In Virginia's Shenandoah Valley there is a gravestone that reads:
Here lies the remains of John Lewis, who slew the Irish lord, settled in Augusta County, located the town of Staunton and furnished five sons to fight the battles of the American Revolution.
Those words are an apt summary of the Irish role in the Revolution. They responded en masse to the call for resistance to … [Read more...] about Yankee Doodle with a Brogue:
The Irish in the American Revolution
July August 1998 Issue
Yankee Doodle with a Brogue:
Broadway’s Queening Glory
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
July / August 1998
Roots: The Kavanaghs
Unlike most of the families covered in this column, the origin of the Kavanaghs or Cavanaghs can be traced back to one specific person. This was Donal, the son of Dermot McMorrough, a twelfth-century king of Leinster. This Dermot has an infamous place in Irish history since it was through his invitation that the Normans first came to Ireland, in 1169 AD. Dermot's son, Donal, … [Read more...] about Roots: The Kavanaghs
Wild About Oscar
It's safe to say that Oscar Wilde would have loved the attention. After all, this is the man who once memorably wrote: "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." The current surge in popularity of all things Wildean -- be it books, movies or stage plays -- is two years ahead of the centenary of his death, but then … [Read more...] about Wild About Oscar