Irish America
Irish America
For one week in August the small town of Tralee in the wilds of The Kingdom of Kerry is host to a multi-million dollar International Festival that attracts tens of thousands of expatriate visitors from every corner of the world. They are all drawn by an inalienable, sometimes extremely tenuous, link to the land of their ancestors. Pride, emotionalism and a sense of belonging … [Read more...] about The Rose of Tralee
The setting, Transylvania, the writing style, High Victorian, the story's appeal, universal but the author of one of fiction's most famous and imitated works is Irish. Carstens Smith brings us the story of Bram Stoker, the creator of Dracula. Bram Stoker, whose name is less well known than that of his creation, Dracula, was born in Dublin on November 8, 1847. He was called … [Read more...] about Dracula
Benediction at the Savoia is the perfect gift for those (teeming masses) who believe that the subculture of Irish America is lathered in Catholicity, drowned in drink, laden with neuroses, and — occasionally — leavened by a titter of wit. And if I am inclined to resist the story, while still standing in admiration at the skill of the storyteller, perhaps it is a measure of my … [Read more...] about Book Review: Benediction at the Savoia
A "carbuncled faced old drunkard," a "howling atheist," a "syphilitic lecher," a "pickpocket thief and murderer," a "crook and an anarchist." Hardly terms of denigration, but those are just some of the terms 19th century presidential candidates used against each other during their campaigns. It certainly puts terms from 1992 such as "draft dodger" and "wimp" in the kinder, … [Read more...] about First Word: Past and Future Presidents
The Reynolds At Home: A behind the scenes look at the private lives of the Taoiseach and his family. The stained pine garden shed under a mature tree on the lawn is actually a security hut, but the officer on duty seems to notice you almost as little as you do him until you get right up on the terrace outside the unlocked back door. Then he puts down his cup of tea … [Read more...] about Albert and Kathleen
