Thomas Keneally's latest book The Great Shame should be in every Irish household, and it should be read, all 700 or so pages of it, by anyone with an interest in the history of Ireland. It is a great book, wonderfully written by the Irish Australian author of Schindler's List. Beginning with the tale of Hugh Larkin, a twenty-four-year old rebel transported for life in 1833, … [Read more...] about An End to Shame?
1999
Roots: Phelan, Whelan, and Fallon
By James G. Ryan
April / May 1999
The origin of the names Phelan and Whelan is an excellent example of the vagaries of Anglicization of Irish names. Both of these names are derived from the same Gaelic name O'Fáolain. Although Whelan is more common, Phelan is common in areas of Kilkenny and Waterford. The O'Faoláins were Princes of the Decies, a kingdom in the area of the current County Waterford. The Fallons … [Read more...] about Roots: Phelan, Whelan, and Fallon
Sláinte! The Sweet Sting of Spring
By Edythe Preet
April / May 1999
Some foods simply beg to be eaten. Take peaches, for instance. The scent of a ripe peach is pure ambrosia. The pungent smell of tomatoes ripened on the vine and warm from the sun is irresistible. Chocolate's rich bouquet is almost sexy. And the aroma of a Sunday roast sparks appetites the whole time it's cooking. Certain other foods don't have a real come-hitherness about … [Read more...] about Sláinte! The Sweet Sting of Spring
God Said, “Ha!”
By Joseph McBride
April / May 1999
First, a confession. I once urged Julia Sweeney not to become an actress. Luckily, Julia disregarded that advice and went on to become, as she calls herself, "a woman of many media." Most people know her best from her four years on TV's Saturday Night Live, where she created the endearingly goofy, mysteriously androgynous Pat, or from the 1994 movie version, It's Pat, which she … [Read more...] about God Said, “Ha!”
Ed Sullivan The Talking Head
"It's gonna be a really big shoo..." He had his own unique way of pronouncing the word, but every Sunday at 8 p.m., over 30 million Americans turned their TV dials to The Ed Sullivan Show and watched him become part of history. From 1948 to 1971, Sullivan hand-picked the greatest names — known and unknown alike — in music, comedy, stage and screen to perform live. Showcasing … [Read more...] about Ed Sullivan The Talking Head