Congressman Richie Neal received the Eire Society’s 2020 Gold Medal during virtual ceremonies on Sat., Oct. The chair of the House Ways & Means Committee, Rep. Neal was reelected to his seat in November. The society will host a virtual Christmas online gathering on Sat., Dec. 19 at 5:30 pm. Register at eiresociety.org.

Dorchester's John King achieved rock star status in Ireland last month, where CNN's election coverage captured a large audience, King has family roots in Connemara, in Doonloughan, near Ballyconeely, and not far from Clifden. See Larry Donnelly story on Page 5.

Appearing on an Irish TV talk show, Brookline native Conan O’Brien told Late Late Show host Ryan Turbridy that he plans to visit Ireland someday soon. "My body immediately responds to being in Ireland because every single cell in my body says, 'Yes, there's no sun out,' and my skin says, 'Yes, you are home’,” O’Brien said. 

"Let me explain to you,” he added, “that I am living near the Mexican border and it's killing me. I am not meant for this environment. I have dermatologists who I see every six months and he says to me, 'Get out of this country, go back home, you are supposed to live in a bog, you idiot'."