Irish America
Irish America
Dave Lewis explores the historical connections between the Gaelic Athletic Association, nationalism, and a heritage of hurling in County Tipperary. 2016 was a great year for Ireland as it celebrated the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising. The year was an even better one for the people of Tipperary, as not only did they celebrate the heroes of the past, but celebrated two … [Read more...] about Up Tipp: Hurling & Nationalism
Miracles happen in threes, but few foresaw this one coming when Ireland’s rugby team met the New Zealand All-Blacks in a historic match November 5 at Chicago’s Soldier Field, home to the Chicago Bears. ℘℘℘ Euphoria reigned that week in Chicago, where the lovable-loser Cubs had just broken their 108-year failure to win a World Series in dramatic, come-from-behind, fashion. Many … [Read more...] about Chicago Miracles
Ireland had a reasonable showing at the 2016 Summer Olympics with two silver medals, including the country’s first for rowing (see right). But what about the Irish diaspora? How did the descendants of emigrants fare in the Rio games? And what would Ireland’s team score have looked like if the diaspora competed as a country? Here are the most obviously Irish medalists from … [Read more...] about The Irish Olympic Diaspora
Gary and Paul O’Donovan, of Lisheen, Co. Cork, made history at the Rio Olympic Games in August when they secured the country’s first ever medal in a rowing event. The brothers, who sped from fifth position at the halfway point, came in second place in the lightweight men’s double sculls, a feat which also marked Ireland’s first medal won at this year’s Olympics.
The brothers’ … [Read more...] about Silver Streak:
Ireland’s Olympic Medals
Managing Babe Ruth, winning multiple World Series, and the no-nonsense authority of Bill “Rough” Carrigan. To control a brash young Babe Ruth – who joined the Boston Red Sox at age 19, fresh out of an institution for troubled youths – a strong presence was needed. Enter Red Sox player-manager Bill “Rough” Carrigan, who, despite his average size, was a notorious brawler, viewed … [Read more...] about Baseball Legend: Bill “Rough” Carrigan
