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Irish America

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Surfer Garrett McNamara Rides 100 Ft. Wave to Break Own World Record

By Michelle Meagher, Editorial Assistant
January 30, 2013

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For nearly 10 years, extreme surfer Garrett McNamara has been on the hunt for the world’s biggest waves. Born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts in 1967, McNamara was leagues away from the sea. But after he relocated to Hawaii with his family in 1978, the sea became a driving force in McNamara's life.  As a teenager, he entered and placed in the renowned Hawaiian Triple Crown … [Read more...] about Surfer Garrett McNamara Rides 100 Ft. Wave to Break Own World Record

Brian Kelly Is Coach of the Year

February / March 2013

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Coach Kelly, who led Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish through a perfect season (up until the BCS championship game), was named the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) on December 13. Kelly is the fourth Fighting Irish coach to win the award, following in the footsteps of Ara Parseghian (1964), Lou Holtz (1988) and Charlie Weis … [Read more...] about Brian Kelly Is Coach of the Year

Irish All-Star Athletes Take New York

December / January 2013

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The Gaelic Players Association “GPA,” the umbrella group for 2,500 Irish football and hurling athletes, held their first annual dinner in New York on November 15. It was a smashing success, with over 400 prominent Irish-Americans attending as well as the two All-Star teams from Ireland, the Minister of Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan, and GAA president Liam … [Read more...] about Irish All-Star Athletes Take New York

The Irish Giants

By Jerrold Casway, Contributor
December / January 2013

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The Hibernian legacy of the Giants baseball team. To appreciate the legacy of the San Francisco Giants we have to return to their New York beginnings and the ballplayers who made it all possible. The story begins in 1880 when a prosperous tobacco merchant, John B. Day, began to look at baseball as a good investment. With the support of his Tammany Hall associates, John B. and … [Read more...] about The Irish Giants

The Emerald Isle Classic: An Irish and Irish-American Dream

By Niall O'Dowd, Publisher
October / November 2012

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Irish America's publisher, Niall O'Dowd, wrote from the Notre Dame vs. Navy football game in Dublin. In years to come, hardcore Notre Dame fans will ask “Were you there?” when this Dublin game against Navy is discussed. I predict it will be right up there with many of the great moments of this storied college. What a day to be both Irish and American. If you were not proud of … [Read more...] about The Emerald Isle Classic: An Irish and Irish-American Dream