Irish America
Irish America
Of all the cultural traits that have survived down through the generations, dance and music are the most direct and soulful link to our ancestors. Through bad times and good, in the grand hotels of today and in the mining camps and city ghettos of yesteryear, the immigrants kept the tradition alive, and in increasing numbers are carrying it back to Ireland, nourishing and … [Read more...] about Steppin’ Out for Ireland
Despite the air of innocence that overlays the Rose of Tralee Festival, a distinct lack of sentimentality, hard business acumen and scandalous trivia are the order of the day, as Oistin MacBride discovered when he attended this year's festival, now in its 36th year. The Rose of Tralee, one of the biggest and oldest of the burgeoning number of festivals now dotting the Irish … [Read more...] about Less than Rosy
Emer Mullins reports on how Irish America flexed its muscle to help the historic peace process in Northern Ireland. It ended, finally, after months of speculation, months of hope, and months of hard work by the strongest Irish American lobby yet seen in Washington. The IRA declared a "complete cessation" of military activity on August 31, 1994, bringing to a close a terrible … [Read more...] about The American Role in the Ceasefire
To do successful family history research you must know where to look. Knowing the sources and what they can tell you is vital to success. This column in the coming issues will describe the major sources of information and provide advice on how to access them. Irish church records are probably the best place to start, are among the earliest, and are undoubtedly the most … [Read more...] about Roots: Using Church Records
Writer Pete Hamill, whose parents are from Belfast, explores the connection between the Irish diaspora and Ireland, and offers suggestions as to what Americans of Irish descent can do now to help further the peace process. Almost forty years ago, a fine Irish-American writer named John McNulty wrote an account of his first trip of Ireland. The story was lovely, full of the … [Read more...] about The Irish Diaspora and the North
