Somewhat Removed. There was death in Roscommon Town tonight. The street outside Smith's Funeral Home (which occupies a sad plot opposite the local livestock mart) was packed with cars. As I threaded my way through the crowd, I recognized a few neighbors who were going in. We waved, and I felt a twinge of shame for passing by on so frivolous an errand as buying cigarettes. But … [Read more...] about An American in Ireland
August September 2003 Issue
Carroll, O’Carroll, MacCarroll,
MacCarvill, MacCearbhaill
The O'Carrolls go back to the third century King Oilioll Olum of Munster. Their name derives from Cearbhaill, who was the Brian Boru in 1014 at the battle of Clontarf.
Cearbhaill means warlike champion and the O'Carrolls have lived up to the name. Carvill and MacCarvill are anglicized versions of Carroll and are mostly to be found in Ulster.
The O'Carrolls' senior septs were … [Read more...] about Carroll, O’Carroll, MacCarroll,
MacCarvill, MacCearbhaill
The Rice Man Cometh
Damien Rice: o If you have lost faith in the possibility for a new singer-songwriter to emerge with a graceful album of dirges and lullabies, it's time to believe again. Dublin-born Damien Rice's debut album, o, has been released in the U.S. by Vector Recordings (see also www. damienrice.com) after being praised ceaselessly overseas for the past year. With literary references … [Read more...] about The Rice Man Cometh
Book Reviews
A Sampling of the Latest Irish Books. ℘℘℘ RECOMMENDED Providence College Professor of English Charles F. Duffy was planning to teach some Irish American fiction in one of his Modern Irish Literature classes. "Figuring Edwin O'Connor would loom large...I reread The Last Hurrah," Duffy writes, "and then looked around for a biography of the author. To my surprise, no such book … [Read more...] about Book Reviews
Sláinte! Patriotic Potatoes
are Perfect for Summer
In the early days of the American Revolution, a number of battles took place in New England eventually causing the British to flee their Boston stronghold. The flight took place on March 17, 1776. George Washington was commander in chief of the colonial forces. His password for the day was `Saint Patrick.'
I stumbled on that fact a number of years ago, and it has never ceased … [Read more...] about Sláinte! Patriotic Potatoes
are Perfect for Summer