Irish America

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Music Archives

Shane MacGowan: “We’ll Never See His Like Again”

By Stephan Talty
IA Newsletter, December 2, 2023

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Thirty-one years ago, I walked up to an apartment in north London to meet one of my heroes, Shane MacGowan. He was asleep when I got there and drunk when he woke up, funny, shy, and acerbic. He cut off one of my questions to tell an unprintable story about the Jam’s lead singer, Paul Weller, leant his sister fifty quid, which he pulled out of a pocket amidst a large clump of … [Read more...] about Shane MacGowan: “We’ll Never See His Like Again”

Island Man

By Marilyn Cole Lownes
February/March 1999

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Q. What do Bob Marley and U2 have in Common?A. Chris Blackwell The founder of Island Records talks to Marilyn Cole Lownes about his Irish Jamaican heritage, U2, and his life in the music business. It's no coincidence that the man who made Jamaican singer Bob Marley a cultural icon also made U2, the rock band from Dublin, an international phenomenon. Chris Blackwell, the founder … [Read more...] about Island Man

Cherish the Ladies: A Celtic Christmas

IA Newsletter, November 18, 2023

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Saturday, December 2nd Kupferberg Center for the ArtsKupferberg Center for the Arts proudly presents Cherish the Ladies: A Celtic Christmas, a heartwarming celebration of Irish culture and holiday joy on Saturday, December 2, 2023. The evening promises to enchant audiences with the captivating sounds and spirited dance of this Grammy-nominated, Irish-American supergroup. One of … [Read more...] about Cherish the Ladies: A Celtic Christmas

How Name Changing Hid a Heritage

By Megan Smolenyak

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Barry Manilow. Yes, I know, most think of him as a Jewish fellow from Brooklyn – and he is. But he’s also a quarter Irish, and due to certain circumstances in his family, that Irish share has had a disproportionate influence on his family tree. - Megan SmolenyakName ChangingThough he wouldn’t have known it, when Barry changed surnames, he was the third generation of Pincus … [Read more...] about How Name Changing Hid a Heritage

The Job of Songs

IA Newsletter, November 11, 2023

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Tourists flock to the west coast of Ireland to take in the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher, but the real treasure lies in the soulful, acoustic sounds wafting out of pubs and living rooms of Doolin, County Clare. The denizens of this unspoiled coastal village of tight-knit neighbors and unlocked doors revel in the passion and history of their traditional folk songs, using music as … [Read more...] about The Job of Songs