Can an Irish horse win the prestigious Breeders Cup? In 1907 the Epsom gallery was horrified to see an Irish owned, Irish trained (if Berkshire bred) horse, Orby, storm to victory at 100/6 in the most prestigious classic race for three-year-olds in the world, the Epsom Derby. The reaction of the top hat and tails aristocracy was to leave the parade ring for the … [Read more...] about Galileo: King of Kings
Just Judy
By the time Judy Garland made her first and only concert appearance in Dublin in July 1951, she had been an international star for more than a decade. She had starred in 27 feature length films, performed on more than 200 radio shows, appeared in hundreds of national and international magazines and newspapers, and recorded more than 70 records and albums. The diminutive … [Read more...] about Just Judy
Waking the Dead
I had never really been all that comfortable with my Irish heritage. I've always been scared that our American society views the Irish as a bunch of drinkers, big talkers who cannot be relied upon. It's not accurate or even generally true, but it's out there, lurking behind many a conversation. The image of the poor, pathetic, disheveled McCourt family of Angela's Ashes haunts … [Read more...] about Waking the Dead
Why Grandpa Should Be in the Hall of Fame
On July 1st, 1920, my grandfather saved the only no-hitter ever thrown by the Hall of Fame pitcher Walter Johnson. Grandpa played first base for the Washington Senators, and he and Johnson were in Boston to play the Red Sox. When the ninth inning came around, only one Red Sox had made it to first base – on an error – and the Senators were ahead 1-0 with two outs. One more out … [Read more...] about Why Grandpa Should Be in the Hall of Fame
Field of Dreams
How one Man's dream became a reality. It all began with a castle. In 1987, a husband and wife from the nearby town of Ballyvaughan purchased a 16th-century tower house. Newtown Castle, along with a neighboring country house and a 17th-century coach house lately used to shelter cows. Yes, these were fixer-uppers. The slate-roofed residence Newtown House was showing its … [Read more...] about Field of Dreams