Billy McComiskey, who recently received a National Heritage Fellowship – the nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts, talks to Kristin Cotter McGowan. ℘℘℘ I'm up in the Catskills. It’s Irish Arts Week in East Durham, New York, and master box player, All-Ireland Accordion Champion Billy McComiskey is taking a break between his scheduled workshops to talk about … [Read more...] about Accordion Man
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What Are You Like? Emily O’Hare Under the Tuscan Sun
Raised in London with Irish and Scottish roots, Emily O’Hare made a name for herself as a wine buyer and head sommelier at The River Café, London. That was before she fell in love with Italy and decided to make it her home. She now runs wine and yoga retreats at Castello di Potentino, a medieval castle in Tuscany. Her longterm goal, in addition to growing her retreat business, … [Read more...] about What Are You Like? Emily O’Hare Under the Tuscan Sun
The Pain and the Pleasure
Reek Sunday, the last Sunday in July, when pilgrims climb Ireland's holiest mountain, Croagh Patrick went ahead with far few climbers this year. Fr. Charlie McDonnell, parish priest of Westport, speaking to Patsy McGarry for the Irish Times, explained that the numbers at the mountain were "the smallest attendance of any Sunday this year, estimating that “between 400 to 500 … [Read more...] about The Pain and the Pleasure
Sláinte! The Doors of Dublin
The story behind the Georgian houses in Dublin City and why no two adjacent doors are alike. Mention the word “doors” to someone of the Boomer Generation (me, for instance) and the first free association response could easily be The Doors, that late 1960s music trio featuring Irish American lead singer Jim Morrison, whose iconic song “Light My Fire” earned the group a … [Read more...] about Sláinte! The Doors of Dublin
Gillian Murphy: On Her Toes
After 20 years with American Ballet Theatre, principal dancer Gillian Murphy still loves the challenge of making the difficult look effortless. ℘℘℘ Gillian Murphy celebrated her 20th anniversary performance with American Ballet Theatre on May 28, dancing the lead role as Lise in La Fille mal gardée (translating literally to “The Poorly Guarded Girl,” and also called “The Girl … [Read more...] about Gillian Murphy: On Her Toes