One of the major ports of entry for Irish Famine immigrants, Grosse Île lies in the St. Lawrence River, just east of Quebec. It contains the largest Famine cemetery outside of Ireland. When the authorities in Quebec heard news of ships arriving with sick passengers, they quickly set up Grosse Île as a port of entry and quarantine station at which all ships were required to … [Read more...] about The Ghosts of Gross Ile
History Archives
This Holy Ground
Hundreds of unmarked and forgotten mass graves scattered across the Irish countryside are a silent testimony to a human tragedy of appalling and unimaginable dimensions. In the late spring of 1985, I asked a local historian in Westport, Co. Mayo, if he knew of any burial places associated with the ‘Famine.’ He brought me to the outskirts of the town and pointed to what … [Read more...] about This Holy Ground
“Kathy White House” Book Launch
Wednesday, March 6, 2024, 6:00 pm American Irish Historical Society, 991 Fifth Ave, New York, NY Come and celebrate Irish Heritage and Women's History Month by discovering the highly entertaining story of a young Irish immigrant who was head cook in the White House. Author Vincent Carmody will be signing books and answering questions at the newly re-opened American Irish … [Read more...] about “Kathy White House” Book Launch
Freedom’s Sons and Daughters
The Stories of the Irish and George Washington INTRODUCTION There is no doubt that Ireland's sons and daughters played a major role in the battle for American independence from the British Crown. As leading Revolutionary War historian Thomas Fleming has noted, the Irish "responded en masse to the call for resistance to England. With more than 300,000 of them in the … [Read more...] about Freedom’s Sons and Daughters
Vietnam’s First Medal of Honor Recipient
IA Newsletter, February 10, 2024
Captain Roger H.C. Donlon was the first person to be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Nam Dong on July 6, 1964. Roger Hugh Charles Donlon, first Medal of Honor recipient from Vietnam War, died on January 28, 2024. He at 89. Born on January 30, 1934, Donlon recalled his early life in an interview saying," I was blessed to be born into an Irish Catholic family … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s First Medal of Honor Recipient