Publisher's Notes
BY ED FORRY
Congressman Richie Neal, the Democrat who now chairs the powerful House Ways and Means Commit-tee, took up a number of matters when he spoke at a New England Council breakfast at the Seaport Hotel last month. Joking that “there’s not much... Read more
By Ed Forry
Ten years ago, when we first gathered with some friends and advisors to discuss how to sponsor an annual luncheon featuring stories drawn from Boston’s large Irish community, we had a central idea in mind: We hoped to honor the remarkable... Read more
By Ed Forry
IRELAND – I made that long-awaited trip to Ireland last month, spending 12 days on the Emerald Isle, most of it along the Wild Atlantic Way, all of it in the west. The weather in Ireland held up as expected: some rain, some sun, and lots of... Read more
I watched a wonderful video on Facebook that showed our friend Kieran Jordan dancing in full form at last month’s 25th annual Catskills Irish Festival. I was really pleased to see it and felt very encouraged to see how she had responded to her illness.... Read more
By Ed Forry
Over the years, dear reader, I have used this space to ask you the question, “Is this the year to take a trip to Ireland, the home of your ancestors, to discover what you can of your Irish roots?”
The upcoming year will mark the 30th... Read more
by Ed Forry
BIR Publisher
It was a grand night on April 27 at Boston’s Seaport Hotel as several hundred guests applauded Kathy O’Toole, the recipient of the Eire Society of Boston’s 2019 Gold Medal Award.
A native of Pittsfield, she was born Kathleen... Read more
BY ED FORRY
The Irish Pastoral Centre was founded in 1987 to help the transition to American life for a then-burgeoning wave of young Irish immigrants. A 501(C)(3) non-profit funded in part by grants from the Irish government, the IPC is housed in part of... Read more
By Ed Forry
The month of March is always a busy one on the Boston Irish social scene, and the last week of the month featured a showcase of Irish traditional music, song, and dance highlighting the city of Limerick.
Our city was visited by representatives... Read more
Ciarán Cannon T.D., Ireland’s Minister for the Diaspora and International Development, spent two intensive days in town last month meeting with Irish groups here. We spoke on his visit to the Irish Pastoral Centre in Dorchester.
Q. What’s the purpose of... Read more
It soon might not be quite as easy to spot the daily Aer Lingus flights from Ireland as they approach Logan Airport. That’s because the airline has commissioned a new design for its aircraft, and for Eire-philes like myself, used to looking skyward to... Read more
by ED FORRY
Old friend Bill O’Donnell checked in by phone from his home in Rhode Island just before Christmas. For more than two decades, Bill was a stalwart in these pages, and his monthly column, erudite and informed, was always a joy.
His insightful... Read more
By Ed Forry
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
From “The New Colossus... Read more
BY ED FORRY
A couple who have spent decades helping Boston kids stay safe and achieve their dreams; a Catholic priest who ministers to the city’s most vulnerable; and a pioneering ENT physician with roots in Dublin.
These were the very worthy honorees at... Read more
Bill Delahunt’s career in public office spanned four decades, from a term representing his hometown Quincy as a state representative and 14 years as a member of Congress. The largest part of his public service career were the 22 years he spent as district... Read more
At first, I thought, it was just a bad reaction to something I ate.
It was Thursday night and I felt a little discomfort rattling around my stomach, then a bit higher near the left shoulder.
It must have been that cheeseburger, I told myself, or maybe... Read more
By Ed Forry
The Boston business leader John Cullinane has long been a force in Democratic politics hereabouts. A longtime ally of Sen. Ted Kennedy, John and his wife Diddy hosted a reception here for the senator and Sinn Fein’s Gerry Adams. And in 2008,... Read more
Ireland’s Ambassador to the United States, Daniel Mulhall, visited Boston last month for an evening function at the Boston College Club and a noon time class with students at Tufts University. During his brief overnight visit, Mulhall was a guest... Read more
The Boston Red Sox, who have initiated a public process to change the name of Yawkey Way, are getting plenty of pushback from prominent apologists for the late Red Sox owner who claim that he has been unfairly portrayed as a racist.
His defenders note... Read more
by Ed Forry
As the grieving residents of Parkland, Florida seek to recover from the tragic Valentine’s Day massacre at their high school, the city’s government is led by a woman with deep Boston Irish roots. Mayor Christine Hunschofsky is a Boston Latin... Read more
by Ed Forry
As the grieving residents of Parkland, Florida seek to recover from the tragic Valentine’s Day massacre at their high school, the city’s government is led by a woman with deep Boston Irish roots. Mayor Christine Hunschofsky is a Boston Latin... Read more
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