Irish America

Irish America

Interviews

The Big Fella: An Interview with Liam Neeson

By Mary Pat Kelly

January/February 1996

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Liam Neeson's name is synonymous with success. The big, handsome actor from Ballymena, Co. Antrim, has become one of the leading international stars of our time. Nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List, the veteran of some 35 movies has taken on the role of Ireland's revolutionary leader Michael "The Big Fella" Collins, in a Neil … [Read more...] about The Big Fella: An Interview with Liam Neeson

Edna O’Brien

By Susan O'Grady Fox, November 1986.
October / November 2005

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From the publication of her very first book, The Country Girls (1960) to her most recent books, Edna O'Brien's works have gained wide acclaim, particularly among American readers. One of Ireland's most influential writers, she is famous for her rich and sensuous prose, and her books often deal with disappointments in love. In 1986, she talked to Susan O'Grady Fox about growing … [Read more...] about Edna O’Brien

Bill Murray

By T.J. English, November 1988.
October / November 2005

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Born in Wilmette, Illinois on September B21, 1950, Bill Murray grew up, one of nine children, in an Irish Catholic family (one sister is a Carmelite nun). He left home in the early '70s to join Chicago's Second City comedy group and found fame with Saturday Night Live, before conquering Hollywood and becoming one of the most highly regarded actors of the day. This interview … [Read more...] about Bill Murray

George Mitchell

By Patricia Harty, May 1995
October / November 2005

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There would not have been a peace agreement on Good Friday 1998 without George Mitchell. Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams reflects the views of most Irish nationalists when he says: "Senator Mitchell's role was indispensable to the success of the negotiation process and to the securing of the Good Friday Agreement. There can be no doubt that without his patience and stamina the … [Read more...] about George Mitchell

Alice McDermott

By Sarah Buscher, March 1999.
October / November 2005

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In 1998, Alice McDermott's fourth novel, Charming Billy, captured the National Book Award. Few were surprised. McDermott had previously been nominated for two Pulitzers and another N.B.A. But McDermott was so sure she wouldn't win she didn't prepare an acceptance speech. Standing in front of hundreds of the most powerful people in the world of writing, she gracefully … [Read more...] about Alice McDermott