The Irish who built the Empire State Building and the photographer who captured the work. In 1908, acclaimed photographer Lewis W. Hine snapped a simple portrait entitled “Irish Steel Worker.” The aged laborer has a weathered face and sad eyes. A pipe sprouts from his mouth. He sports suspenders, a thick handkerchief in his front pocket, and a woolen cap atop his … [Read more...] about The Empire Builders
Issues
Good Cheer: Ireland’s Sweet Summer Treats
When summer comes, Ireland's in her glory. Lazy sunsets linger for hours in a softly glowing night sky. Every nook and cranny of the land turns lush and green. Roses ramble wildly up cottage walls and over stone stiles. Hedgerows turn country lanes into fragrant flowering tunnels. Succulent fruits emerge in gardens and fields everywhere. And Irish cooks turn their prodigious … [Read more...] about Good Cheer: Ireland’s Sweet Summer Treats
Photo Album: Keeper of the Light
I was named after my paternal grandfather John P. Duffy. J.P., ‘Jack’ to his wife, Nora (Walsh), who hailed from Clare Island, County Mayo, where his father was the keeper of the light. J.P. was the 14th child and left Clare Island after finishing eighth grade. The world would teach him lessons as there would be no further formal schooling for him. J.P., as a young teenager, … [Read more...] about Photo Album: Keeper of the Light
The Last Word: Mutual Admiration
While it may take a village to raise a child, it took the collaboration of three governments, eight political parties, several thousand dedicated individuals, and 1.7 million voters to achieve lasting peace in Northern Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement, signed on April 10, 1998, ended the violence and political conflict in Northern Ireland that had persisted since the late … [Read more...] about The Last Word: Mutual Admiration
Those we Lost: A Mighty Voice for Justice is Stilled
Niall O’Dowd writes on the passing of Rita O’Hare. Rita O’Hare, one of the most prominent and beloved members of Sinn Féin, has passed and a mighty voice is stilled. Operating from Dublin, she oversaw Friends of Sinn Féin USA for over two decades and many years previously also served time for IRA activity. Though diminutive in stature, O’Hare will always walk tall in the … [Read more...] about Those we Lost: A Mighty Voice for Justice is Stilled