Irish Massachusetts

  Courtesy of National Park Service. Photo Credit: Procon Consulting (Ted Fiffy) Boston National Historical Park is in the midst of a $30+ million restoration of Dorchester Heights Monument atop Telegraph Hill in South Boston.  Funding for the project comes from the  Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) .  The restoration began in  September 2023  and is expected to be completed by March 2026, in time for the 250th anniversary of the famous episode at Dorchester Heights in March 1776.  That is when colonial troops pointed canons from Dorchester Heights at British ships in the harbor, forcing British troops to evacuate and effectively ending the 11-month Siege of Boston. According to Boston National Historical Park, "This current project is restoring the 115-foot-tall marble commemorative tower, which was designed by Peabody & Stearns architects of Boston in 1899 and constructed in 1901-1902. It is also replacing all hardscapes within the surrounding...

Courtesy of Rory McIlroy New York, NY – April 14, 2025  – Tourism Ireland proudly celebrates Rory McIlroy’s stunning victory at the 2025 Masters, securing his career Grand Slam and solidifying his place as one of the greatest golfers of all time. This extraordinary achievement is a milestone not only for McIlroy, but for Irish golf as a whole, reinforcing Ireland’s reputation as the   Home of Champions . McIlroy’s victory at Augusta National marks a remarkable chapter in his illustrious career and brings yet another major title to his name. As the first golfer from Northern Ireland to secure the coveted Masters Green Jacket, McIlroy’s triumph is a testament to the world-class golfing talent that Ireland continues to nurture. This achievement is a proud moment for Irish golf fans everywhere, showcasing the talent that emerges from the Emerald Isle and the rich golfing heritage that has produced so many global champions. The Road Ahead: The  153rd Open  CHAMPIONSHIP at...

Boston Public Library, McKim Building Entrance In celebration of National Library Week , April 6-12, 2025, here is an overview of public, academic and private libraries in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  Massachusetts has 370+ public libraries and 1,400 academic and specialized libraries, including  nine library networks  that provide the library catalog, the ability to borrow from neighboring libraries, circulation, patron registration, public Internet access and other critical services.  Among the highlights: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum The   John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum  at Columbia Point in Dorchester is a federal repository of the papers and holdings of President Kennedy and his administration. The JFK is a treasure trove of information about the Commonwealth’s native son, and also contains materials on mid-20th century politics in America. The  State Library of Massachusetts , located at the State Ho...

  Cary Memorial Hall, Lexington During the  centenary celebration of the Battle of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1875, the  Town of Lexington honored two American patriots – Sam Adams and John Hancock – with statues for their distinctive role in the American Revolution. Irish-born, Boston-based sculptor Martin Milmore, best known for his iconic monuments of the American Civil War, was chosen by the Town to create a statue of Revolutionary War hero Sam Adams.  And Boston sculptor Thomas Gould was selected to create the John Hanock statue.   The sculptors were paid $4,000 each, and both statues were made from Carrara marble.  In addition, two statues representing the minutemen of the Revolutionary War and a solder from the Civil War were also commissioned to sculptor Carl Conrads.  All four statues were unveiled in a large tent on the day of the ceremony and were later installed in the town’s Memorial Hall. Sam Adams by Martin Milmore...

Dan Coll Congratulations to master oyster shucker Dan Coll of Boston’s famous Union Oyster House . Dan was named winner of the 17th Annual Oyster Shucking Competition that took place on March 17, 2025 at the Seafood Expo North America conference, held at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. New Brunswick - Deliciously Canadian was sponsor of this year’s competition, which was held at the Marina Theater Stage inside the convention hall. Marina Theater Stage Described as “a fun, heated competition where contestants are pitted against each other and the clock to shuck oysters as fast as they can,” the shuckers were advised that “contestants had to bring their own blades, and no mechanically assisted knives were permitted. The Oyster Shucking Contestants “Both speed and quality shucks are the key factors to winning this competition,” according to officials. Contestants shucked “a combination of both Atlantic (Crassotrea virginica) and Pacific Oysters (Crassotrea gigas).” Bost...

General John Stark Statue at New Hampshire State Capital  Building in Concord By Michael Quinlin The Irish and Scots-Irish played key roles on the battlefields and high seas during the American Revolution. Historic figures such as Commodore John Barry, General John Sullivan, matross Margaret Cochrane Corbin, spy Hercules Mulligan, Governor George Clinton, Colonel Henry Knox and aide-de-camp Stephen Moylan helped to win the war with their valor and devotion to liberty. Additionally, nine Irish-Americans signed the Declaration of Independence, three born in Ireland and six more of Irish or Scots-Irish descent, among them Charles Carroll of Maryland. Countless Irish-America farmers, tradesmen, laborers, printers, writers, artists, wives, daughters and nurses also contributed to the war effort. Last summer we launched the Revolutionary Irish Trail, a national project to chronicle the various Irish and Scots-Irish contributions to the America Revolution. Our goal is to identify Revolu...

        Photo courtesy of Boston Irish Tourism Association   TOURISM GROUP IS EXPANDING BOSTON’S IRISH HERITAGE TRAIL More Artists, Women & Writers Being Added in 2025 (March 12, 2025) - The  Boston Irish Heritage Trail , a three mile walk covering 20 public landmarks and depicting three centuries of Irish-American history, is expanding to include more sites in 2025.  Stretching from the city’s waterfront through downtown and Back Bay and over to Fenway Park, the Irish Heritage Trail features some of Boston’s finest public art and open spaces, including statues and monuments, public buildings and historic graveyards and state and city parks, along with the nation’s first public library and its most historic baseball park.  Among the news sites being added this year:  Kip Tiernan  Memorial on Dartmouth Street, Back Bay, a homage to Boston’s leading homeless and hunger advocate for half a century; The Swan Boats  in the Public Gar...

"Self-Portrait, George P.A.Healy," Courtesy Chicago History Museum   One of Boston's most iconic paintings, "Webster Replying to Hayne," at historic Faneuil Hall, painted by George Peter Alexander Healy (1813-1894), is being added to Boston's Irish Heritage Trail, a series of public landmarks that celebrates the artistic, literary, political and military accomplishments of the city's Irish immigrants and Irish-Americans.   Regarded as one of America's greatest portrait painters of the 19th century, Healy was born in Boston on July 15, 1813, to William Healy and Mary Hicks, the oldest of five siblings.  His father William Healy was an Irish immigrant and captain of a merchant vessel "whose Celtic strain ran bright and lovable through the temperament of the son," wrote the  Catholic Encyclopedia . In his autobiography,  Reminiscences of A Portrait Painter,  Healey wrote, "My grandfather was an Irishman who was ruined by the rebellion of ...

As we celebrate Irish Heritage Month and Women’s History Month in March 2025, and mark International Women's Day on March 8, Boston Irish Tourism Association pays homage to these seven Irish-American women whose accomplishments in their respective fields have positively influenced society and continue to inspire people around the world. Margaret Foley (1827-1877) Born in Dorset, VT, Margaret Foley worked in the textile mills in Lowell while pursuing her interest in poetry and art, specializing in carving cameos. In Boston she created cameos of opera star Jenny Lind, poet Henry Longfellow, Senator Charles Sumner and abolitionist Julia Ward Howe. In 1861 Foley moved to Rome, Italy and mastered the intricate art of medallions. Her work, including an acclaimed portrait of Cleopatra, were featured at the Philadelphia Centennial Expo in 1876. Her work is on display at the Smithsonian and Harvard art museums. Mary Kenney O'Sullivan (1864-1943) Nationally acclaimed union organizer Mary...