John Deasy has represented the constituency of Waterford in Dáil Éireann, the Irish Parliament, since 2002. like the morning dew on a warm summer day.
Besides running four successful restaurants, John Melody owns and coaches the Erie Commodores FC soccer club.
fnished his fve-year tenure with an overall 72-19-6 record and were 37-4-3 in the GLIAC. He was named GLIAC Men’s Coach of the Year three times and GLIAC Women’s Coach of the Year twice. Little wonder that in 2015, Melody was inducted into the Mercyhurst Athletic Hall of Fame. “I am thankful for all the opportunities I’ve had at Mercyhurst over the years,” Melody said. And, of course, few would deny that Mercyhurst and Erie are grateful that he chose to stay and share his good fortune with us. Likewise, Deasy has been infuential across the pond in paving the way for Mercyhurst’s programs in Ireland, including the launch of the Global Intelligence Forum and the Mercyhurst in Ireland satellite site, which creates opportunities for study abroad and for research and collaboration with Irish partners. Deasy, too, has a deep and abiding gratitude for having studied at Mercyhurst. He credited his history professors for the knowledge they imparted, the liberal arts curriculum for expanding his horizons, and the small size of campus for enabling him to make mistakes without falling too hard on the road to maturity. “I also owe a debt of gratitude to Bill Garvey (former Mercyhurst president) for all he did for me and the kids from Ireland over the years,” Deasy said. Before Deasy few back to Ireland, he and Melody sipped on a couple pints and shared old college stories. They also looked to the future. Melody frequently brings his family to campus. “I’m always running around here with the kids; it’s like our backyard,” he said. Melody and his wife, Leanne, have three children, Maeve, 7, and 3-year-old twins, Clodagh and Rory. Deasy, meanwhile, has his mind made up. On more than one occasion he’s told his wife, Maura Derrane, that their 2-year-old son, Cal, is going to Mercyhurst for college. 13
For many Erie residents, John Melody is “Erie’s Irishman.”Whether turning guests into friends at one of his four U Pick 6 establishments, coaching a tough-nosed, attacking brand of soccer as owner of the Erie Commodores FC, or letting his lyrical Irish brogue waft over the radio waves to win new customers and fans, Melody brings a bit of Ireland with him everywhere he goes.
Melody says he and Deasy have much in common, explaining: “He’s focused, driven and intelligent – I’m good for two of the three.”
At Mercyhurst, Deasy was an exemplary student who played golf and was sports editor of the student newspaper, The Merciad . After graduating, he went to work for John Heinz, until the Pennsylvania Republican senator’s tragic death in April 1991. Later, he served as a legislative assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives for Rhode Island Republican Ronald Machtley before spending two years as manager of legislative afairs for a Chicago-based law frm. In 1997 Deasy returned to Ireland, where he completed a Bachelor of Civil Laws (Honours) degree at University College Cork. He entered electoral politics in 1999, topping the poll at the Dungarvan Town Council elections and the Waterford County Council elections. Three years later he succeeded his father, former cabinet minister Austin Deasy, as a member for the constituency of Waterford in Dáil Éireann, the Irish Parliament. Deasy has retained his Dáil seat at each of the elections held since then, most recently in February 2016. Both Melody and Deasy say they hold Mercyhurst near and dear and count it as instrumental in their success. Melody has actually coached soccer and worked in advancement at Mercyhurst in years past. He is proudest of his Mercyhurst soccer career, both as a player and a coach, and remembers setting a record for most goals scored in a season – 16 – his senior year. As coach from 1997 to 2001, his men’s team had an overall record of 70-21-4 and a perfect 27-0 record in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). The women
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online