Irish America

Irish America

By Megan Smolenyak

Six Things You Didn’t Know
About Mark Kelly’s Roots

By Megan Smolenyak

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It’s an understatement to say that Sen. Mark Kelly has an impressive resume. Navy Captain turned astronaut turned Senator and married to former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who survived an assassination attempt, retired from Congress, and became a formidable gun control activist. Then there’s the fact that he’s a potential candidate for Vice President of the United States. … [Read more...] about

Six Things You Didn’t Know
About Mark Kelly’s Roots

A People’s President

By Niall O’Dowd, Founding Publisher
May / June 1998

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Mary McAleese was elected president of Ireland in October of 1997. It was an astonishing outcome. Just a few months previously, the 46-year-old law professor at Queens University in Belfast was hardly known in the Irish Republic and the notion that a Northerner could be elected president of Ireland seemed a farfetched one. Then in one of the most stunning ascents to power in … [Read more...] about A People’s President

The Music Makers

By James Fraher

May / June 1998

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These photographs represent wonderful meetings and friendships with traditional Irish musicians which originated over twenty years ago when we arrived in Ireland for a two-year sabbatical in 1977. After numerous concerts, pub sessions, dances, and house parties, both in Ireland and in the States, I can only affirm that the soul of Ireland is deeply embedded in the music. That … [Read more...] about The Music Makers

Historic Times in Ireland

By Niall O'Dowd, Founding Publisher
May / June 1998

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Every once in a lifetime or so comes an opportunity to reflect on truly historic news which affects all Irish Americans of whatever class or creed. The peace agreement signed in Northern Ireland on Good Friday after much burning of the midnight oil by all the parties concerned qualifies for the term "historic" and has been portrayed as much by the world media. There are many … [Read more...] about Historic Times in Ireland

An End to Shame?

By Patricia Harty, Editor-in-Chief
August / September 1999

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Thomas Keneally's latest book The Great Shame should be in every Irish household, and it should be read, all 700 or so pages of it, by anyone with an interest in the history of Ireland. It is a great book, wonderfully written by the Irish Australian author of Schindler's List. Beginning with the tale of Hugh Larkin, a twenty-four-year old rebel transported for life in 1833, … [Read more...] about An End to Shame?