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The Last Rebel of the 1916 Rising

By Irish America Staff
January 20, 2016

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The last remaining person in the U.S. to have fought in the 1916 Rising in Ireland died in Seattle, Washington, at the age of 99 on January 21, 1996. Elizabeth "Lily" Kempson McAlerney, who threatened a man at gunpoint when he wanted to leave the scene of the fighting, was exiled to the U.S. when the uprising was suppressed, but supported the cause of a united Ireland until … [Read more...] about The Last Rebel of the 1916 Rising

Smoky The Lucky War Dog

By Jerri Donohue, Contributor
December / January 2016

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The famous war dog who served in World War II, and Bill Wynne, the U.S. Army Air Force G.I. who adopted her. The first time Cpl. William Wynne saw Smoky, he found it hard to believe she was a dog. “She was as big as my G.I. shoe,” Wynne says. “She weighed all of about four pounds.” In addition, the animal was almost bald; someone had hacked off most of her fur in an attempt … [Read more...] about Smoky The Lucky War Dog

“Kathy White House”

By Sharon Ní Chonchúir, Contributor

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Were she alive today, the odds are that Kathy Buckley would be as well-known as celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson. Sharon Ní Chonchúir profiles the Irish woman who was head cook for three U.S. presidents. Kathy Buckley was born in Upper William Street in Listowel, Co. Kerry. She was the eldest of seven. Her father worked as a cooper in a workshop at the rear of … [Read more...] about “Kathy White House”

Mathew Brady’s Irish Mystery

By Matthew Skwiat, Contributing Editor
October / November 2015

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In August, a sign in Johnsburg, New York that claimed to mark the birthplace of acclaimed Civil War photographer Mathew Brady went missing. But in addition to sparking a search for the sign itself, its absence sent historians into a quest to find the true birthplace of Brady, eventually discovering he was probably born in Ireland. While there is no doubt that Brady, often … [Read more...] about Mathew Brady’s Irish Mystery

Forgotten Famine-era Graves
Discovered in Massachusetts

By Adam Farley, Deputy Editor
October / November 2015

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An estimated 600-900 neglected and forgotten Famine-era graves were discovered in Massachusetts in September when Rhode Islander Annie McMullen was attempting to trace her husband’s Irish ancestry in New England. McMullen’s journey to discovery began several years ago when she became interested in learning more about her in-laws’ journey from Ireland to the U.S. She soon … [Read more...] about Forgotten Famine-era Graves
Discovered in Massachusetts