Irish America

Mary Pat Kelly

Honoring the Trailblazing Journalist Mary Maher

Mary Pat Kelly
IA Newsletter December 4, 2021

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1940 - 2021 “Mary Maher of Chicago,” said Maeve Binchy, fellow Irish Times journalist and life-long friend, “had the great advantage of not knowing the sacred cows, and by the time she did know, she had enough courage not to care about them.” This quote is part of an obituary that tells an incredible story. It’s the mid-60s and a young woman with roots in Killenaule, County … [Read more...] about Honoring the Trailblazing Journalist Mary Maher

Irish Women Writers Celebrated in New York

By Mary Pat Kelly
Photos by Nuala Purcell
IA Newsletter December 4, 2021

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I’m not going to tell you too much about, Look! It’s A Woman Writer!: Irish Literary Feminisms 1970 – 2020 edited by Éilís Ní Dhuibhne. Because, as Frank McCourt once said, “You can buy the damn book and read it yourself.” And you should. I read it in one cover-to-cover session, fascinated by these women writers. Each has her own individual characteristics and unique … [Read more...] about Irish Women Writers Celebrated in New York

Pat Hume Remembered

Mary Pat Kelly
IA Newsletter September 18, 2021

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Pat Hume, the widow of the late SDLP leader and Nobel prize winner John Hume died on September 2nd. A former teacher, Pat worked alongside her husband throughout his career – from the civil rights movement in the 1960s to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, and was deeply involved in the Derry community. Her longtime friend, the author Mary Pat Kelly recalls the woman that she … [Read more...] about Pat Hume Remembered

To Live For Ireland

Mary Pat Kelly
IA Newsletter, August 18, 2020

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Mary Pat Kelly writes about her friendship with politician and peacemaker, John Hume “Mr. Hume says Northern Ireland is too complicated to reduce to a Yes/No proposition,” Ted Smyth said to me. Fall 1976. I’m an Associate Producer at Good Morning America and Ted’s the Press Secretary for the Irish Embassy. We didn’t realize how young we were – Ted wasn’t 30; I was 31 and John … [Read more...] about To Live For Ireland