Irish America's publisher Niall O'Dowd wrote the following column on the occasion of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement on April 5, 1998. Every once in a lifetime or so comes an opportunity to reflect on truly historic news which affects all Irish Americans of whatever class or creed. The peace agreement signed in Northern Ireland on Good Friday after much burning of the … [Read more...] about Historic Times in Ireland
May June 1998 Issue
Remembering the Champ
By Marilyn Cole Lownes
May / June 1998
The history of boxing must be rewritten. It is officially recorded that the legendary Jack Dempsey, Heavyweight Champion of the World from 1919-1926, was KO'ed just once in his great career. He was knocked out in the first round in 1917 by fireman Jim Flynn. The truth is that he actually suffered two KO's. The second one was outside the ring in 1956 when he first laid eyes on … [Read more...] about Remembering the Champ
Highlights from the Hundred
By Irish America Staff, photos by Yvonne Gunner & Meredith Morton
May / June 1998
It may have been Friday, March 13th, but there were no casualties and the 100 Waterford Crystal awards remained intact at the end of a very successful night. Malachy McCourt kicked off the speeches, welcoming his fellow honorees into the hall and humorously remarking that the "intelligence quotient of the honorees is slightly diminished by the presence of some Conservatives on … [Read more...] about Highlights from the Hundred
Irish Rock ‘n’ Roll Comes of Age
By Brian Rohan
May / June 1998
There was a time when rock and roll bands from Ireland were saddled with obligatory comparisons to U2. Most of the Irish bands of the 1980s, like the soulful rockers Hothouse Flowers, took many years to shed the tag of being "the next U2." This was due in part to the fact that so many Irish rock and roll bands tried desperately to be U2. Not anymore. Irish rock music has … [Read more...] about Irish Rock ‘n’ Roll Comes of Age
The Irish on Ice
By John Kernaghan
May / June 1998
Ice hockey is not traditionally regarded as a sport in which the Irish have had much input, but history records a large number of Malones, Clancys and Sullivans as having been hockey heroes. Today, their legend lives on through the likes of Brendan Shanahan and Colleen Coyne. John Kernaghan looks at past and present Irish ice personalities. In repose, leaning on his hockey … [Read more...] about The Irish on Ice