A stroll through Ireland’s mystical past, from ancient castles and rugged stone monuments to lively taverns and modern day crafts in Kilkenny and Wexford. I recently paid a visit to Ireland’s Ancient East. What’s that, you say? You haven’t heard of such a place? Well, I was once the same as you. In fact, I was skeptical about the very idea of it. But now I’m a convert and I’m … [Read more...] about Ireland’s Ancient South East
The Fabulous Murphys
Gerald Murphy and his wife, Sara, were the golden couple at the center of glamorous expatriate life in Paris and the Riviera in the 1920s, with a social circle that included many of the great artists and writers of the day. Michael Burke goes behind the scenes to look at the dynamic Murphy family’s early beginnings. Patrick: The Salesman Patrick Francis Murphy, one of 13 … [Read more...] about The Fabulous Murphys
“Sure Shot Mary”
New York City police officer and detective Mary Agnes Shanley (1896-1989) was the first policewoman to use a gun in an arrest. She made over 1,000 collars in her career and, at just 160 pounds, had the strength to subdue an adult male. Born in 1896, Mary Shanley and family left the poverty of Ireland for the mean streets of Manhattan. Growing up it seemed to her that it was … [Read more...] about “Sure Shot Mary”
The “Loving” Star Power of Ruth Negga
Ruth Negga isn’t just an actress; she’s a movie star. About ten minutes into Loving, director Jeff Nichols’s remarkably powerful new film about a couple whose court challenged ended the interracial marriage ban in America, something quickly becomes clear: Irish and Ethiopian actress Ruth Negga, 34, isn’t just a talented screen presence, she’s a bona fide movie star. Cast as … [Read more...] about The “Loving” Star Power of Ruth Negga
John Quinn: The Forgotten Irish American Nationalist
John Quinn, the lawyer who funded the Irish literary renaissance by supporting Ireland’s leading writers of the day (including W.B. Yeats and James Joyce), is less well-remembered for his involvement with Irish nationalism and his friendship with Roger Casement, the Irish-born diplomat who was knighted by King George V in 1911 and executed for his role in Ireland’s Easter … [Read more...] about John Quinn: The Forgotten Irish American Nationalist