This year marks the 300th anniversary of the first great wave of Scots-Irish migration to the United States, and over the next 12 months, several towns in Northern Ireland and the U.S. will be celebrating. In Aghadowey, County Derry, the Ulster History Circle will unveil a blue plaque to honor Reverend James McGregor and those that followed him to New England. In the U.S., … [Read more...] about 300 Years of Scots-Irish Immigration to U.S.
Derry
Weekly Comment: Spirit of Samhain Film Comes Stateside
By Olivia O’Mahony, Editorial Assistant
October 27, 2017
October 27, 2017
A new documentary explores the humble origins in a small Derry pub of what has become Ireland’s largest Halloween festival. ℘℘℘ An award-winning Irish documentary that unravels the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, or the beginning of the winter season, made its U.S. premiere this festival season, and is currently streaming on Vimeo. Spiorad na Samhna, or “The Spirit of … [Read more...] about Weekly Comment: Spirit of Samhain Film Comes Stateside
Irish Eye on Hollywood:
Documentaries to Watch
Speaking of Derry, filmmakers from there debuted a documentary about Northern Ireland at the recent Capital Irish Film Festival in Washington D.C. Together in Pieces, a film by David Dryden and Eileen Walsh, looks closely at the North’s famed graffiti and murals as a symbol of the region’s difficult past and potentially hopeful future. The film’s title refers to slang for a … [Read more...] about Irish Eye on Hollywood:
Documentaries to Watch
The Derry Air is Rich With Culture
A bright, brand-new day dawns for Derry/Londonderry, the UK City of Culture 2013. John Hume, Derry’s first Catholic MP, sang the Derry anthem in Oslo when he and David Trimble won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998, and it has since become a staple of the White House St. Patrick’s Day gathering each year in Washington, D.C. At a recent concert in Chicago when Phil Coulter played … [Read more...] about The Derry Air is Rich With Culture
Caught in the Crossfire
We're circling Abercorn Street in Derry and Richard Moore, my sunglassed passenger, is pointing out focal points of his native city. He acts as navigator, advising me to turn left at the shop, then right at the gap in the green railings to reach our destination. The remarkable thing is Richard is totally blind. Not that he was born this way. Ever since May 4, 1972 he has … [Read more...] about Caught in the Crossfire