Irish America

Irish America

Colin Lacey

Ireland’s Groovy Arts Minister

By Colin Lacey

January/February 1996

by Leave a Comment

Colin Lacey talks to Michael D. Higgins (recently dubbed by British Vogue as the world's grooviest arts minister) about the renaissance of the Irish film industry. The Crying Game: My Left Foot; Braveheart; The Playboys; The Commitments; The Snapper; Circle of Friends; Window's Peak; The Run of the Country; Into the West; Frankie Starlight - if you haven't been closely watching … [Read more...] about Ireland’s Groovy Arts Minister

The Great Famine Event

By Colin Lacey

July/August 1997

by Leave a Comment

Ireland commemorates the Famine. Colin Lacey reports. Addressing a near-capacity crowd of almost 5,000 at the opening of The Great Famine Event in Millstreet, Co. Cork, Irish President Mary Robinson said that commemoration of the Famine was a moral act that should remember the victims but also use the lessons of 150 years ago to connect with issues that are relevant today.  "I … [Read more...] about The Great Famine Event

Dancing at Lughnasa

By Colin Lacey

November/December 1998

by Leave a Comment

"You work hard at your job. You try to keep your home together. You perform your duties as best you can because you believe in responsibilities and good order. And then suddenly you realize there are cracks appearing everywhere, the control is slipping away, and that the whole thing is so fragile it can't be held together much longer." The scene is Ballybeg, Co. Donegal in … [Read more...] about Dancing at Lughnasa

The United Irishmen and the 1798 Rebellion

By Colin Lacey

March / April 1998

by 3 Comments

The Society of United Irishmen, founded in Belfast on October 26, 1791 by radical political thinkers, including Theobald Wolfe Tone, Hamilton Rowan, Samuel Nellson, Henry Joy McCracken and Thomas Russell, the organization's declared objective was "equal representation of all the people in parliament" and the establishment of a political system that would include all religious … [Read more...] about The United Irishmen and the 1798 Rebellion

The Transatlantic Cable That Changed the World

By Colin Lacey

by 3 Comments

Colin Lacey writes about the historic underwater cable that linked Kerry’s Valentia Island to Heart’s Content, Newfoundland, and why the island deserves to be added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites. The connections between Ireland and Newfoundland run deep. The Irish began visiting there as far back as the 17th century, first as seasonal fishermen, and later migrating … [Read more...] about The Transatlantic Cable That Changed the World