• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Irish America

Irish America

Irish America

  • HOME
  • WHO WE ARE
    • ABOUT US
    • IRISH AMERICA TEAM
  • IN THIS ISSUE
  • HALL OF FAME
  • THE LISTS
    • BUSINESS 100
    • HALL OF FAME
    • HEALTH AND LIFE SCIENCES 50
    • WALL STREET 50
  • LIBRARY
  • TRAVEL
  • EVENTS

Emmett Kelly

Window on the Past: The Triumph of a Sad Clown

By Ray Cavanaugh, Contributor
August / September 2019

August 1, 2019 by 2 Comments

Kelly in a 1953 Life Magazine photo.

The extraordinarily gifted Emmett Kelly, who turned clowning into an art form. Though he was most certainly a clown, Emmett Kelly’s performances were wistful rather than slapstick. Instead of wearing cheerfully bright clothes and having a prominent grin painted on his face, Kelly flouted clownish convention, wearing dark-colored rags and having a face forever contorted … [Read more...] about Window on the Past: The Triumph of a Sad Clown

Primary Sidebar

Featured Video

Featured Podcast

News from the Irish Post

  • Mother and sister of Enoch Burke to be arrested and jailed

    THE MOTHER and sister of Enoch Burke are to be arrested and jailed for contempt of court. A judge...

  • Detectives investigating disappearance and murder of Lisa Dorrian make further arrest

    DETECTIVES investigating the disappearance and murder of Lisa Dorrian 21 years ago have made a fu...

  • Minister proposes new branch of National Museum of Ireland dedicated to ‘women’s stories’

    A NEW branch of the National Museum of Ireland could be set to open in Limerick which is dedicate...

  • Investigation after pipe bomb attack on home with man and woman inside

    POLICE are investigating a pipe bomb attack made on a home in east Belfast while people were insi...

March 4, 1778

Robert Emmet, one of Ireland’s most famous revolutionaries, was born in Dublin on this day in 1778. Though he was born a wealthy Protestant, his family sympathized with the Irish Catholics and the American Revolution, and they became friendly with Irish nationalist revolutionaries. Emmet entered Trinity College, Dublin, at age fifteen, where he became involved with political activism. He was expelled in 1798 when it was discovered that he was serving as Secretary to a secret United Irish Committee. He organized the 1803 Rebellion, but unsuccessfully attempted to call off the uprising, which was quickly deteriorating into chaos. Emmet then went into hiding, but was captured, tried for high treason, and ordered hanged, drawn and quartered.

Footer

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Give a Gift
  • Newsletter

Additional

  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Terms of Use & Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2026 · IrishAmerica Child Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in