Irish America

Irish America

February March 2013 Issue

CALLING UP THE ANCESTORS:
Genealogist Megan Smolenyak

By Sheila Langan, Deputy Editor
February / March 2013

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Digital archives, DNA testing and increased interest have made finding ancestors easier than ever before. But tracing one’s roots – especially Irish roots – is still no easy task. Megan Smolenyak^2 is the genealogist behind such important discoveries as President Obama’s Irish roots and the real identity of Annie Moore, the first immigrant to pass through Ellis Island. It’s … [Read more...] about

CALLING UP THE ANCESTORS:
Genealogist Megan Smolenyak

Joe Kennedy – The Hollywood Years

By Tom Deignan, Contributor
February / March 2013

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Movie columnist Tom Deignan examines David Nasaw’s book The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy with an eye to Kennedy’s time in Hollywood.The year was 1926, a year before Charles Lindbergh would make his heralded flight across the Atlantic.  And so, when a 38-year-old Joseph P. Kennedy made his first trip to Hollywood, a train would have to … [Read more...] about Joe Kennedy – The Hollywood Years

What Are You Like? Rachel Allen

By Patricia Harty, Editor-in-Chief
February / March 2013

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Rachel Allen was brought up in Dublin and at eighteen left to study at the prestigious Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork. Today, she not only teaches at the school but writes regular features for national publications, presents highly acclaimed TV programs and writes UK bestselling cookbooks. Currently, her TV show BAKE is shown on The Cooking Channel, and her new … [Read more...] about What Are You Like? Rachel Allen

My Mother the Imposter: A Roots Mystery

By Dermot McEvoy, Contributor
February / March 2013

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A search through Dermot McEvoy’s family history revealed an eye-opening secret. Here’s what he discovered, plus a guide to researching your own Irish ancestors. (This article has been updated since its original publication to reflect the most recent re-location of the General Registry Office.) Mary Josephine Kavanagh was born in Dublin on March 18, 1907. She was my mother, or … [Read more...] about My Mother the Imposter: A Roots Mystery

Roots: Clan Gatherings

By Adam Farley, Editorial Assistant
February / March 2013

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Clans are getting together this year. The following Clan Gatherings are an easy way to experience The Gathering while rooting yourself in a shared clan history. Plus, it’s a great excuse to skip over to Ireland and connect with people around the world who share your name, your mother’s name, or even your mother’s father’s grandmother’s name. To find a comprehensive listing of … [Read more...] about Roots: Clan Gatherings