That voice you hear is probably Mike McNally’s

By Greg O'Brien
February 2, 2012
Greg O'Brien

Ask Francis Michael McNally for a resume, and he tosses out a self-effacing one-pager that reads like a photo caption and doesn’t even begin to tell the story of this man of many voices. His education essentials are to the point: bachelor of science in finance from Boston College’s Carroll School of Management; master’s in Broadcast Journalism from Boston University’s College of Communications; participation in BC’s doctoral program in Educational Administration.

Letting the younger set know the feeling when a house party turns into a session

By Sean Smith
January 17, 2012
Sean Smith

BY SEAN SMITH
SPECIAL TO THE BIR
It seemed like most any typical all-ages holiday gathering, and in many ways, it was.
A Christmas tree stood in the corner of the living room, right by the entry to the dining room. Christmas decorations graced the fireplace mantel and other parts of the house, and an assortment of various treats, including Christmas cookies, was laid out on the dining room table.

Appraising the ‘Jig’ documentary: entertaining; but context is an issue

By Sean
January 17, 2012
Sean

By Sean Smith
Special to the BIR
It’s not just Irish dance aficionados and child development experts who can find grist for conversation in “Jig.” Add classical philosophers to the list, too.
Sue Bourne’s documentary on Irish competitive dancing, released early last year and now available on DVD, touches, albeit somewhat indirectly, on universal questions about perseverance in pursuit of an elusive goal. When is it all too much? Why endure the sacrifices when the returns, at least in material terms, are virtually non-existent?

JFK’s Presidential Library and Museum captures history while remembering a life

By R.J. Donovan
January 17, 2012
R.J. Donovan

BY R. J. DONOVAN
SPECIAL TO THE BIR
Nestled on 10 acres of waterfront property along Dorchester’s Columbia Point, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum faces the sea, an apt location given JFK’s love of the ocean. If you’ve never visited the Museum, now’s a perfect time to absorb the rich history that awaits within its halls. And if you’ve stopped by in the past, new exhibits beckon.

At New Year’s, looking back, looking forward at the things we love about the island of Ireland

By BostonIrish.com... (not verified)
January 9, 2012

It's hard to believe that another year has sped past, leaving behind some good and some not-so-good memories, and that 2012 has now been launched. As the year turns, it's fun to remember all the things we love about Ireland, especially what we experienced during the previous year.

Here are a few 2011 favorites:

Little Elie Madden and her family find help, hope in Boston

By Ed Forry
January 9, 2012

The Madden family: 14-month old Elie, left, with her dad Eddie, mom Esit and twin sister Emie. Photo courtesy Madden familyThe Madden family: 14-month old Elie, left, with her dad Eddie, mom Esit and twin sister Emie. Photo courtesy Madden familyBy Pat Tarantino, Reporter Staff
After nearly a year-and-a-half spent in hospitals, operating rooms, and recovery units, a Dublin family's lengthy struggle to secure a healthy future for their ailing daughter may finally come to a happy end here in Boston.

Fourteen-month-old Elie Madden was born weighing less than four pounds and suffering from esophageal atresia - a rare disorder in which her esophagus is too short to reach her stomach - and has spent much of her young life dependant on machinery to keep her fed and breathing.

But thanks to a tireless fundraising campaign by parents Eddie and Esti and an outpouring of support in Ireland, Elie is now at Boston's Children's Hospital where she is currently receiving treatment that could give her a chance at a normal, healthy childhood.

Suzin Bartley relentlessly works her mission: Stressing prevention to stem tide of child abuse

By Greg O'Brien
January 5, 2012
Greg O'Brien

It has been said about child abuse that it "casts a shadow the length of a lifetime." Suzin Bartley, executive director of the Massachusetts Children's Trust Fund, has spent a professional lifetime trying to bring light to this darkness. She describes a chilling analogy—a haunting image that she has—of standing in a boat on a wide river, watching a baby float in the current. She grabs for the baby. Another one floats by, and she reaches out again. Again and again, until the boat is filled with babies.

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