Anna Burns Wins Man Booker Prize Novelist Anna Burns won the 2018 Man Booker Prize for her third book, Milkman. Burns is the first writer from Northern Ireland to ever win the award, and the first woman since 2013 to do so. The experimental novel takes place in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, the armed conflict in the region in the late 20th century. It is narrated by an … [Read more...] about Book Notes
Martin McGuinness
McGuinness Principles Launched in U.S.
In honor of the Good Friday Agreement’s 20th anniversary, the McGuinness Principles were launched from New York in April. The principles, named after Northern Ireland’s former deputy first minister Martin McGuinness, amount to a declaration of intent to resolve contentious issues between the Northern Irish and British governments. They were compiled by members of the Ancient … [Read more...] about McGuinness Principles Launched in U.S.
Those We Lost
Jimmy Breslin 1928 – 2017 Legendary New York City reporter Jimmy Breslin, who appeared on Irish America’s second ever cover in January of 1986, died March 19 in Manhattan following a bout of pneumonia. Breslin had a knack for finding the overlooked characters on the periphery of major stories. He wrote columns on the gravedigger for John F. Kennedy’s plot at Arlington who … [Read more...] about Those We Lost
McGuinness Passes Torch to Michelle O’Neill
Former Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland Martin McGuinness announced in January that he would not be running for re-election due to an earlier diagnosis with a rare medical condition. Taking on the role as lead representative of Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland is Michelle O’Neill, the outgoing Northern Irish minister for health and niece of prominent Northern Aid official … [Read more...] about McGuinness Passes Torch to Michelle O’Neill
Brexit Creates Worry for Northern Ireland
In June, the United Kingdom officially passed the referendum to end its membership with the European Union. A slim 51.9 percent majority voted in accordance with the “Leave” campaign, while 49.1 percent voted to remain. Statistics have shown that the majority of the Leave votes came from polling stations in Wales and rural England, whereas London, Scotland, and the majority of … [Read more...] about Brexit Creates Worry for Northern Ireland