The glorious The King and I overture reaches a crescendo, filling Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont theater with some of the greatest music ever written for the theater played by world-class musicians. Then, a giant sailing ship moves across the stage into the audience. Gasps. And yet it’s when, in the words of New York Times critic Ben Brantley, “the determined, hopeful, … [Read more...] about Hall of Fame: Kelli O’Hara
April May 2018 Issue
Hall of Fame: John O. Brennan
John Owen Brennan’s 29-year career with the Central Intelligence Agency was spectacular. He was director of the agency from March 2013 to January 2017 and prior to that, his career included stints as intelligence briefer for President Bill Clinton, top deputy to CIA director George Tenet, director of the National Counterterrorism Center during George W. Bush’s presidency, and … [Read more...] about Hall of Fame: John O. Brennan
Hall of Fame: Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown – who has spent more time than anyone else in the California governor’s office – has been well served by his Irish Catholic roots. Brown’s great-grandfather, Joseph, came to the U.S. from County Tipperary during Ireland’s Great Hunger, in 1849. In Massachusetts, he met his future wife, Bridget Burke, herself an Irish immigrant to America. A few years later, … [Read more...] about Hall of Fame: Jerry Brown
Hall of Fame: Dennis P. Long
When Irish America first interviewed Dennis Long, in January 1986, he was part of a new generation of Irish American corporate leaders. “Irish Americans are really only now reaching the top levels of business, law, finance and politics,” he told publisher Niall O’Dowd. “We’re the third generation and we’ve paid our dues. It’s now time to put something back.” He certainly did … [Read more...] about Hall of Fame: Dennis P. Long
First Word: The Ship of Hope
“The real members of the Hall of Fame are the parents and grandparents and great-grandparents who had the courage to come here.” – Donald Keough, the former president of Coca-Cola, and our first inductee into the Irish America Hall of Fame in 2010 It’s been a few years now but, the memory doesn’t go away. I climbed down the ladder into the hold of the ship – into steerage. My … [Read more...] about First Word: The Ship of Hope