Stop in and you’ll see: Great dining abounds on Ireland’s West Coast

By BIR News Room
July 2, 2014

By Judy Enright
Special to the BIR

Ireland has changed a lot in the past 30 years. Much of that change is probably thanks to – or the fault of – the internet, depending on your perspective. But, changes can also be credited to the country’s many visitors who demand the best, to the Irish who travel widely and bring home creative ideas from everywhere, and to the influx of foreigners living in Ireland.
Frequent travelers will note the many changes, subtle and otherwise.

‘Lucky to be alive’ not always a cliche

Ed Forry
By Ed Forry
July 2, 2014

By Ed Forry
This past April, MSNBC’s Lawrence O'Donnell was on vacation with his brother Michael in the British Virgin Islands when his taxi van was hit in a head-on crash. Both sustained serious injuries.
In his first telecast since the accident, he gave a poignant telling of his story since that day, saying he felt “lucky to be alive.” His words articulate his profound sense of gratitude to all who helped. Here are some of those words:

"Walking the Camino" film set for screenings in Brookline

By Liam Ferrie
June 3, 2014
Liam Ferrie

Last July the hottest ticket at the Galway Film Fleadh was the one that would gain you entry to a screening of the documentary “Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago”. This wasn’t surprising as just about everyone in Ireland knows someone who has walked the 500-mile pilgrimage path from the south of France to Santiago de Compostela, in the province of Galicia in north-western Spain. The documentary is now set for a series of Boston screenings at Brookline's Coolidge Corner Theatre late this month and in early July.

Report: Kathy O’Toole in line to take charge of Seattle police force

By BIR staff
June 2, 2014
BIR staff

Kathleen O’Toole, onetime Boston police commissioner police commissioner (2004-2006) and former inspector general of Ireland’s police force, the Garda Inspectorate, has been nominated to be the chief of police in Seattle.
The announcement of O’Toole’s new posting was made in a Memorial Day ceremony by Seattle’s new mayor, Ed Murray. She was selected over two men who were also finalists for the job, the chiefs of police in Elk Grove, CA, and Mesa, AZ.

Irish, British consuls, BC fellows discuss issues confronting Ireland

By BIR News Room
June 2, 2014

Maay 30, 2014-As the rapprochement in Northern Ireland continues to evolve, scenes unimaginable before 1998 continue to unfold. In late May, a conference held at the Beacon Hill home of British Consul General Susie Kitchens offered a profound reminder of just how much has changed. Consul General Kitchens and Irish Consul General Breandan O Caollai hosted a symposium with BC’s Irish Institute and its 2014 Rule of Law fellows on May 27.

Thinking unique, extraordinary? Consult Hidden Ireland

By BIR News Room
May 30, 2014

BY JUDY ENRIGHT
SPECIAL TO THE BIR

Temple House in Ballymote, Co. Sligo, has been in the same family since 1665 and welcomes visitors to experience life in an elegant Irish estate.Temple House in Ballymote, Co. Sligo, has been in the same family since 1665 and welcomes visitors to experience life in an elegant Irish estate.
Shouldn’t your vacation in Ireland be a complete escape from everyday life? You’ve saved all year for this outing, so do something totally different and create some amazing memories.
A great place to start is with a unique and extraordinary place to stay, dine, and meet other international travelers. You could hardly do better than to select one of the 36 historic country estates included in an accommodation group called Hidden Ireland (hiddenireland.com). These are all private and historic family homes where the owners welcome and interact with guests and sometimes even head for the kitchen to don aprons and cook breakfast or dinner.

I have stayed at a number of Hidden Ireland properties over the years and can recommend all of them without reservation. I’ve enjoyed The Quay House in Co. Galway, Bruckless House in Co. Donegal, Clonalis in Co. Roscommon, and Ashley Park House in Co. Tipperary. Each one is unique, reflects the style, heritage, and flair of the family, and is absolutely delightful.

From Worcester to Broadway: Tony Award winner McGrath bringing ‘The Odd Couple’ to Cape Playhouse

By R.J. Donovan
May 30, 2014
R.J. Donovan

Michael McGrath (pronounced McGraw) is a lucky guy. And he knows it. The Worcester native first came to the attention of Boston audiences in Gerard Alessandrini’s musical spoof “Forbidden Broadway” back in the 80s. He costarred with Toni DuBuono, the lady who would eventually become his wife.
Since that time, he has established a successful career on Broadway and beyond. Along the way he has picked up a Tony Award (along with Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle honors) for his role opposite Matthew Broderick and Kelly O’Hara in the Gershwin musical “Nice Work If You Can Get It.”
His impressive Broadway credits also include “Memphis,” “Born Yesterday,” “Wonderful Town,” and creating the role of Patsy, King Arthur’s long suffering sidekick, in “Monty Python’s Spamalot.” This month he returns to The Cape Playhouse in Dennis to play Oscar Madison in Neil Simon’s classic comedy “The Odd Couple” from June 9 to June 21.

Hunger Strike Charges Shadow Adams

By Bill O'Donnell
May 30, 2014
Bill O'Donnell

Hunger Strike Charges Shadow Adams – Richard O’Rawe, public information officer for the IRA inmates during the hunger strikes had an intriguing tale to tell of what actually occurred during the 1981 protests. O’Rawe’s account of what went down during the negotiations between Margaret Thatcher’s British government and the Irish republican leadership outside the prison walls makes for intriguing reading. And this story has haunted Gerry Adams up to the present moment, according to a story by journalist Ed Moloney, who organized and led the BC tape-recorded interviews effort.

Life with the Jesuit fathers: a recollection

By Tom Mulvoy, Associate Editor
May 30, 2014
Tom Mulvoy, Associate Editor

Serenity rules over the ample space where neatly placed rows upon rows of plain-looking gravestones, some 750 in all, mark the final resting places of dedicated men who in the long ago invited me into their learning circle and helped steer my young self through the shoals of adolescence and early adulthood as I made my way to who I was meant to be.

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