Irish America

Irish America

Ancestry

Roots: The O’Malley Clan

By Liam Murphy, Editorial Assistant
August / September 2007

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The ancient O’Maille or O’Malley name is said to be derived from the Gaelic words “maille” meaning gentle or smooth, and “maglios” meaning chieftain, which is fitting as the O’Malleys were once the chieftains of the baronies of Murrisk and Burrishoole in County Mayo. On today’s political scene, Martin O’Malley (D.), subject of our cover story, served as the hugely popular Mayor … [Read more...] about Roots: The O’Malley Clan

Photo Album: Freedom Fıghters

August / September 2007

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These photographs of my grandfather, Sgt. Earl K. Giffin, and his sister, Lt. Gladys Giffin, were taken in Paris after the city was liberated during World War II. Both Earl and Gladys had been serving in Europe since June of 1944, and were eventually reunited in Paris. Raised in Plattsburgh, NY, they were two of Mr. and Mrs. G.H. Giffin’s thirteen children. The Giffin family … [Read more...] about Photo Album: Freedom Fıghters

Tobin’s Field

By John Liegl, Contributor
December / January 2003

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John Liegl travels to Ireland to find his roots. My adventure began 40 years ago when I discovered that my great-great-grandparents John Tobin and Elizabeth Dooley had emigrated to America from Ireland in the 1860s. They settled in Montclair, New Jersey, raised a family and as far as I know never made it back to Ireland for even a visit, but they never forgot where they came … [Read more...] about Tobin’s Field

A Visit Home

By Betty O'Connor Wald

January / February 1998

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Betty Wald visits Ireland for the first time in search of her grandmother's home in Kilmacillogue, County Kerry In all the long years of Sunday visits to my grandmother's apartment in the Bronx, she never talked about Ireland. There were no tales of a far-off land for a child's imagination to grab hold of, to elaborate over the years, making family myths to pass on to future … [Read more...] about A Visit Home