Boston Irish Commentary

BY JOE LEARY SPECIAL TO THE BIR The intransigence, bullheadedness, and pigheadedness of politicians throughout the world have frequently brought suffering, pain, and poor government to the people they are supposed to serve. Whether this occurs because the... Read more
Flashing red lights abound as an autumn reckoning looms BY PETER F. STEVENS BIR STAFF Like “the flashing red light” metaphor that National Security Advisor Dan Coates employed to warn of ongoing Russian disruption of our elections, the immortal words of... Read more
Following is the sermon delivered by the pastor of St. Gregory’s Parish, Rev. Jack Ahern, to his congregation at Masses last Saturday and Sunday: “Seamus Heaney was one of the great Irish poets of our time. The Nobel laureate’s work reflected the profound... Read more
BY PETER F. STEVENS REPORTER STAFF For once, President Donald Trump has told the truth. He professes that nothing is more important to him than the proverbial “red, white, and blue.” That truth materialized as he stood alongside Vladimir Putin in... Read more
BY JAMES W. DOLAN SPECIAL TO THE REPORTER Isn’t it remarkable how the entire world came together to support and pray for the twelve boys and their leader trapped in a cave in Thailand? The outpouring of sympathy and hope is all the more amazing given the... Read more
BY JOE LEARY SPECIAL TO THE BIR For several years now most Americans have been disappointed by a federal government in Washington that features constant bickering, outlandish statements from all sides, little being done to correct such problems as a... Read more
The United States of America is the most powerful country on earth. Our economy is doing very well, there are plenty of jobs for all who want to work, and our military is by far the strongest of all nations. We are the most desirable country in the world... Read more
When is a cake not a cake? When it becomes a matter of conscience or freedom of religion. The refusal of a Colorado baker to make (or create) a cake for a same sex marriage does not rise to that level. But even if it did, that does not outweigh the... Read more
Irish-American sycophants in step with ‘The Man Who Would Be King’ BY PETER F. STEVENS BIR STAFF The stench of corruption has spread across the United States from Washington where The Potomac Swamp has swelled into President Trump’s Lagoon, and as our... Read more
BY JOE LEARY SPECIAL TO THE BIR For most Americans, the British vote to leave the European Union is not a daily concern. Or even a concern at all. But the vote by British citizens to leave Europe is requiring complex new agreements between the leaders of... Read more
“You just call on me… when you need a hand We all need somebody to lean on.” – “Lean on Me,” composed by Bill Withers. One of our town’s most treasured artists, the Irish dancer Kieran Jordan, has discovered the meaning of that sentiment from Bill... Read more
Northern Ireland today is operating as a nonfunctioning state without local government leadership. It is being administered and financed by British politicians from London on a part-time basis since the North’s political leaders have been unable to agree... Read more
Among the thousands of Irish organizations in the United States, the Irish American Partnership continues to distinguish itself as a unique organization by dedicating its resources toward education in Ireland and the long-term health of the Irish nation.... Read more
Political parties frequently undergo changes in their leadership, but rarely do they completely reverse the face of their public image. With Martin McGuinness’s death and Gerry Adams’s resignation as leader of Sinn Fein in Ireland, the party is embarking... Read more
The Boston Red Sox lost one of their most devoted long-time followers last week when former state treasurer Bob Crane died at the age of 91. Beginning in the 1930s, during the time of Moe Berg, the catcher/scholar of whom it was said, “Moe could strike... Read more
The good people of Northern Ireland have been without local assembly government for over a year now with politicians continually refusing to agree on much of anything to repair the situation. With the destructive Brexit changes looming, the citizens of... Read more
The Marine from Brighton Has Emerged as a Lightning Rod in the Immigration Battle By Peter F. Stevens BIR Staff When General John Kelly was appointed Secretary of Homeland Security, and, later ,White House chief of staff, many in and around Boston felt a... Read more
BY JOE LEARY SPECIAL TO THE BIR More confusion, anger, and misleading statements mark the continuing process to facilitate Britain’s leaving the 27-nation European Union, which would be humorous if it were not so important to the people of Ireland. The... Read more
BY BILL FORRY EDITOR Cardinal Bernard Law, the former archbishop of Boston who left our city in disgrace amid the clergy child abuse scandal that was exposed by brave victims, attorneys, and reporters at the Boston Phoenix and the Boston Globe, died in... Read more
It’s hard to tell exactly why my memory drifts into overdrive at Christmastime, but I suspect that it’s due to a yearning for the emotional warmth that enveloped me and my family and all its extensions at the year-end holidays during World War II and the... Read more

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