In the above photograph, taken in Lockport, New York in 1914, my grandmother Mary Fitzsimons Dowd (front, right) is pictured with four of her children and one grandchild. Mary Fitzsimmons was born in County Roscommon in the town of Elphin, near the River Shannon, in 1848. She and husband John O’Dowd emigrated from Ireland in 1871. They dropped the ‘O’ from O’Dowd when they … [Read more...] about Photo Album
March 29, 2007
On this day in 2007, U2 frontman Bono formally accepted an honorary knighthood. It was bestowed upon him by British Ambassador to Ireland David Reddaway at a ceremony in Dublin. Bono joked that his youngest son believed he was instead being made a Jedi, and was disappointed about the lack of light sabers at the event. The singer, whose real name is Paul Hewson, was awarded the … [Read more...] about March 29, 2007
Mother, Life, Landscape, and the Connection
Edna O’Brien returns to world of The Country Girls in The Light of Evening, with the mother-daughter relationship as the main theme. "A writer’s life is like an athlete’s life. You train every day of your life and even then it may not be as good as one had hoped,” says Edna O’Brien, who has written 20 books. Her latest, The Light of Evening, tells the story of Eleanora, a … [Read more...] about Mother, Life, Landscape, and the Connection
The First Word: The Grip of Mother Ireland
“Like Joyce she has lived in exile but never forgotten a single thing.” – Professor Declan Kiberd, UCD School of English and Drama, speaking about Edna O’Brien. UCD awarded O’Brien the Ulysses Medal in 2006. To start the New Year off right, we bring you our “Arts Special” issue, featuring a plethora of interviews (and feathers in the case of hatter Philip Treacy), books, … [Read more...] about The First Word: The Grip of Mother Ireland
Phoenix Couple Turn Tragedy Into Assistance
Phoenix couple Delia Garcia and Kelly Stokes decided to take what Delia called a “babymoon” last summer, a few months before the expected arrival of their baby boy. They had always wanted to visit Ireland and knew they wouldn’t have much time for taking trips once the baby arrived. Delia’s pregnancy had been perfect up to this point; she didn’t even have morning sickness, and … [Read more...] about Phoenix Couple Turn Tragedy Into Assistance