Last April, U.S. Congressman Richard E. Neal had an extraordinary moment when he was able to pay tribute to his personal as well as political forebears – not in his native Massachusetts, but in Northern Ireland. “It is with no small amount of humility that I accept this honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from Ulster University, and I accept in honor of my grandmother, Mary … [Read more...] about Hall of Fame: An Honest Broker Congressman Richie Neal
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First Word: Dreamers
“Our focus is to create ladders of opportunity to help people get to the middle class through the construction trades. That's really why you do it.” – Sean McGarvey This year’s Hall of Fame honorees reflect the length and breadth of the Irish-American experience. They show us the extraordinary impact that the Irish have had in every aspect of American life – the arts, … [Read more...] about First Word: Dreamers
News: Sinn Féin Surge in Irish Election
The Irish people went to the polls on February 8 to elect a new government. Almost a month later, that government has yet to be formed. Why is this and what does it mean? In order to form a government in Ireland, a party or coalition of parties must have at least 80 seats. In the recent election, Fianna Fáil narrowly emerged as the largest party with 38 seats. Sinn Féin were … [Read more...] about News: Sinn Féin Surge in Irish Election
News: Remembering Aengus & Jack
The Finucane brothers were unstoppable forces, seeing no such thing as an unsolvable problem. There was a sense of immediacy about them…a kind of raw humanity,” president of Ireland Michael D. Higgins said in response to the plans to erect a bench in memory of Aengus and Jack Finucane along the banks of the River Shannon in Limerick City, where the brothers were born. Aengus … [Read more...] about News: Remembering Aengus & Jack
News: The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge Opens
The great-granddaughter of Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy joined Irish taoiseach Leo Varadkar to open Ireland’s longest bridge on January 29. Named for the Irish-American matriarch, it’s only the second bridge in Ireland to be named after a woman (the Rosie Hackett Bridge in Dublin was the first). Rose Katherine Kennedy Townsend is a grandchild of Robert and Ethel Kennedy. At the … [Read more...] about News: The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge Opens