Maureen O’Malley-Byrnes
Maureen is the founder and Director of the O’Malley Irish Dance Academy, established in 1994. She instructs over 150 children and adults in 3 locations in Brooklyn and Queens . The focus of the school has always been to promote the Irish culture and foster in her dancers a sense of pride in themselves. She has trained dancers that compete at local, regional, national and world competitions. Additionally, her students can be found at over 60 events during the year, volunteering their time and talent to many worthwhile causes.
Maureen’s students have performed all over the country, on television, at Ellis Island , City Hall, for the NY METS, the Brooklyn Cyclones and much more. However, Maureen feels their most important events are those that can bring happiness to others not as fortunate. Her dancers perform in countless schools, nursing homes, children’s hospitals, convents, centers for children with special needs and military bases during the year. Maureen also has the school take part in many charitable fund-raisers annually. Every October, they participate in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and have raised over $10,000 toward finding a cure. The school performs annually for Charity’s Angels, an organization developed to aide families who prematurely lose a parent, and the Great Irish Fair, which benefits the Catholic Schools of Brooklyn & Queens. The school is a proud sponsor of programs and youth sports teams in the parishes of Good Shepherd, Resurrection, St. Francis de Sales and St. Thomas More. Each year, the school is able to help support “ Camp Brooklyn ”, a program designed to send under privileged children to summer camp outside the city. Additionally, the school seeks to help their own dancers as well by being able to defray the cost of the children’s costumes to the parents, provide 2 Full Year Irish Dance Scholarships annually and award annual $500 college scholarships to their graduating seniors.
Maureen is a graduate of Good Shepherd Grammar School , Bishop Kearney High School and Brooklyn College . She graduated cum laude with a BA in Economics and a minor in Business Management. She enjoyed a successful 7 year career with a major Wall Street firm, before leaving to start a family. Married in 1998 to John Byrnes, the couple now has 3 children: Katie, Jack and Tommy. She is an active member of the Columbiettes Council # 126, the Good Shepherd Catholic Club and the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians Div 19. Maureen serves her parish as a Minister of Holy Communion, an Elizabeth Minister, a writer for the parish bulletin and a member of the Home School Association.
Maureen was honored to be named one of the Top 100 Irish Americans and to serve as an aide to the Grand Marshall in the Brooklyn St. Patrick’s Day parade. She is looking forward to serving as a Deputy Grand Marshall in this year’s Queens County Parade. She has received Commendations from the Brooklyn Borough President, the Mayor of the City of New York and the Comptroller of the City of New York for her contributions to Irish culture. Last year, she was awarded the Community Service Award by the Circle of Hope Cancer Foundation. Maureen was the recipient of the Good Shepherd Service award for her commitments to her parish and the Cultural Excellence and Community Leadership award from the LAOH.