In honor of Father's Day, a collection of remembrances from Irish and Irish-American daughters on their fathers, many of which come from Irish America interviews. “My dad was in WWII, and Korea. He wanted to go to Vietnam but did not. He felt that when the country needed you, you better stand up and go serve it, and he was heartbroken by what happened in WWII to people in … [Read more...] about Fathers of Influence
Mary Gallagher
Your Summer Reading List
MILKMAN Anna Burns I didn't know much about Northern Ireland before I left home in 1972. There was one shopping trip to Belfast on the train. I bought a purple and black maxi coat that looked like a woolen dressing gown. I had it for years and I can't think why I gave it away. I don't remember much about Belfast, or much else about the trip, except that on the return … [Read more...] about Your Summer Reading List
The Cry of the Curlew
Irish Plant and Animal Life Endangered ℘℘℘ One third of the species of Irish plant and animal wildlife are in danger of extinction, according to the Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT). On the endangered list are a large proportion of marine life, insects, and plants, including the alpine saxifrage (a perennial plant), the angel shark, birds such as the curlew and the twite, and a … [Read more...] about The Cry of the Curlew
Story and Song
Author Mary Pat Kelly launched her latest his torical fiction novel, Irish Above All, with a gathering at the Irish Rep. on February 11. It was a lovely celebration of Irish America, as Kelly regaled her audience with tales from her life and historical notes on the journey of her protagonist, her great-aunt Nora. She displayed an image of her parents’ wedding photo (her “one … [Read more...] about Story and Song
Those We Lost
Recent passings in the Irish and Irish American communities. ℘℘℘ Eileen Battersby (1958 – 2018) Former literary critic and correspondent for the Irish Times Eileen Battersby died in late December 2018 in a car accident in County Meath, aged 60. Known for her incisive reviews of a wide range of literature and her enthusiasm for all subjects, Battersby was recognized four … [Read more...] about Those We Lost