John Quinn, the lawyer who funded the Irish literary renaissance by supporting Ireland’s leading writers of the day (including W.B. Yeats and James Joyce), is less well-remembered for his involvement with Irish nationalism and his friendship with Roger Casement, the Irish-born diplomat who was knighted by King George V in 1911 and executed for his role in Ireland’s Easter … [Read more...] about John Quinn: The Forgotten Irish American Nationalist
1916
2016: Reflections on a Centenary
How the 1916 commemorations helped people connect on a personal level. “Everything is repeated, in a circle. History is a master because it teaches us that it doesn’t exist. It’s the permutations that matter.” - Umberto Eco, Foucault's Pendulum We have had much to celebrate this year. Commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising had been anticipated for so long that when it … [Read more...] about 2016: Reflections on a Centenary
Washington, D.C. Robert Emmet Statue Rededicated
In April, the Washington D.C. statue of Robert Emmet, the first of its kind and the model for several identical copies by Irish sculptor Jerome Connor, was rededicated in a national park currently designated as “reservation 302” by Irish Ambassador Anne Anderson. The ceremony marked the concurrent centenaries of the Easter Rising, the formation of the National Park … [Read more...] about Washington, D.C. Robert Emmet Statue Rededicated
1916 – 2016: The Centenary
Welcome to the 1916 Centenary issue of Irish America. This special issue of Irish America is dedicated to the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising. Its aim is two-fold: to highlight and investigate the key individuals and movements, both American and Irish, who had a hand in the planning, execution, and aftermath of the Rising, and to showcase underrepresented aspects of the … [Read more...] about 1916 – 2016: The Centenary
First Word: “Two Hearts Beat as One”
“No New York. No America. No Easter Rising. It’s simple as that.” – Director of Glucksman Ireland House, NYU, J.J. Lee While editing the articles in this 1916 commemorative issue, I was struck by two related observations: without the Irish in America the 1916 Rising would not have happened; and Britain sealed its fate by implementing its terror policies, and allowing a … [Read more...] about First Word: “Two Hearts Beat as One”