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When we think of gardens, we tend to think about the gardens around our homes. But many communities have huge gardens that everyone can enjoy: our town and county parks. Those parks couldn't exist without people like Jim Houlihan.
Houlihan, managing partner at Houlihan-Parnes Realtors LLC, a commercial real estate company, has spent the past decade helping care for Westchesters parkland as a member of Friends of Westchester County Parks. He considers his most significant contributions two public works of art on display now in Westchester Parks. The Great Hunger Memorial, commemorating the famine in Ireland that forced people to emigrate to the United States, was erected in V.E. Macy Park in Irvington in 2001. The Rising at Kensico Dam was dedicated in 2006 to commemorate Sept. 11, 2001, and the victims from Westchester County.
Explaining that both works had significance and beauty, Houlihan is also proud that Friends of Parks was able to raise enough funds to commission, erect and now care for both works. The Great Hunger Memorial has even established a fund that supports hunger projects in Westchester County.
Houlihan says becoming part of the art world has been an interesting journey. His newest project is The Fighting Irishmen, which celebrates the contributions of Irish and Irish American boxers. The exhibit, which was designed to run four months, is now in its sixth year of traveling, the last three in Ireland.
A Bronx native, Houlihan resides in Bronxville with his wife, Pat, and their five children, Christie, Kelly, Meghan, Michael and Bryan.
I really didnt know the depth and scope of the parks in Westchester," he says. "We spent a whole day driving from one park to another. It was an eye-opening experience.
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