Although Alphonsus (Al) O'Leary was born in the United States in 1926, he moved to Ireland in 1932 to live on the family farm in Lorrha Co. Tipperary. He was educated there at the National School. After a stint in the British Army during World War II he returned to the US in 1946 and then to Cleveland in 1947. He was very active in all forms of Irish culture. He was a founding member of the Cleveland Kickhams Hurling Club, a sport he had learned to play growing up in Ireland. He was also a founding member of the Cleveland Irish Musicians playing a three row button accordion.

In 1952 he married Celine McNamara from Pollough, Achill, Co. Mayo. and settled down to raise seven daughters and two sons. It is very unfortunate that both of his sons, Colm and Brenadan have passed away at a very early age. He has seven daughters and eight grandchildren.

Al is a fluent speaker of the Gaelic language and has from time to time taught classes for those interested.

In 1972 he brought the first Comhaltas tour to Cleveland. This tour included the famous Siamsa Ceili Band as well as many great individual artists. Al made all of the arrangement for this tour himself and continued making these arrangements for the next 7-8 years.

In 1975 Miles Krassen published a fiddlers version of the well known O'Neill's Music of Ireland. In that book he thanked many people for their assistance including Al O'Leary who had made available his extensive collection of 78 RPM records to be transcribed to sheet music for that book. This collection included many of the recordings made by the great Michael Coleman.

Al was honored by The United Irish Societies of Cleveland when they named him Grand Marshall of The St. Patrick's Day Parade for 1993.

Today, Al is retired from his job with the Ford Motor Company where he worked as a painter, but is still active with The West Side Irish American Club and his Irish music.