In the vast collection of traditional Irish music, there exists a tune called the Ballinasloe Fair which celebrates what was in its heyday one of the most famous horse fairs in Western Europe and which is still regarded as the biggest and most popular fair in modern Ireland. The week-long fair opens on October 3 each year and follows an old recognized pattern of Irish country … [Read more...] about The Fair of Ballinasloe
September 1992
Hibernia
The Irishman That Designed the White House If Irish visitors strolling along Washington, D.C.'s Pennsylvania Avenue sometimes imagine that there is a familiar look about the White House, small wonder. It was modeled on Leinster House in Dublin by the Irish-born architect, James Hoban. When it was decided that a special official residence for the President of the United States … [Read more...] about Hibernia
Taking It To The Top: An Interview with An Taoiseach Albert Reynolds
In November 1991, shortly after making an abortive effort to replace Charles Haughey as head of Fianna Fail, the chances of Albert Reynolds ever becoming Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland looked bleak indeed. From being Minister for Finance, arguably the most important position in the cabinet, he had been dispatched by Haughey to the backbenches where he seemed likely to … [Read more...] about Taking It To The Top: An Interview with An Taoiseach Albert Reynolds
First Word: Votes for Immigrants
With all the emphasis on registering voters in this election year isn't it time to look at the validity of granting voting rights to the hundreds of thousands of Permanent Residents living in the United States? One could argue that regardless of legal status, one should be allowed to vote if one can prove long-term residency or prove that one has paid one's taxes. The … [Read more...] about First Word: Votes for Immigrants




