News from Ireland

Ireland has experienced heavier than usual winter storms with high winds and massive flooding particularly in the Shannon River basin. The extreme weather also had a devastating effect on Ireland’s coastal fishermen with the entire fleet kept in port for weeks on end as storms raged offshore. Meanwhile, in west Cork on February 10, two tourists were swept to their deaths by … [Read more...] about Ireland Wracked by Storms

This year marks the beginning of a three-year full archeological study of the 1798 Battle of Vinegar Hill site in County Wexford. The Rebellion battle, in which over 1,000 rebels were killed, was not a comprehensive defeat for the Irish, but significantly changed the momentum of the 1798 Rebellion. “At the end of this study we hope to have a more complete picture of what … [Read more...] about Vinegar Hill Archeological Study

Loretta Brennan Glucksman is the new Chairman of the Board for the University of Limerick Foundation. Formerly the chairman of the American Ireland Funds, the Allentown, Pennsylvania-born philanthropist and her late husband, Lewis Glucksman, have made major contributions to the university over the past 20 years, funding key projects such as the Frank McCourt Chair in Creative … [Read more...] about New Chair for University of Limerick Foundation

The Central Bank of Ireland issued a 10-euro coin, their first new collection coin for 2014, to celebrate the life of Irish tenor John McCormack (1884-1945), who reached worldwide fame for his repertoire of both operatic and popular songs. Eight thousand coins retailing at 44 euro were minted. Born in Athlone as the fourth child in the McCormack household, John won the coveted … [Read more...] about Coin for McCormack

Relatives of 11 people killed in Belfast by the British Army in 1971 met with Taoiseach Enda Kenny in January to ask him to lobby the British Government to set up an independent panel inquiry into the deaths of their family members. It was an emotional moment for the families when the Taoiseach gave them his support. A family member interviewed on RTÉ said, “It was the first … [Read more...] about Ballymurphy Inquiry Moves Forward