Irish America

Irish America

Interviews

Trad Music is a Family Affair

By Ian Warpole, Contributor
June / July 2008

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A couple of years ago I went along to my regular Sunday session in Rhinecliff, New York to hear The McCarthy Brothers, and I have never been quite the same since. The three brothers and a few friends tore through reels, jigs and songs with a virtuosity and joy I’ve yet to hear again, except when I have the luck to catch them playing in New York City. I got to know the … [Read more...] about Trad Music is a Family Affair

Irish American of the Year: Thomas Moran

By Patricia Harty, Editor-in-Chief April / May 2008

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The name Moran is a derivative of the Irish word mór meaning big. Tom Moran, our somewhat reluctant Irish American of the Year (I suspect he agreed to accept the honor in the hopes that it would draw attention to Concern Worldwide), is big by name and big by nature. He looks like a linebacker – the kind of guy you would want in your first line of defense. And for many people, … [Read more...] about Irish American of the Year: Thomas Moran

The Chieftain of Endurance

By ian Worpole, Contributor
April / May 2008

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With St. Patrick’s season came the mighty Chieftains and their annual tour of the U.S., which began in Albuquerque in February and ended up at Carnegie Hall on March 17.  What to say about these titans? This year’s set of gigs, titled “Celtic-Scottish Connections,” marked 34 years of touring in this country alone; they have recorded 44 albums, many in collaboration with the … [Read more...] about The Chieftain of Endurance

The Reluctant Star: Ciaran Hinds

By Patricia Harty, Editor-in-Chief
February / March 2008

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Ciarán Hinds is lovely.  Now, perhaps I shouldn’t admit that because part of Hinds’ attraction is that  he remains somewhat of an unknown. In fact, one fan found it so hard to find information on Hinds that she started a website www.Ciaranitis.com, for those “smitten with Ciarán Hinds.” Hinds has appeared in a wealth of movies and plays over the years, yet he remains on the … [Read more...] about The Reluctant Star: Ciaran Hinds

She Writes What She Knows: Alice McDermott

By Chuck Leddy
February / March 2008

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More than any other writer over the past quarter century, Alice McDermott has chronicled the joys and tragedies of Irish-American families.  Alice McDermott’s novels explore love, loss, faith and family in the world of Irish Catholics living in post-World War II suburban Long Island, New York, where the author grew up. Charming Billy tells the story of Billy Lynch, his lost … [Read more...] about She Writes What She Knows: Alice McDermott