ILA Executive Vice President, Dennis A. Daggett Announces Honor For ILA and Daggett Family And Urges Support For Project
Legacy of Community and Language: Honoring Harold J. Daggett with the Croí na Carraige Civic Youth Center in Belfast
It is with immense pride and gratitude that our family announces a monumental honor for my father, Harold J. Daggett, the International President of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA). A new civic youth center, Croí na Carraige, is being built in Belfast, Ireland, and will bear his name. This initiative reflects not only Harold’s lifelong dedication to community building but also the enduring ties between our family, the ILA, and our Irish heritage.
Our family traces its roots back to Belfast before settling in Greenwich Village, New York City. My father, born in Manhattan and raised in the Boulevard Gardens of Woodside, Queens, grew up cherishing the sense of community fostered by programs like the Kips Bay Boys Club. Together with his cousin and fellow ILA official Peter Clark, my father would travel from Queens to Manhattan to partake in the recreational activities the club offered. These experiences left a profound impact, reinforcing the importance of providing young people with spaces where they could learn, grow, and belong.
Croí na Carraige: A Hub for Growth and Revival
The Croí na Carraige center will be a transformative space in West Belfast, focusing on youth development, community cohesion, and the revitalization of the Irish language. The initiative is spearheaded by Glór na Móna, a grassroots organization renowned for its commitment to community education and language preservation.
The project aims to address the socio-economic challenges of the Upper Springfield area, which has historically suffered from high deprivation levels, transgenerational trauma, and limited access to education and youth services. Croí na Carraige will provide state-of-the-art facilities, including multi-purpose rooms, a heritage café, and educational hubs, all designed to foster civic pride, cultural revival, and inclusive opportunities for families and young people.
A Vision for the Future
Glór na Móna has already secured over £1 million in capital investment and planning approval from Belfast City Council, making this project a reality. However, an additional £500,000 is still needed to commence construction. This funding will ensure that the Croí na Carraige center becomes a flagship model for grassroots community development, blending cultural education with practical solutions to socio-economic disparities.
Key programs at the center include Sólás na nóg, which provides therapeutic and educational support for youth with special needs, and Fís an Phobail, an initiative aimed at sustaining the Irish language through family and intergenerational transmission. These projects reflect the transformative power of language, culture, and community in shaping a brighter future.
A Personal and Shared Honor
For our family, this center represents more than just a tribute to Harold J. Daggett’s contributions to labor and community. It embodies the spirit of the ILA, which has always stood for uplifting working families and fostering solidarity across borders. It also reflects the deep historical connection between Irish heritage and the labor movement—a bond that resonates across generations.
We are calling on the global community, our ILA family, and all who believe in the power of grassroots initiatives to contribute to this worthy cause. Together, we can ensure that the youth of West Belfast have the opportunities my father cherished as a young man—opportunities that can change lives and strengthen communities.
Let’s make Croí na Carraige a reality and honor Harold J. Daggett’s legacy in a way that will inspire generations to come.
If you are interested in supporting this project, please reach out for more information on how to contribute.
In Solidarity,
Dennis A. Daggett
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