Irish America

Marian Betancourt

John Wolfe Ambrose Monument is Restored

By Dave Lewis, Assistant Editor
September / October 2018

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Nearly 30 years after the bust of John Wolfe Ambrose, the Irishman who helped New York become one of the greatest sea ports in the world, was stolen from his memorial, a new bust was unveiled and rededicated on May 15, the anniversary of Ambrose’s death in 1899. The event, which was attended by Ambrose’s relatives from Ireland and the U.S., local dignitaries including Parks … [Read more...] about John Wolfe Ambrose Monument is Restored

Malcolm O’Hagan, Founder of the American Writers Museum

By Marian Betancourt, Contributor
February / March 2012

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“It has to be spectacular or not at all,” said Malcolm O’Hagan, about the American Writers Museum he is founding to “help people understand the power of the word, how much it influences our culture and identity as a nation.” Born the day before St. Patrick’s Day in Co. Sligo, 71 years ago, O’Hagan, who holds a doctorate in engineering, admits that it wasn’t until he moved to … [Read more...] about Malcolm O’Hagan, Founder of the American Writers Museum

Corner of Ireland in America

By Marian Betancourt, Contributor
February / March 2011

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The Irish Mansion in Greeneville, Tennessee. William Dickson left County Antrim, Ireland at the age of 16 for a better life in Greeneville, Tennessee. He succeeded. By 1796, when he was 21, he was commissioned by President George Washington to be the town’s first postmaster, a lifetime appointment. He also amassed a considerable fortune as a merchant. This mountainous region … [Read more...] about Corner of Ireland in America

The Moran Clan Reunites in Brooklyn

By Marian Betancourt, ContributorDecember / January 2010

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They came from as far as Luxembourg and as near as a few blocks for a reunion and bus tour of the Brooklyn neighborhoods where their ancestors had lived, beginning with 107 Pioneer Street (now Warren Street) in Red Hook where Michael Moran (1834-1906) lived when he founded Moran Towing in New York harbor more than 150 years ago. Everyone received a lapel sticker with the family … [Read more...] about The Moran Clan Reunites in Brooklyn

McAllister Tug Boats

By Marian Betancourt, Contributor
June / July 2009

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When Brian McAllister was coming of age in the 1950s all he cared about was playing basketball and chasing girls. However, over the years, he became the heart and soul of the business his Irish ancestors built and he fought hard to keep it from sinking out of the hands of future generations. Today McAllister Towing and Transportation Co., Inc. is one of the nation’s largest … [Read more...] about McAllister Tug Boats