. And on Parade day, he volunteers his 1968 Newport Convertible to drive the award winners who might not be physically able to march in the Parade.

Joe also manages the Hungry Hill web page and Facebook page. Compiling, restoring old photos and stories for preservation of the Springfield and Hungry Hill Community. He researched, scanned, restored, and prepared the images for the recent Irish American Veterans Photo Bio project, which was on display at the ICC and the John Boyle.

A long-time member of the Van Horn sports community, he volunteered and helped bring the Van Horn Parents Association Monument to fruition, and designed the monument as well, which is on display at Van Horn park's main entrance. Joe also helps manage the John Boyle O’Reilly monthly club breakfast, which offers up the Full Irish Breakfast as well as American favorites. Joe also designs all manner of Hungry Hill paraphernalia.

In 2018, Joe reconnected with his high school crush, Melissa LeDoux, and after a lengthy courtship, he turned her into Melissa Christofori in 2021. When someone offered Bob LeDoux congratulations on their wedding day, Bob replied in typical Hungry Hill fashion, “For what?” A story that Joe’s good friend Jim “Nimbo” Franz repeats nearly every day.

He and Melissa have a large family of pets: The Dogs, Paco, Ralphie, Charlie & Bootsie, The cats, Moon & KevinFitz, a parrot, Virgil & 7 chickens: Prudence, Martha, Midge, Marge, Eleanor, Fionna, and Wilma. No grandchildren are anticipated at this time.

Mary B. Troy Award
City Line Cafe

Established in 1939, City Line Café stands as one of the oldest and most storied bars in Springfield, Massachusetts. From the beginning, it has remained true to its roots as a warm, welcoming Irish pub—a neighborhood gathering place where good company, good drink, and good music have always mattered most.

In 2013, the bar entered a new chapter when it was purchased by Marty Cunningham, whose family has deep ties to the Hungry Hill and Springfield Irish community. Under his ownership, City Line Café has continued to honor its Irish heritage while investing in meaningful improvements, ensuring the pub remains both timeless and vibrant for generations to come.

Today, City Line Café is known not only for its history but for its living culture. Every Wednesday night, the pub comes alive with a traditional Irish music session, featuring a rotating group of talented musicians who keep the spirit of Ireland thriving in the heart of Springfield.

A true Hungry Hill institution, City Line Café blends tradition, hospitality, and authenticity—celebrating more than 85 years as Springfield’s classic Irish bar.