• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Irish America

Irish America

Irish America

  • HOME
  • WHO WE ARE
    • ABOUT US
    • OUR CONTRIBUTORS
  • IN THIS ISSUE
  • HALL OF FAME
  • THE LISTS
    • BUSINESS 100
    • HALL OF FAME
    • HEALTH AND LIFE SCIENCES 50
    • WALL STREET 50
  • LIBRARY
  • TRAVEL
  • EVENTS

Irish America Sweepstakes Winner Named

By Irish America Staff
April 6, 2018

April 6, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Stephanie Sullivan and her sister, Rosemary, hail from Chicago.

On Thursday, April 5, the winner of the Irish America sweepstakes for a luxury vacation package to Ireland for two was announced. The luck of the draw went to Stephanie Sullivan of Chicago, Illinois.

Stephanie, who works in sales and marketing for mapping and location data company HERE Technologies, was overjoyed upon being contacted with the good news, and said, “It was like a miracle.” She told Irish America that she has already selected her sister, Rosemary, as a travel companion, and that the two are eager to reconnect with the land of their ancestors.

An avid genealogical researcher, Stephanie also told Irish America that her first known Irish ancestor arrived in the United States bearing the surname Hagan (one of the first families recorded in Chicago) in 1849. He was a stonecutter by trade – and went on to become no less than the president of the Stonecutter’s Association.

Another branch of Stephanie’s ancestors hail from Ballinasloe, Co. Galway – one particular unit of which produced a woman who grew up to become a Sister of Mercy, and, incredibly, one of the first women in Australia to cast a vote.

Stephanie and Rosemary plan to begin their travels coming September (the height of the oyster season in Ireland!). They will fly courtesy of Aer Lingus airlines, and the CIE “Taste of Ireland” tour will take them on the journey of a lifetime, filled to the brim with the sights, sounds, and tastes of the Emerald Isle! ♦


Dear Irish America:

Rosemary and I had a wonderful trip! Thank you! Ireland is even more beautiful and inspiring in person than in the photos we’ve looked at for years, when we dreamed of visiting there. Our CIE coach driver, Oisin, was helpful and told us memorable stories about his childhood in Ireland. Everyone we traveled with was nice and we all looked out for each other. They called us the “Chicago Sisters.”  We took lots of photos and videos because we saw so many majestic sites. The countryside is breathtaking. We learned so much and this trip has motivated us to learn more about our Irish heritage and culture. We hope to visit again someday.

– Stephanie Sullivan

Stephanie and Rosemary Sullivan at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland during the trip they won from Irish America and CIE Tours in 2018.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Highlights

News
Articles and stories from Irish America.....
MORE

Hibernia
News from Ireland and happenings in Irish America.....
MORE

Those We Lost
Remembering some of the great Irish Americans who have passed.....
MORE

Slainte!
Discover Irish ancestry, predilections, and recipes.....
MORE

Photo Album
Irish America readers share the stories of their ancestors....
MORE

More Articles

  • Pope Adrian IV, King Henry II and The Siege of Ireland

    Pope Adrian IV, King Henry II and The Siege of Ireland

    On December 4, 1154, Nicholas Breakspear, the first and only Englishman to ascend to the papacy, was...
  • President Trump Proclaims Irish Heritage Month

    President Trump Proclaims Irish Heritage Month

    The President calls on Irish Americans to celebrate their "contributions to our Nation," adding,"Iri...
  • John Francis Spratt (1796–1871), Carmelite priest, philanthropist, and temperance reformer, was born January 1796 in Cork St., Dublin.

    The Friar and The Saint:How St. Valentine Came to Dublin

    A Carmelite priest was gifted the relics of Saint Valentine, now enshrined in Our Lady of Mount St....
  • Fostering Memorable Leadership, Relentless Drive, and Unity

    Fostering Memorable Leadership, Relentless Drive, and Unity

    On November 6, Duke Orthopaedics was honored to host Gen. Martin E. Dempsey (Ret.), former Chairman ...

Footer

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Give a Gift
  • Newsletter

Additional

  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Terms of Use & Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · IrishAmerica Child Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in