Irish America
Irish America
The O'Briens are one of the great Gaelic families of Ireland, and were the rulers of the ancient kingdom of Thomond, which takes in much of the modern county Clare and also the adjacent parts of counties Limerick and Tipperary. The family name is derived from Brian Boru (925-1014 A.D.) who was King of Thomond and rose to become High-King of Ireland. Brian Boru is best … [Read more...] about Roots: The O’Brien Clan
Sinn Féin Devastated in British Elections The Sinn Féin party suffered its greatest setback ever at the British general election on April 9, with its president, Gerry Adams, losing his West Belfast seat in Parliament. The election, which restored Prime Minister John Major's Conservative Party to power, garnered for Sinn Féin the lowest support from Nationalist voters since … [Read more...] about Blazes Boylan
St. Patrick's Day '92: The Controversy Heard Round the World What would a St. Patrick's Day Parade be without a little controversy? The trouble that surrounded last year's New York City parade seemed to spread around the world, as groups of Irish lesbians and gays moved to assert themselves as bona fide members of the Irish community. Parade organizers in New York City and … [Read more...] about Blazes Boylan
When we decided to focus on the Irish American contribution to education in this issue we found we needed a wide lens indeed. On every level, from pre-school to the universities, Irish Americans have left their mark. Religious orders sent representatives from Ireland who in an amazingly short time founded schools and colleges. Young Irish women became the backbone of the public … [Read more...] about Saints & Scholars
The Understanding A short story written especially for Irish America by best-selling Irish novelist Maeve Binchy. Liam's mother came to see him for a week in New York every year around Memorial Day. He thought this was a good time to invite her, hot enough to be a bit exotic, not so hot that it would make her think he lived in a furnace. He planned the visit very … [Read more...] about Celtic Romance
