Irish America

Irish America

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Presidential Visits to Ireland

Tom Deignan
IA Newsletter, February 17 2024

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  President Joe Biden: "It feels like coming home" President Joe Biden visited Ireland in April 2023 in what was a diplomatic and family visit. The trip began in Belfast, where Biden celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. He met with representatives of Northern Ireland's political parties, and in a speech at Ulster University he paid tribute to those who … [Read more...] about Presidential Visits to Ireland

Roots: The Gleeson Clan

By Dawn Darby, Editorial Assistant
August / September 2011

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The surnames Gleeson and Gleason developed from the Irish name O Glasain, which originated in East County Cork. The Gaelic prefix “O” means male descendant of, and Glasain derives from “glas,” literally meaning “green” in the sense of inexperience as opposed to the color. There are many variations of the name, including Gleason, Glisane, Glison, Glyssane, O’Gleasane and … [Read more...] about Roots: The Gleeson Clan

Roots: The Mighty Meaghers

By Katie McFadden, Editorial Assistant
June / July 2011

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A Look at the Meaghers and Mahers The Meagher name stems from the medieval Gaelic O’ Meachair, derived from meachar, meaning hospitable or kind, but the kindness of the Meaghers certainly hasn’t taken away from their strength and power. The name, also recorded as O’Meagher, Maher, Meagar, O’Maher, Mahar and Mahir, still holds prominence in Ireland. Over fifty percent of those … [Read more...] about Roots: The Mighty Meaghers

Photo Album

Submitted by Gerald Howard
June / July 2011

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Thomas 'the Zouave' Delaney This hand-colored daguerrotype is of my great-grandfather Thomas Delaney. According  to notes left by my mother, he was “born in Ireland  in 1843 and died in New York City in 1887.” An historical anecdote in this connection is that he went off to the Civil War as an eighteen-year-old private in the Fifth New York Volunteer Infantry (Zouaves), one of … [Read more...] about Photo Album

A Glimpse of Ireland Past

By Sharon Ni Chonchuir, Contributor
April / May 2011

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Sharon Ni Choncuir discovers that 'Romantic Ireland' is still alive. ‘Romantic Ireland is dead and gone.  It’s with O’Leary in the grave.’ This was Yeats’ lament in the Ireland of 1914 and it was often repeated during the Celtic Tiger years. In our frantic quest for materialistic modernity, Ireland and its people were said to have forsaken the traditions of the past. But how … [Read more...] about A Glimpse of Ireland Past