Hibernia

The dream of Lewis and Loretta Brennan Glucksmat I finally became a reality in late April with the opening of their cultural center, Ireland House, at New York University, with Irish Prime Minister Albert Reynolds performing the official opening. The house was opened to the public when the ribbons fell, and various luminaries including poet Seamus Heaney, flautist James Galway, actor Cyril Cusack, film producer Noel Pearson, playwright Brian Friel, and actress Maureen O’Hara were present.

Each of these had earlier received New York University medals from NYU President Dr. Jay Oliva.

Lewis Glucksman is an alumnus of NYU Graduate School of Business Administration, and has always been interested in Irish culture.

His wife, Loretta, is of Irish ancestry, and years of planning by this couple finally culminated in Ireland House, located in Washington Square on the NYU campus. A single building was created to house lecture rooms, a library, and conference rooms. Programs will include seminars, lectures, readings, films, and performances covering the breadth of Irish culture.
During the first week, the rooms at Ireland House were filled with people, listening to Irish readings by Cyril Cusack and Geraldine Fitzgerald, watching Noel Pearson’s My Left Foot and hearing him discuss its conception, and tuning in to various TV shows celebrating Irish history and the Irish contribution to America. Although NYU has featured courses in Irish culture before, Ireland House is a wonderful addition to New York.

President Mary Robinson and over 200 members of New York’s Irish American community gathered in the Plaza Hotel on May 17 for the Irish Voice Newspaper / Irish American Partnership Community Awards. 

The president, accompanied by her husband, Nicholas, warmly greeted those in attendance, and then presented the awards to this year’s winners.

“I am firmly committed to this city and its police department. There is no greater law-enforcement job in America today.”
– New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly on why he didn’t want the job of heading-up the FBI.

“I had really lost any kind of mental edge throughout the regular season. There is always something that separates the really good players from the average players.
I lost that little something….”
– Kevin McHale on retiring after a 13-year career with the Boston Celtics.

“If it’s a job to sit in a plush office in Rome, overlooking the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Square, Ray Flynn is not the man for that job.”
–  Mayor Ray Flynn of Boston, on reconsidering his appointment as Ambassador to the Vatican. Flynn wants to expand the role to include global trouble spots such as Northern Ireland and Cambodia.

“The time has come to engage in a deep and searching debate at all levels within the Protestant community about what it believes itself to be….It will have to ask itself real questions about the parameters of compromise. Such issues need careful analysis, if the cry for peace is to contain a real Protestant input.”
– The Most Reverend Dr. Robert Eames, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All, speaking at the Synod of the Church of Ireland in Dublin.

“It’s very important for the kids to feel that they have a home in Ireland, so that’s the next house we have to buy. In a very positive way, I never see my children in Ireland… the kids are off having this fabulous time all day long with the kind of extended family that doesn’t exist in America.”
– Actress Ellen Barkin, married to Irish actor Gabriel Byrne, on why they are buying a house in Ireland.

“Pray to Our Lady. She is the carrier of God’s love, of peace and joy. Pray for our poor people. People are dying of hunger of love…. So please, let us unite in prayer.”
– Mother Teresa, the 83-year-old nun, whose work with the poor of Calcutta is legend, addressing an estimated 60,000 people at the Basilica of Our Lady at Knock Shrine, County Mayo.

“I’m not being facetious and I’m certainly making no comparison when I say that no woman has made such an impact here since Our Lady herself appeared here in 1879.”
– Archbishop Joseph Cassidy of Tuam, County Galway, speaking about Mother Teresa’s visit to Knock, County Mayo.

“I did indicate to her majesty that, if there were an appropriate occasion, it would give me pleasure to welcome her, [to Ireland] but it is a matter for government.“
– President Mary Robinson on her visit with the Queen of England

 

 

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in the July August 1993 issue of Irish America. ♦