The original Irish name is ÓCoimín and its variations are numerous in every part of Ireland. The name lends itself to many interpretations. Some say it comes from the Irish word cam, meaning crooked, while others incorrectly believed the name derived from the word camán, which means a hurling stick. This interpretation gave rise to the anglicized name Hurley. Other anglicized … [Read more...] about Roots: Cummins (Cummings, Commons, Comyns, Hurley)
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One Life to Give
Chuck Feeney has just put into practice something he had been considering for many years. He has decided that all the vast wealth he accumulated in his lifetime should be given away while he is still alive. The graying, well preserved 72-year-old New Jersey native persuaded the board of Atlantic Philanthropies, which he created two decades ago, to convert its $4 billion in … [Read more...] about One Life to Give
The Irish and Alcohol
When outspoken Irish President Mary McAleese criticized the "stupid, wasteful abuse of alcohol" in her country during the Re-Imagining Ireland conference in Virginia earlier this year, she sparked a firestorm that still smolders on the Emerald Isle. From the pubs to the polls to the pundits, McAleese was soundly thrashed for her opinions. Even those who agreed with her blasted … [Read more...] about The Irish and Alcohol
The Fearless G-Mac
At 6-foot-2, Gerry McNamara, who calls himself just "a skinny little white kid who takes pride in working hard," is a hero in the working-class town of Scranton, Pennsylvania. McNamara, or "G-Mac" as he is fondly known in his hometown, has been collecting fans since he played for a Pennsylvania State basketball championship back in eighth grade. In high school he played for … [Read more...] about The Fearless G-Mac
The Irish Loop
A few years ago, Newfoundland tourism officials decided to give names to roads around some peninsulas to help travelers plan trips by calling attention to a region's most significant feature. Along the Southern Shore (as it was always, and still is, known to residents) of Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula, there was no question what it would be called: Irish Loop Drive. The … [Read more...] about The Irish Loop