February 2, 1880 Mr. Parnell, on rising to speak, was received with applause. He said—Mr. Chairman and — Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, I have to thank you for the honour that you have conferred upon me in permitting me to address this august assembly upon the state of affairs in my unhappy country. The public opinion of the people of America will be of the … [Read more...] about Complete Speech of Charles Stewart Parnell, MP, to US Congress
Issues
Let the Road Rise Up to Meet You
By Róisín Chapman
A pilgrim-walking route, linking Cashel in County Tipperary and Ardmore in County Waterford, follows the trail of St. Declan who, in the late 5th century, left his monastery in Waterford to walk to Cashel to meet with future patron saint, Patrick. Ireland’s south east, celebrated for its historical Viking ties and impressive hurling record, now has another claim to fame: St. … [Read more...] about Let the Road Rise Up to Meet You
Great-aunt Mary O’Toole’s Amazing, Trailblazing Life
Submitted by Jimmy O’Toole and Paula Mulhall, Mary’s grandniece, and grandnephew.
Her first seal of office needed to have the word “his” crossed out and replaced by “hers” in pen as she was the first female to hold a municipal court appointment in the US. From Irish immigrant working as a child minder to becoming the first woman judge of a municipal court in the United States, was the unique and outstanding achievement of Mary O’Toole. Born in … [Read more...] about Great-aunt Mary O’Toole’s Amazing, Trailblazing Life
Those We Lost
By Mary Gallagher
Stephen Downey (1937-2021) Speechwriter and communications consultant Stephen Downey died in early December 2021, aged 84. Married to lauded cabaret singer and musical theater actress KT Sullivan, Downey was a passionate supporter and aficionado of the arts, and served as president of both the Yeats Drama Society and the New York Browning Society. Born in Providence, Rhode … [Read more...] about Those We Lost
Summer Reading
By Darina Molloy
Snowflake By Louise Nealon There’s been a huge buzz about Louise Nealon ever since word of her debut novel was announced, with many reviewers and critics calling her the next Sally Rooney. Maybe they should all leave the Mayo writer to be the current and next Sally Rooney, however, and come up with different descriptors for almost every other Irish female writer under 30. … [Read more...] about Summer Reading