First Word Archives
First Word: The Top 100!
Dear Reader, It’s Top 100 time again and don’t for a minute think that comedian…
First Word: We Are Now 44.3 Million Strong
Founding publisher Niall O’Dowd. Good news! The 1990 U.S. Census has…
First Word: The Bishops at the Bat
Founding publisher Niall O’Dowd. There are far worse offenses for a…
More Articles
An End to Shame?
Thomas Keneally’s latest book The Great Shame should be in every Irish household, and it should be read, all 700 or so pages of it, by anyone with an interest […]
A Living Memorial
“Pray for the dead, but fight like hell for the living.” – Mother Jones This special issue on the Great Hunger is an effort to tell the story of what […]
Trailblazers Past & Present
“We are the music makers. We are the dreamers of dreams….Yet we are the movers and shakers of the world forever it seems.” – Ode by Arthur O’Shaughnessy Arthur O’Shaughnessy […]
The First Word: ‘Tis the Season of Giving
“Ireland wasn’t as wealthy as it is today. But there was always a culture of giving back, and that’s something that was ingrained in me from the time I was […]
The First Word: Profiles in Courage
“The stories of past courage can define that ingredient – they can teach, they can offer hope, they can provide inspiration.” – John F. Kennedy This magazine was created […]
Historic Times in Ireland
Irish America’s publisher Niall O’Dowd wrote the following column on the occasion of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement on April 5, 1998. Every once in a lifetime or […]






