Nicole Connolly wouldn’t think of missing the annual UFT Irish American Heritage Committee dinner. “I always have the best time,” said Connolly, a physical education teacher at the East Village Community School in Manhattan, who joined nearly 50 members and guests at the April 13 event at UFT headquarters. “I feel a deep connection with my Irish brethren and the interwoven threads of resilience and shared identity between my Irish ancestry and the history of New York City and the UFT.” The event included a presentation about the Irish Hunger Memorial in lower Manhattan and talks by City Councilman Keith Powers, the chair of the council’s Irish Caucus, and historian and storyteller Michael Quinn. UFT President Michael Mulgrew also addressed the group, telling of his visits to Ireland and his family’s Irish history. “It’s an important night,” said committee co-chair Dennis Gault, “because it gives us a chance to share Irish culture, art and history with our members.”