July 25th marks the feast of St. James in the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church. Dubliners celebrate this day by holding an annual drinking festival, which has been a tradition since the medieval era. Likewise, Irish pilgrims who choose to honor St. James and walk the Santiago de Compostela in Spain, often leave from St. James's Gate in Dublin, where the Guinness … [Read more...] about July 25
Imagining Ireland With Gabriel Byrne
The acclaimed actor discusses his role as Ireland's first Cultural Ambassador, his experience as an emigrant, and his thoughts on the strong ties and the disconnects between Ireland and America. The most immediately striking thing about Gabriel Byrne, aside from his very light blue eyes and the chunky silver Claddagh ring he wears on his right hand (and the fact that he is … [Read more...] about Imagining Ireland With Gabriel Byrne
The First Word: Let the Irish Apply
A letter from our Editor... After all these years in America, I still feel like an immigrant. Though I proudly hold American citizenship, it is other immigrants that I most readily identify with. “Where are you from?” I ask waiters and cab drivers, even a woman on the subway (we were so caught up in our chat about how “there is no place in the world like New York … [Read more...] about The First Word: Let the Irish Apply
Irish Eye on Hollywood:
Upcoming Film Releases
Tom Deignan with the latest Irish and Irish American happenings in film and television.
Carlow actress Saoirse Ronan apparently enjoys playing a killer. In April, Ronan starred in the action flick Hanna, which should be out on DVD soon. Ronan played a teenage assassin raised by her dad (Eric Bana) to be a ruthless killer.
Now comes word that Ronan – who shot to fame in 2007, … [Read more...] about Irish Eye on Hollywood:
Upcoming Film Releases
The Pipe: Small Irish Town Meets Big Oil
A new documentary from Ireland sheds light on the Corrib pipeline plans in Rossport, Co. Mayo. In 2005, Rossport was a small, peaceful costal village in Co. Mayo, Ireland. Risteard Ó Domhnaill was living there, on his uncle’s farm, and working as a camera man. Then Shell, the international oil company, came to town with plans to build a gas pipeline from the sea, through … [Read more...] about The Pipe: Small Irish Town Meets Big Oil