Railroad with Irish Roots Turns 150
The 150th anniversary of connecting the First Transcontinental Railroad was commemorated in a two-day celebration in a remote spot in the Utah desert called Promontory Point, where the final spikes connecting the track’s east and west branches were hammered into place on May 10, 1869. The railroad was six years in the making, with the physical labor conducted largely by Irish and Chinese...
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Irish Film Institute Unveils Century-Old Footage
The Irish Film Institute (IFI) was at the Consulate General of Ireland in New York in April to launch its Irish Independence Film Collection, a culturally significant compilation of newsreel material from the early 20th century. With over 150 films in total, the footage, which features Michael Collins, Éamon de Valera, and Queen Victoria to name a few, gives fascinating glimpses into life in...
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Irish American Partnership Grants $10,000 in Honor
of Michael Dowling
The Irish American Partnership announced a special grant of $10,000 to Ahalin National School in County Limerick during its annual New York Business Leaders Breakfast on April 10, 2019, in honor of Limerick native Michael J. Dowling, who is president and CEO of Northwell Health, the largest integrated health care system in New York State. Tommy Dwyer of Clune Construction and Michael Clune,...
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The Ireland Funds Gala
The Ireland Funds 44th annual New York Gala raised over $2.3 million for Irish charities and causes. Actress Saoirse Ronan, Verizon’s Ronan Dunne, and Bridgewater Associates’ Eileen K. Murray were honored at the 2019 gala, which was held at Chelsea Pier New York on May 2. “Tonight’s gala is such a testament to the unwavering bonds between New York and Ireland,” said John Fitzpatrick,...
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Makem & Clancy Together Again
On Tuesday April 16, 2019, Dónal Clancy and Rory Makem performed in a special concert at the Tommy Makem Arts and Community Centre (TMAC) in Keady, County Armagh. The center is just a stone’s throw from the Makem homestead where their fathers, Liam Clancy and Tommy Makem, met for the very first time 64 years ago. Tommy died in 2007 and Liam in 2009, but they live on in the music they created...
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