Irish America
How a veteran of WWII spent his post-war life helping other vets. Harry Donovan and two other sailors labored in darkness, setting smoke pots on the water to prepare for an island invasion the next morning. In daylight, billowing smoke would surround Allied ships and prevent Japanese pilots from locating and bombing them. Their task completed, the men headed back to … [Read more...] about Harry Donovan: The Grateful Veteran
Protests over closure of Ireland's Great Hunger Museum As the United States begins to return to a post-pandemic normality, the “end-emic” may not see the re-opening of one beloved institution for the Irish American community. Protests have been held over the closing of Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. The museum, which displays … [Read more...] about Irish Pride Stands Astride the Atlantic
Last year, the U.S.S. Mason arrived in Derry, honoring the crew of the ship’s World War II namesake, which made port in Northern Ireland in 1944. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder, squared up in their dress blues, shoes and buttons shining, the officers and crew of the U.S.S. Mason (DDG-87), 250 strong, faced the Celtic Cross Memorial in front of Beech Hill House Hotel, … [Read more...] about U.S.S. Mason Makes Historic Trip to Northern Ireland
August 12th 2014 marked the 100th anniversary of the death of John Philip Holland, a Clare man recognized as “the father of the modern submarine.” Much of Holland’s pioneering work on submarines was done after he emigrated to the United States in 1873. Despite many challenging times and rough currents, Holland persevered for decades to refine and perfect his vision of a … [Read more...] about The Irishman Who Invented the Submarine
The history of the Moran tugboat family, once known as the "Irish Navy" in the Port of New York, is explored by Marian Betancourt. ℘℘℘ To say the Irish had a lot to do with making New York a great maritime port is no blarney! Not only did they do most of the towing, they dug the Erie Canal, which made New York harbor the gateway to the west. In fact, it was because relatives … [Read more...] about Tug O’ The Heart
