Irish America

Irish America

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A Musical, Magical, Mystical Tour of Ireland

By Nancy Lyon

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Mick Moloney, the folklorist, tenor banjo player, songster, wit, and raconteur offers a tour of Ireland to end all tours. On both sides of the Atlantic, Mick Moloney is known for his expressive traditional singing and tenor banjo playing dexterity, and he performs widely with Derry fiddler Eugene O'Donnell and set dancing champion Regan Wick, and with the touring ensemble The … [Read more...] about A Musical, Magical, Mystical Tour of Ireland

The Origin of “The Fighting Irish” Nickname

By Murray Sperber

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This exchange in a novel about college sports in the 1920s catches the prejudices that many Americans of the time held toward citizens of Irish-Catholic descent. However, unlike other immigrant groups who tried to submerge their ethnicity into the American melting pot and considered such terms as "Polack" and "Bohunk" insults, Irish Catholics gloried in many of their nicknames, … [Read more...] about The Origin of “The Fighting Irish” Nickname

Plunging Into Irish Studies

By Peter Monaghan

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Seamus Deane, a renowned literary scholar, fills a void at Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame, the home of the Fighting Irish, is the sentimental alma mater of many more actual and would-be Irish-Americans than ever have studied here. Yet until now, the most identifiably Catholic institution in the country--one where 14 of 16 presidents have been priests of Irish birth … [Read more...] about Plunging Into Irish Studies

Endurance: A compelling story of survival that hinged on the leadership of one man

By Sarah Buscher
June / July 2000

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Frank Wild, the second in command, made his way through the ship as its planks buckled and heaved against the mounting pressure. Occasionally a loud crack rang out like a gunshot as the timber snapped under the strain. He worked his way from the crew's quarters to the engine room and down to the propeller shaftway where two crewmembers were trying to reinforce a cofferdam that … [Read more...] about Endurance: A compelling story of survival that hinged on the leadership of one man

The Cure

By Dr. Rosari Kingston

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Ireland's indigenous medicine and its rich healing traditions. The ‘person with the cure’ is still a well-known individual in many Irish parishes. He, or she, may have the cure for shingles, jaundice, skin cancer, heart fever or may even know how to ‘raise the breastbone.’ The latter is a procedure requiring three successive therapy sessions of approximately one hour, … [Read more...] about The Cure