I’m reminded as we go to press that in Ireland we always talk about the weather. “How about the weather now?” was an oft heard refrain of my childhood, one that brought the answer, “The weather is up.” The weather is up! Or should we say, something is up with the weather. It’s too darn hot – with my pale Irish skin and light eye color, I’m constantly running for cover. And … [Read more...] about The First Word: Let’s Talk About the Climate
First Word
The First Word: We Are All Immigrants
And so it begins. A new year, and already a happy one with the election of an Irish mayor in Boston. And who better to embody the tough, tireless, tender trajectory of our Irish story, than Marty Walsh, son of immigrants and champion of the working class. Marty’s campaign, aimed at a range of ethnic and social groups, echoes the political leadership of … [Read more...] about The First Word: We Are All Immigrants
The First Word: Faugh A Ballagh
By Patricia Harty, Editor-in-Chief
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by 7 Comments
“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” – William Faulkner, from Requiem for a Nun (1950) Irish America’s impact on the history of America is well established, as the articles in this issue will attest. From titans of industry such as the silver king John Mackay, to the boxer John Morrissey, who was behind the fabled racecourse at Saratoga Springs, and on to … [Read more...] about The First Word: Faugh A Ballagh
The First Word: Grace and Healing
The First Word, by Patricia Harty. Our hearts weep for Boston. This most Irish of American cities has seen its share of tragedy, but when the bombings at the marathon turned a sporting celebration into a scene of destruction, it was a fresh horror that is hard to process. This city, where at least a quarter of the population are of Irish heritage, is one of the cornerstones … [Read more...] about The First Word: Grace and Healing
Country Girl
In this excerpt from her memoir, Edna O’Brien returns to Ireland to build a house in which she hopes to avail of the “peace that passeth understanding,” only to find that even the best laid plans can go awry. Donegal It was to Donegal, in the most northwestern tip of Ireland, that in the 1990s I headed, in order to build a house. The very place names so rough and musical, the … [Read more...] about Country Girl