"I could tell you a million and one stories," says John Dunleavy. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be chairman of this parade." John Dunleavy, 72, has been chairman of the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade for 16 years. Like all the other chairmen before him, he worked his way to the top, starting as a volunteer in the formation area where marchers line up to … [Read more...] about The Man Who Runs the Parade
Issues
The Hannah: An Irish Odyssey
The story of The Hannah, an Irish famine ship that hit an iceberg in 1849, is now a documentary. John Kernaghan explains how it happened and how Irish America played a part. Paddy Murphy’s body is slowly being stilled by a degenerative disease, but his eyes are alive, bright and knowing as he struggles to form words to match his racing thoughts. He knows that the story he … [Read more...] about The Hannah: An Irish Odyssey
When the Men are Gone
Tom Deignan talks with author Siobhan Fallon about her writing, her Irish-American upbringing, and being an Army wife. Siobhan Fallon attended school in England, traveled widely in Ireland (where her father, Eamon, was born) and even worked as a teacher in Japan. But when it came time for this globetrotter to meet her future husband, it was at a place decidedly closer to home. … [Read more...] about When the Men are Gone
Review of Books
A selection of recently published books of Irish and Irish American interest. Click Here to purchase these books at Kenny's Books Recommended The Empty Family I did everything I could to not finish Colm Tóibín’s latest collection of short stories, The Empty Family. I stared out of a bus window and watched the monotonous Garden State Parkway go by; I purposely did not sit … [Read more...] about Review of Books
Music Reviews
Reviews of recent releases from Irish and Irish-American artists. Barleyjuice Skulduggery Street A band sure to come under their fair share of Pogue comparisons, Barleyjuice’s new album Skulduggery Street is a collection of energetic songs with a punk rock bite. The early tracks walk a dangerous line that could pigeonhole them into the same street-rock-meets-pub-seisiun that … [Read more...] about Music Reviews