Thomas Keneally's latest book The Great Shame should be in every Irish household, and it should be read, all 700 or so pages of it, by anyone with an interest in the history of Ireland. It is a great book, wonderfully written by the Irish Australian author of Schindler's List. Beginning with the tale of Hugh Larkin, a twenty-four-year old rebel transported for life in 1833, … [Read more...] about An End to Shame?
Patricia Harty
What Are You Like? Kevin James Doyle
By Patricia Harty
Kevin James Doyle is an actor, stand-up comedian, and writer of the off-broadway show How To Be a New Yorker which ran for 415 performances. His first comedy special, The 30 Year Old Virgin (which won rave reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is out on Amazon, and he has three comedy specials coming out next year that will air on a bunch of platforms including Amazon … [Read more...] about What Are You Like? Kevin James Doyle
Trailblazers Past & Present
By Patricia Harty
"We are the music makers. We are the dreamers of dreams....Yet we are the movers and shakers of the world forever it seems.” – Ode by Arthur O’Shaughnessy Arthur O’Shaughnessy is known for originating the line “movers and shakers,” and this issue of Irish America is full of both. There is something for everyone. Our genealogical detective Megan Smolenyak tracks … [Read more...] about Trailblazers Past & Present
The First Word: ‘Tis the Season of Giving
By Patricia Harty
"Ireland wasn't as wealthy as it is today. But there was always a culture of giving back, and that’s something that was ingrained in me from the time I was a kid.” - Ronan Ryan Happy Christmas to all our readers receiving this issue in the mail, it should be arriving in your mailboxes just in time. And congratulations to all our Wall Street 50 honorees who we will be … [Read more...] about The First Word: ‘Tis the Season of Giving
The First Word: Profiles in Courage
“The stories of past courage can define that ingredient – they can teach, they can offer hope, they can provide inspiration." – John F. Kennedy This magazine was created to bring you the stories of our people. As is often the case, the best stories are those in which individuals triumph over circumstance. The Good Friday Agreement, a major development in the … [Read more...] about The First Word: Profiles in Courage