Irish America's publisher, Niall O'Dowd, wrote from the Notre Dame vs. Navy football game in Dublin. In years to come, hardcore Notre Dame fans will ask “Were you there?” when this Dublin game against Navy is discussed. I predict it will be right up there with many of the great moments of this storied college. What a day to be both Irish and American. If you were not proud of … [Read more...] about The Emerald Isle Classic: An Irish and Irish-American Dream
Sports Archives
Golfing the Emerald Isle
Five days of golf in Ireland's southwest and a day of football in Dublin. I credit my brother-in-law Tom Coyne for inspiring my golf trip to Ireland. Not too long ago, Tom completed what can only be called THE ultimate Irish golf trip – a whole summer circumnavigating the entire country, on foot, with his clubs on his back, playing the legendary links courses as one continuous … [Read more...] about Golfing the Emerald Isle
Running Rings Around the Empire: The 1908 Olympics
As Britain hosts the Summer Olympic Games in London, we look back on the first great modern Olympic confrontation between the United States – most of whose top athletes were Irish – and Britain, which took place in London in 1908. Notably, they were the last Olympic Games at which the judging committee was made up entirely of people from the host country. In 1908, as the … [Read more...] about Running Rings Around the Empire: The 1908 Olympics
The Naming of Winged Fist Way
A stretch of 43rd Street and 48th Avenue in Sunnyside, Queens, received a second name on March 10. Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, it became Winged Fist Way, in honor of the Irish American Athletic Club. The I-AAC, whose members were known as The Winged Fists, thrived in Sunnyside at the beginning of the 20th century as one of New York’s first inclusive, multicultural … [Read more...] about The Naming of Winged Fist Way
GAA Takes Off in Texas
In Dallas, Texas, it’s all about community and camaraderie over competition. Spurred by the success of the Celtic Cowboys, a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) league formed in Austin in 2004, Fionn Mac Cumhaill GAA was founded in Dallas in 2010. Emmett Long, Brian Geraghty, Kevin McCann, Paddy Walsh and Davey Devlin were among the founding members – all from Ireland. They sent … [Read more...] about GAA Takes Off in Texas