Irish America
Irish America
How journalist Januarius Aloysius MacGahan, the son of Irish immigrants, helped cause a shift in the European balance of power that made the liberation of Bulgaria possible. "Since my letter of yesterday, I have supped full of horrors. Nothing has yet been said of the Turks that I do not now believe; nothing could be said of them that I should not think probable or … [Read more...] about MacGahan: Liberator of Bulgaria
From poor immigrant acceptance – the struggles and triumphs of an Irish American family My County Mayo-born grandfather, David Fleming, could not read or write. He had a brogue so thick I couldn't understand a word he said. But I knew one thing. He was Irish and proud of it. He had a favorite poem that he made me memorize and recite when I was six. It was called "Why I Named … [Read more...] about Irish Memories
Tom Carroll's voice cracks and he admits tears are forming when he talks about Mark McGwire, the young giant whom he coached at Damien High School in LaVerne, California, and watched cast a huge shadow over baseball this summer. "Sorry, I get all hyped up and the passion flows. But I hope in time that Mark is remembered more for the human being he is than the home runs he hit." … [Read more...] about Mark McGwire – In a League of His Own
"You work hard at your job. You try to keep your home together. You perform your duties as best you can because you believe in responsibilities and good order. And then suddenly you realize there are cracks appearing everywhere, the control is slipping away, and that the whole thing is so fragile it can't be held together much longer." The scene is Ballybeg, Co. Donegal in … [Read more...] about Dancing at Lughnasa
Although Ireland itself remained neutral during World War II, Irish Americans provided some of that war's most celebrated heroes. There were aviators Colin Kelly, Thomas B. McGuire, and Edward H. O'Hare, as well as infantryman Audie Murphy, the baby-faced Texan who went from being the most highly decorated American serviceman of the war to a career recreating his own exploits … [Read more...] about Saving Private Ryan
