The Famous Irish of Bayside

Bayside has been home to several famous men of Irish extraction, real or fictitious, including a World Champion, a time-traveler, a President and famous Pagan.

James J. Corbett became World Heavyweight Boxing Champion on September 7, 1892, when he knocked-out John L. Sullivan in the 21st round.

Known as “Gentleman Jim” for his college education, penchant for fine clothes and refined manner, he was the first to win a championship under the Marquis of Queensbury rules, which required three-minute timed rounds and leather boxing gloves.

After losing the title in 1897 and finally retiring from boxing in 1903, he pursued a career in acting and theatre, and moved to Bayside.

January 15, 1917, New York Times reported that, “Police of the 276th Precinct, Queens are investigating a burglary at the home of James J. Corbett, the former pugilist on Bayside Boulevard, Bayside.” It was estimated that the value of the loot taken from the home (now standing at 221-04 Corbett Road) at $5,000.

Corbett lived in the house – that came to bear his name – with his wife, Jessie, until his death on February 18, 1933. Jessie Corbett passed away in 1959.

In the 2000 film time-travel thriller “Frequency,” James Caviezel plays John Sullivan, a NYPD homicide detective living in the Bayside house where he grew up.

Thanks to the ham radio owned by his deceased firefighter father, Frank (played by Dennis Quaid) and a supercharged Aurora Borealis, in 1999 he actually makes contact with his dad 30 years in the past – the day before he would die in a fire.

Despite what everyone learned in Star Trek back in 1969, the son passes along vital information – including the tip to remember the name “Yahoo” – and many after twists and turns, the big Bayside-Irish family lives happily ever after.

Patrick J. Lynch is the youngest elected president of the New York Police Benevolent Association.

The son of an immigrant from County Mayo and great grandson of a NYPD Deputy Inspector, Lynch lives in Bayside with his wife Kathleen – a grammar school classmate – and their two sons.

He is reportedly an active supporter of Irish causes and travels back to the old sod regularly, including as a performer with the County Tyrone Pipe Band.

Dubbed by the Village Voice ‘America's First Elected Heathen,’ City Councilmember Daniel J. Halloran III, has roots in Bayside going back generations. “If my great grandfather was named Daniel Joseph instead of Daniel James, I would have been the fourth,” he said.

All that might have been changed, but he was born on March 16. “A few more hours and I would have been Patrick,” he said.

The Hallorans have the kind of large Irish family of legend noting, “Forty-two first cousins and more than 178 second cousins – and that’s just on my father’s side,” he noted.

According to himself, 90 percent of them live in Queens, and almost all of them are cops, firemen, attorneys or accountants. In fact, that first Daniel J. Halloran was a New York Police Chief.

Raised as a Roman Catholic, he embraced Theodism, a faith celebrating pre-Christian beliefs. His role as a leader of his religious community led one local newspaper to proclaim Halloran a “Pagan Lord” on its front page.