Since his childhood in Mayo during the worst of the Black and Tan atrocities, Paul O'Dwyer has been a fearless champion of human rights. During the Red Scare and the civil rights movement he stood up for the oppressed regardless of personal cost. He was an early ally of the State of Israel and helped persuade President Truman to recognize this nation's independence. His law … [Read more...] about Paul O’DwyerCivil Rights Champion
Paul O’Dwyer
Leaves of Pain
How too long a sacrifice can make a stone of the heart. At first, it seemed to be nothing. It was a curled-up dark brown leaf about the size of a good lock of hair and it was preserved in glass in a room in the Fairlow Herbarium in Cambridge, Massachusetts. A typewritten card alongside the leaf said that it was taken from an infected potato plant in Ireland during the … [Read more...] about Leaves of Pain
The Narrowback
I can't remember when I first heard it, but my mother told me I was called a "narrowback" because it was slang for an Irish person born in the United States. When asked why a "narrowback?" she said, "I guess because narrowbacks are not as big and strong as the Irish who come over." "Narrowback" is defined in Bernard Share's Slanguage – A Dictionary of Irish Slang (Gill & … [Read more...] about The Narrowback
Edward Kennedy
The Senior Senator
If you ask his fellow senators – liberals or conservatives – who's on their list of the hardest-working and best senators, Edward Kennedy's name is always there. Throughout his tenure he has defended the poor, elderly, and handicapped of the country, and any significant legislation affecting these groups in the areas of education, jobs, housing, or healthcare is sure to have … [Read more...] about Edward KennedyThe Senior Senator
Gene Kelly
The Ultimate Entertainer
As dancer, singer, actor, director, and producer, Gene Kelly has provided audiences with some of the greatest moments in the history of show business.
On the Irish in dance: The Irish really dominated the popular dance in 20th-century America, no doubt about it. I think it came from the fact that the dancing in Ireland for centuries has been clog dancing and reels, and … [Read more...] about Gene KellyThe Ultimate Entertainer