Showbiz legend Mickey Rooney took to the Irish Repertory stage in New York in August regaling sold-out audiences with music, tales, and movie clips from his life. He performed with his wife, Jan, in Let's Put on a Show! At 83, Rooney is an 80-year veteran of show business, having started as a child performer. He was born Joe Yule, Jr., in Brooklyn in 1923, to vaudeville … [Read more...] about Let’s Put on a Show!
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Donnelly Wins Carnegie Medal
Acclaimed author Jennifer Donnelly won the prestigious U.K. literary prize, the Carnegie Medal, for her first young adult novel A Northern Light. "I almost fell out of my chair when my publisher told me," she recently told Irish America. The delighted writer was the only American nominated for the medal and only the second American ever to win the prize. Donnelly, whose … [Read more...] about Donnelly Wins Carnegie Medal
Philly’s Rose
Sinead deRoiste was the first African-American Rose to compete in the Rose of Tralee competition in Ireland on August 24. A daughter of an Irish father and African-American mother, she proudly represented Philadelphia in the contest. Sinead is a niece of Adi Roche, the Irish founder of the Chernobyl Children Project. ♦ … [Read more...] about Philly’s Rose
Firefighters Ride
The FDNY Cross Country Bike Tour is a ride across America by N.Y.C. firefighters cycling for the Widows' & Childrens' Fund. The 42-day event began in Los Angeles, California, on September 14, 2004 and concludes in N.Y.C. on October 25. The team will be accommodated by fire departments along the 3,336-mile route. Among the 36 riders that will brave the road in memory of … [Read more...] about Firefighters Ride
An American Night in Dublin
The Ireland-U.S. Council, an American-based organization that promotes economic growth in Ireland, held its annual "Irish" dinner in Dublin on June 25. Billed as "An American night in Dublin," the dinner was hosted by Council President Michael J. Gibbons, executive vice president and general manager of the Fashion Group of Estée Lauder companies. The celebrated Irish-American … [Read more...] about An American Night in Dublin