In being Irish and growing up in the Syracuse area, I made a connection with its rich ancestry from a young age. The Tipperary Hill neighborhood is rooted deeply in the city's history and has become a proud symbol of its Irish heritage.

When I was given the opportunity to illustrate the poem, I wanted to show the Tipp Hill traffic light, which has the green over the red, as a beacon for the Irish spirit. By reflecting this light in the window to Coleman's Irish Pub on the hill, it becomes a doorway for all to open and step through.

To me, being Irish is about life, music religion and faith. These qualities are those which should be held high and taken wherever you go. Thus, celebrating family, friends and heritage has always been important to me as well as the City of Syracuse.