Irish America
Irish America
John Brendan Kelly, father of Princess Grace of Monaco, won two Olympic Gold medals in 1920 and one in 1924, competing in a sport which was the reserve of gentlemen, the single and double sculls. He remains the only American ever to win the Gold in single sculls. Kelly came from a family of achievers, whose story is embedded in Irish America. His daughter, Grace Kelly, became … [Read more...] about An American Champion
As the 1996 Olympic Games begin in Atlanta, Georgia, we look at some of the Irish Olympians since the first modern Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, one hundred years ago. 1896, Athens, Greece James Brendan Connolly - John Pius Boland - Thomas Burke James Brendan Connolly became the first Olympic champion of the modern era when he won the Gold for the U.S. in the … [Read more...] about One Hundred Years of Irish Olympians: Days of Glory
"I don't think I had one conversation with any Irish person during my first year as the Defense Attaché in the American Embassy in Dublin where the name of John Fitzgerald Kennedy did not come up," says Colonel Bill Torpey. "Everyone, it seemed, had their own story about President Kennedy, and I began to think how wonderful it would be to bring his namesake, the aircraft … [Read more...] about Independence Day on the JFK
All in all, it was a great day for the Irish. That was the consensus of most of the news media gathered at Sardi's restaurant one cold May morning earlier this year to hear the list of this year's Tony nominees announced. In just about every category for a straight play, the name of the Irish entry, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, was read. Six nominations it had, the most of … [Read more...] about Broadway’s Queening Glory
Her trademark blue fiddle makes her stand out on stage, but it is when Eileen Ivers starts to draw her bow across those strings that she gets her biggest response. Her latest album draws from all her musical experiences, from Riverdance to a distinct South African influence. A huge cheer of recognition goes up from the large crowd gathered to hear Eileen Ivers and her band … [Read more...] about Celtic Fire
