Irish America

Irish America

Winter issue 2024

Review of Books | recently published books

By Darina Molloy

Winter 2024

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Where They Lie By Claire Coughlan This atmospheric thriller is slightly reminiscent of John Banville’s Quirke series, but with a junior reporter at the center of events rather than a pathologist. Nicoletta Sarto might be young, but she’s fiercely ambitious. When she happens to be on duty around Christmas 1968, just as the discovery of bones in a Dublin garden is … [Read more...] about Review of Books | recently published books

“The Enchanted Bay”

Winter 2024

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It is a little-known fact that Ernie O’Malley, renowned for his role in Ireland’s revolutionary struggle, was also a passionate collector of Irish folklore. “The Enchanted Bay: Tales and Legends from Ernie O’Malley’s Irish Folklore Collection,” by Cormac K. H. O’Malley and Patrick J. Mahoney, is a testament to O’Malley’s multifaceted legacy.  Ernie O'Malley (1897-1957) is … [Read more...] about “The Enchanted Bay”

“The Good Sport”

Winter 2024

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In this excerpt from his memoir The Good Sport, Kevin White takes us on his journey as an Irish Catholic kid growing up in “blue-collar” Amityville on Long Island while scrambling to help his parents make ends meet, to the position of “the best of the best” among intercollegiate athletic directors of his generation. Navigating the winding roads, with endless rotaries, up to … [Read more...] about “The Good Sport”

Guns N’ Roses’ Duff McKagan

By Richard Purden

Winter 2024

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Duff McKagan reflects on his childhood, songwriting, why he’s called “Duff,” and his recent solo albums. At one point, Guns N’ Roses was known as “the most dangerous band in the world.” They were mostly a danger to themselves, with drug and alcohol problems being well publicized. The band’s image and attitude lived up to “Reckless Life,” the opening track on their 1986 … [Read more...] about Guns N’ Roses’ Duff McKagan

Those We Lost

By Irish America Staff

Winter 2024

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Billy Lawless, champion for immigration reform, passes in Chicago In every march for immigration reform, amid all the Mexican and Central American marchers, you could always depend on one ruddy-faced Irishman leading a multiracial contingent of true believers behind the banner of “Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform.” Billy Lawless became such a dependable voice for … [Read more...] about Those We Lost