Built between 1799 and 1809 by Ezra Weeks, Gracie Mansion is the mayoral residence in New York, and it’s likely that Irish builders, artisans, and tradespeople were numerous among the construction team, and the ballroom’s chandelier is Irish crystal, donated to the house by the descendants of William Russell Grace, the city’s first Catholic mayor, who was born in 1832 in County … [Read more...] about Surprising Irish Links in NYC’s Mayoral Mansion
Issues
O’Reilly’s Tattoo Machine:
Fine Art for the Masses
More than 45 million Americans have at least one tattoo. The vast lot of them got inked by way of an electric tattoo machine. And chances are they have no idea who invented the electric tattoo machine: Samuel O’Reilly.
His rambunctious, enigmatic life began in May 1854 in Waterbury, Connecticut. Both his parents were Irish immigrants, and he was the oldest of five children. At … [Read more...] about O’Reilly’s Tattoo Machine:
Fine Art for the Masses
Quinnipiac Donates $400K to North Haven
Quinnipiac University, home to Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum (Músaem An Ghorta Mhóir) which houses of one of the world’s largest collections of art concerning the Great Irish Famine, has donated $400,000 to the town of North Haven. “This voluntary payment represents an affirmation of the Uni- versity’s ongoing support and appreciation for all that North Haven does for … [Read more...] about Quinnipiac Donates $400K to North Haven
Potato Photo Sells for Over $1M
Celebrity photographer Kevin Abosch scooped an impressive $1 million from his portrait of an organic Irish potato, “Potato #345 (2010)” (below), making it the 15th most expensive photo ever sold. A European businessman who saw it on display in Abosch’s residence purchased the portrait. It was sold at the non-negotiable price of $1 million, as potatoes have a special meaning to … [Read more...] about Potato Photo Sells for Over $1M
Astronaut Scott Kelly Returns to Earth
Irish American astronaut Scott Kelly returned from a year in space after taking part in a NASA study, analyzing the impacts long-term space travel can have on the human body. The mission was aimed at paving the way for an eventual mission to Mars. While Scott was in space, his twin brother Mark, also an astronaut and, like Scott, a former United States Navy Captain, remained on … [Read more...] about Astronaut Scott Kelly Returns to Earth