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The West Wing

Martin Sheen’s Enduring Spirit

By Irish America Staff
December / January 2001

December 1, 2000 by Leave a Comment

Actor Martin Sheen was awarded Amnesty International's Enduring Spirit Award for his tireless dedication to social justice. Of Irish and El Salvadorian heritage, he has been an activist for the rights of South and central Americans, protested political repression in Central America, and promoted more liberal political asylum policies in the U.S. The West Wing star has also … [Read more...] about Martin Sheen’s Enduring Spirit

The Acting President

By Tom Dunphy, Contributor
October / November 2000

October 1, 2000 by Leave a Comment

Martin Sheen, the star of The West Wing, is a complicated, ebullient tangle of philosophy, Catholicism, politics, altruism, and homespun wisdom. It's a disconcerting sight: The leader of the free world is, uh, combing his eyelashes with a small mascara applicator... Okay, so it's the make-believe leader of the free world. And it's not such a far-fetched notion that … [Read more...] about The Acting President

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October 25, 1818

On this day in 1818, Irish Opera singer Catherine Hayes was born in Limerick. Hayes had a house cleaning position at Lord Limerick’s house. There Dr. Knox, Bishop of Limerick for the Church of Ireland, overheard her singing. He launched her career and arranged her education. She went on to study in Paris and Milan for five years. Hayes made her debut at the Italian Opera in Marseilles in May of 1845. She became one of the most sought after opera singers in Europe. She returned to Ireland during the Great Famine and gave a performance of Bellini’s “La sonnambula” in Limerick at the Theater Royal. Catherine Hayes also gained much success after touring America. She was the great great aunt to Irish American actress and singer Helen Hayes.

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