Mr. Irish

By some estimations, some 40% of Kansas Citians can claim some Irish ancestry. In a city of more than 2 million, that's a lot of Paddies. But among that huge number, there is one man who I consider to be the standard bearer for the Kansas City Irish. And today is that man's birthday. I'm proud to call him a friend.

One of six children, P.J. Cullinan came to America in 1950. He left behind an offer to take over his father's business in Ireland, driving both taxis and hearses (as P.J. told me recently, "I'd drive living people one day and dead people the next.") to follow his girlfriend, the lovely Molly, to America. He began his career here as a mechanic, but moved on to driving streetcars through our city, continuing until the unfortunate death of that particular mode of transport in 1957. He moved on to buses and spent the next three decades moving Kansas Citians from the places they were to the places they wanted to be. Along the way he learned our streets like the back of his hand and learned America like only someone who worked hard to get here could.

P.J. and Molly put down roots and raised a family here, and the Cullinans have long been anchors of the Kansas City Irish community. Today, P.J. turns 84 years old and he's still a force to be reckoned with, still the funniest man in the room, still the most interesting man in the pub, still Mr. Irish in Kansas City.

It's a long way from Clare to here, but we're glad you made the trip. Happy birthday, P.J. and many, many more.