Recently published books of Irish and Irish American interest. ℘℘℘ NONFICTION Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics By Lawrence O’Donnell MSNBC pundit Lawrence O’Donnell found himself in an Irish feud a few months back with Donald Trump’s chief of staff John Kelly. O’Donnell, himself a Boston-born Irish American, blasted Kelly’s … [Read more...] about Review of Books
Issues
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
By Thomas Hauser, Contributor
The world has been enriched by many distinctly Irish songs. “Danny Boy” and “MacNamara’s Band” are among the diverse offerings. But no song is more deeply embedded in hearts than “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling.” The history of “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” begins with Chauncey Olcott. Olcott’s mother, Margaret Doyle, was born in Ireland. In the 1840s, when she was eight, her … [Read more...] about When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
Sláinte! The Irish Pig, Part II: Everything but the Oink
How the Irish used every part of the pig to create varied and resourceful dishes. Anyone who has ever visited Ireland has encountered one of the nation’s legendary feasts: The Irish Breakfast. When I was a child, my journey to enjoy that treat was a lot shorter. All I had to do was roll out of bed on Saturday morning and go downstairs to the kitchen of my family’s Philadelphia … [Read more...] about Sláinte! The Irish Pig, Part II: Everything but the Oink
Roots: The MacDermots
The MacDermots are a clan of royalty and rebels. ℘℘℘ The MacDermot clan and its descendants have produced kings, revolutionaries, politicians, CEOs, sports figures, authors and at least one Hall of Famer throughout the centuries. In addition to “MacDermot,” the name has several geographic variants, including the Irish MacDiarmada, McDermitt, and McDiarmid, and the Manx Kermit … [Read more...] about Roots: The MacDermots
Photo Album: A Visit to Santa
Christmas, 1959 One Christmas was so much like another in those years, to borrow a line from Dylan Thomas. Mother began the preparations in late autumn. The plum pudding was stirred one final time for good luck and steamed in a bowl on top of the wood-burning Stanley stove. The big square Christmas cake, heavy with fruit, raisins, sultanas and glacé cherries, was baked until … [Read more...] about Photo Album: A Visit to Santa