Recent passings in the Irish and Irish American communities. ℘℘℘ Eileen Battersby (1958 – 2018) Former literary critic and correspondent for the Irish Times Eileen Battersby died in late December 2018 in a car accident in County Meath, aged 60. Known for her incisive reviews of a wide range of literature and her enthusiasm for all subjects, Battersby was recognized four … [Read more...] about Those We Lost
Maggie Holland
Cheerleader-in-Chief
Eileen McDonnell, the Chairman & CEO of Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, discusses her Irish heritage, breaking the glass ceiling, and the way forward. When parents tell their children that they can do anything, it’s all too often taken with too many grains of salt. But Eileen McDonnell believed her parents. She had no reason not to. And it served her well. When she was … [Read more...] about Cheerleader-in-Chief
Brexit Uncertainty Makes Ireland More Attractive
Bank of America Merrill Lynch has relocated its main EU banking arm from London to Dublin, months ahead of the earliest possible date of the UK’s exit from the EU. They are one of the first banks to take such steps to deal with the uncertainty looming over Brexit. The bank merged the London location, which oversees €50 billion in assets, with its Irish subsidiary, bringing the … [Read more...] about Brexit Uncertainty Makes Ireland More Attractive
Irish Favor Birthright Citizenship
As other western countries are endorsing populist agendas on tightening immigration policy, Ireland is voicing its opposition to such restrictions, overwhelmingly in favor of reinstating birthright citizenship. A Sunday Times poll found that 71 percent favored birthright citizenship, while 19 percent were opposed and 10 percent undecided. Three days later, a proposal on the … [Read more...] about Irish Favor Birthright Citizenship
Michael D. Higgins Re-Elected
Irish President Michael D. Higgins has been re-elected for a second term after receiving 56 percent of the country’s vote on October 26. He was first elected in 2011 and will now serve another seven years. The inauguration took place Sunday, November 11, at Dublin Castle. This year, the inauguration coincided with the centenary of the end of World War I, and the President … [Read more...] about Michael D. Higgins Re-Elected