Irish America

Irish America

Archives for May 1994

Roots: Jordan, Rice and Power Families

By James G. Ryan

May/June 1994

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Readers have asked about the origin of the names Jordan, Rice and Power, only the last of which is in any way common. However, some explanation is provided below. The name Jordan is common in England but few Irish Jordans are derived from the English source. The Irish Jordans are derived from a Norman family which settled in Connaught in the 12th century. The name is derived … [Read more...] about Roots: Jordan, Rice and Power Families

In Pursuit of the Supernatural

By Jane Campbell

May/June 1994

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John Banville's first book, Long Larkin, was published in 1970; his most recent novel, Ghosts, has just come out. In the intervening years he has produced nine novels and received many awards. In 1989 he won the Guinness Peat Aviation Award for The Book of Evidence, which was also shortlisted for the Booker Prize. In addition to being one of the most highly regarded writers … [Read more...] about In Pursuit of the Supernatural

Sláinte! The Feast of Bealtaine

By Edythe Preet

May/June 1994

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The Celtic feast of Bealtaine (Bright Fire) began on the first day of May with the lighting of the May Fires. The clan gathered to celebrate the end of the dark months and the return of the light. The fires symbolized the earth's life-giving forces-fertility and rebirth after the dormant winter months. Dancers enacted the sun's movement through the skies and the Maypole and … [Read more...] about Sláinte! The Feast of Bealtaine

Captain Paddy and Son

By Pat Crowe

May/June 1994

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Captain Paddy turned his boat around and pointed it toward the open waters of the North Atlantic. He has fished these waters along the rocky cliffs of County Donegal for so long that he no longer observes their rugged beauty. Sometimes he ventures far out to fish for salmon, today he would look for crabs and lobster and see to his numerous traps. The mighty gales and the strong … [Read more...] about Captain Paddy and Son

May 19, 1994

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Jacqueline "Jackie" Kennedy Onassis, died in New York. She was born Jacqueline Bouvier in Southampton, New York (her mother's family were of Irish descent from Co. Cork) to a socially prominent family. She worked as a photographer before marrying John Fitzgerald Kennedy in 1953. As First Lady, 1961-63, she oversaw the restoration of the White House and had it declared by … [Read more...] about May 19, 1994