Irish Massachusetts

Jimmy Carter, Ray Flynn and Michael Quinlin. Photo by Gail Oskin, Courtesy of City of Boston Archives By Michael Quinlin  Over the past few weeks, my recollections of meeting Jimmy Carter in Boston for the first time have resurfaced, bringing back memories that I still cherish some three decades later.  On Sunday, January 10, 1993, Carter paid a flying visit to Boston to promote his new book, Turning Point: A Candidate, A State and A Nation Come of Age .  The autobiographic memoir recounts how social and political inequities of the Deep South prompted Carter, a 38 year-old peanut farmer and former Naval officer, to enter politics in 1962 with a vision of righting the wrongs of a segregated society. Image Courtesy of Michael Quinlin When we learned of his upcoming visit, Boston Mayor Ray Flynn's office set up a last-minute meeting to seek Carter’s input on appointing an American envoy to help broker peace in Northern Ireland. The quest for an envoy was being spearheaded ...

  In Ireland, January 6 has long been celebrated as Nollaig na mBan, or Women’s Christmas, a tradition with both Christian and Celtic roots. On the religious side, it is also called the Feast of the Epiphany, and the 12th day of Christmas, when the tree and decorations are taken down. University of Connecticut Professor Dr. Mary Burke has described Women’s Christmas in James Joyce Quarterly as “a day on which housewives took a break from the season's chores and ate their preferred foods together in what was (or evolved into) a woman-only celebration…. Nollaig na mBan appeared to be a tradition passed on orally from mother to daughter over generations.” In Dublin, the Irish Writers Centre is holding a Women of Magic and Science celebration at Pearse Street library on Monday, January 6, featuring writers Jessica Traynor, Zoé Basha, Marianne Lee, Nuala O’Connor, Chandrika Narayanan-Mohan, Anne Tannam and Sophie White. In the US, the Irish American Partnership marks the occasion...

Séamus & Caoimhe  Uí Fhlatharta For visitors who want to experience the music and magic of Ireland in winter, check out TradFest in Dublin from January 22-26, 2025. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, TradFest is Ireland’s largest gathering of traditional and folk music. It features 100 Irish and international musicians and singers, performing at 85 events in dozens of iconic venues across the city, from cathedrals and castles to pubs and concert halls.   It is a feast of music, song and dance honoring Ireland’s storied musical traditions while also pushing their boundaries, as underscored by this year’s theme, ‘Two Decades of Different.’  This year’s line-up includes veteran traditional ensembles such as DeDannan and Scullion and individual legends Ralph McTell, Tom Paxton, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and Maura O’Connell.  A tribute to legendary Dubliner banjoist Barney McKenna takes place on January 25-25 at the Abbey Tavern in Howth, featuring some of Irela...

New Englanders love to usher in the New Year with outdoor activities that welcome winter!   The annual plunge along the New England coast every New Year's Day has been a fun and thrilling regional tradition for over a century, having its roots in South Boston, while the First Day hike is a more recent tradition started in 1992 in Milton, MA.   Here are few ideas for getting out and about on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.   Enjoy! FIRST DAY SWIMS   Courtesy of Discover Newport Newport Polar Bear Plunge Easton's Beach 175 Memorial Boulevard, Newport, RI Noon | 401-846-0028 |  discovernewport.org Celebrate the New Year with a plunge into the waters at Easton’s Beach. The Newport Polar Bears invite anyone crazy enough to join them for a swim in the Frosty North Atlantic Ocean. The charity this year is  A Wish Come True, which receive all proceeds from the swim and the after-swim-party at the Atlantic Beach Club at the east end of Easton's Beach. Courtesy of Boston...

Photo: James Higgins Congratulations to the recipients of the 2024 Irish and Irish-American Business 100 , selected annually by Irish America Magazine , a national publication based in New York City. An event honoring the recipients was held on Monday, December 16, 2024 at the Metropolitan Club near Central Park. The magazine's co-publishers, Niall O'Dowd and Patricia Harty, served as masters of ceremony, and Mary Cucinell, VP of marketing and operations, organized the evening events for more than 300 guests, who came from across the US and from Ireland.  Keynote speakers were Managing Director and Head of Abbey Capital (US) Helen Doody and Vice President of BNY Global Financial Services Brian Ruane.  Ten business leaders from greater Boston were represented in the Business 100 in 2024, including: Jim Brett, President and CEO of the New England Council Sharon Cunningham, President & CEO of VICO Infrastructure Company  Kathleen McQuade Ellmore, Co-Founder an...

Congratulations to Tim Cahill, who has been named the new president and CEO of the South Shore Chamber of Commerce , the region’s largest chamber, effective January 1, 2025.  The Chamber serves more than 1,100 members over 25 communities in the South Shore region. He replaces Peter Forman, who is leaving the chamber after 20 years of service on December 31, 2024. See full press release here. Cahill, a resident of Quincy, has had a successful political career, serving as treasurer of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2011.  He was Norfolk County Treasurer for six years and a member of the Quincy City Council for 16 years.  Since July 2017, Cahill has served as president and executive director of the Quincy Chamber of Commerce, representing 500+ commercial, retail and small businesses.  He was concurrently executive director of the Quincy Economic Development Corporation. During his tenure at Quincy Chamber, Cahill in 2018 established a lasting connection with the Cork...

Hancock-Adams Common, Downtown Quincy December is a magical month in the City of Quincy, MA, where the spirit of Christmas and holiday festivities is everywhere. All through the month,  enjoy the holiday lights displays and colorful Christmas trees at Hancock-Adams Common in the city center.  A few blocks down Hancock Street, the Generals Bridge and Park also has a colorful light display and Christmas tree that sparkles. Quincy Welcome Center On Saturday, December 14, check out the Quincy Welcome Center at 259 Hancock Street between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.  to shop for holiday gifts and Quincy-themed merchandise.  Nearby, don't miss Santa's Mailbox on Hancock-Adams Common, where kids can drop off letters to Santa Claus.   The Marina Bay Holiday Market takes place Sunday, December 15 from noon to 4 p.m. with lots of gift ideas from local vendors and shops along the marina, which is encapsulated by beautiful Christmas lights overlooking the Bay.  Kids can take pho...

Celtic Woman Traveling around New England for the holidays?  Here are some places to enjoy live Christmas, Irish and Celtic music in local concert halls and churches.  Happy Christmas.  Nutcracker Ballet at Rosecliff, Photo Credit: Island Moving Company Newport, Rhode Island  celebrates Christmas all month long with caroling in the streets, concerts and dance recitals in the grand mansions, and plenty of dining and hotel specials. On December 14 the Museum of Newport Irish History holds its annual Christmas Open House with music, food and Celtic-style, made-in-Rhode-Island Christmas ornaments for sale. Quincy Choral Society In Quincy , the Quincy Choral Society performs The Messiah at Wollaston Church on December 15. In Quincy’s city center, the Hancock Adams Common holds a religious gathering with sacred music at the Creche on December 15 and a Menorah Lighting on December 26. In Milton , the Eustis Estate holds its Holiday Cheer event on December 19, with live musi...

The Boston Celtics hoist the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy on Monday, June 17, 2024 Photo courtesy of the NBA Congratulations to the Boston Celtics for hoisting Banner 18 at the rafters at TD Garden. It was an incredible season and here’s to the quest for Banner 19 in 2025!   The Larry O’Brien trophy was presented courtside at TD Garden to the Boston Celtics organization by NBA Commission Adam Silver on Monday, June 17, the night the Celtics became the coveted NBA champions.  And on Friday, June 21, the 25.5″ inch-tall, 30-pound trophy was hoisted by Celtics star Jason Tatum along the three-mile victory parade route, attended by more than one million people. Many basketball fans are wondering, who is Larry O’Brien, for whom the National Basketball Association (NBA) Championship Trophy is named. Here is a quick sketch of Mr. O’Brien. The Kennedy Connection Larry O'Brien, 1961, Courtesy of JFK Library Lawrence Francis O’Brien (1917-1990) was born in Springfield, Massachuse...