"It's gonna be a really big shoo..." Ed Sullivan was important for bringing diverse talent, especially African American artists and rock and roll pioneers, to a massive national audience through his influential television show, helping to shape American culture and music history. He was a trendsetter who launched the careers of major stars like Elvis Presley and The … [Read more...] about Ed Sullivan: “The King of Variety”
Issues
Dublin Anniversary of Handel’s Messiah Premiere
On April 13, 1742, the great German composer, George Frideric Handel, performed his famous oratorio Messiah in Dublin. The world premiere occurred in Musick Hall on Fishamble Street in Temple Bar. Commemorating the 270th anniversary, on April 13, 2012, Our Lady's Choral Society, conducted by Proinnsías Ó Duinn, sang the composition on the street where it was originally … [Read more...] about Dublin Anniversary of Handel’s Messiah Premiere
Review of Books Fall 2023
By Darina Molloy
Darina Molloy provides a review of 14 books from Irish authors for our readers to enjoy. Soldier Sailor By Claire Kilroy When you consider the gap between Claire Kilroy’s last book (The Devil I Know, published in 2012) and this newest one, it definitely adds a layer to the reading experience of Soldier Sailor. The mother in the book, Soldier, is aptly named as she seems to … [Read more...] about Review of Books Fall 2023
Queen’s Builds on Legacy of Seamus Heaney
By Irish America Staff
The work of Nobel Prize-winning Irish poet Seamus Heaney will inspire generations of future writers at a new $6.2 million landmark venue. The new Queen’s University project will create a Visiting International Seamus Heaney Chair in Creative Writing, alongside engagement programs with educational and community groups in Belfast and across Northern Ireland. The Seamus Heaney … [Read more...] about Queen’s Builds on Legacy of Seamus Heaney
Island Man
Q. What do Bob Marley and U2 have in Common? A. Chris Blackwell The founder of Island Records talks to Marilyn Cole Lownes about his Irish Jamaican heritage, U2, and his life in the music business. It's no coincidence that the man who made Jamaican singer Bob Marley a cultural icon also made U2, the rock band from Dublin, an international phenomenon. Chris Blackwell, the … [Read more...] about Island Man