First Word Archives
The First Word: A Whisper of Hope in Northern Ireland
Patricia Harty, Editor-in-Chief. There is an absence of joy so far…
The First Word: When Hope and History Rhyme
Patricia Harty, Editor-in-Chief. History says, don’t hope on this side of…
There is a There There
Patricia Harty, Editor-in-Chief. Twelve years ago we published the very first…
More Articles
An End to Shame?
Thomas Keneally’s latest book The Great Shame should be in every Irish household, and it should be read, all 700 or so pages of it, by anyone with an interest […]
A Living Memorial
“Pray for the dead, but fight like hell for the living.” – Mother Jones This special issue on the Great Hunger is an effort to tell the story of what […]
Trailblazers Past & Present
“We are the music makers. We are the dreamers of dreams….Yet we are the movers and shakers of the world forever it seems.” – Ode by Arthur O’Shaughnessy Arthur O’Shaughnessy […]
The First Word: ‘Tis the Season of Giving
“Ireland wasn’t as wealthy as it is today. But there was always a culture of giving back, and that’s something that was ingrained in me from the time I was […]
The First Word: Profiles in Courage
“The stories of past courage can define that ingredient – they can teach, they can offer hope, they can provide inspiration.” – John F. Kennedy This magazine was created […]
Historic Times in Ireland
Irish America’s publisher Niall O’Dowd wrote the following column on the occasion of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement on April 5, 1998. Every once in a lifetime or […]