I went to Ireland with my two children in March/April of 2018. This was the first time that I had ever been. I always had the impression that Ireland was similar to the U.K. The trip completely dispelled that myth. I thought Ireland and the Irish people were beautiful and I came away with the belief that Ireland and the U.K. were as different as France and the U.K. Needless … [Read more...] about Something I Did Not Know I Was Missing
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The Pull Of The Stars
By Tom Deignan Best-Selling Dublin-born author Emma Donoghue has a brilliant and timely new novel out. Set in an Irish maternity ward during the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918, The Pull of the Stars explores the challenges and heroism of nurses and other health care workers, while at the same time tenderly chronicling the loves and losses of their inner lives. Tom Deignan … [Read more...] about The Pull Of The Stars
John Lewis (1940-2020) R. I. P.
By Christine Kinealy
A Personal Reflection by Christine Kinealy In 2014, I had the honour to be part of a “pilgrimage” to Ireland organized by the Faith and Politics Institute in Washington, D.C.. Congressman John Lewis was part of the pilgrimage, as were Governor Martin O’Malley of Maryland and Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii. Congressman Lewis, a veteran of the American Civil Rights Movement, … [Read more...] about John Lewis (1940-2020) R. I. P.
The Entertainment Outlook
By Tom Deignan Movie theaters, Broadway and concert venues across much of the U.S. remain closed because of the Coronavirus. But from TV dramas and documentaries, to streaming concerts and plays, there is still plenty of entertainment with Irish and Irish-American flavor to be had. And don’t forget all those great books, which have always been a favored form of entertainment … [Read more...] about The Entertainment Outlook
The School Around the Corner Will Not Reopen
By Turlough McConnell Before COVID-19, New York’s Catholic schools were braced with challenges. Now, the pandemic has inflicted devastating financial damage on the region’s parochial schools. The situation is stark. Registration for the fall has dropped, as widespread unemployment and health concerns have left more families unable to pay tuition. Parish … [Read more...] about The School Around the Corner Will Not Reopen