The West Cork ancestral home of Henry Ford, the Ford Motors founder whose Model T revolutionized transportation in the United States, opened to the public in September following a €20,000 renovation project. Located on what is now the 200-acre “Ford Farm,” the home is a traditional stone-built, single-story cottage believed to date from the 1700s when the Fords emigrated from … [Read more...] about Henry Ford’s Ancestral Home
Opens in West Cork
Henry Ford’s Ancestral Home
100th Salon Celebration
Irish American Writers and Artists, Inc. (IAW&A) celebrated its 100th Manhattan Salon at the Cell Theatre on September 15 with a curated evening of readings and performances and a retrospective of IAW&A Salon photographs by Cathleen Dwyer. The brainchild of actor and writer Malachy McCourt, the Salons provide a forum for IAW&A members to present their work in any … [Read more...] about 100th Salon Celebration
American Success at Fleadh
Cheoil na hÉireann 2015
Musicians and spectators from across the globe descended on Sligo in August to take part in Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, the annual week-long festival of traditional Irish music, song and dance.
Now in its 64th year, this competition for amateur musicians brought crowds of 400,000 people to the town, hosting the competition for the second year running. The event was estimated to … [Read more...] about American Success at Fleadh
Cheoil na hÉireann 2015
A "Blight-Free" Potato?
A variety of potato engineered to be resistant to the pathogen that caused the Great Irish Potato Famine has been approved for deregulation by the USDA. The J.R. Simplot Company’s so-called Innate potato is more resistant to bruising and black spots than most varieties. When cooked at high temperatures, this potato also produces less acrylamide, a chemical compound that some … [Read more...] about A "Blight-Free" Potato?
Mathew Brady’s Irish Mystery
In August, a sign in Johnsburg, New York that claimed to mark the birthplace of acclaimed Civil War photographer Mathew Brady went missing. But in addition to sparking a search for the sign itself, its absence sent historians into a quest to find the true birthplace of Brady, eventually discovering he was probably born in Ireland. While there is no doubt that Brady, often … [Read more...] about Mathew Brady’s Irish Mystery