Menino’s book: Is it too little, too soon?

By Bill Forry
October 3, 2014

Thomas Menino’s “Mayor for a New America” hits stores and tablets on October 14. It will no doubt find a well-deserved place in the libraries of Bostonians who have a keen interest in city history and politics.

But it will find that shelf-space too quickly for many of us. At just 250 pages, the book is an all-too-quick read that leaves those well versed in the Menino era wanting more. Those thirsty for a serious, deep-dive chronicle and analysis of the Menino era will have to wait. Perhaps the publishers and the authors should have, too.

Irish American Partnership has sent $624,000 to Ireland

By Joe Leary
October 3, 2014
Joe Leary

Accompanied by staff and donor supporters, The Irish American Partnership’s board of directors travelled to Ireland this August on a mission to evaluate the impact of their funding decisions and to learn more about Irish education as the Partnership begins to set policies for additional support. During the trip, the board disbursed grants of $76,000, which brings the total amount of gifts sent to Ireland since November 2013 to $624,000.

Good news from Ireland Tourism Minister Donohoe: Visitors from United States up 18 percent in summer ’14

By Bill Forry
October 3, 2014

In remarks to a Boston audience on Sept. 26, Ireland’s chief tourism minister hailed newly released figures showing a big jump in summer tourists from the United States as the latest indicator of a recovering economic situation in the country.

Hailing the Eire Pub, and Dot’s Irish roots: Irish Heritage Fest set for Oct. 12: Let the music, fun begin

By Sean Smith
October 3, 2014
Sean Smith

Dorchester’s Irish Heritage Festival is back for its fourth year, with a full slate of Irish music and dance performances, family entertainment, and cultural activities, as well as food and vendor booths. The festival will take place on Oct. 12 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Florian Hall (55 Hallet Street) and the John McKeon Post AmVets 146 (4 Hilltop St.); there will be a suggested donation at the entrance of $5 per person, or $20 per family, to support the event.

BIR will honor 7 at luncheon on Oct. 24 Mayor Martin Walsh, S.B.’s Burke family, Katherine Craven

By Ed Forry
October 3, 2014

The Boston Irish Reporter, the region’s leading chronicler of all things Irish-American, will host “Boston Irish Honors 2014,” its annual anniversary luncheon, on Fri., Oct. 24, at 11:45 a.m. in the main ballroom of Boston’s Seaport Hotel.

The 35-member luncheon committee is chaired by Peter Meade, former director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority. The 2014 honorees are: The Burke Family – Jacquelyn, John, Paul, Dennis and Michael; Katherine Craven; and Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh.

Irish Heritage Fest set for Oct. 12 in Dorchester

By Sean Smith, Special to the BIR
October 2, 2014
Sean Smith, Special to the BIR

Irish Heritage Festival '13Irish Heritage Festival '13

Dorchester’s Irish Heritage Festival is back for its fourth year, with a full slate of Irish music and dance performances, family entertainment, and cultural activities, as well as food and vendor booths. The festival will take place on Oct. 12 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Florian Hall (55 Hallet Street) and the John McKeon Post AmVets 146 (4 Hilltop St.); there will be a suggested donation at the entrance of $5 per person, or $20 per family, to support the event.

Among the acts appearing this year will be acclaimed Maine-based traditional Irish trio The Press Gang; innovative dancer and choreographer Brian Cunningham; Medford resident George Keith, a mainstay of Boston’s Irish music scene; and TR Dallas, one of Ireland’s best-known country singers.

Walsh returns home from 10-day visit to Ireland

By Eugene Hogan, Special to the Reporter
September 29, 2014
Eugene Hogan, Special to the Reporter

Mayor Marty Walsh departed from Shannon Airport this morning following a 10 day visit. Speaking ahead of his flight out of Shannon to Logan Airport, Boston, Mayor Walsh said that the schedule was dominated by business meetings, including in Shannon, Galway, Donegal, Derry, Belfast and Dublin.

"As Mayor of Boston my job is to go out there and market the city as best as we can. When I was here on this trip I tried to talk about tourism and inviting people to Boston and also around business development and making sure they know Boston is open (for business).

"That's an important piece here, part of me as Mayor of Boston, I am also an ambassador of the City."

Modern-day chieftain from Boston hailed at his ‘home’ in Connemara

By Bill Forry, Editor
September 26, 2014
Bill Forry, Editor

The mayor in Clifden: Marty Walsh made a new friend in Henry Kenneally, 75, in Lowry's Pub on Saturday, Sept. 21. Photo by Bill ForryThe mayor in Clifden: Marty Walsh made a new friend in Henry Kenneally, 75, in Lowry's Pub on Saturday, Sept. 21. Photo by Bill ForryGALWAY, Ireland – For a few hours last Saturday, Marty Walsh was just another Yank on holiday, enjoying the sights and sounds of Clifden, one of Co. Galway’s loveliest and liveliest towns.  Your mayor had just enjoyed a sailboat ride and a quiet lunch with his partner Lorrie Higgins and two other traveling companions.

Now, as he strolled through the scenic village with other tourists, he was incognito in blue jeans, sneakers, and an old-school Red Sox ball cap; mercifully, he was off the grid, stopping to buy scones and desserts for his mother at a local bakery called Walsh’s.

The respite would not last long.

Later that evening, he began a series of public events with a Mass celebrated in his mother’s home village of Rosmuc, followed by a reception that went late into the night.

The first five days of Walsh’s first trip abroad as mayor were a blur of bonfires, parties, church services, and endless photo opportunities— with the mayor getting rock star treatment at every stop. In a few places, the frenzy to get photos with him was such that he had to be hustled into a waiting car, often by his cousin, Winnie Curran, a Boston Police sergeant who is accompanying the mayor on the trip.

View a gallery of images from the Mayor's visit to the West of Ireland.

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