It was an interesting experience, to say the least, following up on our issue commemorating the Great Hunger with one in which we profile Irish-American titans of Wall Street. In a way, those two words “Famine” & “Finance” could be seen as the bookends of the story of the Irish in America. Not that we claim that success in the financial world is the only … [Read more...] about The First Word: From Famine to Finance
Issues
The Many Faces of Maureen O’Hara
Maureen O’Hara has celebrated many milestones in her life and career in films. Now in the 21st century, she prepares to celebrate her 90th birthday on August 17. One can’t help but wonder if she could have imagined in her wildest dreams that her image would be gracing a technology called “cyberspace” – that people would be chatting about her on Facebook or that she’d have a … [Read more...] about The Many Faces of Maureen O’Hara
“Bloody Sunday:” James Nesbitt’s Personal Odyssey
On January 30, 1972 members of the British Army fired upon unarmed civil rights marchers in Derry, killing 14 people, 13 outright, and one who would die later from his wounds. The marchers, about 15,000 strong, had been protesting internment without trial, which was introduced in Northern Ireland in August 1971, and involved mass British army arrests of more than 340 people … [Read more...] about “Bloody Sunday:” James Nesbitt’s Personal Odyssey
Those We Lost
Recent passings in the Irish America community John W. Finn 1909-2010 John W. Finn, World War II veteran and Medal of Honor recipient, died on May 27 in Chula Vista, California. He was 100. Finn was the last survivor of the fifteen Navy men who received the Medal of Honor for their service during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and had been the oldest living recipient of … [Read more...] about Those We Lost
Corner of Ireland in America: Mt. Holly, North Carolina
In a time long forgotten, six Irish families came to the foothills of North Carolina. The men were miners and they came to work the gold mines on the banks of the Catawba River near what is now the town of Mt. Holly in Gaston County. The families, four headed by the Lonergan brothers, the other two being the Cahills and the Duffeys, came from Cork, Dublin and Tipperary … [Read more...] about Corner of Ireland in America: Mt. Holly, North Carolina