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Ireland's Taoiseach Leo Varadkar Travels to the United States for St. Patrick’s Day Visit

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Ireland's Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is making an official visit to the United States from March 11 to 17 to participate in St.Patrick's Day celebrations. The Irish prime minister's first stop is Boston, where he has scheduled a series of political, economic and Irish community engagements, including a keynote address at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library , where he will reflect on the life and legacy of President Kennedy and how his legacy continues to have lessons for the global challenges of today. “The Government’s theme for St. Patrick’s Day 2024 is ‘Ireland’s future in the world’ so this year I wish to celebrate the achievements of our young Diaspora leaders in the US across the fields of innovation, creativity, community development, business, and academia," said the Taoiseach. "Many of the events in Boston and Washington DC will enable me to recognize their invaluable contribution to sustaining and deepening the close bonds between Ireland and the US, n

South Boston's Annual Evacuation Day Ceremony on Friday, March 15, Celebrates the 1776 Revolutionary War Victory at Dorchester Heights

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The National Parks of Boston and South Boston Citizens' Association are hosting the 248th annual Evacuation Day Commemoration on Friday, March 15 at 10 a.m. The event is free and open to the public. Due to current restoration work on the Dorchester Heights Monument, this year's ceremony will take place not at the monument, but at the Edgerley Family South Boston Boys & Girls Club at 230 West Sixth Street in South Boston. Confirmed speakers include Congressman Stephen F. Lynch,  National Parks of Boston Superintendent Michael Creasey, and state and city elected officials, including State Senator Nick Collins, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn. Superintendent Creasey will share a brief overview of the current restoration project. The National Parks of Boston began the more than $30 million restoration of Dorchester Heights Monument on September 15. Funded by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), rehabilitation work will be complete by March 17,

Better Late than Never: Irish and Traditional Songs by Maine Singer and Fiddler Kevin McElroy

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Musician and singer Kevin McElroy of Maine is well regarded around New England for his skill as an instrumentalist and singer, his knowledge of Irish traditional music, and his work as a restorer of antique instruments, particularly the violin.   His latest CD, Better Late than Never: Irish + Traditional Songs , will further cement his reputation and popularity in the Irish traditional music community. The CD includes 10 tracks with some gorgeous songs and tunes, a few of them rare, and others well-known. We asked Kevin about the song selections.   “The ages of the songs vary greatly, from "Polly Vaughan" which comes from an old 17th century ballad, to "The Moving on Song" which is a composition of the famous Ewan McColl. "Paddy, the Cockney and the Ass” I learned from the late, great Tom Lenihan from West Clare when I was in my late teens and on my first visit to Ireland. It was the song that Irish fiddler Larry Reynolds regularly requested of me,” Mc

Cape Cod Chamber Rolls out a New Tourism Brand and Campaign - Cape Cod Truly Yours

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  The Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce unveiled its new tourism brand to local and regional hospitality leaders and partners on February 28, 2024 at the Pelham House Resort in Dennis Port. The Chamber is the official destination marketing organization for Cape Cod. Chamber CEO  Paul Niedzwiecki said the new initiative marks the first substantial branding update in more than two decades. With the post-pandemic resurgence in travel and tourism, officials say this is an ideal time for the Cape Cod brand to undergo a destination makeover. The branding update was made possible through federal ARPA funds that were awarded to the Cape Cod Chamber for COVID-19 recovery of the Commonwealth’s tourism industry. “People from all over the world are drawn to Cape Cod,” said Niedzwiecki. “There are the obvious reasons for that – our iconic natural environment, our rich culture. But the magic of Cape Cod lies in something even deeper: It’s personal. We wanted to update our destination marketing to capture

White House Proclamation on Irish-American Heritage Month, March, 2024

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During Irish-American Heritage Month , we honor our Irish ancestors, all those who carry on their legacies, and the values that have always bound Ireland and the United States together.   These values — including determination, decency, and dignity — have been passed down from generation to generation in families like my own and have been grafted into the American character. Last year, I had the honor of visiting the home of some of my Irish ancestors, including the Blewitts of County Mayo and the Finnegans of County Louth. As I traveled across Ireland, I learned the true meaning of the Gaelic expression, “a hundred thousand welcomes.” I was reminded that everything between Ireland and America runs deep — from our history and sorrow to our future and joy. But more than anything, hope is what beats in the hearts of all of our people.  For centuries — even during times of darkness and despair — hope has kept us marching forward toward a better future. It is what led so many of our

Trinity College Dublin Unveils The Book of Kells Immersive Experience

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Trinity College Dublin has created a wonderful new immersive experience on The Book of Kells, one of the most famous printed documents in the world and one of Ireland's most important cultural treasures.  Set within a specially constructed pavilion in the historic grounds of Trinity College Dublin, Ireland’s oldest university, t he Book of Kells Experience   takes v isitors from a view the Book of Kells in the Old Library, before moving to the Long Room, considered to be one of the world’s most beautiful libraries.  There, visitors embark on a 360° immersive journey in the pavilion filled with stories, sights and sounds inspired by the ancient manuscript and the Old Library’s precious collections. This includes a spectacularly innovative digital reconstruction of the Long Room. The immersive experiences takes visitors on a  journey from Iona in Scotland over the Irish Sea to Kells, and onwards to Dublin in the present day, as 1,200 years of history and stories unfold before their e

New England Going Green in March, Reports Irish Echo Newspaper in New York

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  Read the Irish Echo story on New England's vibrant Irish-American community this St Patrick's Day season.  The story appears in the February 28, 2024 issue of the paper, which was founded in 1928. Read full details of year-round Irish cultural activities in New England at IrishMassachusetts.com .