Irish America

Irish America

Those we Lost

Remembering Master Teacher
Thomas J. Quinlan

IA Newsletter January 20, 2024

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Thomas J. Quinlan, 98, passed away Monday, January 15, 2024. He was a master teacher in a career that spanned eight decades. He was the beloved husband of the late Virginia (Clark) Quinlan.  Born January 28, 1925, in Philadelphia, he was a son of the late John and Edna (Brownell) Quinlan and a proud grandson of Bartholomew and Cecilia (Cox) Quinlan, both of whom were born in … [Read more...] about Remembering Master Teacher
Thomas J. Quinlan

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”

Those We Lost: From a Legend in Philanthropy to a Legend of Music

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Charles "Chuck" Feeney 1931-2023Billionaire philanthropist and member of the Irish America Hall of Fame Chuck Feeney died in October, aged 92.  A wildly successful entrepreneur, Feeney’s work ethic was equaled only by his goodwill. Combining the two, he founded and funded philanthropic organizations to distribute nearly all the fruits of his labors during his lifetime to causes … [Read more...] about Those We Lost: From a Legend in Philanthropy to a Legend of Music

Those we Lost: A Mighty Voice for Justice is Stilled

By Niall O'Dowd, Co-founder
Spring 2023

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Niall O’Dowd writes on the passing of Rita O’Hare.Rita O’Hare, one of the most prominent and beloved members of Sinn Féin, has passed and a mighty voice is stilled. Operating from Dublin, she oversaw Friends of Sinn Féin USA for over two decades and many years previously also served time for IRA activity. Though diminutive in stature, O’Hare will always walk tall in the … [Read more...] about Those we Lost: A Mighty Voice for Justice is Stilled

Those We Lost

By Mary Gallagher
Spring 2023

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Brian Donnelly (1946-2023) Former congressman and champion of Irish immigration reform Brian Donnelly died in February, aged 76. Over his 24-year career in public service, Donnelly was most widely recognized for his sponsorship of what was aptly called “Donnelly visas” which enabled over 25,000 Irish immigrants to make a fresh start in the U.S. A Massachusetts native with roots … [Read more...] about Those We Lost