Cian Deely & Erin Marino

Thank you for your support as we raise money for Pieta House.

My name is Erin Marino, and I’m delighted to represent San Francisco and be part of this year’s fundraiser with my partner, Cian! I am born and raised in the Bay Area, but my heart has always been rooted in Ireland.

My mother is one of 10 children in the Hynes family out of Kilcolgan, Co. Galway. My grandparents were hardworking Irish farmers; my mom always described how there was never a dull moment growing up with two sisters and seven brothers (two sets of twins). I feel so lucky that eight of the 10 siblings have immigrated to the Bay Area as spending time with my aunts, uncles, and cousins is one of my favorite things to do. My grandmother, who currently lives in Athenry, is my best friend and we FaceTime multiple times a week. She is the best storyteller I know and always has the most incredible tales of life with the 12 of them in a little house on a farm out in the countryside. Most recently, my family and I celebrated the opening of my aunt and uncle’s Irish pub, The Burren House, in San Rafael—an amazing gathering place for the strong Irish community here.

I’ve been Irish dancing for over 20 years (at my aunt’s studio The Brosnan School of Irish Dance) with my sister and father always at my side to support me. I also grew up playing the Irish flute and tin whistle. During my time studying at Stanford University, I was the unofficial "Barry’s Tea ambassador" among my friends, always ready with the kettle to share a little taste of home.

I’ve been lucky enough to have lived in Brussels, Dublin, and Boston, and in each place, I’ve felt the welcoming embrace of the Irish community. As a proud member of the Irish Network Bay Area, I am grateful to continue to connect with others who share that same deep sense of heritage and pride in our Irish roots.

San Francisco is home, but Ireland will always be close to my heart, and I’m honored to dance in support of this organization and represent my family. Thank you for your support—it means so much to me!

My name is Cian Deely, I am incredibly excited to take a leap into this event with my partner Erin! it will be a huge challenge but also a great honour for me!

I grew up in County Mayo, my parents moved there from County Tipp before I was born and as I was growing up we built our house there by hand over several years (and several credit union loans). My memories of strong winds and big waves during the many storms I experienced growing up there stay present in my mind. I have three sisters who still live in Ireland.

I went to college in Limerick, going to school at The Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) and studying Software Engineering there, in the same class with my sister Saoirse. Both of us graduated and got bachelors degrees in 2022.

I then spent a couple of years working for startup companies in Ireland, before deciding I wanted to have an adventure in my life and move to another country. I decided I could take my skills in tech startups and try export them to San Francisco, as it is the home of tech startups. It was a tough challenge trying to find a company that wanted to take the chance on sponsoring me to move to America considering how tough the tech market is right now. But luckily after 6 months of applying for jobs and attending interviews, I was able to get sponsorship from a tech startup that is founded by another Irish guy who moved from Dublin to SF in the 80s.

I love the lifestyle in San Francisco, everyday feels like a great adventure out here. When Erin asked me if I would be her partner for this dance event, I said yes, despite having very limited dancing experience, because I want to keep being adventurous and taking on new challenges in life.

I would be incredibly proud to compete for a chance to give back to the community