A castle for the night? Ireland has plenty to offer

By Staff
April 6, 2012

By Judy Enright
Special to the BIR
Elegant castles and ruins are scattered across the Irish countryside and add an air of romance and mystery to this mystical island. It’s fun trying to imagine life in those feudal days and how castle dwellers coped without instant communication, grocery stores, or malls.

A passionate connection to where we came from

By Joe Leary, Special to the BIR
April 6, 2012

Joe Leary, Special to the BIR

The multitude of St. Patrick’s Day events we witness each year, with their music, speeches, singing, and dancing, illustrates the passionate Irish-American connection to the land of Ireland where our ancestors were born.

Riverdance plays final five shows this weekend at Boston's Opera House

By Sean Smith
April 6, 2012

Sean Smith

Riverdance in farewell visit to Boston- Don't miss it!
In 1996, Bill Clinton was president, William Weld was governor of Massachusetts, the old Boston Garden was still standing, the Red Sox were still in search of their first world championship since 1918 – and a show called "Riverdance" began touring cities in the United States, including Boston, hoping to duplicate its success in Ireland.
Long story short? It did.

40 countries, 4 continents, 350 venues- ‘Riverdance’ legacy – so far

By R.J. Donovan
April 6, 2012

R.J. Donovan

The international sensation known as "Riverdance" has played in 40 countries across 4 continents in more than 350 venues to a worldwide audience surpassing 22 million people. That's astounding when you consider that the two-hour celebration of Irish music, song, and dance began life as a seven-minute intermission entertainment for the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest televised throughout Europe.

Now, the Irish are stalking the Masters in Georgia

By BY PETER F. STEVENS
April 3, 2012

BY PETER F. STEVENS

Messrs. McIlroy, McDowell, Harrington strut ‘major’ stuff

The Chieftains At 50: Better than Ever

By Bill O'Donnell
April 3, 2012

Bill O'Donnell

The Irish Taoiseach calls them “living treasures whose music has transcended all boundaries.” And ain’t it the truth. After 50 years as a major international music group, the Chieftains, led as they have been since the beginning by Paddy Moloney, have won just about every award imaginable for their richly nuanced traditional Irish music offerings.

President Higgins in Boston Visit May 5

By Ed Forry
April 3, 2012

The Irish Consulate in Boston has confirmed that Ireland’s President Michael D. Higgins will make an official visit to the city on May 5, and will officiate in ceremonies in remembrance of the Irish Famine.

Minister Frances Fitzgerald: Ireland’s children are on her watch

By Ed Forry
April 3, 2012

Boston’s St. Patrick’s events were the occasion of the visit to Boston of Frances Fitzgerald, T.D., the Ireland government minister who is designing new initiatives to protect the country’s children.

Fitzgerald, T.D., who serves in the Dail representing city residents in the Dublin Mid West constituency, undertook a whirlwind set of public appearances that included the launch of an initiative with the Irish Pastoral Centre, a St. Patrick’s breakfast speech hosted by the Irish American Partnership, a star turn as the honored guest at the Irish Network/Boston St. Patrick party at the Moakley Court House, and a visit to Holyoke for that city’s St. Patrick’s parade.

Fitzgerald speaks in Boston

Commentary: Ah, yes, ‘The Quiet Man’

By Ed Forry
March 8, 2012

The huge flow of information on the internet sometimes can be quite useful. In this age of almost immediate access to all sorts of knowledge, information can be had with just a few keystrokes. Case in point: Some friends were trying to recall some of those wonderful lines from the movie “The Quiet Man,” the 1950s John Ford film about the ancestral country of Irish Americans.

An online search for “Quiet Man quotes” yielded a treasure trove of memorable quotes. Here are a few:

“He’ll regret it till his dying day, if he ever lives that long.” – Red Will Danaher

Returning to Kerry – the Flahertys and the O’Donnells

By Bill O'Donnell
March 6, 2012

Bill O'Donnell

My cousin Dan Flaherty died twenty years ago at age 53. As he left us, he was doing what he loved: tending his sheep atop the mountain overlooking the farm below that he shared with his wife Eileen and daughter Margaret. I love all the Flahertys, but I reserve a special place for Dan. He was a community leader, a regular in the Castlemaine players group, and a much-loved performer in his neighborhood musicales.

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