On his recent trip to New York, between visiting Ground Zero and being welcomed at an Irish American community reception, Ireland's new Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, spoke with Patricia Harty about the changes taking place in the Irish government. Until the recent election one party, Fianna Fáil, had been in power for fourteen years. What’s it like to lead a party change … [Read more...] about Ireland’s New Prime Minister on the Way Forward
Issues
Citizen Artist, Robert Ballagh
The extraordinary life and work of Robert Ballagh is celebrated in a new book, "Citizen Artist" by Ciaran Carty I’ve often called Robert Ballagh the perfect Dubliner. He married the city, walked it, photographed it, painted it, and Dublin in turn – no mean city – has embraced him. He’s just done a portrait of James Joyce for U.C.D. If Joyce were around, he would have a lot of … [Read more...] about Citizen Artist, Robert Ballagh
Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann Celebrates 60 Years
Held in San Antonio, TX for the first time, CCE's annual celebration marked the organization's 60th anniversary. Hundreds of devoted Irish music and dance fans descended upon San Antonio for the annual Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann North American Convention on the weekend of March 25th. The annual event, held in different cities around the U.S., was extra special this year, as … [Read more...] about Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann Celebrates 60 Years
Bill Clinton on Ireland’s Economic Crisis and Recovery
Excerpts from Bill Clinton's address at the 2011 Irish America Hall of Fame celebration. "Most of us go back to Ireland and feel immediately at home in a way that’s impossible to describe. Most of us feel an inexpressible pride, not only in our roots, but in the fact of the peace and the fact that, even amidst this horrible economic calamity, no one is talking about getting … [Read more...] about Bill Clinton on Ireland’s Economic Crisis and Recovery
A Taste of Ireland
Ireland's Food Revolution We Irish have had a fraught relationship with food for far too long. Generations were raised to see it as a crime to leave even the tiniest morsel on our plates. Instead of being encouraged to develop a taste for good food, we were told to consider ourselves lucky to have any food at all. Is this a legacy of our past? For centuries, British landlords … [Read more...] about A Taste of Ireland