Irish America
Stephen Downey (1937-2021) Speechwriter and communications consultant Stephen Downey died in early December 2021, aged 84. Married to lauded cabaret singer and musical theater actress KT Sullivan, Downey was a passionate supporter and aficionado of the arts, and served as president of both the Yeats Drama Society and the New York Browning Society. Born in Providence, Rhode … [Read more...] about Those We Lost
The life of Martin J. Tubridy was the inspiration for Harry Chapin’s hit song “Mr. Tanner." Story by Pat Fenton “Mr. Tanner was a cleaner from a town in the Midwest. And of all the cleaning shops around he'd made his the best. But he also was a baritone who sang while hanging clothes. He practiced scales while pressing tails and sang at local shows.” It’s been a … [Read more...] about The Real Mr. Tanner
It was January 22 of 2019 and I was standing in this large room at the Time Warner Center in Manhattan. The room overlooked Columbus Circle. There was a cocktail party going on and as I looked around at the guests coming in I could see all these faces that I usually only see on television, or in their words as by-lines on the pages of New York’s newspapers. Some of them … [Read more...] about Lost Footage of the Deadline Artists: Jimmy Breslin and Pete Hamill
Pat Fenton takes us back to an earlier time of celebrating St. Patrick's Day on 17th Street in Prospect Park, Brooklyn when the Irish bars overflowed with families, friends, food, and music. It is a time Pat remembers fondly as he not only celebrated St. Patrick's Day but also his birthday. When the long, cold winter ended, and the hint of spring came in with another Saint … [Read more...] about A 17th Street St. Patrick’s Day
A Proclamation on Irish-American Heritage Month, 2021
On Monday March 1, 2021 President Joe Biden proclaimed March as Irish American Heritage Month to honor the achievements and contributions of Irish immigrants and their descendants living in the United States. Irish American Heritage Month was first celebrated by a proclamation in 1991 by President George H.W. … [Read more...] about Irish American
Heritage Month 2021
