Irish America

Irish America

Irish ancestry

Larry O’Brien: A Perennial NBA Champion  

By Ray Cavanaugh

IA Newsletter, Month Day 2026

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When someone mentions the NBA Finals, you might think of Jordan or Kobe slashing their way to the rim. Or, more recently, the video game-like exploits of three-point assassin Steph Curry. You're less likely to think of a sub-6-foot, visually-impaired, cigarette-smoking Irish-American political operative. And yet these supreme athletes were indeed pouring their sweat and souls … [Read more...] about Larry O’Brien: A Perennial NBA Champion  

Photo Album: Chicken Today, Feathers Tomorrow

By Victoria Stewart

August/September 2010

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Chicken today, feathers tomorrow. That’s how my mother described life with my father, James McQuilan Stewart, a Belfast-born charmer whose love of literature led to my career as an advertising writer. In this 1923 photo, he looks every inch the winner. He arrived in New York in the early 1920s, bringing with him an excellent head for figures, a great sense of humor and the … [Read more...] about Photo Album: Chicken Today, Feathers Tomorrow

Finding Our Roots

By Kara Rota
June / July 2010

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For many Irish Americans traveling to the Emerald Isle, the chance to track down family histories and conduct genealogical research is one of the largest draws. Failte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority, offers information on how best to prepare for genealogical research in Ireland. They recommend first gathering as much information as possible on known … [Read more...] about Finding Our Roots

Finding Your Irish Roots
Is Easier Than Ever Before

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By Megan Smolenyak Now is the time to get all your documents together so that when the time is right to visit Ireland and discover your ancestors you are ready to go. More and more Irish genealogical sites are now online, including parish records, so you can do the research here, and as soon as you land you can head straight for that place from whence your ancestors … [Read more...] about Finding Your Irish Roots
Is Easier Than Ever Before

Joe Biden’s Irish Roots

By Megan Smolenyak, Contributor
IA News April 12, 2023

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It’s well known that President Joe Biden spent his early years in the very Irish city of Scranton, Pennsylvania. But what about his ancestors? Genealogist Megan Smolenyak, who also traced President Obama’s Irish roots, has delved into the President’s family tree and unearthed a few surprises. How can you not love a name like Finnegan Biden? I find it charming when family names … [Read more...] about Joe Biden’s Irish Roots