Former U.S. Senator George Mitchell has earned a hallowed place in the annals of Irish and Irish-American history for the crucial role he played in chairing the All Party talks in Northern Ireland that culminated in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.℘℘℘On chairing the All Party talks: It's a labor of love and I mean it. I believe this is a moment of historic opportunity that could … [Read more...] about George MitchellThe Peace Maker
2000
George Mitchell
Maureen O’Hara
Hollywood Colleen
Throughout her film career, Maureen O'Hara captured the essence of the Irish colleen in all its contradictions. In The Quiet Man, as Mary Kate, she went toe-to-toe with John Wayne's Jack Thornton, in one of the most rugged screen courtships in the history of film.℘℘℘There were a lot of Irish actors in Hollywood at that time, weren't there?Yes, Barry Fitzgerald, Arthur Shields, … [Read more...] about Maureen O’HaraHollywood Colleen
Confessions of a
Bronx Irish Catholic
Over the years, I've spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about what it means to be Irish. Occasionally, my public writings and ruminations on the subject have led to me being described (and dismissed) as a "professional Irishman." If only it were true! Unfortunately, I'm still a semi-pro, forced to make a living at activities unrelated to my ethnic investigations.A … [Read more...] about Confessions of a
Bronx Irish Catholic
The Irish as Playful Souls
The old St. Patrick's Day quip about there being two kinds of people – those who are Irish and those who wish they were – turns out to be not so far from wrong.The research my colleague Michael Hout has carried out shows that there are a lot more Americans claiming to be Irish than one might expect from immigration records, because the children of ethnically mixed marriages … [Read more...] about The Irish as Playful Souls
Eoin McKiernan
The Educator
Dr. Eoin McKiernan, founder of the Irish American Cultural Institute, is widely acknowledged as one of the foremost authorities in the U.S. on Irish affairs. His resume includes author, lecturer, scriptwriter, TV presenter, columnist, and consultant. From 1987 until earlier this year, he penned the "Last Word" column for Irish America.℘℘℘We [the IACI] think that if there is … [Read more...] about Eoin McKiernanThe Educator