As we mark the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination Michael Quinlin reflects on Kennedy’s vision, his desire for a united Ireland, his love of poetry, and what his presidency meant to Irish Boston. President Kennedy’s thousand days in office marked an epoch in the Boston Irish story. One man stepping forth from a marginalized community that had struggled … [Read more...] about A Thousand Days of Grace
A Thousand Days of Grace
By Michael Quinlin, Contributor
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When It Comes to Health, Kathleen Cares
Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius (née Gilligan) on the future of American health care, her father’s influence, her Irish heritage, and other topics. "I’m a descendant of Irish immigrants. My great-grandmother worked as a maid in the home of William Howard Taft, before he became president. Decades later, the grandson of the president and my father, the … [Read more...] about When It Comes to Health, Kathleen Cares
Did President Kennedy Have Celiac Disease?
By Dr. Peter Green, Contributor
Dr. Peter Green, Professor of Clinical Medicine, Director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, suspects that JFK was the victim of an undiagnosed disease common to the Irish. John F. Kennedy’s long-standing medical problems started in childhood. In Kennedy’s adolescence, gastrointestinal symptoms, weight and growth problems as … [Read more...] about Did President Kennedy Have Celiac Disease?
The American Cousin: Memories of JFK’s Trip to Ireland
In June 1963, President John F. Kennedy made a series of state visits throughout Europe. To Germany, where he made his famous Ich bin ein Berliner speech; to Italy; to England; and to Ireland, the country his great-grandfather Patrick Kennedy had left in 1848. Dave Powers, assistant and close friend to the president, described JFK’s four days in Ireland as “the happiest of his … [Read more...] about The American Cousin: Memories of JFK’s Trip to Ireland
Joe Biden’s Irish Roots
By Megan Smolenyak, Contributor
IA News April 12, 2023
IA News April 12, 2023
It’s well known that President Joe Biden spent his early years in the very Irish city of Scranton, Pennsylvania. But what about his ancestors? Genealogist Megan Smolenyak, who also traced President Obama’s Irish roots, has delved into the President’s family tree and unearthed a few surprises. How can you not love a name like Finnegan Biden? I find it charming when family names … [Read more...] about Joe Biden’s Irish Roots