BIO: Connie Mack, a U. S. Senator, Florida, beginning in 1991, states: The Irish know how to weather hard times. Our stories show our love of life, of music, of dance, and of God. The Irish are a beautiful people." Boyish-looking at 57 (1998), Florida Senator Connie Mack is a 3rd generation Irish-American, his family having originated in 1846 from Co. Kerry, the family surname McGillicuddy -- his own given name was Cornelius McGillicuddy III. His kind-hearted nature combined with the story of his inspirational bout with cancer has clearly endeared him to his constituency. Mack's grandfather (also named Connie Mack) was a baseball pioneer, a pitcher who went on to own and manage the Philadelphia Athletics for 50 years. Reaching further back into their history, the Macks apparently trace their lineage to Oilill Olum, King of Munster, whose reign ended in 234 A. D. Mack's personal battle has been with cancer. Both he and his wife, Priscilla, have fought this dreaded d! isease, emerging with strong views on the importance of federally funded medical research. With his infectious "grin," Connie Mack was once voted among the 20 most popular elected officals in the nation. -- Excerpt, "The World Of Hibernia" (Summer, 1998)