Walsh lays foundation stone for emigrant centre in Connemara

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

Emigrants Commemorative Centre: Mayor Martin Walsh unveiled a stone marker at the site of a planned Emigrant Commemorative Centre in Carna, Co. Galway. Máirtín Ó Catháin, the chairperson of the committee planning the centre, is shown at left. Photo by Bill ForryEmigrants Commemorative Centre: Mayor Martin Walsh unveiled a stone marker at the site of a planned Emigrant Commemorative Centre in Carna, Co. Galway. Máirtín Ó Catháin, the chairperson of the committee planning the centre, is shown at left. Photo by Bill Forry

Mayor Martin Walsh returned to Carna, Co. Galway on Tuesday at a ceremony to launch a planned Emigrants Commemorative Center in the town of his father's birth. The mayor dedicated a foundation stone at the site and pledged to help support the centre by helping to raise funds and awareness in the Boston Irish community.

Ireland's tourism minister shares good news: US tourist visits up 18% in summer '14

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

Minister Paschal Donohoe, TD: Hailed latest US-Ireland tourism stats in remarks to a luncheon sponsored by the Irish American Partnership on Fri., Sept. 26 in Boston.Minister Paschal Donohoe, TD: Hailed latest US-Ireland tourism stats in remarks to a luncheon sponsored by the Irish American Partnership on Fri., Sept. 26 in Boston. Photo by Harry Brett

Ireland's chief tourism minister today 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. Paschal Donohoe, TD, who serves as the Minister of Transport, Tourism and Sport told a Boston lunch gathering of the Irish American Partnership that he had just been given figures this morning that show that US tourist visits between June and August 2014 was up roughly 18 percent over the previous year— a figure that is approximate to about 450,000 new tourists.

"We've had about one-fifth more American tourists this summer," said Donohoe, who told the luncheon audience at the Boston Harbor Hotel that he had been awakened to the good news in a text message. Donohoe is visiting the US this week as part of a Tourism Ireland tour to key American cities.

"The reason why it's all happening is that we have a private sector who have responded to the challenge of putting together a touring offering that is second to none," said Minister Donohoe, who pointed to the statistical leap as the latest in a string of indicators of a resurgent Irish economy. Ireland has added 70,000 jobs over the last year at a pace of about 1,000 per week, Donohoe noted.
Latest projections show the Irish economy growing at a rate of about 4.5 percent, he said.

Showcasing the best of Ireland: iFest Boston at the World Trade Center, Sept, 26-28

By BIR News Room
September 21, 2014


Fine food, music, arts and more

Taoiseach Enda Kenny gathered in Dublin with organizers of iFest as plans for this first major Irish Festival were announced this summer. The three-day event boasts that it will present the “Best of Ireland.” Photo courtesy iFest BostonTaoiseach Enda Kenny gathered in Dublin with organizers of iFest as plans for this first major Irish Festival were announced this summer. The three-day event boasts that it will present the “Best of Ireland.” Photo courtesy iFest Boston

iFest Boston, a first of its kind original festival of contemporary Ireland, has a jam-packed itinerary for its inaugural event, taking place in Boston at the Seaport World Trade Center on September 26-28.

Presenting the best of Irish culture through the interactive iFest pillars of food & drink, live entertainment, culture and creativity, Irish roots, sporting heritage, and tourism and hospitality, the festival invites attendees to immerse themselves in all things Irish during three weekend sessions. Each five-hour session will feature the following events, designed to balance the Irish spirit of fun with rich cultural experiences.

Breaking: IFEST Boston offers 2 for 1 deal for tickets

By Ed Forry
September 21, 2014

"We are doing a big promotion with a 'buy one get one free' and family ticket for $ 60," IFest organizer Rachel Kelly told the BIR. "We are delighted to share this special ticket offer with you to celebrate iFest coming to Seaport World Trade Center. There is Limited availability, don’t miss out."
Book tickets at www.ifestboston.com

Boston's Mayor Walsh lands at Shannon, begins 10 day Ireland visit

By Bill Forry
September 19, 2014
Bill Forry

By Bill Forry
(Shannon, Ireland, Sept 19)- Boston Mayor Martin Walsh has walked through the gates of Shannon Airport at least a dozen times in his 47 years. This arrival will be hard to beat.
The Dorchester born-and-bred Walsh was greeted by a crowd of jubilant admirers— including many relatives from the Connemara region, some of them holding Irish and American flags in a festive welcome heavily accented with the lilt of the native Irish language, still alive in well in the west of Ireland.

Boston's Mayor Walsh lands at Shannon, begins 10 day Ireland visit

By Bill Forry
September 19, 2014
Bill Forry

By Bill Forry
(Shannon, Ireland, Sept 19)- Boston Mayor Martin Walsh has walked through the gates of Shannon Airport at least a dozen times in his 47 years. This arrival will be hard to beat.
The Dorchester born-and-bred Walsh was greeted by a crowd of jubilant admirers— including many relatives from the Connemara region, some of them holding Irish and American flags in a festive welcome heavily accented with the lilt of the native Irish language, still alive in well in the west of Ireland.

Senate President Murray launches new Letterkenny-UMass Medical partnership

By Staff
September 12, 2014
Staff

Letterkenny-UMass partnership announced: Senate President Murray,right, with Senator Stanley Rosenberg, center, and Letterkenny Institute of Technology President Paul Hannigan.Letterkenny-UMass partnership announced: Senate President Murray,right, with Senator Stanley Rosenberg, center, and Letterkenny Institute of Technology President Paul Hannigan.Senate President Therese Murray, who is in Ireland for a trade mission with Sen. Stanley Rosenberg, visited County Donegal today to announced the expansion of the Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center (M2D2) to Letterkenny Institute of Technology. The UMass incubator initiative will also partner with the Derry-based Clinical Transitional Research and Innovation Centre (C-TRIC) in a partnership that will be announced formally on Monday in Northern Ireland.

Founded in 2008, M2D2 is a joint UMass Lowell and UMass Worcester initiative designed to accelerate the development and launch of new medical device companies. The opening of incubator space in Ireland and the North is the direct result of previous trade missions led by Murray.

“Massachusetts holds international recognition as a premiere research and development center for life sciences, biotechnology and medical devices,” President Murray said in a statement. “This exciting collaboration will offer assistance to Massachusetts-based companies looking to break into the European market while also attracting European companies that want to launch clinical trials in Massachusetts. Our shared goal is to create an environment where research, innovation and commercialization can all take place and this is a big step forward for innovators and entrepreneurs in Massachusetts and beyond.”

Mayor Walsh knows all about Connemara’s picturesque beauty

By BIR News Room
August 29, 2014

By Judy Enright

There was a very large billboard in Carna, Co. Galway, this spring celebrating Boston’s Irish Mayor Marty Walsh. The Connemara area will be thrilled to have him visit this autumn.There was a very large billboard in Carna, Co. Galway, this spring celebrating Boston’s Irish Mayor Marty Walsh. The Connemara area will be thrilled to have him visit this autumn.

Boston Mayor Martin Walsh has already taken Connemara by storm and he hasn’t even touched down on Irish soil for his first “official” visit. This spring, we came across a huge billboard applauding Walsh’s mayoral run at an intersection in Carna (Connemara, Co. Galway) where his father, John, was born.

Connemara is just one of many areas Walsh plans to visit when he lands in Ireland later this month and it’s an area he knows well from childhood visits to his grandparents’ home in Rosmuc.

Isn’t Walsh a lucky man? You could scarcely find a more varied or picturesque area of this stunning country to visit than Connemara – and he has familial roots there to boot.

Connemara really has it all – bogs, mountains, seashore, a fjord, wonderful hotels, lodges and B&Bs, great fishing, golf and many other sports, delicious food, friendly people, so-called green gold (Connemara marble), colorful towns, tourist attractions, including the first transatlantic radio station, and Connemara ponies – what more could anyone want?

Dot’s Anglin making mark with Irish baseball team

By Sophie Gayter
August 29, 2014
Sophie Gayter

For Nathaniel Anglin, a teacher at The Neighborhood House Charter School in Dorchester, baseball has always been more than just a sport. “I’ve been playing baseball my whole life, basically from the time I was able to swing a bat,” said Anglin, who plays first base or pitcher. “I played college ball, but after my sophomore or junior year I kind of knew at that point that major league ball wasn’t going to happen.”

Early fall concerts slate: Lots going on

By Sean Smith
August 29, 2014
Sean Smith

Greater Boston’s early fall Irish/Celtic concert slate includes a rare duet appearance by Beoga members Niamh Dunne and Sean Og Graham and a concert by new “super group” The Alt, both at The Burren, and a performance by one of Scotland’s most enduring and popular bands, the Tannahill Weavers, at a new location for the notloB Parlour Series.

• The Somerville-based Burren welcomes Dunne and Graham as part of its “Backroom” series on Sept. 10. The two are an integral part of Beoga, regarded as one of the most inventive and exciting groups to emerge in 21st-century Ireland.

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