The Grand Marshal of the 2018 New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade takes our questionnaire. When Loretta Brennan Glucksman’s grandparents immigrated to Pennsylvania coal-mining country, the last thing on their minds was making the trek to New York City for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. “That was outside the realm of possibility,” she says. Her father’s family, the … [Read more...] about What Are You Like? Loretta Brennan Glucksman
The World Is Just A Book Away
Actor Aidan Quinn on how Dostoyevsky changed his life and made him a better performer. ℘℘℘ My father was an English teacher, and my family moved back and forth between Ireland and the United States. In my house, you couldn’t go anywhere without tripping over books by Beckett, O’Casey, Yeats, and all the other great Irish writers. When I was young, however, I was more focused … [Read more...] about The World Is Just A Book Away
Review of Books
Recently-published books of Irish and Irish American interest. ℘℘℘ MEMOIR Box of Butterflies: Discovering the Unexpected Blessings All Around Us By Roma Downey A 10-year-old Roma Downey, mourning the sudden, unexpected death of her vibrant mother, goes to Maureen O’Reilly Downey’s grave to plant her favorite flower – pansies. “She used to say she thought they looked like … [Read more...] about Review of Books
Roots: The O’Hara Clan
The name O’Hara has held a distinguished place in Ireland for centuries. The current spelling is an anglicized pronunciation of the original Irish Ó hEaghra, meaning “descended from Eaghra” (rhymes with “Tara”). Bearers of the name are believed to be the generational offspring of 10th century Irish chief Eaghra (d. 976), who governed the areas around today’s Leyny, County … [Read more...] about Roots: The O’Hara Clan
Sláinte! Calling All Fools, Fairies, and Leprechauns
The history of April Fools’ Day and tricksters of folk mythology. ℘℘℘ April is full of surprises. When spring sunshine starts warming the earth, night can fall on a brown leafless landscape and day break to green grass and golden flowers splashing the garden with color. A balmy day can suddenly turn cold, gray, and rainy. As the weather capriciously switches from sunshine to … [Read more...] about Sláinte! Calling All Fools, Fairies, and Leprechauns