Of Torture and the Problem of Good and Evil: Congressman Peter King’s Selective Memory Speaks for Many in Boston and Beyond

By Peter F. Stevens, Reporter Staff
June 3, 2011
Peter F. Stevens, Reporter Staff

Peter King / AP Pool PhotoPeter King / AP Pool PhotoWaterboarding, sensory deprivation, beatings, and other “enhanced interrogation techniques” – are these viable and morally justifiable means to an end in the struggle against terrorism? Does a nation’s ongoing struggle against those who unleash terrorist attacks against civilians justify torture to stop such unbridled evil? A great many people I’ve spoken to in these parts agree with Long Island Congressman Peter King, whose answer is a strident “yes.”

Dark History in Two Parts

By Bill O'Donnell
June 3, 2011
Bill O'Donnell

Dark History In Two Parts – The Rhode Island House of Representatives took a giant step forward for justice last month when they cleared the name of an Irish immigrant who was hanged on Valentine’s Day, 1845. John Gordon, 29, was convicted of murdering a well-connected mill owner and brother of a sitting U.S. senator in ugly circumstances that reflected the strong anti-Irish sentiment of the day.

British Seeking IRA Testimonies in BC Archives: University Mulls Moves on Subpoena

By BostonIrish.com... (not verified)
June 2, 2011

The U.S. attorney’s office in Massachusetts, acting on behalf of British officials, has served Boston College with a subpoena as part of an effort by law enforcement authorities in Northern Ireland to obtain files from the university’s oral history collection on the Troubles that plagued the North going back 40 years and more. The college is deciding how to respond to the call for the testimonies, which were obtained under a promise of confidentiality-until-death.

A Queen and a President Leave Irish Eyes Smiling

By Joe Leary
June 2, 2011
Joe Leary

It was remarkable, really. Both visits, Queen Elizabeth’s and President Obama’s, were triumphant victories for the Irish people. What small country has the power to attract as much investment, tourism, and attention as Ireland? This magical island and its people deserve all the good fortune that the United States and the United Kingdom shower upon it.

Obama Visit to Moneygall Stirs Interest in Ancestry

By Ed Forry
June 2, 2011

AP Pool PhotoAP Pool Photo The visit to Ireland of President Obama last month, brief ation of ancestral research into sharp focus. His stop-over at Moneygall, a village in Co. Offaly a couple of hours outside Dublin, was billed as the president’s own search for his ancestral roots. Obama spent several hours visiting the land of his maternal ancestors, some of whom were, in the 18th century, politically active and ambitious Dubliners, including the city’s most successful wigmaker.

McCaela Donovan Kicks Up Her Heels in “The Drowsy Chaperone”

By Ed Forry
May 6, 2011

BY R. J. DONOVAN
SPECIAL TO THE BIR
McCaela Donovan (no relation, by the way) has had a connection to Boston since she was a child and used to come here from upper state New York with her father to soak up local history. Today, the actress has carved out a nice spot for herself in Boston’s theater community, having appeared everywhere from New Rep and Commonwealth Shakespeare to the Brandeis Theatre Company, Reagle Music Theatre, and SpeakEasy Stage Company, among others.

Toibin Tip on Writing at BC Forum: ‘One Detail Should Get You Started’

By Ed Forry
May 6, 2011

BY PATRICK GALLAGHER
SPECIAL TO THE BIR
For award-winning Irish author Colm Toibin, writing is often about trying to distract readers from a story’s true destination, only to catch them off-guard when it is finally revealed. Toibin did just that last month at a reading before a packed Boston College auditorium, transporting his audience to the world created by his stories.

New CDs- The Magic of Music Delights 32 Girls in Kenya

By Ed Forry
May 6, 2011

‘Lullabies of Love’ CD, a Collaboration of Artists Who Care, Will Support ‘One Home Many Hopes’
BY SEAN SMITH
SPECIAL TO THE BIR
The biggest ideas often have the simplest beginnings. For Newton resident Lindsay O’Donovan, the inspiration for a major combination music project and fundraising initiative came from the act of quietly humming a tune for a sleepy little girl named Lovie who lay cradled in her arms.

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