Irish America

Irish America

By Joseph McBride August / September 1999

JFK Superstar: The Kennedys of Hollywood

By Joseph McBride

August / September 1999

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The day Kennedy was elected president, my father, Raymond McBride, borrowed my 1928 "Al Smith for President" button and wore it to work at the Milwaukee Journal as a witty reminder of how far Irish Catholics had come in American national life. I was fortunate to have the opportunity of meeting JFK on three occasions in 1960 and 1962 because my mother, Marian, was vice-chairman … [Read more...] about JFK Superstar: The Kennedys of Hollywood

Broadway’s Queening Glory

By Patricia O'Haire

May / June 1998

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All in all, it was a great day for the Irish. That was the consensus of most of the news media gathered at Sardi's restaurant one cold May morning earlier this year to hear the list of this year's Tony nominees announced. In just about every category for a straight play, the name of the Irish entry, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, was read. Six nominations it had, the most of … [Read more...] about Broadway’s Queening Glory

Sláinte! Magic Mushrooms!

By Edythe Preet

June / July 1999

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Of all the world's foods, those musky things known as mushrooms are the strangest. Some can be had free for the taking while others are delicacies that are worth their weight in gold. Of the 4,000 known species, most are inedible, some are tasty morsels, and a few are lethal poisons. Supermarkets stock mushrooms in the produce section, but they're not vegetables. And since they … [Read more...] about Sláinte! Magic Mushrooms!

Celtic Fire

By Tom Dunphy

June / July 1999

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Her trademark blue fiddle makes her stand out on stage, but it is when Eileen Ivers starts to draw her bow across those strings that she gets her biggest response. Her latest album draws from all her musical experiences, from Riverdance to a distinct South African influence. A huge cheer of recognition goes up from the large crowd gathered to hear Eileen Ivers and her band at … [Read more...] about Celtic Fire

The Irish Education of Orson Welles

By Joseph McBride

June / July 1999

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With the recent upsurge of interest in Irish cinema, such Irish-born directors as Jim Sheridan and Neil Jordan have become leading forces in international filmmaking. But the influence of the Irish Diaspora and the rich literary and dramatic culture of Ireland itself have left their mark on many filmmakers not born there. The Irish-American directors John Ford and John Huston … [Read more...] about The Irish Education of Orson Welles