Peter Quinn wanted to do something simple. It was 1994 and Quinn had just published Banished Children of Eve, his epic novel of New York City and the Irish famine. Up until then, there had been a monumental gap in American literature. The Irish had been in New York City going back to the days when Peter Minuit, as legend has it, hoodwinked the local Algonquins and snatched up … [Read more...] about Probing the Past
Peter Quinn
Roots: The Quinn Clan – Descendants of Conn
The surname Quinn is derived from the Irish word O'Cuinn meaning "descending from Conn." Conn comes from the Irish word ceann, meaning "head," and denotes a person of high intelligence. Since Conn was a common name, there are five separate septs of this family. They came from different parts of counties Tyrone, Longford, Clare, and Antrim. Niall O'Cuinn was one of those killed … [Read more...] about Roots: The Quinn Clan – Descendants of Conn
Book Reviews
A sampling of the latest Irish books on offer. RECOMMENDED Telling an as-yet-untold story about the heroic FDNY mission of September 11, Terry Golway writes: "Lieutenant Bob Bohack faced the dilemma of his career. He had his orders: He was to help extinguish the fire on the 79th floor. But those orders were given before he heard rumors of missiles, of more airplanes heading … [Read more...] about Book Reviews
Remembrance
The potato blight arrived in Ireland in the late summer of 1845.Pest, parasite, fungus, invisible and invincible,it stuck across Europe, the same sudden, unstoppable invasion everywhere.Infection, corruption, devastation.But Ireland was a special case.Ireland was a place where for millions of people, the potato was neither staple nor supplement, but sustenance: Life.Amid the … [Read more...] about Remembrance
The Perils of Pat
Peter Quinn writes about his immigrant grandfather.℘℘℘The man on the horse is my paternal grandfather, Patrick Francis Quinn. The date is September 5, 1904. Pat is about to take his place as grand marshal of the New York City Labor Day Parade. The horse was rented for the occasion. I have the sash he is wearing in the photograph, a piece of faded blue silk embroidered with gold … [Read more...] about The Perils of Pat