He grew up in Queens, went to high school in Ireland, spent a year in the Gaeltacht, two years in China, and just bought an apartment back in New York. And here is an incomplete list of things he has done stand-up sets or made RTÉ documentaries about: living on minimum wage, alcoholism, his father’s lung cancer, low-income housing, the state of the Irish language, the … [Read more...] about Des Bishop Is Seriously Funny
Entertainment
An Ancestral Tour of Stephen Colbert’s Family
It was a damp morning in late February 2008 when the phone rang. Harvard scholar and PBS host Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Jr. was calling with one of his random genealogical requests. He was going to be on The Colbert Report later that day. Did I, by any chance, know anything about Stephen Colbert’s roots? Luckily for him, I had two hundred years of family history at the … [Read more...] about An Ancestral Tour of Stephen Colbert’s Family
Khloe Kardashian Rocks Irish Design
Khloe Kardashian looked fierce wearing a Theia gown at the Golden Globes E! Entertainment after party. The dress from Theia’s spring 2015 collection featured a turtleneck halter bodice in black crepe with a duchess satin waist band and circle chiffon skirt with a thigh-high slit. The collection is a manifestation of Kerry-born, New York-based designer Don O'Neill’s … [Read more...] about Khloe Kardashian Rocks Irish Design
The Long Road Back to “White O’Morn” Cottage
It was a magical place – a romantic place – the mythical cottage of Mary Kate and Sean Thornton that was featured in John Ford’s classic 1952 movie The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. Sadly, Sean Thornton and Mary Kate's real-life “wee humble cottage” currently lies in ruin. There is much more to this plot of land than just a set location. Most people do … [Read more...] about The Long Road Back to “White O’Morn” Cottage
Irish at the Oscars
It’s that time of year again and the Oscar nods arrived this morning. Among the contenders for Best Picture this year is Philomena, the true story of Philomena Lee’s search for her son after a clandestine adoption under the shadow of the Catholic Church and Irish State. Much of the movie was filmed in Ireland and, as we told you about in our last issue, highlights the troubled … [Read more...] about Irish at the Oscars