In pre-Christian Ireland, the spring celebration on May 1 was called Bealtaine. Household fires were extinguished several days before the feast and people were forbidden to rekindle them until Druid priests lit a ceremonial bonfire on the Hill of Tara, stronghold of the High King. When Christianity supplanted pagan customs a new spring celebration was introduced: Easter, … [Read more...] about Lent and Easter: The Fast and the Feast
The Master of Suspense Had Irish Roots!
By Kevin Lewis
August/September 1999
His mother was Irish born Emma Jane Whelan. His father’s mother was also Irish. Hitchcock was educated at a Jesuit school and remained a devout Catholic through out his life. Hitchcock also adapted Irish playwright Sean O’Casey’s “Juno and the Paycock” for the screen. The name Alfred Hitchcock summons up images of the impassive, corpulent, bald-headed man in a black suit who … [Read more...] about The Master of Suspense Had Irish Roots!
President Trump Proclaims Irish Heritage Month
The President calls on Irish Americans to celebrate their "contributions to our Nation," adding,"Irish Americans are known as some of the toughest, most driven, and most devoted people on the face of the Earth." A PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Irish Americans have played a crucial role in our great American story — courageously overcoming … [Read more...] about President Trump Proclaims Irish Heritage Month
The Friar and The Saint:
How St. Valentine Came to Dublin
How St. Valentine Came to Dublin
By David Murphy
IA Newsletter, February 8, 2025
IA Newsletter, February 8, 2025
A Carmelite priest was gifted the relics of Saint Valentine, now enshrined in Our Lady of Mount St.Carmel, Whitefriar Street Church, Dublin.He will be forever linked with St. Valentine, but John Francis Spratt would be remembered as a beloved philanthropist, famous for his work among the poor and destitute in the Liberties of Dublin. He was one of the first to join Fr. … [Read more...] about
How St. Valentine Came to Dublin
Seán MacBride: International Statesman
By Michael Farrell
April 1986
CO-FOUNDER OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL - 1961 UNITED NATIONS COMMISSIONER FOR NAMIBIA - 1973 AWARDED THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE - 1974 THE LEVIN PEACE PRIZE - 1977 THE AMERICAN MEDAL FOR JUSTICE - 1978 Seán MacBride's career spans the history of independent Ireland. His father was executed by the British after the 1916 Rising, when Irish independence was first proclaimed. As a … [Read more...] about Seán MacBride: International Statesman