A widow leaves her children in care of the nuns in Galway and sets out for Boston, where she finds work as a domestic servant. In doing so, she sets the course for future generations. This photograph of my five uncles was taken in 1935, the year I was born. Pictured, left to right, are Robert (Bob), my father Peter (the oldest), William (Bill), Francis (Frank), who was no more … [Read more...] about Photo Album: The Young Americans
Photo Album
2015 Wall Street 50 Event Photos
October 2, 2015
On October 1, 2015, Irish America celebrated the 18th Annual Wall Street 50. Shaun Kelly, KPMG, delivered the keynote address. The Wall Street 50 are featured in the October/November issue of Irish America. To watch Shaun's speech click here. … [Read more...] about 2015 Wall Street 50 Event Photos
Photo Album:
The Shields Family
I’ve written about several Irish American mothers for this magazine – Eugenia Biden, Lorna Colbert, and Anne Meara – and the word that always comes to mind is indomitable. Nothing breaks them, which makes it all the more shocking when we lose them. My mother was a member of this club.
The last-minute child in a Jersey City family that included two older sisters, Mom was named … [Read more...] about Photo Album:
The Shields Family
Photo Album:
The Road to the Bright City
My grandfather John Bernard “Barney” Hynes and his brother Thomas J. Hynes emigrated from Loughrea, Galway, Ireland to Boston, Massachusetts in 1875. They were in their early teens.
Barney got a job with the Elevated Railroad Company, where he worked for 40 years and moonlighted at night singing, mostly at Irish wakes.
Tom went to Harvard where he spent countless hours on the … [Read more...] about Photo Album:
The Road to the Bright City
Photo Album:
“We Loved You, Mary Garvey”
My grandmother Mary Garvey was born on October 18th, 1894 in Farmhill, Claremorris, County Mayo. She was the oldest of six children born to Anne Mullen Garvey and Peter Garvey. She left for America in 1914 at age 20 and came to New York via Ellis Island. She soon married a successful young engineer, John Edward O’Connor, whose name is on the brass plaque as one of the engineers … [Read more...] about Photo Album:
“We Loved You, Mary Garvey”