“Kate, be careful when you get to America, the streets are full of gangsters!” That is what my grandmother, we called her Nanna, heard before she boarded the ship to America in the 1920s. It was advice from her brother, Jim Connolly, who bonded her and paid for her third class (steerage) passage. As the story goes, Kate Connolly arrived in New York in the … [Read more...] about Photo Album: Nanna’s First Fourth
Fourth of July
Irish America Fest in New Ross
By Olivia O'Mahony, Editorial Assistant June 29, 2017
For the fifth year running, the County Wexford town of New Ross will mark American Independence Day with Irish America Fest, a three-day celebration of transatlantic friendship and legacy beginning this weekend on Friday, June 30. The festival, held in association with the Wexford Co. Council, Failte Ireland, and Irish America magazine, will provide entertainment of activities … [Read more...] about Irish America Fest in New Ross
George M. Cohan: “Born on the Fourth of July”
By M.V. Quinn, Contributor
The life of George M. Cohan, the greatest song and dance man of all time. Not far off from his song's boast, George Michael Cohan was born on July 3, 1878, according to his birth certificate, however his mother always claimed that he was born on the 4th, and as he proved again and again in his plays and songs, he remained “a real live nephew” of America’s Uncle Sam throughout … [Read more...] about George M. Cohan: “Born on the Fourth of July”
Weekly Comment: New Ross Celebrates Irish America Day
By Siobhán Peters, Editorial Assistant
July 2, 2015
July 2, 2015
Celebrations are taking place this weekend in the southeast port town of New Ross in Co. Wexford to mark America’s Independence Day. Now in its fourth year, Irish America Fest looks set to be three days of live music, culinary delights and fun-filled activities planned to cater to all age groups. Events officially kick off on Friday afternoon with a Carnival taking place along … [Read more...] about Weekly Comment: New Ross Celebrates Irish America Day
The Irish Who Signed the Declaration of Independence
By Brendan Patrick Keane, Contributor
The Declaration of Independence is a physically beautiful document and when I was a kid I had an image of it on my wall. There were Irish names, including "McKean" on that original parchment, and that gave me the story I needed to feel at home here like a native. My love of country, the United States, and my heritage (Irish) converge in that document because I acknowledge the … [Read more...] about The Irish Who Signed the Declaration of Independence