WEST ORANGE, NJ — The Ancient Order of Hibernians, Michael L. Delahunty Division 9, in Montclair, will celebrate its 119th anniversary with a dinner and dance on Saturday, March 2, at 6:30 p.m. at Mayfair Farms in West Orange. This year’s guests of honor are Ted Yurgel, James Horn and Barbara Lyons. Lyons is a resident of West Orange and the Horn family owns and operates Mayfair Farms. Yurgel is a resident of South Orange.
The annual event will begin with a cocktail hour, including open bar, hot and cold appetizers, a martini bar and a silent auction. Dinner and dancing will follow at 7:30 p.m. with Irish and American music provided by The Eamonn Ryan Showband.
Dinner chairman Jim Fallon invites the public to attend “one of the most enjoyable events of the St. Patrick’s Day season” and join them in recognizing the many achievements of the honorees. Admission is charged. Reservations can be made by calling Fallon at 201-245-2267 or online at www.essex9aoh.com.
Horn has worked for the Horn Family Restaurants since 1972. He graduated from Millburn High School in 1975 and from Cornell University in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in hotel administration. Today, Horn helps run Mayfair Farms, the event venue which has been in his family since 1942. The family has become an integral part of the West Orange community. Raised in Short Hills, James Horn currently resides in Florham Park. He has two children, James Horn Jr. and Jillian Adams. His son and daughter-in-law, Grace, and his grandson, Atticus James Horn, reside in Manhattan. His daughter and son-in-law, Robert, reside in Pismo Beach, Calif.
A graduate of Bloomfield High School, Lyons has been a resident of West Orange for more than 40 years. Upon college graduation, Lyons entered the insurance field, working with an independent agent and eventually obtaining her broker’s license. This career path was interrupted in 1960 when the presidential campaign caught her fancy and she became involved in the rough and tumble street politics of Orange. She was the chairwoman of the Orange Young Democrats for several years, served as a Young Democrats State Committeewoman, a member of the Orange County Committee and as secretary to the Orange Democratic Party. From there she spent 18 years working with Assemblyman Frank “Pat” Dodd and then moved into a career in marketing. Lyons now serves on the soup kitchen committee at St. Joseph’s Church in West Orange. Barbara was active for many years on the West Orange St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee as a representative for the Dodd Association and was deputy grand marshal in 1977. She is a longtime member of the Women of Irish Heritage serving as stewardess, treasurer and now as president. Now retired, Lyons works part-time as a legislative aide to Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin.
A native of Green Brook, Yurgel joined the town’s Volunteer Fire Department shortly after graduating high school and in 1981 became a patrolman with the town’s police department. In 1984, he joined the North Plainfield Police Department, where he stayed for 22 years. Yurgel was ultimately promoted to detective and became a member of the Criminal Investigation Division, before retiring in 2006. He is also a past president of PBA Local 85. Yurgel has been an active member of the Irish community, joining the Essex County Police & Fire Emerald Society in 1988, becoming a member of the Color Guard, as well as a piper in the band. He is also a member of the West Orange St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, and in 1992 joined The Order of the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh and served as that organizations treasurer, vice president, president and is currently a trustee. In 2009, Yurgel started a second career in occupational health, safety and environment with Novartis Pharmaceuticals in East Hanover. He is married to Katie Bogart and they reside in the Montrose Park section of South Orange, where they are restoring a century-old home to its former glory.
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